Regional Tourism Destinations Research Articles

Spatial Synergy between Tourism Resources and Tourism Service Facilities in Mountainous Counties: A Case Study of Qimen, Huangshan, China

Under the influence of mountainous terrain, the spatial synergy between tourism resources and tourism service facilities has emerged as a pivotal factor affecting the overall efficiency enhancement of regional tourism destinations. In order to explore the synergistic effect of the two, taking Qimen County as the study site, this study utilizes Point of Interest (POI) data of tourism resources and tourism service facilities. It constructs a fine-scale multidimensional spatial synergy methodology based on grid vectorization to conduct scenario-based comparative analyses of altitude and population density. The objective is to elucidate the effects of fine-scale tourism development synergy and propose enhancement strategies. The findings are as follows: (1) The vertical zonation of mountains has led to a widespread, decentralized distribution of natural tourism resources in mid-to-high-altitude areas, while humanistic tourism resources in low-altitude urbanized areas exhibit a granular, clustered distribution. These contrasting scenarios manifest a polarization, making it difficult to achieve supply–demand matching of the layout pattern of tourism service facilities along transportation routes. (2) The spatial gradient effect of the synergy between the two in mountainous counties is significant, with a higher synergy level in core towns and obvious misalignment in peripheral areas. (3) Altitude and population density are critical factors influencing the supply of tourism service facilities. Through scale aggregation guidance and cost–benefit mechanisms, the spatial distribution can be classified, stratified, and optimized to better serve resource development. This study provides valuable insights into understanding laws governing development and utilization within mountainous county areas for academic research purposes.

PUBLIC EVENTS AS A MEAN OF DESTINATION PROMOTION

Tourism is often considered as a strategic economic development priority not only in areas with high numbers of domestic and international visitors but also in more remote and rural areas. Their ability to attract visitors is often limited by the number and the range of available infrastructure and other tangible and intangible resources. Even defined as development priority, tourism promotion is often underfinanced due to municipality budget priorities and often short-term focus whereas tourism promotion requires long term approaches. Less developed areas are also lacking overall understanding of various tourism impact forms and public officers face challenges communicating tourism marketing spendings to the public. These trends fit under the category of public events as a means of tourism promotion. Two cities qualifying as regional tourism destinations have prioritised public events as tourism promotion priorities. The aim of the research is to explore perception of public events as tourism destination promotion tools in regional tourism destinations. Research is a case study of public events as a means of tourism destination promotion in Bauska and Talsi city. Primary data has been obtained via semi-structured interviews with involved stakeholders representing public and private sector to develop practically applicable recommendations to other tourism destinations.

Bricolage or breakthrough? Entrepreneurial responses to tourism development in a regional tourism destination

The Evolutionary Economic Geography (EEG) framework contributes to the study of tourism destination evolution by focusing on the various circumstances and events through which tourism destinations develop over long periods of time. Our research objective is to investigate how players in tourism destinations shape development pathways when they face stagnant or lock‐in situations. Applying the concepts of path dependence and path creation, we explain how path shaping mechanisms such as bricolage (the process of combining available resources to create innovative outcomes) and breakthrough (a process where actors attempt to generate dramatic outcomes to deviate from existing pathways) occur using two destinations in the two regencies of the Toraja region of Sulawesi, Indonesia, as a case study. Understanding cultural tourism destination pathways requires frameworks capable of interrogating ethno‐political structures and histories and assessing how they influence developmental pathways that generate regional transformations. Our investigation indicates: strong path dependence in tourism, due to cultural, political, and economic conditions, inhibits breakthrough development; that the strength of path dependence at a regional level strongly influences the path shaping processes at the firm level; and that a breakthrough developmental process in tourism does not exclude bricolage.

