Destination Governance Research Articles

Evaluating village financial governance in top tourism destinations

Village fund management is important for village economy and welfare. Village funds in Gresik Regency, Indonesia In particular, for the 2022 period, the revenue budget is IDR. 2,355,638,000 in Pangkahkulon village, while Rp. 9,865,701,000 for Sekapuk village, demonstrating the principles of accountability and transparency for effective and sustainable development. Accountability and transparency in village fund management ensure clear financial reporting, community participation, and openness of information, despite still facing obstacles such as lack of resources and regulations. Lack of community participation reduces accountability, transparency in achieving good financial governance in 3 villages in Gresik Regency. This study proposes to assess the impact of financial governance in Sekapuk, Pangkahkulon, and Sidokumpul Villages, focusing on accountability, transparency, and community participation. Despite progress, challenges including resource constraints and regulatory changes remain. This study provides in-depth insights into the effectiveness of village financial management systems, emphasizing the importance of community participation in improving accountability and transparency and building public trust. This study explores the implementation of good financial governance in three Gresik villages, focusing on accountability, transparency, and community participation. The study design uses a phenomenological approach to understand perceptions related to transparency and accountability in village fund management in Gresik Tourism Villages through interviews and observations. Primary data were collected from village officials, and analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 Plus, prioritizing transparency and community participation. This study found that accountability in Gresik Tourism Villages requires a transparent and efficient financial system. The SISKEUDES application experienced technical problems that affected reporting, so technical improvements and staff training were needed. Transparency and community participation in meetings and discussion forums are key to increasing trust and effectiveness in village fund management. Thus, in achieving Good Financial Governance in Gresik Tourism Villages, a financial system that is accountable, transparent, and involves community participation is needed. Information technology, regular training, and supervision with NGOs are important for efficiency and transparency, and discussion forums strengthen community trust.

The future of tourism: interview with Bernadett Papp on brining equity into debates on tourism development and destination governance

PurposeAs the Journal of Tourism Futures celebrates its 10th Anniversary, Dr Stefan Hartman (head of department at the European Tourism Futures Institute, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences) interviews Bernadett Papp (senior researcher at the European Tourism Futures Institute (ETFI) at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences) about her recent work in tourism practice and academic and future perspectives on topics relevant to the future of tourism.Design/methodology/approachA personal interview was held on September 16, 2024.FindingsBernadett Papp draws attention to the importance of bringing equity into debates on tourism development and destination governance. She sees a crucial role for governments, the redesign of institutional frameworks, monitoring and data collection and rethinking systems of governance.Originality/valueThe interview provides unique insights into the viewpoints of Papp, highlighting the importance of the still understudied topic of equitable tourism. A topic that still requires a lot of work before hitting mainstream approaches to destination development, even though it should have been on the policy agendas for many years already.

First Steps towards Ecosystemic Governance for Health and Recreational Tourism Destinations

The concept of the business ecosystem emerged at the turn of the century, drawing inspiration from biology to describe the economic community. Since its inception, this concept has found applications across various domains, including technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, where it significantly contributes to strategic management. However, within the realm of tourism, there remains a notable dearth of literature on this subject. While it is acknowledged that tourism destinations embody many characteristics of a business ecosystem, concrete tools for adopting an ecosystemic approach in tourism management, particularly across different tourism types, are lacking. The current study seeks to address this gap by undertaking a theoretical exploration of health and recreational tourism. It aims to identify socio-economic aspects that could facilitate the adoption of an ecosystemic approach in the governance of tourism destinations, with a specific focus on these types of tourism. As a result of this endeavor, an initial model delineating the ecosystem of a health and recreational tourism destination is proposed. This model lays the groundwork for empirical validation and further refinement through subsequent studies.

The Virtuous Circle of Governance in Tourism Destinations: Enhancing Competitiveness and Sustainability

Tourism governance has evolved significantly since the 1990s, shifting from traditional destination planning to more inclusive and collaborative models. This article explores the evolution of governance in tourism, emphasizing its potential to create a virtuous circle of continuous improvement. Governance in tourism is particularly relevant due to the sector’s transversal nature, which requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders, including public authorities, private enterprises, and local communities. Effective governance aims to enhance both competitiveness and sustainability, two central objectives for destination management. The article identifies seven key dimensions of governance—participation, coherence, responsibility, effectiveness, know-how/quality, openness, and simplification—each of which plays a crucial role in ensuring successful governance. Furthermore, it highlights the dynamics of the virtuous circle, where open communication fosters trust and capacity, enabling productive participation. This, in turn, leads to coherent action aligned with long-term goals, enhanced by expertise and a commitment to quality. Responsible decision-making ensures sustainability, thereby reinforcing the entire process. Ultimately, the virtuous circle of governance creates a self-reinforcing system that continuously improves the effectiveness and adaptability of tourism management. By adopting this governance model, destinations can better address the complexities of the tourism sector, fostering sustainable development while ensuring competitiveness.

