Exotic Destinations Research Articles

Airosonic Travels Private Limited: staying competitive through IT development

Subject area Information technology (IT) project risks. Study level/applicability This case is suitable for the students who are enrolled in masters or executive programmes in management. Considering the masters programme in management, the case can be introduced in the MIS course in sessions related to IT project risks. The case will also be appropriate for discussion in elective courses, such as IT project management. Here the case can be introduced in discussions related to understanding IT project outsourcing risks. The case will also fit well with the audience of the executive programme in sessions on IT project risks. The assignment questions provided below are designed from the perspective of teaching this case to a business student audience. The case could certainly be adjusted to fit the needs of students in more technical disciplines. Case overview This case presents an organization (Airosonic Travels Private Limited) which was set up in 1988. The organization provided travel-related services (i.e. ticketing, hotels bookings, car rentals and cruises to exotic destinations) to meet the requirements of corporate users such as organization employees, vendors, dealers and customers. The packages were provided though the portal www.corporatetravels.in/. With cut-throat completion from other vendors, the organization acquired the globally preferred airline reservation system Galileo to gain market share in the computer reservation system market. This acquisition, however, led to a series of deliberations on how the new system could be put to use and integrated with the portal so that it helped Airosonic to achieve efficiency in its day-to-day processes. The integration was necessary, as this would entirely eliminate third-party requirements (such as travel agents) and also make travel planning easy, cost-effective and hassle-free. The different alternatives available to the governing body were to develop and manage the entire thing in-house, outsource the development to a third part, or delegate the entire responsibility to the third party. The analysis of the case takes into account the different risks that are associated with each of these decision alternatives and the possible ways forward for the Airosonic management. Expected learning outcomes The objective of this teaching case is as follows: to understand the different risk elements that influence development of a software initiative, to differentiate between different categories of risks including project development risks and project management risks, to appreciate the differences in the types of risks that influence different project execution scenarios such as in-house development and outsourcing and to understand how an organization can address and manage the risks facing a software initiative. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Memoirs of an ichthyologist

With nearly 10% of all known species of birds, fish and plants, and 6% of mammal and reptile species, South Africa is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Any biologist, ecologist or conservationist who sets out to work in this country in one of these fields is fortunate indeed, as this diversity offers a multitude of opportunities for a rewarding, eventful, influential and memorable career. Mike Bruton is one such person. He started a career as a freshwater ichthyologist studying the fishes in the lakes of northern KwaZulu-Natal, and moved on to being an academic, research director and science educator, among others. His career has been based in southern Africa, but has provided many opportunities for travel to exotic destinations. Rather than write an autobiography, Bruton has penned a 'memoir', which in his own words is 'simply a story [or rather, a collection of stories] of how a boy grew up to become a man who had a passion for fishes'.

A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Select Tourism Video Commercials of Incredible India Campaign

The view of exotic destinations, historical monuments, locals/natives, etc., with suitably soothing background music is the hallmark of Tourism Video Commercials (TVCs). These TVCs serve to assist the prospective tourists in forming a pre-visit mental image of a destination, but are seldom researched. The present paper attempts a multi-modal discourse analysis of two TVCs of Incredible India campaign launched in 2004 and 2013, integrating various tools from Destination Image Research Framework, Video Content Analysis and Film Analysis methodology. The repositioning of brand India is aimed by changing the Overt Induced destination image, which is achieved with different film making and editing techniques. But there are some common elements too despite the focus shifting from the destination to the tourist. The shift also showcases India as a safe tourist destination for female tourists.

Ostrich by Edgar Williams. ISBN 978-1-78023-039-9. 184 pp. Paperback. £9.99. Gorilla by Ted Gott and Kathryn Weir. ISBN 978-1-78023-029-0. 232 pp. Paperback. £9.99. London: Reaktion Books Ltd., Animal Series, 2013.

