This presentation deals with planning tourism and resort/recreation destinations in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim.

There is an obvious need to stay abreast of the changing attitudes and interests of the tourism market. Equally important, however, is to keep informed about the attitudes and interests of the host countries, which change as the local people become more financially stable and increasingly aware ot the value of their indigenous culture and natural environment.

Tourism is the single largest revenue producer in the world today, having surpassed the oil industry to claim that distinction.  Presently, tourism - related businesses generate an estimated US$2 trillion per year. It is estimated that 15 percent of all jobs throughout the world are directly or indirectly related to tourism.

In an effort to get a share of this lucrative market, governments and private developers everywhere are intensifying their efforts to attract visitors. The most successful will be those who recognize the all-important premise that large-scale resort developments as well as eco-tourism projects must consider the cultural and environmental qualities of the area.

Today's international traveler can choose from  a wide array of vacation destinations. .  He won't fly halfway around the world to stay in a hotel facility little different from one he can find at home. Thus, a distinctive image is crucial to stimulating visitor interest. Many of the areas throughout the world (particularly urban areas) are becoming somewhat homogeneous - if one were to be suddenly dropped in the middle of a typical big city, they might wonder upon the first visual impression, is this Singapore, Sydney, or Seattle?

However, creating a successful destination resort does not require building a fantasyland with a multitude of gimmicks to keep the customers entertained. True creativity calls for taking the existing natural and cultural attributes of the environment and, with human ingenuity, blending them in such a way that the end result is extraordinarily pleasing.

A traveler expects a pleasant change from his customary lifestyle. Producing a destination resort that will give him this change is seldom easy and never accidental.  It calls for comprehensive planning, particularly at a time when people are becoming more and more aware of and sensitive to the problems tourism engenders, along with the benefits it brings.

Destination resorts can and should be developed in such a way that they serve as a means for enhancing natural assets and preserving distinctive cultural characteristics.  When existing site conditions offer spectacular views or white sand beaches, the problem becomes one of protection and preservation. Without realistic planning, the environment can be damaged to the point where visitors are repelled rather than attracted.

The first step in developing a well - integrated master plan is to evaluate the existing conditions on the proposed development site. Depending on the site, and the available information, this evaluation may require surveys of topography, flora, fauna, soils and geology, water resources, and investigation of cultural resources, socioeconomics, and history as well. This constraints and opportunities analysis should be carried out early in the project cycle, as it will help to shape the overall planning of the development. Through this process, unique assets and advantages of the destination are identified, and problem areas are exposed. In this way, valuable natural and cultural resources are not only preserved, but are also utilized and highlighted as amenities of the resort development which can provide the distinctive image which the developer is seeking to achieve. At the same time, features which have been subjected to damage can be de - emphasized, replaced or improved, thus contributing to the overall achievement of quality in the development process.

The master plan is based on a predetermined carrying capacity which reflects optimum ability of the land and natural environment to accommodate man - made development. This necessitates devising ways to accommodate visitors so that they do not destroy, by overcrowding or by overuse, the destination resort's natural amenities and its unique cultural attributes - the very things the visitor wants to experience. It follow, then, that the tourism master plan must incorporate solutions to pressing environmental and cultural problem. it must function in harmony with nature and in balance with the community. The resort operator who succeeds in reinforcing harmony between society and environmental processes possesses a goose that never stops laying golden eggs.

It is vital for the developer of a resort / recreation destination to achieve a creative environment. The character of that environment will vary with each individual project and be influenced by the collective concerns of the local residents, the investors, the ultimate operator, and the all - important visitor.

The key to success, then, is to give thorough consideration to the project's potential impacts on the environment and to master - plan the project in such a way that the utmost respect is maintained for the natural environment, cultural values, and the interests of the host community.