Linking expected mobility production to sustainable residential location planning: some evidence from Flanders

Based on a set of spatial proximity characteristics this paper develops a model that estimates for every neighbourhood in Flanders (Belgium) the amount of traffic that would be generated by an additional residential unit when socio-economic variables are held constant. The results show that residential density, land use diversity and proximity of facilities influence daily travelled distances when these variables are measured in the immediate vicinity of the residential location of the respondent (within a radius of 1 km). When aggregating these variables at a larger geographical scale, in most cases the impact proves no longer significant. Variables based on the spatial distribution of jobs, or on the global accessibility of the entire population in the study area, do not show any significant effects on the travel distance.Despite the statistical significance only a fraction of the observed variance in reported distances is explained by characteristics of spatial proximity. However, we can assume that the importance of spatial structure in the genesis of mobility patterns will increase in case the cost of transport would rise (cf. peak oil). For this reason, the application of the mapped results of the proposed model could contribute to the practice of sustainable spatial planning.     

Developing land use and transport PSS: Meaningful information through a dialogue between modelers and planners

One of the key barriers to integration of land use and transport planning is the lack of a “common language” (i.e. tools, instruments, indicators) that can support planners from both domains in developing shared visions and integrated strategies. Many of such tools and indicators have been developed in recent years, but not so many are implemented in practice. In this paper a new, participatory development approach for planning support systems (PSS) is proposed, termed “mediated planning support” (MPS) that addresses bottlenecks blocking this implementation. It is founded on insights from knowledge management, system dynamics and software innovation and is applied in the Greater Region of Amsterdam. This paper discusses the evolution of the PSS, highlighting the most useful elements which can be applied in other land use and transport planning projects. It offers insights for practitioners and researchers interested in land use and transport planning integration and for professionals that are dealing with supporting planning with information and technologies.     

Mapping landscape values and development preferences: a method for tourism and residential development planning

This paper presents a method for measuring and analysing tourism and residential development options using survey research techniques that spatially locate public‐perceived landscape values and development preferences. Using survey data from Kangaroo Island, South Australia, landscape values and preferences for tourism development are analysed to determine the relative strength of landscape values as predictors of place‐specific development preferences. Results indicate that tourism development preferences are most closely associated with recreation, economic and scenic landscape values whereas residential development preferences are most closely associated with recreation, economic and learning values. Preferences for ‘no development’ are most closely associated with wilderness, therapeutic and intrinsic landscape values. A simple development index is generated from the spatial data that ranges from positive (acceptable development) to negative (no development) values. The potential benefits of the method for land‐use planning processes are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley &Sons, Ltd.     

SeMS and sensibility: Security management systems and the management of risk in the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

Following International Air Transportation Association requirement for all member airlines and airports to have a security management system (SeMS) beginning 1 March 2007, many organizations are looking to learn from safety and quality management systems. Without specific guidelines or best practices, organizations are forced to imitate these processes designed for different goals. Since safety, quality, and security environments operate on radically different principles, SeMS implementation must take a different tack. The case of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority illustrates the importance of a custom-designed program that meets public and corporate needs. The Authority is responsible for security screening of passengers, non-passengers, and baggage within selected airports. As a crown corporation with a precise statutory mandate and regulatory environment, the development of a SeMS illustrates some of the key problems for the application of SeMS to larger organizations.     

Accessibility modelling: predicting the impact of planned transport infrastructure on accessibility patterns in Edinburgh,UK

The achievement of good spatial accessibility and equity in the distribution of urban services is one of the supreme goals for urban planners. With Scottish Government backing, the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) has started to construct a tram network to cater for the future needs of Scotland’s capital city by providing an integrated transport solution using trams and buses. Spatial Network Analysis of Public Transport Accessibility (SNAPTA) which is a GIS-based accessibility model has been developed to measure the accessibility by public transport to different urban services and activities. The model responds to several limitations in other existing accessibility models in planning practice. It offers an alternative and practical tool to help planners and decision makers in examining the strengths and weaknesses of land use – transport integration. SNAPTA has been applied to a pilot study in Edinburgh city to identify the contribution of the infrastructure improvements of the tram system and Edinburgh South Suburban Railway (ESSR) to improved accessibility by public transport to six types of activity opportunities. This paper outlines the concept and methodology of the SNAPTA model, and presents the findings related to this pilot study with a focus on changes in potential accessibility to jobs between four different public transport network scenarios. The accessibility values so obtained help to identify the gaps in the coverage of the public transport network and the efficiency in the spatial distribution of urban services and activities. The findings focus on whether the planned transport infrastructures for Edinburgh will lead to better accessibility and reduced inequity (in terms of accessibility) across the city.     

Destination choice and the identity of places: A disaggregated analysis for different types of visitor population environment in the Netherlands

Individual behaviour relates to the ecological structure or identity of places. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the space–time ecologies of different types of visitor population environment in the Netherlands and destination choice. Multinomial logistic regression modelling for car users was applied to determine the relative importance of various personal and household attributes on choosing for a particular purpose a particular type of visitor population environment during a particular time period of the day. The attributes with the strongest link to the space–time ecologies of destination environments proved to be age, educational level, car ownership, and household income and type.     

