Natural And Eco Tourism In Dubai Tourism Essay

Natural And Eco Tourism In Dubai Tourism Essay Tourism is a fast-growing industry, but with the credit crunch in 2008, figures have dropped as people have less money to spend as a tourist all over the world. Many countries rely on tourism sector greatly as the income generated by this sector is easily planned to be invested in other sectors of the country like education, sports, defence and health. Economic recession has led to increase in oil prices. These fluctuating oil prices result in the airline industry imposing further fuel surcharges to cover higher costs, which have to be met by the consumer through increased air ticket prices. This has put the consumer off travelling during the expensive periods. Unfortunately, the tourism sector these days is experiencing not only economical disasters but other emerging issues as well. In order to look at the whole scenario of travel and tourism industry in terms of latest alarming situations (decreased access to natural resources for the local communities and environmental degradation) lets take Dubai as a destination. In this context, we will particularly look at the destination not economically but ecologically and naturally specifically.http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ5CEJ5GGFrNM6u6mXLPX17O856OyMIPO_xUPmcR5o89jjkxOXh Infrastructure of Dubai The Dubai government Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is the main organisation for the promotion and development of tourism in the emirate. The department has taken over the licensing of hotels, hotel apartments, tour operators, tourist transport companies and travel agents. It has a supervisory role covering all tourists, archaeological and heritage sites, tourism conferences and exhibitions, the operation of tourism information services and the licensing and organisation of tour guides. The government provides on-going development to the infrastructure, and the recent opening of the port Rashid cruise line terminal is just one of a series of innovation aimed at widening the total tourism product base within Dubai. It is hoped that this terminal will do for cruising what the opening of Dubai Duty Free did for air traffic arrivals. The government has a direct stake in the tourism sector through the development and ownership of a number of the major hotels as well a s spectacular theme parks such as Wild Wadi. This investment is not just a matter of expenditure: it is clearly demonstrating that quality must be paramount. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQQeds-zs-P2La2ChQp9qvZfpxcvmC8cse3NVJcGeUGbl_Vhtsb The DTCM had set an aggressive target of attracting 15 million tourists by the year 2010, which they have achieved. Projections for the immediate future are summarised in the following figure. Targets for Dubais tourism future Year Dubai hotel guests (Millions) Dubai hotel beds (Thousands) 2003 5.24 39.8 2004 6.08 48.2 2005 7.06 55.9 2006 8.19 64.8 2007 9.49 75.2 2008 11.01 87.2 2009 12.78 101.2 2010 15.00 117.3 2011 18.24 122.7 Such targets are not over-ambitious for DTCM. Expatriates and foreign visitors can enjoy a relaxed and pleasant life style in Dubai. There is virtually no crime, apartments and villas are modern and spacious, and the climate greatly appeals to those who enjoy warm weather. There are many clubs and societies in Dubai. Freedom of worship is allowed for all religions. Foreign newspapers, magazines, films and videos are all available. Alcohol may be consumed in hotels and in licensed club premises. Women can drive and move about unaccompanied. In 2002, free hold ownership for UAE nationals as well as expatriates in certain select property developments was introduced in Dubai and 25 years mortgage loans become available. Initially focus was centred on the Palm, Dubai Marina, and other developments of Emmar properties but after the completion of these projects new man made wonders are forthcoming. The potential for visiting friends and relatives will thus be substantially increased. The Palm had already been described as the 8th wonder of the world and was the sort of project that some say could only have taken place in Dubai. It consists of two massive, artificial islands: the Palm Jumeirah and the Palm Jebal Ali. Each island is being built in the shape of a palm tree consisting of a crown of 17 fronds, a trunk and a surrounding crescent island, the back of which forms a protective break water. Each island is approximately six kilometres long and 5.5 kilometres. Together they will add nearly 120 kilometres of much sought-after coast line to Dubai. Approximately 3000 homes and at least 40 luxury hotels have been built on each island, capable of birthing a total of 400 yachts. The Palm is just one of several Nakheel residential projects: others include the World, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Lake Towers and the Gardens. Dubai will continue to improve the destinations infrastructure, and the following are just some of the developments that are either already planned or completed or in actual construction or development to support visitor growth targets: Hydro polis- the worlds first under water hotel Dubai airport expansion to handle 70 million passengers by 2016 Dubai Festival City-4 kilometre site along the Creek Dubai land the regions biggest tourism project aiming for 200,000 visitors a day- to include five themed leisure areas and the Mall of Arabia, the Worlds biggest mall Extending Dubai Railway project Burj Dubai the worlds tallest tower The emirate contained a mix of natural and cultural attractions that formed the basis of a very marketable leisure tourism product. The existing natural attractions included: Miles of clean un-crowded beaches along the shores of Arabian Gulf http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ00bEjqDhgeTP_RaZMGxiHhDFPdfphroNR6kutwq75Ed-yFtcFFA A subtropical climate with average temperatures of 18 C in January 33 C in July and annual precipitation of less than 150mm,contributing to a yearlong tourist season The availability of water sports of all year around in the gulf Desert dunes for a variety of outdoor activities and leisure pursuits The Hatta Mountains for Wadi-bashing and other adventurous pursuits The Al Maha environmental conservation reserve, the base for the re-introduction of the Arabian Oryx. Dubai is a migratory crossroads in both spring and autumn for many bird species. The Khor Dubai Wildlife sanctuary is home to one thousand Greater Flamingos. Dubai also had a strong cultural heritage to exploit for tourism purposes. Important elements of this cultural attractiveness to western visitors include: The exotic middle eastern atmosphere associated with the hustle and bustle of the Souks and dhow Wharves along Dubai Creeks The distinctly Middle Eastern architecture of the wind towers , Mosques and palaces The traditional welcoming and hospitable culture of the Arab world Mass and sustainable tourism Mass tourism is the result of advancing in the means of technology especially air, rail and road. The comfortable aircrafts with essential in flight services and many more to offer the passengers have made travelling fun and simple. Since having the foreigners in a country for pleasure or holidays in great numbers have left many negative impacts in the past therefore the need of the sustainability was felt. In past, mass tourism has threatened the destinations with cultural, environmental, social, religious and economical impacts therefore; the urge to develop the tourism sector became necessary for tourist boards and governing bodies. This led to sustainable tourism. