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zoning
Zoning, as it is popularly conceived, is part of the
toolkit of command and control development
planning. Command and control regulatory frameworks
such as exclusionary zoning often seem the
most convenient methods for development planning
and protection of the environment, largely
because both business and government have had
more experience with them. In this context, zoning
seeks to regulate land uses by separating them
based on incompatibility, or allowing like/compatible
uses to co-exist.
A basic principle of tourism zoning is the
conservation of specific environmental features
such as wetlands, archaeological and historic sites,
important stands of vegetation and unusual
geological features. Related to this is the maintenance
of visual diversity. Also important is the
achievement of successful functional groupings of
resort facilities and activities, such as accommodation,
commercial and cultural facilities, and
recreation facilities in suitable areas. Buffer zones
containing mixtures of tourism facilities and less
fragile environmental preservation requirements
may also be designated.
With appropriate consideration, zoning may
also be used to achieve area-wide management.
Variations of the basic principle can include
performance measures relating to allowable land
uses �design, density, servicing standards), mandatory
clustering of facilities/attractions, scenic road
overlays, controlled circulation networks and access
restrictions, mandatory interpretation of sites
and facilities, and relocation of undesirable build-
Z
ings to alternative areas. An example of the use of
zoning is that of Borobudur National Archaeological
Park in Java, Indonesia. In the 1980s, five
zones for various types and intensities of land use
were established around this important ancient
monument and attraction. Zone one protects the
immediate environment with no development
allowed except for landscaping; zone two includes
development of facilities for tourist use, park
operation and archaeological conservation activities;
zone three is designated for access road and
smaller monuments, within which land uses are
strictly controlled to be compatible with the park;
zone four maintains historical scenery; and zone
five includes archaeological surveys and the
protection of unexcavated archaeological sites.
Planning for this park also includes determination
of maximum visitor capacities, facility needs and
conservation requirements, and an important part
of the implementation programme was the relocation
of some residents further away from the
monument in order to implement the zoning plan.
See also: planning, environmental; protected
areas; self-regulation
Further reading
Gunn, C.A. �1994) Tourism Planning, 3rd edn,
Washington: Taylor & Francis.
World Tourism Organization �1993) Sustainable
Tourism Development:Guide for Local Planners,
Madrid: WTO.
MALCOLM COOPER, AUSTRALIA