Q-methodology and tourism research

Tourism research is in the midst of a ‘critical turn’ away from traditional positivist approaches, towards more reflective and critical paths of inquiry. This paper introduces readers to Q-methodology, a method of research that tourism researchers rarely use and that can provide useful information in critical tourism research concerning the exploration and comparison of subjectivity. The paper presents the fundamentals of the approach and provides examples of its application in tourism and other areas that may directly interest tourism researchers. In so doing, the paper encourages and facilitates the use of Q-methodology amongst tourism researchers interested in enhancing the nature and richness of their methodological alternatives for developing tourism knowledge.     

Entrepreneurship in nature-based tourism under a changing climate

This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study examining the values and attitudes of nature-based tourism entrepreneurs in relation to adaptation to climate change. The aim is to focus on tourism stakeholders’ values and ideas about tourism entrepreneurship, which may bring interesting new insights to the tourism and climate change research and support the industry in adaptation and mitigation processes. The data utilised in this paper consists of 19 thematic interviews conducted with nature-based tourism entrepreneurs in Finland between 2009 and 2013. Analysis of the data reveal issues concerning views on entrepreneurship in general, on the independence and individuality of the enterprises, on the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in the processes of adaptation and on the attitudes towards innovations and actions in the changing climate. These issues, together with the rate and scale of the change, seem to affect decision-making by the enterprises, but their importance as predictors of action and behavioural intentions needs to be studied more thoroughly. Additionally, more information is required regarding the role of the surrounding social environment as a co-creator of these kinds of values. However, the study supports previous studies on entrepreneurship and its influence on survival and resilience.     

Indicators for an Environmental Assessment of Tourism at National Level

The paper first places the research within the context of international initiatives of developing environmental indicators for the tourism sector: indicator frameworks, data constraints and communication needs, national versus local approaches and indicator development procedures. The question of data availability, collection and processing is often undermined, and the national scale is the most relevant to analyse tourism driving forces and tourism/transport interrelationships. The main results of the French national assessment, led by the French Institute for the Environment in 1999–2000, are then presented, from the driving forces of environmental impacts (such as spatial and temporal concentrations, or the evolution of tourism demand as regards to the environment) to environmental impacts at national and destination level. French mobility patterns are dominated by road transport; they are moving towards shorter stays and more frequent departures, which lead to a high impact situation. The accommodation capacity is strongly marked by secondary homes, which imply more constructions (and more space consumption) for the same number of stays. Environmental management initiatives, from public and private stakeholders, are still unable to counter these long-term trends.     

Fear of a Lonely Planet: author anxieties and the mainstreaming of a guidebook

Lonely Planet (LP) guidebooks are one of the most popular guidebook brands in tourism, but few studies have examined the guidebooks in detail or their relationship with tourism and tourists. Utilising an inductive research approach, this exploratory study aims to make a contribution to the theory and knowledge of guidebooks. Interviews with guidebook writers reveal a sense of frustration created by editorial controls and tourist behaviour. Writers prefer the counter-cultural style of the early LP guidebooks, whereas the editors are keen to appease a more mainstream audience. While tourists tend to follow prescribed routes based on LP information, the writers seek to promote more spontaneous tourism experiences. The conventional view that texts convey the worldview of their authors needs to be re-thought in light of such rigid editorial controls. Findings also suggest that new media could lead to the decline of guidebooks and the rise of more collaborative forms of information sharing, potentially representing the end point of the mainstreaming process of LP guidebooks. Theories of new media may then inform new theories on guidebooks. This paper demonstrates the utility of Grounded Theory and the use of guidebook authors in the research process.     

Energy tourism: An emerging field of study

After conceptualizing the interrelationships between energy and tourism, the authors provide a definition of energy tourism as a new niche of industrial tourism, theorize on how it overlaps with other types of special interest tourism, and discuss specifics concerning its forms, locales, and possible societal impacts. Potential directions, along with research questions, for future research in the field of energy tourism are proposed. Then, the results of an explorative pilot study of energy tourism in the Czech Republic are presented to give a first insight into the proposed questions. Questionnaire surveys completed by tourists and operators of three energy tourism attractions – so-called Coal Safaris (guided tours through surface coal mines, observing minescapes and mining machinery in full operation), a nuclear power plant information centre, and Dragon Kite Festivals under wind turbines – have focused on exploring the motivations and perceived benefits of energy tourism for organizations; tourists' motivations for, and experience from, visiting; and any changes in attitudes towards current energy development dilemmas by visitors afterwards.     

