Tea tourism development in Xinyang,China: Stakeholders' view

Tea continues to be a popular beverage in the world. As a new niche tourism market, tea tourism has developed both in China and many other countries for decades, but academic research has lagged behind tea tourism development. This paper focuses on stakeholders' views of tourism development, their potential roles and concerns in the case of tea tourism in Xinyang prefecture of central China. Interviews and open ended questionnaires were conducted in 2007 and 2008. Qualitative analysis indicates the following: 1) According to stakeholders' view, tea tourism development in Xinyang failed despite many good tea tourism attractions, and better tea tourism planning, marketing and collaboration between stakeholders in Xinyang is required for successful tea tourism development; 2) Local government, tea garden owners, media, travel agencies and tea tourists are thought to be the principal stakeholders with different roles to develop tea tourism; 3) Collaboration between stakeholders is crucial for tea tourism development. The implications of the findings are discussed with a view to permit recommendations to be made.     

Exploring event bundling: The strategy and its impacts

The objectives of this article are to explore the strategy of event bundling from the perspectives of varied event stakeholders including event organizers, event attendees, and destination marketing organizations (DMOs); and to examine the strategy's impacts on the relationships between perceived event value and visitors' trip outcome (perceived trip value and destination loyalty intention). Based on a mixed-method approach, the research first investigates stakeholders' perceptions and perceived value of event bundling from a qualitative approach in Study 1. It further tests a proposed framework through a quantitative approach in Study 2, in which two well-known events in Macau, China were chosen as an event bundle and a large sample of over 800 respondents were surveyed. Findings from the research advance the literature on event tourism and tourism product bundling practices. They further provide insights for DMOs and event planners in event policymaking and destination marketing.     

Stakeholder perception of regulating commercial tourism in Victorian National Parks,Australia

In 2013, the Victorian State Government, Australia, amended legislation to allow the private sector to build and operate tourism superstructure within National Park borders. This study utilised a theoretical regulatory framework to categorise the strategies which regulate commercial tourism in National Parks. Data pertaining to stakeholders' perceptions of the effectiveness of each strategy were collected. Stakeholders within this study sought a clearer government vision for tourism superstructure in National Parks, one which acknowledged conservation as priority and was supported by a more comprehensive regulatory system addressing potential impacts. The results from this study have practical implications for designing an efficacious regulatory system for tourism superstructure in National Parks. The findings suggest an efficacious regulatory system could increase stakeholder trust of and support for government regulatory efforts. This study provides a useful framework for future regulatory-focused studies and outlines the theoretical implications for future research in similar settings.     

Commercial hospitality in destination experiences: McDonald's and tourists' consumption of space

This paper examines the multiple roles that globalised, branded spaces of hospitality can play in tourists' experiences in destinations. It is argued that previous studies have not considered adequately how such commercial hospitality services and spaces interact with and influence tourists' experiences of places. Drawing on a netnographic analysis of online discussions of McDonald's, this study explores how tourists perceive these hospitality venues, and how they use them to engage with foreign destinations and negotiate the ‘work of tourism’. The data show how tourists (re)construct their identities through reflections on consuming McDonald's. The data also demonstrate that tourists critically evaluate discourses of authenticity and the (in)authenticity of consuming McDonald's. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for the marketing and management of McDonald's and similar branded commercial hospitality venues, the marketing and management of destinations, and it outlines avenues for further research.     

The multiple logics of tourism development in China

It has been widely demonstrated and accepted in the sustainable tourism literature that tourism development involves multiple stakeholders. However, little research has been conducted to examine the logics guiding and explaining the behaviours of the stakeholders in tourism development. Guided by the institutional logics perspective and stakeholder theory, this study identifies the logics of different stakeholders in China's tourism development through fieldwork in two tourism development cases (Yalong Bay and Haitang Bay) in Hainan Province and content analysis on secondary data from multiple sources. The logic of pursuing political legitimacy, the logic of fiscal income maximisation, the dual logics of the market and politics, and the logic of pursuing economic benefits were identified to be the dominant logics driving the behaviours of the central government, local government, tourism enterprises and local communities, respectively, in China's tourism development. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics of tourism development in China.     

