Chinese and Australian tourists' attitudes to nature,animals and environmental issues: Implications for the design of nature-based tourism experiences

This study investigated the differences and similarities between Chinese and Australian visitors' attitudes toward nature, animals and environmental issues, in order to inform the design of visitor experiences and interpretive programs that address the needs and interests of Chinese visitors to Australia. Questionnaires were completed by a total of 267 Chinese and 258 Australian visitors to a nature-based island resort in Queensland, Australia. Results indicate that Chinese visitors had a greater sense of connection with, but more anthropocentric view of nature than Australian visitors; had less experience with, and a greater fear or dislike of animals; and were more aware of, interested in, and concerned about environmental issues. Recommendations are made for the design of interpretive experiences that are relevant and effective for Chinese visitors.     

The influence of the political environment and destination governance on sustainable tourism development: a study of Bled,Slovenia

In the context of sustainable tourism development, there are many studies about the exchange process between residents and tourism, yet this issue is practically unexplored with respect to the political environment of tourism. Therefore, this paper introduces and posits that the political environment is a necessary enabler for implementing sustainable tourism. The authors extend the established three-pillar sustainability concept by adding in the political dimension. Then they surveyed how residents' positive and negative perceptions of tourism impacts determine their satisfaction with life in the tourism destination and thus their support for tourism in their community. The model was empirically tested within the context of the long-established Alpine destination of Bled in Slovenia. The findings confirm the importance of the political environment and question the sustainability of Bled's tourism development. It is suggested that the community has relatively weak destination governance due to the underdeveloped political environment. The survey expands and deepens the tourism sustainability debate by adding in the political environment and how it relates to the emerging growth of research on destination governance. The proposed model can be adapted and applied to any destination in order to improve its governance, including the implementation of sustainable tourism development.     

俄罗斯国家公园建设与管理体系及其对中国的启示

本文回顾了俄罗斯国家公园的发展历史,在重点分析俄罗斯国家公园的管理体系和经验的基础上,探讨其对中国国家公园建设与管理的启示意义。研究发现：（1）俄罗斯国家公园的建设与发展和俄罗斯自然保护区的发展历史密切关联,俄罗斯国家公园的建设与管理大致分为5个阶段;（2）俄罗斯国家公园经过近40年的发展,在法律体系、管理战略、空间管制和社区发展等方面积累了较为丰富的实践经验;（3）建议中国借鉴俄罗斯国家公园管理经验,尽快制定《国家公园法》,实施国家公园管理战略,严格空间管控,完善社区协同发展机制等。     

The Cittaslow philosophy in the context of sustainable tourism development; the case of Turkey

This paper studies the Cittaslow (slow city) philosophy in terms of sustainable tourism development (STD); and in this context research was undertaken for the case of Turkey. Cittaslow, a movement rooted in STD philosophy, aims to encourage the development of tranquil cities already known for their historical, natural, socio-cultural, and touristic features and the intention is to offer a significant contribution to systematic and rapid implementation of STD on a global scale. This paper, which makes a particular study of the practice of STD in Turkey, offers new candidate cities (Uzungöl, Hasankeyf, Safranbolu, Ürgüp, and İznik) and, thus, endeavours to contribute to the spread of STD throughout the whole country. In this study, above-named cities were found to be particularly good candidates for Cittaslow membership. In addition to these: Tatvan, Midyat, Alanya, and Fethiye were also found to be potential Cittaslows even though they fail to meet the population criterion.     

国家公园科学保护与生态旅游高质量发展——理论思考与创新实践

国家公园科学保护与生态旅游高质量发展是国家公园体制建设面临的重大实践需求和重要科学议题。在阐释国家公园高质量发展特征的基础上,围绕国家公园的生态保护、生态旅游、特许经营、保护模式、解说系统、生态产业、社区参与、管理体制等理论与实践问题进行思考与跨学科对话。分析认为：（1）科研支撑是国家公园科学保护与生态旅游高质量发展的基石;（2）生态旅游是国家公园生态产品价值实现的重要方式,其必要条件是要素支撑体系、特许经营制度和关键政策突破;（3）特许权和特许经营制度是保护机制,从旅游特许经营走向社区特许经营、生物科技特许经营、基础设施特许经营、区域联合特许经营等是未来发展的必然趋势;（4）社区参与是国家公园高质量发展的基础保障,渠道拓展、能力提升、共建共享是提升社区参与质量的重要方式;（5）文化服务是国家公园多元功能的重要组成部分,构建科学的解说系统、建设实体平台和虚拟平台,有利于促进文化服务的供给及其社会文化价值的实现。     

