Marketing Ecotourism Through the Internet: A Case of Ecotourism Business in Thailand

The advance of Internet technology is having a profound impact on the traditional modes of selling tourism products and contributing to the growing importance of online marketing of the travel and tourism industry. In the case of ecotourism, studies examining Internet-based ecotourism marketing are still limited. This study aims to examine how ecotourism business is marketed through the Internet by focusing on Thai ecotourism business. Subjects investigated are travel business members listed on the website of the Thai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA). Data are qualitatively analyzed using content analysis to examine marketing and ecotourism web-based context promoted through the Internet. The results indicate that the travel companies examined in this study provide a variety of products and services to meet the diverse travel needs and preferences of tourists. When examining the web-based ecotourism marketing, most businesses provide insufficient marketing and ecotourism information to promote ecotourism experience. In particular, ecotourism messages they provide are only partially aligned with ecotourism principles. Recommendations are given for improving online ecotourism marketing to better satisfy tourists' needs and expectations.     

Tourism trends in Scandinavia

The four countries of Scandinavia are among the most prosperous and leisureoriented societies in the world. The author traces recent tourism trends, and especially their growth, in holiday-taking in these countries. It is apparent that there is still room for growth in the future.     

Planning for Sustainable Ecotourism: The Case for Research Ecotourism in Developing Country Destinations

Research ecotourism is a relatively new component of activities within the ecotourism industry, providing research opportunities for visitors focusing on aspects of the natural environment which are principally located in developing countries. This paper is directed towards identifying the nature and causes of socio-cultural impacts of this strand of ecotourism using a case study from Indonesia. The positive nature of socio-cultural impacts perceived by host communities alongside the irregular nature of economic benefits to host communities is analogous with the altruistic surplus theory of individual recognition of communal benefits. Certain characteristics of research ecotourists are identified as contributing towards host reactions towards visitors which reinforce the contention that this is a desirable form of ecotourism in similar locations.     

旅游文化与文化旅游:理论与实践的若干问题

“旅游文化”与“文化旅游”是两个容易被混淆的概念,也是两个应该引起重视的研究领域。本文从对比这两个概念在国内外的研究状况入手,辨析了这两个概念的含义及其研究范畴,指出目前研究的局限和应有的研究框架,并分析其相应的实践应用方向。     

Tourism Research Methods: Integrating Theory with Practice

This paper proposes that the development of the tourism accommodation sector in Vietnam, since the inauguration of the open door policy within the reform programme of doi moi, can be divided into five periods. This periodization is based on a study and analysis of the evolving roles of accommodation-providers in Vietnam tourism and the shifting patterns of state-owned enterprises, foreign direct investment and private businesses/small and medium-sized enterprises in this sector. Each period, and each transition between consecutive periods, is investigated in terms of the dynamics of interrelations between public, private and foreign operators, and the interaction of the accommodation sector with other political, social and economic factors in Vietnam during this era of transition. The paper concludes by identifying factors and trends that best characterize the evolution of Vietnam's tourism accommodation sector over the last two decades.     

生态旅游及其局限性:基于营销视角的认识与思考

基于同世界旅游组织有关研究接轨的立场，本文讨论了生态旅游概念的规范化问题；在对此前有关认识进行重新思考的同时，从市场营销视角探讨一些新的认识层面。     

Why Tour Guiding is Important for Ecotourism: Enhancing Guiding Quality with the Ecotourism Promotion Policy in Japan

The Ecotourism Promotion Policy in Japan requires tour guiding to be employed, although it provides little rationale for it. This paper reviews the literature to illustrate why tour guiding is important for achieving policy and ecotourism goals in order to support this requirement. An overview of ecotourism policy in Japan is provided, contributions of tour guiding to achieving the policy and ecotourism goals are described, and approaches to strengthening current practices along with the policy are discussed. It is suggested that non-profit organizations offer training to impart knowledge about guiding roles and interpretation at a national level and that ecotourism promotion councils teach knowledge about ecotour products and tourists at a regional level.     

Conference Report: The World Ecotourism Summit

This paper uses an actor-network perspective on innovation to examine the introduction of a mandatory product-oriented environmental management system (in Dutch: Product en MilieuZorg or PMZ) for Dutch outbound tour operators by the Netherlands Association of Tour Operators (VRO). In-depth interviews and a quantitative analysis of the actions taken by 126 outbound tour operators revealed that the introduction of the PMZ was extensively negotiated. The results show the various stages of implementation and three types of tour operators: ‘unconvinced minor participants’, ‘open-minded yet sceptical participants’, and ‘loyal actors’. The analysis also demonstrates that on average, tour operators made 13.6 actions, which is almost three times the minimum requirement (five) set by the VRO. Between them, the 126 tour operators have undertaken a total of 1710 actions, of which over 87% concern the environmental dimension of sustainability. Unquestionably, the introduction of PMZ helped tour operators to identify some of the environmental consequences of their operations, and to single out and implement environmental friendly initiatives. However, the rather general criteria and lax entry requirements at this stage led to an abundance of proposed actions by tour operators that were often ‘soft’ and indeterminate. New rounds of translations are necessary to maintain the momentum.     

