Tourism Sustainability

Social media are gaining prominence as an element of destination marketing organisation (DMO) marketing strategy at a time when public sector cuts in their funding are requiring them to seek greater value in the way marketing budgets are spent. Social media offers DMOs with a tool to reach a global audience with limited resources. The aim of this study is to explore the usage of social media among the DMOs of the top 10 most visited countries by international tourists. The study uses content analysis and semi-structured interviews to examine the usage and impact of social media marketing strategies and identifies a framework of best practice for other national tourism organizations (NTOs) to learn from. The study argues that social media usage among top DMOs is still largely experimental and that strategies vary significantly.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2012.662215

This paper is based on ongoing research into networking between small tourism businesses and its contribution to destination development. The fieldwork is being carried out in a peripheral rural location. A detailed conceptual framework comprising of a literature review, background to an ongoing study and the methodology being implemented is discussed. The review finds an increased awareness of the importance of networks in mainstream business research, however, research within small tourism businesses is still underdeveloped. Furthermore, there is little or no direct research in terms of collective tourism business networks within a destination. Destination development research is also reviewed and particular consideration given to the rural context. Destination models are discussed with the recent chaos-based theories providing new understandings. Networks are established within the destination concept. Finally, the location for the data collection is discussed with a justification of the qualitative, in-depth interview approach.

Using theory of reasoned action and social exchange theory, this study empirically tests a model of residents' support for the 2012 Olympic Games. The model proposes that overall attitude towards the Games mediates the relationship between perceived socio-cultural, economic, and environmental impacts, and residents' support for the Games. Results indicate perceived economic and socio-cultural impacts (positive and negative) influence overall attitude, but contrary to our predictions, perceived environmental impacts (positive and negative) are not related to overall attitude. The model confirms that overall attitude plays a mediating role between perceived socio-cultural, economic, environmental impacts and support for the 2012 Games. Findings highlight the need for researchers to disaggregate the components of perceived impacts when modelling attitudes and support for mega events.

This paper extends the Ritchie, Crouch (2000) model on destination competitiveness by introducing a set of sustainability indicators and testing their role in explaining the competitiveness of a tourism destination. The model is tested on a unique dataset of small Italian “Destinations of Excellence”, i.e., outstanding tourist destinations recognized by prestigious national and international awards. Both a principal component analysis and a regression analysis are applied to test the empirical validity of the model. Empirical results show that factors directly referring to sustainability have a positive impact on all the competitiveness indicators used as dependent variables. Furthermore, the impact of sustainability variables is larger in value than other variables, thus confirming the role of sustainability as a crucial determinant of the competitiveness of a tourist destination.

This study developed a comprehensive model of residents’ trust in government actors and political support for tourism based on social exchange theory, institutional theory of political trust, and cultural theory of political trust.  The model was tested on a sample of 391 residents of Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada, using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.  Findings suggested that residents’ perceptions of the benefits and costs of tourism and their trust in government actors were significant determinants of political support.  Their perceptions of the political and economic performance of government actors significantly predicted trust in government actors.  Interpersonal trust, perceived costs of tourism, and perceived power in tourism decision-making were insignificant determinants of trust.  The study found partial support for social exchange theory.  Cultural theory of political trust was not found to be relevant, while strong support was found for institutional theory of political trust.

Over the past four decades, a number of tourism studies’, theories and models have emerged concerning host and guest antagonism (Doxey, 1975), tourism area life cycle (Butler, 1980) and carrying capacity (O’Reilly, 1986). These have historically informed academic research as well as practitioners’ thinking, policy and planning interventions (Barcelona City Council, 2016) – however, these have often appeared to be shifting, rather than addressing the problem. Over the last decade, while many scholars have maintained their interest in the classical debate concerning the impacts of tourism, some have attempted new conceptualisations, while others have converged with the narrative of a number of social movements, and the subsequent coining of the terms ‘overtourism’ and ‘tourismphobia’ have emerged (Goodwin, 2017; Dredge, 2017; Milano, 2017a). Saarinen (2006, p. 1121) was prescient in his assertions that in the face of rapidly growing tourism economies, there is a “need for alternative and more environment and host-friendly practices in development, planning, and policies”.  Moreover, Saarinen’s (2013, p. 10) call that “in order to have tools for setting the limits to growth in tourism in a local-global nexus with less tourism-centric evaluation criteria, stronger governmental and inter-governmental policies and regulations are most probably needed” is evidently more pressing today.

