Can futures research contribute to tourism policy?

Following a definition of the basic terms employed, the author examines the interrelationships between planning, policymaking and forecasting. The main trends in futures research are described, and some forecasting methods and techniques conventionally used in tourism studies are considered. Criteria are derived by which tourism policy-makers could measure the usefulness of forecasts presented to them.     

Hawaii tourism to the year 2000 : A Delphi forecast

The Delphi torecasting technique is used to forecast tourism to Hawaii, particularly Oahu, by the year 2000. Local experts and travel agents were questioned on visitor arrivals and percentage of domestic arrivals to Hawaii, market share, visitor-to-resident ratio, maximum visitor accommodation and desirable growth rates, and probable scenarios for Oahu tourism. The results show few significant differences in responses among the groups, and confirmed expectations about convergence and consistency of managerial responses with statistical projections and existing trends. As such, this study demonstrates the value of combining qualitative with quantitative techniques in making long-term forecasts.     

The demand for Mi’kmaw cultural tourism: Tourist perspectives

This paper examines survey findings of tourist interest in Mi’kmaw cultural tourism in Nova Scotia. The results indicate a high interest in Mi’kmaw cultural tourism activities even though most tourists had not participated in Aboriginal tourism before. Further results indicate that tourists’ age, education and place of origin influence their level of interest in particular Mi’kmaw cultural tourism activities. Older tourists had lower interest in activities that required more time and physical activity whereas more-educated tourists had higher interest in participating in particular Mi’kmaw cultural tourism activities. Also, international tourists had the greatest interest in Mi’kmaw cultural tourism, especially activities that involved greater contact with the Mi’kmaw hosts.     

Sustainable Mi'kmaw cultural tourism development in Nova Scotia,Canada: examining cultural tourist and Mi'kmaw perspectives

This study assessed tourists' motivations and satisfaction in participating in authentic Mi'kmaw tourism activities in Nova Scotia, Canada, as well as the ideas, perceptions and components of sustainable cultural tourism development from the Mi'kmaw perspective. To solicit the tourists' perspective, surveys were administered to tourists visiting the existing Mi'kmaw cultural tourism sites in Nova Scotia, while the Mi'kmaw perspective was obtained through key informant interviews. The results of the survey suggest that tourists visiting the Mi'kmaw cultural tourism sites were highly educated and deeply interested in learning about culture and participating in authentic cultural experiences. Tourists were also highly satisfied with their experience and were interested in participating in aboriginal tourism again. Findings regarding the Mi'kmaw perspective indicate a focus on cultural tourism's ability to educate both tourists and the Mi'kmaw people on the Mi'kmaw culture as well as provide economic opportunities for Mi'kmaw communities. Of greater importance to the Mi'kmaw people is the preservation and protection of the Mi'kmaw culture. Conclusions drawn from the research include recommendations for the future success and sustainability of the Mi'kmaw cultural tourism sector. This study's findings may also inform other Canadian aboriginal communities seeking to develop robust and sustainable cultural tourism in their own settings.     

The influence of dance music on the UK youth tourism market

Today's young people are influenced by a variety of factors when considering a holiday. During the late 1980s and 1990s we have witnessed a rise in recreational drug use and the move in music taste towards repetitive rhythms of re-mix DJs creating their music from synthesized tunes on records and CDs. The ‘Big Name’ DJs such as Sasha, Pete Tong, Danny Rampling, etc. are superstars within today's youth culture and receive wages to match their status. During the past 5–10 years, we have also witnessed a move towards young people taking holidays to pursue their interest in Dance Music and to follow their favourite DJ to wherever in Europe, or the world, they may be playing. Often the established night-clubs within countries will seek to attract these DJs, but sometimes special holidays are packaged by tour operators with a distinct Dance Music theme, highlighting famous ‘superclubs’ such as Cream and Ministry of Sound. Radio stations are also becoming involved, especially London's well known Dance Music station ‘Kiss FM’ who, in conjunction with a tour operator, offer a distinct Dance Music tourism experience.     

Strategic foresight for (coastal) urban tourism market complexity: The case of Bournemouth

This paper discusses an approach to evaluate and analyse strategic planning in multi-functional complexities of coastal urban areas with conflicts regarding leisure space which restricts the diversity of tourism segments using an urban locale. The paper proposes a holistic and multi-faceted systems approach to analysing such multi-purpose use of urban spaces with a case study of Bournemouth where the needs of overseas language students and high spending tourists can present an interesting challenge to urban planners. The systems approach advocates integration and alliances in investment incentives to help identify alternative urban use strategies in tourism and leisure contexts which allows for re-branding of an urban area whilst extending the product offer.     

