**2. Positive contributions of domestic tourism to sustainable tourism development**

Positive contributions are those facets that seem to be adding value to the longterm sustenance of the destination and the tourism industry. A number of positive contributions portray domestic tourism as a vital dimension upon which to attain sustainable tourism development. These include destination exposition, destination appreciation and economic development.

#### **2.1 Destination exposition**

Destination exposition is when a community plays a part in ensuring that the destination becomes popular within and outside the local community. Welltravelled local people expose destinations visited to other tourism stakeholders such as inbound tourists, potential investors and government departments. According to Bessière [1], knowledgeable local people have a habit of taking new people who visit an area to local attractions they are familiar with. For example, David Livingstone was shown Mosi-oa-Tunya by knowledgeable local people [2]. He later wrote about it and renamed it to Victoria Falls. Today Victoria Falls is among a number of attractions that were exposed to foreigners by well-informed local people. Destinations like Victoria Falls and the wildlife sanctuaries around it became key attractions and destinations to regional and international tourists to Zimbabwe [2].

In order to expose tourism destinations to the outside world, domestic tourists assume various positions and functions within the tourism industry such as being information bureaus, ambassadors, role models and tour guides to attractions and destinations within their communities.

#### *2.1.1 Domestic tourists as information bureaus*

Domestic tourists act as information rich, well-researched and travelled unofficial information bureaus to potential tourists both domestic and international (see [3, 4]). They provide informal information through word of mouth and personal experiences that is not regulated, not packaged, free, available anywhere and anytime to both active and potential tourists. Domestic tourists as information bureaus are not place and time restricted providing inbound tourists with alternative sources of information.

Inbound tourists rely on unprocessed information gained through word of mouth when making travel decisions as they believe it to be the truth as compared to neatly packaged information from official information bureaus (see [5]). Tourists become more informed on the prevailing environment at the destinations keeping them up to date with changes that might affect their tourism experience. In so doing they become informed travellers which is critical for tourism development.

#### *2.1.2 Domestic tourists as tourism ambassadors*

Local people who travel outside their country become default tourism ambassadors when called upon to talk about tourism in their country to people they meet outside their usual area of residence [6]. Local people leave the country temporarily or permanently.

As temporary travellers, local people need to know their country better to allow them to answer any question foreigners may ask. This way they would be able to sell their country by giving factual information based on the personal experience. Such information on destinations and attractions generates curiosity among the foreigners who would want to visit the country in future widening the tourism base for the destination country.

Local people have also migrated to other countries in search of wealth and found value in foreign lands. In the case of Zimbabwe, these are the bulk that visits Zimbabwean destinations during their own holidays as international tourists. This implies that when they left the country they did not have sufficient resources which could be used for tourism purposes but now can afford to travel for tourism purposes. This is better understood through Reed's [7] insights derived from African Americans born of slave trade parents who see tourism to Africa as an opportunity

**135**

*Contribution of Domestic Tourism to Sustainable Tourism Development*

egoistic tendencies inherent among human beings (see [9]).

more tourists are inspired to visit the local destination in future.

relatives widening the base for future tourism to the destination.

Through domestic tourism local people assume tour guiding roles. Knowledgeable local people lead inbound tourists around showing them local attractions every time they receive visitors not familiar with the local attractions. The provision of tour guiding services by local people reinforces information sharing through social exchange (see [10]). This gives a positive image of the conduct of local people which inbound tourists would take back home, share with friends and

Attraction and destination attractiveness is built by the people who see value in the attraction and destination, retain the value and sell it so that others would also appreciate them (see [11, 12]). Host communities seem to share similar views in that Zimbabweans have developed a higher level of appreciating beauty in objects they used to take for granted. The various views seem to agree on a number of ways in which destinations are appreciated by the stakeholders. Destination appreciation is exhibited through local people being active participants in tourism, their degree of tolerance, conduct of stakeholders at destinations, sense of ownership, manage-

to connect with their past. Diasporeans visit local attractions along with friends and relatives to whom they explain their own experiences in foreign lands and how foreigners travel in their own country and abroad. This would inspire local people to also want to travel creating a strong foundation for future tourism from both

Diasporians usually visit renowned destinations that their foreign friends hear, talk, enquire about and probably have visited in the past. This allows them to familiarise themselves with these destinations in order to convince their foreign friends that they too know their own country. However, fairly unknown destinations are

Some tour operators believe that if well advertised to domestic tourists, small destinations have potential to have large volumes of tourists both domestic and internationals through referrals. This draws a comparison between efforts being employed by authorities in advertising small and big destinations in the country. There is too much attention on big destinations that are frequented by international tourists at the expense of small destinations common with domestic tourists. This deliberate neglect of small destination development is counter sustainable tourism development as domestic tourists are known as more influential in building future tourists to any destination through referrals (see [8]). The others would feel being left out and also visit these places to experience them for themselves expressing the

Domestic tourists also assume the position of role models and ones to set the pace for inbound tourists by first visiting local attractions and destinations. This creates curiosity among potential tourists from other areas who would also want to visit these attractions and destinations. The trend of inbound tourists following domestic tourists supports Hudson and Ritchie's [8] argument that domestic tourism provides the bedrock for sustainable tourism development in any destination as

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93646*

domestic and international tourists.

also popular with domestic tourists.

