European intermodal freight transport network: Market structure analysis

The analysis of market structure and concentration measures for the Intermodal Freight Transport (IFT) market is important to avoid market failure and to find the areas for policy making to promote IFT market share. This analysis can be performed for separate segments, for example, the market for transshipment service or the market for main-haulage service. However, due to the multistage characteristic of IFT service, the segmental analysis gives an incomplete view of the IFT market at the network level. In a previous paper (Saeedi et al., 2017), we present the Intermodal Freight Transport Market Structure (IFTMS) model to conduct a network-based study of the IFTMS in which distinctive actors (i.e., pre/post haulage operators, terminals, rail/barge operators, transport chains, and corridors) are competing at different levels inside distinctive markets to deliver an integrated IFT service. There are two main challenges in the application of IFTMS model in real cases, for example, the European IFT network. First, the definition of the geographical and spatial border of the transshipment market areas is needed to determine which actors are potentially competing for a specific service demand. The second challenge is the lack of disaggregated data and the consistency of existing data in nodes (i.e., the transshipment areas) and links (i.e., the rail and barge operators). To cope with these challenges, we develop a four-step methodology in which a model-based approach is used to define the geographic boundaries of the transshipment submarkets and provide detailed and consistent data for market analysis. We also apply the IFTMS model to study the market structure of European intermodal network. Our analysis shows that the majority of transshipment markets as well as main-haulage markets are highly concentrated markets. The corridor markets – which include the IFT chains – are unconcentrated markets. Furthermore, the majority of corridors in the European Union are inside highly concentrated origin-destination markets.     

The Air Liberalisation Index as a tool in measuring the impact of South Africa's aviation policy in Africa on air passenger traffic flows

In Africa, the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) to date remains the single most important air transport reform policy, the continent-wide implementation of which remains pending. This study employs the Air Liberalisation Index (ALI), developed by the Word Trade Organisation (WTO) Secretariat, to measure the impact of each of the seven quantifiable market access features of South Africa's aviation policy in Africa on air passenger traffic flows. A fixed one-way panel regression technique was applied to panel data, representing five air transport markets: intra-African, the SADC, East African, West African and North African over two time periods (2000–2010; 2006–2010). The results proved to be significant in three markets, intra-African, the SADC and East African and provide new insights into the relationship between air passenger traffic flows and aviation policy in the South African – intra-African and regional contexts.     

When culture meets digital platforms: value creation and stakeholders’ alignment in big data use

Research on big data has highlighted that a crucial element to create value from data is the capability of aligning different stakeholders’ interests. However, it has not yet been investigated empirically how this process of alignment can be realized. We conduct a multiple case study on the two leading platforms involved in the online dissemination of cultural heritage – Europeana and Google Arts & Culture. Our findings reveal that a platform overtakes a rival one when it turns on multiple drivers of value creation in such a way that the drivers contribute to realigning the interests expressed by the stakeholders whose strategic objectives and beliefs were formerly divergent – or simply unrelated – to each other. This capability of realigning different stakeholders’ interests is independent of the level of industry-specific knowledge that the platform orchestrator has. The dynamics we document imply that Google has assumed a system integration role in the cultural ecosystem. This generates new trade-offs for museums in the way they generate value for the tourism industry. The paper enriches our understanding of what strategies digital platforms adopt to create value in big data contexts and provides a base to continue the investigation on other ecosystems driven by big data.     

Defining culturally sensitive ecotourism: a Delphi consensus

Since sustainable development was introduced, culture has been submersed by more pressing tourism priorities such as the economy and the environment. To avoid putting at risk the resources upon which ecotourism depends and the desired sustainable outcomes it purports to deliver, research and praxis must be equally sensitive to all the pillars of sustainability – social, cultural, economical, and environmental. As a first step, this study employs the Delphi technique in order to assess the import of culture for ecotourism, to develop a definition for culturally sensitive ecotourism, and to identify the barriers and opportunities associated with its implementation. Over 100 ecotourism experts from 39 countries were consulted over a six month period.     

