The effect of tourism activity on housing affordability

Although researchers have confirmed the impact of tourism on housing prices in many destinations affected with overtourism, they do not consider housing affordability in relation to the population's income levels. This study explores the relationship between tourism activity and housing affordability, using a sample of Croatian municipalities. Specifically, the study investigates how tourist accommodation, concentration, seasonality and overall vulnerability to tourism influence housing affordability in this emerging tourism-driven European country. The results obtained reveal tourism intensification's deteriorating effect on local residents' abilities to afford housing. The findings indicate a particularly strong tourism seasonality impact, suggesting the presence of common negative externalities, such as employment fluctuations, difficulties in maintaining economic status, and revenue instabilities, in localities prone to seasonal tourism fluctuations.     

Tourism,seasonality and social change

This paper examines various aspects of seasonality in recreational travel and tourism. There is an institutionalized and a natural seasonality which both affect tourism. Since tourist seasonality is subject to change and the appraisal of climatic resources for recreation varies from culture to culture, a historical and cross-cultural perspective is necessary. In advanced western societies a swift change of place and season is possible, so that travel agencies are able to offer particular seasonal environments, which could also be understood on a global scale as ‘space-time packages’. Seasonality is usually a problem for a regional tourist service system. An economically-oriented policy stresses a more evenly-spread tourist seasonality. This may also be beneficial for the social environment and ecological base of a tourist region.     

Tourism seasonality in cultural destinations: Empirical evidence from Sicily

Seasonality is one of the main phenomena affecting tourism. It depends on the characteristics of both tourism demand and tourism destinations in terms of location and services supplied. This paper focuses on a particular aspect of tourism supply: the cultural attractiveness of tourism destinations, and aims to evaluate the role of cultural tourism in tourism seasonality. We analyze the seasonality of tourist presence in different destinations in Sicily, selected according to their different degree of cultural attractiveness. The methodology adopted to measure seasonality is based on a regression analysis approach, using the Census-X12-Arima procedure. Results are discussed and some policy implications are derived.     

The impact of tourism in the Caribbean: A methodological study

Hills, Theo L. and Lundgren, Jan, “The Impact of Tourism in the Caribbean—A Methodological Study,” Annals of Tourism Research, Vol.IV, No.5, May/September 1977, pp. 248–267. The paper examines some economic, cultural and ecological problems arising from the impact of tourism in the Caribbean. Special attention is given to the nature and mechanism of the international tourist system and to the possibility of predicting saturation of tourist destinations by means of an irritation index. Types of data reflecting “space” as a resource are related to many types of tourist data, including a “seasonality index”.     

Temporary population estimates of mass tourism destinations: The case of Benidorm

Benidorm (Spain) is a large-scale tourism destination on the Mediterranean coast, and its temporary population can be divided into users of regulated tourist accommodation and unregistered visitors, as occurs in other destinations. The number of these different types of unregistered temporary inhabitants should be estimated separately to gauge more accurate population figures in tourist destinations which are subject to seasonality. Indicators such as drinking water consumption or solid waste generation are used to estimate the number of unregistered visitors. The results reveal that the average total population of Benidorm at least doubles the registered resident population. Additionally, a population density index has been calculated to assess urban sustainability. The methodology adopted can be applied to other case studies in order to estimate total populations, which is vital for the adequate provision of public services.     

Seasonality and regional productivity in the Spanish accommodation sector

This study quantifies the impact of peak demand and seasonality on regional productivity in the Spanish accommodation sector. We then identify factors affecting seasonal fluctuations and their relative contributions to regional variations in seasonality. The results show that demand for accommodation in the peak season mainly determines productivity. Thus, improving a region's attractiveness as a tourist destination is most effective for tourism-based regional development. In addition, reducing seasonal variations has a non-negligible impact on productivity. A decomposition analysis reveals that providing climate-independent tourist attractions and attracting business travelers are effective in reducing seasonality.     

Synergy and congestion in the tourist destination life cycle

Discussion of agglomeration and clustering in the tourist area life cycle (TALC) literature has not led to a corresponding change of the principal equation used to formalize the model. This paper proposes a modification that accounts for the synergies between the accommodation, entertainment, and other components of a tourist destination. The modified model is contrasted with the original TALC and estimated for a cross-section of Caribbean and other island destinations. Estimations based on visitor expenditures and experts' evaluations of destination authenticity are compared. The results illustrate how parameters representing synergy and congestion vary across tourism styles and time. The implications for destination growth are illustrated by comparing the solution to the proposed model with the TALC. The model exposes a core dilemma that while destinations should realize positive synergies to achieve self-sustaining growth, with this threshold achieved, the resulting pace of investment may drive destinations to overshoot, and uneven growth.     

