Cycles and capacity: Incipient theory or conceptual contradiction?

The concept of tourism cycles is one that has evolved from within the discipline of tourism research, whereas that of carrying capacity has been well developed in other fields and then come to be applied within tourism studies. This article describes and evaluates these two concepts and examines underlying assumptions of them which may be in conflict and may make it difficult to reconcile the two in tourism research.     

旅游吸引物权不可统一立法之辨析

旅游吸引物在旅游学上属于一个集合概念, 在法律上没有相关规定, 但不同属性的旅游吸引物作为个体在《物权法》上的权属性质往往是有法可循的。文章运用物权法理论, 结合新颁布的《旅游法》, 分析几个典型旅游吸引物的权属, 试图澄清几个与此相关的问题, 论证设立旅游吸引物权、为之统一立法的不合理性和不可行性, 并进一步提出充分运用《合同法》、《旅游法》以及相关法律解释等现有法律规定, 解决农村土地旅游开发中社区权益保护问题, 而不是简单地采取修改法律的方式解决此类问题。     

旅游目的地居民社会心理承载力研究——以日本东京都浅草寺为例

旅游业的发展在给地区经济注入活力的同时,也给旅游地的居民生活带来不同程度的影响。对此,文章首先综述了国内外相关研究,建立了旅游目的地居民对游客旅游活动的社会心理承载力情况考察指标体系,采用基于三角模糊数的模糊层次分析法(FAHP)对指标分析建模,并以东京浅草寺周围居民为样本,通过问卷调查得到浅草寺周围居民对旅游活动的社会心理承载力情况。研究结果显示,浅草地区居民对游客的旅游活动整体上持支持和积极的态度,在个别指标如旅游地垃圾、社会治安等方面持较为消极的态度。     

中外旅游环境承载力研究热点演变与比较

旅游环境承载力是衡量旅游地可持续发展的重要理论依据和参考标准。本文选取Web of Science(WOS)核心合集和中国知网（CNKI）数据库中收录的492篇中英文文献为样本,系统回顾和比较近30年中外旅游环境承载力研究的发展历程、阶段特征与热点演变。研究发现,1992—2020年相关研究成果均呈现增长态势,虽然国外旅游环境承载力研究起步较早,但中外研究期均经历了时间跨度不一的三个阶段。在中国学者基于国外研究基础构建承载力约束下旅游业可持续发展理论体系的探索阶段,国外学者已从理论建构转向研究反思和实践应用。中国研究进入拓展阶段后,研究成果快速增多,初步完成了国外相关理论、方法的借鉴与转化应用;但这一阶段国外学者研究成果增速明显放缓,研究热点转向借鉴海洋、管理、心理等学科理论和方法,开展多学科交叉融合研究。第三个阶段,国外研究在新应用实践推动下,理论与方法体系不断系统化,进入开展新应用研究的转型;同期中国学者的理论研究与实践应用不断丰富,旅游环境承载力领域研究与实践的“中国特色”日益突出,中国情境下的国际化研究成果及其影响力不断提升。在人与自然共同体理念和生态文明建设的新时代背景下,旅...     

Ecological footprint analysis on tourism carrying capacity at the Zhoushan Archipelago,China

Tourism has been a dynamic and potential industry in China in the recent two decades. However, the rapid development of tourism has caused tremendous ecological pressure. Evaluation of tourism carrying capacity is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of tourism’s development and sustainability. Ecological footprint (EF) analysis was applied to quantitatively assess the ecological carrying capacity of tourism in the Zhoushan Municipality during the years 2010–2014, and geospatial technologies were used for regional analysis. Results showed that the tourism EF (TEF) and local EF slowly increased between 2010 and 2014. TEF accounted for a remarkable proportion over this five-year period and reached 20–30% of the regional EF. Amongst the four sub-regions, Dinghai appeared to have a relatively large deficit, whereas Shengsi presented a great ecological carrying capacity surplus, thereby revealing a remarkable local imbalance of development. Although the TEF of Zhoushan was slightly over its carrying capacity, the per capital EF of residents remained below average national and global levels. Proper planning and development of tourism at the regional level are suggested as a sound strategy for sustainable development of the Zhoushan Municipality.     

