Introduction
Massachusetts is a prosperous state in the United States of America, with well-developed economic and social infrastructures. Nowadays, it is regarded as a center of science and innovation and attracts attention to its suburbs with its historical sites (Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism 1). At the same time, this area has a clear place in history, as a majority of the important events in the Revolutionary War, including the Boston Tea Party, occurred here (Volo 2).
It could be said that the cities and towns in the state of Massachusetts were the primary historical actors in the establishment of the United States as a country, as well as the cultivators of democratic principles in the society (Volo 31). A combination of innovative development and historical background makes Massachusetts one of the most interesting states for analysis.
As for the tourism industry, Massachusetts received $708.6 million in returns from this sector, and tourism was one of the most important sources of revenue for the state (Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism 4). The current popularity of tourism in Massachusetts was laid down in the past, as the first tourist routes encouraged discovering the western part of the country while following a well-defined path through “New York up to Saratoga, out to Niagara, and back via Quebec to Burlington, Vermont, and through Western Massachusetts to Boston” (Gassan 157).
This route of travel covered the most historical and beautiful places and focused on the financial centers and prosperity of the region at the same time. Based on the factors provided above, the rationale for the selection of this sector for research is apparent, since the background analysis connects the historical significance of Massachusetts to the development of the overall tourism industry in the United States. Meanwhile, the current contribution of the tourism sector to the economy of the region cannot be underestimated, as it represents a significant share of income for the state.
The primary goal of this research paper is to determine whether the tourism sector has a beneficial influence on Massachusetts’s economy and social values. In turn, it depicts the potential positive consequences of the growth of the tourism industry and its impact on socio-economic development. In this case, the tourism of the region must be evaluated, and the reasons for its progress in the area must be highlighted. In the end, conclusions are drawn to summarize the critical findings of the paper.
Description and Evaluation of Tourism Sector
As was revealed earlier, it is crucial to assess and describe the situation in the selected sphere. The definition of the key attributes of the area will contribute to a clear understanding of the overall structure of tourism in the chosen state. In this case, statistical information about the condition of the sector will assist in understanding the structure of the area, along with its financial effect on the growth of the region.
As mentioned above, the state collected $708.6 million in revenues from both domestic and foreign travelers who came to visit the state and its historical places (Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism 4). It is evident that Massachusetts is not only a national attraction, but is also a famous place with a reputation that is recognized around the world. Consequently, the majority of the tourists are represented by foreign visitors (2.1 million visitors in 2013) (Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism 3).
The next step of the evaluation implies that it is critical to portray a detailed analysis of the state’s tourism infrastructure. This assessment will form a clear image of the tourism sphere from dissimilar angles. In this case, the tourism industry is represented by transportation, lodging, recreation, entertainment, food services, planning, and retail (Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism 7).
It remains apparent that the components are interdependent, seeing how they work as a complex mechanism to ensure the infrastructure of Massachusetts and maintain the flow of the processes between locations and attractions. A well-developed infrastructure is a key definer of success in the hospitality industry, and the governmental authorities of the state take advantage of this aspect (Ritchie and Crouch 48).
Meanwhile, each of the attributes has a substantial impact on the state’s payroll and employment. For instance, the foodservice segment generated one of the highest payrolls (24.2%) and offered a critical share of jobs (37.4%) in the labor market of the state (Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism 8). In this case, the primary tourist attractions are represented by the city of Boston, which is a central component of the state, with the Paul Revere House, the Freedom Trail, and other cities and historical places such as Plymouth and Salem (Green et al. 12). It could be said that the peculiarity of the tourist sites mentioned above has a tendency to combine a historical connection, urban design, and natural landscape while creating an exceptional feeling of extraordinariness and being close to the historical events.
In the end, this section depicted the overall perception of the tourism segment, while portraying the most popular attractions of Massachusetts. It remains apparent that the tourism sector is comprised of interdependent components that ensure the flow of visitors in the infrastructure. Meanwhile, each attribute has a beneficial impact on the state’s levels of employment and payroll, increasing revenues and decreasing the level of unemployment, by offering additional jobs and being one of the critical sources of the state’s income. Based on the factors mentioned above, the tourism segment will experience growth as more and more foreign and domestic tourists become interested in visiting the most important places in the tapestry of American history (Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism 8).
