Quantitative approaches for economic use of emerging technology in the tourism industry: unmanned aerial vehicle systems

As technological innovations develop, new categories of services are emerging. In the tourism industry, one of the limelight technologies is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for virtual tourism systems, monitoring, and patrol activities for safety and security. However, for the successful application of a UAVs system, it is important to construct the system in an economic and efficient manner. In this study, quantitative approaches for a UAV system are introduced to support the economic establishment and its efficient operation. Two mathematical models are developed to construct and operate UAVs systems for recreation and safety purposes in the tourism industry. The validity of the proposed models is demonstrated via numerical experiments for both cases. To our knowledge, this is the first approach to address the issues of a UAV system design for tourism purposes. This study is expected to be the theoretical basis for future use of UAVs in the tourism industry.     

Host community perceptions a cluster analysis

This paper explores how residents in the Balearic Islands of Spain regard tourism as affecting their community, thereby providing a framework for research into attitudes toward this industry in a mature Mediterranean destination. Local attitudes were used to segment the sample into five different opinion groups using a cluster analysis. The overall results indicate that the respondents are aware of some of both the positive and negative effects, and are relatively ambivalent about development proposals that imply an increasing number of tourists. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that some development strategies incur considerable conservation-based opposition while others enjoy general support.     

Social capital as a heuristic device to explore sociocultural sustainability: a case study of mountain resort tourism in the community of Steamboat Springs,Colorado, USA

This study investigates the feasibility of combining environmental protection and an agricultural revitalisation strategy which includes food tourism in two Danish national parks, Mols Bjerge and Skjern Aadal. Both the parks include significant agricultural holdings and, to a great extent, a “natural” landscape of farmed grassland and arable land. The international research literature documents that park administrations have tended to neglect the role of food and food-based experiences in parks, despite park visitors preferring more attractive eating facilities, purchasing opportunities and food-related interpretation. A survey of food producers and providers in Denmark revealed that traditional, productivity-oriented farmers tended to oppose the establishment of parks, holding the view that “sharing” the land with others diminished their competitiveness. While this view might hamper rapid progress in food tourism, the survey also discovered an emerging trend of small-scale food entrepreneurship, albeit on a fragmented and uncoordinated level. Tourism-oriented food entrepreneurs wanted to see joint marketing and labelling of food products along the lines of OECD's (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) “new rural paradigm”. The study identified governance opportunities that could accommodate the wellbeing of both tourists and food producers, but which requires a proactive role from the national park authorities, especially in marketing and the development of events.     

Targeted poverty alleviation in China: segmenting small tourism entrepreneurs and effectively supporting them

Abstract

Cultivating and encouraging local small tourism enterprises (STEs) is considered an effective way to alleviate poverty. Chinese local governments tend to concentrate their limited policies and initiatives on targeting STEs and effective ways to achieve better performance, following the proposed government policy called Targeted Poverty Alleviation by Tourism Development (TPATD). To discover which group is targeted and how, this study classified small tourism entrepreneurs and examined determinants of their performance. A quota sampling survey of 273 entrepreneurs in five tourism communities within a scenic area known as Yuntai Mountain was conducted in 2016. Seven determinants were identified: business skills, leadership, innovation, social relations, governmental support, autonomy, and locus of control. Three distinct small tourism entrepreneur segments were classified as independents, followers, and autodidacts. Each segment is worth helping but in different ways. Leadership, business skills, and innovation are key determinants of performance for all segments. Governmental support should be more visible, targeted, and recognized by locals. The administrative subcontract of TPATD in China is also discussed.     

Social capital and entrepreneurial mobility in early-stage tourism development: A case from rural China

Early-stage tourism destinations often seek external capital to establish, invest and participate in tourism businesses at various levels. Entrepreneurial mobility at these destinations is thus an important phenomenon in need of further exploration both empirically and theoretically. This study uses an early-stage destination in rural China as a case to explore the experiences of inward entrepreneurial migrants in tourism development and associates their mobility, geographical and organisational, with dimensions of social capital, including institutional support, community openness and personal social networks. Primary interview data were collected from inward tourism entrepreneurs, key local community members and government officials related to tourism projects. The findings suggest that the inward entrepreneurs had unrealistic perceptions of the tourism industry before they entered. Entrepreneurial mobility in tourism development is influenced by all three social capital dimensions. The integration with the locality enhances the potential contribution of entrepreneurial mobility to tourism development.     