Capacity to absorb tourism: Concepts and implications for strategic planning

The concept of capacity to absorb tourism has received considerable attention, but measures of capacity have seldom been applied to tourism plans. This void can be attributed to varying interpretations of the meaning of capacity, the complexity of assessing and predicting impacts, and opposition to the imposition of limits on growth. In this paper, different interpretations of tourism capacity are discussed, including inherent assumptions and potential applications. It is concluded that the concept can best be applied in a systematic planning process which includes no a priori assumption of optimality or ultimate limits on growth or change. A strategic planning model is recommended which includes the establishment of goals, ongoing evaluation of impacts, and the optional use of limits.     

Carrying capacity analysis and destination development: a case study of Gangotri tourists/pilgrims’ circuit in the Himalaya

The Himalaya has numerous natural, cultural, aesthetic, and adventurer tourists/pilgrims’ destinations, which are the major source of income and employment to the local people and revenue generation to the government. Meanwhile, tourism carrying capacity of these destinations is poor and thus tourism development could not take shape. This article examines carrying capacity and destination development of the Gangotri tourists/pilgrims’ circuit, which is also known as Gangotri eco-sensitive zone. We conducted this study using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, in which we collected data on tourists/pilgrims flow, accommodation, transportation, and infrastructural facilities. Primary data were collected through interview of 160 persons of 8 tourists/pilgrims centres who are involved in tourism activities. Further, we employed a participatory observation method after an extensive visit of Gangotri tourisms/pilgrims circuit in January 2017. Secondary data were collected from the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, Dehradun. We used correlation and rank method and analysed infrastructural facilities, carrying capacity dimensions, proposed destination development model for the circuit, and observed that a sustainable tourism development may enhance economic activities such as income generation and employment augmentation as the whole circuit obtains natural, cultural, and aesthetic importance.     

Research to Estimate and Manage Carrying Capacity of a Tourist Attraction: A Study of Alcatraz Island

Carrying capacity has been a long-standing issue in management of parks, outdoor recreation and tourism. Contemporary carrying capacity frameworks rely on formulation of indicators and standards of quality to define and manage carrying capacity. This paper describes a programme of research to support estimation and management of carrying capacity of Alcatraz Island, an historic site within Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California, USA, and a heavily visited tourist attraction. Research included: (1) a survey of visitors to Alcatraz Island to identify indicators and standards of quality for the visitor experience; and (2) development of a computer simulation model of visitor use to estimate maximum daily use levels without violating standards of quality. Study findings are used to estimate a range of carrying capacities for the prison cellhouse and for the island as a whole.     

Comparative Review of Research on Environmental Impacts of Tourism in English and Chinese Literatures

China is experiencing an increasingly high level of recreation and tourism use of its environments but only limited studies of the environmental impacts of tourism have been published. This paper is based upon a collection of research papers on the environmental impacts of tourism in English and Chinese, especially research on carrying capacity and the physical impacts of tourism. The paper compares the characteristics of research in English and Chinese literatures. It shows that China lags behind the western world in this research field. Chinese researchers need to: (1) be more critical of the feasibility of carrying capacity applications; (2) introduce new technologies in their research on vegetation and soil; (3) know more about the buffering effects of different kinds of tourist trails such as boardwalks, concrete trails, cross-tie trails, cobble trails and so on; (4) try to shed light on possible positive impacts of tourism; and (5) pay more attention to the protection of environmentally sensitive areas. The paper also discusses the dilemmas of research on carrying capacity and environmental impacts.     

三类旅游容量研究方法比较

在可持续发展的研究热潮中,旅游容量是旅游研究的热点和难点.本文将现有旅游容量理论分为三类,通过这三类理论的研究分析对当前旅游容量理论存在的问题提出质疑.在此基础上对现有旅游容量理论遇到的发展瓶颈进行了反思,认为对游客行为细分研究和累积效应是其关键所在,同时对旅游容量理论的研究提出一种新思路并进行了初步尝试.最后,对旅游容量研究的发展脉络进行总结,提出了改进意见.     

