Limits to community participation in the tourism development process in developing countries

This study deals with a normative concept of participatory development approach, which originates in the developed world. In particular, it analyses and explains the limitations to the participatory tourism development approach in the context of developing countries. It was found that there are operational, structural and cultural limits to community participation in the TDP in many developing countries although they do not equally exist in every tourist destination. Moreover, while these limits tend to exhibit higher intensity and greater persistence in the developing world than in the developed world, they appear to be a reflection of prevailing socio-political, economic and cultural structure in many developing countries. On the other hand, it was also found that although these limitations may vary over time according to types, scale and levels of tourism development, the market served, and cultural attributes of local communities, forms and scale of tourism developed are beyond the control of local communities. It concludes that formulating and implementing the participatory tourism development approach requires a total change in socio-political, legal, administrative and economic structure of many developing countries, for which hard political choices and logical decisions based on cumbersome social, economic and environmental trade-offs are sine qua non alongside deliberate help, collaboration and co-operation of major international donor agencies, NGOs, international tour operators and multinational companies.     

World Heritage Site selection in sensitive areas: Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The legacy of UNESCO World Heritage (WH) designation is renowned and for that reason is subject to increased visitor arrivals. This research-based article examines the issues associated with the selection of WH sites in one among the most remote and sensitive environments of the world, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India (ANI). It explores the benefits of sustainable tourism development and conservation measures that the designation could bring to the ANI. The appropriate research methods adopted to consult a wide range of stakeholders are discussed while addressing the challenges facing the potential properties. This article was written from outside of the official WH designation process.     

Sustainable tourism and social value at World Heritage Sites: Towards a conservation plan for Altamira,Spain

This study aims to identify the factors that constitute the social value of heritage in relation to sustainable tourism. To do so, this paper provides a theoretical contribution by unifying the fields of heritage management and sustainable tourism through a mixed-method approach. It showcases the social dimension of the World Heritage Site of Altamira, Spain, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Research findings provide information about the multiple factors determining the social value of heritage, namely: existential, aesthetic, economic, and legacy values and the risks associated with underestimating the contemporary social value. Ultimately, this research paves the way for improving normative approaches toward sustainable tourism and, offers practical solutions to the challenges faced by the Altamira and other World Heritage Sites.     

Heritage protection and tourism development priorities in Hangzhou, China: A political economy and governance perspective

Government interventions can be important for determining priorities between heritage protection and tourism-related development at heritage sites. This paper uses a political economy approach to examine the government’s role in determining these priorities in China, for two heritage schemes at West Lake in the city of Hangzhou. The study considers policy making for heritage protection and tourism development in the context of broad economic and political circumstances, the power and influence of different actors in the schemes’ governance, strategic selectivity in the policy choices, and whether views about the policies exhibited a uniform hegemony among powerful and less influential groups. Consideration is given to how the relative priority for heritage protection and tourism development in policies reflected the state’s regulation of the economy and maintenance of its political legitimacy. A powerful policy community was found that was beginning to consider other actors’ views, but tourism development remained a prominent driver.     

Organisational change towards LGBTQ+ inclusion in hospitality and tourism: Managerial perspectives

The economic significance of LGBTQ+ inclusion has been globally recognised by the hospitality and tourism sectors. This study aimed to explore how hospitality and tourism businesses promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and identify challenges in implementing LGBTQ+ inclusive strategies in Asia. By using a qualitative approach with pragmatic paradigm, this study conducted in-depth interviews with 10 senior-level executives in corporations that play a prominent role in promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion across hospitality and tourism sectors. An LGBTQ+ inclusion model was also developed based on ‘unfreeze-change-(re)freeze’ theory to further understand organisational change with nonlinear, interconnected, interactive and iterative orientations. Thematic and document analyses identified four essential elements of change, namely, policies and structures, internal communication, learning and development and public engagement. Management support was also identified as an effective moderator for improving the operationalisation of the model.     

Modeling venture capital networks in hospitality and tourism entrepreneurial equity financing: An exponential random graph models approach

This study examines how venture capital (VC) networks form when financing hospitality and tourism start-ups. We propose that networks form as a result of exogenous attributes along with endogenous dependencies, which have been largely under-studied in the hospitality and tourism finance literature. Using a purposefully developed dataset of 644 VC investment deals, this study employed exponential random graph models (ERGMs) to examine how homophily in VC investor-specific attributes influences the tie formation, and to model the likelihood of future tie formation in VC networks in terms of endogenous dependencies. Results reveal that homophily among VC investors increases the likelihood of tie formation, while the establishment of future ties shows a significant tendency of multiple triangulation and connectivity in VC networks. The study provides insights into entrepreneurial equity financing from the VC perspective. It advances the network research and methodology by revealing the underlying structural processes of network formation through ERGMs.