*2.1.3 Domestic tourists as role models*

*2.1.4 Domestic tourists as tour guides*

**2.2 Destination appreciation**

ment style and the development of tourists.

#### *Contribution of Domestic Tourism to Sustainable Tourism Development DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93646*

*Tourism*

**2.1 Destination exposition**

destinations within their communities.

tive sources of information.

or permanently.

destination country.

*2.1.1 Domestic tourists as information bureaus*

*2.1.2 Domestic tourists as tourism ambassadors*

Destination exposition is when a community plays a part in ensuring that the destination becomes popular within and outside the local community. Welltravelled local people expose destinations visited to other tourism stakeholders such as inbound tourists, potential investors and government departments. According to Bessière [1], knowledgeable local people have a habit of taking new people who visit an area to local attractions they are familiar with. For example, David Livingstone was shown Mosi-oa-Tunya by knowledgeable local people [2]. He later wrote about it and renamed it to Victoria Falls. Today Victoria Falls is among a number of attractions that were exposed to foreigners by well-informed local people. Destinations like Victoria Falls and the wildlife sanctuaries around it became key attractions and

In order to expose tourism destinations to the outside world, domestic tourists assume various positions and functions within the tourism industry such as being information bureaus, ambassadors, role models and tour guides to attractions and

Domestic tourists act as information rich, well-researched and travelled unofficial information bureaus to potential tourists both domestic and international (see [3, 4]). They provide informal information through word of mouth and personal experiences that is not regulated, not packaged, free, available anywhere and anytime to both active and potential tourists. Domestic tourists as information bureaus are not place and time restricted providing inbound tourists with alterna-

Inbound tourists rely on unprocessed information gained through word of mouth when making travel decisions as they believe it to be the truth as compared to neatly packaged information from official information bureaus (see [5]). Tourists become more informed on the prevailing environment at the destinations keeping them up to date with changes that might affect their tourism experience. In so doing

Local people who travel outside their country become default tourism ambassadors when called upon to talk about tourism in their country to people they meet outside their usual area of residence [6]. Local people leave the country temporarily

As temporary travellers, local people need to know their country better to allow them to answer any question foreigners may ask. This way they would be able to sell their country by giving factual information based on the personal experience. Such information on destinations and attractions generates curiosity among the foreigners who would want to visit the country in future widening the tourism base for the

Local people have also migrated to other countries in search of wealth and found value in foreign lands. In the case of Zimbabwe, these are the bulk that visits Zimbabwean destinations during their own holidays as international tourists. This implies that when they left the country they did not have sufficient resources which could be used for tourism purposes but now can afford to travel for tourism purposes. This is better understood through Reed's [7] insights derived from African Americans born of slave trade parents who see tourism to Africa as an opportunity

they become informed travellers which is critical for tourism development.

destinations to regional and international tourists to Zimbabwe [2].

**134**

to connect with their past. Diasporeans visit local attractions along with friends and relatives to whom they explain their own experiences in foreign lands and how foreigners travel in their own country and abroad. This would inspire local people to also want to travel creating a strong foundation for future tourism from both domestic and international tourists.

Diasporians usually visit renowned destinations that their foreign friends hear, talk, enquire about and probably have visited in the past. This allows them to familiarise themselves with these destinations in order to convince their foreign friends that they too know their own country. However, fairly unknown destinations are also popular with domestic tourists.

Some tour operators believe that if well advertised to domestic tourists, small destinations have potential to have large volumes of tourists both domestic and internationals through referrals. This draws a comparison between efforts being employed by authorities in advertising small and big destinations in the country. There is too much attention on big destinations that are frequented by international tourists at the expense of small destinations common with domestic tourists. This deliberate neglect of small destination development is counter sustainable tourism development as domestic tourists are known as more influential in building future tourists to any destination through referrals (see [8]). The others would feel being left out and also visit these places to experience them for themselves expressing the egoistic tendencies inherent among human beings (see [9]).

## *2.1.3 Domestic tourists as role models*

Domestic tourists also assume the position of role models and ones to set the pace for inbound tourists by first visiting local attractions and destinations. This creates curiosity among potential tourists from other areas who would also want to visit these attractions and destinations. The trend of inbound tourists following domestic tourists supports Hudson and Ritchie's [8] argument that domestic tourism provides the bedrock for sustainable tourism development in any destination as more tourists are inspired to visit the local destination in future.
