Wilderness and cultural tour guides,place identity and sustainable tourism in remote areas

This paper is concerned with understanding the relationship between place identity and sustainable tourism in remote areas. It examines wilderness and cultural tourism guides’ place identity and how those identities are deployed in designing and delivering their activities, then evaluates how these activities engage with the goals of sustainable tourism. A mixed-method approach collected data from textual documents, participant observation and semi-structured interviews. A literature review and early document analysis identified three exemplary Yukon place identity narrative themes: (1) Masculinist Narratives, (2) Narratives of the New Sublime and (3) Narratives of Loss. A narrative framework emerged from initial findings and was refined on an on-going basis throughout the research process, and used iteratively as an analytical tool. Sustainable tourism is understood in relation to geotourism and place-based approaches. Instrumentally, the study provides insight into strategies used by guides to engage with, enhance and broaden goals for and understandings of sustainable tourism. It considers the role of infrastructure and the significance of lifestyle entrepreneurs. Authenticity is engaged to examine how it is operationalized as a crucial dimension of sustainable tourism in remote areas and is used to examine instrumental considerations, as well as a potential tool to “liberate place”.     

Profiling the segments of visitors to Portuguese protected areas

This study identifies the diversity of domestic visitors to Portuguese protected areas (PPA) based on benefit segmentation. The segments of PPA visitors are also compared with other nature-based tourist segments using some empirical benefit segmentation literature. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire and multivariate statistics techniques (principal components, hierarchical and K-means cluster analyses) were applied. Five distinct segments of visitors were identified based on the motivation for their visit and further characterized by the perceived importance of activities, facilities and services, frequency of visit and socio-demographics. Three segments are nature-focused and two are focused on activities or events. Only one segment shows specific interests and motivations associated with ecotourism and similar characteristics to international ecotourists; moreover, the reasons for the visit in one segment are unrelated to any of the motivations of nature-based tourism. Some implications for management are also described.     

Eco-labeling motorcoach operators in the North American travel tour industry: analyzing the role of tour operators

Tourist transportation is a major contributor of emissions and environmental pollutants. Eco-labels can encourage more sustainable tourism by informing consumers’ purchasing decisions, while utilizing market forces to initiate environmental responsibility among competing firms. The Green Coach Certification pilot eco-label program was introduced to the motorcoach industry in 2009 as part of a university research program. Although the literature addresses relationships between end-user consumers and eco-labels, little research has been published on mid-supply chain actors and tourism eco-labels. Tour operators are intermediaries between end-users and motorcoach operators and are important potential consumers of eco-labeled transportation services. To understand the role of tour companies as both consumers and providers of green services and eco-labeled products, a survey was administered to North American tour operators. Results demonstrate tour operator interest in a tourism transportation eco-label; however, this interest may be secondary to traditional considerations like price, reputation for safety and service, and previous partnerships. Ninety percent of tour operators indicated that environmental practices held some importance when choosing a transportation provider; approximately 50% said they would pay between 1% and 5% more for an eco-labeled coach company. Findings have important implications for the design and implementation of eco-labeling programs for sustainable tourism and transportation.     

Monitoring visitors to natural areas in wintertime: issues in counter accuracy

The sustainable management of vulnerable natural areas requires accurate measurement of visitor flows, especially in mountain and protected areas. Pyroelectric sensors that detect the heat radiation emitted by human bodies are now commonly used in many regions, including Scandinavia and the UK, to count pedestrian traffic in both urban and natural areas. We used four different tests to investigate pyroelectric counters’ accuracy in mountain winter conditions. Air temperature, distance to sensor, visitor clothing and visitor volume were all found to affect counter error rates. For tests within moderate winter temperatures (between 0°C and ?18°C) counters reported within manufacturer's claimed accuracy at 5% for 2 m range, but for ?21°C and below visitor numbers were over reported by 10.9%. Counter accuracy was generally unaffected by visitor clothing within 2 m of the sensor, but at a 4 m distance counters frequently failed to detect individuals in insulating down jackets more than fleece jackets. Counter error rates were slightly higher in outdoor than indoor tests, but still accurate within 5%. Error rates increased with increasing visitor traffic. The findings provide methodological implications for researchers and managers using automated visitor counters to estimate wintertime visitor use in mountain areas.     

