Tourism gateways and regional economies: the distributional impacts of MICE

The meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry is a rapidly expanding sector of tourism world-wide, but particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Of the many challenges underlying development of this sector none is more important than determining the economic benefits from devoting resources to industry growth. The paper argues that although research has been undertaken on the economic impacts of MICE events and MICE destinations, regionally and nationally, the issue of the distribution of these benefits between tourism gateways and more remote regions has been neglected. The paper seeks to help remedy this neglect. It presents a framework for assessing the economic impacts of the MICE industry in a regional economy. It then illustrates how the framework can be used to compare economic impacts of MICE tourism in destination gateways and more remote areas, with the use of Australian data. The paper draws attention to the types of data deficiencies that seem to be endemic to estimating the economic impacts of MICE, and which constitute a barrier to informed public policy making and planning. Finally, the implications are discussed for development of MICE tourism generally. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A systematic approach to assess the effectiveness of airport noise mitigation strategies

Regional airports are often located very close to the urban area they serve and the increasing traffic rate that many of them have experienced in the last years has produced several impacts on the communities living close to the airport area, mainly aviation noise. If not properly managed, noise impacts produced by airport operations can cut down significantly the development of airport air traffic with direct effects on the economic and territorial systems. Aeronautical noise has greatly reduced in the last decade, due to aircraft design technological improvements and more severe regulations. However, the noise reduction during a single event does not make the issue of the airport location – and then the whole noise impact – less significant. This paper proposes an assessment process to evaluate the effects of actions adopted to reduce airport noise impacts on populated areas. Both airport-related factors – such as number of take-off; day-evening-night distributions of movements; aircraft type; flying paths – and land-use characteristics have been considered and combined in a density index that synthesizes the impacts of airport noise on the territory. The assessment process has been tested on a real case, the airport of Bologna in Northern Italy. The predicted results, compared with available real data for the test case, are significant and encourage the use of the proposed assessment process as decision support system for the airport management.     

Estimating Olympic‐related investment and expenditure

The analysis of the impact of mega events has included frameworks that evaluate different impacts under different criteria, for example, separating impacts according to whether they occur before, during or after the event itself. Analysis of the economic impacts of such events has shown that the distributional effects between the host city and the rest of an economy can be important, and can have opposite signs. This paper introduces frameworks to show the origin of the economic scale, that is, Olympic‐related investment and expenditure, and shows how the frameworks can be used with reference to the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluating urban residents’ attitudes towards tourism development in Belgrade (Serbia)

This study empirically examines the relationships among residents’ place image, various domains of tourism impacts, and residents’ support for tourism development in an Eastern European city, as well as the role of residents’ socio-demographic characteristics and place attachment. The direct, indirect, and moderating effects were investigated using structural equation modelling and the method suggested by Hayes and Preacher [2010. Estimating and testing indirect effects in simple mediation models when the constituent paths are nonlinear. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 45, 627–660]. The findings show that none of the tourism impacts mediate the relationship between place image and residents’ support for tourism development. Moreover, with respect to Belgrade, perceived economic impacts have the strongest effect on residents’ support, followed by perceived socio-cultural impacts. By assessing the respective contribution of the three tourism impacts simultaneously, the results highlight the weight residents assign to a city’s peculiarities, thus illustrating contextual influences such as post-communist and centrally planned economy legacies.     

Sustainable design of a closed-loop location-routing-inventory supply chain network under mixed uncertainty

Considering economic, environmental and social impacts, this paper presents a new sustainable closed-loop location-routing-inventory model under mixed uncertainty. The environmental impacts of CO₂ emissions, fuel consumption, wasted energy and the social impacts of created job opportunities and economic development are considered in this paper. The uncertain nature of the network is handled using a stochastic-possibilistic programming approach. Furthermore, for large-sized problems, a hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm and lower bounds are developed and discussed. Finally, a real case study is provided to demonstrate the applicability of the model in real-world applications, and several in-depth analyses are conducted to develop managerial implications.     