A GIS-based time-geographic approach of studying individual activities and interactions in a hybrid physical–virtual space

Modern information and communication technologies (ICT) are changing human activity and travel patterns that could have significant implications to our everyday lives and the human organization of space. Time geography, which examines human activities under various constraints in a space–time context, provides a useful framework to analyze the complex spatio-temporal relationships among activities and interactions taking place in both physical and virtual spaces. However, virtual activities and interactions conducted via ICT have characteristics that cannot be properly represented and analyzed under the classical time-geographic framework. This paper extends classical time-geographic concepts to accommodate the needs of representing and analyzing all activities and interactions in a hybrid physical–virtual space. In addition, this paper presents a space–time geographic information system (GIS) design that is capable of organizing complex activity and interaction data as spatio-temporal processes in an integrated space–time environment. This space–time GIS design offers a useful analytical environment for researchers to study increasingly dynamic human activity and travel patterns in today’s society and their implications toward changing travel demand patterns from both spatial and temporal perspectives.     

Rethinking authenticity and tourist identity: expressions of territoriality and belonging among repeat tourists on the Greek island of Symi

This paper approaches the subject of tourist identity from an anthropological perspective, arguing for a culturally contextualized analysis that focuses on the interactive and processual nature of these constructions. Specifically, it explores the processes by which repeat tourists on the Greek island of Symi construct their identities as tourists in relation to the place of their vacation experience, local residents and other tourists. It highlights the competitive and often antagonistic way in which these tourists – drawing on ideas about authenticity and demonstrating sympathy with local concerns – seek to incorporate the island as an aspect of their own personal identities and, similarly, create a form of ‘local’ identity in Symi. The picture of tourists that emerges in this case study contrasts sharply with standard analytical formulations that portray tourists as transient and liminal figures, defined almost exclusively by their vacation preferences and experiences, and constituting a category of people that is clearly distinguishable (practically and ideologically) from local residents. As a consequence, it argues for an approach to tourist identity that seeks out linkages between tourists and locals, and which looks more broadly at the views and experiences of tourists beyond the time and space of the vacation.     

Determinants of de novo new entrant survival in the liberalized intra-European scheduled passenger airline industry

This paper analyzes semi-parametrically the survival odds of de novo entrants in the liberalized intra-European scheduled passenger airline industry with respect to three sets of determinants: strategic positioning, inaugural market entry and network economics. Among these determinants, a ‘low-cost’ strategic position does not confer survival benefits to new entrants. Entering markets with different levels of prior concentrations – which economists traditionally relate to different pricing powers – does not significantly affect the survival odds of new entrants. Entering mid-sized markets adversely affects entrant survival, while entering large, small or new markets at inception does not noticeably impact entrant survival. Network economics that corresponds to low operating costs (aircraft size) is a consistent contributor to entrant survival. In addition, new entrants based in France or Ireland are less likely to survive than others, reflecting the strong negative impact of intermodal competition and a strong, entrenched entrant.     

Spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of urban bicycle crashes—A case study from Salzburg (Austria)

Most bicycle crash analyses are designed as explanatory studies. They aim to identify contributing risk factors and calculate risk rates based on – most of the time – highly aggregated statistical data. In contrast to such explanatory study designs, the presented study follows an exploratory approach, focusing on the absolute number of crashes. The aim is to reveal and describe patterns and dynamics of urban bicycle crashes on various spatial scale levels and temporal resolutions through a multi-stage workflow. Spatial units are delineated in the network space and serve as initial units of aggregation. In order to facilitate comparisons among regions and quantify temporal dynamics, a reference value of crash frequency is simulated for each unit of the respective spatial scale level and temporal resolution.For the presented case study, over 3000 geo-coded bicycle crashes in the city of Salzburg (Austria) were analyzed. The data set covers 10 years and comprises all bicycle crashes reported by the police. Distinct spatial and temporal patterns with clusters, seasonal variations, and regional particularities could be revealed. These insights are indicators for urban dynamics in the transport system and allow for further, targeted in-depth analyses and subsequent counter measures. Moreover, the results prove the applicability of the proposed multi-stage workflow and demonstrate the added value of analyses of small aggregates on various scale levels, down to single crashes, and temporal resolutions.     

