Narelle Beaumont

Local tourism governance: a comparison of three network approaches

There is an absence of knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of different local tourism governance approaches. Consequently, experimenting with different modes of local tourism governance is increasingly common. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by investigating the ways in which three different local tourism governance networks operate, and the effects of this governance on local tourism policy. The three local tourism networks examined are a council-led network governance structure, a participant-led community network governance structure and a local tourism organisation (LTO)-led industry network governance structure. The study found that these governance arrangements were underpinned by four key trade-offs and that these tended to shape the effectiveness of local tourism governance. The significance of this paper is that it opens up discussion about local tourism governance, highlights the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches and reflects on their relevance to sustainable tourism management. The findings can inform local councils interested in improving their local organisation of tourism, and spur further research.

Destination Segmentation: A Recommended Two-Step Approach

Tourism segmentation studies have traditionally developed segmentation variables from secondary data or a review of the literature. Based on stakeholder theory, this study recommends a two-step approach to destination segmentation, incorporating the views of multiple stakeholders. This article details the recommended segmentation approach using one Australian destination. Step 1 involves understanding how multiple stakeholders viewed their market to identify relevant segmentation variables. Step 2 involves segmenting the destination based on the variables identified in step 1. When compared with segments currently used by the destination marketing organization, the segments derived from the two-step approach to segmentation capture more of the tourists visiting the area. Segmentation guides budgetary decision making, and the proposed two-step approach to segmentation may assist tourism destinations to maximize limited resources by targeting more of the types of tourists who are frequenting the destination.

The third criterion of ecotourism: are ecotourists more concerned about sustainability than other tourists?

Ecotourism can be defined by three core criteria: nature, learning and sustainability. The ecotourist market has been segmented by the nature and learning criteria only. It has been assumed that ecotourists are environmentally concerned and therefore sustainability is a factor in their decision-making. However, little empirical research has confirmed this assumption. This study surveyed 243 respondents participating in an ecotourism experience in Australia. It identified ecotourists according to the nature and learning criteria as per previous segmentation studies. Pro-environmental attitudes were measured as an indication of their support for sustainability. Results revealed no significant differences in pro-environmental attitudes between those identified as ecotourists and those considered non-ecotourists. While demand exists for nature and learning experiences, compliance with the sustainability criterion seems to be no more a factor in ecotourist decision-making than for mainstream tourists. Implications are that market segmentation research should consider all relevant criteria when segmenting a market for a particular product to ensure supply matches demand. However, demand for certain products can be created by innovative marketing practices. This would enable the ecotourism industry to respond to the markets demand for nature and learning, but also influence the behaviour and structure of the market with regard to sustainability.

Climate change and tourism futures: responses by Australian tourism agencies.

There is a growing body of knowledge about the impacts of climate change on tourism destinations and about tourism’s commitment to address these impacts. However, there has been limited research about climate change responses by national or sub-national tourism agencies and the role they play in providing information, incentives and leadership to encourage the uptake of climate change actions by the industry. This paper assesses the climate change responses of nine Australian government tourism agencies. Information on climate change, sustainability and green business practices is drawn from the corporate websites, annual reports, tourism plans, fact sheets, and case studies produced by one national, six state and two territory tourism agencies from 2007 to 2010. The paper focuses on how government tourism agencies are addressing climate change mitigation by promoting carbon reduction initiatives and carbon offsetting schemes. Climate change tourism responses are more developed in Australian states with climate change policies and in destinations vulnerable to the impacts of climate change or dependent on long haul travellers. To date, few government tourism agencies report on their own carbon footprint or mitigation and offset measures. This study highlights a range of mitigation options that will assist government tourism agencies to address climate change impacts through policies, strategic plans and green business advice for tourism operators.

Assessing motivations for carbon offsetting by environmentally certified tourism enterprises

This paper presents survey results on tourism operator preferences and motivations for carbon offset options by environmentally certified tourism enterprises in Queensland, Australia. It found that less than a third are involved in carbon offset programmes, whereas just over a third plan to implement offsetting in the near future. Preferred offset projects are regional tree planting or renewable energy. Motivations for offsetting are related to environmental concern, commercial benefits of climate-friendly tourism, and financially supporting offset projects. This study found motivations for offsetting by larger tourism enterprises aligning with the more general business motivations and drivers for adopting corporate social and environmental responsibility practices. However, the extra cost and uncertainty about carbon issues limited the uptake of offsetting by smaller tourism operators.

Ecotourism: impacts, potentials and possibilities

I was looking forward to this second edition after 10 years since the original, which I recalled included some aspects of ecotourism not covered comprehensively in other texts. However, I was somewhat disappointed. The book contains a number of design and content improvements, but unfortunately it has many errors and contains much outdated information. The book follows the same format as the earlier edition with the chapters and most subheadings remaining the same. The table of contents has been expanded to include subheadings and the index contains a more comprehensive listing of topics, which make it easier for readers to find required subject matter. The glossary has been updated with new terms, such as climate change and greenwashing. A list of websites for ecotourism organizations and resources has been added. This has some useful links but gives incorrect names for two wellknown organizations, Ecotourism Australia and The International Ecotourism Society. The overall structure of the book is logical, covering the emergence and nature of ecotourism, underlying environmental philosophies and various supply-side issues first, leaving marketing and demand aspects till later. The chapter containing three large case studies, which appears two-thirds through the book, would perhaps be better placed just before the closing chapter. The book is written in a style that is easy to read. However, it contains many grammatical, punctuation and typographical errors throughout, which upset this writer’s sensibilities. The preface indicates that 300 new sources have been added. In many instances this has involved simply adding updated references to existing text, which is rather disconcerting and has resulted in a somewhat outdated approach to the topic. The book tends to take an idealistic view of ecotourism as a form of alternative tourism that remains small-scale and low key, attracts people who are interested in learning about and caring for the environment and is a way of achieving conservation and social equity outcomes. As noted on the cover, the book ‘explores the impact of mainstream tourism’ and ‘highlight[s] the potential positive social and environmental benefits of ecotourism’. It does not specifically explore the impacts of ecotourism and the existence of different types of ecotourists, such as the hard/soft spectrum (Laarman and Durst in Weaver 2008), and the fact that much contemporary soft ecotourism is almost mass tourism scale. Yet it contains some very good critical analysis of environmental, Annals of Leisure Research, Vol. 14, No. 4, December 2011, 390 392