Tourism-dependent Communities Research Articles

What happens when tourism is turned off: Exploring the outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions for Indigenous people in Rarotonga, The Cook Islands

The sea, sand, and sun allure of the Cook Islands has seen tourism become the most significant driver of the country's economic development. However, the increasing reliance on the tourism sector since the 1980's has created a mono-economy at the expense of diversification and alternative economic models. The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the risks and consequences associated with an over- reliance on international tourism as the lockdown measures and international travel restrictions caused the sudden shutdown of international tourism, resulting in serious negative economic consequences for tourism-dependent communities. However, the pandemic also offered an opportunity for small island societies to reflect on pre-existing challenges associated with the tourism industry. Through qualitative semi-structured interviews with Indigenous Cook Islanders in Rarotonga, this study aimed to develop a deeper understanding of how the lived experiences of participants responding to the sudden collapse of tourism may have influenced how Indigenous Cook Islands peoples perceive the role of tourism in supporting the wellbeing of their small island nation. The presented study is the result of a collaborative research partnership between an Indigenous Pacific scholar and non-Indigenous European scholar. While the research adopted a western methodology, the relationships developed between the researchers and participants were guided by the cultural values of reciprocity and respect, which are key principles underpinning Indigenous research in the Pacific. The findings revealed that participants adapted to the adverse impacts of COVID-19 through the revitalization of their traditional socio-economies, the resurgence of customary practices, a strengthened connection to nature, and a renewed sense of community spirit and pride in cultural identity—all of which were perceived to positively impact their spiritual, social, cultural, environmental, physical, and mental wellbeing. By demonstrating the positive adaptive responses of participants, this article aims to emphasize the non-economic dimensions of wellbeing that are critical to supporting the cultural values, social priorities, and the Indigenous ways of life that preceded the development of tourism. These findings can be used to inform and guide international development policy makers and tourism stakeholders who seek to reduce the adverse impacts of tourism on the wellbeing of Indigenous communities in the Pacific.

Measuring climate vulnerability of tourism-dependent livelihoods: The case of Lamgtang National Park

Climate change poses significant challenges to tourism-dependent communities in mountain regions, threatening their livelihoods and well-being. However, there is a lack of comprehensive assessments that consider the multidimensional nature of vulnerability and the specific socio-cultural contexts of these communities. This study assesses the livelihood vulnerability of tourism-dependent communities in Lamtang National Park exposed to climate change using the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) and the Livelihood Vulnerability Index -Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (LVI-IPCC) framework. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including household surveys (n=119), vulnerability index calculations, and analysis of weather data. The purposive stratified sampling based on ecological gradient and proximity to trekking trails ensured the representativeness of the sample. One hundred nineteen households were surveyed, with respondents from the Hill Janajati ethnic group. Results showed that the majority of households (63%) were tourism-dominant, followed by agriculture-dominant (17%) and mixed livelihood (13%). The LVI results revealed a moderate vulnerability (0.365), with financial and natural capitals being the most vulnerable. The LVI-IPCC analysis showed that the community's adaptive capacity (0.537) is slightly lower than its exposure (0.564), and sensitivity is comparatively low (0.296), resulting in a low LVI-IPCC index (0.01). Weather data analysis, including the Mann-Kendall trend test, Sen's slope analysis, and multi-model ensemble projections, indicated increasing precipitation trends and a warmer, wetter future for the region. The triangulation of LVI, LVI-IPCC, forecast data, and weather station data strengthens the findings and highlights the need for targeted interventions. The projected changes in temperature and precipitation patterns for Rasuwa district and vulnerability status of tourism-dependent communities highlight the urgency of implementing climate change adaptation measures, which may include diversifying livelihoods, improving access to education and training, strengthening social support systems, and promoting sustainable land and water management practices.

Perspectives of nature-based tourism-dependent communities on climate change in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

The intensity and frequency of climate extremes such as heat waves, droughts and extreme rainfall events are projected to rise. This will increase the severity of their impacts across socio-ecological systems. Economic sectors such as nature-based tourism become more vulnerable because of their reliance on climate and natural capital as key resources. While attempts have been made to understand how climate change may impact tourists and the industry itself, little is known about the same on tourism-dependent communities. This paper determines the extent to which tourism-dependent communities are vulnerable to climate change in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, to enhance their wider livelihood the development of strategies for improving adaptive capacity, resilience, and reduced exposure sensitivities. A household survey of 172 households was conducted in three purposively selected villages of Mababe, Sankuyo and Khwai, actively involved in community-based tourism for their socio-economic development. Information sourced related to livelihood options, peoples' resilience, local risks, and hazards. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The results indicate that respondents have observed climatic changes over the years such as increased temperatures, decreased rainfall, and increased frequencies of extreme events. The respondents attributed changes in natural capital to these observed climatic conditions in the form of desiccation, dwindling populations of some wildlife species, decreased fish stocks and reduced vegetation cover. This renders the tourism-dependent communities vulnerable as their livelihood is threatened. The paper thus concludes that climate change adaptation is an urgent priority for local communities who are already exposed to existing climatic and non-climatic stresses.