Environmental orientations and environmental behaviour: Perceptions of protected area tourism stakeholders

There are numerous studies in the academic literature which assert that environmental attitudes can influence the process of sustainable tourism in protected areas. To test this claim, this research was undertaken in Central Karakoram National Park, Pakistan. The purpose of the research was to examine the differences in environmental orientations of four stakeholder groups associated with protected area tourism and to determine the factors that might influence their intentions to engage in environmentally responsible behaviour. The New Ecological Paradigm scale was used to assess environmental orientations. In addition, interviews were conducted to examine the factors that impacted these orientations. The results show significant differences among the stakeholders' orientations towards the environment and multiple factors that influence stakeholders' intention to engage in environmental conservation and sustainable tourism, namely economic benefits, awareness and information, top down governance and resource use rights.     

Are we any closer to sustainable development? Listening to active stakeholder discourses of tourism development in the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve,South Africa

‘Biosphere reserve’ is a United Nations (UN) designation stipulating that a region should attempt to follow the principles of sustainable development (SD). This paper adopts a stakeholder analysis framework to analyse the discourses of those tourism stakeholders who can actively affect SD in the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve (WBR), South Africa. Adopting an inductive qualitative methodology generated multiple research themes which were subsequently analysed using critical discourse analysis (CDA) techniques. These themes indicate that seeking SD in biosphere reserves is problematical when there are distinct ideological differences between active stakeholder groups and power relations are unequal. Adopting CDA allows us to make some sense of why this is the case as the technique appreciates not only how tourism development occurs, but also why it occurs in a particular way. This paper adds to the literature on stakeholder analysis in tourism specifically and also has wider implications for SD more generally.     

The salience of stakeholders in religious tourism: A case study of the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage

Previous studies have focused on the relationship between religious tourism and some of its stakeholders. However, tourism's success relies on the commitment of all stakeholders. Based on stakeholder theory, this study assesses the stakeholder salience of a mass folk religious pilgrimage, the Dajia Mazu pilgrimage in Taiwan, by using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The results indicate that temples, pilgrims, and host communities are more important than tourists, environment, businesses, and governmental bodies. Among the 18 contributions of all stakeholders, pilgrims' engagement, organizing temple management, food and drink sharing, host communities' engagement, and supporting temples' assistance are the most important. Organizers and administrators therefore need to identify key stakeholders and prioritize their contributions in managing pilgrimages and religious tourism.     

New Public Management in tourism: a case study of York

Issues concerning destination governance continue to engender much interest and debate in the development of more sustainable forms of tourism. This study explores the implications of a New Public Management approach to tourist destination governance in the historic City of York. Using secondary data, as well as drawing on interviews with a range of destination stakeholders, this study seeks to understand how market ideology is, via the notion of New Public Management, transforming tourism governance in the city. Rather than leading to greater levels of stakeholder engagement, the study demonstrates how the outsourcing of destination management functions to a private sector organisation has had the opposite effect, including a weakening of accountability and the widening of a democratic deficit. The paper provides a unique insight into how public policy discourses manifest themselves at the local level, with implications for tourist destination governance. A critique of New Public Management is offered which extends our understanding of tourism governance structures and stakeholder engagement, with implications for sustainable tourism development discussed.     

Constructing an intangible cultural heritage experiencescape: The case of the Feast of the Drunken Dragon (Macau)

Given the minimal attention that researchers have given to how various stakeholders contribute to festival experiencescapes in destination settings, this paper examines how an intangible cultural heritage (ICH) experiencescape is constructed, focusing on a local- and national-level listed heritage item in Macau. In-depth stakeholder interviews are conducted to identify involvement in the event by government officials, organizers, performers, shop owners and tourists. Organizers and performers were found to play key roles in delivering experiences and the researchers determined that participation by most visitors is spontaneous. Government plays a supporting and coordinating role, with local community representatives engaging actively in operational aspects. The participation by local shop owners in creating the experiencescape is modest. This study contributes to knowledge by proposing an ICH experiencescape framework that conveys a multidimensional “-scape” concept, and shows the progressive formation and refinement of experiences before, during, and after visitation.     

Tourism stakeholders’ perceptions of national park management in Norway

Local tourism firms represent an important stakeholder interest in national parks. The present study examines these stakeholders’ perceptions of management processes and their assessments of the resulting management plans and operations. This research is based on qualitative interviews with representatives of tourism businesses in two different national park settings in Norway – Rondane National Park and Jotunheimen National Park. The findings illustrate that despite their general support for the national park status, the local tourism stakeholders interviewed had experienced only minor involvement in the management planning process, and had had very little influence in the final management decisions. They believed that opportunities for business operations were lacking due to excessive management restrictions, and that managers lacked competence with regard to business management and tourism development issues. In addition, they thought that management authorities should more explicitly include sustainable tourism development in their visions and goals. Based on the findings, it is assumed that there is potential for local tourism operators to take greater responsibility in planning processes and management operations. It is concluded that measures should be taken to foster durable social links and trustworthy planning partnerships between responsible managers and local tourism stakeholders in the two national parks.     

