Five backpacker tourist enclaves

Little is known about backpacker enclaves and the concept itself needs clarification. The present study analysed the concept and surveyed the characteristics and local impacts of five varied enclaves in four nations. Most have a concentration of tourist businesses and are centrally located near transport and major tourist attractions. Tourist behaviour in the different enclaves is fairly similar. Tourists use them for convenience and inexpensive accommodation, to collect travel information and to relax and socialise. Some enclaves are nightlife centres for locals and are tourist attractions, with some foreign tourists visiting mainly to party and locals visiting to see the strange foreigners. Host‐nation culture also affects some enclave characteristics and local impacts. The present analysis and data provide a sound and useful concept of a backpacker enclave and its characteristics. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Socio-demographic impacts of residential tourism: a case study of Torrevieja,Spain

This article examines the impact of second-home developments on the socio-demographic structure of the population of Torrevieja, a Spanish coastal resort on the Costa Blanca. The migration of people to Torrevieja from other provinces and countries has affected the traditional structure of the local population, which has experienced a process of ageing concentrated specifically in those sectors with residential tourism. Differences between the socio-demographic characteristics of local people and migrants appear to be significant. A phenomenon of depopulation of the town centre and the dispersal of the population to the peripheral urban sectors is also noted. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Conflict,Power and Tourism on Lombok

This paper analyses how different power relationships between tourism developers and operators and the local Sasak community affected tourism development on the island of Lombok, Indonesia. This study is set against the background of local and national tensions, and how these also have impacted on tourism. Two case studies are presented. The first example describes how tourism developers, operating under a system of privilege in the Soeharto era, attempted to force land acquisition at Rowok, in the south of Lombok. The subsequent protracted legal case has delayed any tourism development in this area. The second example describes a model of co-operative power relationships between the management of the Holiday Inn Resort and the local Sasak community at Mangsit, north of the main Senggigi Beach resort area. Local people are employed in a range of permanent positions, and there is clear evidence of a harmonious relationship between the hotel and the community. During three days of rioting in January 2000, the local community was unwavering in its support of this hotel. It is suggested that the way in which tourism developers and operators link with the local community is an essential indicator for tourism within the context of sustainable development.     

Local Community Involvement in Tourism around National Parks: Opportunities and Constraints

National Parks are often major tourist attractions located in relatively remote and marginalised rural areas. The potential role of tourism in contributing to the costs of conservation and providing economic opportunities for communities living adjacent to natural heritage has long been recognised. Issues of access to tourists and capital, enclaves and bypasses and employment need to be addressed. The opportunities for local economic development through tourism at Komodo (Indonesia), Keoladeo (India), Gonarezhou (Zimbabwe) and Puerto Princesa (Palawan, Philippines) National Parks are explored, and the paper concludes with an agenda for action.     

Thanatourism or peace tourism: perceived value at a North Korean resort from an indigenous perspective

This paper examines the underlying factors that affected perceived value among South Korean tourists who visited the North Korean Mt Kumgang resort. Results identified emotional, functional and economic values as core elements that directly affected guest satisfaction, which influenced intentions to recommend and revisit. Seen as a peace tourism site when the Sunshine Policy of rapprochement guided inter‐Korean strategy, we argue that the resort project is a heterotopia of comparison combining idealized cultural and contradictory political spaces in one place. Understanding this needs Korean ideas that lead to a thanatourism with an indigenous perspective, which is applicable to other non‐Western thanatourism‐like sites. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The production of tourism in Ponta Negra,Northeast Brazil: policies,representations and logics of desire

This article discusses how the beach neighbourhood of Ponta Negra (Natal, RN), in the Northeast of Brazil, came to experience the intensive tourist development that now characterises it. Its origins as a fishing village, its gradual emergence as a local resort and the internationalisation of its tourism in the late twentieth century are examined. The discussion of this process demonstrates how public policies have played a major role not only in configuring the model of spatial planning and urbanisation that was adopted, but also in defining Europe as the main geographical focus of tourist internationalisation, in creating attractive conditions for foreign investment, and in the construction and dissemination of a tourist identity largely founded on past images and desires. At the same time, this discussion of Ponta Negra’s tourist-capitalist appropriation, Europeanisation and its (re)production as a site of racialised desires contributes to a better understanding of the ambivalent spatialities and multiple tensions that coexist in the neighbourhood today. The analysis presented here draws on empirical data collected during a period of ethnographic fieldwork in which the predominant methodologies included participant observation, semi-structured interviews and documental and statistical research.     