Pendampingan Penyusunan Unique Selling Point di Desa Wisata Borobudur, Kabupaten Magelang

The presence of Borobudur as one of the five Super Priority Areas (DSP) Tourism development needs to be carried out by participating in developing the surrounding area: first, so that the duration of tourist visits in Borobudur can be longer because there are other geographically integrated magnets that can be visited, and secondly so that it is sustainable If a tourist destination can maintain its presence, the community around the location of the Borobudur Temple destination must benefit from the existence of that destination. The existing Borobudur Temple is surrounded by a number of villages which support it, so the Directorate of Regional Tourism Destination Development I of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy then agreed that 3 villages around Borobudur Temple should be prioritized for developing tourist villages, namely Karanganyar Tourism Village, Karangrejo Tourism Village and Borobudur Village. Borobudur Village itself has responded to this business opportunity with plans to develop the unique potential in each hamlet through the Thematic Village Program, and of the 21 new hamlets, 6 hamlets have started to discover potential and develop it, 15 other hamlets are still in the process of exploring potential. The Tidar Magelang University Community Service Team responded to this situation and provided education about the need to develop a tourist village based on the unique potential that exists in the village. The uniqueness of the product/service must differentiate it from products from other tourist villages and be in line with what tourists expect. This understanding is useful for the management of a tourist village so that they can focus on its development and have an optimal impact on improving the welfare of the surrounding community.

Extreme Gradent Boosting Method Forecasting Rainfall in Lembang District, West Java Province

Lembang is a notable regional tourism destination that bears considerable significance within the urban area of Bandung. Lembang is widely recognized for its flourishing agricultural sector, which supports a significant community of farmers engaged in the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants, in addition to its intrinsic scenic beauty. Therefore, the acquisition of precipitation data is of considerable significance for individuals live in the area to maintain their economic endeavors. This study employs daily historical data from the period of 2018 to 2021, wherein approximately 70% of the data is categorized as sparse. This discourse aims to examine the utilization of the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGboost) technique for predicting rainfall in the Lembang region, specifically emphasizing its effectiveness in handling limited data. The findings indicate that the model, when trained and tested using a 7:3 data split ratio, achieved a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.834 for training and 4.473 for testing. Additionally, the root mean square error (RMSE) was calculated to be 3.319 for training and 7.637 for testing. The optimal hyperparameters consist of a learning rate of 0.005, a max_depth value of 10, and the utilization of 300 decision trees as n_estimators. The model effectively captures the pattern of sparse time series data and non-rainy days data, as evidenced by its low error metrics. However, it slightly underestimates the rainfall rate on the days with intense precipitation

Deep Analysis of the Homogenization Phenomenon of the Ancient Water Towns in Jiangnan: A Dual Perspective on Landscape Patterns and Tourism Destination Images

Attractiveness plays a key role in the marketing activities that promote the sustainable development of tourist destinations. Many researchers have acknowledged that regional tourist destinations face challenges in attracting tourists due to homogeneity. Achieving sustainability of the ecological landscapes of tourist destinations, creating a unique image that differentiates them from other destinations, and fostering cooperative relationships among regional tourist destinations remain significant challenges. To investigate the reasons behind this and potential solutions to the homogeneity of tourist attractions in regional tourist destinations, our research team employed methods including landscape pattern analysis, tourist destination image analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), clustering algorithm (K-means), text analysis, word frequency analysis, sentiment analysis, and semantic network analysis. Through an in-depth examination of the homogenization phenomenon in the ancient towns of the southern Yangtze River, our research confirms that the spatial form of these ancient towns has become increasingly simple and scattered over time, with a concentration of the same land use types. Half of the sampled ancient towns had exhibited homogeneity in landscape patterns by 2020, with pronounced homogeneity observed in cultivated land, water networks, and hand-made land. Excessive commercialization has further contributed to the loss of local characteristics, resulting in homogeneity issues in the image of tourist destinations in the Jiangnan water towns and ancient towns. This article discusses the characteristics of homogeneity in the ancient towns of the Jiangnan water towns and their practical implications, offering valuable insights and experiences to tourism planners, designers, researchers, and other stakeholders engaged in the study of sustainable regional tourism destinations.