Sustainable leisure life modes and rural welfare economy. The case of the Randers Fjord area,Denmark

As increasing attention has been paid to rural tourism as a specific form of tourism development, so too has the scope of research into tourism in rural areas become more diverse. Typically, studies focus primarily upon the economic developmental contribution of rural tourism, although a significant amount of work has been undertaken on the consequences of rural tourism development and attitudes/motivations on the part of visitors and/or local communities. However, no attempt has yet been made to integrate studies of both visitors and local communities within the framework of rural tourism development policy. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the literature. Drawing on a study of tourism in the Randers Fjord, a relatively underdeveloped area of rural Denmark, it identifies and analyses three groups of tourists characterised by life modes: (i) traditionalists, (ii) peace seekers and (iii) adventurers. In each case, expectations, behaviour and future needs are revealed through qualitative interviews. The predominant (traditionalist) life mode of tourists, it is argued, closely matches that of the area's residents. This, the paper suggests, presents significant barriers to the development and enhancement of tourism, as do the prevailing economic structures and employment patterns. Thus, tourism development policy should take into account both tourists' and locals' life modes in order to progress towards sustainable rural tourism development. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Residents’ attitudes on the contribution of cultural tourism in Tanzania

This study aimed at evaluating residents’ attitudes towards the contribution of cultural tourism to the social welfare of the local rural residents participating in cultural tourism activities by factoring gender and level of education as possible differentiating factors in residents’ attitudes. Based on survey of local people in northern part of Tanzania, a questionnaire was administered that yielded data that were subjected to a series of t-tests. The results indicate residents to have both positive and negative attitudes towards the contribution of cultural tourism. Gender differences are noted to relate with cultural tourism participation and attitudes towards the contribution of cultural tourism. Females benefit more from cultural tourism than males in economic terms. Having education raises the chances of locals having a more positive attitude towards cultural tourism. From the results, implications to facilitators in cultural tourism to further aid tourism contribution to the locals are derived.     

Host community attitudes toward tourism and cultural tourism development: the case of the Lewes District,southern England

Increasingly research is being conducted on host community attitudes toward tourism. However, few studies have been conducted at a regional level and none have examined the attitudes of the host community towards both tourism and cultural tourism development. This paper outlines a study conducted in the Lewes District of southern England and notes that although residents are generally supportive of tourism development and cultural tourism development, there are differences in opinion concerning the perceived economic and social benefits. In particular, levels of income and proximity to the tourist centre were major influencing factors. Conclusions and recommendations are made concerning the need for tourism planners to distribute the benefits more widely and to engage residents from different socio‐economic groups and localities in tourism planning and development activities. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Collaborative Tourism Planning: A Case Study of Cusco,Peru

This research examines issues concerning the collaborative approach towards tourism planning, with a focus on Cusco, Peru. The research begins with a review of key themes related to collaborative tourism planning, and then explores four issues in relation to collaborative tourism planning in Cusco. These are the vision of tourism development among tourism stakeholders; collaboration and coordination between the multiple parties involved in tourism; input from the tourism industry and other interest groups in tourism planning; and constraints to and facilitators of collaboration and coordination. The research indicates that despite an awareness of the benefits of collaboration in tourism planning generally, collaboration is not yet a major part of the tourism development process in Cusco. The main reasons for the lack of collaboration are outlined using the views of the main stakeholders, as well as suggestions for ways in which future collaboration can be developed.     

Tourism planning requirements from a private sector perspective: the case of Hong Kong

Government’s role in tourism planning has shifted from control to consultation, and many governments have adopted economic planning that move the responsibility for investment in infrastructure from the public to the private sector. In Hong Kong, the government has not articulated a clear tourism policy to guide tourism development but continues to assume responsibility for significant tourism infrastructure investment. This paper considers the views of the private sector towards tourism planning in Hong Kong, which gravitate towards the need for a formalized planning. The tourism sector supports the interventionist policies that have been a characteristic of the government’s relationship to the tourism industry in the past, believes that the current approach to planning needs to be replaced by a formal planning process, and that there is a need to include community groups in the policy determination process. The insights gained from the case of Hong Kong may serve as a reference for other destinations.     

