‘Poor children on Tinder’ and their Barbie Saviours: towards a feminist political economy of volunteer tourism

Barbie Saviours is a satirical Instagram account and linked Facebook page that depict white western Barbies volunteering in Africa with the bio, ‘Jesus. Adventures. Africa. Two worlds. One love. Babies. Beauty. Not qualified. Called. 20 years old. It’s not about me… but it kind of is’. Drawing on emerging theories of feminist political economy, we address the growing backlash against volunteer tourism in the popular media and argue that critiques against these images reflect an anti-hegemonic project that highlights the role of sentimental colonialism in contemporary forms of international popular humanitarianism. Widely described as a critique against the ‘White Saviour Complex’, Barbie Saviour is used to popularise a negative image of western female volunteer tourists which currently comprise more than 75% of the industry. These critiques question the morality and legitimacy of female volunteer tourists as well as related spaces of western forms of development in the global south. These satires shine a spotlight on the neocolonial aura of the practice. However, we argue that while this critique is a productive reminder of the symbolic violence of racialised inequality, the critique itself also, albeit inadvertently, perpetuates the ahistorical and apolitical racial, ethnic, gender and class-based binary thinking that it seeks to condemn.     

Networking for sustainable tourism – towards a research agenda

This paper proposes a research agenda for networking for sustainable tourism research based on a collaborative workshop of international tourism academics and researchers and an extensive review of the relevant literature. Each year, Building Excellence in Sustainable Tourism – an Education Network (BEST EN) holds a Think Tank on a topical issue in sustainable tourism education. One aim of the Think Tank is to develop a relevant research agenda that draws on the collective knowledge of participants and acknowledges the interdependent economic, environmental and social objectives in sustainable tourism. Six main areas were identified as important for a research agenda on networking for sustainable tourism and its implementation: theory, methodology and conceptual issues; actors, culture and power; lifecycle, evolution and dynamics of networks; knowledge transfer; macro-perspectives and strategic action, vision, innovation and management of networks. This paper presents and discusses these research themes in the context of a literature review on networks and networking for sustainability in tourism. It is found that substantial progress has been made in the investigation of private sector networks at the destination levels; research on networks involving public sector stakeholders and networks across sectors and levels of governance, however, remains limited.     

Women’s snowboarding – some experiences and perceptions of competition

This article focuses on female snowboarders’ experiences with, and perceptions of, snowboard competitions. The article is based on a study conducted at an international women’s snowboard camp. The purpose of the camp was to discuss strategies for promoting females’ participation in the snowboard organisations and in snowboard competition. Interviews were held with eight participants aged 18–31?years. Most of the participants had been previously involved in competition. Their experience had been both negative and positive. Most of the participants perceived snowboard facilities (Big air and Half-pipe) as being too large for females and a possible constraint on participation. Moreover, the study’s findings reveal ideas concerning alternative competition formats as well as arguments for ‘women-only’ sessions as a feasible way to reach more female snowboarders, to provide skill enhancement, and to increase participation in the competitions. The findings are discussed in light of the development of snowboarding and Bourdieu’s theoretical framework.     

Impacts of festivals and events on residents’ well-being

This study investigated how residents’ participation in local festivals may influence their subjective-well-being and their quality of life. Using data collected from local attendees of a film festival, this study examined the relationship between socio-cultural impacts of a festival and subjective well-being of local residents. Findings revealed that while community benefits and cultural/educational benefits are positive predictors of subjective well-being of residents, quality life concerns were found to have negative impact on the well-being of residents. Findings also revealed no significant relationship between community resource concerns and subjective well-being of residents.     

From ‘just a swimmer’ to a ‘swimming mother’: women’s embodied experiences of recreational aquatic activity with pre-school children

Increased academic attention on the gendering of leisure pastimes in recent years has highlighted the centrality of the gendered body in influencing how leisure is accessed, experienced and transformed. To date, however, little attention has been paid to how women experience aquatic leisure activity, the second most popular form of leisure activity in the UK, and where female participation predominates. This paper presents results from research investigating the aquatic leisure experiences of 22 women, with children aged under 3, in the North-East of England. A number of key themes emerged from the data, which highlighted the centrality of the gendered, lived body as a key social construct contouring participant perceptions in the swimming pool environment. Women reflected upon their self-perceived physical deficiencies when wearing revealing swimming costumes, particularly under the critical gaze of ‘other’ bodies, whether present or imagined. The co-presence of other bodies was also central in shaping lived experiences, and the presence of ‘dependent’ children’s bodies shifted bodily intentionality away from the self towards perceived maternal responsibilities and the management of perceived risks, including ‘dirt’ and ‘germs’ and the negotiation of the tacit rules of the swimming pool. Results also suggest that the emphasis on maternal responsibility in aquatic leisure activity and timing of parent-toddler sessions could lead to reproduction of gender inequalities and the exclusion of some fathers from participation.     

