Susan L. Slocum

Food and tourism: an effective partnership? A UK-based review

This paper focuses on the role of food tourism in delivering sustainability agendas by examining how the agriculture and tourism sectors have struggled to realise measurable successes because of constraints, conflicting ambitions and low levels of social capital. It focuses on the United Kingdom, which has tasked regional development agencies to adopt food tourism as a means to grow local economies, create jobs and improve natural resources and diversify. In 2009/10, 16 interviews and six workshops were conducted with stakeholders to gauge industry challenges and needs in implementing food tourism. Based on qualitative findings, a model was developed which maps five emergent themes (knowledge exchange, the supply chain, fear of change, regionalisation and marketing) alongside five sustainability principles (strong and just society, good governance, sustainable economy, working within environmental limits and using sound science responsibly). The paper argues that if food tourism is to deliver its purported sustainable benefits, the policy environment must cultivate significant social capital through the cooperation of different industries with varying needs, motivations and challenges through joint marketing schemes, more localised distribution channels and enhanced policy engagement. Scotland and Wales are more successful than England, but overall food and tourism are not yet in effective partnership.

Understanding Government Capacity in Tourism Development as a Poverty Alleviation Tool: A Case Study of Tanzanian Policy-Makers

Good governance is a prerequisite in achieving sustainability objectives, especially in an industry such as tourism which is gaining support as a tool for poverty alleviation in developing countries. Good governance is described as a states capacity to develop efficient and effective public management processes, and entails participatory, transparent, and accountable processes by government. Economic participation, such as job and small business creation, is dependent on support from federal policy and can be stalled by uncoordinated governments, both intentionally and unintentionally. Tanzania considers tourism to be a leading engine in economic growth and a catalyst in its fight to alleviate poverty. Therefore, tourism as a wage and self-employment option is dependent on policy directives that span many government agencies and are influenced by government advisors and industry partners. Drawing on Kooimans socio-political theory of governance, this article, first, accesses the images, tools, and action potential held by policy advisors that dictate the use of the poverty alleviation resources, and second, investigates the diversity, complexity, and dynamics of the governance system within the growing Tanzanian tourism economy. Twenty-five interviews of Tanzanian policy-makers, including federal and local government officials, academic policy advisors, and non-governmental administrators at the national level were conducted and analyzed. Five themes were developed from the interviews including economic performance measures, barriers to economic participation, government actions, public/private partnerships, and tourism development. Policy-makers in Tanzania have a thorough understanding of macro-economic development and rural community needs; however, the lack of communication between departments often creates redundancy and gaps in development objectives. Tourism-specific knowledge is absent, and while community tourism initiatives are highly praised by Tanzanian officials, their unfamiliarity with the tourism value chain continues to exclude rural populations. Continued focus on foreign direct investment as a financing mechanism is creating foreign-owned monopolies in tourism destinations. Lastly, aid dependence has left many policy-makers searching internationally for poverty solutions. This paper concludes that while the intentions to solicit involvement of the poor is high, the practical application of poverty alleviation strategies through increased tourism expansion is log jammed by the very administrators tasked with finding solutions.

Industry, government, and community: power and leadership in a resource constrained DMO

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore a resource-constrained Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) to assess the power struggles inherent in community tourism initiatives when leadership is weakened through shrinking resources. Design/methodology/approach – Using a comparative instrumental case study approach, this paper analyses three separate studies within Experience Bedfordshire to develop a comprehensive picture of governance within a single tourism destination. Findings – The results show that privately held attractions, hospitality businesses, and transportation authorities retain control over key marketing messages. Visitor and stakeholder surveys indicate that a more sustainable form of rural development, based on natural/cultural attractions and the development of bed and breakfast and artisan small businesses is the preferred development path. Unfortunately, the increasing use of Tourism Information Centres by local residents, as opposed to tourists, has reduced support by key po...

Tourism pathways to prosperity: perspectives on the informal economy in Tanzania.