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQvy1JvgM6QidDTw6dR41a7XNKXd04pE2Z2VQ3VAkZ8_sfiHRJB Sustainable tourist activity, on the contrary, encompasses being sensitive to the cultural, religious and environmental and social aspects of a particular destination, aiding the environment and fostering the local economic growth through travel and tourism activities. Sustainable tourism surrounds the ideals of protecting and not disturbing the natural resources and maintaining the good relationship with the host population. Going back to the example of Dubai as a destination, in past due to the weather, gold, tax free country, and Dubai airport facilities and duty free, safaris, luxurious accommodation etc., the destination has confronted with the mass tourism. Traffic, noise pollution, litter pollution, fights with the local community and crimes made the authorities alert and minimize the negative effects of the tourism despite of its economical advantages. DTCM the tourist board of strategic planning in the country thus, implemented the plan to restrict the infinite number of tourists. The figure above states that clearly which can only be undergone by a destination that follows sustainable tourism policy. Looking at the marvellous, unique projects of Burj ul Arab, Safari, water sports, Dubai Mall etc. the evidences that a destination may have to support Sustainable tourism. It is obvious that Dubais main industry is not Oil but tourism. Even many forthcoming events and projects will keep attracting the tourists from all around the world. Sustainable tourism means to meet the present demands of the tourists without risking the future of the destination which is very apparent in DTCMs planning. All the resources of the country are well planned and utilized to serve the tourism sector. Eco, Natural, Cultural tourism are the elements that unveils the well management and strategic scenario of the destination. Acceptance of a Cosmo-Politian lifestyle Although these natural and cultural assets have clearly contributed to Dubai s success as a destination, it is very important to emphasise that they have been greatly enhanced by ambitious investments in the tourism infrastructure on the part of both public and private sectors. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTFfNT_QL9Deu-0yevTkJPQfRCJn0NWYDPdwesha_pGXYawgJOc Destination Dubai United Arab Emirate (UAE) comprises seven members: Abu Dhabi, the capital city, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaima and Fujairah. Dubai, with an area of 3885 square kilometres, is a second largest emirate. It is situated on the banks of the Dubai creek, a natural inlet from the Arabian Gulf, which divides the city into Deira District to its north and Bur Dubai to its South, the city ranks as the UAEs most important port and commercial centre. Along the Arabian Gulf coast there are off shore islands, coral reefs and Sabkha (salt marshes). Stretches of gravel plane and sandy dessert characterise the inland region. To the east, a range of mountains lie close to the Gulf of Oman and forms a back bone through the Mussandam peninsula. The western interior of the country, most of it in Abu Dhabi, consists mainly of desert interspersed with oases.http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSjkF0Jjz6PAvFd4pMa2m1dYkScE5EREigE2N3ZhEvVd4lKQ87t The emirate embraces a wide variety of scenery in a small area. In a single day, the tourists can experience everything from rugged mountains and owe inspiring sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks from dusty village to luxurious residential districts and from ancient houses with wind towers to ultra modern shopping malls. Tourism in Dubai The impressive development, climate, hospitality and world class airport has attracted many tourists around the world to the detention of Dubai. In 1985, the introduction of award winning air line Emirates was established to smooth the transaction of tourists in and out. In 1989, Dubai recorded only 630 thousand visitor arrivals, but number increased drastically to over 8 millions, in 2003, with at least 458 thousand coming from the UK. Dubai has managed to increase its number of visitors by over 1200% in little more than a decade and tourism is now, at 12% of the gross domestic product (GDP), one of the emirates more important and fastest growing sectors of the economy. Dubai significance as a global destination stems from the fact that it can be viewed from two main perspectives. It is not just a simple holiday destination; it is an important commercial, trading and business centre as well. Therefore visitors to Dubai provide examples of the three categories into which tourists are usually divided. They are identified as:http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTRbbNqdZ3UbOTAo7IJsw-_Yo4gEPDaxDyBae93cGYOWL2Iu_Pd Leisure visitors 44% Business visitors 45% Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) 8% Not classified 3% Previously viewed in tourism terms as little more than a duty free stop over, Dubai today has become a highly acclaimed destination offering an outstanding range of facilities and services for both leisure and business travellers. Its geographical location is 55 degree East, 25 degree North on the Southern shore of Arabian Gulf. It is strategically located at the cross roads of three continents Europe, Asia, Africa- a natural meeting place. Dubai is now a major aviation hub for the Emirates airline and so attracts visitors wanting a stopover. Natural and eco tourism Emirates airlineWelcome from our Chairman Emirates airline chairman promoting greenery The first Eco flight (see appendix 1) from Dubai to San Francisco known as green flight took off on 18th Jan 2009 indicates the vigilance of the government in terms of its environment. Such an initiative was worked out between EK airline and Airbus Company to promote safe and pure environment. This indicates that the award winning airline is environmental conscious and promotes it product (flying with the carriage) but not on the risk of spreading pollution. It is the best example of eco and natural tourism as EK airline does not want to take any step which can damage the surroundings of the people or harmful natural life animals and plants survive in. Al Maha desert resort It is generally accepted amongst most nations that approximately 8 to 10% of their land area should be put aside for the conservation of their indigenous habitats, the function of such a policy is to insure that the nations historic environment is permanently retained as part of its heritage that the diversity of fauna and flora within the nation is kept intact as a representative sample of the original habitat. It is intended that such conserved areas can function without disturbance or undue intervention from human elements.http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcuBM8v_futKEADdvnA8aCImMtCHCk1C6To_1EjsGC71Pii7wBhg Al Maha is the first eco tourism resort in UAE. Dubai has several environments worthy of conservation within such a frame work. Apart from the dune environment there is also the mountain habitat around Hatta and coasts intertidal strip. Each of these represents a separate, distinct and unique habitat type within Dubai. Each has its own fauna and flora, its own appeal to the visitor and its distinct historic, geological and archaeological merits. Al Maha has been developed with key eco tourism principles under pinning its commercial success. