Does good governance attract tourists?

No effort has been made to connect good governance and the performance of the tourism industry at the country level. We take a first step to provide empirical evidence of this positive effect. Based on a data set of 100 countries between 2002 and 2012, the impact of the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) on the tourism industry is analyzed, controlling also for demographic, economic and environmental factors. Using a dynamic panel data approach, we highlight the role played by good governance in explaining differences in countries’ tourism performances, measured here as inbound tourism expenditures per inhabitant. We also observe that the impact of WGI is even higher among low-openness countries.     

Gender diversity in hospitality and tourism top management teams: A systematic review of the last 10 years

Due to women still accounting for less than a quarter of hospitality and tourism executive-level positions, the purpose of this paper was to identify antecedents to and outcomes of gender diverse hospitality and tourism top management teams, describe potential mediators and moderators to these relationships, and provide directions for future research. A systematic review of gender diversity in hospitality and tourism top management teams (TMTs) was conducted between the years 2010 and 2020, resulting in 26 articles used for the thematic analysis. Antecedents, outcomes, mediators, and moderators of gender diverse hospitality and tourism TMTs were identified. The results indicated female role models, organizational structure, and organizational support as antecedents, while financial performance, business growth, and human resource outcomes were consequences. The resource advantage theory is proposed as an explanation for each of these relationships. This study fills a gap in previous literature by conducting a review of gender diversity, identifying critical gaps, and proposing an overarching theory.     

Hong Kong's aviation and tourism growth - An empirical investigation

This study investigates the critical link between aviation and tourism growth in Hong Kong, with a focus on the identification of causal relationships between scheduled airline seat capacity and visitor arrivals. This is achieved through the cointegration analysis and Granger-causality test, using monthly data collected from Hong Kong's top 17 tourist source markets during 2008–2018. Our analysis finds clear evidence of an overall two-way causal relationship between airline scheduled capacity and tourist arrivals. The positive externalities between the two crucial sectors to the Hong Kong economy call for coordinated planning and policy design in the tourism and aviation sectors, and justify continued government support. On the other hand, market-specific features are evident in selected markets. Such heterogeneity is likely due to airline network effect and regulation in the international market. Therefore, direct subsidy is not always an efficient support measure. A combination of liberalization policy and industry supports are preferred in views of the benefits to be achieved for the two sectors and the Hong Kong economy.     

Adding character: The role of destination mascots in tourism development

This study explores the use of destination mascots in tourism development. It steps away from the traditional investigation of yuru kyara by focusing on a wider range of anthropomorphic messengers. By mapping the historical trajectory of mascots, the researchers isolate a special subcategory of anthropomorphic characters: destination mascots. Destination mascots are introduced as a new tourism construct and a distinct type of marketing activity. This paper aims to develop and promote the term destination mascot in tourism literature. It describes the many facets of destination mascots and catalogues five distinct functions mascots can carry out for their destinations: mascots as place identity markers, cultural constructs, bonding tools, social engagement tools, and information carriers. Supplemented with multiple examples from past and present literature, this study deepens and broadens our understanding of mascot culture. It brings into view many avenues that invite further exploration.     

Spatial spillovers of agglomeration economies and productivity in the tourism industry: The case of the UK

This research investigates the direct and (indirect) spatial spillover effects of agglomeration economies on the productivity of the tourism industry. With increasing concerns about the persistence of low (labour) productivity in tourism across many developed economies, there is an urgent need to address this productivity challenge. Using major under-exploited UK microeconomic panel data, spatial econometric modelling is employed to estimate the effects of agglomeration economies on productivity. Findings reveal the significant effects of agglomeration economies on productivity within a specific region, but also significant spatial spillover effects across neighbouring regions, suggesting the possibility of productivity convergences. Competitive and complementary effects of agglomeration economies on productivity are identified.     

Carrying capacity and its implications in a Chinese ancient village: the case of Hongcun.

Hongcun, an ancient village in Anhui in China, is an UNESCO-gazetted village because of its Huizhou architecture. It attracts over 1.6 million visitors per annum. Based upon a simple spatial model, the results of this study indicate that its social carrying capacity is being vastly exceeded, and the consequences are discussed in terms of the impacts on village life using data derived from a survey of residents. In terms of addressing the issues of crowding, it is suggested that a number of future choices face the village, ranging from the imposition of quotas on visitation to sustain and protect its UNESCO status by significantly reducing overcrowding, or alternatively, to embrace mass tourism to become akin to a theme park that is based on Huizhou culture.     

大西安旅游圈旅游规模分布演变及空间特征

旅游空间结构是旅游地理研究的重要方向之一.以旅游经济联系度、旅游首位度和旅游基尼系数等多项指标对大西安旅游圈近10年的旅游规模分布变化及空间特征进行了分析,初步探讨了西安旅游与大西安旅游圈发展的互动响应.结果表明:大西安旅游圈是单极核圈层结构,呈单核辐射发展;西安是大西安旅游圈的旅游首位城市,但首位度在不断降低;旅游圈内游客人数和旅游经济均趋于分散,但旅游经济分散的程度更为显著.此外,大西安旅游圈旅游规模成长呈现单点集聚性、轴线指向性、区域差异性与结构趋散性等特征.     

旅游吸引物权不可统一立法之辨析

旅游吸引物在旅游学上属于一个集合概念, 在法律上没有相关规定, 但不同属性的旅游吸引物作为个体在《物权法》上的权属性质往往是有法可循的。文章运用物权法理论, 结合新颁布的《旅游法》, 分析几个典型旅游吸引物的权属, 试图澄清几个与此相关的问题, 论证设立旅游吸引物权、为之统一立法的不合理性和不可行性, 并进一步提出充分运用《合同法》、《旅游法》以及相关法律解释等现有法律规定, 解决农村土地旅游开发中社区权益保护问题, 而不是简单地采取修改法律的方式解决此类问题。     

The Effect of Uganda’s Official Tourism Website on Travel Motivations and Constraints

Destination marketers increasingly rely on the official tourism website as an early point of contact with potential tourists. This research examined the effect of Uganda’s official tourism website on interest in traveling to Uganda, travel motivations, and travel constraints. Novelty preference and gender were included as moderators. A two-group randomized experimental design was used (N = 278) with exposure to Uganda’s official tourism website as the intervention (n = 139). Pre-test results show that interest in traveling to Uganda was greatest among novelty seekers. Gender had no influence. Pre-test motivations were learning, culture, novelty, and an interest in travel. Pre-test constraints were perceptions that Uganda is not safe and unfamiliar. Post-test results show that exposure to the website significantly increased interest in traveling to Uganda among all groups. Furthermore, this occurred by mitigating travel constraints rather than by stimulating travel motivations. Generalized implications for destination marketing are discussed.     

Natural and Built Photographic Images: Preference,Complexity, and Recall

An investigation of the effect of natural versus built images of tourism activities on consumer responses was undertaken, using a selection of tourism promotion photographs. A sample of 156 males and 175 females provided ratings for images including: preference (liking), degree of complexity, consumption vision, and recall. The research provides evidence for consumer preference for natural versus built images, shows the role of complexity as an association to image type, and demonstrates that areas of interest most liked within an image are different by gender. Tourism activity images that are predominantly natural are more likely to be recalled. This study contributes to the application of a new method using areas of interest to pinpoint elements of images that are most interesting.