In particular, this Special Issue will offer critical reflections on the contemporary evolution of tourism development and the implication of such processes on people, place and space. It is aimed at developing more nuanced insights into current tourism dynamics and to ultimately foster participatory and collaborative responses to what is evidently a rapidly evolving phenomenon with significant policy and practice implications (Dredge, 2017).

For more details, please see full CFP.

"The idea that the periphery is vanishing is closely connected with notions concerning modernity, globalisation, and that there is now nowhere where tourists do not go. However, where the periphery is depends on where you stand. Etymologically a periphery is a boundary, the edge of something. More loosely the term has come to be used to describe the area outside or at the edge of a defined space. Peripherality – the condition of being peripheral – therefore refers to something that is outside of the core or mainstream. This article aims to provide a review of issues surrounding peripheral areas and their social construction and address the ways in which the periphery comes to be valued, commoditised and incorporated into the global economic system. It is divided into three sections. The first presents some of the various ways in which the notion of periphery and peripherality is used. The second discusses the relationship of peripherality to marginality and the way in which tourism is regarded as a response to the “need” for economic development while the final section addresses how the periphery is valued and its implications.

Thie copy here is an unedited first draft written upon request by the journal editor for a research probe debate. For the final accepted version please consult the journal's website. The paper build's on earlier work in terms of the intro chapter to Hall and Boyd (2005) as well as the chapter in Müller and Jansson (2007). The final section however represents a reinforcement of longstanding interest in capitalism and the commodification of wilderness conservation."

The citation details of the paper are a little complicated as the paper is part of a debate and the four papers in the debate have been given a common set of references. The context of the debate, as well as a concluding piece and the common references can be cited as: Hall, C.M., Harrison, D., Weaver, D. & Wall, G. 2013, Vanishing peripheries: Does tourism consume places? Tourism Recreation Research, 38(1), 71, 87-92. The citation above however only refers to my own paper - and that is what is provided here.

As a set of economic activities, tourism trades on the character of special places. Conflict can emerge where local residents perceive that tourism development proposals challenge the special qualities of place, and where place meaning and attachments are compromised. A key function of government in mediating conflict is to protect public interests, yet explicit consideration of public interest in tourism development conflict is unusual. This paper argues for a reinvigoration of public interest in the mediation of tourism development conflicts. It explores the concept of public interest and how governments interpret and give meaning to it in development debates. In a case study of a cruise ship terminal proposal on the Gold Coast, Australia, the state adopted a neoliberal interpretation of public interest wherein increased global competitiveness of the destination was the overriding common good pursued. Local and diverse interests were marginalised in the debate. The paper concludes that in order to reinvigorate public interest, a public interest evaluation framework for tourism development is needed.

The purpose of this study is to examine the emerging flashpacker sub-culture in relation to the backpacker culture. Cultural Consensus Analysis is employed to examine the potential cultural divergence between flashpackers and non-flashpackers. A mixed-mode dual-frame sampling procedure was employed for data collection, as surveys were administered through Facebook backpacker-groups and in hostels in Cairns, Australia. The results indicate that flashpacker and non-flashpacker groups have a shared cultural understanding of backpacking. In addition to the conceptual clarity of the emerging flashpacker, this study also provides some interesting insights into contemporary backpacker culture and the continuing convergence of physical travel with information and communication technologies.

Favorable resident perceptions of the development of social capital resulting from hosting community-based tourism is now an important issue for the Chinese authorities in relation to sustainable society and culture. This study aimed to develop and test a multidimensional scale to evaluate the perceived social impacts from tourism on social capital from sustainable community-based tourism in China. A questionnaire was developed and tested among host community residents (430) in Fanhe village, Guangdong Province. Analysis of the data from this survey resulted in the development of a six-factor model incorporating 20 items in the six groups. This allowed the researchers to assess perceived social impacts on social capital: covering collective efficacy, community belonging, traditional social regulations, community cohesion, social networking, and community competence. The study reveals the multi-dimensional nature of perceived tourism social impacts on social capital in the Chinese tourism community and contributes to a better understanding of how residents view the social capital associated with community-based tourism as part of sustainable development.

Cultural tourism behaviour and destination preference was analysed for 19 European capital cities, utilising the level of participation in cultural activities (participation) and the level of enjoyment of those cultural activities (attractiveness). A latent class model with three classes described the association in the data satisfactorily. Class 1 was labeled “low participation and high attractiveness”, Class 2 was labeled “high participation and high attractiveness”, and Class 3 was labeled “high participation and low attractiveness”. The Class 2 respondents with high participation and attractiveness had the highest cultural capital, and could be considered ‘specific cultural tourists’, whereas the Class 3 respondents could be considered ‘general cultural tourists’. Class 1 respondents, with relatively infrequent participation but high enjoyment, are potentially most interesting in marketing terms.