Clearing the path to sustainable mass tourism: A response to Peeters

Peeters’ well-considered rejoinder emphasises the utility of a systems approach for framing the planning and management of sustainable tourism that takes into account global as well as local impacts. All five factors that are alleged to facilitate sustainable tourism are necessarily dynamic and speculative, and hence contestable, and more attention needs to be paid to the synergistic effects of all five interacting together. A reform-based path to sustainable mass tourism convergence, proceeding along organic, incremental and induced paths, is therefore still regarded as a valid macro-perspective on the evolution of contemporary tourism.     

Tourism development and the tourism area life-cycle model: A case study of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China

The conceptual framework of the Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) has been frequently examined since it was first proposed by Butler in 1980. However, few studies have applied the concept to national parks and other protected areas. This paper examines the applicability of the model to China's Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. In addition, both external and internal factors affecting the park's tourism development as well as the environmental, social, and economic changes of the area are also discussed. Results indicate that the park has experienced the first four stages as described in Butler's 1980 seminal paper [The concept of a tourist area cycle of evolution: Implications for management of resources. Canadian Geographer, 24, 5–12]. Currently, the park is in the consolidation stage. Both governments and the private sector are major players as catalysts for the park's tourism development from one stage to the next. While the local or even regional economy has become increasingly dependent on tourism, the park has also been experiencing noticeable transformation and loss of traditional cultures since its inception in 1982. Finally limitations to the current paper are outlined.     

Tourist attitudes towards an accommodation tax earmarked for environmental protection: A survey in the Algarve

Tourist taxes have become increasingly popular worldwide in addressing environmental problems associated with tourism. This paper studies tourist attitudes towards an accommodation tax earmarked for environmental protection in the Algarve, the most important Portuguese tourism destination. A Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detecting Algorithm (CHAID) is used to segment tourists according to their willingness to pay. This method allowed us to divide respondents into six segments. The dominant one, labelled “typical sun and beach tourists”, shows a low willingness to pay the earmarked accommodation tax. In contrast, the receptivity to this measure is above average in three segments, termed according to their main characteristics as “environmental steward tourists”, “nature oriented tourists” and “frugal tourists”.     

Determining the impact of information on rural livelihoods and sustainable tourism development near protected areas in Kwa-Zulu Natal,South Africa

It is well known that tourism can bring problems for poor rural people in less developed countries. This paper describes a pilot study of five rural communities in the vicinity of or within a South African protected area, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Within the context of sustainable tourism development and the sustainable livelihoods approach, it explores whether access to information and to education and training has had impacts on the survival of these communities. The information provision role of governing authorities is also investigated regarding the preservation of the site and also for ownership and land claims. The results indicate that lack of access to relevant information can be a prime reason why rural communities cannot break out of the poverty cycle, and they suggest it is imperative to train and educate survivalist communities so that they can mobilise themselves economically, including through local tourism development. The demonstrated significance of lack of information provision, training and education represents a new contribution to the field. The study concludes that, where it is a matter of survival for rural communities, a sustainable livelihoods approach may be more appropriate and attainable than a sustainable tourism development approach.     

A segmentation analysis of resident attitudes to the social impact of tourism

There is increasing evidence that costs and benefits from tourism do not accrue equally to residents of destination areas despite implicit assumptions to this effect by tourism development bodies. Research into the explanation of resident attitudes towards tourism has been hampered partly by the lack of adequate statistical tools. The applicability of a segmentation procedure to this problem is discussed and examples are given of explanatory models of resident attitudes towards tourism's social impact. Significant differences in resident attitudes are identified and related to personal and locational characteristics, with tourist contact, length of residence, age and language being major explanatory variables. It is argued that such differences should be given greater consideration by public and private tourism development agencies.     

National culture as a driver of pro-environmental attitudes and behavioural intentions in tourism

Abstract

Voluntary changes in consumer behaviour hold significant potential to mitigate the growing environmental repercussions of tourism. Such behavioural changes can occur due to positive behavioural intentions that are in turn underpinned by pro-environmental consumer attitudes. To reinforce voluntary behavioural changes in tourism, it is paramount to understand the major drivers of pro-environmental consumer attitudes. Although national culture can influence pro-environmental attitudes of tourists, its role has been under-researched, especially in the context of emerging tourist markets. This study utilised the environment-orientated dimensions, or value orientations, of major cultural frameworks (Hofstede; Schwartz; Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner) to explore the effect of national culture on pro-environmental attitudes and behavioural intentions in a large-scale quantitative survey of Polish tourists. Correlation between the cultural background of tourists and their pro-environmental attitudes was established, thus highlighting the need for national culture to become an integral element of future scientific, policy-making, and managerial discourse on the key drivers of more sustainable consumer behaviour in tourism.     