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQjmQD_KzmpEHJbxRIxlembZmQGjNJ5QKOT5jAs5s4HCy6D4aZkRg The environment is supposed to be free of intrusive disturbances with surroundings; this includes the restriction of all artificial noise from the operation and ambient noise from the resorts surroundings. The restriction of any human structures which impinge on the natural land space confines the development of the resorts own infrastructure to a minimum land area. The land making up the resort must provide a natural, original and unique environment for the guests, where they feel a part of the conservation process; this allows the guests to feel that their support is directly contributing to the conservation of the area they are experiencing. One of the major contributors to the success of eco tourism resorts worldwide is the fact that the guest enjoys exclusivity. The rate charge is function of the exclusivity enjoyed and paid for by the guest. The undisturbed settings, the personal attention and service standards not achievable in the large public facilities are the basis of high yield eco tourism products. The guest must be assured of privacy, discretion and an unobtrusive environment. The experience must also be meaningful to the visitor, providing aspects which are educational, comfortable and divergent from normal life style-thus assuring the guest the time spent in the resort is an enchantment to his or her quality of life. The resort must meet the perceptions and expectations of the guests with regard to: Accommodation Facilities Architecture and design Surroundings To meet these criteria, Al Maha has adopted traditional historic aspects, with operational requirements, to meet the guest perception and expectation of the desert and Arabian heritage. A portion of land surrounding the core area of the resort has been demarcated for protection, and all activities capable of devaluing the environment are restricted. Isolation has been reinforced by means of the introduction of animals proof fencing, which will allow the establishment of indigenous species in viable breeding numbers within free roaming settings. The program has been very successful and guests are now issued with their own fauna and flora checklist guide to record the various species that they have seen. The variety of elements used provides a suitable illustration of how far the desert resort has now developed in terms of conservation: Grass (Herb, Dune, Basket and Cats Tail) Shrub ( Broom Bush, Dye Plant and Milkwort) Herb ( Callous, Palm Lettuce and Arabian Cotton) Plant (Crimson Wort, Spiny Disk and Dwarf Pea Plant) Tree (Salam, Ghaf and Sidr) Mammal (Sand Gazelle, Arabian Hare and Gird) Reptile (Monitor Lizard, Sand Skink and Sand Snake) Birds (Common and may be resident or migrant-300 species recorded) Impacts of natural and eco tourism in Dubai Unprotected environment of any country in any regard can disturb the economy drastically. The disastrous situation where the government invests most of its resources in tourism sector rather than sports, education, health and other sectors, can lead the destination sudden collapse that causes destruction to the economy as a whole. Ignoring the eco and natural issues in destination planning and promotion will cause the following pitfalls: http://static.amefiles.com/images/news/large/5/77505-Al_Maha_Desert_Resort_Spa.jpg All the tourists will misuse the resources of the destination and there will be nothing left to offer for next group of tourists next season. For example, beaches of Dubai or safari. It is important that the authorities are well managing such sites so that they are presentable to be offered to other tourists for amusements and relaxations. The entire infrastructure used to access natural sites like deserts, wild wadi, zoo, Al Maha Desert need to be watched by authorities all times. The expensive bridges, motor ways, services need a lot of investment to be built so their utility should be long lived and must be equally used by locals and tourists safely. Natural life of Dubai is consisting of desert and likely animals. Their protection is momentous so that they are not endangered or extinct. Hunting such species should not be appreciated at all and in fact some fine must be imposed upon to undergo this pleasure. Tourists might need this notification. The increasing demand and forecast of tourism is a major threat for the land and other resources (like in Egypt the residents were asked to move their ancestors house because the government wants to build a five star hotel to accommodate Tourists in Luxor) in the country. It is due to the planning in future which may lead to lay more buildings to accommodate the tourists by making hotels, services, park or other type of attractions. The demolishing 0f the deserts will affect the habitat of many species and their existence will be affected. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTxax9lvclTZKx5F0YuGvdM-iVZVqT9I94uDlkUKcpL5Jziqhwl-A Pollution no matter air, dust, litter or noise by tourists will also demonstrate the inability of DTCM (local tourism board) to prevent the destination from negative effects of touristic activities. Especially beaches and deserts if polluted by the tourists will result in developing hatred in host population and conflicts will take place. Welcoming host population is the biggest element to like a destination. Any naturally or ecologically disruption in the surroundings of the local community will force the government to put a stop to the transition of tourists. This can be done very easily but the damages that have been made to the destination can never be repaired so quickly. The greater developments in Dubai to promote Tourism is of course utilising the natural resources like mountainous area, land, desert, beaches etc. This never stop development might not leave enough attractions for coming generation to be proud of. The natural treasure of wild life or other animals will become the history. Establishing tourism sector on the risk of losing the real identity of the country should not be the approach of the strategic planners. Sustainability tourism is the answer of all such issues. Ecotourism became popular in the 1980s as a form of tourism that focused exclusively on wildlife, nature or exotic cultures. Some research indicates that such tourism may not in fact benefit these communitiesas it might lead to them becoming dependent on the tourist economy, without developing skills that would allow them flexibility in the economy and be more of a long term guarantee./ Recommendation Tourism sector of Dubai has a lot to offer. Millions of tourists have visited the destination and many more are planning to visit this luxurious, advance, modern destination to enjoy the safari, Wild Wadi and marine life etc. http://www.mydigitallife.info/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/dynamic-architecture-dubai.jpg Due to the Political turmoil in certain parts of the Middle East, is likely to benefit Dubais tourism industry and economy. To the extent that Dubai is