Walking accessibility to bus rapid transit: Does it affect property values? The case of Bogotá, Colombia

This research sheds light on the relation of bus rapid transit and residential property values within walking distance to the system. The case study was Bogotá’s Transmilenio (Colombia). This research conducted a city-wide econometric hedonic analysis with 2000 to 2004 Department of Housing Control data across different walking distances, subsystems (trunk, feeder), socio-economic strata and time. The main results showed that, with respect to the value of properties in relation to proximity, the housing market places value premiums on the properties in the immediate walking proximity of feeder lines. The analysis by socio-economic strata showed that middle-income properties were valued more if they fell closer to the system, while there were opposite results for low-income housing. Finally, analysis across time reflects slight average annual increases in property values correlated with the implementation of the system in two specific areas analyzed. Throughout the paper, the author acknowledges some of the challenges of using hedonic modeling for property value impact assessments and emphasizes that the interpretation of the results are case specific.     

Historic Landscapes,Cultural Capital and Sustainability: Interpreting Ancient Woodlands

This paper is concerned with some aspects of the cultural capital embodied in historic landscapes and how this may be mobilised in the pursuit of sustainable patterns of development through tourist encounters with those landscapes. The principal concern is not with the sustainability of any particular landscape used as a tourist resource, but rather with the role that suitably interpreted landscapes can play in the general establishment of a sustainable relationship with nature by increasing environmental awareness and building motivations for policy and lifestyle changes. Although these general sustainability issues provide the main focus of this paper, they are discussed through the vehicle of a particular set of landscapes and their interpretation: ancient woodlands constituted as leisure and tourism venues. The perspective from which this paper is written is that of the designer of interpretative materials; in particular, materials delivered via the ‘new media’ – web sites, computer-based kiosks, etc – with their characteristics of high information volume, small physical footprint and high engagement. However, since realising the potential of such communication strategies is not a matter of the blind accumulation of computer-based materials, this paper is concerned solely with the cultural milieu of, and the strategic environmental context of, the interpretation of historic landscapes for tourists – squarely with the ‘what’ rather than the ‘how’ of communication.     

A causal factors analysis of aircraft incidents due to radar limitations: The Norway case study

Provision of seamless, safe and effective surveillance services to airspace users requires high performance surveillance sensor coverage in the whole airspace. Limitations in the surveillance system will lead to an inability to provide the required surveillance services to the users. This may result in aircraft incident and accident occurrences. In this paper a case study is developed for the Norwegian airspace, based on five years of safety reports, to identify causal factors of incidents/accidents due to radar system limitations. This is conducted with a safety data analysis from Avinor – Norway's Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) and structured communication with Surveillance/ATM safety experts from Avinor. The case study shows that, 76 out of 124 occurrences within the five years in the Norwegian airspace/airport were related to the surveillance function, and 34 out of the 76 occurrences were due to limitations in the radar systems. The analysis identified that the highest contributing causal factors of the occurrences due to radar system limitations were limited surveillance coverage, followed by the lack of situational awareness for flight crew/controllers and unsynchronised surveillance information between flight crew and controllers.     