Planning For Resilience: Examining Gaps in Cyclone Preparedness and Impacts on Marginalized Communities in India's East coast cities

Cyclones and associated storm surges pose a major threat to coastal communities in India, especially along the Bay of Bengal where their intensity is higher. This paper examines cyclone resilience planning in four coastal cities - Visakhapatnam, Puri, Rameshwaram, and Velankanni. A multi-dimensional analysis is undertaken to focus on disaster preparedness, tourism economy contributions, socio-economic inclusion, and sustainability principles. The key objective is to study the integration of cyclone resilience with equitable, tourism-based development to strengthen vulnerable communities through conceptual modeling. The research methodology employs a mixed methods approach combining literature review, secondary data analysis of resilience infrastructure and tourism statistics, and conceptual model development. Findings highlight continued infrastructure and preparedness gaps alongside persisting socio-economic disparities limiting resilience access for marginalized groups. While progress is visible on early warnings, shelters, and evacuations, constraints exist regarding storm-proofing of amenities, customized enterprise support, secure housing, and risk financing tools. The study concludes that resilient, sustainable outcomes require planning processes that engage tourism-dependent communities through bottom-up participation. Coupled with hazard-resilient land use standards, customized livelihood protection schemes, resilient affordable housing programs, and coherent governance; tourism-centric coastal cities can enhance capacities to absorb cyclone impacts and enable inclusive rebuilding. Key Words: Cyclone resilience, Coastal city planning, Socio-economic vulnerabilities, Tourism economies

Resurgence and transformation: the impact of COVID-19 on Myanmar’s tourism industry and future trends

PurposeThis paper analyses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Myanmar’s tourism industry, identifying challenges and innovations, and predicting future trends to foster a resilient and sustainable sector.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a comprehensive analysis of tourism trends, government and private sector responses and changes in tourist behaviour, employing data, case studies and policy reviews.FindingsThe pandemic significantly disrupted Myanmar’s tourism, causing economic losses and shifts towards sustainable, outdoor and cultural experiences. Effective strategies by the government and private sector are aiding recovery and suggesting a more diverse and resilient future.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is limited by the availability of data during the pandemic, highlighting the need for ongoing strategy adaptation.Practical implicationsThe study recommends digitalization, health protocols, domestic tourism focus and sustainable practices for a robust post-pandemic industry.Social implicationsThe study emphasizes the pandemic’s social impact on tourism-dependent communities and the need for inclusive, sustainable tourism practices.Originality/valueItprovides unique insights into COVID-19’s multifaceted impact on Myanmar’s tourism, offering valuable information for future sector strategies.

The Tourism Adaptation Classification (TAC) framework: An application to New Zealand's Glacier country

Alongside growing awareness of the significance of environmental change for glacier regions, and their tourism-dependent communities, is the realization of the need to adapt to changing conditions. Such adaptation is necessary for tourism operators, managers, and planners as well as the visitors themselves, and is part of building resilient tourism systems. This paper presents a conceptual framework for understanding the possible stages of adaptation in glacier tourism destinations. The Tourism Adaptation Classification (TAC) framework aligns three stages of adaptation (resilience, transition, and transformation) against adaptation strategies implemented by tourism stakeholders and identifies specific characteristics. Using a desk-based case study approach, the framework is illustrated with reference to Glacier Country in New Zealand's Westland/Tai Poutini National Park in relation to three core dimensions of the tourism system: tourism planning and governance; tourism business and operations; and visitor experience.

Enhanced wellbeing of Pacific Island peoples during the pandemic? A qualitative analysis using the Advanced Frangipani Framework

COVID-19 isolated island states from international tourism, which is a primary provider of employment and driver of economic development for the Pacific region. Most governments lacked the finances to provide sustained assistance to tourism businesses and workers, thus one might assume that these people’s wellbeing was very low during the pandemic: in fact, this research found the opposite. Utilising the Frangipani Framework of Wellbeing, a survey was utilised to investigate 6 dimensions of wellbeing in tourism-dependent communities in Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu and Cook Islands during periods of border closures. Results found that while people faced financial struggles, their mental, social, physical, spiritual and environmental wellbeing had improved in many cases. Respondents indicated that they felt more connected to one another and their spiritual beliefs, were able to utilise communal resources to support their livelihoods, and that the pandemic provided a well-needed break for both themselves and the environment. This research demonstrates that people can successfully adapt and show resilience in the face of significant shocks and financial challenges if they have access to a range of cultural knowledge and systems, strong social connections and natural resources.