The TDG Barometer: A Self‐Assessment Tool to Integrate Quality in the Measurement of Tourism Destination Governance

The <scp>TDG</scp> Barometer: A Self‐Assessment Tool to Integrate Quality in the Measurement of Tourism Destination Governance

Pathway to ‘creating shared value’ in destination management organizations: Insights from literature review

Responsible tourism development has become a critical component of destination governance. Creating Shared Value (CSV) has demonstrated enormous potential for enhancing the value propositions of several industries by creating sustainable and socially responsible value for stakeholders. However, its effective implementation in the tourism industry has made little progress primarily due to the lack of information supporting its implementation and outcomes. Reflecting on how CSV is implemented across industries, the present study seeks to develop a framework for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs). We identify the building blocks of CSV through a systematic literature review and arrange them to create a conceptual framework. The findings demonstrate that a DMO-specific CSV framework is a powerful differentiator and offers several economic, social, and environmental benefits for society, the tourism industry, and stakeholders. The study extends the application of CSV to the tourism and hospitality industry and provides tourism managers and practitioners with guidelines for developing shared value-creation strategies.

Tourist satisfaction toward halal tourism: the role of tourism governance and branding

PurposeThis study aims to examine the impact of halal tourism governance on halal tourist satisfaction by using halal tourism branding as a mediating role to increase tourist satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachData is obtained through a questionnaire completed by 400 tourists who have traveled to visit halal tourism destinations on Madurese Island. The collected research data is tested by using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe study revealed that halal tourism governance has positive and significant impact on halal tourist satisfaction and halal tourism branding. The study also revealed that halal tourism branding has no positive and significant impact on halal tourist satisfaction because the community thinks that halal tourism branding is common and commonplace.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is on an Island-specific halal tourism destination, which means that the findings cannot be generalized to other geographical areas which have diverse cultures.Practical implicationsThe study provides insight into halal tourism and destination governance, which is important for marketers, the Ministry of Tourism and local tourism officials to support halal tourism.Originality/valueThis paper fills a gap by presenting the first comprehensive overview of halal tourism governance that enhances ongoing discussions in the halal tourism field.

Myths, imagination and reality: constructing tourist attractions with local knowledge

ABSTRACT Using China's March 3 Festival of the Zhuang ethnic people as a case, this study examines the process by which local knowledge is transformed into a tourist attraction. A new model of tourist attraction system has been proposed with the addition of the myths makers, which stresses the attributes of social construction for tourist attraction. Relying on primary data collected through in-depth interviews supplemented by online news and tourism review, this qualitative inquiry reveals that: (1) the making of tourism myths is a social construction process that involves destination government, mass media, tourism developers, artists, novelists and local ethnic community. (2) Tourists are also involved by reconstructing, sharing and spreading the myths. (3) The construction of tourist attractions with local knowledge and its myths highlights the placeness, uniqueness and otherness of the destination, thus sharpening its competitive edge. However, tourism developers and destination governments must be aware of and take steps to prevent cultural distortion. The research contributes to theoretical debate on tourist attraction construction and tourism myths making, and also has the potential to benefit the development of ethnic tourism in practice.

The Position of Stakeholders Involved in The Collaboration of the Tourism Destination Governance in Pangandaran, West Java - Indonesia

Pangandaran is one of the tourist destinations in Indonesia which has developed and has fairly strategic potential to encourage the regional and state economy. The rapid development of tourism in Pangandaran turned out to cause various problems. This is due to the lack of synergy among the roles of stakeholders involved in Pangandaran tourism management. In 2010, the Destination Management Organization (DMO) concept was implemented as an effort to improve the tourism destination governance in Pangandaran. This concept emphasizes the form of collaboration among stakeholders from community groups, the private sectors, and the government. The collaboration is led by the destination management organization (DMO) which serves as mediator, facilitator, and coordinator among the three stakeholder groups. This research is conducted in Pangandaran Village using mixed method which combines quantitative and qualitative research methods aimed to analyze the stakeholders who are involved in tourism destination governance in Pangandaran based on the DMO concept. From the results of the study, it is found that there are ten stakeholders who have high involvement on the tourism destination governance in Pangandaran. All of them have high level of interest and power, but there is one stakeholder who has high interest but low power in DMO-based tourism destination governance collaboration