Making plans or “just thinking about the trip”? Understanding people’s travel planning in practice

ICT solutions have been proposed as a means for changing environmentally unfavourable traffic behaviour by providing better, real-time and more accessible travel information. However, prevailing models of travel choice and travel behaviour tend to overemphasise the impact and importance of information and the individualistic perspective. The issue of choice and travel planning in everyday life situations, and how information is used and acted on in these processes, was examined in a qualitative study in Stockholm, Sweden. Practice Theory was used as the theoretical framework for the study. Interviews were supplemented with an explorative diary and photo assignment to bring unreflected choices and actions of planning travel to the conscious level.The results showed that travel planning involves the immediate situation where planning and decisions are made, but also aspirations, cognitive/time/material limitations, social norms and social relations that extend widely in time and space. Definitions of travel planning and travel information based on the situated practices of planning are suggested. In the muddle of everyday life, travel planning takes place in the brief moments where circumstances at different levels – time, place, the social realm - interact and are considered or directly acted upon. In the development of new ICT-based travel information services, the role of technology in changing normal practices should be considered.     

Regulation in the air: price-and-frequency caps

In spite of deregulation on the air-transportation markets, many connections are still operated by a single operator on regional markets, in particular in Europe. Evidence thus calls for some regulation in this industry. There is, however, a great concern for the (possibly negative) consequences of price regulation on the quality of services. We argue that both aspects should be considered jointly and propose a mechanism for the decentralization of the optimal structure of services. The regulatory procedure is based on the sole book-keeping data and requires the regulator to use only an estimate of travellers’ average value of time.     

A robust hybrid decision model for evaluation and selection of the strategic alliance partner in the airline industry

Owing to the cut throat competition and economic uncertainty in the market, airlines are focusing on strategic alliances for satisfying customer needs, especially in the current time which is dominated by global integration, demanding customer and fast changing technologies. This strategy is widely adopted by airlines. However, the selection of strategic alliance partner is a very decisive decision, and this selection process engrosses a number of complex processes which is result of compound reflection of associated various factors. In addition, the decision makers may be inconsistent in their views and preferences, arising due to imperfect information or intrinsic conflict between various departments. This paper presents a model based approach of an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for evaluation of criteria and fuzzy technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (FTOPSIS) for the selection of strategic alliance partner. A case of Indian airline industry demonstrates the application of the proposed approach. Eventually, robustness of the model is demonstrated by sensitivity analysis.     

Default risk drivers in shipping bank loans

This paper proposes a credit scoring model for the empirical assessment of default risk drivers of shipping bank loans. A unique dataset, consisting of the credit portfolio of a ship-lending bank is used to estimate a logit model with two-way clustered adjusted standard errors, ensuring robust inferences. Industry specific variables, captured through current and expected conditions in the extremely volatile global shipping freight markets, the risk appetite of borrowers–the shipowners – expressed through the chartering policy they follow – and a pricing variable, are shown for the first time to be the important factors explaining default probabilities of bank loans.     

Searching for the sweet spot: The determinants of direct services from Canadian airports

In markets for scheduled passenger travel services, demand may be not independent of supply. On airline routes the speed, convenience and frequency of services affect demand along with price and other economic factors. This generates the possibility of multiple equilibria. For 185 domestic Canada and trans-border city-pair routes, of which 101 currently lack non-stop service, we find that twelve of the latter (all trans-border routes) have a “sweet spot” – although current passenger numbers do not justify non-stop service, were this to be introduced, it would turn out to be economically justified by the boost in the attractiveness of the route.     

Provincetown queer: paradoxes of ‘identity,space, and place’†

Provincetown, MA, located at the tip of Cape Cod, has transitioned over the twentieth century from a predominantly Portuguese fishing village to a magnet for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transsexuals and queers, both as tourists and year-rounders. Newcomers have fostered change – economically, socially, and culturally – to which the town's predominantly straight old-timers have responded with a libertarian, generally accepting stance. Accommodation to newcomers – both ‘good gays’ and ‘sexual rebels’ – with its attendant social and cultural challenges, has not been without conflict. Today, economic gentrification and an influx of workers of color test the community's resolve to maintain and promote a culture of diversity and acceptance, as members cope with ever-more challenging economic issues, including escalating housing, and living costs. Provincetowners also confront other troubling demographic changes, especially declining school enrolments caused by the so-called ‘straight flight’ and an ever-increasing number of households without children, reflecting the transition to a GLBTQ majority. Today Provincetowners retain an edgy, risqué lifestyle, where community decisions are negotiated through small-town democratic institutions, and where citizens intersect across social, economic, and cultural divides. This paper examines Provincetown as a laboratory to interrogate how citizens accommodate others, as they grapple with uncertainties inherent in a predominantly seasonal – and diverse – tourist economy.     

