Global Tourism Destination Research Articles

The Impact of Neoliberalism on Crisis Management in Bali’s Tourism Sector

ABSTRACT With the demise of sustainable tourism as a panacea for the community-level impacts of mass tourism, some scholars have) called for destination management and planning to re-focus on the politics behind tourism. In response, we examine tourism destination management from a political economy perspective to provide a contemporary understanding of tourism crises and inform what changes are required to achieve sustainable tourism. We do this by investigating of a well-known global tourism destination, Bali, using interviews and a survey. These indicate the extent to which neoliberal development policies in Indonesia’s tourism sector have intensified Bali’s susceptibility to crises and kept crisis management policies minimal, temporary and unable to respond effectively. While the obvious argument is that tourism planning at all levels needs to be more cognisant of the sector’s vulnerability to crisis, neoliberal development doctrine inhibits engagement with crisis and its impacts on society, which was demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Segmentation Analysis and Target Market Identification of Halal Tourism in Aceh Province

This study aims to identify market segments and appropriate target markets for halal tourism in Aceh Province. The research method used is quantitative with data collection through questionnaires. The study findings show that Aceh Province has great potential as an attractive halal tourism destination, with the majority of respondents willing to pay more for high-quality halal tour packages. The study also identified different market segments with specific needs and preferences, which can help tourism industry players to develop targeted marketing strategies and products that meet the diverse needs of halal tourists. Suggested recommendations include development and promotion, provision of high-quality tour packages, increased awareness and visitation, targeted product development, provision of affordable travel options, and improved facilities and services. These recommendations are expected to help tourism industry players in Aceh Province to optimize the potential of halal tourism and increase Aceh’s attractiveness as a global tourism destination.

Factors influencing disaster response behavior of international tourists under the Tokyo Metropolitan Earthquake scenario

As Japan continues to become a popular global tourism destination, its vulnerability to disasters cannot be overlooked. Although the Japanese government has implemented different disaster prevention policies and practices, there is a lack of investigation into disaster response behaviors, such as information seeking, evacuation, and the factors affecting these. This study clarified the factors influencing the disaster response behavior of international tourists in the context of the anticipated Tokyo Metropolitan Earthquake scenario. A questionnaire survey was conducted, and the logistic regression model was used to understand the causative factors. The results revealed that the variable knowledge on disaster response behavior in earthquakes influences individuals' evacuation decisions, especially when people choose to follow others. These findings will be beneficial for tourism stakeholders and policymakers to establish effective tourism crisis management planning, including information provision, shelter allocation, and collaborative initiatives.

ROLE OF BRAND IMAGE MEDIATION ON CONSUMER INTEREST IN CHOOSING UMRAH AND HAJJ SERVICES IN THE NEW NORMAL ERA

Lately, there has been a growing interest in undertaking sustainable global tourism destinations particularly to Saudi Arabia. The benefits can be maximized if the government is successful in attracting present pilgrims and influencing their future intentions to visit the country as tourists through service providers in Muslim countries. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to measure the interest buying of pilgrims for the holy land based on the influence of E-WOM, Price, and Brand Image through the mediation model at PT Andalas Jaya Wisata in the New Normal Era. With a purposive technique with two criteria, it is planned to distribute 99 online questionnaires and direct interviews, then analyze the data with the help of Smart PLS. the results of this study show E-WOM variable on Interest Buying variable has not an effect and Price variable on Interest Buying variable has not an effect.

The Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic on Tourism Industry in The Island of Crete, Greece

The global tourism industry was badly affected during the Covid-19 pandemic. Popular tourism destinations like the island of Crete have undergone devastating shocks. The impacts of coronavirus on tourism in Crete during the period 2018-2022 have been studied in order to investigate the gradual recovery after the end of the pandemic. The current work is important for the island's tourism industry, considering the large share of tourism in the island’s income and prosperity. The annual tourist arrivals in Crete during this period have been analyzed and compared with the tourist arrivals in Greece. The results indicated that tourist arrivals in Crete have been sharply decreased by 74.98% in 2020 compared to 2019 while in 2022 they have exceeded by 4.98% the arrivals of 2019. Tourism arrivals in Greece have been reduced by 78.22% in 2020 compared to 2019 while in 2022 they were still 9.66% lower compared to 2019. The present work is important for all stakeholders of the island’s tourism industry indicating the quick recovery and the revival of tourism in Crete in the post-pandemic period. The rapid recovery of the tourism industry in Crete can be attributed to the brand name of the island as a global tourism destination and its popularity and attractiveness to international travelers.

