Meredith Wray

Policy communities, networks and issue cycles in tourism destination systems

This paper demonstrates how concepts derived from policy community, policy network and issues management theories can be used to understand the roles, activities and interactions of government, corporate and pressure group stakeholders engaged in tourism policy, planning and management in destination contexts. It shows the relevance and utility of an “integrated issue lifecycle approach” to trace the evolution of tourism policy, planning and destination management within specific destination contexts. The application of this approach is demonstrated through a case analysis of the tourism policy and planning system that underpins the destination system of Byron Bay, a significant domestic and international destination on the East Coast of Australia. The underlying premise adopted for this study is that the examination of the antecedents of tourism policy and planning processes, within particular destination contexts, can lead to an understanding of the driving values and ideas that have led to contemporary tourism policy issues and problems.

Adopting and implementing a transactive approach to sustainable tourism planning: translating theory into practice

This paper builds on the developing literature on stakeholder engagement, community participation and transactive planning for sustainable tourism. The attributes and conditions needed to foster effective partnerships in strategic tourism planning are discussed, and links to social learning explained. Practical applications of these concepts are demonstrated through case analyses of two-year-long strategic tourism planning processes undertaken for the Australian destination regions of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs (Victoria) and Byron Shire (New South Wales) during 2007–2008. Both used a comprehensive approach to stakeholder engagement, using a transactive planning approach that sought to establish a participatory and inclusive framework for stakeholders to engage in multi-loop learning and corresponding action to achieve sustainable tourism planning outcomes. A seven-stage stakeholder engagement process was used, bringing together stakeholder consultation workshops, setting up a destination planning website to accept broader community input, as well as creating Stakeholder Reference Groups and citizens juries. The process continued with consultation reports, workshops, draft plans and the communication and implementation of the final plan. The outcomes of the two planning processes were, however, very different, demonstrating the complexity of working in dynamic socio-political contexts, with greater success for the concept of “enabler” organisations and problems for “provider” organisations.

Best Practice Marketing for Regional Tourism Destinations

ABSTRACT This article reports on destination marketing best practices from 21 regional destinations around Australia. The results advocate an integrative approach to destination marketing that aligns with destination management and development objectives. From this, a framework is developed, within which nine best practice principles are identified as essential to successful and sustainable marketing of regional destinations. The key initiatives used to achieve success are discussed in detail, highlighting the need for destination stakeholders to foster a cooperative and strategic approach and ensure consistent design and delivery of a destination brand and image which is supported by tactical advertising and promotional strategies, effective visitor information services, and events to support the destination brand and image to target appropriate visitor markets.

Drivers of change in regional tourism governance: a case analysis of the influence of the New South Wales Government, Australia, 2007–2013

The study of governance and policy-making for tourism is an important area of academic scholarship. This paper reviews recent theoretical concepts and approaches to governance, policy-making, and sustainable and regional tourism. Practical application of these concepts is demonstrated through a case study analysis that traces and assesses the main policy and strategic initiatives of the New South Wales Government (Australia) directed at influencing change in regional tourism governance from 2007 to 2013. The analysis compares these main drivers influencing change at a regional scale to relevant themes, concepts and interpretations derived from literature on tourism governance. In particular, it uses Halls (2011) typology of tourism governance as a framework to explore conceptualisations of the governance structures evident in the case. The paper demonstrates the complexity of the regional tourism governance space, including the ebb and flow of various policy initiatives that have been driven by the political agendas of consecutive governments and their election commitments, as well as a pro-growth mode of governance that does not emphasise sustainable tourism. Moreover, the case suggests the opportunity to use destination management planning as a framework to drive sustainable tourism outcomes.

Film tourism: integrated strategic tourism and regional economic development planning

Economic and social changes have had dramatic effects on regional areas. In a search for diversification, tourism and film may be targeted by these regions. Challenges of regional planning, however, include lack of local expertise, decentralized decision making, and diverse stakeholder groups. Specifically for film tourism this includes anticipating visitation numbers and assessing potential negative impacts. Broken Hill, located in Outback Australia, was used to investigate the complementary integration of film into regional development and tourism strategies. A stakeholder engagement process that adopted a transactive approach was implemented. The main findings of this process highlighted the need to develop the strong film presence into a visitor-friendly product, coordinating the film product with other destination strengths, establishing an expert and sector-diverse governance team, and developing a consistent brand with film as a component. Implications for other regional areas include considering how a film presence can be harnessed to develop film tourism experience opportunities, utilizing film tourism and production expertise to develop a coordinated and sustainable product, and to promote film experiences reflective of their place in the destination hierarchy. Finally, for film tourism, is the need to utilize representations of the range of destination experiences in film in destination marketing.

The ‘Voiceless’ population: understanding the social impacts of tourism and their influence on the development of young people in tourist destinations

The International Conference on Sustainable Issues and Challenges in Tourism was held on 3–5 October 2013 at Boğazic i University, Istanbul, Turkey in order to celebrate the university’s 150th anniversary (1863–2013). The event was organized by Maria D. Alvarez (Boğazic i University, Turkey), in collaboration with Ali Bakir (Buckinghamshire New University, UK) and Eugenia Wickens (Help 2 Educate Foundation, UK). The conference featured high-quality presentations, bringing together perspectives from academicians and practitioners on the challenges that sustainability poses to tourism activities, destinations, stakeholders, and organizations. The programme was designed to provide a platform to exchange ideas, concepts, and best practices. The goal was to contribute towards a deeper understanding of the complex topic of sustainability in tourism, as Professor Maria D. Alvarez underlined during the welcoming remarks. In times of uncertainty and growing complexity, many societies and economic sectors face major developments and challenges (Albrechts, 2012). Among others, the growing awareness of environmental issues re-emphasizes the need for long-term thinking and more realistic and effective styles of planning and management of tourism destinations. Understanding destination management challenges is an essential element for the success of the global tourism industry (Fyall, Wang, & Garrod, 2012). Furthermore, tourism destinations are required to constantly improve their own features, attributes, and unique assets to become more attractive places (Alvarez, 2012). The focus of the conference was on sustainability in tourism, bearing in mind the multiple and complex settings of the concept. As mentioned in the foreword of the conference proceedings, sustainability is generally thought to encompass distinctive dimensions such as economic, environmental, and socio-cultural. So, tourism development should be considered within a long-term framework that encompasses the well-being of both contemporary and future generations. The conference was aimed at covering diverse ways of thinking about the main issues facing tourism destinations, destinations stakeholders, decision-makers, and public and private entities when trying to adopt sustainability as a planning and management philosophy. The paper presentations were delivered by delegates with multiple areas of expertise. They covered a wide collection of research studies, conceptual approaches, and best