"The sport of golf has grown tremendously in the past three decades. It is now the leading sport in the world in terms of total economic expenditure, yet surprising little on golf has
appeared in the academic sports studies literature. In particular, the impact of golf on the environment has been virtually absent from discussion. Golf takes place in the outdoors, yet golf course development and maintenance has involved many aspects that are deleterious to the environment. This article charts the impact of golf on the environment from an international perspective, particularly noting emerging differences in first and developing world countries."

In recent years Mauritius has experienced a rapid increase in integrated resort developments, which have been intended to secure income from new tourism segments and to boost the local economy. Using data on the responses of residents of Le Morne, Mauritius, to a proposal to construct an integrated resort, this study develops and tests a model of community support for the proposed development. The structural model indicates that residents' satisfaction with their own community, their utilization of the resource base, their perceptions of the state of the local economy and their environmental attitudes are antecedents of their views about the costs and benefits of the project. Opinions about the benefits and costs of the project were also found to determine the level of community support. All factors in the model were found to be determinants of the perceived costs and benefits of the project, except for residents' perceptions of the impact of the development on their utilization of the resource base. The theoretical and managerial implications of the study are discussed. The most notable contribution of the study is its findings on the influence of residents' satisfaction with community services on their attitudes and support for tourism development.

Mobilities of people, capital, labour, expertise, resources and images create significant challenges for sustainable destination governance. This paper discusses the implications of mobilities for destination governance where fluid populations of tourists, residents, second home owners and recreationists, and transnational flows of labour and capital intersect to create and recreate the physical, social, economic and political characteristics of place. Three key processes that affect destination management are identified: the spatial restructuring of destinations, the pluralisation of destination management and the re-envisioning of community. In a study of the hyper-neoliberal destination of the Gold Coast, Australia, mobilities are examined and implications for governance are discussed. Our research highlights the challenges of measuring, evaluating and understanding the extent and complexity of mobilities, and explores the tensions between mobilities and established sustainable tourism principles that suggest governance should be grounded in local community dialogue and values. The differences between “hard” and “soft” power structures in destination governance are noted. The paper contributes methodological insights into the study of mobilities and to theoretical and practical debates about the influence of mobilities on sustainable destination management,  especially the need to revisit the meanings of long accepted concepts in sustainable tourism, including “public interest”, “community” and “community-based” tourism.

Political economy spans various disciplines leading to an array of approaches labeled as such. This chapter provides a very brief overview of the political economy of tourism before concentrating on regulation theory as one approach to analyzing political economy and providing an overview of regulation theory as applied to tourism. A recent increase in awareness of tourism governance offers the opportunity to re-engage with regulation theory. Regulation theory as a critical approach examines the relationships between states, institutions and society, of particular interest to regulation theory has been the shift in institutional regime towards multilevel governance. This chapter illustrates that a shift of focus from institutions as unit of analysis to governance networks requires a more socialized approach to regulation theory and political economy. The chapter concludes by highlighting consumption and discursive analysis as future areas of enquiry for the political economy of tourism.

Resumen: El artículo comparte algunas reflexiones sustraídas de los debates que recientemente han irrumpido en la propaganda política, las agendas de los medios de comunicación, las reivindicaciones de los movimientos sociales y las asociaciones vecinales. En primer lugar, se hace una reflexión partiendo de la hipótesis que el llamado overtourism también sinónimo de masificación, saturación o presión turística, no es un fenómeno ni tan novedoso ni tan reciente. En segundo lugar, se observan algunos elementos que han despertado el malestar social y que han desencadenado el efecto amplificador de estos debates en diversos entornos turísticos. Por último, se observan algunas estrategias que se denominan como 5D (desestacionalización, descongestión, descentralización, diversificación, deluxe tourism) que son promocionadas como potenciales soluciones para enfrentar la problemática analizada. Estas reflexiones nacen en el marco de una investigación en la ciudad de Barcelona, que se alimenta prevalentemente de la etnografía y el análisis cuantitativo.