Hotel school alumni’s intentions to use communication channels – a cross-generational comparison study

ABSTRACT

Alumni communication is vital in sustaining the relationship between alumni and their alma maters. This research investigated four cohorts of alumni, and their intentions to use a range of traditional and digital communication channels, including social media. An online questionnaire was sent to 8060 alumni and resulted in 595 usable responses, yielding a 7% response rate. The research results showed that alumni have the highest intentions to use the alumni e-newsletter and the alumni Website and the lowest intentions to use social media, e.g., Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Among alumni cohorts, significant statistical differences in their intentions to use these communication channels were identified. Given our findings, alumni communication staff are encouraged to leverage different communication channels targeting alumni in different age groups.     

Travel app users’ continued use intentions: it’s a matter of value and trust

This study examines the factors that influence the continued use intention of mobile apps designed for travel-related purposes. Interviews with 22 individuals provided data for developing a conceptual model of travel app continued use intention. The model draws on the expectation confirmation model framework, as well as interviews, to illustrate the relationship between functional value, hedonic value, satisfaction, and trust, and to discuss the link between moderators of familiarity, travel purposes, travel app types, and technology proficiency as predictors on continued use. The study’s results establish an in-depth understanding of continued use for travel apps.     

Women,gender, leisure and place: towards a more ‘humanistic’ geography of women's leisure

A growing interest in the role of place in social processes has led to a recognition of the need to incorporate these ideas into the study of leisure and recreation. A critique of the traditional geographical approach to the study of leisure and recreation is followed by a brief review of the geography of gender and humanistic geography literature, indicating the possible contribution that some of the perspectives contained in this material can make to our understanding of women's leisure. In conclusion, it is argued that it is only through developing a deeper understanding of the way individuals and groups perceive different places, with their complex mosaics of gender and class relations, that a more complete, more contextual representation of women's leisure can emerge.     

The impact of four CSR dimensions on a gaming company’s image and customers’ revisit intentions

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives affect casino customers’ corporate image as well as the customers’ behavioral intentions (i.e., revisit intentions), through the lens of Carroll’s corporate social performance model, stakeholder theory, and legitimacy theory. This study also examines the mediating effect of corporate image on the relationship between perceived CSR and behavioral intentions. An onsite survey was conducted with 596 casino customers in South Korea. The results revealed that ethical CSR had the strongest impact on corporate image, followed by economic and philanthropic CSR. Only philanthropic CSR had a significant and direct effect on behavioral intentions. Corporate image mediated the relationship between three types of CSR (ethical, economic, and philanthropic) and behavioral intentions. Companies can benefit from these findings by understanding how specific CSR initiatives can enhance corporate image and increase customer retention. This study advances the emerging field of CSR in the gaming industry.     

Communicating sustainability through a destination’s website: a checklist to inform,motivate, and engage stakeholders

This study investigated sustainability communication through destination websites. In particular, it suggested an online sustainability communication checklist (OSC-Checklist) that informs, motivates, and engages stakeholders to contribute towards the development of environmental, sociocultural, and economic sustainability. The OSC-Checklist was applied to the official websites of the top 50 competitive destinations with the aim of evaluating the extent to which each destination communicates sustainability on its website. The results indicated that the sample destinations lack an appropriate online approach to communicate sustainability. The results also revealed that the less developed and competitive destinations scored higher in terms of communicating sustainability than other more competitive developed destinations. Theoretical and practical implications are also provided.     

“Couchsurfing has made me a better person and the world a better place”: the transformative power of collaborative tourism experiences

ABSTRACT

Presented as an alternative form of tourism, Couchsurfing is a predominantly non-commercial accommodation type where hosts offer a “couch” to travelers through a hospitality network. Couchsurfing.com is considered as an icon of the sharing economy and more specifically of shareable tourism. This article provides a deeper understanding of couchsurfers’ motivations and shared values. Through an empirical qualitative study, we discuss the transformative power of Couchsurfing experiences, the underlying transformational processes, conditions, and socio-psychological and behavioral consequences. We also discuss the findings’ implications for society, businesses, and tourism in general.     

Towards an understanding of fathers’ involvement in children’s sporting activities as racial fathering practices

ABSTRACT

This research note puts forward a conceptual framework for leisure research seeking to bring sport, fathering, and race and ethnicity together. It draws on theoretical ideas of practices and racial projects to develop the notion of racial fathering practices. The potential of racial fathering practices as an analytic approach is indicated through three vignettes of fathers’ involvement in their children’s sporting activities drawn from in-depth interview studies of fathers’ understandings of bringing up their mixed-race children in Britain and Aotearoa New Zealand.     