The sanitization of colonial history: authenticity,heritage interpretation and the case of Macau's tour guides

Macau was founded by the Portuguese in the mid-sixteenth century. The centuries of colonial rule that preceded its recent return to China gave it a distinctive character unique in China. The tangible and intangible imprint of the colonial history of Macau is central to its attractiveness as a cultural tourism destination. A literature review reveals worldwide examples of the manipulation of history for both political and tourism purposes. This research uses in-depth thematic interviews with 14 local tour guides to show how Macau's colonial heritage is presented and interpreted to tourist groups by the local tour guides, as regards both what they are shown and what they are told. It is found that the guides adjust their interpretation to the geographical origin of the tourists in a significant way; in particular, they tend to almost totally eschew any reference to its colonial history when addressing a Chinese audience, in contrast to the interpretation presented to non-Chinese visitors. The use of Hall's three-fold interpretative message framework (dominant – hegemonic/negotiated/oppositional) is discussed, as is Langer's concept of mindless and mindful tourists. Some consequences for the sustainability of heritage tourism in Macau are also explored.     

Roles of intangible cultural heritage in tourism in natural protected areas

The ‘new paradigm’ for protected areas emphasizes communities and their cultural assets, including intangible cultural heritage, as critical and inseparable parts of these areas. As tourism can be a significant factor in the economic framework of natural protected areas (NPAs), the prominent role of the community can have important implications. This paper reports on one of the first empirical studies on the interaction between intangible cultural heritage and tourism in an NPA with a special focus on the role of intangible cultural heritage. It is based on six months of qualitative ethnographic fieldwork in Qeshm Geopark, in the South of Iran. Local intangible cultural heritage is found to manifest and be used in tourism in three distinct ways: First, as a source of attraction and addition to any tourism offerings; second, as conservation tool, especially where the natural environment has strong cultural meanings for the local community; and third, as a driver for facilitating culturally and naturally sensitive behaviour by visitors. Concluding statements address any conceptual and practical implications.     

Assessment of TV Drama/Film Production Towns as a Rural Tourism Growth Engine

Television (TV) drama/film production towns have been mushrooming in Korea to cater for the increasing popularity of film tourism. Most of these towns have been constructed by local governments to stimulate economic development, enhance the image and awareness of the region, and to fulfill the political desires of the local government officials. However, in the last 15 years, 34 towns have been established, which has led to heavy competition for film tourists and in attracting subsequent TV drama and film productions. Consequently, most of the towns are currently experiencing financial difficulties and are exploring effective measures to maintain their popularity. In this study, film tourists' perceptions of TV drama/film production towns were analyzed using a structured survey method. The survey data were analyzed using paired t-tests and importance–performance (I–P) analyses. The results reveal that the film tourists' had different perceptions of the I–P of the products and services provided by the towns. In particular, their perceptions of I–P displayed distinct gap patterns in relation to various socio-demographic and travel-related variables.     

Tourism governance in protected areas: investigating the application of the adaptive co-management approach

Abstract

Protected areas have become popular tourism destinations; yet these areas are often plagued by poor governance systems, particularly in developing countries. Adaptive co-management (ACM) has been advocated as one approach to improve the governance of protected areas, yet empirical evidence from developing countries is lacking. This study investigates the application of the ACM approach in two protected areas in Bangladesh which are also important nature-based tourism destinations. Using Lawachara National Park and Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary as cases, this qualitative study explored the extent to which an ACM approach was able to support the achievement of key governance principles such as participation, accountability, transparency, power, rule of law, and social learning. It was found that the approach was successful in facilitating the increased participation of a broader range of stakeholder groups, and the collaboration between them. Importantly though, it was the adaptive element of ACM which was found to have made the greatest contribution to improved governance with the approach providing new opportunities for stakeholders to engage in iterative learning. This aspect was found to be of particular importance for the sustainability of the protected areas with stakeholders reporting changes attitudes and behaviour towards protected area conservation.     

Financing the sustainable management of Rwanda's protected areas

Rwanda's Nyungwe National Park is a biodiversity hotspot with the most endemic species in the ecoregion and the highest number of threatened species internationally. Nyungwe supplies critical ecosystem services to the Rwandan population including water provisioning and tourism services. Tourism in the Park has strong potential for financing enhanced visitor experiences and the sustainable management of the Park. This paper explores quantitatively the economic impacts of adjustment in Park visitation fees and tourism demand as a source of revenues to improve Park tourism opportunities and ongoing operations and maintenance. The methods developed in this paper are novel in integrating the results of stated preference techniques with a regional computable general equilibrium modelling approach to capture multisectoral, direct, indirect and induced impacts. Such methods have strong potential for assessing revenue generation alternatives in other contexts where park managers are faced with the need to generate additional revenue for sustainable park management while facing diminishing budget allocations. Results of this analysis demonstrate that adjustment of Park fees has a relatively small impact on the regional economy and well-being when compared with a strategy aimed at generating increased tourism demand through investment in improving the visitor experience at Nyungwe National Park.     