Towards tourism: a Laotian perspective

This paper reports the findings of a study of the attitudes of residents towards tourism in the District of Viengxay, Lao People's Democratic Republic, where tourism is in its infancy. Based on focus group interviews, the paper analyses the societal and individual attitudes of the residents towards tourists, tourism development and employment in the tourism field. It was found that locals have little understanding of the motivations of tourists for visiting their villages. Villagers look forward to tourism development to bring more communication and fame to their village, as well as to tourism's contribution to the local economy. Community‐mindedness, control and organisation, cultural exchange, understanding and cultural awareness are prime motivators in forming local attitudes towards tourism. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A preliminary examination of the relationship between consumer attitude towards space travel and the development of innovative space tourism technology

With increasing global competition in service sectors, innovative technologies have radically changed the tourism industry, and to be successful innovative products/services must have clear, significant points of difference that are related to needs in the market place. Furthermore, changes in consumer perceptions that emanate from an innovation are central to its effective product and service design. Although for most of us space travel is still a faraway dream, it is in fact a future probability that will increasingly attract travellers who seek new vacation experiences, and as a result, sustain academic interest. Thus, in initiating space tourism for the purposes of recreation, leisure and knowledge enhancement, a preliminary estimation of potential global demand characteristics that are specific to consumer innovators for space travel needs to be undertaken prior to promotion of research and development. In this context, this paper investigates both consumer attitudes towards space travel by analysing the components of motivated consumer innovativeness and the interest that potential consumers have in developing space tourism technology innovations within Taiwan. Consumer innovativeness is complex and comprised four innovativeness types, namely, social, functional, hedonic and cognitive. As product/service innovation development has been relatively unexplored in the mature industry of tourism, many business managers would welcome an understanding of which vacation travellers are most likely to be the earliest buyers of such an exciting new product. With data collected from a sample of 354 Taiwanese, this research uses mediated regression to examine the influence of the four types of consumer innovativeness on consumer's attitudes and acceptance of a space tourism technology innovation, and the mediating role perceived novelty plays in the relationship. The findings indicate that only hedonic and social innovativeness are associated with improved consumer attitude and that novelty partially mediates the relationship for those two types of consumer innovativeness. The implications for theory and practice are discussed. Limitations and directions for future research are also addressed.     

Cultural tourism in the context of relations between mass and alternative tourism

In the initial stage of its development, cultural tourism represented one of the alternative forms of tourism, opposed to mass tourism. The beginning of the 1990s indicates a period of transformation of cultural tourism which, unlike the original orientation towards elite clientele, found a new opportunity for development in the orientation towards the mass market. Orientation to the mass market was mainly driven by supply-oriented logic, because the creation and marketing of cultural attractions became a development option for numerous destinations. Nowadays, new cultural tourism is focused on the integration of production and consumption, and increasing linkages between suppliers and consumers. Instead of passive consumption, cultural tourists demonstrate a proactive approach to meeting their needs, wanting to actively participate in creating experiences while travelling. On the other side, suppliers focus their attention on the close interaction with consumers and co-creation of high quality experiences.     

Resident perception of dark tourism impact: the case of Beichuan County,China

ABSTRACT

‘Dark tourism’ has become an accepted terminology in tourism academics, but there are omissions in its research. Often it concentrates on the nature of the event and the psychological consequences for tourist. Rarely has the research considered ideas of the local residents. This study thus examines the perceptions and attitudes of local residents. Beichuan County in Sichuan Province of China, where the Great Sichuan Earthquake occurred in 2008, was considered as the research site. Survey questionnaires were undertaken in site plus the use of the web to capture the views of younger family members no longer working in the immediate area. The total sample numbered 516 respondents. Analyses indicated that in the dark tourism contexts residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts confirm the three traditional dimensions – economical, socio-cultural and environmental; residents tended to form positive attitudes towards dark tourism development. ANOVAs particularly found that no differences existed in the perceptions and attitudes towards dark tourism development among people who had experienced different levels of sufferings or economic losses. Such observations help to solve the debates between the proponents and opponents of dark tourism. Based on the findings, discussions and dialogues with the literature are provided.     

Local community perceptions of disaster tourism: the case of L'Aquila,Italy

Despite increasing research in dark tourism, few attempts have been made to explore local community perceptions of becoming the object of the dark tourist gaze, an issue that is of particular relevance at disaster sites given the potential sensitivity of local people to the intrusion of tourists in the aftermath of a disaster. This paper addresses this significant gap in the literature. Based on research undertaken in L'Aquila, an Italian city that in April 2009 suffered a devastating earthquake, it explores the responses of members of the local community to their city becoming a dark (disaster) tourism destination. In so doing, it reveals an evolving response towards tourism that not only contradicts traditional understandings of resident perceptions of tourism, but also points towards how appropriate responses to disaster tourism might support the disaster recovery process.     