Sustainable tourism in practice: synthesizing sustainability assessment of global tourism destinations

ABSTRACT This paper examines the sustainability characteristics of 12 tourist destinations from around the world to determine whether these destinations have made concrete efforts in balancing the four pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, social-cultural, and institutional. The paper identifies areas of improvement to abet these destinations facilitate their progress towards achieving sustainability. A three-step approach to destination sustainability assessment was employed: i) development of a sustainability assessment matrix; ii) selecting case studies to illustrate current on the ground sustainability practices; and iii) sustainability performance assessment of the selected destinations. Based on secondary information, the assessment developed and applied a six-scale sustainability performance rating, ranging between −1 to + 1 with − 0.75 to −1 indicating an unsatisfactory, and +0.75 to + 1 indicating a satisfactory performance. Results indicate to the presence of a broad range of sustainability characteristics across geographically diverse locations. Based on the results, six main implications are discussed: i) necessary trade-offs on sustainability considerations; ii) conditionality of sustainability; iii) importance of grassroots engagement and community-led tourism activities; iv) significance of participatory and effective policy preparation and implementation; v) insights on opportunities of active learning and sharing for meeting sustainability objectives; and vi) lessons for mass tourism experiences. We emphasize the need for strategic efforts in balancing sustainability approaches in tourism practices.

COVID-19 Impact on Tourism Business Continuity in Indonesia: A Preliminary Systematic Review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a major shake-up in the global tourism industry, causing people from all over the world to self-isolate and avoid travel. Indonesia is one of the largest archipelago countries in the world, consisting of five major islands and thousands of small islands, making it a prime global tourism destination. However, due to the pandemic, the tourism industry in the country has been deeply affected, and many of the tourism businesses in Indonesia have had to shut down. This article discusses the COVID-19 impact on tourism in Indonesia through a systematic review of research articles from the ScienceDirect database for 2019–2022. This study aims to explore the pandemic’s impact on various tourism industries throughout Indonesia and the recovery strategy of the affected areas. Accordingly, this study reviewed the literature on this issue, focusing on the post-recovery strategy for the tourism industry and the impact of COVID-19 on various branches of the tourism industry, such as the hotel, geoparks, and halal industries. Connecting the gap between policies and demographic characteristics is a crucial strategy for tourism recovery that can lay a foundation for future studies in similar fields.

Conditions of commodification: Russian as a transient commodity in an Arctic tourism resort

Abstract Based on an ethnography incorporating interview, linguistic landscape and observational data, this research illustrates how temporary linguistic value is negotiated and how an Arctic tourism destination is made fit for consumption for a specific audience. Set within a tourism resort in the Finnish Arctic during two weeks in Winter when the region habitually receives a large influx of Russian-speaking visitors, we illustrate how Russian is conceptualized as a means of economic practice by stakeholders in the local tourism industry. While some offer services specifically for a Russian-speaking audience as part of a short-term high-risk/high-reward investment, others regard Russian as an expression of a negative niche market that compromises the overall image of the Arctic as a global tourism destination. We discuss these different understandings of commodity value and highlight, how stakeholders in the local tourism economy imagine and discursively construct Russian-speaking tourists. In doing so, this paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the conditions of language commodification and the processes involved in the valuation and devaluation of linguistic resources within temporary linguistic markets.

Effect of Terrorism on the Performance of Tourism Industry. A Critical Literature Review

Purpose: Global Tourism destinations provide different products which satisfy tourists with different interests, needs and wants. The general objective of the study was to examine effect of terrorism on the performance of tourism industry.
 Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.
 Findings: The study concludes relevant governments should face the fact that terrorist attacks provoke a substitution effect on destination choice behaviors. Tourists will replace destinations considered unsafe due to terrorist threats with others considered safer. The physical distance of the tourists' home countries and their cultural and socio-economic traits influence this replacement behavior. Given the randomness of terrorist attacks, relevant governments should be prepared to alter quickly their marketing strategy, namely their market targeting strategies and promotion campaigns to prevent substitution effect and lack low returns from the tourism industry
 Recommendations: The study recommends that relevant governments in dealing with the root causes of terrorism should also denounce the terrorists considering their acts as criminal acts just like others. The tourism stakeholders should increase efficiency in law enforcement, prosecution of terrorist suspects, by improving intelligence gathering and the police should be effectively trained to deal with terrorism incidences. The covert nature of terrorism often precludes an easy analysis of their capabilities or intent, therefore, giving them an advantage of lying in wait and striking when least expected; thus, the government counterterrorism should be proactive

INFLUENCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS, ECONOMIC FACTORS, SOCIAL-CULTURAL FACTORS AND GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS ON DEMAND FOR DOMESTIC TOURISM IN KENYA.A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW

Purpose: Global Tourism destinations provide different products which satisfy tourists with different interests, needs and wants. The general objective of the study was to establish the role of forest diversification in promoting tourism.
 Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.
 Findings: The study concluded that the accessibility of a tourist attraction is vital in determining the number of people that visit that attraction. Accessible destinations receive more tourists than inaccessible ones. Such destinations like the mountain tops may require advanced skills and equipment which may limit many would-be tourists from accessing them. Other destinations like parks where there are passable roads are visited more frequently and by a large number of people. This also applies to the topography of the land where extremely rugged terrains may not favour frequent visits by the local people. Proximity of an attraction site from the local market influences the number of domestic tourists in an area where attraction sites near settlements are more visited than those far from the settlements. This can be attributed to the less costs involved in visiting near destinations compared to the far ones. Finally, areas with favourable weather conditions are more frequented by local tourists than sites with extreme weather conditions such as very cold or very hot conditions. Climate may also contribute to seasonality of domestic tourism where there are more tourists during some weather conditions and fewer tourists during other weather conditions
 Recommendations: The study recommends that awareness about the existence of various tourists' attractions in an area is a key element in its promotion as a tourist destination, The players in the tourism industry should therefore," create awareness among the local people about the existing attractions to create the demand for them. Further, tourism education would be important in promotion of domestic tourism where it is offered in schools and colleges as well retraining of the players in the industry through seminars and workshops. Emphasis on the need for the participation of the local people in the tourism activities would also be vital in promoting domestic tourism.
 Keywords: role, forest diversification, promoting tourism

ROLE OF FOREST DIVERSIFICATION IN PROMOTING TOURISM.A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW

Purpose: Global Tourism destinations provide different products which satisfy tourists with different interests, needs and wants. The general objective of the study was to establish the role of forest diversification in promoting tourism
 Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.
 Findings: The study concludes that forest tourism products were positively and significantly influenced the tourism sustainability (r=0.258, p=0.001). This meant that a unitary increase in the forest tourism products leads to an increase in tourism sustainability by 0.258 units.
 Majority of the tourists’ and destination operators agreed that cultural tourism experienced influenced tourism sustainability. Some of the cultural tourism practices experienced were visiting historical sites, tasting local food and drinks, listening to local music, witnessing local dancing, viewing local artifacts, visiting sacred sites, witnessing local basket making, sighting traditional homes, attending local cultural shows/events and local religious events and home staying in rural villages
 Recommendations: The study recommends that forest tourism stakeholders should devise plans and ways of countering the challenges that face the forest tourism diversification These challenges included; inadequate relevant information about the forest tourism product; inadequate facilities in the forests such as rest centers, walking trails; poor quality services; unethical guiding practices such as request for tips, use of vulgar language; hostile residents; inadequate signage; unfavorable prices of forest activities; insecurity; unhealthy environment; poor communication facilities and inadequacy in tourism product diversity. These can be mitigated by building sustainable transport and communication infrastructure, encouraging community participation of the tourist resources, training tour guides, encouraging community visits to the sites and creating awareness on the importance to preserve tourist sites. The study suggested that cultural tourism practices in the indigenous forests in counties should be fully profiled and funds for its full establishment be allocated