The Development of a Regional Tourism Destination Competitiveness Measurement Instrument

The importance of the tourism sector has been highlighted and featured in various studies indicating not only the economic but also social and environmental benefits. There is a need for a measurement instrument for regional tourism destination competitiveness. This measurement instrument could gauge a destination’s regional potential for tourism development and competitiveness; and be able to compare regions. To conduct an instrument development and validation, both PLS-SEM for confirmatory factor analysis and SPSS were utilised for exploratory factor analysis. A purposive sampling approach were used for both study areas, Sedibeng and Fezile Dabi district municipal regions, in which pilot studies were executed through a survey between July to September 2020. The reliability of the measurement instrument was confirmed with Cronbach’s Alpha (α) for both samples having a value above 0.70. The EFA confirmed the validity of the measurement instrument for the three-dimension and 16-items of the measurement instrument. This study recommends using the measurement instrument as a practical tool to analyse regions regarding the development and competitiveness of a tourism destination compared to other destinations.

Tourism Destination Competitiveness: Analysis and Strategy of the Miyagi Zaō Mountains Area, Japan

This paper uses the tourism destination competitiveness framework to support the formulation of a tourism development strategy for the Miyagi Zaō mountains area in Japan. The study area experienced major disruptions associated with the 2011 earthquake, the Fukushima nuclear accident, and the 2015 and 2018 volcanic eruption warnings. The disasters had a significant impact on tourism, which plays a key role in the sustainability of Zaō town and the surrounding region. Zaō town is faced with an aging population and a shrinking economy. A survey of visitors (demand side) and local company representatives (supply side) was conducted to determine perceived strengths and weaknesses of the regional tourism destination. Nature-based activities were awarded the highest scores by both sides. Based on the findings from the destination competitiveness analysis, a nature-centric tourism development strategy is proposed to achieve destination competitiveness and sustainability of the local society and the natural environment.

Identifikasi Pengelolaan Destinasi Pariwisata Di DPD Segoro Kidul Kabupaten Bantul

The tourism development of Bantul Regency is planned based on the Bantul Regency Regional Regulation Number 11 of 2020 concerning Amendments to the Bantul Regency's Regional Regulation Number 18 of 2015 concerning the 2015-2025 Regional Tourism Development Master Plan. The rapid development of tourism in the South Coast Region of Bantul Regency is certainly very helpful in increasing regional original income and can also improve the community's economy. One of the important things in tourism development and development is the management system of a tourism destination. Based on the Regional Regulation of Bantul Regency Number 18 of 2015 concerning the Master Plan of Regional Tourism Development for 2015-2025, Bantul Regency has 5 (five) Regional Tourism Destinations (DPD), one of which is DPD Segoro Kidul which has tourism potential that can be developed. With this potential, there must be good management so that the existing tourist attraction components can be used as tourism support. Components of tourist attraction and management of tourist attractions by using the concept of a tourist attraction component (4A) which includes attraction (tourist attractions), accessibilities (access), aminities (facilities), and ancillary service (institutional). The method used in this study uses a qualitative approach. Data collection techniques were carried out by direct interviews, observation, and documentation. Identification of the management of tourist destinations in DPD Segoro Kidul with three stages, namely reducing data, presenting data and drawing conclusions. The results of this study indicate that component 4A has been realized in this area to be used as tourism products and supporting facilities in tourism processing in DPD Segoro Kidul. Coastal tourism destinations are still the leading product in this area, accessibility and amenities are also one of the factors that affect connectivity between tourism destinations, and stakeholder involvement is still an important actor in the management of a tourist destination

A crypto-tourism case study of agnes water/seventeen seventy, Australia

This research note explores the under-investigated assumption that cryptocurrencies are a panacea to stimulate regional tourism demand. Through the application of Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory, a case study was designed to examine the cryptocurrency effect on two adjacent towns of Agnes Water and 17 70 in Central Queensland, Australia. The findings revealed three major factors that led to merchant receptivity for adopting cryptocurrencies - First, a novelty effect perceived as a good strategy to induce consumer spend. Second, the low entry barriers for merchants adopting cryptocurrencies to conduct transactions. Third, cryptocurrencies incurred zero overhead costs. Nevertheless, the favorable attitudes of these merchants towards cryptocurrencies require a demand-side intention to use such tools during tourist visits to these regional destinations. Other regional tourism destinations will need to consider other ways of integrating such digital innovations to their landscapes.