viewed as an alternative destination to countries such as Lebanon, Tunisia and Egypt, it is likely to benefit as some visitors change their travel plans in favor of the emirate. The collapse of the Hariri government in Lebanon has plunged the country into what is likely to be a prolonged period of political uncertainty in which the threat of violence is ever-present. Events in Tunisia and Egypt have generated a great deal of negative publicity for the tourism sectors in those countries, and will likely impact bookings and arrivals this year. Regardless of whether these concerns are justified, the likelihood is that some of the most important tourism destinations in the Middle East are likely to see a fall in visitors in 2011. Conclusion From the outgoing account I want to sum up that that Tourism is now the fastest growing sector of Dubais economy, contributing about 19% to the Dubais GPD in 2005, and 20% as of late 2007. This is made possible by ever increasing numbers of tourists. About 3.6 million tourists visited Dubai in 2001 and more than six million came in 2005. As of 2007, Dubais hotels received about 6.5 million visitors that contributed us$3.5 billion to the local economy. Dubai is one of the few international destinations to see an increase in visitors over the last year, successfully retaining its position as a world-class tourism and trade hub as Despite the economic climate, visitors to Dubai reached an all-time high of 11,996,449 in 2010 and even though the pace of growth has slowed.   Having developed a highly desirable and increasingly diversified premium tourism product, Dubai continues to meet the needs of an ever-expanding audience. With so much to offer both leisure, eco, sustainable, natural, and cultural and business visitors, from groundbreaking attractions to world-class hospitality, it is little wonder that Dubai is experiencing such significant growth. Dubai attracts more visitors each year than any Arab country outside of Egypt and hosts a major shopping festival in the first quarter that traditionally attracts hordes of regional retail visitors.http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSv4NvD-_IwJuoy-AWEL8N5MtjqSOVS1uxzttsqWaNuKEskRWTYZA In this regard, the dense growth of this sector has never let the strategic planners ignore the environment, local populations right, natural sightseeing, cultural values and belief etc. The fast emergence of Dubai on the world tourism map and its spectacular performance is undoubtedly the result of aggressive global marketing and promotional agenda being pursued by the  Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing  (DTCM). The department, in co-operation and co-ordination with public and private sector organizations, has been successfully developing the appeal of the destination that offers tourists the opportunity to explore traditional Arabian hospitality along with a contemporary lifestyle. All the attractions are well planned and maintain the ecology and natural resources of Dubai for future tourism and its host population. Continuing its aggressive marketing and promotional drive in 2010,  DTCM  has high lighted the strengths and attractions of the emirates vibrant tourism industry in 36 overseas travel exhibitions and hosting exclusive road shows and workshops in 10 countries. Dubais tourism product offering has considerably expanded last year and more changes are expected this year. Last year, the global tourism industry too underwent rapid changes due to the global economic downturn, requiring fast-rising destinations like Dubai to adopt strategies to remain at the cutting-edge of the highly-competitive business. In short, Dubais position as the leading tourism destination and commercial hub in the world is very prominent and DTCMs mission is to strengthen the Dubai economy through the development of sustainable tourism. Appendix 1 Emirates operates worlds longest eco-flight Sunday 18 January 2009 8:38 AM The  Dubai-based airline Emirates has claimed that the first service to operate on its new route from Dubai to San Francisco was the first ever cross-polar green flight and the worlds longest eco-friendly journey. On December 15th, the airline began operations on the 16-hour, non-stop service that uses a Boeing 777-200 long-range aircraft in what the company has called the Em-vironment flight. To plot the most efficient course for the flight, Emirates has worked with government agencies in Dubai, Russia, the US and Canada. Other measures that the airline will also employ to maximize the eco-friendly potential of the new route include the use of electrical power while the aircraft is on the ground in Dubai, the minimal use of thrust when landing, and single-engine taxiing to its destination gate at San Francisco airport. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates chairman and chief executive, said:  After months of planning, Emirates Em-vironment flight is a best-practice trial of how airlines, governments, manufacturers, technology providers and airports can work together to be as eco-efficient as possible. The San Francisco inaugural flight will be a dual milestone of commencing services between two great cities and also demonstrating the best our industry can offer in environmental efficiency. Emirates claims that, with some 58 Airbus A380s, A350-XWB and Boeing 777 planes on order (more than any other airline), it will have the worlds greenest fleet of wide-bodied aircraft Appendix 2 http://www.africa-ata.org/images/aba/uar_spdj-1222.jpg Appendix 3 The Emirates Groups vision is to be an environmental leader in the aviation and travel industries.   Our goal is to make sustainability and eco-efficiency the cornerstones of all group operations, in the air and on the ground. Aviation is one of the worlds most important contributors to economic and social development particularly in the developing world. The aviation industry employs over 32 million people worldwide and represents 35% of world trade by value it contributes US$1.1 trillion per annum to world GDP. The aviation industry recognises that, although it is only responsible for less than 2%, of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, it must be committed to growing sustainably and reducing growth of its emissions.   To put this in perspective, shipping accounts for some 4% of human emissions, while ground transport accounts for almost 14% (IPCC, 2004).   At current growth rates, aviation is expected to account for only 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.   Read more about this at  www.flyingmatters.org. Emirates is committed to a global solution for managing the growth in international aviation emissions, through ICAO the International Civil Aviation Organisation as mandated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.   Our customers, staff and regulators are increasingly conscious about the environment and greenhouse gas emissions.   Emirates has committed to environmentally-responsible operations through the Groups Corporate Environmental Policy (click here to view).   This policy is implemented internally through the Emvironment programme which is communicated internally and externally to staff, customers and all stakeholders. Our focus is becoming an ecologically-efficient organisation growing our business to be economically sustainable, while using fewer resources and creating less waste and pollution.   