Destination Anthropocene: Science and Tourism in The Bahamas by Amelia Moore

Reviewed by: Destination Anthropocene: Science and Tourism in The Bahamas by Amelia Moore Matthew Lauer Amelia Moore, Destination Anthropocene: Science and Tourism in The Bahamas. Oakland: University of California Press, 2019. 216 pp. During a boisterous academic conference in the late 1990s Paul Crutzen, an atmospheric chemist, made an off-the-cuff comment that we no longer live in the Holocene, but have entered the age of humans and are living in the Anthropocene geologic epic. The scientists were reviewing the growing evidence that human beings had fundamentally altered the geologic record to the extent that they could now declare that we had entered a new geologic anthropogenic era. Although defining this new geohistorical period continues to be controversial within geology, the concept has overrun its original boundaries, capturing the attention of scientists across the social and natural sciences as well as the humanities. In her lively and highly readable book, Amelia Moore explores the Anthropocene not as a concept to be contemplated or debated, but its effects in a particulate locale—the Bahamas. Rather than detailing Bahamian environmental degradation, the loss of species, or efforts to mitigate sea level rise, she instead describes how the idea of the Anthropocene has propelled the rise of "Global Change Science" (GCS), a burgeoning conglomeration of natural and social science disciplines focused on characterizing anthropologic change occurring to the earth system. She then asks a provocative question: What are the effects of GCS knowledge and practice in the lives of Bahamians? To answer this, Moore adeptly draws on series a of ethnographic accounts highlighting GCS field work at sites across the Bahamas. We learn that GCS researchers are descending on the islands in increasing [End Page 181] numbers, herself included, to document their environmental fragility as anthropogenic pressures mount. In each case she explores the intersection of GCS knowledge and the Bahamian tourist industry. The Bahamas, of course, have a long history as a global tourism destination. With its gorgeous coastlines, idyllic beaches, and close geographic proximity to the United States, tourism has formed the basis of the islands' economy for decades. In Moore's account, she details how the tourist industry has adeptly repositioned the islands' imaginary over time to attract tourists. The most recent form of repackaging involves leveraging GCS scientific discoveries and concepts into profitable tourist attractions. Thus a paradox lies at the heart of what Moore calls "Anthropocene tourism" (21): as GCS attempts to understand and protect critical habitats and threatened species on the island, the tourism industry capitalizes on their knowledge and practices to attract more tourists and perpetuate the damaging anthropogenic effects of the tourism industry. In the opening chapter, which also serves as the now requisite ethnographic "entrance story," Moore provides a personal and nuanced account from the frontlines of GCS research in action. Moore was introduced to the Bahamas as an undergraduate student employed by an interdisciplinary funded GCS project. As a ground-level field researcher conducting pilot surveys in a rural fishing community, she describes ethnographically how concepts such as "individual," "stakeholder," "livelihood," and the "social" tend to be produced rather than explained by GCS research. More broadly, she makes that point that GCS conceives of sociality in specific ways that enables its legibility. "Local people" people are framed as objects that need to be enumerated and described rather than project collaborators or knowledge producers who can contribute their own insights. Armed with "social" data, her project was also tasked with providing scientific input into the placement of marine protected areas (MPAs). The project was a means to validate environmental management in the region, which in this case was the creation of an MPA suitable for marine tourism. Moore's account uniquely contributes to the literature about the impacts of MPAs by suggesting that they not only extend the state apparatus, including tourism interests, but also the reach of GCS research itself. The second chapter, "Educational Islands," describes another manifestation of the Anthropocene: the entangling of science, tourism, and education. Here we become acquainted with a small island where a defunct, large-scale hotel was converted into an elite high school academy that [End Page 182] trains mainly US students in environmental science and...

City tourism as a key driver for sustainable development in Cairo Metropolitan: Challenges and opportunities

City tourism has increasingly become a dominant trend in many destinations worldwide. Due to its various benefits across the cities and beyond, many countries have targeted enhancing the tourism profiles of their major cities and/or metropolises to develop them into global tourism destinations. Moreover, many tourism academics and practitioners have contributed to our understanding of the concept and benefits of city tourism on local communities. Nevertheless, most of the available literature to date is based on the experience of cities and metropolises in the developed world, while little attention has been given to this domain in the developing countries. This article aims to investigate the challenges and opportunities of city tourism as a key driver for sustainable development in Egypt with particular emphasis on Cairo Metropolitan area as an urban destination suitable for both long and short breaks. The study depended on both primary and secondary data sources and encompassed two methods of qualitative data collection: observation and interviews. The study concludes by developing a conceptual framework for boosting Cairo Metropolitan into a global tourism city and giving a number of recommendations on how to enhance the tourism profile of urban destinations for the welfare of local communities.