边境旅游阻滞效应测度及治理启示——以云南省为例

边境旅游具有集聚、扩散、阻滞三大效应,阻滞效应测度既是边境旅游研究的基础,也是促进边境旅游高质量发展的决策参考。本文以云南省为例,基于边境旅游系统视角,运用重力模型对阻滞效应进行了测度。分析表明：（1）边境旅游存在阻滞效应,阻滞效应系数在基础重力模型下为4.388,在扩展重力模型下为4.326,阻滞强度在以往研究中存在被夸大的可能;（2）政策优势对边境旅游具有较强支持作用,境内外GDP及旅游资源次之;（3）空间距离对边境旅游具有阻碍作用,时空压缩背景下需关注旅游者跨越功能距离。国家边界既有维护边境安全、领土主权的传统功能,也有促进经济交往、文化交流的现实需要,因此应科学对待边境旅游阻滞效应,“相机而动,开合有度”,着重从提升旅游者认知、打造边境旅游吸引物、寻求交通升级与政策支持等方面加强边境旅游治理,深化相关学术研究,以促进边境旅游高质量发展。     

Challenges and potential improvements in the policy and regulatory framework for sustainable tourism planning in China: the case of Shanxi Province

A sound policy and regulatory framework is essential in planning for sustainable tourism development. The paper examines opportunities and challenges for China's planning for sustainable tourism development from both policy and regulatory perspectives. Despite the enthusiasm for sustainable tourism, China's existing relevant policy and regulatory frameworks are generally fraught with contradictory objectives, and they are also often incoherent, have ambiguous legal provisions, and many organizations have duplicate responsibilities, unclear definitions of responsibilities, interlocking activities, and weak coordination due to the complicated institutional structure. Based on Shanxi Province, the paper explores the policy and regulatory issues affecting tourism and its sustainability, and it also assesses the possible options to foster an improved policy and regulatory framework for China's sustainable tourism development. A much stronger political will from all levels of government will be required to overcome a prevalent mindset for short-term economic growth and deep-rooted practices in pursuit of departmental benefits. It is also necessary for China and Shanxi under the new national tourism law to articulate and coordinate its laws and regulations with much improved supportive bylaws. Finally, more rational and effective institutional arrangements are needed, with clearly defined functions and responsibilities for government at varied levels.     

Towards a cohesive curriculum tourism: The case for a distinct discipline

This paper addresses a controversial topic in tourism scholarship which is simultaneously a problem and an opportunity in tourism education: the philosophical issue of academic disciplines and specifically, the question of a distinct discipline in tourism studies. It is argued that the orthodox approach to tourism education, multi-disciplinary studies, has become an impediment. It is suggested that a new discipline can be created by organizing the existing body of knowledge and that such a discipline can become the core of an inter-disciplinary approach. Certain characteristics of an embryonic discipline are outlined and innovations in this area at Sydney Technical College are discussed.     

Applicability of the market appeal—robusticity matrix: a case study of heritage tourism

Hong Kong is a city where contemporary global culture coexists with traditional Chinese heritage. One way of promoting Hong Kong's traditional built heritage is to develop a number of linked sites as a heritage trail. For helping the development of such, this study evaluates the applicability of the market appeal—robusticity matrix on heritage tourism development, by assessing the potential for tourism in the single-surname villages of Hong Kong's New Territories. The study techniques include documentary research, questionnaire survey and interviews. The findings indicate the matrix is effective for enabling the assessment of heritage tourism potential because it simultaneously demonstrates the importance of two major considerations for both tourism industry and heritage managers, namely market appeal—an asset's appeal to tourists, and robusticity—its ability to endure visitation. The shortcomings of the model includes the inappropriateness of the technical term “product design needs” in the market appeal subset and lack of community concerns in the robusticity subset of the matrix.     

Fostering rural and agricultural tourism: exploring the potential of geocaching

Geocaching is a modern-day version of “hide and seek” where participants use geographical longitude and latitude coordinates to locate a “geocache” using a GPS device or mobile app. An agriculturally focused geocache program could foster tourism, interest and educational opportunities about rural and agricultural areas, and could facilitate additional patronage of businesses that operate in these areas. As a prerequisite to such a program, however, organizations must commit to establishing and maintaining a geocache. This study explores the perceived benefits and constraints to an organization's participation in a rural or agriculturally focused geocache program. A case example of an agriculturally focused geocaching program, AgCache, is used as a starting point. In-depth interviews of program Founders and current participants explored the program's background and goals, and experiences of participating sites. Complimenting this, a survey collected information from potential host sites, and probit model analyses were used to assess influences on an organization's interest in hosting a geocache. While many organizations indicated that they would be interested in such a program, several indicated (addressable) concerns. Characteristics of the organization and respondent were found to significantly influence their interest. Findings are instructive for targeting and recruiting organizations into an agricultural or rural geocaching program.     

The inter-relationship between rural and mass tourism: The case of Catalonia,Spain

In certain regions of Southern Europe, mature coastal resorts are currently coexisting with rural tourism areas several kilometers inland. This paper analyzes the inter-relationship of these two types of tourism and the conditions for sustaining both in Mediterranean destinations. To do so, common and uncommon characteristics of the tourist product in rural and mass tourism are identified. The case study focuses on the region of Catalonia, Spain. By applying a hedonic price model, the valuation of some traditional mass tourism characteristics in rural tourism is tested. The results show that rural and mass tourism in the region share several attributes, some of them with opposite effects. The general conclusion is that both types of tourism are compatible, but should be developed and promoted independently to preserve the attractiveness of the destination. Some managerial recommendations for rural tourism in Catalonia are also derived from this analysis.     