If we achieve these aims, it benefits our customers, the environment and our business the triple bottom line. The Emirates Groups commitment to eco-efficiency means multi-billion dollar investments in the most modern, eco-efficient technology available- in aircraft, engines and ground equipment we strive to be leaders in eco-efficiency in our industry and in our region. We are committed to operating our assets in the most environmentally responsible manner, and in compliance with all applicable environmental regulations and standards. Emirates firmly support our industrys four-pillar strategy to reduce emissions, as developed by our industry body the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Read more about this strategy at  www.enviro.aero. Implementation of this strategy includes the use of new technology throughout our Group; making significant investments in the most modern, low-noise, low emissions aircraft available; encouraging governments to make air navigation more fuel and emission friendly; and reducing the environmental impact of our ground operations. We are committed to further reductions in fuel consumption and emissions per passenger our fuel efficiency rates are already 30% lower than the global fleet average. Other goals include staff education, waste reduction and recycling, lower energy use and greater communication internally and externally. Our Emvironment Champions

National Culture Essay

National culture is the value system and pride associated with a nation. Many people deny their national culture when they move to a new location, and embrace the national culture of their new home. Characteristics of culture As one might expect, all cultures must share several characteristics if ‘’culture’’ is to be differentiated from other forms of behavior. These similarities between all cultures are surprisingly few. The ultimate goal of cultural anthropology is to determine which characteristics all cultures share in common. Society Firstly, all culture must take place through a medium of a group of people, known as a society. Even extinct or imagined cultures have societies to transmit the culture. As culture cannot exist without culture. Other animals, such as bees or ants, congregate into societies, yet these animals do not exhibit it culture. Yet no human society is without culture. The functionalist school of anthropological thought attempts to explain why culture is so vital to human societies. Culture of Bangladesh The culture of Bangladesh has a unique history, dating back more than 2500 years ago.The land, the rivers and the lives of the common people formed a rich heritage with marked differences from neighboring region. The culture of Bangladesh is composite, and over centuries has assimilated influences of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Islam. It is manifested in various forms, including music, dance and drama, art and craft; folklores and folktales; languages and literature, philosophy and religion. Music, dance and drama Music and dance style of Bangladesh may be divided into three categories, namely, the classical, folk and the modern. The classical style has been influenced by other prevalent classical forms of music and dance of the Indian subcontinent and accordingly shows some influences dance forms like bharata natyam and kuchipudi.The folk and tribal music and dance of Bangladesh are of indigenous origin and rooted to the soil of Bangladesh. Several dancing style in the north-eastern part of the Indian subcontinent,  like Manipuri and santal dances, are also practiced in Bangladesh, but Bangladesh has developed its own distinct dancing style. Bangladesh has a rich tradition folk songs, with lyrics rooted into vibrant tradition and spirituality, mysticism and devotion. Such folk songs also revole round several and other themes, including love themes. Drama remains popular in Bangladesh, including performances of playes bye local playwrights as well as adaptations from writers of western origi n. Jatra, that is folk drama is also a part of culture of Bangladesh . Pohela Boishakh Pohela Baishakh celebration in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Pà ´hela Boishakh is the first day of the Bengali calendar. It is usually celebrated on the 14th of April. Pohela Boishakh marks the start day of the crop season. Usually on Pà ´hela Boishakh, the home is thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned; people bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes. They spend much of the day visiting relatives, friends, and neighbours and going to the fair. Fairs are arranged in many parts of the country where various agricultural products, traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics, as well as various kinds of food and sweets are sold. The fairs also provide entertainment, with singers, dancers and traditional plays and songs. Horse races, bull races, bullfights, cockfights, flying pigeons, and boat racingwere once popular. All gatherings and fairs consist a wide spread of Bengali food and sweets. The most colourful New Year’s Day festival takes place in Dhaka. Large numbers of people gather early in the morning under the banyan tree at Ramna Park where Chhayanat artists open the day with Rabindranath Tagore’s famous song, Esho, he Boishakh, Esho esho (Come, year, come, come). A similar ceremony welcoming the new year is also held at the Institute of Fine Arts (Dhaka) and University of Dhaka. Students and teachers of the institute take out a colourful procession and parade to round the campus. Social and cultural organisations celebrate the day with cultural programmes. Newspapers bring out special supplements. There are also special programmes on radio and television. Prior to this day, special discounts on clothes, furniture, electronics and various deals and shopping discounts are available. Special line of sarees, usually cotton, white sarees with red print and embroidery is sold before this day as everyone dresses up for this day. Jasmine flowers are also a huge sale for this event  which adorns the women’s hair. Background In 1952, the emerging middle classes of East Bengal underwent an uprising known later as the Bangla Language Movement. Bangladeshis (then East Pakistanis) were initially agitated by a decision by the Central Pakistan Government to establish Urdu, a minority language spoken only by the supposed elite class of West Pakistan, as the sole national language for all of Pakistan. The situation was worsened by an open declaration that â€Å"Urdu and only Urdu will be the national language of Pakistan† by the governor, Khawaja Nazimuddin. Protest Police declared Section 144 which banned any sort of meeting. Defying this, the students of University of Dhaka and Dhaka Medical College and other political activists started a procession on February 21, 1952. Near the current Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police fired on the protesters and numerous people, including Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Sofiur Rahman, Abul Barkat and Abdul Jabbar, died. The movement spread to the whole of East Pakistan and the whole province came to a standstill. Afterwards, the Government of Pakistan relented and gave Bengali equal status as a national language. Effects This movement is thought to have sown the seeds for the independence movement which resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. Commemoration To commemorate this movement, Shaheed Minar a solemn and symbolic sculpture, was erected in the place of the massacre. The day is revered in Bangladesh and, to a somewhat lesser extent, in West Bengal as the Martyrs’ Day. This day is the public holiday in Bangladesh. UNESCO decided to observe 21 February as International Mother Language Day. The UNESCO General Conference took a decision to that took effect on 17 November 1999 when it unanimously adopted a draft resolution submitted by Bangladesh and co-sponsored and supported by 28 other countries. In Assam and North-east India In Silchar, India, eleven people were killed by police firing on 19 May 1961 when protesting legislation that mandated the use of the Assamese language.