(Re)Creating spaces for tourism: Spatial effects of the 2010/ 2011 Christchurch earthquakes

This paper applies an economic geographical perspective and Niche Construction Theory (NCT) to the spatial effects of the Christchurch earthquakes on the city's tourism and hospitality spaces. An analysis of policy and planning documents, relevant reports, and twenty-four semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders forms the empirical basis. Niche Construction Theory (NCT) offers an analytical framework to interpret the environmental selection pressures and key stakeholders' responses in the evolving environment. This paper illustrates the spatial reconstruction processes pertaining to urban tourism and the related hospitality industry after a major natural disaster. Emerging themes include displacement and relocation, demographic changes and market shifts for hospitality businesses.     

Determinants of tourism ticket pricing for ancient villages and towns: Case studies from Jiangsu,Zhejiang, Shanghai and Anhui provinces

Tourism in ancient villages and towns represents a typical form of heritage tourism in rural China. It has always been regarded as an effective way to promote cultural heritage protection and rural community development. However, this type of tourism involves many stakeholders with different interests and demands, which sometimes results in conflicts. In the process of protecting against heritage and tourism exploitation, tourism in ancient villages and towns can face numerous challenges. Among these is the mode of ticket pricing, which directly relates to the interests of each stakeholder, and problems of competing demands that may become the focus of disputes. Through field research and inductive analysis of the ancient villages and towns in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai and Anhui provinces, four kinds of ticket pricing is identified: (a) the fully enclosed charge mode with a single-ticket ticket system for whole scenic spots; (b) the half-closed charge mode with binding ticket system for some consumption items; (c) the half-opened charge mode with limited ticket system for some self-operated scenic spots; and (d) the fully opened charge mode with a free ticket system for the whole scenic spots.By comparing the similarities and differences of typical ancient villages and towns that have adopted differing charge modes, we conclude that resource grade, local condition, tourism market factors (e.g., size, range), product orientation, business value, participation of residents and profit model are the potential influencing factors for these modes. Resource grade and regional condition are two objective factors. The remaining five factors are subjective and are connected with interests of the four main stakeholders: the tourists visiting the ancient villages and towns; external merchants; community residents; and companies that are responsible for tourism management.From the four related stakeholders' behavioral responses to different ticket charge modes, we can see that the enclosed charges will affect tourists entering the ancient villages and towns, thus impeding foreign merchants' participation and strengthening each local company's dependence on tickets. Open charges will be more convenient in allowing visitors to enter the ancient towns and villages, and will attract foreign merchants to join in and thus increase cooperation with residents. The various stakeholders therefore have an influence on ticket charge mode, and the final choice about the mode is the result of balancing their competing rights and interests. The implications of each is discussed.     

Good governance in protected areas: an evaluation of stakeholders’ perceptions in British Columbia and Ontario Provincial Parks

As government funding is reduced and tourism-based fees are increasingly used to fund protected area operations, two options are often used for management: transfer of tourism services to the private sector or operation of tourism services by a government agency that functions like a corporation. This paper reports stakeholders’ views concerning governance for two prominent, but different, management models for protected areas’ tourism services in Canada. British Columbia Provincial Parks uses profit-making companies to deliver park services; Ontario Provincial Parks uses the parastatal approach, where park staff members provide most services directly. Surveys of five key stakeholder groups (park staff, visitors, contractors working in park, nearby residents and NGOs with an interest in parks) provided higher rankings of perceptions of governance criteria closer to good governance for the Ontario approach, with important differences found between some groups and amongst some criteria in both park systems. This research suggests that the parastatal model is perceived as superior by important stakeholder groups, using the lens of standard governance criteria, compared to the outsourcing model that uses profit-making companies to provide park tourism services. This finding has implications globally where governments seek to shift park funding from government towards tourism fees and charges.     