As young and enthusiastic students of geography and biology respectively, my sister and I often used to spar over which of us was studying the biggest, most important subject. Since neither of us was reading maths or physics we couldn't go so far as to claim our subject would yield a universal theory of everything, but we did go to great lengths to establish links from our respective disciplines to all sorts of other obscure areas. Perhaps as a result of those occasionally heated discussions, I am continually drawn to the blurry No Man's Land between disciplines – it is a place to discover startling new truths, follow inviting lines of thought to exotic destinations and meet extraordinary people with otherworldly perspectives of your own familiar territory that can set everything in a new light. Not surprisingly it is also extraordinarily fertile ground for ideas to take seed and grow. The Animal series from Reaktion Books is mining these rich seams of interdisciplinary gold, touching on social, economic and political history, conservation, art and pop culture – to name a few. There are now over 60 of these distinctive and well marketed volumes, spotlighting a range of species from Camel and Cockroach to Tortoise and Trout. Some titles even have a matching t-shirt. The latest two titles are Gorilla and Ostrich. Both contain the series’ trademark blend of zoology and cultural information. If it's only the former that appeals, you may find more detailed and arguably more authoritative information elsewhere. Less than a third of either book constitutes what you could call biology. Neither Willams, nor Gott and Weir are full-time ostrich/gorilla specialists, but in both cases they offer an excellent introduction to their species, alongside a cultural and historical account you simply won't find in any other single source. In Ostrich, you'll discover not only how the male birds use their distinctive plumes, and how the trade in those same feathers gave rise to a huge industry – but also the subtleties of plucking vs. clipping, the absurdities of feather fashion and fascinating insights into ostrich symbolism. I'd never stopped to wonder whose feathers those were on the back of a two pence piece, and I'll bet hardly anyone notices the ostrich on the Bayeux tapestry. Ever wondered how many people you could feed with an ostrich egg omelette? Look no further. But perhaps my favourite story is the extraordinary tale of a clandestine expedition 100 years ago, which aimed to smuggle 156 uncooperative birds of a particularly desirable North African strain overland to Lagos and then by sea to a farm in South Africa. The boat was unsuitable and food ran out mid voyage, forcing the crew to spend weeks peeling thousands of onions to feed to their ungrateful cargo, who repaid them with further attempts to escape as soon as they reached land. There must be a movie script here, surely. Gorilla offers an equally eclectic look at its subject – incorporating a good overview of what we know of these gentle giants, and more poignantly, what they continue to teach us about ourselves, both in fictional contexts and in real life. This book is a great example of why the Animal series works so well – the content is highly informative, but the format frees authors from any requirement to be purely ‘scientific’. The final chapter of Gorilla deals with our relationship with this close cousin, and the apparently shrinking differences between us. With these magnificent great apes being afforded the equivalent of basic human rights in many countries, but still inching closer to extinction in the wild, it makes for a deeply thought-provoking read. So if you've not started your own Animal series library yet – these could be a good place to begin. I just wish I'd had them 20 years ago, when my little sister was claiming geography covered economics, culture and pretty much everything anyone on Earth had ever done. I could have explained (with a carefully measured dose of lofty condescension) that such a statement could only be made by someone woefully ignorant of the cultural significance of the ostrich. A knockout blow, surely.

Profile of international air passengers intercepted with illegal animal products in baggage at Guarulhos and Galeão airports in Brazil

Protection against biological material entering a country or region through airports is important because, through them, infectious agents can quickly reach exotic destinations and be disseminated. Illegal products of animal origin may contain hazardous infectious agents that can compromise animal and public health. The aim of this study was to identify associations between possession of illegal animal products in baggage and demographic characteristics of the passengers, as well as characteristics of their travel plans in the two main Brazilian international airports. A total of 457 passengers were divided into two groups: passengers identified as carrying illegal animal products and control. Passengers identified as carrying illegal animal products not stated on the accompanied baggage declaration completed a questionnaire, to aid in profiling. Nationality, origin, age and residency of passengers were analyzed using chi square, logistic regression and odds ratios. Passengers from Eastern Europe were the most likely to enter with animal products as were those aged between 35 and 55 years. When evaluating the departure point, the highest frequency was seen in those coming from Portugal. Passenger group, reasons for travel, amount and type of baggage were available only for passengers identified as carrying illegal animal products, noting that they prefer traveling alone, for leisure, bringing few bags. Such information can contribute to the early identification of passengers that have illegal animal products in baggage at Brazilian airports.