The spatial impacts model of trans-strait fixed links: A case study of the Pearl River Delta,China

The mage trans-strait fixed links are constructed in different countries to promote regional economic and social development. This paper proposes a spatial impacts model for the trans-strait fixed links in the Pearl River Delta, China. To verify the rationality of the model, four quantitative indicators, including weighted average travel time, the economic linkage intensity, the economic linkage membership grade, and the fractal index are used to investigate the effect by construction of Humen Bridge, Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge and Shenzhen–Zhongshan Bridge. The results show that the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge and Shenzhen–Zhongshan Bridge greatly improve the regional accessibility with a maximum decrease weighted average travel time of 1.38 h and 0.4 h. The central part of the Delta has greatest impacts. The links increase the economic linkage of cities of each side. The cities directly connected to the fixed links (Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Macao and Zhongshan) experience the highest increasing economic linkage. The regional spatial pattern evolves from unipolarity to multi-polarity and integrates a more advanced and sophisticated spatial network. The theoretical spatial impacts model for the trans-strait fixed links accords with the actual development in the Pearl River Delta.     

The economic impact of aviation: A review on the role of market access

In recent decades, advancements in telecommunications and (air) transportation have driven globalisation processes. Consequently, policymakers and scholars view access to transportation as an essential prerequisite for economic development. For aviation, existing empirical studies have attempted to estimate the wider economic impacts from regional, country-level and global perspectives. However, no theoretical framework has yet been presented that comprehensively captures the full set of mechanisms by which aviation can contribute to economic development. Such a framework would cover both positive and negative regional impacts, as well as the mechanisms and spatial distribution behind them. In this paper, we use a New Economic Geography approach to comprehensively describe the impact mechanisms. We then apply this theoretical framework to an empirical study of metrics of air transport supply, which policymakers and researchers can use to assess how well airports and their surrounding regions are connected by means of the air transport network. The results of our analysis can inform scholars and policymakers on how air transport can shape economic geography and the productivity of economic systems. The results might also provide guidance for future empirical work on the wider economic impacts of air transportation.     

NAFTA and Canada–US cross-border freight transportation

This paper explores the transportation related impacts of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The specific area of concern is with the supply and demand for trucking services in the Canada–US cross-border market. The US represents the largest export market for Canada and in terms of the value of goods shipped, the trucking industry is the dominant mode of transport. On the supply side, changes in industry structure within this market and regulatory measures are reviewed. The changes in demand patterns involving the Province of Ontario are analyzed, employing origin-destination shipment data collected by Statistics Canada. Ontario is the industrial centre of Canada and the impacts of the NAFTA are expected to be greatest in this particular region. Understanding the consequences of this trade agreement are important for guiding future transportation related policies initiatives which affect the growing Canada–US cross-border market.     

Understanding the residents’ social impact perceptions of an African Cultural Festival: the case of Macufe

ABSTRACT

The Macufe is one of the Africa’s largest cultural festivals, and takes place annually in Bloemfontein, South Africa. This 10-day event attracts approximately 140,000 attendees, meaning that the residents have to share facilities and services with tourists. The effects of such interactions can be both positive and negative. Community members are stakeholders in any tourism ventures that take place in their area, meaning that their goodwill is of utmost importance. Therefore, the social impacts of this event should be well managed to foster community support. For this reason, a quantitative study was done to determine residents’ social impact perceptions towards the event. A total of 425 questionnaires were completed by willing residents who lived in proximity to festival activities. From an exploratory factor analysis, four factors were extracted, namely community enhancement, community degradation, tourism growth and increased public spending and interaction. It was found that the event does not generate significant levels of positive social impacts, and that the negative social impacts are viewed almost equal to the positive social impacts. This was one of the first social impact perception studies done on an African arts festival, which contributes to the sustainable management of such crucial events.     

