masstourismsd-blog

[masstourismsd-blog]

A Critical Perspective on Mass Tourism Attractions in San Diego, CA

Introduction

The tourism industry is heavily carried by mass tourism which is classified as tens of thousands of people going to the same destination at the same time of year. The most popular forms of this branch of tourism are seen during the summer, typically resorts by the beach and visually beautiful places. Mass tourism also includes packaged deals for the purpose of making the attraction affordable for more people to come, generating high revenue through activities and guided tours. Here, we will examine the San Diego attractions: The Carlsbad Flower Fields and The Hotel Del Coronado and their role in the tourism industry, influence on the Tourist Gaze, and the different invisible rules and labor behind the luxurious and breathtaking experiences.  

The Carlsbad Flower Fields

“Places are performed… and are put into play in relation to other places” (Sheller, Urry; pg. 1)

The Carlsbad Flower Fields exhibit multiple qualities which constitute it as a mass tourism destination in San Diego. It covers 50 acres of land, tickets cost as little as $9-$18, and profits off guided tours, tractor rides, and selling bouquets of freshly cut flowers straight from the fields. While this is a beautiful location for tourists to snap instagrammable pictures, picnic with family, and feel connected to the history of Carlsbad (the fields have been around for 85 years); behind the gorgeous ranunculus’ lies the labor of hundreds of men and women which goes unacknowledged.

“Places are chosen to be gazed upon because anticipation constructed and sustained through a variety of non-tourist practices” (Urry, pg. 3)

The fields are only open to the public during Spring Season (March to May) because it is prime time for the flowers to bloom, meaning the other 9 months of the year are spent planting, growing, and upkeeping the flowers while planning events and coordinating tractor rides. The gardeners who tend to the flowers work long hours in the hot sun, considering Carlsbad rarely sees rain or overcast weather, with minimum compensation. One nice aspect is that all the profits from the admission fees, cost of tours and tractor rides, and nursery go towards funding the future cultivation. As a San Diego native, more specifically Carlsbad, I can attest to the insane traffic and overpopulation of the streets near the Flower Fields which were additionally caused by the malls and restaurants nearby.

“It is hard to envisage the nature of contemporary tourism without seeing how much activities are literally constituted in our imagination through advertising and media” (Caletrio; pg. 2)

The city was very meticulous when they decided to build a huge Outlet Mall with higher-end restaurants surrounding the Fields to generate good revenue and make it a prime tourist location, just off the freeway near Legoland. I remember being a graduate from high school and moving to Orange County. I had reconnected with one of my friends from San Diego and we both realized we had lived there our whole lives and NEVER been to the Flower Fields. We partook in our own “tourist trip” to the Fields and joined the plethora of people taking pictures. I found it interesting of the people I saw, many international families and locals showing friends and family from out of town “around Carlsbad”. Overall, the Flower Fields are good for the City of Carlsbad because they put it on the map and made it a more desirable place. However, from a local standpoint there is definitely over-tourism in Carlsbad around the Fields and Outlets which causes irritation among the residents.

Another popular San Diego attraction is...

The Hotel Del Coronado

Since I am not originally from San Diego, I used to only identify San Diego as The Hotel Del Coronado, since my family and I would come to San Diego for the sole purpose of staying at this luxury hotel. I have never been to any other San Diego beaches or attractions until I was 20 years old and moved here for school, leaving me with a single definition of San Diego only as The Hotel Del Coronado. 

As a child I would perform the role of a guest by swimming at their beach and building sand castles. My parents would have a drink at their ocean view cafe and my siblings and I would roast marshmallows at night at their beach bonfires. The hotel’s superior service performed the role of a host well by making our stay very enjoyable. This resort showed that it is always “in play” to better the stay of its guests and remain a top star hotel.

“The twentieth century ushered in some striking further transformations of the tourist gaze. Places by the sea emerged all over the world, modeling themselves [after] these early mass resorts...” (Urry, pg.49)

Hotel del Coronado, uniquely embodies the mass tourism model, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. After visiting the hotel and beach myself, I’ve noticed that many foreign tourists come to Coronado to get a California experience that they wouldn’t be able to get outside of the United States, let alone other states within our country. Mass tourism is defined as large scale and has a “one size fits all” approach to vacation accommodations. They are often packaged holidays with all-inclusive amenities pre-planned for the guests. Back in the 1800′s when the hotel was built, seaside tourism was a newer concept which made the hotel very popular. This ideal behind the exclusive Hotel Del still remains.

At the hotel I’ve noticed that many of the guests are those that come from all around the world to visit this resort and they typically don’t leave the premises once they’ve arrived. I’ve even noticed Groupons online for discount stays for an extended period of time, which seems to be marketed for people who are not from San Diego and want an easy way to make accomodations online through a third party. Coronado Island is typically packed with tourists nearly every weekend, sometimes disrupting the communities that live there, which is overtourism. I’ve even noticed that many locals like to drive golf carts around since its easier to maneuver once it gets busy. There is traffic, limited parking and herds of people all of the time. After talking to locals they say this is something they all have to get used to...

“Culturally coded patterns of tourist behaviour partly emerge out of dispositions that evolve around class, gender, ethnicity and sexuality, for instance” (Endsor; pg.60).

Hotel Del Coronado hotel is considered an enclavic tourist space since tourists and workers are subjected to strict monitoring and disciplining. Many of the hotel activities are pre-planned and exclusive for only the guests at the hotel, like night-time beach bonfires. They put out marshmallows and sticks for hotel guests to use and they are very strict about only guests partaking, demonstrating their role as the host. They have many parties out on their back-lawn area that are gated off for guests only and there are signs cutting off the general public to their activities. 

In addition, they do not like when non-guests of the hotel walk through or use their bathrooms, exemplifying exclusivity. You cannot enter the hotel fully wet, bathed in sand or barefoot either. Many of the guests are middle to higher class, wear nicer clothes and their children appear well dressed too. These are regulations enforced by staff and other guests which makes the space enclavic. In addition, I’ve noticed many other motels and buildings on Coronado Island who copy the architecture of the Hotel del Coronado, proving that this is a historical monument that is highly sought after.

Conclusion

When visiting a new destination either on holiday or just by accident, it’s easy to believe that a destination simply is the way it is naturally. Perfected tropical destinations in the Caribbean with white sand beaches and blue water. Even The Carlsbad Flower Fields or The Hotel Del Coronado seem to be perfectly created, not missing a single detail. However, “behind the scenes” these places are in fact always evolving and developing to fit the expectations and desires of their guests and the world watching around them -- even if that means putting local residents at a disadvantage. It’s the responsibility of the tourist to be conscious consumers, honor local communities and respect the social standards of a destination.