Chapter-V Resource Analysis to Contribute to SWOT Analysis for the Destination (стр. 2 )

(iv) Conflict and Competition-Ever-fluctuating demand may create scarcity of certain resources. This resource conflict and competition can be resolved partially with the help of price mechanism, regulatory mechanism. Again a competitive cooperation (CC) in the distribution and consumption of resources is also in vogue in resource marketing strategy in tourism.

(v) Transfer of Title, Ownership and Control-Tourism frequently has to utilize resources that are neither owned nor controlled by the companies within the sector. This results in high degree of interdependence and cooperation (paradoxically known as competitive cooperation) between tourism businesses.

(vi) Seasonality - Demand for tourism is highly seasonal and this in turn is the result of factors such as climate, the distribution of holiday entitlement, the timing of fairs and festivals and historic travel pattern. Consequently, the price that the organizations have to pay for their resource inputs and the prices that consumers have to pay those organizations vary according to the season.

(vii) Low Rewards - Rewards in tourism may be low as tourism is perceived to be clean and pleasant to invest in and work in. Employees may work for lower wages, destinations are situated in areas with few alternative land uses and hence little competition is provided for the use of resources.

( viii) Capacity Constraints - Like all destinations, Sikkim has its own capacity level to receive tourists and thereby to maintain the quality of experience. Similarly, the capacity of physical and operational resources is often constrained, at least in the short to medium period.

(ix) Time - Tourism consumers must give up a scarce resource in addition to money, namely time. Consuming or experiencing destinations during the best suitable time is much costlier than the experience gained during the off-peak time.

5.3. Categorization of Tourism Resources for Sikkim

While analyzing resources, the perception of researchers from different streams such as sociology, anthropology, economics etc. needs to be addressed. Broadly, the types of attraction features and the correct analysis of demand help maintaining the demand-supply equilibrium. While sociologists and anthropologists concentrate on making typological classifications of tourists, the economists seek to analyze demand and thereby a suitable market segmentation which is relevant to the marketing point of view. There are many instances exhibiting the classifications relate to the demand for resources from different groups of tourists (Cohen,1972; Smith, 1989 et. al.). The multifaceted nature of tourism industry makes any comprehensive analysis and classification very difficult, and consequently has led researchers to concentrate on certain aspects ( e. g. demand, development, impact etc.), to focus on particular types of tourism ( e. g. coastal or alpine), or to limit themselves in selected areas ( Pearce D.,1992; p.21). Broadly destination tourism resources are divided into the following categories (Evans N., Campbell D., & Stonehouse G., 2007). These are:

Physical resources of Sikkim as a destination can be broadly divided into two categories viz. natural resources (all attraction features etc.) and operational resources (roadways, coaches and cab, helipad, accommodation units, etc.). In other word, natural resources are contributing to the actual reason whereas operational resources are derived in nature specifically for the majority of tourists as they go for leisure and recreation. These resources are typically required to be audited for capacity, utilization, age, condition, contribution to output and value. The types of attraction range from the art, music, dance, drama, fairs, festivals, historical and cultural edifices to the tolerance level and youthful guest-host interaction i. e. the hospitality, perceived warmth and friendliness of the host community that directly influence both the image, attractiveness and the satisfaction of tourists. Image can influence the numbers and types of visitors. Destination management and development has a critical responsibility for maintaining and improving the destination elements that contribute to the place’s image. According to Swarbrooke (1999), the categories of attraction include – (i) features in the natural environment, (ii) man-made buildings, structure and sites designed for the purpose other than tourism, (iii) man-made buildings, structure and sites designed specifically for tourism and special events. Following is the table given here under showing the categories of natural environment[1] of Sikkim.

Figure 5.1: Categories of Natural Environment and SWOT Analysis in Sikkim

Eco-region	strengths	weakness	Opportunities	Threats
Tropical	Better communication, accessibility, longer growing season, climate is very mild, land is stabilized, specially in east Sikkim. Rice, ginger production, orchids, teak, sal, gient bamboo	Higher population density, solid waste disposal, drinking water scarcity, high influx of migrant population	Hydel power, ecotourism, Kitam bird sanctuary is under process of being notified; proposed butterfly park, NHPC dams-operational and also under construction. Industrial belt for eco-friendly industries, Educational hub, gobar gas	Forest fire, polluting industries, deforestation, solid waste, loss of indigenous variety of crops, erosion of knowledge of traditional farming system
Subtropical	Large cardamom, orange, squash, peas, rice production, Broom grass, temi tea, good forest cover.	Heavy rainfall, landslides, moderate population density.	Gobar gas, village tourism, educational hub; Tourism potentials in and around two protected areas as Fambong Lho Sanctuary in east and Mennam Sanctuary in the south. Potential for natural tourism large cardamom, tea and related tea tourism, spice tourism	Soil erosion, reduced natural regeneration of oakforests, loss of indigenous variety of crops, erosion of knowledge of traditional farming system
Temperate	Trekking destinations: snow, high altitude lakes, conifer forests, Vegetation: hemlock, spruce, pine, fur, junipers, rhododendron. Wildlife: red panda, Himalayan black bear, blue magpie, reptiles, amphibians	Connectivity, extreme climate, short growing period	Wildlife tourism, medicinal plants, dyes and related tourism, bio tourism, geo tourism, trekking; Trouts in lakes; Tourism in and around four wildlife sanctuaries* viz. Shingba rhododendron sanctuary, Barsey rhododendron sanctuary, Kyongnosla alpine sanctuary, Pangolakha wildlife sanctuary and Khangchendzonga national park (shared with alpine region); Animal husbandry, Diary farming, Educational hub, Health resort.	Soil erosion, unregulated grazing
Alpine	Rhododendron, medicinal plants; Musk deer, Himalayan tahr, livestock like yak, rivers	Connectivity	Tourism in and around four wildlife sanctuaries*; Trouts in rivers; Medicinal plants; Educational hub, Health resort.	Poverty, unemployment
Trans-Himalayan	Kiang, nayan, Tibetan gazelle, snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, etc.	Connectivity not included in the protected area network; short four-month growing season; existence of feral dogs; landmines	Proposed Tso Lhamu cold desert conservation reserve	Most threatened eco-region in terms of endangered species, vanishing tribes like dokpas

Source : Sikkim Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, Annual Report. Forest Department, Sikkim (2011).

The second category is the man-made buildings, structure and sites designed for the purpose other than tourism. These are largely responsible for the industrial and institutional configuration of tourism. Sikkim has traditionally undertaken various projects successfully and able to provide good infrastructure specifically for hosts, guests, industry leaders and other parties. Following is the table showing the infrastructural status of Sikkim including the quality of drinking water.

Table 5.1: Infrastructure and Development

Infrastructure	Per Capita Consumption of Electricity, 1999-2000 ( in kwh)	Road Length per 1000 sq. km of Area in 1996-97	Population under One Post Office, 1999-2000 ( 2001 Population)	Access to Safe Drinking Water in per cent of Households, 1991	Index of Social and Economic Infrastructure, 1999
India	354.7	749	6639	62.3	100
Sikkim	192.4	258	2647	73.19	109
Arunachal Pradesh	68.6	168	3627	70.02	69.7
Nagaland	84.7	1107	6623	53.37	76.1
Manipur	69.5	490	3123	38.72	75.4
Mizoram	120.7	229	2221	16.21	82.1
Tripura	95.5	1405	4464	37.18	74.9
Meghalaya	160.3	278	4721	36.16	75.5
Assam	95.5	872	6776	45.86	77.7

Source: Sikkim Development Report ( Table 1.2, p. 35), 2010