Integrated Performance Measurement of Local Hotels in the Context of a Global Tourism Destination: A Case Study of Samui Island, Thailand

This is a qualitative study with the objective to search for the patterns and directions in an integrated performance measurement of local hotels through secondary data from existing research collections and primary data from personal in-depth interviews with 12 local hotel administrators in the global tourism destination of Samui Island, Thailand. In this study, we found that the performance measurement of local hotel businesses on Samui Island, Thailand, a global tourism destination, was composed of various components. Each component was integrated; the performance measurements of each component are not undertaken separately. The financial aspect is not the sole focal component; rather, it is connected to other aspects, i.e., the operation and stakeholder relationship. The financial aspect of the local hotels, on the other hand, includes measurements of income and return on investment. In addition, the operation of the businesses emphasises the satisfaction with the customer service, while the stakeholder relationship stresses customer loyalty. Importantly, a sense of ownership on the part of the personnel, trust in their colleagues, and a sense of being a part of the community in which the businesses operate are all taken into consideration.

Creating a wine heritage in Japan

This paper examines how Japanese grape wine production has been promoted as cultural heritage, through the collaboration of local official and private actors. In 2018, Japan’s wine making was designated as a national cultural heritage through a governmental program called “Japan Heritage,” highlighting the history associated with wine production in a specific area in Yamanashi Prefecture, a long-standing wine-making region in Japan. In this creation of heritage, historical narratives of wine production have been rediscovered and invented. Essentially, this heritagization strategy is not preserving wine culture but creating one, developing touristic resources and stimulating local economy. The politics of making wine heritage in Japan reveals a national governance of food culture with the goal of making Japan a global tourism destination and promoting rural development.

Guest editorial

The tourism industry is fiercely competitive at all levels. While the sector has witnessed a considerable number of new destinations emerge and bid for a share of the market, established and arguably more mature destinations compete to consolidate existing markets and develop new ones. Tourism companies are also facing the arrival of new competitors from other industries. However, this evolving pattern is as applicable to the offer as it is to the demand side of the spectrum. In today’s globalised world, tourists have an international range of choices when it comes to tourism destinations and tour operators. It is against this highly competitive backdrop that the concept of the sharing economy has arrived, initially as a philosophical alternative to more mainstream travel and hospitality options and, more recently, as a convenient - and even personalised - choice in the search for more authentic experiences by tourists with a wide range of disposable incomes (Paulauskaite et al., 2017). This breakthrough innovation has changed the tourism ecosystem as well as tourism destinations at all levels. New players have arrived, redefining relationships among stakeholders and creating new impacts in tourism cities or exacerbating existing ones, including the contested phenomenon of overtourism (see, for instance Koens et al., 2018; or Szromek et al., 2019, among others). Examples of these newcomers can be found in online platforms that range from accommodation (e.g. Airbnb, HomeAway, CouchSurfing) to transport (e.g. Uber, BlaBlaCar), and also include customer reviews (e.g. TripAdvisor), general information (e.g. Wikipedia, Wikitravel), travel guiding (e.g. Tours by Locals) and food & beverage (e.g. EatWith), among others. In fact, the advent of the sharing economy has had a profound impact on the hospitality and tourism ecosystem over the last decade, affecting almost every single one of its components (Almeida-Santana and Moreno-Gil, 2017). The rapid development of the sharing economy and particularly some of its more negative impacts have led to a number of global tourism destinations taking measures to regulate it and, in some cases, limit it considerably. These have included Barcelona (Spain), where local government stopped issuing new licenses for short-term rental accommodation nearly three years ago (Burgen, 2017). Since then, key tourism destinations globally have sought to limit the expansion of Airbnb and other short-term accommodation service platforms (Guttentag, 2018). In Europe global tourism cities such as Krakow, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris and Vienna, among others, have also sought help from the European Union to tighten up existing regulatory frameworks in this respect (Henley, 2019). However, this reaction by tourism cities is not limited to the accommodation sector. London, for instance, revoked Uber’s license to operate as a private transport provider in November 2019 as a result of irregularities found in its service provision – a decision that is currently subject to appeal by Uber (Topham, 2019). One of the issues this situation inevitably raises is the extent to which the initial ethical principles of the sharing economy have evolved over time and what role can operators such as Fairbnb play in today’s sharing economy spectrum of services and operators (Petruzzi et al., 2019).

