Douglas G. Pearce

Why Do People Attend Events: A Comparative Analysis of Visitor Motivations at Four South Island Events

The comparative analysis of the motivations of visitors at four South Island, New Zealand, events—two food and beverage festivals, an air show, and a country and music festival—highlights the diversity in motives that are to be found from event to event. Event-specific factors are especially important; there is little evidence yet of generic event motivations. In contrast to earlier case studies, the comparative approach employed here gives more weight and greater visibility to events per se as a distinctive phenomenon.

An integrative framework for urban tourism research.

Abstract This paper outlines an integrative framework for urban tourism and illustrates applications with reference to selected aspects of the literature. The framework emphasizes the identification of subject cells within a matrix defined in terms of scale (site, district, city-wide, regional, national, and international) and themes (demand, supply, development, and impacts). It stresses the need to examine the relationships between these, both vertically and horizontally. This is offered as a means of providing a more systematic and coherent perspective on urban tourism, as a way of integrating a steadily growing but as yet largely fragmented body of research and providing structure for future efforts in this field, both conceptually and empirically.

Tourism Distribution Channels: The Visitors’ Perspective:

This article extends research on tourism distribution channels, a topic dominated by studies of providers and intermediaries, by addressing the use of multiple channels from the visitors’ perspective. The article reports the results of intercept surveys of international and domestic independent visitors, and their use of a range of distribution channels to make travel, accommodation, and attractions arrangements at two New Zealand destinations: Rotorua and Wellington. Emphasis is given in turn to the different functions of distribution—information search, booking, and payment—and to the factors that influence the channels selected for each of these functions. Similarities and differences are found among the three sectors and between the destinations and segments analyzed.

Towards a geography of tourism

Abstract This paper traces the development of geographical interest in tourism during the past half century and examines the range and scope of the geography of tourism. The available literature is reviewed and suggestions are made regarding possible research aveneus and theoretical developments. Six major areas of interest are identified: spatial aspects of supply, spatial aspects of demand, the geography of resorts, patterns of movements and flows, the impact of tourism, and models of tourist space. Through an emphasis on spatial interaction an attempt is made to provide some cohesion and synthesis for this body of knowledge which constitutes the basis of the geography of tourism.

Competitive Destination Analysis in Southeast Asia

This article reports on competitive destination analysis, a means of systematically comparing diverse attributes of competing destinations within a planning context. The experience of the government of Sarawak, a state of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, is used to illustrate this analytical technique.

Tourist time-budget

Abstract Research on tourist destinations has focused primarily on issues of development and impact with little attention being paid to what tourists actually do, how they use their time, and where they go within destinations. The comparative neglect of tourist behavior stems from both a failure to appreciate its significance and from the lack of a readily available data source and established methodology. This paper outlines the potential of one approach, the time-budget, examines its application in tourism research, discusses a number of methodological issues which arise, and suggests ways in which problems might be overcome. The time- budget approach involves systematically recording the tourists activities within a destination by using diaries, questionnaires, or interviews. While still largely experimental in the field of tourism, the time-budget may offer new insights into demand, development, and impact.

Toward an Integrative Conceptual Framework of Destinations

Destinations are a fundamental focus of much tourism research. How we conceptualize and frame destinations is critical not only for the research that we do but also for practical matters such as destination management and marketing. To date, however, work on the conceptual and theoretical foundations of destinations has been fragmented, incomplete, and without much general sense of direction. Through a wide-ranging review, this paper seeks to develop an integrative conceptual framework of destinations by systematically identifying and then synthesizing the key elements of five major sets of concepts used to depict and analyze destinations: industrial districts, clusters, networks, systems, and social constructs. A set of recurring elements is identified, grouped under three major dimensions—geographic, mode of production, and dynamic—and presented in an initial integrative framework. Issues of extending and operationalizing the framework are outlined and the implications for destination management discussed.

Heritage tourism on the West Coast of New Zealand.

Abstract This study provides a systematic, empirical exploration of eight heritage sites on the West Coast of New Zealand, notably those associated with gold and coal mining. Data on each site collected through a visitor survey, structured interviews, field visits and the examination of documentation were analysed through element-by-element comparison of site characteristics, development, management and patterns of demand. The results highlight the diversity which is to be found in terms of the first three sets of factors, with major differences occurring between community-managed sites and those managed by the Department of Conservation. Few systematic differences were observed in terms of the profile characteristics of visitors to the eight sites. General sightseers, not enthusiasts or specialists, appear to form the dominant market for heritage tourism on the West Coast.

Tourist districts in Paris: structure and functions

Abstract This paper seeks to develop a more general understanding of tourist districts in large polycentric urban areas by exploring the characteristics, structure and functioning of three tourist districts in Paris — the Ile de la Cite, Montmartre and the Opera quarter. The approach adopted focuses on the spatial and functional association of tourisms diverse components around major nuclei and their insertion into the underlying urban fabric: administrative, residential and commercial. A certain level of synergy is apparent between the different sectors but the functional association between major and other attractions is shown to be not as strong as physical proximity alone might otherwise suggest. A varying degree of compatibility between tourism and other urban functions is also revealed, highlighting the significance of the underlying land-use of each district and the role of historical factors. Ease of accessibility is shown to be a critical factor in structuring tourist districts.

Who goes to events: a comparative analysis of the profile characteristics of visitors to four South Island events in New Zealand.

This paper presents a systematic comparative analysis of the profile characteristics of visitors to four events in the South Island of New Zealand in 1998: two food and beverage festivals, an air show and a country music festival. A comparative methodology for the study of events tourism is outlined and the results are presented in two stages; firstly, by means an element-by-element comparison of each of the characteristics; secondly, by way of a summary matrix. This comparative analysis emphasises the heterogeneity of the demand for events. While some similarities are found, especially between the two food and beverage festivals, the general picture to emerge from the findings is one of difference. Event-goers do not appear to constitute a single homogeneous market; rather, different events appear to attract different audiences. The implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for further research are outlined.