David Cardenas

Factors of stakeholder understanding of tourism: the case of Eastern North Carolina.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a tool to better understand a communitys knowledge of sustainable tourism principles. An assessment tool was developed to help identify factors of a communitys knowledge of sustainable tourism. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to determine the latent structure of the set of variables. Five factors of a stakeholders understanding of sustainable tourism development were identified in this study. These factors were (1) natural resources, (2) planning, (3) economic concerns, (4) educational needs, and (5) awareness of tourism.

Machismo-marianismo and the involvement of women in a community-based tourism project in Ecuador, South America.

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of machismo-marianismo gender ideology on a tourism planning dialogue within a community-based tourism planning project. Using community-based research methodology, three focus groups were conducted in a rural Ecuadorian community. Findings indicate that gender ideology influences the planning discourse in various ways, which affect if and how women are involved in the tourism industry. This study provides evidence for why tourism planning frameworks need to be critical of existing power structures such as gender ideology. Recommendations include the application of gender-aware development frameworks and gender impact assessments throughout the planning process.

Chinese customers' evaluation of travel website quality: a decision-tree analysis.

Web design in tourism organizations has become one of the key factors in maintaining a successful travel business. With questions of sustainability plaguing travel agencies, questions on how they should allocate their limited resources for website development to meet changing consumer needs while producing an effective and efficient website linger. This study provides a new technique and tool, decision trees and Weka, that identifies critical attributes that influence quality levels of a customer’s experience when visiting a travel agency’s website. The exploratory study derived eight evaluation attributes based on the attention, interest, desire, and action model. The study generated decision trees via Weka, a data-mining open-source software platform, to analyze the datasets from a web-based experiment. Results indicate that information quality is the most important attribute in designing the website of a travel agency. Then, attributes that enhance the simplicity of websites, such as ease of use, personalization, and flexible reservations, are considered by the customer when evaluating the website quality. Attractiveness can only contribute to evaluations of a website’s quality after usefulness and website simplicity have been determined. Keeping the website useful, simple, and attractive—in that order—will give managers of travel agencies the guidance to design their websites and improve company performance. This study confirms prior research and indicates that decision trees and Weka are viable techniques in evaluating travel agency websites and promotional materials.

An exploratory study of community awareness of impacts and agreement to sustainable tourism development principles

Before informed, active, full, or meaningful participation can be achieved, tourism planners need to evaluate stakeholder level of awareness and perception of tourism, the tourism process, impacts, and principles of sustainability. Framed with stakeholder theory, this study developed and piloted the Stakeholder Understanding of Sustainable Tourism Development Index (SUSTDI), a tool that assesses awareness of tourism impacts and agreement to principles of sustainable tourism development. The results produced a six-factor solution (α = .93); resource preservation, environmental education, stakeholder inclusion, economic planning, cultural awareness, and community resource identification. Differences between community groups were also examined. Though continued validation of the SUSTDI is needed, this is an initial step in providing a tool for tourism planners to assess a community’s level of awareness and agreement as a precursor to developing education and training programs to increase understanding and knowledge of sustainable tourism development.

Funding sustainable paddle trail development: paddler perspectives, willingness to pay and management implications

Paddle sports (kayaking, canoeing) are a growing tourism niche and an activity that can bring sustainable rural tourism development and economic regeneration. Managing sustainable paddle trail growth is complex, involving coordination among government bodies, consensus from landowners and funding acquisition for safe access sites, signage, maps and other amenities. This paper explores the paddle-trail-related literature and the many different funding options to manage the creation and maintenance of paddle trails. An Internet survey of 1851 respondents determined support for a variety of user funding mechanisms for trail development as well as paddler perceptions about trail development as a viable form of economic development. The results indicate that women and recreational paddlers are more likely to support funding mechanisms, in addition to paddlers who consider paddle trail development a form of economic development. Paddlers who did not support any user funding mechanism were male, employed in the private sector, avid paddlers, and those who owned boats. It is observed that awareness of paddle trails’ value as an economic regeneration tool increases the willingness to pay. A range of management implications from this research are discussed, including information and educational programs, marketing partnerships and targeted incentive offers to those groups that are unwilling to pay.