Ecotourism and conservation: factors influencing effective conservation messages

Environmental education and interpretation have largely focused on individual mechanisms (e.g. cognitive processes) leading to intention and behavioural change. Less has been said about the role of the situation and communication processes between tour guides and tourists in ecotourism experiences. This paper examines the role of interpreters and individuals as jointly influencing the effectiveness of communicating conservation messages. A survey of over 1500 visitors was undertaken to ascertain the factors crucial to whether visitors received a conservation message in an ecotourism setting. The results indicate a three-tier effect: individual characteristics, specifically respondent's age, were initially important. The second tier represents the impact of conservation-related information from the tour guide/interpreter. This information acts as a stimulus to the third and most crucial tier of influence – visitor empowerment. The tertiary stage comprises a two-way communication process that influences a positive conservation message. The process involves the interpreter suggesting positive conservation action that translates into what we term “a locus of responsibility” for the visitor and subsequent higher levels of satisfaction. All of these drive effective communication of conservation message comprehension.     

Bridging the Divide Between Theory and Practice

Abstract

Experiential learning approaches such as role-play have been found to be valuable methods of bridging the divide between academic knowledge and practical skills, a problem often cited in tourism and hospitality management education. Such approaches have been found to contribute towards deeper learning by enhancing students' interest, motivation, participation, knowledge and skill development. This paper reports on the implementation of an experiential learning approach designed to encourage and facilitate deeper learning approaches, with the contributing aims of providing students with a more interesting learning experience and a broader set of skills for future employment.     

Ecotourism in rural developing communities

This paper considers the ad hoc development of ecotourism at Ostional, Costa Rica, and the potential benefits for the local community in the absence of government planning or intervention. In 1995, only four percent of Ostional households identified tourism as a source of income; however, this was substantial in comparison to that derived from other economic activities. While most Ostional residents had positive attitudes toward tourism, they had limited awareness of employment or investment opportunities. Lack of awareness, along with increased activity by outside investors, suggests that, in the absence of formalized planning or intervention, the possibilities for the community at Ostional to further benefit from tourism development will be limited.     

Stakeholder Subjectives Toward Ecotourism Development using Q methodology: The Case of Maha Ecotourism Site in Pyeongchang,Korea

Ecotourism needs ecological sensitivity and respect for the ecological culture of local residents. From this perspective, listening to the opinion of local residents, collaborating with the local residents in conjunction with an appropriate governance structure, is of prime importance in ecotourism. However, many ecotourism sites have numerous problems because of conflicts among stakeholders such as local government and local residents. This study investigates the conflicts and the stakeholders’ subjectives in the case of Maha ecotourism site in Pyeongchang-gun, the site of the 2018 Winter Olympic games. Before the analysis, the conflicts seem to be caused by the different attitudes of government officials and local residents’ representatives. From the analysis of subjectives, the difference in attitudes is caused by generation gaps. Young people show relatively uniform attitudes, where different occupation sectors exert little influence. It means that conflicts can be decreased if more opportunities for council participation are allowed. Young people have few consideration about ecology and tradition. The ecological and traditional lessons of the older generation are needed for young people. This study shows that conflicts between development and conservation are caused by the different attitudes represented in different generation, and hence plans for harmonizing different generation should be considered.     

Ecotourism,NGOS and Development

The paper seeks to address two specific questions. First, does the existence of polluted waters impact on the levels of satisfaction experienced by visitors to Chinese lakes? Second, does the local tourism industry (represented by a sample of hotel managers) correctly assess the importance of place attributes as assessed by visitors? The data presented are obtained from a sample of 913 visitors to four polluted lakes that are holiday or day visit locations and from 121 managers of hotels in those same areas. The evidence suggests that polluted areas can still function successfully as tourist locations because visitors in these instances view the lakescapes as part of a wider attraction that includes a built environment but that the hotel industry over-emphasises the importance of that built structure as a contributor to tourist place experience. Limitations to the research include the role played by an aesthetic gaze, which may have more importance within a Chinese culture than among Western counterparts because, particularly for the older Chinese, concepts of harmonization with nature are directed through the visual senses and references to classical literature rather than physical participation in water-based sports.