SITTPPD008A
Develop host community awareness of tourism

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop a host community's awareness of tourism, including its costs and benefits. It requires the ability to educate and inform the community about tourism and to conduct community consultation. No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application

Developing the host community's awareness of tourism involves a strategic focus on the overall and long-term operation of tourism as an industry within a local community. It is a key component of tourism planning and management.

An awareness program would normally be for a whole region or local area but may sometimes apply to the development of a particular tourism venue or individual touring product.

This unit applies to senior tourism industry personnel from local, regional or state and territory tourism organisations that operate autonomously and have a strategic tourism planning role.


Prerequisites

Nil


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1

Educate and inform the community on tourism.

1.1

Set objectives for the education of the local community according to the goals of the organisation and the community.

1.2

Choose appropriate communication methods, and devise and implement strategies and programs to maximise the opportunity to inform all sections of the community about tourism.

1.3

Communicate costs and benefitsof tourism to the community on an ongoing basis.

2

Liaise with stakeholders.

2.1

Identify the main stakeholders in the host community.

2.2

Seek views and opinions of stakeholders on an ongoing basis in relation to tourism activities.

2.3

Assess and apply input from stakeholders in the planning and organisation of tourism activities.

2.4

Identify potential community conflict relating to tourism and seek solutions in consultation with relevant parties.

Required Skills

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

high-level communication skills to:

conduct comprehensive consultation with key stakeholders

develop, implement and deliver information programs to maximise tourism, such as information sessions and written tactical public relations documents

critical thinking skills to facilitate rational and logical analysis of input from key stakeholders

high-level written literacy skills to develop both complex and plain English documents, including communication strategies, consultation questionnaires and information documents.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

in-depth knowledge of the community impact of tourism, both costs and benefits

issues and problems that relate to host communities and tourism

in-depth knowledge of the main stakeholders in local, regional, state or territory, and national tourism industry and structures of tourism organisations at each level

in-depth understanding of the social, cultural and economic aspects of the particular local host community and the main stakeholders

the key features of environmentally or culturally sensitive areas in the local or regional area

in-depth knowledge of strategic and tactical community communication processes.

Evidence Required

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

understanding the role of tourism within host communities, the impact of tourism and the role of major stakeholders

ability to develop and implement strategies for effective communication of tourism issues to a specific local community

ability to consult and communicate with the broad community.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

access to a fully equipped industry-realistic office environment using appropriate computers, communication technology, information programs and publications to facilitate the processes involved in developing and implementing communication strategies

access to a local host community where the community awareness program would be established and operated or access to comprehensive and sufficient information about that local host community to allow the candidate to plan for strategically, establish and operate a community awareness program

involvement of community stakeholders so that consultation can be achieved.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

case studies to address community awareness issues for a given community

project activities to develop a community awareness program in conjunction with a local, regional, state or territory tourism organisation

review of a completed community awareness program for a specific local community

case studies to assess the candidate's ability to evaluate communities with differing social, cultural and economic structures and issues

written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge such as community impact of tourism, strategic and tactical community communication processes, and the structures of tourism management organisations

review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

SITTPPD010A Develop and implement local or regional tourism plan.

Assessing employability skills

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.


Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Appropriate communication methodsmay involve:

using interpreters

following cultural protocols

face-to-face meetings

limiting the amount of jargon and printed material and using as much visual information as possible.

Strategies and programs to maximise the opportunity to inform the community may include:

media strategies, e.g. regular tourism column in local newspaper

networking activities, e.g. regular functions between tourism operators and communities

educational activities, e.g. speaking at local schools

sponsorship activities, e.g. tourism sponsorship of local community activities

community representation on relevant tourism committees and boards

regular planning activities in conjunction with the local community

information on the internet.

Costs and benefits of tourism to communities may include:

benefits:

economic benefits to local community

improved local facilities

employment opportunities

cultural benefits, including cultural preservation

visitor education

greater understanding between host and visitor cultures

costs:

trivialisation of culture

effect on social structures

damage to environmentally or culturally sensitive areas.

Stakeholders may include:

general public

elected officials

senior bureaucrats

community groups

elders of Indigenous communities

tourism operators

tourism industry associations

land management and protection authorities

state, territory or local council regulatory authorities

trade unions

media.

Potential community conflict may relate to:

competition for local government resources

conflicting opinions about tourism development options

perceived threat to local amenities by high visitor numbers

conflicting opinions regarding local government levies for tourism

conflict between environmental and business groups.


Sectors

Sector

Tourism


Competency Field

Planning and Product Development


Employability Skills

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.


Licensing Information

Not applicable.