Exploration stage:
- Few or no tourists visit the area, which is relatively unknown.
- Tourists are typically adventurous and independent travelers attracted by the area's unique or unspoiled attractions.
- Infrastructure and facilities are limited or non-existent.
Involvement stage:
- Tourist arrivals start to increase as more people become aware of the destination.
- Small-scale tourism businesses emerge, often run by local entrepreneurs.
- Infrastructure begins to develop to meet the growing demand.
Development stage:
- Tourist arrivals rise significantly, leading to rapid growth in tourism-related infrastructure and services.
- Large-scale resorts, hotels, and other tourism facilities are built.
- Regulations and planning measures are often introduced to manage the impacts of tourism on the local environment and culture.
Maturity stage:
- Tourist arrivals reach a peak.
- Competition intensifies among tourism businesses, leading to a focus on differentiation and specialization.
- The destination may face environmental and social sustainability challenges due to overcrowding and overdevelopment.
Stagnation stage:
- Tourist arrivals start to decline due to increasing competition from other destinations, changing tourist preferences, or external factors like economic downturns.
- Existing businesses may struggle to remain profitable, and some may close down.
Decline stage:
- Tourist arrivals drop significantly, leading to economic decline and social issues in the destination.
- The destination may become dependent on a small number of tour operators or heavily discounted tourism packages to attract visitors.
Butler's model provides a framework for understanding the evolution of tourism destinations and can guide planning and management efforts to ensure sustainable tourism development. It emphasizes the need for destinations to diversify their tourism offerings, manage growth, preserve their natural and cultural resources, and adapt to changing market conditions to maintain their competitiveness in the long run.