Reasons for the Tourism Development in Massachusetts
The primary goal of this chapter is to determine a potential rationale for the positive changes in this segment since this assessment has a substantial impact on the understanding of the economy in the region. In this case, a plethora of historical, economic, and social attributes could be viewed as the primary reasons for the popularity of tourism in Massachusetts. In the context of this section, it is vital to describe them in detail to understand the development of each aspect individually.
In this instance, the role of the natural landscape of Massachusetts cannot be underestimated when considering the advancement of tourism in the region. Beaches, mountains, picturesque landscapes, and the seaside create a perception of unity with nature while being in the center of a modern and well-developed state. Meanwhile, governmental authorities and travel agencies take advantage of natural beauty when actively advertising their attractions and landscapes online (Green et al. 12; Woodside 34).
For example, Massachusetts’s official tourism website offers a profound description of the most valuable places and proposes travel plans that take advantage of different routes to comply with the interests of various social groups (Woodside 34). This factor depicts an understanding of the potential of the hospitality industry in the economic stability of the region. It helps form an additional source of revenue to add to the state’s income and increases investment in the segment’s growth.
The role of the state’s historical contribution to the development of the tourism sector cannot be underestimated, as it was one of the primary drivers for the attraction of the flow of tourists from the nineteenth century (Gassan 157). The popularity of Massachusetts can be explained by the critical importance of the area in the history of the United States of America (Volo 31). Thus, in the past, it was a center for revolution, which drove the rise of democracy in the United States of America (Volo 31). This aspect determines the popularity of the region among tourists and prioritizes its importance in building national revenue.
In turn, favorable economic conditions cultivated the growth of this segment and improved the cultural and socio-economic conditions of the community in the area. For instance, the unemployment rate has experienced a decline, from 4.9% in 2015 to 4.2% in 2016, while reflecting a potential rise in payroll and employment positions (Bureau of Labor Statistics par. 1).
Meanwhile, the value of the Total Nonfarm index tends to experience positive fluctuations, since the region has a tendency to focus on its industrial development (Bureau of Labor Statistics par. 1). These matters underline the fact that the state has a well-developed infrastructure, which contributes to additional investment in the tourism sector.
In the end, it could be emphasized that a combination of the reasons mentioned above has a substantial impact on the development of the segment, and contributes to the development of tourism and transportation infrastructures. It is apparent that the state government understands its beneficial location and the beauty of the regional landscape, and highly supports the growth of the tourism segment in the area. Furthermore, overall economic conditions offer a sufficient and well-developed infrastructure for the prosperity and growth of the tourism sector in Massachusetts.
The Beneficial Impact of Tourism on Massachusetts’s Society and Economy
Based on the factors provided above, it could be stated that the reason for the advancement of this sphere was revealed with the assistance of the analysis. It remains apparent that the tourism industry has a high correlation with the state’s economy, as it has a direct influence on job openings, salaries, and collection of the additional financial resources to spend on various spheres (Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism 3).
For instance, the Nonfarm index for leisure and hospitality have experienced a positive change, from 0.5% in 2015 to 1.9% in 2016, implying that the share of the hospitality industry and its profitability continue to grow (Bureau of Labor Statistics par. 1). In turn, this statistical information has a connection to an overall decline in unemployment rates (from 4.9 % in 2015 to 4.2 % in 2016) (Bureau of Labor Statistics par. 1). This factor implies that the development and support of the tourist segment not only generate an additional source of revenue but also have a positive contribution to the state’s payroll and possibilities for adding extra jobs to the economy.
The economic aspects mentioned above have a substantial impact on the wellbeing of society. In the context of Massachusetts, tourism creates additional job openings and adds to an increase in employment for the population (Bureau of Labor Statistics par. 1). Meanwhile, some practitioners tend to believe that the unemployment rate affects crime levels in the area (Siegel 51).
