Peter Burns

Paradoxes in planning Tourism Elitism or Brutalism

Abstract While the rhetorics of environment, sustainability and ethics are prominent in academic discussions on tourism planning, they remained somewhat remote in the case of Eritrea. The debate about how the poorest countries should proceed with tourism remains polarized and confused. To help analyze this, a continuum is proposed upon which various types of planning advice may be placed. The two poles are represented by Tourism First (in which developing the industry is the focus of planning) and Development First (where planning is framed by national development needs) The terms of reference which are the key planning guide for tourism consulting firms conducting planning, are identified as being particularly inadequate.

Local perceptions of tourism planning: the case of Cuéllar, Spain.

Abstract The rapid and unplanned speed of development that took place on the Mediterranean Coast of Spain, after WWII led to some well documented negative impacts. In the closing decade of the 20th century, however, the Spanish Government took steps to rationalise development by adopting a more sustainable and planned approach. This includes the twin-track formulation of new tourism development plans to improve the quality of the well established Spanish tourist resorts (Plan de Excelencia Turistica), and develop new tourist resorts in municipalities where tourism activity did not exist (Plan de Dinamizacion Turistica). Taking the inland village of Cuellar, which acted as a pilot for the national scheme, this paper draws on primary evidence in the form of non-probability sampling, to provide some insights into local perceptions about the way the first Plan de Dinamizacion Turistica was approached.

Chinese Outbound Tourism

“How many Chinese restaurants exist in China?” To answer this question seems to be an impossible task, even without starting the discussion on what, exactly, is meant by the term “restaurant”. Is the dan dan mian (noodles) peddler on a bike to be included? Or the outlets of Tong Ren Tang pharmacy offering soups as prescribed by the practitioners and doctors of traditional Chinese medicine? Or entering the political and diplomatic minefield of which particular parts of the world are included or excluded when talking about “China”. The sheer size of the country appears to make attempts to quantify answers to what should be simple questions almost futile. However, employing the analogy of asking “How many European restaurants exist in Europe?” quickly helps to find the answer to both questions, which is of course zero. There are, for example, Italian, French and Russian restaurants in Europe as there are, for example. Shanghainese, Cantonese, Yunnanese restaurants in China. Only the limited knowledge about a faraway place allows us to believe that there is one cuisine shared by 1.3 billion people. For our understanding of tourism in and out of China, the situation is even more complex and defies the generation of analogous examples. Despite the fact that 83.2 million border crossings in 2012 have elevated the People’s Republic of China to the status of the world’s largest outbound tourism source market, the amount of research into this phenomenon is still very limited. More importantly, practically all tourism theory and research methods are based on ideas of travel motivations and behaviours of the occidental individual; practically all textbooks used in tourism teaching are claiming that the “Grand Tour” of English gentlemen marks the beginning of long-distance tourism on a bigger scale. The term “Eurocentrism” has suffered from overuse, but in the case of research in China it remains very apt. Even in China itself, tourism research strongly focuses on management questions of tourism in China (the development of circuits, service quality, attraction arrivals numbers and other descriptive studies), with little emphasis on ontological or phenomenological questions or on outbound travel. The few existing publications that dive beneath the surface of normative tourism research in China are often available in Chinese only. This “Chinese Outbound Tourism” special issue of Tourism Planning and Development tries not only to provide some entry points into new ways of thinking about tourism from a less occident-centric point of view, but also strives to base the discussion on insightful analyses of special aspects specifically about the development and change of international travel originating in China. To achieve this goal, the issue starts with an introductory paper outlining the current status quo, followed by some more general papers which in turn lead to regional destination case studies for India, Hong Kong and France before finishing with an overall positioning of the topic in the East–West debate. In “The Second Wave of Chinese Outbound Tourism” one of the guest editors tries to lay the ground for the following topical discussions. In little more than a decade, Chinese Tourism Planning & Development, 2013 Vol. 10, No. 2, 123–125, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21568316.2013.789656

The end of tourism? Climate change and societal challenges

Starting with the assumption that socio-cultural aspects of tourism demand will need to change in response to global warming, this paper identifies business and consumer contradictions that highlight the complexities of dealing with climate change in an industry characterised by fragmented, global supply chains. The papers approach is to problematise the issues into a series of research questions (related to ethical consumption, sustainability, policies, actions and communication) based on the premise that sustainable tourism is possible and desirable, but mitigation has to acknowledge the anthropogenic causes of climate change and responses should be underpinned by changing norms for any society that considers travel to be the ‘perfect freedom’.