Environmental governance for sustainable tourism development: Collaborative networks and organisation building in the Antalya tourism region

For more than two decades the attainment of sustainable environmental quality and the protection of environmental assets have been at the forefront of central policy issues in global tourism development. Recently, it has been argued that collaborative and associative forms of governance among tourism companies and other related agents are growing in importance in the drive for sustainable and environmentally sensitive tourism. Despite the increasing number of debates on the role of networking on tourism they are not well supported by empirical studies, and still far from explain how such networks can contribute to the sustainable development of territories. This paper aims to contribute to previous literature by analysing together governance networks and literature on sustainable development, and by providing empirical findings that highlight the importance of governance networks in sustainable tourism development, the importance of different scales of collaborative governance networks and the role of organisation building for environmentally sustainable tourism development in Antalya. The paper offers analytical findings on the networks of environmental governance among different types of tourism organisations based on a company-level survey, which reveals an increase in local collaboration and self-help networking based on local concerns and endogenous dynamics among the different actors in tourism. Unfortunately, the findings show that environmental motivations fall far behind economic considerations in networking practices.     

成本视角的国家公园旅游生态补偿标准测度研究——以黄山国家公园创建区为例

旅游生态补偿标准的测度方法与模型构建是建立旅游生态补偿机制的难点。本文以黄山国家公园创建区为例,基于国家公园旅游生态产品和服务显性和隐性供给成本的视角,综合考虑管理者、经营者、守护者（社区居民）等旅游利益相关者的供给成本和利益诉求,以保障生态系统的完整性、周边社区生存发展权的公平性和行政管理的可行性为原则,划分核心区、毗邻区和辐射区三级旅游生态补偿空间范围,确立国家公园旅游生态补偿标准测度方法与模型,测算得出黄山国家公园旅游生态补偿标准的下限值为5.1亿元/年。研究以期为构建国家公园旅游生态补偿机制,协调国家公园保护与利用的人地关系矛盾,实现国家公园生态共建、利益共享和经济共赢的高质量发展路径提供理论指导。     

成本视角的国家公园旅游生态补偿标准测度研究——以黄山国家公园创建区为例

旅游生态补偿标准的测度方法与模型构建是建立旅游生态补偿机制的难点。本文以黄山国家公园创建区为例,基于国家公园旅游生态产品和服务显性和隐性供给成本的视角,综合考虑管理者、经营者、守护者（社区居民）等旅游利益相关者的供给成本和利益诉求,以保障生态系统的完整性、周边社区生存发展权的公平性和行政管理的可行性为原则,划分核心区、毗邻区和辐射区三级旅游生态补偿空间范围,确立国家公园旅游生态补偿标准测度方法与模型,测算得出黄山国家公园旅游生态补偿标准的下限值为5.1亿元/年。研究以期为构建国家公园旅游生态补偿机制,协调国家公园保护与利用的人地关系矛盾,实现国家公园生态共建、利益共享和经济共赢的高质量发展路径提供理论指导。     

Perceptions of surfing tourism operators regarding sustainable tourism development in the Mentawai Islands,Indonesia

Surfing tourism has the potential to provide significant economic income and employment opportunities. However, the development of surfing tourism in the Mentawai Islands, Indonesia, has raised important questions regarding its impacts and sustainability. Economic leakages, increased pressure on the environment and resources, and adverse effects on local communities have been shown as the major barriers to sustainable development. This article provides insights into how surfing tourism operators perceive the development and impacts of the Mentawai Islands surfing tourism industry. This research project uses an interpretive qualitative approach and follows a case study methodology utilising semi-structured interviews with resort and charter boat surfing tourism operators. The study also investigated possible future directions for creating a more sustainable surfing tourism industry in the Mentawai Islands. Findings from the research showed that charter boat operators and resort operators had differing views as to how surfing tourism had developed: resort operators believed it to be sustainable, while charter boat operators felt it was unsustainable. A key finding of this study was that operators felt that surfing tourism had dramatically altered the traditional Mentawai village of Katiet and was producing adverse socio-cultural impacts on the local community. It is recommended that future research explore the issue of the impacts of surfing tourism development on other remote locations in Indonesia and other surfing tourism destinations around the globe.     