In the context of the presented case, the development of tourism in Massachusetts beneficially affects the state of the economy and increases the level of safety in the region. It could be said that the growth of tourism and other industries provides favorable conditions for continuous learning, research, and development. Consequently, this aspect boosts the competitiveness of the region, in terms of innovation, and makes it one of the leaders in the region (Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism 1).
In turn, tourism is beneficial for the improvement of the quality of service in the area (Ritchie and Crouch 48). Nowadays, service quality management is one of the definers of success in the industry (Mok, Sparks, and Kadampully 159). The presence of these trends is defined by changes in consumer behavior, as today, customers have more power to complain about products and services if they do not meet their expectations (Mok, Sparks, and Kadampully 159). Nonetheless, in spite of the fact that this novelty creates complications, it has a positive influence on the service sphere and increases its competitiveness in the country.
Speaking of social perception, the continuous development of tourism in the state enriches the local culture (Ritchie and Crouch 48). This cultural exchange improves the awareness of the locals about the world outside Massachusetts. This matter contributes to an overall upsurge in educational levels about ethnicities, cultures, and behavioral patterns (Ritchie and Crouch 48).
In this case, the link between the tourism industry and cultural enrichment improves the level of tolerance, as it implies the employees’ ability to adjust to cultural diversity within the workplace. To conclude, the growth of tourism has a reflection on the socio-economic spheres of the state by creating new job openings, generating an additional source of income, minimizing crime rates, and increasing educational levels. A combination of these consequences has a positive influence on the development of the prosperous and educated community in the state of Massachusetts.
Conclusion
In the end, it could be stated that the role of the tourism sector in the growth of the economy in Massachusetts cannot be underestimated, as it has a substantial connection with the overall economic performance of the state while increasing the wellbeing of the society in the region. The paper highlighted that Massachusetts’s tourism is comprised of a variety of components that ensure the attractiveness of the area to visitors from the country and around the world. These elements are interdependent, and understanding the importance of this connection assures only the best experience for tourists.
The primary reasons for the popularity of this segment are the natural landscape, historical significance, and favorable economic conditions. The understanding of the importance of these features explains the reasoning for taking advantage of all that the hospitality industry offers, and investing in its development. The easy interface and colorful look of Massachusetts’s official website justifies governmental interests and intentions with regard to the tourism segment.
Furthermore, the impact of tourism on socio-economic development was emphasized, as it was the principal goal of the paper. It remains apparent that the prosperity of the tourism sector is one of the state’s revenue-generating instruments, as its well-developed infrastructure contributes to increased spending on the part of visitors on entertainment. Meanwhile, according to criminology theory, the low level of unemployment minimizes crime rates. Consequently, tourism contributes to an increase in the quality of services and safety of the region. Lastly, its social influence cannot be underestimated, as it improves the educational levels and competences of the state’s workforce.
Works Cited
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Economy at a Glance: Massachusetts. 2016.
Gassan, Richard. The Birth of American Tourism: New York, the Hudson Valley, and American Culture, 1790-1830. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2008. Print.
Green, Anthony, William Hosch, Michael Levy, Robert Lewis, Amy Tikkanen, and Jeffrey Wallenfeldt. Discover America: Massachusetts: The Bay State. Chicago, IL: Weigl Publishers, 2008. Print.
Massachusetts Office for Travel & Tourism. 2014 Annual Report. 2015.
Mok, Connie, Beverley Sparks, and Jay Kadampully. Service Quality Management in Hospitality, Tourism, and Leisure. New York: Routledge, 2009. Print.
Ritchie, Brent and Geoffrey Crouch. The Competitive Destination: A Sustainable Tourism Perspective. Oxon: CABI Publishing, 2003. Print.
Siegel, Larry. Criminology. Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.
Volo, James. Tea Party: The Foundations of Revolution. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 2012. Print.
Woodside, Arch. Tourism-Marketing Performance Metrics and Usefulness Auditing of Destination Websites. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2010. Print.