[1] Bengalis in Assam and north-east India observe 19 May as Language Movement Day to remember the 11 Bengalis who were killed on the day by police fire in Silchar Railway Station. Weddings A bride for Turmeric ceremony A traditional wedding is arranged by Ghotoks (matchmakers), who are typically friends or relatives of the couple. The matchmakers facilitate the introduction, and also help agree the amount of any settlement. Bengali weddings are traditionally in five parts: first it is the bride and groom’sMehendi Shondha, the bride’s Gaye Holud, the groom’s Gaye Holud, the Beeya, and the Bou Bhaat. These often take place on separate days. The first event in a wedding is an informal one: the groom presents the bride with a ring marking the â€Å"engagement† which is gaining popularity. For themehendi shondha the bride’s side apply henna to each other as well as the bride for the bride’s Gaye Holud, the groom’s family – except the groom himself – go in procession to the bride’s home. Bride’s friends and family apply turmeric paste to her body as a part of Gaye Hoof bride, and they are traditionally all in matching clothes, m ostly orange in colour. The bride is seated on a dais, and the henna is used to decorate the bride’s hands and feet with elaborate abstract designs. The sweets are then fed to the bride by all involved, piece by piece. The actual wedding ceremony â€Å"Biye† follows the Gaye Holud ceremonies. The wedding ceremony is arranged by the bride’s family. On the day, the younger members of the bride’s family barricade the entrance to the venue, and demand a sort of admission charge from the groom in return for allowing him to enter. The bride and groom are seated separately, and a Kazi (authorized person by the govt. to perform the wedding), accompanied by the parents and a Wakil (witness) from each side formally asks the bride for her consent to the union, and then the groom for his. The bride’s side of the family tries to play some kind of practical joke on the groom such as stealing the groom’s shoe. The reception, also known as Bou-Bhaat (reception), is a party given by the groom’s family in return for the wedding party. It is typically a much more relaxed affair, with only the second-best wedding outfit being worn. Relatives decorating the groom with traditional wedding turmeric in a Bangladeshi Gaye Holud ceremony in Dhaka. Architecture and heritage Bangladesh has appealing architecture from historic treasures to contemporary landmarks. Jatiyo Smriti Soudho, a tribute to liberation war martyrs is also an architectural landmark Sports A cricket match between Bangladesh &India at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium inDhaka, Bangladesh Cricket is the most popular sport in Bangladesh, followed by football. Kabaddi is the national sport in Bangladesh. Cricket is a game which has a massive and passionate following in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has joined the elite group of countries eligible to play Test Cricket since 2000. TheBangladesh national cricket team goes by the nickname of the Tigers – after the Royal Bengal Tiger. The people of Bangladesh enjoy watching live sports. Whenever there is a cricket or football match between popular local teams or international teams in any local stadium significant number of spectators gather to watch the match live. The people also celebrate major victories of the national teams with great enthusiasm for the live game. Victory processions are the most common element in such celebrations. A former prime minister even made an appearance after an Internationalone day cricket match in which Bangladesh beat Australia, she came to congratulate the victory. Also in late 2006 and 2007, football legend Zinedine Zidane paid a visit to local teams and various events thanks to the invite of Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Religion Festivals and celebrations are an integral part of the culture of Bangladesh. Prominent and widely celebrated festivals are Pohela Boishakh, Independence day, National Mourning Day, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Azha, Moharram, Durga puja, and Language Movement Day. Bangladesh is ethnically homogeneous, with Bengalis comprising 98% of the population. The majority of Bangladeshis (about 90%) are Muslim, and a small number of Hindus, Christians and Buddhists are also living in the country. But due to immense cultural diversity, multiple dialects, hybridization of social traits and norms as well as cultural upbringing, Bangladeshis cannot be stereotyped very easily, except for the only fact that they are very resilient in nature. People of different religions perform their religious rituals with festivity in Bangladesh. The Government has declared National  Holidays on all important religious festivals of the four major religions. Durga Puja, Christmas, and Buddha Purnima are celebrated with enthusiasm in Bangladesh. All of these form an integral part of the cultural heritage of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a land of festivity. Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, Eid-e-Miladunnabi, Muharram etc. Hindus observe Durga Puja, Kali Puja, and Sarashwati Puja among others. Buddha Purnima is the biggest festival for Bengali Buddhists, and Borodin (Christmas) is celebrated by the Christians. People from several tribal communities also have their respective festival as well. Apart from these religious and tribal celebrations we also have several secular festivals. Pohela Boishakh (Bangali New Year) is the biggest among all the festivals in Bangladesh. We also observe 21 February as Shahid Dibash (as observed worldwide as International Mother Language Day), 26 March as Independence Day, and 16 December as Victory Day. Lifestyle Cuisine Panta Ilish – a traditional platter ofPanta bhat, with fried hilsa slice, supplemented with dried fish (shutki),pickles (achar), dal, chillies, and onion – is a popular dish during the Pohela Boishakh festival. Bangladesh is famous for its distinctive culinary tradition, delicious food, snacks, and savories. Boiled rice constitutes the staple food, and is served with a variety of vegetables, fried as well with curry, thick lentil soups, fish and meat preparations of mutton, beef, and chicken, and very rarely pork only by certain small groups. Sweetmeats of Bangladesh are mostly milk based, and consist of several delights including roshgulla, sandesh, rasamalai, gulap jamun, kalo jamun, and chom-chom. Several other sweet preparations are also available. Bengali cuisine is rich and varied with the use of many specialized