Seasonality of hotel demand in the main Spanish provinces: Measurements and decomposition exercises

This paper analyses the seasonal concentration of tourist activity in the main Spanish provinces for the period 1999–2012, taking hotel nights as the indicator of reference. We propose using several standard summary measures in order to evaluate the level, evolution and some decompositions. Our main results can be summarized as follows: first, across the whole country and especially since 2007, there is a growth in seasonality; second, seasonal concentration is greatest in the Balearic Islands and two of the Catalan provinces, and least in Madrid and the Canary Island provinces; third, although the overall patterns typically agree, nevertheless, in some provinces the indexes we deal with show some discrepancies; fourth, the decomposition of the monthly concentration by major markets typically indicates the main role played by the foreign component; finally, the overall evidence does not support the thesis that the domestic market offsets the foreign one.     

Climate suitability for tourism in South Africa

Tourism Climate Indices (TCIs) have been used extensively in the global North to quantify the climatic suitability of tourist destinations. TCIs have very seldom been applied in the global South. This gap in the literature is significant, due to the considerable growth that tourism sectors in the global South have experienced over recent decades. Moreover, many of these countries seldom have the infrastructure to modify indoor climates and effectively mitigate against poor weather. We present TCI results for 18 tourist destinations across South Africa. With mean annual TCI scores for the period 1995–2015 spanning 76.5 for Port Nolloth to 93 for the Pilansberg, the comparatively favourable climatic conditions in South Africa relative to much of Europe and North America is confirmed. There is distinct seasonality in TCI scores for the majority of study locations, yet the dichotomy between the South African summer and rainfall zones ensure a net balance in climatic suitability countrywide year-round. Time trends in TCI scores over recent decades indicate non-significant change for the majority of locations, and all significant trends indicate slight improvements in the climatic suitability for tourism. These results present a promising outlook of sustained climatic suitability of the region for tourism.     

Seasonal concentration of the hotel demand in Costa del Sol: A decomposition by nationalities

Costa del Sol is a mature Mediterranean destination in the South of Spain with a degree of seasonality that has shown little variation during the last 20 years. In this paper, we apply the decomposition of the Gini index of seasonal concentration by nationalities. The main outcome of this decomposition is the estimation of relative contributions to the overall seasonal concentration and marginal effects by nationalities. These measures can be of great help in the design of counter-seasonal policies. Our results suggest that planners interested in reducing seasonality may concentrate their efforts in consolidating markets with negative marginal effect over the index of concentration, like the British and Nordic ones. In addition, marketing targets may be focused primarily in the winter season for the markets with positive relative marginal effect.     

A spatial approach for the management of groundwater quality in tourist destinations

Water resources and tourism need to be thought of in an integrated way, in order to provide urban planners and tourism managers with tools to promote water security and water equity. The objective of this paper was to apply an index capable of identify problems at the water-tourism interface, based on a spatial approach in GIS, meant to support the management of groundwater quality in tourist destinations. This index was applied to a tourist destination in northeastern Brazil, which uses groundwater to maintain its tourism infrastructure. The geographic phenomenon analyzed showed a spatial pattern between water use and tourism, with probable influences in hydrochemistry of groundwater. We suggest that the use of the propose index associated to GIS may be part of strategic planning efforts contemplating the interaction between tourism, urban management and water security, thus guaranteeing the infrastructure essential to strengthening the economy of a tourist destination.     

高速铁路影响下的全国旅游景点可达性研究

世界旅游强国离不开良好交通的支持,而作为交通中非常重要的高速铁路的快速发展,必将有力地促进区域旅游的发展。文章探讨了2020年全国高铁网络影响下旅游景点可达性空间格局及其变化,分析旅游目的地与客源地市场空间格局变化特征,在全国尺度下定量分析高速铁路建设对旅游客源地与目的地可达性的影响。测度2020年规划高铁通车前后旅游可达性空间格局与变化。结果显示:高铁开通后,高铁沿线城市可达景点数量显著增加;尤其是"日"字形高铁沿线城市与景点的增加值最高,将成为我国重要旅游经济带,高铁沿线城市与景点是高铁网络效应的主要受益者,高铁服务带来了时空压缩效应,即高铁的开通不仅缩短旅游客源地和目的地之间的时间距离、加强了两地之间的联系,也实现了旅游者跨区域的快速外部交通,而这种快捷效应的延续同样离不开城市内部交通网络的优化,缩短中心城市到旅游景区的时间,将会进一步增强景区的吸引力。     

Tourism climate information based on human thermal perception in Taiwan and Eastern China

Human thermal perceptions are closely related to success in the tourism sector. However, a single climatic parameter or thermal index based on empirical equations cannot fully assess the thermal conditions at tourist destinations. While examining Taiwan and Eastern China, this study attempts to determine tourist thermal perceptions based on physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) and thermal comfort classifications (TPCs) for temperate and (sub)tropical regions. Seasonal distribution maps of PET indicate that Taiwan and Eastern China are perceived as comfortable during spring and autumn for those residing in temperate regions, while only the southern region during spring and the northern region during summer are perceived as comfortable for those residing in (sub)tropical regions. Furthermore, the annual thermal comfort distribution (ATCD) is determined to identify comfortable months for 20 tourist destinations. The PET frequencies, which are calculated using hourly climate data, describe climate variability and change. This climate information will prove useful to tourism authorities, travel agencies, resorts and tourists.     