Marketing information systems in tourism and hospitality small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises: a study of Internet use for market intelligence

This study investigates the nature of marketing information systems (MkIS) within small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and focuses on the importance of external information and market intelligence. The sources of market intelligence are investigated with particular emphasis on understanding the usefulness of the Internet for external information gathering. The empirical research to support the study uses survey methods to investigate marketing information systems, market intelligence and Internet use within hospitality and tourism SMEs in the Yorkshire and Humber region. The findings indicate that SMEs in this sector make use of informal marketing information systems which mainly concentrate on internal and immediate operating environment data. Important wider market intelligence is underutilised owing mainly to the resource constraints of these smaller businesses. The Internet has not yet been recognised as an important source for market intelligence despite having the benefits of providing much of the necessary data more quickly and at a lower cost than many other sources. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Urban rail systems investments: an analysis of the impacts on property values and residents’ location

Light rail, metro and other urban rail transit systems can play a significant role in improving the attractiveness and quality of urban public transport. They can influence the attractiveness of locations near the stations and improve accessibility for these locations. Furthermore urban rail can improve a location’s attractiveness by its image effect: it makes a station appear modern and dynamic, and thus raises the status of this location.This paper summarises findings on the land-use and economic impacts of the urban rail system of the city of Naples over time and space. It examines changes in residential and non-residential (offices and retail) property prices around the newly built stations between 2001 and 2008 as well as the changes in the number of residents for the same station catchment areas. Ad hoc station control areas have been specified in order to compare the results of these changes. Results show that values in station control areas are lower than those of those of the stations catchment areas.     

Consistently inconsistent: The role of certainty,acceptability and scale in choice

Recently emerging in the stated preference literature as methods for better representing behaviour are choice certainty calibration and alternative acceptability. This paper finds that the amount of idiosyncratic error in the context of automobile choice is significant and can be explained by choice task certainty; which is a function of several respondent characteristics. However, it also finds that no theoretical framework exists for how these techniques should be applied and that econometric differences may be responsible for improvements in model fit, rather than better behavioural representation. Raising several questions about certainty indexing, researchers are advised to apply such methods cautiously.     

Determinants of information systems outsourcing in hotels from the resource‐based view: an empirical study

The objective of this study is to determine the factors affecting outsourcing of information system/information technology (IS/IT) activities in hotels from the resource‐based view of the firm. The factors considered are the conditions that the systems area resources must meet for that area to have a competitive value. The reasons, which are both strategic and tactical, are discussed. The former are mainly related to quality, improvement of service and concentration on core activities, whereas the latter are tactical or cost‐related reasons justifying the selection of the outsourcing strategy for this activity. The results indicate the factors determining IS/IT activity outsourcing are related to the creation of valuable resources and to market transaction costs, and the IS/IT area performance does not influence the decision to outsource. It is also shown that the reasons justifying outsourcing are strategic; related to the core competencies and quality of service and not to cost reduction. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Government Intervention in Tourism Development: Case Studies from Japan and South Australia

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the reasons behind and the nature of the intervention of non-local levels of government in local land management and economic development to assist the development of major tourism facilities. Two examples are provided of government intervention, one from Japan and one from Australia, and they show how state intervention may both stimulate tourism development and distort local development planning policy. It is concluded that, although the contents and policies of local development plans are available and may be followed to some extent, in both systems major project decisions are taken out of the hands of local communities.     

Recovering costs through price and service differentiation: Accounting for exogenous information on attribute processing strategies in airline choice

The entry of low cost airlines has thrown out a challenge to all airlines to find ways of attracting passengers, through a mix of fare discounting, greater frequency, improved flight times and no-frill's levels of on-board service. These competitive strategies have an impact on cost recovery. As airlines seek business in an increasingly heterogeneous passenger market, a greater understanding of what matters to potential passengers in choosing an airline grows in importance. Traditional studies of passenger airline choice assume that all attributes matter, but some to a lesser extent. What happens to the empirical evidence on willingness to pay when specific attributes are totally ignored by particular passengers? In this paper, we examine the impact of individual-specific attribute processing strategies (APS) on the inclusion/exclusion of attributes on the parameter estimates and behavioural outputs of models of airline service and fare level choice. Modelling practice assumes that whilst respondents may exhibit preference heterogeneity, they employ a homogenous APS with regards to how they process the presence/absence of attributes of stated choice (SC) experiments. We demonstrate how information collected exogenous of the SC experiment on whether respondents either ignored or considered each attribute of the SC task may be used in the estimation process, and how such information may be used to provide outputs that are attribute processing strategies segment specific.     

Preparing for climate change: recognising its early impacts through the perceptions of dive tourists and dive operators in the Egyptian Red Sea

Climate change has the potential to permanently alter the attraction of many destinations and substantially impact the benefits derived from tourism. These impacts can be reduced if vulnerability to climate change is understood and operators take steps to adapt. Some of the more immediate and manageable impacts are likely to result from changes in tourist perceptions and attitudes towards climate change. We test for early impacts in the Red Sea region and for the awareness of tourism operators. We interviewed 150 tourists and 35 operators. Our data suggest that changes in tourist awareness are already apparent; yet, operators ascribe only a moderate level of environmental and climate awareness to them. This ‘perception gap’ increases the vulnerability of dive operators.     

Opportunities in airport pavement management: Integration of BIM,the IoT and DLT

This paper aims to explore how digitalization technologies can help to better control and supervise road pavement and refurbishments at airports. In particular, Building Information Modeling, but also the Internet of Things and Distributed Ledger Technologies, have been considered. Particular attention has been devoted to the efficiency and effectiveness of management actions involving the control and supervision of maintenance and rehabilitation of runway pavement. To conduct the analysis, a use case, related to the Madrid Barajas 18R-36L runway, has been considered. Based on this case, various improvements have been detected and an operational framework has been proposed, which allows a higher level of functionality. Finally, a discussion about the capabilities and challenges for the airport industry is undertaken.