Does it Really Work? The Power of Social Exclusion
Author: Faye Coulson
3 Commentries
Abstract
Access to tourism covers a variety of issues which mainly stems through financial constraints limiting their access to tourism. UK policies have started to recognise this issue and the impact it can have on community development; therefore adopting the concept of social tourism.
Key Words
Social Exclusion, Social Class, UK Policy, Community Development
Every tourist is different. From destination choice, through to the activities we take part in whilst on holiday. Influences within society determine the choices we make and limiting are access to services such as tourism. Social exclusion is a term frequently used in today's society that forms a boundary limiting peoples' access to tourism.
Social exclusion has been an issue for some time but has never been given a suitable name or definition. Definitions found state that social exclusion is a process of which people are disadvantaged or detached from communities based on for example social class. Approximately 891 million people are socially excluded and are denied opportunities in society.
Tourism is one of the most influential forces that shapes are world. The way that we interpret tourism is different from person to person and we accept them by accepting entities or by groups that we feel familiar with. This gives us certain roles in society which determines the kind of person we are; also known as stereotypes. This shapes our behaviour and how we see other people, giving us the need to be concerned about others life experiences as it helps us understand each other.
It is argued that class determines our ability to take part in tourism. Travel has known to have become easier for everyone but still quality etc. is still determined by how much money we earn.
Social exclusion is now a main issue in UK policy. There is mixed awareness of the issue and limited availability to social tourism. This highlights the need for the development in social tourism in order to develop and sustain social inclusion.
Tourism has become increasingly significant in today's economically advanced societies. The inability to go on holiday results in lack of opportunities in mainstream society. This can lead to segregation and lead to low self esteem and/ or breakdown in social relationships in the community. Research has found that the most frequent barrier to participation is financial constraints. There is an assumption that these barriers act as a constraint to access to tourism. However, it may be that the individual that appears 'excluded' may not have an interest in tourism and therefore have an interest in another activity. Due to our new busy lifestyles, we find it increasingly harder to find time to go on holiday. Here this suggests that it is not the lower and working classes that are excluded. The lack of spare time can be witnessed across all classes of societies and can be seen as a potential 'barrier' to participation in tourism.
Segmentation can have a variety of groups from socio-demographic aspects through to behaviour. It has been proven difficult to segment tourists as there is no correct way of doing so. Social exclusion can also segment people purely on the basis of lack of motivation and neglect of responsibility, social isolation and rejection of the 'under-class'.
The World Tourism Organisation has stated that tourism should be a universal right. Governmental policies are now in place to help tackle social exclusion and have given a rise to opportunities in public expenditure and access to tourism.
Social tourism is a contemporary solution to help combat social exclusion. Mainly supported by charitable organisations such as the Family Holiday Association and the Family Fund. However, it has been suggested that a holiday does not solve the issue of social exclusion and doesn't eliminate whether the individual can afford to go or take time off from work commitments.
Charitable organisations have been shown to give aid to families with low incomes. These are by providing holidays each year or providing grants which have been known to help approximately 37,000 families within the UK alone. Social tourism isn't very economically beneficial in the short term; but it does help disadvantaged people in ways such as personal development and stimulating the motivation for change.
To conclude, social exclusion policies need to be put in to practice. Social exclusion covers all aspects of society which justifies the need for further research in terms of social class. Existing policies that provide access to tourism are very much focussed towards families with low income which needs to be addressed in order to sustain community development.
To evaluate the power of social exclusion, there needs to be a clear definition as to what social exclusion actually means. Research suggests that we are all socially excluded from society and that research needs to decentralise itself from the deprived areas of society and determine who is actually socially excluded. The 'power' of social exclusion is a problem within itself which need to be addressed. With this, it can be determined who is excluded and who isn't. The power does not seem to be apparent in today's society suggesting is tourism really for all?
References
DFID (2005) Reducing Poverty by tackling Social Exclusion, DFID Policy Paper
Minnaert, L (2007) Social Tourism: a potential to reduce social exclusion? The effects of visitor-related social tourism for low income groups on personal and family development. In UTSG Conference, Harrogate, 3rd-5th January 2007 [online] available at: http://www.utsg.net/publication.php?Year=2007&abstract=Lynn Minnaert2007#Lynn Minnaert2007 [date accessed: 19/04/2010]
Holden, A (2005) Tourism and the Social Sciences, Routledge, London
Access to tourism covers a variety of issues which mainly stems through financial constraints limiting their access to tourism. UK policies have started to recognise this issue and the impact it can have on community development; therefore adopting the concept of social tourism.