Evaluating the Tourism Potential of Public Museums in Hangzhou: A Supply-Side Perspective

This is a qualitative study to evaluate the tourism potential of public museums from a supply-side perspective. Nine specialized public museums in Hangzhou were evaluated based on six criteria: cultural, physical, product, experiential, marketing, and leadership. The overall tourism potential was rated as moderate for the museums in Hangzhou. Poor accessibility, isolation from tourism nodes, lack of complementarity with peripheral attractions, and limited carrying capacity impair the museums' appeal to tourists. The local government's proactive intention to develop cultural tourism and the innovative marketing efforts adopted by a few museums certainly help to enhance the museums' tourism potential.     

An application of tourism carrying capacity assessment at two Italian cultural heritage sites

If not properly managed or organized, tourist flows can constitute a risk for conserving cultural heritage sites. It may therefore be important to estimate the maximum capacity a visitor site can receive without compromising its heritage integrity or visitors’ experiences. This research note formulates a comprehensive methodology to assess the carrying capacity of cultural heritage sites as a way of providing technical support for cultural development and tourism management policies. This approach proposes a combination of qualitative and quantitative indicators to assess tourist flows at a site, how tourists affect conservation and how the property itself shapes and conditions the visitor experience. This how-to study underscores the management system and suggests guidelines to improve the tourism product without generating negative impacts on the built heritage. Two museum case studies are highlighted – the National Museum of the arts of the XXI Century, in Rome and the National Gallery of Marche (Palazzo Ducale, in Urbino).     

A “load-carrier” perspective approach for assessing tourism resource carrying capacity

To address the challenge of global tourism resources being overloaded or underutilization, there requires an adequate method for assessing the tourism resource carrying capacity (TRCC). However, the majority of previous evaluation perspectives on TRCC are limited by thresholds. This paper develops an innovative approach for assessing TRCC from the “load-carrier” perspective. TRCC is assessed by exploring the interaction between the carriers and loads of tourism resources. Chongqing city in China is employed as the case city to demonstrate the application of the established TRCC method. The conclusions are as follows: 1) This study elaborates the new connotation of TRCC from the perspective of “load-carrier”, and establishes the TRCC evaluation system based on the dynamic relationship between the carrier and load of tourism resources. 2) The proposed TRCC evaluation method is proved effective through an empirical study of Chongqing. 3) Chongqing's case unveils that the overload performance of TRCC can be dynamically monitored and predicted. By applying the TRCC evaluation methodology developed in this study, tourism managers and policymakers can identify whether it is the load or the carrier of tourism resources that affect the performance of TRCC, thereby taking targeted policy measures to eliminate potential risks of overload or underutilization.     

生态旅游与当地居民利益——肯尼亚生态旅游成功经验分析

生态旅游已成为当今世界旅游业的热点 ,然而不适当或不科学的生态旅游开发已使很多生态保护区遭受了不同程度的损坏。本文以曾经是世界生态旅游成功的典范国家肯尼亚为例 ,分析了生态旅游的成功与当地居民利益之间的关系 ,试图提供给旅游企业开发者和经营者一个发展良好生态旅游的借鉴。     

旅游绅士化:概念、类型与机制

在全球化背景下,旅游业愈益成为城市经济发展、竞争力提升的重要战略手段.在许多城市出现了投资较高、规模巨大的旅游休闲娱乐项目,这些大型旅游项目往往都与城市更新与改造紧密相关,深刻地影响着城市社会、经济、文化等各个方面,并逐渐形成一种旅游绅士化倾向,即通过大型旅游和娱乐项目开发而引起的城市中某些地域的重新建设,从而使其周边邻里地区发展成为富裕、独立区域的社会现象.本文依据依托物的不同,提出了3种旅游绅士化类型,借鉴旅游地生命周期理论,划分了旅游绅士化发展的4个阶段,并且分析了在全球与地方互动环境下,地方政府、房地产开发商在旅游绅士化中的作用机制,以及大型旅游休闲娱乐项目在重塑地区旅游和休闲娱乐环境中的重要角色.     

