Introduction
From the better part of the history of mankind, survival and continuity has always been awarded to the friendship and ties that people create throughout their lives. Such a perception appears true since the benefits of tourism, events and hospitality accrues to the host and the visitors as well. At international level, the benefits have been propagated due to the primacy to foster good friendship between countries and ensure that there is peace and mutual understanding between countries.
Major situations in which ties have been created through tourism and hospitality is largely as a result of the rich culture and social aspects of tourism in a region. This paper discusses the sustainability of the CN Tower as a tourism site in Toronto from the perspective of socio-cultural sustainability. The analysis explores the cultural aspects, products, relationship between tourism and the people, and the effect of different tourism changes on the social and cultural environment in Toronto.
Description of chosen site
The CN Tower is the tallest tower in the region of Downtown Toronto. The centre is known for its unique observation rooms at the top. For the last four decades, the tower has been a Canadian symbol and icon of the city’s skyline. Each year millions of visitors from across the world are attracted by this tower.
The tower has a public observation point called SkyPod, series of Canadian restaurants, indoor parks, meeting rooms, and entertainment rooms. The most iconic feature of the tower as a tourism site is the Glass Floor. Each year, millions of tourists across the world visit this site to have an epic view of the city and enjoy Canadian cuisines way up in the sky.
The site is opened to the public everyday on a 24 hours basis. The prices that are charged for tourism activities depend on the time, type, and duration of the tourists. Adults pay $28.80, children pay $21.60, and families pay $99 per admission (Goodwin, 2011). The charges are in Canadian dollar. The pictures of the site are attached below.
Description and analysis of tourism sustainability
The main socio-cultural products at the CN Tower site are LookOut, Glass Floor, High Speed Elevators, SkyPod, Night Lighting, Edge Walk, and Red Rocket. The LookOut product offers tourists a magnificent view of the city and location for taking souvenir photos. The Glass Floor offers tourists opportunity to test their nerve and overcome fear by viewing the ground directly behind the glass floor at 1,122 feet above the ground (Goodwin, 2011).
The High Speed Elevators offer tourists the opportunity of experiencing a fast vertical ride while viewing panoramic features of the city. The other products such as Edge Walk, Red Rocket, and Night Lighting offer entertainment satisfaction to tourists. These products are non-tangible since tourists only pay for the entertainment experience without having to personally own any of the products after making payments. Basically, tourists only pay for the services of using these products without having to assume ownership (Winchester, 2006).
The brand of Canadian community is presented in the most attractive way with simple but clear messages of pleasant experiences at the CN Tower. The touch points include the affordable prices, private entertainment, one-on-one conversation with the tower agents, and the unique experience of Canadian architecture.
At the centre of the tower, a potential client can view different entertainment plans with different packages to cover for the different tastes and preferences within and without the Canadian culture. These plans are further classified as premium and ordinary. The ordinary option enables tourists to pool and save 30% costs. Upon selection of a tour package, a potential tourist is able to request for a special tour guide.
The architecture and amenities within the CN Tower screams of Canadian culture. For instance, the Bobbie Rosenfeld Park within the basement of the tower has Canadian trees and samples of Canadian cuisine from different ethnic groups (Babu & Mekoth, 2004). The experience is authentic since each tourist may experience the unique and friendly Canadian culture fused with the modern structure of the tower.
Besides, the products such as LookOut, Glass Floor, High Speed Elevators, SkyPod, Night Lighting, Edge Walk, and Red Rocket are unique to only downtown Toronto (Curwell & Copper, 2008). Besides, series of other tourism sites adjacent to the CN Tower can be viewed from the top of the tower.
The understanding of sustainable building is vital in helping organizational theorists to predict behaviours related to ecology in the tourism sector. For example, if the corporations adopted practices that were ecologically responsive with the view of meeting legal requirements, the organization would engage in building activities that would be in line with the green legislation. Lighting, air conditioning and ventilation account for 84% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Heating CN Tower building takes the largest share of energy but with the lowest production of carbon.
The design of the CN Tower incorporated the use of low Volatile Organic Component (VOC) off-gassing carpets, paints, sealants and adhesives. While VOC is included in many materials of construction, using Low VOC building material and furnishing can reduce the emission of smog-forming in a very dramatic way.
A highly specified and sensitive western veil in front of the building skin was added to minimise solar loads. The planning and position of products such as LookOut, Glass Floor, High Speed Elevators, SkyPod, Night Lighting, Edge Walk, and Red Rocket are well spaced, aerated, and properly lighted (Toronto City Panning, 2010).
The transitory and temporal nature of tourism affects the social and cultural environment at the site in several ways. Tourism relationship management is the first step towards sustainable tourist interaction and expansion the distribution channels that attract near markets. In relation to the CN Tower, the tourism relationship management has involved creation of a live customer support team that track activities of the customers while sending service upgrades and assistance request in a timely manner.
Reflectively, the concept will revolve around a comprehensive review of ‘push and pull’ factors which determine functionality of the site to offer an alternative strong approaches in the quest for quality, reliability, and trust among potential tourists.
The transitory and temporal nature of tourism affects the social and cultural environment at the CN Tower site positively since the properly designed mud mapping plan for attracting tourists has remained crucial in presenting brand knowledge, awareness, and culture in passing information to the potential tourists (TzengCheng & Jay, 2005).
Conclusion
The purpose of this paper was to establish the socio-cultural sustainability of the CN Tower as a tourism site. The CN Tower tourism site is modelled to accommodate tourist engagement within the Canadian culture. This is essential towards winning and maintaining the flow of visitors to the site. Apparently, sustainable tourism is critical in balancing the aesthetic and cultural values in the society as propellers of tourism attraction.
References
Babu, G., & Mekoth, N. (2004). Self-Monitoring as a key to the tourist: Potential scenarios and some propositions. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration 5(2), 25-41.
Curwell, S., & Copper. I. (2008). The implication of urban sustainability. Building Research & Information, 26(1), 17-28.
Goodwin, D. (2011), The CN Tower. Web.
Toronto City Panning. (2010). Toronto’s downtown and heritage.
TzengCheng, H., & Jay, B. (2005). Contexts and dynamics of social interaction and information search in decision making for discretionary travel. Tourism Analysis, 8(2), 177-182.
Winchester, M. (2006). Positive and negative brand beliefs and brand defection/uptake. European Journal of Marketing 42(6), 553-570.