Configurational Paths to Arouse Tourists’ Positive Experiences in Smart Tourism Destinations: A fsQCA Approach

The issue this study explores is to investigate the determinants of smart tourism destinations (STDs) on tourists’ experiences. To address this issue, this study purports to identify different configuration paths of determinants that lead to tourists’ positive experiences in STDs and explain the mechanism of the configuration effects of different determinants. The fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method was adopted to conduct a survey on 266 tourists who went to five Chinese STDs between 2021 and 2022. Smart tourism technologies, smart destination governance, personalized service, and smart infrastructure, co-creation formed distinct combination paths through different configurations. The findings demonstrated that smart infrastructure and co-creation are necessary conditions to arouse tourists’ positive experiences. The results of fsQCA analysis further revealed five causal configurations leading to tourists’ positive experiences. The study provides theoretical and practical implications for STDs to design effective tourism services as well as enhance tourists’ overall experiences.

Fostering the “Performativity” of Performance Information Use by Decision-Makers through Dynamic Performance Management: Evidence from Action Research in a Local Area

A local area configures a socio-economic system in which several institutions interact. As stakeholders hold different values and perhaps conflicting interests, managing local area performance is a dynamic and complex issue. In these inter-institutional settings, performance management may help address such complexity. Traditional performance management approaches, mostly based on static and linear analysis, fail to capture the dynamic complexity of local-area performance, bounding decision-makers’ mindsets to an organizational view of performance. Overcoming such limitations requires methods oriented to grasp a better understanding of the social reality in which their institutions operate. This contribution aims to illustrate how the Dynamic Performance Management (DPM) approach may foster a “performative” use of performance information by decision-makers in inter-institutional settings. To this end, the article highlights the importance of designing conducive learning settings (i.e., action research enhanced by a system dynamics-based interactive learning environment) to support decision-makers make such a cognitive leap. Drawing from empirical evidence on destination governance studies, the article shows that enriching performance management with system dynamics modeling may help decision-makers to reflect on key issues impacting local area development, sparking a discussion on potential actions to balance economic, social, and competitive dimensions of performance. Findings reveal that DPM insight modeling holds explanatory and communicative potential in real forums by providing decision-makers with an understanding of the means-end relationships linking strategic resources to outcomes through value drivers. The use of such performance information can help local area stakeholders to (re)conceptualize the social reality in which their institutions operate. By acting as a “maieutic machine”, DPM fosters a shift from an organizational and static to an inter-organizational and dynamic view of local area performance. Implications of the study include the opportunity to provide training to strengthen the active use of performance information by decision-makers in inter-institutional settings.

Immigrants as natural supporters? Cross‐nation analysis with a multilevel mixed‐effects model

AbstractResearch often finds that immigrants tend to have a different profile from locals regarding confidence in the government. Both the origin's and destination's institutional features can influence immigrants' confidence. Scholars have relied on three major models—the cultural‐persistence model, the performance model, and the dual‐reference model—to explain the possible mechanisms behind this difference. Our research builds on previous studies by expanding the country coverage to explore the heterogeneity in immigrants' confidence. Specifically, we focus on how the level of democracy as an institutional factor is associated with immigrants' confidence. Using integrated datasets from the World Value Survey (WVS, 2017–21) and the European Value Study (EVS, 2017–20) and employing a multilevel model, we confirm that immigrants, on average, tend to have a higher level of confidence in the government. However, their confidence is contingent on institutional performance. In countries with high levels of democracy, the disparity in confidence between immigrants and locals becomes more pronounced. Moreover, the institutional performance in the origin country also influences immigrants' confidence in the government of the destination country. Immigrants constantly compare the institutional performance between the two places. Compared to immigrants from countries with a high level of democracy, immigrants from countries with a lower level of democracy tend to have higher confidence in the destination government. Our results provide support for all three major theoretical models.