Bringing Hotels to Healthcare

Abstract

The field of medical tourism has grown and developed over the last ten years into a popular option for having a medical procedure done. Continuing success is expected, and becoming involved with medical tourism appears to be an excellent way for the hotel industry to differentiate their services. By integrating a medical tourism program into an existing hotel company's services, both aspects of the partnership will build off of the other's success and create a new and exciting travel experience. A joint partnership between a medical facility and a luxury hotel would enjoy abounding success in this new and exhilarating market.     

Entrepreneurial strategies and tourism industry growth

This paper investigates the relationship between entrepreneurship strategies and industry growth. Drawing on a longitudinal database of 481 tourism strategic planning documents, a sampling framework is used to map tourism strategies, tourism entrepreneurship strategies and tourism entrepreneurship strategic themes to tourism region by year (across a 10-year cycle), as well as to compile corresponding tourism jobs and visitation growth data. Exploratory bibliometric visuals and logistic regression reveal that regions with a tourism strategy and targeted strategies to support entrepreneurs predict tourism growth, specifically strategies for human capital development and tourism incubation programs. Future research should focus on the efficacy of tourism incubation programs for stimulating entrepreneurial activity in regional areas and as a mechanism to stimulate recovery from global crises.     

'Staying Within the Fence': Lifestyle Entrepreneurship in Tourism

Lifestyle, non-economic motives have been recognised as significant stimuli for tourism entrepreneurship and growth of the small-business sector. Tourism research, to date, has focused on the conceptualisation of entrepreneurship informed largely by economic analysis. In this context, the long-term survival of lifestyle entrepreneurs in tourism has been addressed as a constraint within regional economic development. Our research of an emerging cohort of lifestyle entrepreneurs in New Zealand tourism, focusing on the motivating values of these entrepreneurs, reveals that their often conscious rejection of economic and business growth opportunities is an expression of their sociopolitical ideology. Coincidentally, this rejection of an overtly profit-driven orientation does not necessarily result in financial suicide or developmental stagnation but rather provides opportunities to engage with 'niche' market consumers informed by values common to themselves within rapidly segmenting markets. Moreover, the research indicates that these lifestyle entrepreneurs are often instrumental in the creation and introduction of innovative products to the wider industry which are not only capable of articulating values common to the sustainability debate with respect to a sense of place and community, but also stimulate regional development and reproduction of niche market products.     

Space tourism: Research recommendations for the future of the industry and perspectives of potential participants

This paper has two objectives. Firstly, it proposes a set of research dimensions for the further investigation of the emerging space tourism industry and secondly, it examines the perceptions of potential space travel participants on key factors that influence their motivation, behaviour and decision-making. The research methodology adopted in this study involved collecting quantitative data from British residents in Southern England to explore and understand their perceptions of space tourism. In addition, qualitative data was gathered by interviewing key informants connected to the space tourism industry including Virgin Galactic, Airbus and EADS Astrium to understand their views on people’s motivations, perceptions and the future of the industry. Data analysis shows that intentional need for adventure and exploration is the motivational force in space tourism. Willingness to undertake space travel is also influenced by the perception to risk, which plays a central role in potential tourist behaviour. Furthermore, factors such as type of space travel (orbital/sub-orbital),type of launch and design of the spacecraft, location of spaceports, training required, duration, insurance, health and reputation of the operating company also seem to have some influence on tourist decision-making. The paper contends that while global research dimensions are necessary it is also important to understand perceptions on a country-specific and regional basis.     