Building a place brand from the bottom up: A case study from the United States

In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, the need for towns and cities to create a unique identity, to differentiate themselves from competitors, has become critical. Many places promote spectacular scenery, good quality of life, friendly people, and a sound business infrastructure. However, these factors are no longer differentiators, so places need a strong brand identity to stand out in order to attract people to live, work, and play. But brand development is often driven by short-term top-down approaches with limited community participation, where the primary tool of brand expression becomes the final marketing campaign. This article reports on a qualitative approach to build a place brand from the bottom up, with wide participation from all members of the community. With a methodology based on place brand-building theory, charettes and in-depth interviews were conducted with local stakeholders, resulting in a positioning statement that was used to develop brand communications materials. Based on the research process and results of the case study, the authors present a community-based place brand development model.

Wellness tourism: stress alleviation or indulging healthful habits?

Purpose This study aims to examine the direct relationships between behavioral intention and factors driving the growth of the wellness tourism industry in the USA. Relationships were hypothesized based on alternative explanations for the rise in popularity of wellness tourism in research streams. Design/methodology/approach Two models were estimated and tested using the theory of planned behavior (TPB), each incorporating two constructs – Life stress and involvement in health – in addition to theoretically stipulated precursors to Behavioral Intention. Findings Both constructs were found to be significant predictors of behavioral intention. However, involvement proved a much stronger predictor than life stress. Implications for the management and marketing of this subsector are discussed in the paper. Originality/value This study extends the understanding of travelers’ behavioral intentions in the context of wellness tourism by using an extended TPB, with life stress and involvement in health and wellness considered. The study compares general travelers with current/potential wellness travelers (excluding those whose sole purpose was wellness) and the factors that influence their travel behavior.

Gauging potential demand for new events

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to gauge potential interest in equestrian events for a proposed multi-use international horse park. Design/methodology/approach – Multi-stage, mixed methods were employed, including interviews with industry professionals at competing horse parks, a survey of potential visitors and an economic impact analysis. Findings – Both industry professionals and equine tourists felt that the proposed facility had the potential to succeed with an international horse park especially as it already has a strong equine culture. Potential visitors already possess a high awareness of city as an equestrian tourist destination, and the majority said they would visit the new facility to take part in, or watch equine events. At medium utilization, the facility has the potential to attract 225 events to the park annually, attracting approximately 428,000 attendees. This would have an annual spending impact of about US

Racial discrimination in tourism: the case of African-American travellers in South Carolina

38 million, generating 575 full-time jobs. Practical implications – Base...

An exploration of gendered systems theory on women-owned businesses in emerging tourism destinations: future directions

ABSTRACT African-American tourists are one of the fast-growing segments of the travel sector, but very little is known about this consumer group. What we do know from previous research is that African-American travellers are different to travellers in general, and their travel decisions are closely related with their feelings of welcome and racial acceptance. This study employed a mixed method approach in order to explore issues of racial acceptance in South Carolina, two years after removal of the Confederate flag from state capitol grounds. The results of both qualitative and quantitative research show that the fear of racial discrimination is still a key barrier preventing African-American tourists from visiting and enjoying their vacations in South Carolina. Eradicating such racial discrimination in tourism is a formidable task, but not unsurmountable, and the final section of the paper makes recommendations for establishing a programme to do so. Highlights African-American tourists are one of the fast-growing segments of the travel sector Their travel decisions are closely related with their feelings of welcome and racial acceptance The study employed a mixed method approach in order to explore issues of racial acceptance The results show that the fear of racial discrimination is still a key barrier preventing African-American tourists from visiting and enjoying their vacations Eradicating such racial discrimination in tourism is a formidable task but not unsurmountable