Research on evaluation and promotion strategy of Guilin tourism innovation ability based on big data analysis

ABSTRACT In order to build an intelligent tourism innovation ability evaluation system, this paper uses data mining technology to mine tour-ism information, combines modern people’s tourism needs to construct a regional innovation ability evaluation system, and detects the effect of data mining with the support of logistic regression analysis. Moreover, this paper uses the life cycle theory framework to analyze the life cycle stages of regional tourism destinations, analyzes the internal factors that form the characteristics and laws of specific stages, and takes timely measures to artificially control and adjust the problems that need attention. In addition, this paper constructs an evaluation system of tourism innovation capability with intelligent effects. On this basis, this paper combines experimental analysis to evaluate the system constructed in this paper, and takes Guilin regional tourism as an example to perform the analysis. The research results show that the system constructed in this paper has a certain effect, and the corresponding suggestions are given.

MEASURING COMPETITIVENESS IN TOURISM ENTERPRISES USING INTEGRAL INDEX

The study aims to develop the methodology of measuring competitiveness in the context of tourism enterprises. The normalization method was used to construct the integral index of competitiveness which was aggregated by 13 sub indicators. In the process of obtaining sub indicators the methods of survey and face to face interviews were used. This study recommends new method of measuring competitiveness in the context of tourism enterprises uniting human resources, service quality competitiveness, market share, and profit benchmark in one integral index. This index can be used by regional tourism destination management bodies to make better decisions regarding sustainable development of tourism destination.

Recreation Opportunity Spectrum Analysis of Strategic Area Tourism Destination Pelang Region

Tourism planning and development should be adjusted based on regional characteristics and applicable policies, but over time, tourism planning often pays less attention to the carrying capacity of the region. So there is a need for an analytical study of tourism planning that is tailored to the characteristics of the region to create sustainable tourism. This research was conducted at the Pelang Regional Tourism Destination, Trenggalek Regency using Recreation Opportunity Spectrum Analysis and the concept of Attractions, Amenities, Access, Ancillary to see tourism potential. The research methodology used is Qualitative Description with the methods of collecting observation data, documentation studies and in-depth interviews. Tourism development in the Pelang Regional Tourism Destinations based on regional tourism development planning is included in the concept of natural tourism development with collaborative management between stakeholders, but in the current development implementation when viewed from the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum analysis there is no clear management system and the Pelang Tourism Destinations are classified as the characteristics of semi-primitive areas have not paid attention to aspects of appropriate land use functions, especially in the development of tourism supporting infrastructure.

Tourism Development Policy and Their Impact on the Regional Economy in the Riau Islands Province

Riau Islands is a province that is blessed with tourism potential, both natural tourism and cultural tourism. In 2018, the Riau Archipelago Province (Kepri) had 17 Superior Regional Tourism Destinations (DPUD) spread across seven regencies and cities. The natural, cultural, and culinary wealth potential for the tourism industry and supported by a very strategic geographical location because it borders Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, makes Riau Islands Province the second most visited tourist destination by foreign tourists after Bali Island. Through the tourism sector, the Riau Islands should maximize this potential to generate PAD and contribute to high state financial contributions. However, in the field conditions, as evidenced by the insignificant GRDP growth of the Tourism Sector, it can prosper the community and has not made tourism a leading sector. This study will discuss how the local government develops tourism to grow the economy of the Riau Islands. The successful implementation of tourism development policies will be seen from the tourism sector's contribution to the regional economy, the impacts, and the obstacles faced in its implementation. The purpose of this study is to identify tourism policies and analyze their impact on tourism development as well as the obstacles faced as a guide in preparing tourism development policy recommendations to support the economy of the Riau Islands Province. By applying a combination of empirical, policy, and literature approaches, it can be concluded that the real impact of tourism development policies will be seen from, among others, the number of tourist visits, the average length of stay, average hotel occupancy, the contribution of the tourism sector to GDP, total tourist expenditure and the percentage increase in the creative economy and the contribution of the tourism sector to PAD. It is necessary to increase collaboration in tourism policy governance in the Riau Islands. The collaborations still considered weak include implementing tourism events, promotions, tourism human resource development, and institutions.