Assessing the temporal stability of the ecotourism evaluation scale: testing the role and value of replication studies as a reliable management tool

Developing scales is a critical step in monitoring and evaluating ecotourism to ensure sustainability. Replicating studies to test if scales are enduring in evaluating visitors’ assessments of ecotourism is also essential to ensure reliability and credibility, and to track changes. This paper reports on a sample of 404 international visitors in Nepal's Annapurna Conservation Area, undertaken in 2012, to test for scale stability and change from a 2006 survey. The original scale was cross-validated by confirmatory factor analysis, and then mean-level change and rank-order stability of scale items were reported. There was strong support for the original factor model in the new sample; all items were loaded on a single construct; their loadings were statistically significant, the root-mean-square error of approximation was .076, the comparative fit index was .993, and the non-normed fit index was .987. Although a statistically significant decrease in the mean of scale items was found, the items’ rank-ordering remained similar. The Spearman's rank-order correlation between factor loadings of 2006 and 2012 was .714 and statistically significant. Cronbach's alpha was .845, comparable to the previous alpha of .910. The ecotourism evaluation scale showed temporal consistency but also detected changes in visitors’ attitudes requiring management attention.     

The agenda setting power of news media in framing the future role of tourism in protected areas

This exploratory paper examines the agenda-setting and framing role of news media in the ongoing development of the Draft Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Master Plan. The paper will argue that the publication of the Masterplan and ensuing public commentary has drawn into stark focus future challenges in juxtaposing the frames of public use, commercial tourism and scientific/cultural values in the sustainable management of protected areas. Agenda setting and framing theory provides the theoretical foundation for the paper. Guided by critical discourse analysis, the analysis of the paper is supported through the use of Leximancer and Gephi software for visually illustrating the relationship between different framing perspectives. This paper contributes to a fresh understanding of the complex nature of the sustainable management of protected areas in urban spaces.     

Computer Simulation as a Tool for Planning and Management of Visitor Use in Protected Natural Areas

The United Nations Environment Programme’s Principles on Implementation of Sustainable Tourism suggest that implementing sustainable tourism must include monitoring visitor use of protected natural areas and directing it to areas where the environmental and social impacts of tourism are minimised. Thus, sustainable tourism management requires information about the spatial and temporal flow of visitor use in protected natural areas to help identify potential tourism-related threats to the natural and cultural resources of an area and the quality of visitors’ experiences. Recent research has identified at least four ways in which simulation modelling of visitor use can facilitate more informed planning and management of sustainable tourism in protected natural areas, including (1) describing existing visitor use flows; (2) monitoring the condition of ‘hard to measure’ indicator variables; (3) testing the effectiveness of alternative visitor use management practices; and (4) guiding the design of research on public attitudes. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate, using findings from studies conducted in the Inyo National Forest and Isle Royale National Park, USA, each of these four potential contributions of computer simulation to sustainable tourism management and planning. The paper concludes with an assessment of the limitations of existing applications of computer simulation to nature-based tourism and recommendations for future research.     

Host perceptions of tourism: A review of the research

It has long been recognised that it is incumbent on those responsible for the planning of tourism to seek to optimise the well-being of local residents whilst minimising the costs of tourism development.It is not surprising, therefore, that academic attention has long been paid to the social impacts of tourism in general and to the understanding of host communities' perceptions of tourism and its impacts in particular. Nevertheless, despite the significant volume and increasing scope of the research, the extent to which understanding of residents' perceptions of tourism has been enhanced remains uncertain. Thus, the purpose of this Progress Review is to explore critically the development of the research into residents' perceptions of tourism. Highlighting key themes and trends in the literature, it identifies a number of limitations in the research, including a narrow case study base, a dependence on quantitative methods, a focus on perceptions as opposed to responses, and the exclusion of the tourist from the majority of the research. Consequently, it argues for a multidimensional approach to the research.     

The grand tour: A key phase in the history of tourism

Although the Grand Tour has been examined by various disciplines, it has rarely been examined from the perspective of tourism studies. This paper begins with a review of previous work and concepts about the tour and then outlines some of its principal features based on an analysis of the primary sources of information: the diaries, letters, and journals of the travelers. Four aspects of the Grand Tour are then examined: the tourists, spatial and temporal aspects of the tour, and the gradual development of a tourist industry. The degree of continuity and change in the character of the tour is assessed and major changes are attributed primarily to the changing social class of the tourists. The 1820s and 1830s are identified as an important transition period in the development of a more formalized tourist industry.     