Literature and History: Around by Richard J. Golsan, Philip Watts

Reviews 219 invitation au voyage: for Fournier, the inviting smile of Leonardo da Vinci’s “anges charmants”in“Les phares”(68) finds echo in the“invitation”of the exotic destinations proposed in “Anywhere Out of the World” (“Batavia te souriait, peut-être?” the narrator asks his own soul, 73), as well as the stationary voyages offered by hallucinogens in “La chambre double” (“un seul objet connu me sourit: la fiole de laudanum,” 78). There are complicated issues of intersubjectivity and solipsism entailed in Baudelairean smiles; as Fournier observes, the narrator/lyrical subject never smiles at another subject (excepting only the“philosophes à quatre pattes”of “Les bons chiens,”112). Laughter, in contrast, can seem to have a more social dimension (for instance, the savagely mocked Belgians collectively laugh at heaven in “La civilisation belge,” 154, while four blasé “vétérans de joie” share a laugh in “Portraits de maîtresses,” 166), though Fournier ultimately characterizes le rire baudelairien not as an opening toward a group, but rather toward “l’abîme intérieur” (250): a mark of distance between artist and others, as the airborne albatross “qui [...] se rit de l’archer,” the reflexive pronoun emphasizing the self-contained detachment of the poet, as Fournier notes (258). Yet, as in “Le fou et la Vénus,” and “Le vieux saltimbanque” (262–63), silence or absence of laughter evoke an image of an artist in decline, still isolated, but no longer triumphant. In short, this work will inform how I read and teach Baudelaire; I highly recommend it. Widener University (PA) Kate M. Bonin Golsan, Richard J., and Philip Watts. Literature and History: Around Suite française and Les bienveillantes. Yale French Studies 121 (2012). ISBN 978-0-300-18477-8. Pp. 266. $30. Late 2012: two major exhibits, 1917 at Pompidou/Metz and L’art en guerre, 1938– 1947 at the Musée d’art moderne de la ville de Paris grapple with the complexities of war’s capacity to generate enduring, if troubling works of art. The second show in particular interrogates the still gaping wound the collaboration blasted into French consciousness. A similar intent animates this provocative issue, in which eleven scholars scrutinize exemplary literary performances originating in the Second World War (Suite française), and emerging out of the darkest period of modern French history (Les bienveillantes). “Literature does not inspire good feelings,” notes Olivier Rubinstein, whose work with Irène Némirovksy’s daughter Denise Epstein resulted in the publication of Suite française (112); it would be an understatement to note that the YFS authors experienced ambivalence around these sweeping, emblematic works. One after another, they acknowledge the difficulties posed by such deeply ambiguous, sensitive material.Was Némirovsky a ventriloquist for the ideology of Vichy (Bracher, 36; Carroll, 74–76)? Was the deportee who perished in Auschwitz a “self-hating” Jew (Suleiman, 12)? Does Jonathan Littell’s seductive brute Max Aue place readers in an impossible position? Just by reading his sophisticated arguments about how circumstance alone separates the reader from the architects of the Holocaust, do we open the door to acquiescence? Or exoneration (Moyn, 128–30; Razinsky, 145)? How does fiction enable a different understanding of the past than history? Antoine Compagnon, ruing le piège littéraire, notes that the dense historical erudition of Les bienveillantes “taught me virtually nothing, yet I did not close the book” (114). More than half of these essays eschew what in war would be called a frontal attack and work instead from the novelists’ prior productions, or from significant affiliations that provide a revealing éclairage for their theaters of cruelty. Thus, parallel production comes to the fore in Marc Dambre’s analysis of Littell’s “ludic intertexuality” (170); or in Lynn Higgins’s use of Julien Duvivier’s film of Némirovsky’s David Golder to better define the melodramatic, noir elements of her representational strategies; or in Steven Ungar’s approach to the perpetrator-as-narrator problem via Littell’s Le sec et l’humide and Belgian fascist Léon Degrelle. Co-editors Watts and Golsan take on the important challenge of epic in Les bienveillantes with their considerations of Littell’s references to...