Tourism in Russia: background and structure.

Abstract As Russia transforms itself from the largest partner in the command economy that was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to the largest member of the post Cold-War Commonwealth of Independent States, political, social and economic structures and institutions are undergoing rapid and fundamental change. Included in this is tourism, its role and how it is organized. This paper provides a snapshot view of the official structural arrangements for tourism in Russia as of summer 1997. It is hoped that the paper will prove useful for scholars as they track these changes over time. The paper commences with a brief geographic, demographic and economic profile of Russia, turns to a discussion of the function of tourism in the former Soviet Union and goes on to examine the structural arrangements for tourism. The paper concludes with some observations about the problems and prospects of tourism and some suggestions for further research

Culture, identity, and belonging in the “culinary underbelly”

Purpose – Drawing on social anthropology this paper aims to focus on the role of culture in identity formation through an examination of the results of research into the culture of the chef – culture manifest in what has been referred to as the “culinary underbelly”.Design/methodology/approach – In‐depth interviews were conducted with head chefs of Michelin‐starred restaurants and celebrity chefs with the aim of exploring the social and cultural processes underpinning the formation of chef identity.Findings – These illustrate what it feels like to belong on the basis of such signifying structures as language, community, and kinship. Being a chef is more than just a job, it is sacred work involving sacrifice and pain leaving a physical imprint on the individual in the form of burns, cuts and scalds. Such marks are the physical manifestation of chef culture.Research limitations/implications – The findings are not generalizable to all chefs. Further research should focus on issues of gender and ethnicity, an...

Race, space and 'our own piece of Africa': doing good in Luphisi village?

This paper explores tourism as a tool for rural regeneration and poverty reduction by examining the work of Non-Governmental and Community-Based Organisations (NGOs/ CBOs) in South Africa. A case study of Luphisi village on the edge of Kruger National Park provides a close insight into the operation and benefits of NGO/CBO sponsored charitable works and self help (‘upliftment’ in Southern African development circles). The paper also identifies an unwarranted sense of ‘proprietorship’ on the part of individual donors that resonate of slightly patronising attitudes. The research was carried out in and around the village and the paper relies heavily on the authentic voice of key informants.

Actors' Perceptions of the Newly Designated South Downs National Park: Social Exchange Theory and Framework Analysis Approach

British national parks differ from those in other countries: commercial and business activities as well as residents are a general characteristic. When a 1,625-km2 swathe of south-east England (with a population of 108,000) was, after a 60-year delay, finally declared a national park attitudes within the area differed. Unusually, one village, Ditchling, fought to be included in the new park. Social exchange theory underpinned the present study into perceptions of influential stakeholders and their attitudes towards tourism. Data was subject to frame analysis identifying the need for park authorities to work hard in understanding how residents define the park in relation to their everyday lives.

Climate change discourses: how UK airlines communicate their case to the public

Whilst there are many arguments and counterarguments surrounding aviations contribution to climate change, the sector is increasingly scrutinised, especially in regard to tourism mobility questions. This paper identifies, examines and analyses the discourses that airlines choose to communicate via their websites regarding their role, responsibility and their viewpoints about the issues involved in their relationship to climate change. Studying the web is of growing importance: corporate organizations increasingly use the Internet to communicate influential discourses, engage consumers, and inform the media, who themselves use digital systems to form opinions and influence decisions. Drawing on publicly available communications from six contrasting UK airlines, the study seeks to identify their perceived roles and responsibilities as producers. The data are analysed through content and frame analyses. The study concludes, inter alia, that the airlines under study make both justifiable and unjustifiable claims, and use polarised prioritisation, scepticism and uncertainty creation to put forward their case. Airlines are classified into one of six types: (1) continuous committed benchmarkers, (2) realistic technological innovators, (3) minimal practicalities, (4) low-cost innovators, (5) low-cost sceptics and (6) low-cost opposers. The paper uses and adds to an emerging research method, netnography.

Tourism policies of Bangladesh - a contextual analysis.

Abstract This paper outlines a brief analysis of the Bangladesh tourism policies as a case. A proper set of policies is required to develop any sector systematically. Tourism as an important part of economy of any country cannot be an exception. Bangladesh as a potential ground of both domestic and international tourism also necessitates proper and effective policies. This study while attempting to understand the context reveals the demand of a valid set of tourism policies formulation. This is particularly important to cope with the global challenges and thus to ensure this sectors contribute in the national economy. This study also stresses on effective role play of both the private and public parties.