The evolution of backpacker destinations: the case of Zipolite,Mexico

Despite the growing literature on backpacker tourism, little is known about the evolutionary patterns of the places that cater to such travellers. This paper analyses, first, the way in which established and current models of tourist development conceptualise backpackers and their destinations. In addition, it offers some specific suggestions that will allow them to explain the evolution of backpacker destinations in a more detailed manner. Then, results of field research conducted at Mexico's largest backpacker resort are presented, to illustrate its particular socio‐spatial evolution. The paper concludes that, when fuelled by an increasing number of arrivals and a growing demand for comforts, what were once drifter‐dominated peripheral places may evolve gradually into well‐established ‘resorts’ that satisfy contemporary backpackers' demands for infrastructure, natural settings and ambience. Developer‐tourists with an affinity to backpacker culture are likely to become key actors as they come to gain control over land use and local economic development. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ethnicity and Tourism Entrepreneurship in Java and Bali

Ethnicity permeates many aspects of tourism in the multi-ethnic nation of Indonesia. A great deal of tourism development in Java and Bali has been supported by global capital and this has facilitated the growth of enclaves. Despite the dominance of transnational corporations a lot of entrepreneurial activity in tourism is conducted by domestic entrepreneurs. The Chinese of South-east Asia are the subject of an increasing number of research papers, but this coverage tends to overshadow the entrepreneurial activities of other ethnic groups in the region. Attention is paid to Chinese ethnicity and entrepreneurship in this paper, especially in relation to other ethnic groups. Indonesian entrepreneurs are involved in many different kinds of tourism concerns ranging from the Jakarta conglomerates to medium-sized firms and small-scale operations. A clear line cannot always be drawn between the Jakarta conglomerates and transnational capital. There is also a substantial informal sector, often financed by Chinese capital, but operated by indigenous labour. Doing business with compatriots helps to reduce risk, especially when supply lines are extended. Anthropological and sociological theories of ethnicity enable us to examine the maintenance and extension of ethnic boundaries, and the processes by which networks include outsiders.     

Restructuring in tourism: the accommodation sector in a major British coastal resort

This paper examines the restructuring of tourist accommodation in a major British coastal resort through a case study of Torbay, Devon. The extent and nature of restructuring is established through an examination of business failures, conversions to alternative uses and investment in new facilities. The motivations and influences on the decision‐making underpinning the restructuring process are related to competitive and defensive strategies adopted by the owners and managers of accommodation businesses. A small core of businesses have apparently made no discernible response to the pressures of restructuring, and it is argued that the existence of such inertia represents a significant issue for studies of the longer term development and realignment of resort economies. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Khaosan Road: an evolving backpacker tourist enclave being partially reclaimed by the locals

Backpacker tourist enclaves dot the globe but have been little studied. The present study examined the structure and functioning of Khaosan Road; Bangkok's large archetypal backpacker bubble. It gauged basic dimensions such as tourist area spread, guesthouse and business numbers, and tourist economic and social impact. It surveyed tourist demographics, travel motives, behaviour, and reactions to and uses of the area, and characteristics and reactions of Thai visitors and street vendors. The area is a complex, evolving system with mixed ownership and functions. It is expanding, going up‐market and becoming a key nightlife area for young Thais. Overdevelopment may alter its appeal to backpackers. The data give a detailed picture of one backpacker enclave, which may partly generalise to others. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tourist stereotypes and servers’ attitudes: a combined theoretical approach

Local attitudes towards tourism comprise one of the most researched topics in tourism. However, researchers still need to examine attitudes of specific local groups, acknowledge tourist stereotypes as an influential factor and test different theoretical approaches, to develop a broader understanding and explanation of attitudes. Based on an emic perspective, this study analysed servers’ stereotypes of a specific group of tourists – locally known as chilangos – and associated attitudes in a Mexican resort. By adopting a combined theoretical approach drawn from social exchange theory and integrated threat theory, this study’s results reveal that individuals who depend economically on tourism do not always have positive attitudes and that negative stereotypes on their own are not the strongest predictors of attitudes. By combining both theories’ postulations, the findings show that perceived economic benefits and personal positive contact together account for positive attitudes but that these factors are significantly counterbalanced by negative tourist stereotypes. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Family Members and Vacation Satisfaction: Proposal of a Conceptual Framework

This study aimed to investigate the extent to which the other family members (spouse and/or child/ren) in a family influence the vacationers' overall vacation satisfaction and future behavioural intentions. As part of the study, a conceptual framework was proposed where overall vacation satisfaction mediates the relationships between spouses' and child/ren's vacation evaluations and respondents' return and recommending intentions. The methodology included self‐administered surveys of 445 families from the UK, which were completed at a Turkish resort airport in August 2007. The results indicate that the respondents' vacation satisfaction is influenced more strongly by spouses. Furthermore, the results show that respondents' return intentions are determined by their and their spouses' vacation satisfaction, whereas respondents' recommending intentions are determined by their and their child/ren's vacation satisfaction. These results bring new insights into the post‐purchase vacation behaviour for both theory and practice. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing staff turnover: a view from the English Riviera

This paper explores the extent of labour turnover in tourism businesses in the seaside resort of Torbay. In‐depth interviews assisted in providing a better understanding of factors contributing to staff turnover in the destination. Turnover rates were found to be high, but varied depending on type and size of business. Evidence was found that supported the literature of a split in the tourism workforce between core and peripheral workers. Perceptions of factors that cause turnover varied considerably. Little difference was found in employers' and employees' perceptions of factors that cause staff turnover. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mountaineering in Cuba: improvement of true accessibility as an opportunity for regional development of communities outside the tourism enclaves