Market size,scale economies,and tourism market structure: A case of historic water town tourism in China

The historic water towns in the Tai Lake Basin are representative of tourism products featuring a unique cultural heritage landscape and the local way of life in eastern China. Since the 1980s, this market has experienced phenomenal growth in both the quantity of water towns and the scale of tourist arrivals. Drawing from industrial economics theory and an agent-based modeling approach, we examine the structural evolution of this market. Simulation results show that scale economies and market size are a pair of opposite forces driving the evolution of the historic water town tourism market structure, where scale economies play a role as a barrier to deter potential entrants and ensure superprofits for existing water towns, while an expanding market size creates opportunities for entry. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and management recommendations are made for tourism destinations competing with identical products and services.     

Assessing the importance of urban tourism: Conceptual and measurement issues

Urban tourism has not received extensive recognition in tourism research, policy and planning yet its current and potential market is great. Improving the understanding of the importance of urban tourism requires the development of analysis and research methodologies related specifically to this sector. Based on Calgary, Canada, this article develops a model of urban tourism systems and ways in which potential and needs may be identified.     

The nominal group technique: An approach to consensus policy formulation in tourism

The use of the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) as a tool for consensus planning in tourism is discussed. NGT is described specifically with respect to an initial planning exercise conducted by the Tourism Industry Association of Alberta, Canada (TIAALTA), who had concluded in 1983 that the private sector should play a greater role in developing and managing tourism in Alberta. TIAALTA used NGT to identify priority issues and problems. Other applications of NGT are described, and the method is compared to other qualitative methods. The author recommends increased application of NGT in tourism research, planning and management.     

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.     

MOOCs in tourism and hospitality: a review

ABSTRACT

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have grown significantly and globally in less than ten years. However, practices and research in tourism and hospitality MOOCs remain nascent. This study proposes the MOOC Components Framework with six groups of course components: scaffolding, lectures, networking, collaboration, assessment, and affirmation. Drawing on this framework and a case study method, the study analyses 18 tourism and hospitality MOOCs from higher education institutions. The results highlight that: tourism and hospitality MOOC offerings lack diversity; the forum is the preferred communication tool; social media are comparatively underused; the discontinuity of MOOC instructors needs attention; and finally, littless multilingual support is available.     

Golf tourists in South Africa: A demand-side study of a niche market in sports tourism

The targeting of tourism market segments is considered to increase repeat visitations to tourism destinations because it allows destination marketers to accurately determine the needs and expectations of targeted tourists, develop more effective marketing strategies, which in turn, assists with ensuring that the targeted tourists segments support and return to the destination. Consequently, the aim of the study was to determine the profile of golf tourists attending an international golf event in South Africa by shedding some light on their key trip-related and general golf tourism behaviour patterns. To date, most research undertaken has focused on product-driven research concerned with golf course facilities and the marketing thereof and little emphasis on demand-side research concerning the golf tourist. Personal interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire involving 314 golf tourists selected through a systematic random sampling technique. The paper investigates the level of development of golf tourism, analyses the golf tourism market and highlights critical factors for its success, in South Africa.     

The encounter of agriculture and tourism a catalan case

A village on the Spanish Costa Dorada was the setting of the fieldwork on economic and social impacts of tourism on the local, native population. In contrast to the general belief among Mediterraneanists that the influence of tourist development on agriculture is deleterious, the case of Cambrils shows that this need not be so. Tourism has promoted agriculture directly and indirectly. Also the form and distribution of landed property, the prevailing inheritance practices, the availability of new land further from the coast, the quality of the soil, presence of water, and the crucially important role of the active local agricultural cooperative have contributed to the success of native farmers in Cambrils. The problems they face are general problems of agriculture and cannot be laid at the door of tourism.     

Sustainable tourism implementation in urban areas: a case study of London

Sustainable tourism is a concept widely embraced by managers and planners of tourist destinations. However, it has received little attention in the context of urban tourism, an area of research that has until recently been largely neglected by academics. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge on sustainable tourism implementation in large cities, by using London as an exploratory case study. Through the collection and analysis of both primary and secondary data (online survey, semi-structured interviews and document analysis), it seeks to explore whether local authorities have implemented policies towards sustainable tourism in the capital. The findings indicate that although the concept of sustainable tourism is perceived as important by policy makers, only a few local authorities in London promote its principles in their policy documents and even fewer have initiatives to put them in practice. Most of these initiatives are isolated activities which address limited aspects of sustainable tourism. The paper concludes that despite some progress made to date, in the current economic climate, growth and development remain the main objectives of governments and local authorities, while social and environmental issues are often left behind.