Work and leisure in Thomas More’s Utopia

Relationship between work and leisure lays at the core of Thomas More’s political concerns and his vision of a Utopian society, but received little systematic research attention. This article addresses a question that has been often raised – whether Utopia expresses More’s views or is just a jest, since it in so many ways conflicts with his subsequent political stands and pronouncements. The article examines More’s vision of work and leisure within the context of his evolving social and political views and England’s political, economical and confessional challenges of the sixteenth century. The article proposes that the prospect of leisure offered in Utopia has been often simplified and the practice of a six-hour workday should not overshadow the fact that Utopians were expected to work 329 days a year and their leisure life was strongly regimented. The article suggests that, after being published, Utopia assumed its own life which foreshadowed both the challenges as well as some ominous aspects of future real-life Utopias. As a prophecy of a system of social justice and enlightened leisure Utopia failed, but it drew attention to the inherent dilemma of achieving a socially desirable and politically sustainable balance of work and leisure. More’s tragic end should not veil the relevancy of More’s intent (if not the solution) of bridging the gap between work and leisure – a task that remains remarkably salient today.     

Understanding the past,anticipating the future – a critical assessment of China outbound tourism research

This paper presents a critical assessment of the current state of China outbound tourism research. It draws upon an extensive review of peer-reviewed literature on China outbound tourism published between 2003 and 2015. In seeking an in-depth understanding of the current literature and its implications, the researchers propose five potential directions for future investigation. These include a call for researchers to embrace alternative research techniques that will contribute to theory building, as well as for an alignment of research activity that provides insights into both the evolution and the transformation of China outbound tourism.     

Gastronomic image in the foodstagrammer’s eyes – A machine learning approach

Given the rich content that foodstagrammers, people who actively share their dining experiences using photographs and texts on social media, post, they considerably shape a destination's gastronomic image. Using big data analytics, this study examined the formation of gastronomic images from foodstagrammers' perspectives and the associated emotions. Moreover, it demonstrated the applicability of the proposed machine learning approach to evaluate both textual and pictorial content on social media. The study findings extend the current understanding of gastronomic images by identifying the underlying attributes based on the interplay of the three dimensions of food, environment, and activities. Furthermore, the results reveal specific image clusters and dimensions that arouse positive sentiments among foodstagrammers and influence users' engagement with the post. For practitioners, this study provides valuable insights into foodstagrammers' behaviors by identifying the aspects of gastronomic images that effectively arouse interest and engagement, thus promoting gastronomic destinations.     

Development and validation of a multidimensional tourist’s local food consumption value (TLFCV) scale

This study is to test whether consumption value theory can be applied to food tourism in a tourism destination. Despite its importance, few studies have explored the types of local food consumption value that tourists obtain in a destination. This study sought to develop and validate a scale of local food consumption value from a tourist perspective. As a result, a seven-factor structure was generated. The overall construct demonstrated satisfactory levels of reliability and validity. The value on their satisfaction with tasting local food, positive post-purchase intention, and food destination image varied by cultural region. Future research is expected to benefit from using the validated measurement to understand the unexplored aspects of tourists’ local food consumption.     

Monster mines,dugouts, and abandoned villages: a composite narrative of Burra’s heritage

In a bid to join recent efforts to develop innovative approaches to heritage, this article argues that adopting a collaborative mode of inquiry is a useful way of coming to terms with the plurality of ways heritage landscapes are enlivened by their visitors. It also points to some of the advantages of incorporating researchers’ personal experiences into academic research. With a focus on the Burra Heritage Trail in South Australia (geared around the Burra Heritage Passport), the article brings together four sets of research experiences, each informed by different (though cognisant) disciplinary backgrounds: art history, anthropology, heritage studies, and tourism planning. The result is a form of experimental autoethnographic writing in which four voices reflect upon their embodied, sensuous, and mobile experiences as ‘tourist’ moving through the same places, thereby offering multiple ways of knowing and telling about a single setting.     

Leadership,power and racism: lifeguards’ influences on Aboriginal people’s experiences at a Northern Canadian aquatic facility

Using a Foucauldian and postcolonial lens, this case study examines the ways in which leadership styles used by lifeguards and supported by the structure, rules and regulations at a northern Canadian swimming pool influenced Aboriginal people’s experience of the facility. Participant observation, semi-structured interviews and a focus group were used to identify the ways in which Eurocentric lifeguard training, exercises of power, institutional racism and an absence of cultural competency can intersect to influence Aboriginal people’s use of a local pool and their considerations of lifeguarding as a potential employment opportunity. On the basis of these findings, the study suggests that the development and implementation of anti-discriminatory policies and procedures for swimming pools and the inclusion of cultural competency teachings in lifeguard training are necessary measures to enhance Aboriginal people’s experiences at northern swimming pools, to foster opportunities to become lifeguards and to augment Euro-Canadian lifeguards’ capacity to maintain a safe and welcoming aquatic environment in a cross-cultural context.