The effects of scale in economic development: Tourism in Bali

Eric E. Rodenburg, The Effects of Scale in Economic Development: Tourism in Bali. Annals of Tourism Research 1980, VII(2):177–196. Planners promote tourism to meet the objectives of economic development. Different scales of enterprise, however, meet the objectives of planners in different ways. Data from Bali, Indonesia, illustrate the differential social and economic effects of three scales of tourism enterprise; large industrial, small industrial and craft tourism. A comparison of these segments of the continuum of tourism enterprises in Bali shows that the objectives of economic planners (increased earnings, foreign exchange, investment, job opportunities, production, entreprenuership, infrastructure, and the minimization of adverse social and cultural effects) are not best met through the promotion of large, industrially scaled enterprises.     

PROFIT,RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE MORAL ECONOMY OF TOURISM

This paper furthers an understanding of the moral economy of tourism by analyzing how economic activities in the tourism industry are influenced by moral norms, and how these norms are compromised by the logic of capital accumulation. Through a case study of indigenous entrepreneurs in Lijiang, China, we argue that responsibility is a localized practice to defend social ties and cultural tradition, while profit making can be regarded as a universal logic in a commercial society. By analyzing how entrepreneurs become entangled in the dynamic balance between profit making and social responsibility, this paper demonstrates that local people actively choose their best strategies to participate in the global tourism industry.     

Entrepreneurial bricolage,ambidexterity structure,and new venture growth: Evidence from the hospitality and tourism sector

This study aims to investigate the links between entrepreneurial bricolage, ambidexterity structure, and new venture growth in the Chinese hospitality and tourism industry. Survey data were collected from 345 entrepreneurs involved with new hospitality and tourism ventures in China. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses of this study. The results indicate that both the combined and balanced dimensions of ambidexterity play mediating roles between entrepreneurial bricolage and new venture growth performance. By exploring the underlying mechanism of the relationship between entrepreneurial bricolage and new venture growth in the hospitality and tourism sector using a comprehensive theoretical model viewed through the lens of ambidexterity, the theoretical and practical implications for management are addressed, and possible directions for future research are discussed.     

The interface between hospitality and tourism entrepreneurship,integration and well-being: A study of refugee entrepreneurs

Previous hospitality and tourism entrepreneurship research has emphasized the economic and financial outcomes of entrepreneurship whilst paying less attention to social outcomes. Specifically, minimal academic attention, both in mainstream entrepreneurship research and hospitality and tourism scholarship, has been paid to entrepreneurship as a means to facilitate the integration of refugees and enhance their well-being. To address this gap, this study aims to showcase how entrepreneurial activities in the hospitality and tourism industry contribute to the integration and subjective well-being of entrepreneurs. Drawing on data collected through 38 semi-structured interviews with Syrian refugee entrepreneurs in Turkey and the UK, the findings reveal that several factors influence the contribution of entrepreneurial activities to the integration of entrepreneurs and their families within the host society. Entrepreneurial activities also appear to have positive spillover effects on subjective well-being. This paper offers new insights into the social outcomes of hospitality and tourism entrepreneurship by conceptualizing and empirically supporting the relationship between hospitality entrepreneurship, integration and well-being.     

City Image and Perceived Tourism Impact: Evidence from Port Louis,Mauritius

Research suggests that the images residents hold about their community influence the political support for tourism. Yet, few researchers have investigated the image that local residents have of their own area. Borrowing from the existing literature on place image and residents' perceptions of tourism impacts, a theoretical model incorporating these two lines of research is developed and tested using data collected from residents of the city of Port Louis, Mauritius. It proposes four city image attributes as the independent constructs influencing residents' perceptions toward the overall impact of tourism development. These include social attributes, transport attributes, government services attributes, and shopping attributes. Overall impact of tourism development is considered to be a determinant of the level of support for the industry. Results of the structural equation modeling analysis indicate that residents' perceived levels of shopping attributes, transport attributes, and social attributes of the city influence their level of support for the tourism industry. The hypothesis relating transport attributes to overall impacts of tourism was not supported. The study provides some important considerations for local planners attempting to make tourism more supportive in the city.     