Implications of the Role of Tourism Carrying Capacity in the Development of Sustainable Tourism Destinations

Tourism contributes to increasing global and national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. However, there are also negative impacts on tourism activities. One of the implementations to minimize negative impacts can be carried out by applying the carrying capacity of the destination (tourism carrying capacity/TCC). This study aims to determine the implications of the role of tourism carrying capacity in sustainable tourism development, which focuses on the causality relationship between tourism destination governance policies and tourism carrying capacity (TCC). This study uses a qualitative library/desk study method with a Driving Forces, Pressures, State, Impacts, and Responses (DPSIR) framework analysis approach. The five dimensions of the carrying capacity of tourism destinations used in the DPSIR framework are territorial, governance, economic, social, and environmental. As a result, three framework findings and strategic analysis implications were obtained. First, it required the restoration of natural resources, environment, and ecosystems; second, carrying out integrated planning in land use, economic growth, strengthening socio-demographics, and a sustainable environment; third, educating tourists to transform the attitude, behavior, and ethics of tourists. The overall strategic analysis framework aligns with various tourism development programs to maintain natural, economic, social, and environmental balances that apply sustainable tourism by implementing stakeholder cooperation.

The Impact of Leadership, Stakeholder Roles, and Tourist Actor Competence on Tourism Destination in Indonesia

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of leadership, stakeholders' roles, tourist actors' competence, and the implementation of the Tourism Development Master Plan (RIPPARDA) on the governance of tourist destinations in Mojokerto City. The quantitative research method was used, along with convenience sampling. The outer and inner models are evaluated using Smart Partial Least Square 3.0, and the validity test is performed by examining the convergent and discriminant validity. The study's findings indicate that leadership, stakeholder roles, tourist actor competence, and RIPPARDA - Mojokerto City implementation all have a direct impact on tourist destination governance. Meanwhile, leadership, the role of stakeholders, and the competence of tourism actors all have an indirect impact on tourist destination governance. As a result, the synergy between leaders, stakeholders, and tourism actors is the implication of this research for Mojokerto city policymakers. Leadership can be achieved by increasing the mayor's active role, while stakeholders can help by providing information through travel services or selling souvenirs at tourist attractions. The competence of tourism actors must also be improved through extensive training.

Effects and functional mechanisms of serious leisure on environmentally responsible behavior of mountain hikers: Mediating effect of place attachments and destination attractiveness

Mountain hiking can bring abundant benefits while increasing environmental stress in mountain areas. Thus, this paper examined the relationship and functional mechanisms between serious leisure and environmentally responsible behavior by surveying 318 mountain hiking participants in Shaanxi and Guizhou provinces. Bootstrapping and hierarchical regression analysis were used to examine the relationships and the mediating effects among variables. Results confirmed that participants’ serious leisure is positively associated with destination attractiveness, place attachment, and environmentally responsible behavior. Destination attractiveness and place attachment mediated the effect of serious leisure on environmentally responsible behavior, respectively, while serious leisure also positively affected environmentally responsible behavior through the chain mediation path of destination attractiveness and place attachment. The effects of serious leisure sub-attributes on environmentally responsible behavior varied significantly. Management implications and recommendations for local governors and serious hikers are provided. Management implicationsImplications for the environmental governance of destinations are as follows: First, employees of relevant regional government departments, representatives of the local community, and other managers involved in planning, management, and regulations of the destination are required to emphasize and cultivate the serious leisure attributes of participants. Complicated as the management's difficulties are, the best means to protect the mountain environment is participants' intentions. Second, it is suggested to enhance participants' emotional attachment by strengthening the destination's capacity to respond to visitors' demands. Participants with serious leisure attributes will develop a place attachment to the destination due to its attractiveness and further facilitate their environmentally responsible behavior. Third, hikers should balance the relationship between career achievement and personal effort with environmental responsibility.

Determinant Factor of Sustainable Tourism Studies in the Tourism Sector in South Kalimantan with Innovation as a Mediating Variable

This research is motivated by the importance of sustainable tourism aspects in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which countries around the world have adopted this concept. This study is focused on Tourism Objects in South Kalimantan Province as a tourism destination in Indonesia. The method used in this research is an empirical study method with a quantitative approach. The technique used is a proportional sample with the help of the SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) program which is operated through the SmartPLS program. This study uses the formula Hair, et.al., (1995) with the provisions of 5 x 43 item parameters times the number of research questionnaires, namely 215 research samples. Methods of data collection using a questionnaire. The research hypothesis was tested using the Partial Least Square (PLS) based Structural Equation Model (SEM) approach. Society participation, Tourism Social Entrepreneurship, Destination Governance and Innovation have a significant effect on Sustainable Tourism. Furthermore, Society participation, Tourism Social Entrepreneurship, Destination Governance have a significant effect on Innovation. And Innovation mediates the relationship between Society participation, Tourism Social Entrepreneurship, and Destination Governance towards Sustainable Tourism. This study is expected to provide a better understanding of how innovation can be an important factor in achieving sustainable tourism in South Kalimantan.