Discovering wildlife tourism: a whale shark tourism case study

This paper investigates the different sources of information used by tourists to learn about a particular wildlife tourism activity, specifically, whale shark tourism at Ningaloo Marine Park in Western Australia. The findings from this research concur with previous studies of wildlife tourism showing that wildlife tourism operations are reliant on more informal and general forms of promotion, in particular word of mouth and guide books. Conversely, more deliberate marketing mechanisms, such as the internet and documentaries, are not extensively utilised. To disaggregate consumer preferences for various information sources, this article segments the population into more homogenous groups, thereby demonstrating distinct differences in the choice of information source based on the participants’ normal place of residence.     

Applying relative deprivation theory to study the attitudes of host community residents towards tourism: the case study of the Zhangjiang National Park,China

Host community is one of the most important stakeholders involved in tourism development. Their attitudes and supports for tourism are highly significant to underpin the sustainable development of the industry. However, host community has not been attached adequate importance, and is usually marginalised to be a salient disadvantaged group in the process of tourism development. Although relative deprivation theory (RDT) provides a powerful theoretical tool to analyse the attitudes of disadvantaged social groups, the theory has rarely been documented in tourism literature. This paper takes the case of tourism development in the Zhangjiang National Park, China, and applies RDT to empirically examine how and why host residents suffer from the relative deprivation problem resulting from tourism development and attempts to unveil its influence on their attitudes towards tourism development. The study indicates that there exists a close and negative correlation between the locals' relative deprivation and their attitudes towards tourism development. The more host residents suffer from relative deprivation, the more negative their attitudes towards tourism are, and vice versa. Furthermore, the Relative Deprivation Index proposed in this study proves to be simple and effective in quantitatively depicting the spatial differences/heterogeneity of relative deprivation issues in the case study area.     

Island cruise tourism development: a resident's perspective in the context of Italy

Most studies that examine tourism impacts and community attitudes have been carried out from the perspective of the tourism sector as a whole, with very few papers focusing on specific types of tourism and/or analysing tourists' preferences for specific types of tourism segment. This paper discusses some pertinent issues in relation to cruise tourism development and community attitudes in a port of call cruise destination located in the island of Sicily (Southern Italy). Specifically, this study was carried out using a quota random sample of 1500 responses, which is representative of the population of Messina at 1% level. Findings show that residents express an overall positive attitude towards cruise tourism development even if it is not the most preferred when compared to other types of tourism (cultural tourism, sport tourism, and sun and sea tourism). Further, they highlight that significant differences based on socio-economic and demographic characteristics (age, gender, reliance on cruise-related employment, level of education, geographical proximity to tourist areas and port, length of residency and frequency of interaction with tourists) exist in residents' perceptions and attitudes towards cruise tourism development. Implications for policy-makers are discussed and suggestions for further research are given.     

Sources of tourist information used by Deaf people. Case study: the Polish Deaf community

The tourism sector is still failing to fully provide for the varied needs of people with a disability. If the current situation is to change, then the characteristics of these needs must be better identified. This paper presents the results of a study on sources of tourist information used by Deaf people, for whom the basic form of communication is sign language. The study was performed in Poland from 2004 to 2010 within the Deaf community (n?=?292) and (for comparison of results) among the hearing section of society (n?=?1780). It has shown that the primary sources of tourist information for both Deaf and hearing individuals are the Internet and the opinions of close ones. Tourist information should be disseminated using sign language. Deaf people must participate in the process of creating the Tourism Information System. The conclusions contain indications for tourism managers on ways of disseminating information to Deaf clients.     

Gaining residents' support for tourism and planning

This research analyses residents' perceptions of the effects of tourism. Economic, cultural and environmental effects are identified as determinants of residents' attitudes towards tourism development and planning. Authors speculate that there are different patterns of resident's support depending on their differential benefits obtained from tourism. A conceptual model is developed and empirically tested in Santiponce, a small community in southern Spain. Our results support our basic hypothesis: resident's level of personal benefits obtained from tourism influence their perceptions regarding tourism impacts, and in consequence, their support for tourism development and for tourism planning. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.