*同じ景色を違う視点で見る～MBAの授業で学んだこと
ハワイは人気の観光地だ。私も行く前はあまりにもメジャーすぎるので少し斜に構えるところもあったが、行ってみると確かに良い場所である。美しい海や大自然と都会が隣接していて気候も温暖。私も好きになった。
さて、私はMBAでTourism Managementという科目を取っていて、ケーススタディでハワイについて学んだことがある。それによると観光地にも「ライフサイクル」があり、観光のみに依存している場合、現地の文化と観光の共存は非常に難しいそうだ。「成熟期」では多くの人が観光業に従事し、人々の生活は豊かにはなるが、現地固有の生活・文化というのは、観光客向けのショーなどの形でしか伝承をされていかなくなる。そして「衰退期」に入ると、巨大資本の撤退と共に街も衰退し、固有の文化も失われていく。それが観光地のライフサイクルである。
私がホノルルに到着した日、夜に街を歩くと野外ステージでハワイの音楽とダンスのショーが開かれていて、多くの観光客が観覧をしていた。とても楽しそうな雰囲気だったが、背景を知ると違った側面が見えてしまう。私は少し複雑な気持ちで、皆と同じ景色を見ていた。
*Seeing the Same View from Different Perspectives
Hawaii is a popular tourist destination. Before going there, I was somewhat skeptical due to its overwhelming popularity, but upon visiting, I realized it truly is a fantastic place. With its beautiful beaches, abundant nature, and the juxtaposition of urban life, along with its warm climate, I came to love it too.
I studied Tourism Management as part of my MBA and had the opportunity to learn about Hawaii through a case study. According to the study, tourist destinations also have a "lifecycle," and coexisting local culture with tourism becomes exceedingly difficult when a location relies solely on tourism. During the "maturity phase," many people are involved in the tourism industry, making lives wealthier, but local culture and lifestyle are only preserved for tourists in the form of shows and spectacles. When the destination enters the "decline phase," massive capital withdrawal leads to the decline of the city and the eventual loss of its unique culture. This is the lifecycle of a tourist destination.
On the day I arrived in Honolulu, I walked the streets at night and witnessed a Hawaiian music and dance show on an outdoor stage, attended by many tourists. It seemed like a delightful atmosphere, but knowing the background made me see a different aspect. I felt a mix of emotions as I realized we were all witnessing the same view, but with different perspectives.
