The concept of risk in nature-based tourism and recreation – a systematic literature review

Risk is a complex concept, with its conceptualizations depending on epistemological perspectives and methodological approaches of the various research disciplines it is embedded within. It was the aim of this literature review to provide a scientific basis to understand how current academic research has approached the phenomenon of risk in the context of nature-based tourism and recreation. Using a systematic quantitative literature review method, we assessed how risk was conceptualized in a selection of 59 original research papers that have been published in English language peer-reviewed academic journals from 2000 to 2015. We identified fundamental differences in the perspectives taken by researchers discussing risk. Whilst 37 papers (63%) viewed risk as a potential negative consequence of participating in recreational outdoor activities, 22 studies (37%) investigated risk as a meaningful component of the outdoor experience dimension. The presented review led to the identification of specific risk factors that increase the likelihood of negative outcomes as well as potential benefits from participation, and also offers an overview of underlying psychological processes involved in the participation in ‘risky’ nature-based activities. Further research implications are discussed.     

Air transport and tourism – a systematic literature review (2000–2014)

This paper reviews the literature at the intersection between air transport and tourism research. While air transport and tourism are mutually dependent sectors, there is little research on their interaction. A systematic literature review method was used to select and analyse relevant journal articles published in 54 Australian Business Dean Council (ABDC) A*, A, or B-ranked journals from 2000 to 2014. Research themes, leading researchers, their institutions, and geographical locations are discussed. An extended framework for classification of the literature is developed through the content and thematic analysis. Among the identified research themes, ‘environment’, ‘passengers’, and ‘airlines’ are found to be the most common. The use of a systematic review has identified gaps in the literature and directions for future studies. Some of the identified areas that are showing a growing interest in the interrelationship between aviation and tourism include air route/service development; passenger experiences; low-cost carriers and their impact on tourism; implications of new direct long-haul flights; and carbon offsets.     

A literature review of tourism management (1990–2013): a content analysis perspective

Tourism activities can refer to an extension of a brand–consumer relationship. While growth in many industries is flat, worldwide tourism revenues continue to grow. A literature review is not only a crucial endeavour for any academic research, but also the foundation and inspiration for substantial, useful research. Among extant studies on tourism management (TM), few are on literature review while most are concerned with specific issues or countries/areas. This paper aims to draw up an integrated framework of TM. Little effort has been made to systematically examine the vast TM-related literature so as to facilitate better understandings of TM. To eliminate the gap among the extant studies and develop the TM trajectory, a content analysis was undertaken using keywords “TM” in 5 online electronic databases from 1990 to 2013. Based on 773 articles, we discovered the number of publications on TM has significantly increased since 2000 and a steady growth since 2008. While 773 articles are scattered across 196 journals, most appeared in 11 academic journals. We also categorize articles into 10 conceptual groups based on a proposed conceptual framework. The main contribution is to provide a conceptual framework incorporating keyword indexes to operationalize the coverage of TM.     

天津国际航空物流中心发展对策探讨

为牢牢把握当下航空物流发展的利好趋势,高质量落实交通强市建设要求,在分析国内外航空物流发展现状的基础上,运用SWOT法从优势、劣势、机会、威胁4个维度,对天津国际航空物流中心发展的战略环境进行分析,并且从货源、通达性和服务3方面构建国际航空物流中心CCS模型,理清发展思路,提出天津国际航空物流中心建设优化对策,即培育稳定货源、优化现有航线网络结构、完善综合交通枢纽体系、优化综合营商环境、研究专项"客改货"和全货机保障方案、完善航空物流发展政策体系。     

Risk factors associated with flying in adverse weather: From the passengers' point of view

Risk factors on the demand side of aviation safety are rarely addressed as the focus of research is most often placed on the supply side of aviation service. Even though airlines have the prerogative to cancel flights in the face of adverse weather, stranded passengers have to be reckoned with in the event of cancellation. Passengers' awareness of the risks associated with flying in adverse weather may help mitigate the confrontation as well as induce passengers to take the lead in adopting preventive measures. The aim of this article is to study the attitudes air travelers say they have towards flying in adverse weather, as well as risk factors regarding cancellation of trips in adverse weather. A conceptual framework is presented which outlines the links between risk factors and preventive measures. Data generated from a quantitative survey of 1145 air travelers, conducted in July 2015 at Taiwan's Kaohsiung International Airport, is used to examine this framework using correlation analysis and one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA). The factors of trust, risk perception and domestic destination are found to be positively related to passengers' stated attitude toward taking preventive measures. Income, purpose of the trip and direct experience generate ambiguous results. The outcome also suggests the following paradox: while pilots make the final decision regarding aviation safety in adverse weather, they appear to enjoy the lowest level of passenger trust.     

The evolving landscape of Chinese aviation policies and impact of a deregulating environment on Chinese carriers

This paper examines the recent developments of China’s aviation polices focusing on airline consolidation, the opening up of the domestic aviation market, and the adoption of more liberal international aviation policy. It then goes onto assess the impacts of the above policies on the industry structure, the performance of major airlines, and the competitiveness of Chinese airlines in international markets. The study shows that the industry became more competitive following the opening up of the domestic aviation market. Although major airlines saw an increase in passenger volume and an improvement in load factors, the falling yield and rising costs make them difficult to grow profitably. Moreover, Chinese airlines largely failed to capitalise on building an international network and the majors were weak in international competition. Strategic use of aviation policy to build a strong and profitable airline industry is still a formidable task lying ahead for policymakers.     

Inventory optimization for a customer airline in a Performance Based Contract

The supply of spare parts has a crucial role in the aviation sector, mainly due to the high costs of spare parts and to the strict availability requirements. In a stand-alone scenario, an airline owns the spare parts and manages the maintenance tasks by itself. A new trend consists of not owning the spare parts and delegate the maintenance tasks to an external company, taking advantage of a specific Performance Based Contract (PBC). The PBCs aim to reduce the ownership cost for the customer airline, while ensuring a target system performance. Spare parts become a variable cost for the customer airline and a business income for the maintenance supplier, which is commonly another airline.This paper proposes an innovative model, i.e. the PBC-METRIC, which supports the customer airline manager to minimize the spare parts supply cost, in compliance with the airline availability requirements and with respect to the PBC. In detail, the PBC-METRIC models a multi-echelon, multi-item, single-indenture, multi-transportation network, by an innovative two-steps algorithm, defining the PBC specifications as modelling variables and parameters. A case study on a European airline, with the role of customer in a PBC, illustrates the outcome of the model.