Home as a communication hub: the domestic use of ICT

With the rapidly increasing ease of access to the Internet in people’s homes, more and more of our everyday activities are being carried out online. While the home has become what might be called a communication hub, open to question is the impact this virtual mobility is having on our physical mobility. The questions we address in this article concern the extent to which network communication is carried out in our homes and this in relation to (1) activities that demand transport, (2) those of us who utilize these options, and (3) the virtual and physical mobility/communication patterns. Data from a nationwide Norwegian sample are utilized in investigating these questions. The dataset comprises 2700 respondents with access to the Internet at home and who answered questions about daily travel and home-based use of information and communication technology (ICT) for purposes such as information-seeking, shopping, paid work, net-banking, chatting and playing games. The analysis indicates that while use of the Internet for many of these activities is common, it varies between groups. We discuss whether virtual activities have physical equivalents – physical twins - or whether these come in addition to previous equivalent activities. It is shown that the relation between virtual and physical mobility varies depending on type of activity and social group, but, overall, that is not very strong. One possible explanation is that many new ICT services and applications do not have as clear-cut functional equivalents – or physical twins – as many of the earlier ICT technologies had, and, if true, will make it increasingly difficult to track down the interplay between transport and communication.     

The economics and geography of regional airline services in six countries

Do the determinants of service and pricing on “regional” routes – linking towns and smaller cities to main trunk routes and/or to each other – differ from the established results from the literature? We study all flights (about 3000) on all regional routes (about 250) with scheduled airline service from one of about 130 regional towns or cities, in regional airline markets in six countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and a sample of three U.S. states which closely resemble the other regions studied. For each flight we have observations on up to five prices offered at different times before flight date. We also have equipment type and social-economic data. Overall, our results give qualified support to the standard gravity model of the extent of service between city pairs, though with two interesting differences: operators on regional routes have greater flexibility in the size of aircraft they can deploy, which results in a finer-grained variability of service offerings and, the presence of competition on regional routes has a large effect on the total supply of seats. We are able to successfully estimate a well-specified airfare model, which shows strong effects of competition on prices, quite substantial intertemporal price discrimination, and interesting differences between regional and main trunk route pricing.     

What do trip data reveal about bike-sharing system users?

Bike-sharing systems (BSS) have rapidly been established in many cities worldwide. The benefits that systems potentially provide are increasingly debated with concerns that the BSS may mostly benefit limited groups of citizens. Understanding how, when and by whom these systems are used may help to plan the system to be widely employed and inclusive.Trip data generated by the BSS are among the more analysed data types in the BSS literature, as they are often readily available for scholarly use. Most often, trip data are used to study the origins and destinations of the trips and their spatial patterns. In this paper, we focus on analysing how well trip data can be used to understand the demographic characteristics and usage profiles of BSS users.We first analysed the use of BSS trip data in the recent scholarly literature. We then used data from the Helsinki BSS from 2017 (~1.5 million trips) as a case to study the potential of trip data for future BSS studies. The Helsinki BSS, launched in 2016, is considered to have been a success, as it exhibits one of the highest use rates in the world. We aimed to understand how this popular system has served different user groups.We demonstrate the value of BSS trip data in understanding user characteristics and usage profiles and show that trip data have not yet been fully used for these purposes in the scholarly literature. Even considering its limitations, trip data can provide information that it is important for BSS managers and urban planners when understanding and developing the system inclusiveness. In Helsinki, we show that the BSS use is largely contributed by a limited group of people whose home area and daily travel needs likely align well with the system network. These findings point to challenges in system inclusiveness despite the internationally high use rates.