Abstract: The paper shares some reflections of the debates emerging from the political propaganda, social movements and neighborhood associations complaints. The paper takes into account the impact that overtourism, social unrest and tourismphobia have had on the media agenda. These insights are based on the hypothesis that these developments are neither a new nor recent phenomena. Beyond that, the research focuses on elements that have awakened social unrest and triggered the amplification of these debates. Finally, the paper analyzes some strategies referred to as the 5D (deseasonalization, decongestion, decentralization, diversification, deluxe tourism), which are being promoted as an analytical tool to unpack the complexities and current developments unfolding overtourism. Ethnographic and quantitative research conducted in the city of Barcelona informs this study.

This article explores the workings of nostalgia as a major driving force in heritage-making. Based on my fieldwork in Luang Prabang, an ancient royal town of northern Laos which became a UNESCO Listed World Heritage Site in 1995, I propose that it is necessary to disentangle the multiple nostalgic attachments which lie behind the often-mentioned label ‘nostalgia’ from those which are not necessarily nostalgic. I explore the various engagements of diverse actors with nostalgia, and how these engagements, rooted in personal experiences, intersect with specific postures towards time, history, heritage, development, and culture. Secondly, my aim is to highlight the performative aspects of nostalgia in the fabric of heritage. I argue that, by attempting to preserve spaces, practices, and objects, UNESCO experts and national civil servants effectively transform them. Far from stopping transmission and culture mechanisms, patrimonial recognition creates aesthetic forms, historical narratives, politics of transmission, and, more generally, social configurations. I delve into the processes through which Luang Prabang has been turned into a heritage scene and a tourist attraction, and I contend that such transformation is rendered possible by the concatenation of UNESCO projects, cosmopolitan gentrification, tourism development, and state programmes.

Recently, tourism scholars have recognized that travel can create transformation, including (1) personal benefits such as improved wellbeing and personal growth and (2) societal benefits such as increased open-mindedness and more positive pro-environmental attitudes, motivations, and behaviors. Expanding and integrating this research, this experimental study tests whether travel experiences, with eudaimonic elements of self-discovery and a sense of meaning, lead to these benefits and tests a proposed process where these experiences influence personal changes that subsequently create societal benefits. Specifically, using an online MTurk sample (n = 481) with a broad range of recent vacation experiences, we test whether (1) post-trip self-reflection on eudaimonic travel experiences (2) creates affective responses (3) that lead to self-transcendent changes and (4) subsequent post-trip philanthropy among recent travelers. Results of structural equation modeling indicate that philanthropic effects of travel were initiated by the eudaimonic self-reflections via eudaimonic affect and self-transcendent outcomes. This study contributes to the research linking eudaimonia and travel and provides insights into the ways that the travel industry can be harnessed as a potent tool for promoting personal meaning, self-transcendence, and prosocial outcomes. ARTICLE HISTORY

The increasing concern over tourism's greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and its subsequent impact on climate change has led some to recommend strict measures to reduce the volume of travel. While the reduction of tourism's GHG emissions is an essential piece of tourism's sustainability, there has been little discussion of the implications that reducing travel could have on a destination's triple bottom line (ecological, sociocultural, and economic sustainability). Much of the sustainable tourism literature has historically focused on maximizing tourism's benefits to residents' quality of life, the environment, cultural heritage, and the economy, but these traditional metrics have been largely removed from the recent discussion on tourism and climate change. This article proposes a conceptual model that incorporates the traditional metrics of sustainability with the net amount of GHG emitted to help determine whether travel has a net positive or negative impact. While the model is entirely theoretical, it depicts sustainable tourism as not solely a function of GHG emissions, but a function of maximizing tourism's positive impacts (handprint) within destinations while minimizing its GHG emissions (footprint). The article concludes by demonstrating how the framework can be applied to increase tourism's sustainability within destinations as well as globally.

The purpose of this research was to identify the factors upon which museum sustainability depends and the way in which this can be measured. Methodologically, we applied a qualitative research approach, using semi-structured interviews with experts from the Romanian museum sector, complemented by an in-depth study of the literature in this field. Results indicated that any objective measuring of sustainability must take into account the size of a museum's collections and its organizational structure. It was also found that museum type can affect sustainability via its competitive advantage. However, the sustainability of a museum is not strictly determined by these factors, but also by the management and marketing strategies applied. Based on analysis of literature-and respondent-based factors influencing sustainability, this article proposes a set of 33 indicators that can be used by museums to measure their sustainability, as well as a model that enables evaluation of the sustainability levels of various museums comparatively, regardless of their type, size or importance (e.g., national, regional and local). The results obtained are useful both from a theoretical point of view, given that there are few writings on this topic, and from a practical point of view, as they provide a basis for a clear, objective model of museum sustainability measurement.