Chinese Youth Tourists Views on Local Culture

Research on independent youth tourism in Asia has tended to examine visits to peripheral and exotic destinations rather than to developed, urbanised cities such as Hong Kong. The present research addresses this significant gap, with its principal aim being to increase understanding of independent outbound Chinese tourism, before visa arrangements change and it becomes more widespread outside of the current approved destinations, such as the Hong Kong Special Administration Regions (SAR) of China. The research is also linked to work on the “experience economy”, especially within the wider context of globalisation and the changing role of cities and places within the tourist economy. This article investigates the extent to which outbound Chinese independent youth tourists will follow this trend to discover ever deeper cultural experiences of the local culture of host societies, as against imitating current forms of mass sightseeing tourism, albeit in a non-institutionalised form. The study found that both trends were common as well as others in the experiences this group of youth tourists sought of Hong Kong, which has implications for destination planning and marketing of urban destinations further afield that will receive these kinds of tourists one day when visa arrangements have changed.

The Chinese Gaze: Imaging Europe in Travel Magazines

Growing attention has been paid in the general tourism literature to destination imaging and branding. Usually the literature refers to images of developing destinations among international travelers from developed countries and ignores the increasing number of tourists from developing countries and their images of destinations abroad. This article takes a different tack in analyzing how three Chinese travel magazines present Europe to their audiences. Reverse analysis suggests that these consumer media pattern Europe in a way similar to that in which most Western media portray exotic destinations. Additionally it examines how such a benchmark is adapted to the idiosyncratic expectations of the local audience.

Optimal Control of Relative Motion in Arbitrary Fields: Application at Deimos

A second-order, general dynamics, relative motion framework is formulated to solve for optimal finite-burn transfers in complex gravity fields that are not amenable to analytic solutions. The second-order variational equations are employed in a Cartesian frame that is general in fidelity and simple to implement. For a passive chief orbit we show that only 16 coefficient functions are necessary to accommodate most dynamical environments of interest. We pre-compute and curve-fit the coefficient functions which represent the time-varying Jacobians and Hessians of the state equations evaluated along the chief orbit. Once the coefficient functions are evaluated, the resulting CUrve-fit quadRatic Variational Equations (CURVE) model is almost transparent to the fidelity level and therefore is well suited for the repeated iterations required by nonlinear optimization. The optimal control problem is solved using a robust, second-order technique that is a variant of differential dynamic programming. The model and optimal rendezvous problems are demonstrated in the highly perturbed dynamical environment of the Martian moon Deimos. The resulting implementation is useful for any relative motion application requiring optimal targeting, particularly in the context of complex force fields. While intended primarily for exotic destinations such as the Moon, asteroids, comets, and planetary satellites, the CURVE model and optimal control framework can also be useful for Earth orbiters, especially in cases of large eccentricity and high fidelity geopotentials.

A Multidisciplinary Approach in Travel Medicine: The Pharmacist Perspective

ecently, travel to underdeveloped and exotic desti-nations has increased substantially. Internationaltravel is a multi-billion dollar industry exceeding$900 billionUS dollars (600 euros) in 2008. By the year2020, it is expected that the number of internationaltravelers willexceed1 billion,halfbeingforleisurepur-posesandapproximately15%businessrelated.