国内生态旅游环境承载力研究进展

进行生态旅游环境承载力理论与量化方法的研究,对于指导生态旅游可持续发展,协调旅游活动和环境的关系具有十分重要而迫切的现实意义。本文论述生态旅游环境承载力概念和理论发展过程,指出了生态旅游环境承载力具有主观性和客观性、区域性和时间性、动态性和可调控性、有限性和复杂性的主要特征。在此基础上,对目前国内用于生态旅游环境承载力评价指标和定量的方法进行分析,对生态旅游环境承载力研究的发展趋势进行了讨论。     

Resilience and sustainability: a complementary relationship? Towards a practical conceptual model for the sustainability–resilience nexus in tourism

“Sustainability” has endured as an important concept for tourism scholars, and volumes have been written about how to achieve this holy grail of the tourism industry. Sustainable tourism destinations are often promoted as the ethical choice for discerning travellers, with some marketers taking full advantage of the widely acknowledged ambiguities implicit in the term. More recently “resilience” has generated appeal in the academic tourism literature as a term that might capture core aspects of sustainability, while acknowledging the considerable influences that multiple contexts have on the capacity of communities to adapt and ultimately sustain their tourism enterprises. The resilience concept encompasses an inclusive and integrative “social ecological systems” approach which gives it a firm interdisciplinary underpinning in its application in tourism. While in a tourism context sustainability and resilience are kindred terms, relatively little scholarly effort has been committed to a critical treatment of these concepts. Addressing this deficiency, we present a conceptual model to discuss the relationship between sustainability and resilience in tourism. Drawing on examples from New Zealand's nature-based tourism sector, this conceptual paper explores the insights that a critical treatment of the sustainability–resilience nexus might offer both academics and practitioners in the field of tourism studies.     

Sustainable human resource management as a driver in tourism policy and planning: a serious sin of omission?

This paper focuses on the neglect of an employment or workforce focus in policy engagement and planning for sustainable tourism. Tourism is of interest here because there is an established role for government and the private sector in policy engagement and strategic planning with respect to product development, infrastructure, marketing and human resource capacity and the focus has increasingly emphasised sustainable goals within this process. The discussion addresses the central role of people and work within concepts of sustainability and sustainable communities and questions why this has been, substantially, ignored in tourism. The paper starts by recognising the interconnectedness of employment in tourism and its workforce concerns with a wide range of inter-linked policy and operational considerations. This, in turn, points to the utility of the sustainable HRM model as a means by which to frame tourism work. Thereafter, this paper introduces new approaches through the proposal of sustainability indicators that have both theoretical and practical policy formation value in relation to the workforce. These sustainable employment capacity, service delivery capacity and service quality capacity with which policy-makers can gauge their readiness for sustainable growth in tourism employment. The research and application implications for this approach are discussed.     

Smart governance for heritage tourism destinations: Contextual factors and destination management organization perspectives

The sustainable development of tourism is a major concern for destination management organisations (DMOs) in heritage tourism. Smart tourism advocates claim that technologically-driven innovations can help DMOs to optimise tourism development by addressing issues such as carrying capacity, stakeholder management and community involvement. This study enhances the understanding of smart tourism governance (SG), showing how contextual factors affect DMO perspectives of SG. A mixed-methods approach was used to investigate heritage tourism destinations in the United Kingdom. The results demonstrate that well-established DMOs do not perceive SG as potentially beneficial, as they already perform well in many areas in which SG promises improvements, such as citizen engagement, decision-making, and stakeholder engagement. Despite this, this research highlights the aspects of SG that these destinations can take advantage of as social inclusion, environmental performance and the provision of citizen-centric services. All of these can help heritage tourism destinations to optimise their tourism development. This research additionally demonstrates the effect of contextual factors, such as the level of public-sector support for tourism and the growing influence of non-tourism stakeholders in destination management, on DMO perceptions of SG and makes recommendations for how developments in the use of SG by DMOs can be made, in light of these.