Pro-poor tourism recognizes the potential for entrepreneurial expansion through tourism in developing countries. However, defining the entrepreneurial market and recognizing the social and cultural construction of income earning possibilities has only been loosely approached in tourism literature. By taking an in-depth look at the strengths and weaknesses of growing the informal economy in Tanzania and utilizing Tanzanias National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty, this article shows that the current policy agendas attempting to formalize the informal economy are negating the economic benefits intended to bring growth and prosperity to the country.

Independent Instrumental Case Studies: Allowing for the Autonomy of Cultural, Social and Business Networks in Tanzania

Tourism is being utilized as a key economic development tool of the 21st century. Serious concern over the benefit of tourism for the poor has contributed to discussion on community involvement and community participation in contemporary literature. In particular, sustainable development has become a way to address the long-term viability of income and employment in least-developed countries while attempting to preserve traditional customs and culture in the face of globalization. Sustainability refers to finding solutions to poverty without compromising the natural and cultural resource base needed by future generations to pursue their own economic goals. This task requires attention to the economic, cultural and social needs of all groups while focusing on solutions that are also viable for the long term (Bramwell, 2001; Davidson, 2007; Mfaume & Leonard, 2004). It is also important to note that social structures and cultural references vary noticeably within countries and regions. Therefore, three separate, independent instrumental case studies (also known as collective case studies) were conducted in three distinct Tanzanian communities in or around tourism destinations. The objective was to allow for the autonomy of specific cultural, social and business networks to be reflected in the research methodology. Case studies allow for the investigation of constraints to economic participation within real-life experiences, as there is no clear distinction between the phenomenon and the context. Instrumental case studies strive to develop theory, or in this case, facilitate understanding of pervasive problems and do not require typical study populations (Stake, 1995). An instrumental case study is utilized where a ‘particular case is examined mainly to provide insight’ into a phenomenon and the case supports understanding of the phenomenon (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). The emphasis is placed on specific issues rather than on the case itself. The case in then used as a vehicle to develop a better understanding of the situation or problem (Stake, 2003). Single case studies are ideal for investigating a phenomenon that has not been previously studied and can make a significant contribution to knowledge (Yin, 2003). Since constraints to economic participation within Tanzania have not yet been empirically studied, each individual case study is exploratory in nature. Once the specific case studies were independently derived and themes developed, a cross-case comparison offered insight into reoccurring themes or case-specific constraints. Using an iterative process, the strength of this methodology lies in the inductive approach that provides suggestive rather than definitive analysis (Welch, 1994). The first phase of analysis results in ‘within’ themes specific to a particular region. Using cross-case comparisons, emergent patterns provide similarities and differences between the three communities.

Understanding Tourism Support for a Craft Beer Trail: The Case of Loudoun County, Virginia

ABSTRACT Food and drink tourism has become an important form of the tourism trail and a means through which cultural exploration can occur. As a form of sustainable tourism, the craft beer trail is just beginning to gain recognition in academic tourism studies. Food and drink tourism literature documents the need for collaboration as a means to improve knowledge exchange and streamline destination marketing. This study presents the results of potential collaboration between tourism businesses, specifically between accommodation properties and tour/bus companies, in an effort to construct a new craft beer tourism trail in Loudoun County, Virginia. The results show that these two sectors cater to different tourism types, short-break visitors by the accommodations and day visitors by the tour/bus companies. Furthermore, the autonomy of tour/bus companies does not show viable support at the destination marketing level. Therefore, collaborative partnerships should start between brewers and the accommodations sector, which can lead to the future involvement of tour companies.