Rural tourism: A sustainable alternative

The aim of this article is to show and share the results of the research we made in order to improve the situation of sustainable interior rural tourism in Spain. We chose our region: Aragon and we studied the case. We had to consider the financial crisis in the hope that our results would contribute to minimize it. We knew beforehand that rural tourism had been less affected than other sectors but still it was important to reach our goal. It had to be proved that rural interior tourism could be sustainable in Spain by means of quantitative secondary data. It is well-known that tourism is the first source and activity in Spain, but due to the increase in the international sector of new exotic destinations abroad, rural tourism could be threatened and sustainable rural interior tourism could be an alternative for present and future times. We got qualitative data through personal interviews to experts and a SWOT analysis, id est, the measure and description of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as an instrument to measure the state of the question within a theoretical framework of sustainable tourism. The results of this research have proved it. Rural tourism is existing and viable in Aragon, with important benefits for present and future opportunities.

Vaccinating for travel to exotic destinations

Travel to exotic locations can expose individuals to an increased risk of disease.

Residential Toponyms and Urban Change (1890–2000) in a Seaside Resort Town, Benicàssim, Spain

AbstractThis paper examines the naming patterns of residential dwellings in a seaside resort town, Benicàssim (Valencia), on Spain's Mediterranean coast. The fieldwork encompassed a survey of over 500 dwelling units along the town's coastal margin which has been developed over the last 100 years. Names, specifically personal names and surnames, are most commonly used, with women's name's being most frequent. Almost invariably these are associated with single-family dwellings. Geographical referents, usually of invoking exotic destinations and references to the sun and sea represent other significant categories. These names are used as toponyms for apartment buildings and other multi-unit residences. Recent naming patterns, usually for apartments, include a number of made-up names using prefixes or suffixes referring to the local area.

A Fatal Form of Contentment

The medical humanities can be relevant to clinical practice in unexpected ways. While researching an essay on mass tourism in Victorian England, I read about the Grand Tour of Europe, a travel experience for the select few, mostly upper class young men who travelled from England officially to complete their education with exposure to the great cultural experiences of Europe, but unofficially to let loose away from home. I identified with those young men and their freedom away from scrutiny. Studying medical humanities was supposed to broaden a narrow scientific education and reinvigorate my work as a psychiatrist but it was tempting to take courses as far removed from medicine as possible. The history of travel seemed remote from 21st-century medicine but as a virtual tourist to the study of history, I found some surprising links. In 19th century England with the Industrial Revolution and the subsequent rise of the middle class, travel opened up. People flooded to Italy, France, Switzerland, and further afield to Egypt and other exotic destinations. In contrast to the Grand Tour, where ample money and time allowed a young man to spend months in Florence or Venice, many of the Victorian middle-class travellers were on brief vacations from work. They came to Europe on package tours that had been organized for them and travelled in groups along a beaten tourist track. There were criticisms of these new tourists who flooded the art galleries of Italy and trekked the mountains of Switzerland clutching newly printed guidebooks. One name was singled out for praise and blame in regard to mass travel, Thomas Cook.

Overlapping Epidemiologies of Hepatitis A and Typhoid Fever: the Needs of the Traveler

Hepatitis A and typhoid fever are endemic infectious diseases in many parts of the world. They share a common, simple mode of transmission--the fecal--oral route-associated with poor hygiene. The low endemicity of both diseases in developed countries, and the rise in travel to exotic destinations for business and leisure, mean that increasing numbers of travelers are being exposed to infection. Effective, established vaccines are available against both diseases, and recently new formulations combining both vaccines in one injection have been licensed. We review the present epidemiologic situation for both diseases, to determine the necessity to routinely vaccinate travelers against both diseases.