spices and flavours. Fish is the dominant source of protein, cultivated in ponds and fished with nets in the fresh-water rivers of the Ganges delta. More than 40 types of mostly freshwater fish are common, including carp, varieties like rui (rohu), katla, magur (catfish), chingÃ…â€"i (prawn or shrimp), as well as shuÃ… £ki (dried sea fish) are popular. Salt water fish (not sea fish though) and Ilish (hilsa ilisha) are very popular among Bengalis, can be  called an icon of Bengali cuisine. Serving dishes with beef is not a rare occurrence in Bangladesh. Beef curry is very common and an essential part of Bengal cuisine. Dress Bangladeshi people have unique dress preferences. Bangladeshi men sometimes wear kurta or fatua on religious and cultural occasions. Bangladeshi men wear lungi as casual wear (in rural areas) and shirt-pant or suits on formal occasions. The lungi is not considered proper to be worn outside the house except by the farmers and the low-income families. Shalwar Kameez and Sharee are the main dresses of Bangladeshi women. The women also have a different preference to which types of Shalwar Kameez and Sharee they would like to wear. Whether it may be silk sharees, georgette sharees, or designer sharees, each particular fabric contributes to representing the culture overall. Weaving the fabric for these dresses is a traditional art in Bangladesh. Conclusion Different culture groups think, feel, and act differently. There are no scientific standards for considering one group as intrinsically superior or inferior to another. Studying differences in culture among groups and societies presuppose a position of cultural relativism. It does not imply normalcy for oneself, or nor for one’s society. It, however, calls for judgment when dealing with groups or societies different from one’s own. Information about the nature of cultural differences between societies, their roots, and their consequences should precede judgment and action. Negotiation is more likely to succeed when the parties concerned understand the reasons for the differences in viewpoints.

Marriage and Families

IntroductionFamilies are central institutions in our society. They are commissioned with the pivotal tasks of children upbringing and providing continuing intimacy and companionship to members. Traditionally, a family consists of persons related by blood, marriage or adoption. Other definitions of a family have specified a common household, economic independency, and sexual and reproductive relations (Lamanna and Riedmann, 2005)Sociologists continue to recognize the family important responsibility in performing necessary social roles such as child rearing, economic support and domestic maintenance. As families are becoming less traditional, the legal definition of a family has become more flexible.   Traditional or modern families have one mission in that they all create a place to belong in at least two ways. They create boundaries, and they serve as a repository or archive of family memories and traditions.Marriage which is a formal agreement between two people is the initial sta ge of forming a family. Our discussion will answer the basic questions on the legal bindings in marriages and outline factors that may affect marital stability.Primary provisions of a prenuptial agreement and personal contractBack in history husbands and wives were prohibited from making any contract between themselves. Still on the same period prenuptial agreements particular those meant to provide property rights following a divorce were prohibited. It was thought that these agreements would encourage divorce. In the recent times this laws have gradually changed to permit husbands and wives to make contracts with each other by which they agree about what assets would be held separately by either of them during the marriage. (Weisman, 2003)In many states, prenuptial agreements and personal contracts are highly encouraged. They preserve assets for children in case there is a divorce or the parents die.Weisman, (2003) comments that for a prenuptial agreement to be enforced, both peop le in the relationship must clearly disclose all the assets they have. Any agreement based on fraud will however not be recognized (pg, 7). The two parties are advised to have a lawyer for representation to ensure that the signing of the agreement is fair and reasonable.In America most states follow the uniform provisions act on prenuptial agreement. The act provides matters that are subject to a prenuptial agreement. (Weisman, 2003). They include; the right and obligation to make a contract in regard to property; the modification or elimination of spousal support; ownership rights and disposition of death benefits from a life insurance policy; The disposition of property upon separation; a break up of marriage, death or the occurrence or any other event and lastly the making of a will, trust or other arrangement.The above provisions for making of a personal contract are important because without such provisions in a prenuptial agreement, may result to fraudulent claims.In the Unite d States people who are old or senior citizens use prenuptial agreement to protect their assets and their children from previous marriages in the event that a spouse goes into a nursing home and Medicaid cover is sought. (pg, 8)Factor affecting marital stabilityAn analysis carried out by (Veroff and Shirley, 2002) describes these factors more schematically according to the process and number of years the couple has been into marriage. The first analysis is based on the factors that occur before getting married and starting a family. This factors are called pre-marriage factors and includes; social status of spouses, pre-marital connections of the couple and family background of the spouses. The pre-marriage factors studied under social status include; father and mother education, owns education, personal income, poverty ratio, race and educational attainment. Under the family background we have; number of siblings, broken home background and presence of older siblingsThe second cate gory discusses personal factors at the time of marriage. They are the characteristics comprising each spouse and their personality. They are; ambitiousness, cooperativeness, orientation of power and Neuroticism.The third analysis is based on interpersonal factors which describe how each individual relates with other people, and how he or she views others. They include; interpersonal perceptions, perceived interacting attitude in compatibility, and actual interactions.There are other factors that people face when they interact with others and they form our fourth category. These factors are referred to as external factors. Stress is one of the factors. Stress is an emotionally disruptive or unsettling gap that may exist between how we would like our life to be and how it actually is. Another external factor is network support which describes how well the family is connected with the outside world. The amount of support they receive from other families and friends.The final factor is the qualitative sense that the couple makes of their life together. These are the integrative feelings which can be both specific and general. Feelings in one year of set the stage for the marital factors in the next year which in turn affect the feelings in that year and so on. These feelings include marital happiness, marital