Mass tourism began in the Caribbean during the middle of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, increasing competition and a change in the motivation of tourists now force the authorities who manage these regions to introduce a new tourism offer that is not based directly on either the 3S (Sun, Sand, and Sea) or 3E (Entertainment, Excitement, Education) model. Hiking, trekking, and climbing, defined as mountaineering, might be one of these. This paper examines the potential for mountaineering in Cuba by verifying its accessibility for tourists. The assessment is based on a framework of true accessibility, which consists of two factors: (1) destination accessibility and (2) real access. Our results show that mountaineering in Cuba should be considered to be one of the key contributors to the development, prosperity, and well-being of all stakeholders, and especially for the communities outside the tourism enclaves.     

Mix between Satisfaction and Attributes Destination Choice: A Segmentation Criterion to Understand the Ski Resorts Consumers

This study examined the attributes prioritized by tourists when choosing a winter sports destination and their degree of satisfaction with the services provided by Portugal's only ski resort. Two hundred tourists completed a questionnaire with factor analysis then deployed to extract the data that served as the basis for cluster analysis. Our results report discrepancies between the attributes valued by tourists when choosing winter sports destinations and their degree of satisfaction with the ski resort's services. Moreover, the combination between attributes/motivations prevailing in destination selection and the subsequent satisfaction with the services provided may generate information of relevance to evaluating organizational competitiveness. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The British working class on holiday: a critical reading of ITV's Benidorm

Informed by the thesis that media representations are influential channels for the birth and reinforcement of discursive constructions, this article will focus on representation in ITV's successful sitcom Benidorm (2007–). The corpus analysed includes the show's first four seasons and 2009 special, which are all the Benidorm materials available on DVD at the time of writing. Given this TV production's subject matter, insights will be provided into Spain's sand-and-sun tourism industry, with particular reference to the resort of Benidorm. Benidorm will be placed within the wider British sitcom tradition and humour will be treated as intersecting with power and social structures and so inseparable from social and national discourses. The interface will be explored between televised humour and the discourses of tourism, with particular reference to current British identity issues such as how British classed identities perceive Other imagined communities, in particular, Spain and the Spanish; and how such identities are performed spatially whilst on holiday.     

Alternative Literature and Tourist Experience: Travel and Tourist Weblogs

Backpackers are becoming an increasingly emblematic part of the global travel scene and backpacker enclaves are more and more visible in tourist destinations. This paper analyses the role of iconic literary nomads – both travel writers and writers who travel – in the shaping of ideologies specific to the international backpacker subculture. Adopting Schein's (1985) concept of culture as consisting of the 'layers' of assumptions, norms, rituals, heroes/heroines and symbols, the writings of seven 'literary nomads' are evaluated and contextualised within different ideologies and practices connected with the backpacker 'scene'. The paper underlines the visibility of backpacker ideologies in the work of the famous iconic writers analysed.     

Land use conversion from tourist to residential

This work analyses the forces that drive the conversion of non-hotel tourist accommodation into residential use. For this purpose, a land use change model that considers spatial autocorrelation is proposed and applied to the tourist area of Maspalomas, in Gran Canaria, Spain, which has suffered an extraordinary process of residentialization in the last decade. The empirical model estimates the probability that a non-hotel accommodation resort (apartments/bungalows) located in this area closes its activity within a prefixed time period. Results show that the state of the neighbouring resorts influences on the probability of closure of the apartments/bungalows, as well as their specific typology and low quality. From these results, some recommendations are proposed about the strategies undertaken by the implied agents.     

Emerging inter-industry partnerships between shipping lines and stevedores: from rivalry to cooperation?

Since late-1960s stevedoring operations assumed a dramatic importance for shipping lines, who have been securing dedicated berths for some decades. Over the last 20 years, the institutional turn in ports drove the overseas expansion of pure stevedoring companies. For quite a long time carriers and stevedores fiercely battled each other both for bargaining contractual arrangements and for securing new concessions in the key port areas. Currently this scenario is slowly changing and some early-forms of partnership are coming out. This paper analyses the different pathways through which carriers satisfy their needs of handling services. Based on 2006 data it empirically demonstrates the growing resort to such forms of cooperation both contractually and via equity ventures.     

Rail transport policy-making in UK Passenger Transport Authority areas

This paper summarises the findings of a research project which analysed the impact of local administrative geography on the development of local rail transport policies in Merseyside and Strathclyde, two of the UK’s Passenger Transport Authority (PTA) areas, between 1986 and 1996. The ways in which statutory local authorities and other public, private and voluntary sector organisations engaged in the policy process are illustrated in order to explain the development of specific policies. The differing spatial structures of the city-regional and joint board PTAs in existence over this period are shown to profoundly influence the aspirations of each PTA, the mechanisms of policy-making and the type of rail transport investment projects promoted. The implications of these differences for the accountability of each structure of local governance are outlined.