Product stewardship in the United States: the changing policy landscape and the role of business

Since I came to the United States almost twelve years ago, I have been astonished by the rate of consumption and the enormous amount of waste generated by people and organizations. Could Americans wake up one day without electricity, gasoline, or bread, as happened to many Eastern European countries in the early 1990s? It was a tough lesson that many people of my generation will never forget. It is clear to me that the current rate of consumption and environmental pollution is unsustainable. Every few years, people change cars, computers, televisions, other appliances, and even their homes! It is often said that if every person on this planet consumed like Americans, we would need several planets Earth. But why should people in other countries not have the right to own a car, travel to exotic destinations, and purchase prepackaged food, modern appliances, and toys for their children?As an engineer and scientist trained in cleaner production, I have always believed in the unlimited potential of humankind to find solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems. But we need to have the right incentives. This does not mean people and organizations should not change their consumption patterns, but rather that we can build the economy from a systems perspective, considering the entire lifecycle of products and services and the social, economic, and environmental impacts of our actions today and in the decades to come. The current global recession makes it even clearer that a systems approach is critical going forward to ensure stable and sustainable development in an increasingly interconnected world. Business, government, and civil society organizations all need to work together to design the rules of the new economic system where products last longer, have no toxic chemicals, and are reused and recycled; society as a whole consumes less; and people spend more time with family and friends and less time working to maintain their “standard of living.”

Stonefish envenomation

As more Americans travel in greater numbers in search of exotic destinations, they may encounter dangerous marine life that hide in reefs and shallow marine waters. In this case report, we describe a case of stonefish envenomation and provide a review of the literature on management and prevention.

Kutane Larva migrans

As a result of the rise of mass tourism with increasingly cheap and exotic destinations, tropical diseases are becoming an increasingly important part of dermatology. Infection with cutaneous larva migrans is one of the most common "souvenirs" from the tropics. The disease is caused by the nematode infection with dog or cat hookworm parasites (Ancylostoma braziliense or A. caninum). The characteristic manifestation is a gyrated, serpiginous and in some cases vesicular erythema, which appears after penetration of the epidermis by the parasite and the subsequent intraepidermal migration of the larva. This is often accompanied by intense pruritus in the affected skin. The infection is usually found in those areas of the foot, calf or buttocks exposed by walking or sitting on sand. Although subjectively very unpleasant, the disease is self-limiting and resolves after several weeks; it is treated locally in most cases (e.g. using cryotherapy). The prognosis of the disease is excellent, but a prolonged course or complications have been observed, e.g. due to superinfection.

Why people travel to exotic places

PurposeThis study focuses on the Portuguese tourist decision process in terms of traveling to exotic places. Based on the push‐pull motive model defined by Crompton in 1979, this paper seeks to propose an integrated approach to understand tourist motivations and how these contribute to the perception of a destination.Design/methodology/approachA structural model and a categorical principal component analysis are used to assess to what degree motivational factors may influence perceptions about a destination. The empirical study is supported through data from a sample of 1,097 individuals who travelled by plane to exotic places, during 2004.FindingsThe findings show that push and pull motivations influence the way tourists perceive the destination but the resulting image does not determined the intrinsic motivations.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has the restriction of being limited to the Portuguese case. However, these findings open paths for further investigation, namely extending to other destinations and to tourists with different incentives and nationality.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the overall understanding of why tourists adopt specific behaviors. In specific, motivations and perceptions were combined in order to understand why people could be pushed to travel to exotic destinations and how they form their perceptions.

The Rabies Prevention and the Risk Management in Japan

Japan has been rabies-free since 1957, except an imported human rabies case in 1970. However, two imported rabies cases of human bitten by dog in the Philippines were reported in November, 2006. Increased travel to exotic destinations around the world is increasing the risk of infectious diseases. Lack of awareness of its serious infectiousness is due to its rarity, leaving people at risk and emphasizing the need for measures in risk management. This age of global due to internationalization of distribution forms has also been increased the potential risk of the imported rabies of not only human but also animals by the highly diverse routes of introduction. Any inappropriate public health response or delay at an early stage of rabies cases, even those in doubt, leads to unnecessary, excessive social anxiety. It is thus important to put effective measures in place while continuously upgrading existing measures.