Sustainable Energy and Mobility as Drivers for the Economic Growth in the Mediterranean Islands

The “greening” of the inhabitant Mediterranean islands is crucial in order to build a sustainable future. Furthermore, the islands consist a major global tourism destination, so the potential minimization of their carbon footprint is essential for the success of the Paris Agreement. The islands have the potential to be frontrunners in the clean energy transition by adopting new technologies, implementing and demonstrating innovative solutions, also for transport. However, there is a number of challenges for their smooth operation and sustainability, such as: Energy safety, space use, road safety, air quality and noise pollution are some transport related issues that islands have to cope with. Islands are attractive as touristic destinations, feature a high pressure to their fantastic nature and sensitive ecosystems, which need special care and protection The seasonal fluctuation in their operation impacts on the design of their necessary infrastructure (ports, roads, energy supply systems) Although they should comply with the most recent national and international commitments, they are missing capacity, resources and social preparation for these changes. Fostering a Mediterranean insular sustainable energy and mobility approach will also support the development of innovative, quality tourism products and services to make destinations even more attractive, as well as to address the mobility needs of citizens and visitors. The above approach was discussed during the Public Hearing organized by the Network of the Insular Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the European Union (INSULEUR) and the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems Lab of the Technical University of Crete (ReSEL-TUC) on Friday 8 th of June 2018 at the premises of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), in Brussels. The event was organised in partnership with the EESC and was supported by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and the European Small Islands Federation (ESIN).

Attractiveness of the United States as a travel destination for the Russian tourist in the era of strained bilateral relations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the attractiveness of a global tourism destination when the country of that destination and the country that provides the source market are in a situation of political and economic conflict. In this study, the USA is the vacation destination, and Russia is the tourism generating region.Design/methodology/approachIn May 2015, 18 Russian tourists from a large regional urban center participated in qualitative semi-structured interviews. The interviews took place in the situational context of strained bilateral relations between the USA and Russia over events in Ukraine, Crimea, and Donbass, as well as economic sanctions that had been in effect for almost a year at the time of the interviews.FindingsRespondents expressed substantial interest in vacationing in the USA despite their strong disagreement with USA international policies. While domestic tourism offerings were evaluated as inferior to those of other international destinations, patriotic sentiments with respect to domestic tourism were registered.Practical implicationsBrand USA is still very attractive to the potential tourists, especially such components as major cities, entertainment, oceans, beaches and resorts, as well as the vastness of its national parks. The absence of information with respect to travel to USA was noticed by all respondents.Originality/valueThe study is conducted in a situation of ongoing conflict between the two countries and explores how the feelings of animosity toward the USA influence the desire of Russian tourists to vacation in the USA.

NGOs and the making of “development tourism destinations”

Summary This article explores the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the making of global tourism destinations. First, it draws together diverse insights in order to substantiate the importance of NGOs in the making of global tourism destinations and, second, it empirically highlights the role of NGOs in the (re)making of one particular destination: “destino Guatemala”. NGOs in La Antigua Guatemala are increasingly engaging with tourism as a NGO resource. In focusing on the NGO touristic practice of hosting storytelling events/activities in Antigua, some of which come to form virtual/actual “poverty tours”, the article argues that while Antigua NGOs develop and host these poverty tours as a means of moving “hearts and wallets”, they are doing considerably more. Most notably, they are helping to (re)make Guatemala into a “development tourism destination”.

The wicked problem of tourism: economic benefits versus socio-cultural impacts.

This paper is based on a research conducted regarding the local perceptions of tourism in Dubai. The purpose of the study was to investigate this issue, since it has been the subject of very little research. Dubai's status as a global tourism destination is raising concerns among the locals about the impacts of tourism on their culture. To verify these concerns, this study designed a questionnaire that was administered to Emaratis. Overall, respondents confirmed most concerns that tourism affects local culture negatively, but some areas were viewed positively by the respondents. Hence, the research showed that Emaratis have mixed feelings towards tourism: they understand its economic benefits but have feelings of resentment for its affect on their national culture and social identity.