TOURISM DESTINATION GOVERNANCE PLAN IN THE REGION CIWIDEY, BANDUNG DISTRICT

Indonesian development in tourism is an important task of the various stakeholders involved, it is beneficial for all stakeholders because it can grow the community's economy, tourist visits to destinations, valuable tourist experiences, and many others. The management of tourism destinations in an area/destination is very much needed by the stakeholders/stakeholders so that tourism development can be sustainable. One of the areas designated as a Tourism Area is the Ciwidey Area of Bandung Regency which has districts namely Pasir Jambu District, Ciwidey District, and Rancabali District. In this study, the writer took one of the Rancabali Districts, because as many as 35% of the tourism objects in Bandung Regency were located in the Rancabali District and tourists who frequently visited the Ciwidey Region were in the Rancabali Districts. This study uses a Destination Management Organization (DMO) concept pattern which basically can directly involve stakeholders in the management of destinations in a tourism area. In this case, destination governance is not just planning but implementation must be carried out by the stakeholders involved. The concept used regarding stakeholders related to destination governance in this study uses the concept of the level of importance and influence of stakeholders and stakeholder involvement/involvement in destination governance that can improve coordination, communication, and participation between stakeholders. The problems that occur in the Rancabali Region are about tourism objects that have not been well managed, human resources that are utilized for governance are not optimal, there are still stakeholders running each, and coordination and stakeholder involvement are still not optimal. Therefore an organization's management of tourism development must go in one direction and cooperate among stakeholders

Coercive geographies: Biopower, spatial politics, and the tourist

This symposium examines the relations between biopower, destination governance and tourism. Biopower, a Foucauldian concept, refers to political strategies based on humanity’s biological features. In the simplest of terms, it is applied via biopolitical mandates that govern life of a given population. Contemporary tourism exemplifies the exertion of biopower over the mobility of travellers, as was evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to a lesser degree, continues to do so. The role that tourism plays in enabling authorities to enact spatial transformations reinforcing state power, while also indicating potential means of resistance, is foregrounded in this symposium. The four empirical contributions extend biopolitical thought by demonstrating that biopower is instrumental in the practices and regimes of mobility, security, in/exclusion of tourism. In Europe, the Dutch government experimented with enclosed “COVID-safe” tourist spaces. In Macao, China’s border regime screened tourists based on their viral threat capacities. On Naoshima Island in Japan, museums have transformed into infrastructures of bodily control. In Taiwan, flight attendants are grappling with newly emerging forms of biopower shaping the sociality of air travel and their own practices of hospitality. These empirically informed contributions interrogate how tourism figures in attempts to govern bodies at the population level, while uncovering the modes of coercion applied to govern tourists and the spaces they inhabit.

Stakeholders’ involvement in an evidence-based sustainable tourism plan

Sustainable tourism planning is recommended for destination governance to ensure long-term development that balances the impacts of tourism on a community, especially in overtourism contexts. This study examines a sustainable tourism planning process focusing specifically on stakeholder involvement and the use of co-created evidence. A multi-stakeholder involvement management framework (MSIM) for sustainable tourism was applied to examine its fit to a rigorous case study. The study enhances the MSIM framework, featuring three stages from scene-setting, management of stakeholder involvement, to assessment. The new framework details objectives and tools for each step, and influential factors in managing stakeholders’ involvement. A significant enhancement is the extensive incorporation of evidence into the framework for different purposes (eg developing management policies, plan objectives and implementation tactics, evaluating stakeholders’ involvement). Multiple stakeholders participated in producing and using a variety of evidence throughout the planning process to provide a foundation for planning. This study is one of the first in sustainable tourism to examine evidence as a component of a broad framework to manage stakeholder involvement. It shows the usefulness, position, and dynamic of evidence in destination management.

Governance and Competitiveness of Tourism Destinations: Validation of the Structural Model in the Case of Brazil

ABSTRACT This study aims to develop, test, and validate a structural model to measure the relationship between tourism governance and the competitiveness of tourism destinations in Brazil. The research has exploratory and quantitative approaches. The study’s target population were public actors, private and civil society who work in the Brazilian tourism sector. The results revealed a reliable and valid structure for modeling tourism governance and competitiveness of tourism destinations in Brazil. The main practical implications are to identify the dimensions of the measurement of tourism governance and competitiveness of tourism destinations in Brazil; by enabling the organization of an analytical tool for measuring, evaluating, and monitoring the actions of decision-makers presenting which dimensions are most important for each construct in the Brazilian assessment.