Tourism and health: using positive psychology principles to maximise participants’ wellbeing outcomes – a design concept for charity challenge tourism

This conceptual paper explores the use of psychology, especially positive psychology, to inform the design of travel experiences for a specific health outcome – enhanced participant wellbeing or mental health. It extends the concept of sustainable tourism as a tool for local, regional and societal improvement. Mental health is a growing issue in many developed countries: 30% of Australians report depressive symptoms, with implications for social sustainability. The paper reviews how positive psychology seeks to combine hedonic, eudemonic and social wellbeing into the integrated concept of “flourishing”, creating positive emotions, engagement, and meaning. It uses the charity challenge model to explore tourism experiences that enhance participant wellbeing. Charity challenges are participatory, group travel events combined with extended physical activity, awareness-raising, and fund-raising for charity. These events inherently combine recognised pathways to wellbeing, e.g. being active, doing something meaningful, giving, and connecting with others. Other principles from positive psychology, such as intentional and volitional activity, goal attainment, activation of signature strengths, experiencing positive emotions/gratification, and capitalisation on positive experiences, can be incorporated into the event design to foster wellbeing outcomes. The paper suggests how this design might take shape, as well as management implications and further research questions.     

Unpacking visitors' experiences at dark tourism sites of natural disasters

Visiting post-natural disaster sites has been burgeoning in recent years. Dark tourism at those settings has been utilised as part of relief and recovery strategies after natural disasters. This research, undertaken at four post-natural disaster sites, explores the onsite experience of 196 participants using semi-structured interviews and participant-generated photos. Findings indicate that experiencing a disaster context could be cognitive, emotional, introspective, sensory, relational and hedonic. Some experience dimensions, such as introspective and relational experiences, might help illuminate the value of promoting dark tourism at natural disasters. Experience discrepancy across multiple cases indicates the heterogeneity and malleability of visitors' experiences in the context. By depicting lived experiences of tourists, this study contributes to the understanding of the ways through which dark tourism sites at natural disasters are experienced and constructed as well as provides practical insights into tourist experience creation.     

Network science: A Review Focused on Tourism

This paper presents a review of the methods of the science of networks with an application to the field of tourism studies. The basic definitions and computational techniques are described and a case study (Elba, Italy) used to illustrate the effect of network typology on information diffusion. A static structural characterization of the network formed by destination stakeholders is derived from stakeholder interviews and website link analysis. This is followed by a dynamic analysis of the information diffusion process within the case destination demonstrating that stakeholder cohesion and adaptive capacity have a positive effect on information diffusion. The outcomes and the implications of this analysis for improving destination management are discussed.     

‘From the Flames to the Light’: 100 years of the commodification of the dark tourist site around the Verdun battlefield

In order to contribute to research on dark tourism, this article details the process of commodification of a dark site by adopting a supply approach. We empirically apply the dark tourism spectrum (Stone, 2006) to the battlefield of Verdun in France from 1916 to 2016. In doing so, we shed light on the relationship between the temporal distance from the tragic event and potential economic exploitation. Our findings reveal that commodification is possible from the very creation of the site and becomes more complex as temporal distance increases, notably due to the multiplicity of stakeholders and their incompatible interests. Our results contribute to the improvement of the dark spectrum; we add the stakeholders' structure as a new and dynamic attribute.     

乡村旅游发展与构建农村居民利益分享机制研究——以北京市海淀区西北部地区旅游业发展为例

文章运用利益相关者理论,对北京市海淀区西北部地区旅游发展中利益相关者的利益关系进行分析,提出构建乡村旅游的利益分享机制,通过为旅游行业提供公共服务、对旅游市场实施行业管理、向当地社区提供财政支持和转移支付等措施,达到了以旅游业发展促进农村居民等弱势群体增权的目的,进而实现区域旅游业的和谐发展.     

Augmented reality in the tourism industry: A multi-stakeholder analysis of museums

In places of tourist interest and attractions, such as museums, Augmented Reality (AR) is an emerging technology that enhances (through additional digital contents) and leverages visitor experience creating opportunities for an array of immediate and peripheral stakeholders. However, to achieve this, both researchers and managers need to better understand how to effectively co-create value through the involvement of different stakeholders and their interconnected relationships. Thus, we analysed three interrelated streams of literature (digital innovation, tourism management and stakeholder theory) and we developed a conceptual paper that sheds light on AR in museums. An in-depth analysis of the topic allowed us to develop theoretical propositions and applications on the subject, in particular from a multi-stakeholder perspective. Finally, our research proposes a preliminary conceptual model that highlights the need for the identification of the roles and interactions of museum's stakeholders towards a more digitalised museum experience through AR.