Jane Ali-Knight

Who is the wine tourist

Abstract Both the wine and tourism industries have achieved high levels of growth within Australia in the 1990s, and are significant contributors to the GDP as invisible exports. In 1994, about 10 percent of the total international visitors made a visit to an Australian winery, an increase of 20 percent on the 1993 figures. Some researchers seek to explore wine tourism as a form of consumer behaviour in which wine lovers and those interested in wine regions travel to preferred destinations. Key researchers, in this emerging field of wine tourism, have commented on the lack of published research material available regarding the behaviour and characteristics of the winery visitor or the tourist. This paper addresses these issues by suggesting a model possessing three dimensions; purpose of visit, general tourist motivation and relationship to other tourist activities. With this model, it is possible to locate specific tourist activities, and thereby have a better understanding of what constitutes ‘wine tourism’. It also considers whether or not specific cultural and geographic differences may have an impact on the segmentation of the wine tourist.

The Environmental Attitudes and Practices of Family Businesses in the Rural Tourism and Hospitality Sectors

This paper examines the environmental goals of rural, family owned/operated tourism business with a view to evaluating their conservation ethic and commitment to sustainable tourism. From a survey of 198 family businesses in Western Australia, it was determined that about half of them had implemented a range of sustainable management practices. Future research needs are identified, and management ideas are suggested which could encourage the adoption of sustainable tourism practices in rural family businesses.

Festival management innovation and failure

Purpose – The paper seeks to examine the concepts, types and implications of festival innovation and failure.Design/methodology/approach – A review of extant literature is undertaken and examples of innovation and failure in three festivals are used to demonstrate the simultaneity and co‐dependency of innovation and failure in the process of festival management.Findings – It is apparent that many forms of program, market, service, organisational and financial innovation are available to festival managers. Many involve risk of failure due to the resource dependency theory postulated in the literature, as well as more pragmatic reasons including bad weather and managerial incompetence.Practical  implications – Festival managers responses to the dual challenges of embracing innovation and avoiding failure will determine the future of festivals, so it is vital that knowledge is developed.Originality/value – There is limited literature on festival management innovation and failure and limited information avail...

Dubai's tourism industry and its societal impact: social implications and sustainable challenges

This paper initially outlines the principles and strategies underpinning Dubais ambitious plans to develop a rather unique destination of international distinction. The discussion, however, recognises the challenges presented by the global economic downturn as well as the recessionary measures that Dubai may have to pursue in order to encourage people to travel to the destination in significant numbers. It is proposed that Dubai may have to look to wider market segments beyond the traditional luxury travel market, particularly through the development of budget hotels. This could challenge any productive notion of a socially sustainable tourism environment and intensify prevailing social concerns. The paper then moves onto a detailed discussion concerning the social impacts of tourism development in Dubai. The discussion focuses on ethnic distinctions in migrant housing and geographical location, social ramifications relating to the urbanisation and aestheticisation of space, and limitations in the availability of cultural tourism resources and heritage infrastructure. Finally, constraints are identified in terms of mobilising local employment resources and human capital to serve the tourism and hospitality industry, and with respect to prevailing social issues concerning expatriate employment.

Social network analysis and festival cities: an exploration of concepts, literature and methods.

Purpose – Social network analysis (SNA) is an under-utilised framework for research into festivals and events. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the history of SNA and explore its key concepts, in order that they might be applied to festivals and their environments. Design/methodology/approach – Secondary material underpins the paper, primarily SNA literature, tourism studies research and festival industry publications. Findings – Festival cities offer dynamic environments in which to investigate the workings of social networks. The importance of such networks has long been recognised within the industry, yet there is scant reflection of this in the event studies literature. Uses of SNA in tourism studies publications offer some precedents. Originality/value – This paper emphasises the importance of relationships between people in a festival economy, complementing and building upon stakeholder analyses. A research method is proposed, suitable for application across a diverse range of festivals an...