competence, marital control, marital tension and marital equity. This are measured separately for each spouse. (Veroff and Shirley, 2002.pp 5-6)The above factors underline the stability or instability of a marriage.Forms of Marital DisruptionMarital problems are risk factors in a family environment where children are brought up. Marital conflicts that lead to divorce are the most detrimental towards children welfare. Marital disruptions according to (Richardson and Carol, 2002) are after associated with a change in economic circumstances and adjustments to altered linking conditions (pg, 1907). When parents are stressed they affect their parenting practices.A part form divorce parents may disagree but yet remain together. These parents have persistent conflicts that do not end. The end result of such conflicts is that they affect children’s behavior and lower their self esteem.Marital violence is part of marital disruption and involves physical aggression. This form is more upsetting to children than other forms of marital disruption. When children are exposed to marital violence they tend to imitate this in their relationships with others and display violent behavior towards teachers, peers and family members. (Richardson and Carol, 2002) also suggest that where children are exposed to negative emotions, their safely and security may be threatened and therefore they express anger towards their parents. Marital Abuse also results when parents are use violence against each other in marriages. Parents who have no respect for their children and end up abusing them either physically or sexually. Abuse falls under the marital violence Marital disruption may occur as a result of death of one person in a relationship. The irreversible loss of a close companion begins a process of grief and extended transition for the surviving spouse. There is an increased risk for emotional disturbance to bereaved individuals compared to their non-bereaved community counterparts. These effects may persist for second years or more for a significant number of individuals.Epidemiological data has demonstrated that, there is a strong association between marital disruption and poorer health. This is because of the physiological suffering that the bereaved face, especially when their loved ones depart.ConclusionThe family, functions to fulfill six basic human needs; socialization of children, economic production, welfare for the sick and the elderly, recreation and emotional attachment, sexual relationship regulation and reproduction. Through the ages marriages and family has been used to establish basic patterns of inheritance, authori ty, lines of descents and mate selections.These are some of the commonly accepted descriptions and functions of a family. The changing face of families structure has been as a result of certain factors which includes; the higher   expectations for marriage, higher divorce and remarriage rates, expenses on personal fulfillment avoiding economic concerns and increased single parent families.The primary provisions of a prenuptial agreement are important in a family setting whether the couple trust or mistrust each other. Marital stability and instability is part of normal experiences in marriage and family and the factors discussed in the document contribute negatively or positively towards the family. The various forms of marital disruptions described in this text include; death, separation or divorce. Strong marriages are therefore needed for families to be effective.ReferencesLamanna, M.A and Riedmann, A.2005.Marriages & Families: Making Choices in a Diverse, Thomson Wadsworth pub lishers  Richardson, J., Carol, J.2002.Parent Training Program’s for the Management of children, Psych PublicationsVeroff, J. and Shirley, H.2002.Marital Instability: A Social and Behavioral Study of the Early Years, Greenwood PublishingWeisman, S.2003.A Guide to Elder Planning: Everything You Need to Know to Protect Yourself,FT Press

Comparing Theodor Adorno And Jurgen Habermas - 1593 Words

Theodor Adorno and Jurgen Habermas were both members of the German Frankfurt School (Frankfurter Schule). Explain why these figures figure so largely in media studies, what these theorists had in common and what separated them, especially in terms of ideas on political economy? With the controversial increase in the concentration of media ownership in the UK over the past thirty years there is no wonder that Neo-Marxist critical theory has become more prominent in the examination and study of media. Theodor Adorno and Jurgen Habermas, members of the German Frankfurt School, both apply Marxist Hegelian basis in their critiques of media and its interaction with the public. This essay explores why Adorno and Habermas figure so largely in†¦show more content†¦Harmondsworth, Eng.: Penguin, 1965). A decline in popularity of this movement suggests that what Adorno is posing is in fact of great importance specifically when analysing media and entertainment trends. Habermas however theorises the idea that there is an existence of a public sphere, which is essentially a ‘made up of private people gathered together as a public and articulating the needs of society with the state’ (Habermas, J., Lawrence, F. and Burger, T. The structural transformation of the public sphere. Cambridge, MASS: The MIT Press 1989). This public sphere, through act of assembly ‘generates opinions and attitudes which serve to affirm the affairs of state’ (Media-studies.ca, 2017) and is required to ‘legitimate authority in any functioning democracy’ (Habermas, J., Lawrence, F. and Burger, T. The structural transformation of the public sphere. Cambridge, MASS: The MIT Press 1989). Habermas also commented upon how there has been a creation of a bourgeois public sphere which is separate from the public as citizens became more concerned with consumerism and less with political matters, therefore distancing themselves from this new public sphere. In turn the media developed from a means of citizens gaining information on politics and society into a medium of advertising and a method of political forces which resulted in a less public inclusive public sphere. The idea of the public sphere is important when examining media practices as through theShow MoreRelated Transcending Herbert Marcuse on Alienation, Art and the Humanities4411 Words   |  18 Pagesto theorize our society critically if we are to have a vehicle for correctly informed transformative practice. The problem is that much of what is called critical theory today is rooted in ideas developed by Herbert Marcuse, Max Horkheimer, Theodor W. Adorno, and Georg Lukacs. What I want to argue here is that their work has tended to formulate a particular approach to aesthetic educationand a unique version of a philosophical humanismwhich is then presented as critical theoryagainst the debilitatingRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesorganiz ational democracy: a challenge to managerialism? Destabilized capitalism Employee alienation as the key problem Conclusions 387 392 395 399 401 404 405 408 412 413 414 416 421 Chapter 10 Perspectives and challenges Introduction Comparing the different perspectives A modernist perspective A neomodernist perspective A new-wave perspective A postmodern perspective A reflective perspective A critical theory and psychoanalytic perspective A managerialist perspective The paradigm debate