Key Words
Social Exclusion, Social Class, UK Policy, Community Development
Every tourist is different. From destination choice, through to the activities we take part in whilst on holiday. Influences within society determine the choices we make and limiting are access to services such as tourism. Social exclusion is a term frequently used in today's society that forms a boundary limiting peoples' access to tourism.
Social exclusion has been an issue for some time but has never been given a suitable name or definition. Definitions found state that social exclusion is a process of which people are disadvantaged or detached from communities based on for example social class. Approximately 891 million people are socially excluded and are denied opportunities in society.
Tourism is one of the most influential forces that shapes are world. The way that we interpret tourism is different from person to person and we accept them by accepting entities or by groups that we feel familiar with. This gives us certain roles in society which determines the kind of person we are; also known as stereotypes. This shapes our behaviour and how we see other people, giving us the need to be concerned about others life experiences as it helps us understand each other.
It is argued that class determines our ability to take part in tourism. Travel has known to have become easier for everyone but still quality etc. is still determined by how much money we earn.
Social exclusion is now a main issue in UK policy. There is mixed awareness of the issue and limited availability to social tourism. This highlights the need for the development in social tourism in order to develop and sustain social inclusion.
Tourism has become increasingly significant in today's economically advanced societies. The inability to go on holiday results in lack of opportunities in mainstream society. This can lead to segregation and lead to low self esteem and/ or breakdown in social relationships in the community. Research has found that the most frequent barrier to participation is financial constraints. There is an assumption that these barriers act as a constraint to access to tourism. However, it may be that the individual that appears 'excluded' may not have an interest in tourism and therefore have an interest in another activity. Due to our new busy lifestyles, we find it increasingly harder to find time to go on holiday. Here this suggests that it is not the lower and working classes that are excluded. The lack of spare time can be witnessed across all classes of societies and can be seen as a potential 'barrier' to participation in tourism.
Segmentation can have a variety of groups from socio-demographic aspects through to behaviour. It has been proven difficult to segment tourists as there is no correct way of doing so. Social exclusion can also segment people purely on the basis of lack of motivation and neglect of responsibility, social isolation and rejection of the 'under-class'.
The World Tourism Organisation has stated that tourism should be a universal right. Governmental policies are now in place to help tackle social exclusion and have given a rise to opportunities in public expenditure and access to tourism.
Social tourism is a contemporary solution to help combat social exclusion. Mainly supported by charitable organisations such as the Family Holiday Association and the Family Fund. However, it has been suggested that a holiday does not solve the issue of social exclusion and doesn't eliminate whether the individual can afford to go or take time off from work commitments.
Charitable organisations have been shown to give aid to families with low incomes. These are by providing holidays each year or providing grants which have been known to help approximately 37,000 families within the UK alone. Social tourism isn't very economically beneficial in the short term; but it does help disadvantaged people in ways such as personal development and stimulating the motivation for change.
To conclude, social exclusion policies need to be put in to practice. Social exclusion covers all aspects of society which justifies the need for further research in terms of social class. Existing policies that provide access to tourism are very much focussed towards families with low income which needs to be addressed in order to sustain community development.
To evaluate the power of social exclusion, there needs to be a clear definition as to what social exclusion actually means. Research suggests that we are all socially excluded from society and that research needs to decentralise itself from the deprived areas of society and determine who is actually socially excluded. The 'power' of social exclusion is a problem within itself which need to be addressed. With this, it can be determined who is excluded and who isn't. The power does not seem to be apparent in today's society suggesting is tourism really for all?
References
DFID (2005) Reducing Poverty by tackling Social Exclusion, DFID Policy Paper
Minnaert, L (2007) Social Tourism: a potential to reduce social exclusion? The effects of visitor-related social tourism for low income groups on personal and family development. In UTSG Conference, Harrogate, 3rd-5th January 2007 [online] available at: http://www.utsg.net/publication.php?Year=2007&abstract=Lynn Minnaert2007#Lynn Minnaert2007 [date accessed: 19/04/2010]
Holden, A (2005) Tourism and the Social Sciences, Routledge, London