Adding a freight network to a national interstate input–output model: a TransNIEMO application for California

The state of the nation’s infrastructure is the subject of widespread discussion and comment because it is thought to include many deteriorating and unsafe bridges. Ever since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, there has been increasing concern over the extent to which an attack on infrastructure could result in serious economic disruption. This research develops a model to analyze the economic consequences of an attack on a major element of the highway network. We add a freight network to a national multiregional economic impact model and make freight traffic flows endogenous. The use of a sub-national interstate model recognizes that most infrastructure planning is at the state level and most political leaders’ interest is local. We base our approach on the National Interstate Economic Model (NIEMO) and refer to an elaboration that we name Transportation network and the National Interstate Economic Model (TransNIEMO). The new model enables us to study the state-specific and industry-specific economic impacts of some significant changes in the nature of highway freight movements. We tested the model for selected freight movements in and out of California. The results are entirely plausible and encourage us to elaborate and test the model for hypothetical disruptions of freight traffic throughout the US.     

Risks,resilience, and pathways to sustainable aviation: A COVID-19 perspective

This paper discusses the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to reconsider the foundations of the global aviation system. There is much evidence that air transport creates opportunities as well as risks. While the former accrue to businesses and individuals, risks are imposed on society. Pandemics, in which aviation has a role as a vector of pathogen distribution, as well as the sector's contribution to climate change are examples of long-standing negative externalities that continue to be ignored in assessments of aviation's economic performance and societal importance. As commercial aviation has shown limited economic resilience throughout its history, this short paper questions whether a return to business-as-usual, supported by very significant State aid payments, is desirable. The volume growth model championed by industry and aviation proponents may have to be replaced with an alternative model of a slimmed air transport system that is economically less vulnerable and accounting for its environmental impacts.     

Exploring quality of life perceptions in rural midwestern (USA) communities: an application of the core–periphery concept in a tourism development context

Tourism has increasingly become a preferred option for rural economic development. Like other economic opportunities, the purpose is to improve community viability and residents' quality of life. However, the impacts from tourism are sometimes negative and may lead to a decreased quality of life for residents. This empirical study investigates residents' quality of life using the core–periphery (CP) model. Periphery respondents reported a statistically higher overall quality of life, which is at odds with other research. Significant differences in quality of life scores and subsequent indicators highlight the usefulness of the CP model towards understanding tourism impacts to a rural destination. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of transport quality of life as an alternative transport appraisal technique

In the United Kingdom the New Approach to Transport Appraisal (NATA) is used to appraise the economic, environmental and social impacts of transport projects. This analytical tool has recently been updated, but still fails to fully evaluate individual’s experiences of transport. It is important to understand more about passengers current journey quality for an informed judgement on the impact of future schemes. This paper presents findings of a methodological tool that can appraise Transport quality of life (TQoL) on all modes of transport in one city. Quality of life (QoL) techniques were applied to the transport networks of Glasgow and Manchester to determine if this is a valuable alternative in transport appraisal. Effective assessment confirmed the validity of the method highlighting in both locations that fixed modes, particularly Light Rapid Transport, are providing a significantly better quality of life compared to the bus.     

Developing Rural Tourism: the PAT Program and ‘Nong jia le’ Tourism in China

Despite the fact that the last three decades have witnessed the rapid development of rural tourism (RT) in China, which is being promoted by the Chinese government as an important new type of tourism due to its special role in revitalizing China's rural economy, there is still little knowledge about the economic impacts of RT on Chinese rural communities in terms of socio‐economic development and regeneration. Accordingly, this study represents an attempt to address this issue by examining the Poverty Alleviation through Tourism program and ‘Nong jia le’ (Happy Farmer Home) tourism within the Chinese context. The findings not only confirm the widely held importance of RT, as expected, but also identify the problems and challenges relating to the sustainable development of RT in the future. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impacts of high-speed rail on domestic air transportation in China

This study investigates the impacts of high-speed rail (HSR) on domestic air transportation in China using a new comprehensive modeling framework utilizing both demand and supply perspectives. For the first time the assessment was conducted using an improved panel regression model by taking into account of the detailed opening schedules of various HSR services during the period 2001–2014. The research findings reveal that the deployed HSR services have a significant substitutional effect on domestic air transportation in China, but the effect varies across different HSR routes, travel distance and city type. Specifically, the research found a decrease in domestic passengers of 28.2%, in flights of 24.6% and in seat capacity of 27.9% after the introduction of HSR services. The impacts are found much stronger among those air routes that connect major hub within a distance range of 500 to 800 km. The uneven nature of the impact can be seen in the different experiences of selected cities. For example, air travel declined approximately 45% after commencement of the Wuhan-Guangzhou HSR, whereas it fell by 34% after the opening of the Beijing-Shanghai HSR.     