일본 지방정부의 관광목적지 마케팅조직 형성과정 연구 : ‘세토우치 광역연계 DMO’를 사례로

This study aimed at analyzing the formulation process of local government’s tourism destination marketing organization in Japan by applying political systems-policy network theory. The literature review for this study covered the concepts of destination marketing organization, political systems-policy network theory, and the related precedent studies. For the research model, a causal structural model was suggested including three major concepts: policy environment, policy network, and policy outputs. The policy environment was defined as situational condition or input factors to influence the policy process. The policy network was defined as interactional relations of official and unofficial actors. And the policy outputs was defined as organizational formulation as the result of the policy process. For the research method, Yin’s historical case study method was employed at the case of ‘Setouchi Regional DMO’. The study period was established from November of 2009 to November of 2017, and the time period was divided into two phases: initial formulation phase and final formulation phase. Major findings of the study revealed that the changes in the policy environment, especially international environment factor, affected the formulation of open policy network involving official and unofficial policy actors, thereby Setouchi’s regional tourism destination marketing organization was finally formulated as ‘Setouchi Regional DMO’. Based on these findings, theoretical contributions and practical implications for the establishment of local government’s tourism destination marketing organization were discussed.

Variance of destination region image according to multi-dimensional proximity: A case of the Greater Bay Area

Due to increasing accessibility and mobility, tourism destinations are broadening their spatial boundaries and cultural contexts. This study took as an example the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, which consists of 11 cities, and explored how the new path creation of a regional tourism destination reshapes people's cognitive and affective images of the destination on a megalopolitan scale. Destination region image is neither a simple aggregation of the images of member cities nor dictated by the image of a single well-known destination. Both the physical and conceptual connections among multiple cities within the destination region are key nodes of the inclusive image of the region. Connectivity is not only embedded within institutional relations and discourses, but also represented through multi-functional tourism networks and regional culture. The study further explored the image heterogeneity of three proximity-based tourist clusters, divided in terms of cultural and geographical distance and previous travel experience. The research findings of this study can inform planning and marketing strategies for the path creation and development of metropolitan destination regions. • Three phases of path development in the Greater Bay Area are traced. • People's new cognitive system in response to regional path creation is identified. • The key node is connectivity in institutions, networks, and regional culture. • Image heterogeneity among proximity-based tourist clusters is identified. • Variances of destination region image have implications for destination innovation.

Tourism SME’s Competitive Advantages through ICT Based Community : The Role of GenPI in Eastern Indonesia

This article aims to describe the role of the tourism community in the utilization of ICT to market regional tourism destinations integrated with an increasing competitive advantage in Tourism SMEs. The perspective used is Community-Based Tourism Marketing (CBTM) and Resource-Based View (RBv) in the context of Collaborative Advantages (CA) towards the relationship of the tourism community with the regional tourism industry. This study was done in a qualitative manner using a case study approach. The data was collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and document studies. The regional tourism industry had a sustainable competitive advantage in terms of activities and resource profiles such as asset ownership, capabilities, and dynamic capabilities. This finding states that the regional tourism community at the district and provincial level encouraged the competitive advantage of the regional tourism industry through intensification of marketing the tourism industry products in advantageous collaborations. Keywords: Competitive Advantages, Eastern Indonesia, GenPi Community, ICT, Resource-Based View, Tourism SME.

