ABSTRACT
Along with the transport and accommodation sector, attractions and events form one of the central components of tourism, providing a vital element in the visitor’s enjoyment and experience. Attractions are a central element in terms of what tourists visit at destinations as well as being something they may visit en route to a destination. In contrast, events may animate a destination and serve as a basis for a visit. UNEP (2009) indicated that over 80 million people attend a meeting or conference each year. The numbers attending trade fairs and exhibitions are much greater globally. As Swarbrooke (2000: 262) suggested ‘visitor attractions are at the heart of the tourism industry, they are motivators that make people want to take a trip in the first place’. In many respects, they are the lifeblood of a destination, because they are part of the appeal, ambience and overall experience that visitors seek to consume in areas they visit. This argument can also be extended to events which have developed as shown in Case Study 8.1.