Events and festivals in Asia and the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region

Purpose – This editorial aims to provide a brief overview of recent developments in the events industry in general, and in Asia and the MENA region in particular. The discussion forms a prelude for the individual contributions of this special issue.Design/methodology/approach – The papers cover a variety of different research methods and methodologies including both quantitative and qualitative approaches.Findings – Setting the stage for the selection of papers is a thought‐provoking introduction, followed by six papers that aim to provide insights into key issues by examining pertinent literature, addressing relevant research questions, and providing applied and theoretical outcomes relevant to both academics and practitioners in the event and festival fields. These papers cover the variety, scope and diversity of events in Asia and MENA region, with a mixture of papers that examine event‐specific aspects and those that approach the subject from a broader destination/policy perspective.Originality/value ...

The dynamics of successful events – the experts' perspective

Interviews with key leaders formed the basis of this exploratory research to elicit and identify the key factors that festival leaders perceive as the characteristics of creative and innovative festivals. The sample study was of composed of three key festival experts. This included two directors from two large festivals occurring at different times of the year in Edinburgh. Both directors have a well established leadership history in their respective festival. In addition one additional interviewee had responsibility for the strategic development of art events and festivals at a national level (2006). Repertory Grids were employed to identify key constructs that festival leaders hold of the arena in which they work. Six key areas emerge from the constructs identified. These are leadership, focus, relationship with the community, decision making, funding, and history of the festival. Leadership had the highest rating and the sub categories identified within this were independence, freedom and culture. Focus of the event and relationship with the community were, respectively, the next most highly rated constructs.

Eliciting the dynamics of leading a sustainable event: key informant responses

Within the event management literature relating to network development and festival sustainability there is a paucity of research that analyzes the perception of festival sustainability by festival leaders. After an initial review of the context of sustainability, network theory, and an identification of the changing set of competencies for effective leadership, an exploratory and explanatory investigation is made to elicit and identify the critical factors that key informant festival leaders associate with sustainable festivals. The main purpose of this study is to attain a greater depth of understanding of festival leaders’ attitudes towards the dynamics of creating and directing sustainable festivals. Indepth interviews with five elite festival leaders helped to generate the elements of a repertory grid from which a “triading” method was used to elicit constructs. Of the constructs identified, the most significant relate to four areas: the event subject focus; the leadership; the funding; and the organizational culture. The research also revealed that festival leaders conceive sustainability not as an environmental concern, but as a matter of festival survival. Suggestions are then drawn as to the future role of the repertory grid method in identifying and managing stakeholder visions, and future lines of research investigation and application.

Independent theatres and the creation of a fringe atmosphere

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish the image and associated impression of atmosphere created by independent theatres at two fringe festivals namely, Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Melbourne Festival Fringe.Design/methodology/approach – The paper contains a content analysis of promotional materials produced by the independent theatres for their involvement in their respective fringe festival.Findings – The atmosphere created is of fringe festivals replete with serious experimental theatrical productions, with independent theatres being the home of alternative ideas and the performers being skilled in the production of the art form.Research limitations/implications – The atmosphere created by the independent theatres is similar to that projected by the fringe festival overall.Practical implications – The paper highlights the importance of the fringe festival organisers establishing a strong working relationship with the managers of independent theatres to ensure the most appropriate promotio...

Salute to the sun: an exploration of UK Yoga tourist profiles

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on exploring yoga tourism as an under researched area where little has been written to date. Yoga tourism is an emergent niche market that can be viewed as a subset of wellness or holistic tourism. Previous research has suggested that it reflects consumers’ desire for self-improvement and concern for society when choosing a holiday destination and involves active participation, sharing common functional characteristics in travel motivations and social values related to improving an individuals quality of life. There is currently, however, a gap in the literature on how the primary motivation for travel affects the choice of destination, type of accommodation, activities and the overall experience of the yoga traveller. This study employed an on-line survey to members of established yoga membership organisations with the aim of filling this inherent gap in the literature, establish an enhanced visitor profile, and explore the motivational factors that encourage yoga practitioners to participate in yoga tourism activities.