Operationalising both sustainability and neo-liberalism in protected areas: implications from the USA's National Park Service's evolving experiences and challenges

ABSTRACT Following its 2013 Green Park Plan, the US National Park Service (NPS) has sought to achieve more sustainable operations at park level. However, a history of top-down governance, research aversion, contentious community relationships, and a move towards neoliberal governance has created numerous challenges to operationalising the sustainability agenda. Using comparative case study methodology, this paper approaches sustainability through a five-pillar framework that incorporates the economy, environment, society, good governance and sound science. Data from three very different parks, and from the newly formed Division of Climate Change and Sustainability at Park Headquarters, is presented. Using the National Mall in Washington, DC, Shenandoah in Virginia, and Big Bend in Texas, the paper highlights many successful sustainability initiatives. A number of serious problems remain, however, including lack of funding, the slow working budget cycle, the need for inter-park knowledge sharing, the need for behavioural change at both national and local management levels, issues surrounding the “whiteness” of the visitor mix, and the nature of park visitation, where driving remains the primary transportation mode. Overall, neo-liberalism is placing increased emphasis on concessionaires to encourage sustainable operations, distancing NPS from its core visitor base and encouraging rising visitation levels with their associated impacts.

Neoliberalism in ecotourism? The new development paradigm of multinational projects in Africa

As a global phenomenon, ecotourism is influenced by numerous stakeholders ranging from local charities to international governments and non-governmental organisations (NGO). Within the continent of Africa, multinational NGO and government involvement is at the forefront of ecotourism development as a strategy for natural resource management, economic gains, and increased quality of life. While many African countries are attempting to create a ‘self-reliant’ society, they still encourage extensive direct foreign investment. This paper asserts that, as the international voice that attempts to link conservation with domestic and foreign audiences, multinational agencies control the power structures that invariantly reinforce the concept of neoliberal conservation. It is argued that there is a need to better understand a multinational agencys role in ecotourism development; therefore, through an analysis of six multinational conservation agencies headquartered in Washington, DC, this paper presents an analysis of prevailing approaches to ecotourism development in Africa. The qualitative findings relay four overarching organisational values: sensitivity to local needs/culture, organisational partnerships, capacity building, and monitoring. Additionally, policies and protocols that encourage the sustainability of these values are presented, along with lessons learnt.

Understanding the Role of Local Food in the Meeting Industry: An Exploratory Study of Meeting Planners' Perception of Local Food in Sustainable Meeting Planning

The growth in socially conscious and sustainable business models has fueled the promotion of green meetings. This fact-finding article explores the viability of sourcing local food to the meeting industry through an investigation of current meeting planning priorities and sustainability values. The results show that there is a viable demand by meeting planners for locally sourced food, that meeting planners have the contractual flexibility on food selection, and that there is a willingness to pay a price-premium for local products. However, an increase in the knowledge of the benefits for both meeting planners and meeting/event attendees is needed to encourage the use of local foods.

Food Tourism Initiatives:Resistance On The Ground

Food tourism has gained academic and, more recently, political recognition as a potentially sustainable form of tourism development. While state intervention in agriculture policy and the economic context for agricultural production has been long established, a new policy framework that integrates support for farming together with rural development and the environment as a means to create new jobs, protect and improve natural resources, and support rural communities has become evident in food tourism initiatives across the United Kingdom. These interventions are partly a response to the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food (PCFFF) and have resulted in increased emphasis and programme development in food tourism as a means to support rural agricultural areas. It is argued that the economic motivations behind these policy developments are derived from two sources: utility goals that concern the contribution of the farming sector towards the overall health of the economy; and equity goals that focus on the provision of satisfactory incomes for rural populations. In preparation for a new national food tourism website, a series of stakeholder interviews were conducted to gauge industry challenges in implementing food tourism across the UK. Within an established top-down approach to agricultural development, local and regional food organisations have developed food tourism initiatives with the mindset that producers need information and persuasion in order to engage with emerging tourism supply chains. Common challenges to this tactic include the geographical dispersion of producers; confusing and conflicting information available on best practices; and identifying the varying needs between small and large farm operations. However, additional struggles have been identified relating to the differing social identities of the meaning