The Tourism Penetration Index in Large Islands: The Case of the Dominican Republic

The Tourism Penetration Index (TPI) (McElroy & de Albuquerque, 1998) provides an overall measure of economic, social and environmental impact in small islands. Thus far it has not been used to gauge tourism’s spatial concentration in different regions within a given destination. This study develops a TPI for four regions in the Dominican Republic (DR), and these regional scores are compared with a sample of 42 small islands. Results place Punta Cana in the east among the most penetrated islands/ regions, Puerto Plata/Samana in the north among the intermediate, and La Romana/San Pedro and Santo Domingo in the south among the least developed. Results are also compared with surveys on visitor satisfaction, perceptions of safety, and propensity to return. Planning and research implications are discussed.     

Tourism and water use: Supply, demand, and security. An international review

This article reviews direct freshwater consumption in tourism from both quantitative and qualitative viewpoints to assess the current water demand of the tourism sector and to identify current and future management challenges. The article concludes that even though tourism increases global water consumption, direct tourism-related water use is considerably less than 1% of global consumption, and will not become significant even if the sector continues to grow at anticipated rates of around 4% per year (international tourist arrivals). The situation differs at the regional level because tourism concentrates traveller flows in time and space, and often-in dry destinations where water resources are limited. Furthermore, the understanding of tourism’s indirect water requirements, including the production of food, building materials and energy, remains inadequately understood, but is likely to be more substantial than direct water use. The article concludes that with expected changes in global precipitation patterns due to climate change, it is advisable in particular for already water scarce destinations to engage in proactive water management. Recommendations for managing tourism’s water footprint are made.     

Segmentation by visitor motivation in three Kenyan national reserves

This study addresses the needs of three national reserves in north central Kenya for developing a tourism strategy aimed at enhancing tourist opportunities at the reserves. In order to adequately address visitor needs, the reserve managers must first understand the motivations for different types of visitors. A factor-cluster approach was employed to identify visitor segment profiles based on their motivations for visiting the reserves. A principal components analysis of motivations revealed eight motivation factors, and three distinct visitor segments were identified using an ipsative clustering method. These segments included Escapists, Learners and Spiritualists. Understanding the differences in these visitor segments will help managers of the reserves better provide alternative activities and services to tourists. Management recommendations include providing scenic and expansive landscape viewing opportunities and developing a more competent and knowledgeable ranger corps capable of visitor education and outreach initiatives.     

旅游学学科树构建及旅游学研究的时空特征分析--《旅游研究纪事》30年

本文对国际旅游学界权威学术刊物《旅游研究纪事））（Annals of Tourism Research）在1973-2003年间的《主题词索引》（Subject Index）进行了统计研究,以此为依据绘制了旅游学学科树,并在此基础上分析了旅游学及其分支学科从1973年至今30多年来研究的时空特征。     

Hospitality management study programme and students’ perceptions: universities in South Africa

This study using a questionnaire survey of 200 hospitality management students in two South African Universities assessed the perceptions of these students towards their study programme, the support they get while studying, and their intention to work in the hospitality sector over the long-term. Results from data analyses indicate that the students are generally satisfied with their study and would recommend hospitality management as a study programme to friends and relatives. Many of them also expressed the desire to work in the hospitality sector over the long-term. Their major concerns towards their study are in the areas of inadequacy of the hospitality management curriculum to address their study needs, the fear that fulfilling jobs will not be available for them after graduation, and their lack of knowledge regarding public and private funding for hospitality entrepreneurship activities. This study therefore calls on hospitality management study programme managers in South Africa to include entrepreneurship courses that address how graduates can source public or private funds to start up their own hospitality businesses, to decrease dependence on employers. Graduates with comprehensive and integrated knowledge of the hospitality sector operations and opportunities will not have fear of getting jobs and performing well in the sector.     

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.     

Transforming competitiveness into economic benefits: Does tourism stimulate economic growth in more competitive destinations?

This research note investigates the impact of a destination's competitiveness upon tourism's contribution to economic growth using a cross-section with 131 countries. Destination competitiveness is measured with the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, while tourism's contribution to economic growth is measured with the growth decomposition methodology. Results reveal that destination competitiveness has no statistically significant impact on tourism's contribution to economic growth. Tourism policy implications and directions for future research are also discussed.     

Tourism climatic condition over PDR Korea

ABSTRACT

Climatic condition has a remarkable influence on tourism activity. This paper evaluates the tourism climatic condition over DPR Korea applying Tourism Climate Index (TCI). Results show that (1) climate of present resorts is favorable to tourism from mid-April to early October, with TCI scores for most of them well above 70 (very good) from mid-April to late June; (2) seven key tourism resorts have a very good tourism climatic condition, with Mt Guwol, Sariwon, Nampo and Pyongyang at a higher TCI score; (3) six proposed sites have higher TCIs during warm season, and tourism industry could be planed and developed.