Cite this article: Sobczak, E.; Bartniczak, B.; Raszkowski, A. Aging Society and the Selected Aspects of Environmental Threats: Evidence from Poland. Sustainability 2020, 12, 4648. The article addresses problems of population aging in Poland and the selected environmental hazards exerting a negative impact on seniors' health. The introduction presents the reasons underlying the above-mentioned aging process and provides the characteristics of the primary environmental threats. The next part covers the most important trends and indicators related to the demographic situation in the country. The core of the study is focused on presenting and interpreting the results of empirical research on the periodization of the population aging process in Poland, in the years 2004-2019, using the multidimensional statistical analysis method including, in particular, the data classification method. The key demographic factors differentiating the development phases of the population aging process include, in order of their significance: longer life expectancy of the population, narrowed gross reproduction rate, declining birth rate, and total migration balance. In addition, the article provides the analysis of the selected environmental threats' impact on population aging in Poland, among which the following were indicated: high temperatures, solar conditions, heavy rainfall, strong winds, droughts, and fires. Moreover, the process of longer life expectancy in fine health is essentially related to two issues: the level of medical care, with particular attention paid to checkups and preventive measures, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. In summary, it should be highlighted that the elimination of all pollutants or the reasons of environmental hazards is not possible; however, the actions primarily focused on reducing the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere and other forms of environmental pollution should definitely be taken.

As the situated, contingent and context-specific nature of much tourism research necessitates ongoing methodological reflection, this paper is primarily about methods. In my doctoral research project I used a mix of four common social research methods e interviews, participant observation, questionnaires and content analysis, combined with practice theory to understand the environmental, social and economic sustainability practices of backpackers. In this paper I use a reflexive stance to critically assess the ability of these mixed methods to detect sustainable practices. Participant observation was able to locate practices in context but transitory practices remained difficult to detect. Interviews encouraged people to speak candidly about their practices but were unable to detect those practices people did not discuss. Questionnaires assessed how often practices were performed but could not locate them in context. Content analysis comprehensively detected practices as they were captured in print, but identifying discrete practices was difficult. When mixed, these methods were able to detect practices conducted consciously, involuntarily and those induced by circumstance.

The diversifying and increasing expectations for protected area services and functions provides great opportunity to enhance the relevancy of conservation for civil society. At the same time, such expectations, occurring in a dynamically complex and uncertain world, also provide numerous challenges. In this essay, we propose that constituencies involved in protected area stewardship need to attend to ways of making sense of this complexity and uncertainty and build awareness of the particular social, political and environmental context as a precursor to decision making. We suggest that conceiving of protected areas as a complex social-ecological system helps in sense-making. And we propose a framework focusing on the three variables of learning, managing relationships with constituencies and managing demand that would be helpful in developing the situation awareness needed to better understand the opportunities and consequences involved in decisions about various challenges. Recognizing that elements of this framework do appear in the literature, we argue that considering them together provides a more effective diagnostic framework for stewardship and enhancing system resiliency.

Sustainability communication in accommodation businesses tends to be factual and descriptive, as companies are concerned with product-based messages that focus on what they do, and they appear not to understand the potential benefits of constructing messages that would influence consumers to behave more sustainably, which is effectively sustainability marketing myopia. An analysis of 1835 sustainability messages from award-winning businesses shows that messages communicate facts not emotions and benefits for society as a whole rather than for the individual customer. The messages are explicit but passive and not experiential, hence they positively affect the cognitive but not the affective image of the business. The lack of message normalization and customer focus reinforces the image of sustainability being a niche concern. We reflect on the reasons for these shortcomings and highlight opportunities to improve persuasive communication, which we have now applied commercially in more than 400 website analyses and 60 training courses.

This study aims to assess tour operators’ sustainability orientation and engagement and to determine whether variations among different tour operators exist, that is, from different continents, with different targets and dimensions. A survey among tour operators worldwide was conducted. A total of 204 answers were obtained with a worldwide coverage. Results affirm relatively high sustainability orientation and engagement and that the more sustainability-oriented the tour operators are, the more sustainability-engaged they are. Moreover, results show that smaller tour operators, specializing in nature and cultural tourism, and owning accommodation facilities are also highly engaged in sustainability. Significant differences are observed among regions, with higher engagement for African and Asian tour operators compared with European ones. This study proposes the development of a new approach to sustainability in this sector: by introducing corporate sustainability strategies, tour operators can maintain their economic capital while preserving natural and social capital.