Bridging the gap: grounded theory method,theory development,and sustainable tourism research

Advancing knowledge on sustainability phenomena can be optimized when theoretical developments and practical applications work in concert rather than in isolation. Bridging the theory–practice gap is particularly important to sustainable tourism, which has risen exponentially in relevance both in practice and research. However, tourism research has been criticized for a lack of endemic theory unique to the field. Grounded theory method (GTM) is an established methodology for generating new theory in substantive areas, and has been utilized to examine various tourism phenomena. Through both methodological and theory development assessments, this study first examines how GTM has been used in tourism research in general. Suggestions for ameliorating the theory development outcomes of GTM research in sustainable tourism are then offered for both researchers and reviewers to help bridge the gap between sustainable tourism research, practice, and theory.     

Destination competitiveness and tourism development in Russia: Issues and challenges

With new border policies and the development of travel infrastructure, international tourism to Russia experienced double-digit growth in the past few years. Yet, few authors have reported on the challenges the country faces towards sustainable tourism development and competitiveness. This study discusses issues that have affected and that will continue to affect tourism in Russia. The tenets of destination competitiveness and sustainable development are used to guide a critical discussion of tourism in Russia. The study results from a three-year project that brought together European and Russian partners. Despite great potential, tourism development in Russia remains hindered by numerous issues such as destination image, infrastructure development, workforce training and education, quality management, and sustainable management. Beyond contributing to the tourism academic literature, this paper also aims at contributing to private and public policy stakeholders who prepare the future of Russia's tourism with Russian universities.     

Marketing sustainable tourism: the role of value orientation,well-being and credibility

Abstract

Marketing for sustainable tourism primarily attracts customers with a biospheric–altruistic value orientation. To reach a broader consumer group and also persuade people with a self-enhancement orientation to book sustainable hotels, the effectiveness of three different communication styles (emotionality levels, amount of sustainability information and inclusion of a label) is investigated, considering the consumer’s value orientation. An experiment with 337 participants was conducted to analyze the effects of communication on consumer perceptions of well-being and credibility. Multigroup structural equation modeling was used to compare the impacts of communication style on participant’s attitude toward booking a sustainable hotel, mediated by well-being and credibility. The results highlight significantly different communication effects among the two contrasting target groups. Consumers who are highly interested in sustainability (biospheric–altruistic value orientation) are persuaded by messages that include details about the hotel’s sustainability performance, in order to increase the social–environmental well-being, whereas for customers who are less interested in sustainability (self-enhancement value orientation), a self-referential emotionally communication is essential, as it increases the emotional well-being. Inconsistent findings regarding the role of communication in raising the perception of credibility were obtained.     

The implications of hotel employee attitudes for the development of quality tourism: the case of Cyprus

In an increasingly competitive market, the issue of quality has grown in significance for tourism businesses and destinations alike. This has been influenced by a number of factors, such as the expansion of consumer rights and the alleged emergence ‘new’, quality conscious tourists. In particular, it is the need to retain or increase competitive advantage that has underpinned the drive for quality in tourism—certainly, many destinations, especially those operating in the highly competitive summer-sun market, are now adopting quality tourism development strategies. However, little or no attention has been paid to the role of tourism industry employees, particularly those in hotels, in the success of quality management programmes. The purpose of this paper is to address this omission. Based upon a survey of hotel employees in Cyprus, it identifies a number of factors that may support or limit the drive towards quality service provision, with a variety of implications for the destination as a whole as well as individual hotels. In particular, hotel management should implement strategies based on reward systems, empowerment and reducing staff turnover, whilst there is an important co-ordination and guidance role to be played by the national tourism organisation.     

Residents' support for tourism development: The role of residents' place image and perceived tourism impacts

Drawing on the triple bottom line approach for tourism impacts (economic, socio-cultural and environmental) and adopting a non-forced approach for measuring residents' perception of these impacts, this study explores the role of residents' place image in shaping their support for tourism development. The tested model proposes that residents' place image affects their perceptions of tourism impacts and in turn their support for tourism development. The results stress the need for a more flexible and resident-oriented measurement of tourism impacts, revealing that more favorable perceptions of the economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts lead to greater support. Moreover, while residents' place image has been largely neglected by tourism development studies, the findings of this study reveal its significance in shaping residents' perception of tourism impacts as well as their level of support. The practical implications of the findings for tourism planning and development are also discussed.