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attraction — English
A place, phenomenon, view, landscape, opportunity, activity or event that people want to see, view, partake in or be present at. In Geography and environmental management the term is mostly used with regard to commuting, migration, tourism, economic activity and service provision. Places might be attractive because they offer job opportunities (for instance Zimbabweans and Malawians who seek employment in South Africa), access to important religious rituals and activities (for instance the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca), beautiful golden beaches (as in Durban, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro), magnificent waterfalls (such as the Iguassú Falls beween Brazil and Argentina, and the Victoria Falls between Zimbabwe and Zambia), or huge waves to surf (as in Hawaii or Bondi Beach in Australia). Attractions generate human movement and from the examples mentioned above, it should be clear that a lot of that movement takes place across international boundaries. Political agreements that facilitate unhindered movement between different countries in order to view a tourist sight from all sides have long been in place. Few tourists realise that they cross the Brazilian-Argentinein border while they are out on a trip to view the Iguassú waterfalls. A relatively new and fast-growing form of cross-border movement has been created by the development of trans-boundary wildlife or nature reserves. South Africa already shares trans-boundary parks with Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Lesotho. In these parks and reserves the physical boundaries have actually been removed and a traveller does not even know that he/she has entered a different country. This unrestricted movement of tourist groups over state boundaries to view spectacular natural features was brought about by political negotiations culminating in international agreements, but one has to bear in mind that there is a distinct political component enmeshed in transboundary environmental developments. (See “refugee”.)