Natural disaster and destination management: the case of the Caribbean and hurricane Irma

This current issue in the Caribbean raises the topic of destination management and more particularly the importance of considering natural phenomenon when planning and developing a tourism product. The impacts of Irma on some Caribbean islands such as Saint-Barthelemy, Saint-Martin, Barbuda and Anguilla show that hurricanes are major risks for the tourism industry of the islands. This risk could be said to be absolute in the Caribbean but the negative impacts can be mitigated by appropriate strategies. To some extent, natural disasters provide tabularaza that give destinations opportunities to reinvent themselves sustainability.     

Innovations in well-being tourism in the Nordic countries

Since the development of community-based tourism (CBT) governments, development agencies and NGOs have placed considerable emphasis on this development model. However, CBT has been strongly criticized with respect to low economic impact in terms of jobs and income, the result of small-scale interventions, its low life expectancy after external funding ends, the monopolisation of benefits by local elites, or the lack of business skills to make it operational.

This article explores the viability of the CBT model to support socio-economic development and poverty alleviation via a Nicaraguan case study. The characteristics and effects of different modes of organising community tourism were examined, based on an impact assessment and lifecycle analysis of the CBT Nicaraguan Network. The results showed how traditional top-down CBT, created and fully funded by external organisations, reflected the general criticisms of the approach, while bottom-up CBT, borne as a result of a local initiative, demonstrated longer life expectancy, faster growth, and more positive impacts on the local economy. The findings suggest a shift is required in the attention of donors and policy-makers towards redistribution policies that strengthen the skills, resources, and conditions of micro, community-based and family entrepreneurship, together with a stronger orientation towards the domestic markets.     

Issues in Tourism Event Economic Impact Studies: The Case of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Several methodological issues have emerged from the economic analysis of tourism attractions, including errors in sampling and analysis, misrepresentation of these issues, the application of a refinsed research methodology is described to measure the spatial distribution of visitor expenditures and economic impacts attributed to a stated tourism attraction. The 1995 Kodak Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF), considered the largest ballooning event in the world, was used as the focal attraction for this study. Direct, indirect, and induced economic effects based on the variables of output, income, and employment were examined using IMPLAN, an econometric model first developed by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Detailed analyses on multiplier effects, linkages, and leakeage attributed to the event are presented in the results and discussion sections. Discussion and recommendations based upon the study may provide a clearer picture of the consequences of methodological choices researchers make when assessing the economic impacts of staged tourism attractions.     

The economic benefits and environmental costs of airport operations: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

This paper compares the economic gains from airports with some of the environmental costs of their operations. The economic effects are divided into direct, indirect, and induced impacts, and the direct impact into employment and income generated by the operation of an airport; while the indirect and induced impacts are the income generated in the supply chain. We focus on evaluating employment benefits and the social costs of both aircraft noise and engine emissions, using Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport as a case study. The results indicate that the economic benefits generated from the operations of the airport outweigh the negative side effects.     

Environmental impacts of commuting modes in Lisbon: A life-cycle assessment addressing particulate matter impacts on health

A life-cycle assessment of commuting alternatives is conducted that compares six transportation modes (car, bus, train, subway, motorcycle, and bicycle) for eight impact indicators. Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) emissions and health impacts are incorporated in the assessment using intake fractions that differentiate between urban and nonurban emissions, combined with an effect factor. The potential benefits of different strategies for reducing environmental impacts are illustrated. The results demonstrate the need for comprehensive approaches that avoid problem-shifting among transportation-related strategies. Policies aiming to improve the environmental performance of urban transportation should target strategies that decrease local emissions, life-cycle impacts and health effects.