Collaboration in marketing regional tourism destinations: Constructing a business cluster formation framework through participatory action research

Current research advocates for the effectiveness of tourism business clusters in promoting collaboration between stakeholders and successfully marketing destinations. However, there is a lack of insight on how a cluster is actually formed in order to reap such benefits, if a cluster does not already pre-exist within a region. Importantly, there is no research framework to explain the steps involved in forming a tourism business cluster in these areas. This inhibits regions that don't have an operational cluster in gaining the benefits of this form of collaboration. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how tourism businesses progress through the phases of cluster formation, enabling them to contribute to destination branding for their region. This paper presents the phases and their inherent steps to forming a tourism business cluster resulting from a Participatory Action Research (PAR) study where stakeholders formed a tourism business cluster in a regional destination in Queensland, Australia. The study involved participants from local tourism businesses, the local council, the local tourism organisation, regional tourism organisation, and state tourism organisation. Findings reveal three distinct phases to cluster formation, with each phase encompassing multiple steps. The newly formed cluster enabled participants to contribute to their region's destination brand through the creation of an event for their region. This study contributes important insights to the bodies of literature on collaboration and business clustering, as well as managerial implications for enhancing collaboration structures in a region.

Agrifood Tourism, Rural Resilience, and Recovery In a Postdisaster Context: Insights and Evidence From Kaikōura-hurunui, New Zealand

On November 14, 2016 an earthquake struck the rural districts of Kaikōura and Hurunui on New Zealand's South Island. The region—characterized by small dispersed communities, a local economy based on tourism and agriculture, and limited transportation connections—was severely impacted. Following the quake, road and rail networks essential to maintaining steady flows of goods, visitors, and services were extensively damaged, leaving agrifood producers with significant logistical challenges, resulting in reduced productivity and problematic market access. Regional tourism destinations also suffered with changes to the number, characteristics, and travel patterns of visitors. As the region recovers, there is renewed interest in the development and promotion of agrifood tourism and trails as a pathway for enhancing rural resilience, and a growing awareness of the importance of local networks. Drawing on empirical evidence and insights from a range of affected stakeholders, including food producers, tourism operators, and local government, we explore the significance of emerging agrifood tourism initiatives for fostering diversity, enhancing connectivity, and building resilience in the context of rural recovery. We highlight the motivation to diversify distribution channels for agrifood producers, and strengthen the region's tourism place identity. Enhancing product offerings and establishing better links between different destinations within the region are seen as essential. While such trends are common in rural regions globally, we suggest that stakeholders' shared experience with the earthquake and its aftermath has opened up new opportunities for regeneration and reimagination, and has influenced current agrifood tourism trajectories. In particular, additional funding for tourism recovery marketing and product development after the earthquake, and an emphasis on greater connectivity between the residents and communities through strengthening rural networks and building social capital within and between regions, is enabling more resilient and sustainable futures.

Moving Millennials out of the too hard basket: Exploring the challenges of attracting Millennial tourists to rural destinations

This paper explores the challenges rural destination marketers encounter when targeting the Millennial segment, which is an increasingly critical cohort for the tourism industry, due to their high-income levels, mobility associated with early life stage, and longevity as a market segment. Underpinned by Generational Theory and guided by an interpretivist approach, thirteen tourism destination marketers in regional Australia were interviewed to gain insight into their experiences and perception of Millennial travellers. The data revealed two distinct sets of characteristics relating to the Millennial target market, and the destination's capabilities, which together contributed to the identification of five marketing challenges rural destination marketers face when attempting to attract Millennials visitors. This research draws focus to a gap between what rural destination marketers perceive Millennials want and what rural destination can offer, which, compounded by challenges communicating with the Millennial segment, results in Millennials being considered a challenging audience for regional tourism destinations to attract.