Prioritizing destination attributes for optimal resource allocation: a study of Chinese tourists visiting Britain

ABSTRACT

This study assesses the importance, performance, and the interrelationships of key destination attributes for marketing managers to prioritize resource allocation. A three-dimensional analysis of importance–performance–impact-analysis (IPIA) factors, based upon a survey sample of 275 Chinese tourists to Britain and an expert panel interview with 10 destination marketing managers is presented. Data analysis was based upon a mix of multi-criteria decision-making methodologies, the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method and the Analytic Network Process (ANP) method. The framework can be applied to prioritize resources allocation to improve customer satisfaction in other contexts, such as a sector or a specific business.     

Critical issues affecting the service quality and professionalism of the tour guides in Hong Kong and Macau

This study examines the critical issues affecting the service quality and professionalism of the tour guiding professions in Hong Kong and Macau. In-depth interviews were conducted with industry representatives in the two regions. The issues identified are classified into six categories: unhealthy business practices of outbound travel agencies in China, immaturity of the Chinese tourism market, exploitative measures by inbound tour operators, human resource issues, role conflict, and service quality assurance mechanism. A conceptual model is proposed to explain the role conflict faced by the guiding professions. The implications of the findings and recommendations for practice and future research are discussed. Given the growing importance of the Chinese tourism market, the findings will be of significant value to Hong Kong and Macau, and to other destinations targeting the Chinese market.     

Motivations to engage in last chance tourism in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area and Wapusk National Park: the role of place identity and nature relatedness

The threat that climate change impacts pose to rare and vulnerable destinations has given rise to a phenomenon known as last chance tourism. This travel behaviour involves tourists increasingly travelling to destinations they perceive to be critically threatened, while contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts in these very places. For last chance destinations to be managed effectively in the face of climate change, a clearer understanding of what drives this travel behaviour is needed. Drawing on the importance of place and nature to identity construction, this research uses a structural equation modelling approach to examine last chance tourism motivations in Churchill, Canada. Results provide evidence of a motivation to engage in a last chance experience. They also indicate that this motivation is related to a desire to share a connection to nature with similar individuals, and to become part of the local story. Beyond this, results show that visitors' sense of place identity and nature relatedness contribute significantly to their motivation to engage in last chance tourism. Findings from this research are important to the management of last chance destinations, including protected areas that are legislated to preserve significant natural and cultural features.     

Environmental performance of tourism accommodations in the protected areas: Case of Goreme Historical National Park

This study was designed to explore the nature of environmental performance of tourism accommodations in Goreme Historical National Park which is in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The data were collected from 73 accommodation managers by using survey questionnaire that included 39 environmental performance indicators. Findings show that tourism accommodations have low performance on energy efficiency, water conservation, responsible waste management, communication, environmental training, the environmental awareness, necessary knowledge about and interest in the environmental protection and environmental policy. The accommodations need to have environmentally sensitive, concerned and knowledgeable managerial staff in order to preserve ecological integrity in protected areas.     

Intensive tour guide training in regional Australia: an analysis of the Savannah Guides organisation and professional development schools

A number of authors believe that tour guide training may hold a key to passing on the concept of sustainable tourism to tourists. Savannah Guides Limited (SGL) is an organisation for tour guides interpreting and protecting the tropical savannahs of northern Australia. This paper examines the provision of intensive professional development schools, which the SGL organisation provides, to raise standards of professionalism for nature-based tour guides in remote regions. Its framework is based on Schein's three levels of organisational culture model, and Black and Ham's 10-element performance-based tour guide certification programme. Active participant observation of the development school process and a self-administered questionnaire to SGL members were used to understand the organisation's success. The main motivations for tour guiding are explored, as are the ways in which tour guides acquire knowledge. It is suggested that the provision of professional development schools in nature-based tourism regions benefits the guide and the tour guiding industry, and contributes to the protection of the natural environment. It is proposed that the SGL training model of professional development schools and certification be adopted by tour guiding organisations in other regional destinations as a way of nurturing and advancing quality tour guiding and professionalism.     

生态旅游地发展的模型研究

这篇文章运用生态-经济的理论,利用系统动力学的方法,将生态旅游的一些零散论述加以系统化,并通过建立生态旅游的结构模型,探讨生态旅游发展中生态、社会和经济系统之间的结构和行为关系.生态旅游发展的模型涉及了物质资源、文化资源、基础设施、工作市场、游客和财务促销等6个部分,模型的模拟功能有助于理解旅游发展的复杂结构.模型得到验证后,可以成为评价旅游发展政策的工具.