Entrepreneurs' human capital resources and tourism firm sales growth: A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis

New private tourism firms play a key role in promoting local and national wealth creation. Building upon insights from entrepreneurial motivation and human capital theories, in this study fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis of longitudinal data was employed to identify the human capital pathways of 1182 entrepreneurs in Portugal engaged in tourism reporting high firm sales growth between 2008 and 2015. Two dimensions of entrepreneur human capital at firm start-up were found to be sufficient for high sales growth: a) Necessity- and opportunity-based entrepreneurs with specific human capital industry experience relating to tourism, and b) Opportunity-based entrepreneurs with managerial experience.     

The Place Identity - Performance relationship among tourism entrepreneurs: A structural equation modelling analysis

Drawing on the literature on tourism, entrepreneurship, environmental psychology, and corporate philanthropy, this research examines how place identity, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and support for community influence the entrepreneurial performance of small and medium tourism enterprise (SMTE) owners. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling are used to analyse the responses from 301 tourism entrepreneurs operating in regional South Australia. The data supports a model suggesting that the place identity of tourism entrepreneurs has a significant, positive effect on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and support for the community. Findings also suggest that the place identity of tourism entrepreneurs has a positive, indirect effect on entrepreneurial performance: a tourism entrepreneur’s sense of identity with the place in which his/her business operates contributes toward entrepreneurial success.     

俄罗斯环贝加尔湖滑雪旅游区竞争力评价研究

俄罗斯是冰雪运动大国,滑雪旅游活动在俄罗斯拥有悠久的历史。俄罗斯的环贝加尔湖地域区位优势明显,自然资源丰富多样,地貌类型独特,滑雪旅游已经成为该区域冬季最具吸引力的旅游项目。本文以俄罗斯环贝加尔湖五大滑雪旅游区为研究对象,建立冰雪旅游区综合竞争力评价指标体系及定量评估模型,科学评估环贝加尔湖冰雪旅游区综合竞争力水平。研究发现：（1）索博利纳亚（Соболиная）滑雪旅游区的竞争力优良,比奇亚（Бычья）和伊斯特兰（Истлэнд）滑雪旅游区竞争力中等,达万（Даван）和马迈（Мамай）滑雪旅游区竞争力薄弱,区域自然资源和基础设施建设是影响综合竞争力评价水平的关键要素;（2）根据评估结果提出以索博利纳亚滑雪旅游区为核心,打造国际绿色、低碳冰雪旅游示范区及中蒙俄经济走廊国际冰雪旅游特区等发展对策。研究结论可为环贝加尔湖冰雪旅游产业综合竞争力提升和区域冰雪旅游高质量发展提供决策依据,为中国冰雪旅游发展模式完善和中俄冰雪旅游产业跨境国际合作提供借鉴参考和科技支撑。     

MANAGING VALUE CO-CREATION IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

The continuing development and widespread adoption of information technology (IT) has deeply influenced the tourism industry. Despite recent attention, we lack a clear understanding of the process by which partners co-create and share IT-enabled value. Grounded in Service-Dominant logic (S-D logic), this study examines how IT enables value co-creation in tourism and why some players appear to appropriate the value co-created in the partnership more successfully compared to others. Our results suggest that operators that achieve superior performance in terms of appropriating value do so because of superior strategic fit with the objectives of the value co-creation initiative, synergy with other members of the network, and IT readiness to conduct business electronically.     

A Cautionary Tale of a Resort Destination's Self-Inflicted Crisis

SUMMARY

Rotorua was New Zealand's first tourism destination, rising to prominence a hundred years ago on the back of the central government's vision for a South Pacific spa to rival those of Europe. Government resources were used to develop and support Rotorua's infrastructure and tourism industry, like no other in the British Commonwealth, for the best part of the 20th century. By the 1980s however, Rotorua's tourism industry was in a crisis, and it is posited that the crisis was largely self-inflicted. The paper provides an historical summary of key events leading to the crisis, and subsequent efforts to regain destination competitiveness through a public-private partnership. Written from the perspective of the CEO of the destination's inaugural regional tourism organisation charged with co-ordinating the marketing response to the crisis, the case provides a cautionary tale of how one destination's success as a destination has risen, fallen and risen in line with government intervention.