Tourist accommodation in Spain 1971–1981

This article presents an analysis of the spatial distribution and structure of the tourist accommodation supply in Spain throughout the 1970s. The analysis demonstrates substantial growth in tourist accommodation on a national scale with little change in the pattern of spatial differentiation. There was also found to be more variety in accommodation provision than is indicated by Spain's package-holiday image. Further diversification should stimulate market demand, and with this aim the Spanish government is promoting inland destinations in an effort to change the “sun-sand-sea” market image.     

Behavioural adaptation to climate change among winter alpine tourists: an analysis of tourist motivations and leisure substitutability

Understanding market responses to climate change impacts has important implications for the sustainability of Australia's winter tourism destinations. Utilising a framework incorporating push–pull tourist motivations and the theory of leisure substitutability, this study sought to explore how winter tourists in Australia will adapt to changes in snow cover in Australia's alpine regions under future climate change scenarios. The results of a questionnaire completed by 231 respondents indicated that tourist motivations were related to behavioural adaptation, and that there is a general preference among the current winter market for spatial substitution in the event of poor snow. Those motivated by recreation specialisation or snow-related attributes were likely to opt for spatial substitution, while tourists motivated by self-expression and après ski activities displayed resilience to poor snow conditions. The results demonstrate a clear division between leisure-driven tourists who valued participation in sport, and experience-driven tourists, who displayed higher resilience to reduced snow under projected climate change scenarios. These results have practical implications for winter tourism destinations, both in terms of targeting experience-driven tourists in the case of reduced snow as well as the longer term sustainability and viability of winter tourism destinations.     

旅游地社会文化环境变迁机制试研究

本文探讨的重点,包括以下方面:①制约旅游地社会文化环境变迁的动因在于外界旅游流对旅游地的静态平衡系统产生冲击和干扰,分析旅游地社会文化环境变迁,必须从构成“流“的要素入手;②旅游者及其携带而来的物能流与旅游地各主体要素(政府机构、旅游企业、旅游地原生居民等)的竞争与协调产生旅游地社会文化环境变迁的动力机制.     

Tourist responses to climate change: Potential impacts and adaptation in Florida's coastal destinations

Florida, one of the world's most visited tourist destinations, holds one of the most vulnerable positions as a result of climate change. Through a quantitative survey, this study gathered the responses of 432 tourists who had previously visited Florida, with a hypothetical scenario of changed climatic conditions. The examination of the tourist perspective showed the presence of ample sunshine and factors related to beach comfort as the reasons for choosing the destination. In a scenario were beaches disappear and tropical diseases become more widespread, the majority of respondents stated they would choose a different destination. However, respondents would reconsider their intentions if adaptation measures such as reduced prices, coastal habitat conservation and measures to protect beaches from erosion and coastal areas from inundation were in place. The findings suggest that seasonal and geographic shifts in tourism demand could be mitigated by the implementation of adaptation measures at the destination level.     

Yearly,monthly and weekly seasonality of tourism demand: A decomposition analysis

Annual seasonal variations in tourism demand have been a central theme in literature. However, annual seasonality is not the only time-based inequality in tourism flows that has important implications on policy-making decisions at destinations. Within the context of tourism, this study aims to make an in-depth analysis of intra-monthly and intra-weekly tourism demand using the entropy and relative redundancy measures as alternative seasonality indicators to the Gini coefficient in order to provide new tools to manage tourism and propose new action policies at these frequencies. In comparison with the Gini coefficient, the entropy measure is simpler to compute and it is easily decomposable. Using the case study of air arrivals and departures to and from the Balearic Islands, results show the appropriateness of entropy and relative redundancy as seasonal indicators but also as a new information tools for tourism seasonality analysis.     

Visitor cycles : Outlook for tourism in Lancaster County

Various writers have suggested that tourist areas undergo a cycle of evolution ending eventually in decline. This article suggests a five-stage evolutionary sequence appropriate to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, one of the leading tourist destinations in the United States. Elements of the County's physical and psychological carrying capacity are considered in ascertaining whether Lancaster County will undergo a significant permanent decline in tourist activity. The magnitude of possible future decline is influenced by relative location, diversity of the tourist base, and effectiveness of planning. Diversity and relative location clearly favor Lancaster County in comparison with competing tourist areas and will help to prevent significant long-term decline in number of visitors.