The spatial moderating effect of environmental pollution on the relationship between tourism and community resilience

Prior studies have shown contrasting findings that tourism positively and/or negatively affects community resilience. This study explores the spatially heterogeneous mixed effects of tourism industry specialization on community resilience and identifies a key moderator that affects their positive/negative associations in 3108 counties in the United States and 67 counties in Florida. Geographically weighted regression combined with a spatial moderation analysis was applied to consider spatial interactions between communities. The findings show that tourism industry specialization has spatially heterogeneous mixed effects on community resilience, and these effects are significantly affected by environmental pollution. Specifically, the results demonstrate differences in the relationships between tourism industry specialization, community resilience, and environmental pollution in tourism-dependent communities and communities in general. Environmental pollution negatively affects the associations between community resilience and (a) arts/entertainment/recreation sectors in the United States and (b) accommodation/food service sectors in Florida. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are also discussed. • Spatially heterogeneous positive and/or negative impacts of tourism on community resilience were identified across the United States. • Environmental pollution was identified as a key moderating factor that significantly affects the association between tourism and community resilience. • Results differences were identified between tourism-dependent and general communities by the type of tourism sectors. • Geographically weighted regression combined with spatial moderation analysis was applied. • Localized community resilience enhancement strategies considering tourism industry specialization and environmental pollution were suggested.

Emerging post-Arctic tourism in the age of Anthropocene: case Finnish Lapland

ABSTRACT Climate change is often considered as a looming apocalypse in the media and its impacts on the cryosphere are increasingly visible in the Arctic region. This apocalyptic future of the Arctic relates to a set of narratives associated with the Anthropocene, wherein snowy landscapes, glaciers and polar bears have disappeared. This has led to a trend called last chance tourism, which has become an evolving economic opportunity for tourism operators and local communities. In this conceptual article we propose an alternative vision for Arctic tourism development referred to as “post-Arctic tourism”. In order to illustrate the idea, we utilize Finnish Lapland (Arctic Finland) as an example based on existing literature. It is argued that post-Arctic tourism may be based on so-called dark tourism practices if the used and circulated hegemonic representations of the Arctic remain locked in cryospheric- and traditional winter-based imaginaries. This scenario is supported by a social spatialization process called “Arctification”, associated with active attempts to maintain the cryospheric gaze. It is therefore critical for tourism businesses, regions and tourism-dependent communities to rethink and re-invent their Arctic narratives, through “de-Arctification” strategies, allowing for a plurality of tomorrows and for Arctic tourism to become more sustainable and ethical.

Detecting Early Signs of Overtourism: Bringing Together Indicators of Tourism Development With Data Fusion

Tourism is a powerful economic driver for communities, but there are dangers of overtourism in tourism-dependent destinations. The study proposes an approach to detect early signs of overtourism by integrating census and industry data with residents’ perceptions of tourism benefits. The indicators include industry performance, its economic impacts, and indirect measures related to quality of life. The public perceptions are collected through surveying four different tourism-dependent communities in Florida. We found that in general local residents are highly positive about the tourism industry benefits to their communities, yet many respondents would like the tourism levels reduced. Especially concerning are negative sentiments toward tourism among the younger population groups and racial minorities. The findings are interpreted as early signs of overtourism.

Resident connection to nature and attitudes towards tourism: findings from three different rural nature tourism destinations in Poland

Despite the growing literature arguing for the consideration of community perspectives in tourism destination governance, little is understood about how residents' connection to nature affects their perceptions of and responses to tourism. This is especially relevant for rural areas rich in nature as many of them have become refugees for urban dwellers seeking recreation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study combines the Nature's Contributions to People framework and Weber's Theory of Formal and Substantive Rationality to shed light on how rural residents of three nature-based tourism destinations connect with nature and how this connection to nature affects perceptions of empowerment from tourism and ultimately support for tourism. Results provide credence to the importance of including measures of residents' connections to nature when examining attitudes towards tourism in nature areas with connections to nature having significant and positive influences on psychological empowerment and social empowerment at all three destinations and direct and positive effects on support for tourism across two of the three destinations. Furthermore, results suggest that understanding the role nature connection plays in how residents perceive changes within their community can help manage locally emerging conflicts within rural tourism-dependent communities.

Pacific peoples and the pandemic: exploring multiple well-beings of people in tourism-dependent communities

This article aims to examine how the border closures due to Covid-19 have impacted the well-being of Pacific peoples. Many women, men and children living on islands around the South Pacific live in households that depend on tourism income to provide for the majority of their cash needs, thus the pandemic has delivered a devastating financial blow to them. Nevertheless, an online survey combined with interviews in five Pacific countries shows that many people have drawn on their traditional skills combined with cultural systems, social capital and access to customary land to ensure that their well-being is maintained despite major decreases in household income. Others, however, have been more vulnerable, struggling with reductions in their mental health and increases in household conflict, for example. As well as this, the research data reveals that there needs to be a consideration of the spiritual aspect of well-being as something that is of deep importance for Pacific peoples and can provide them with great comfort and support during times of shocks. We will elucidate what can be learned from this in terms of planning for more just, sustainable tourism.

SECOND HOME PROPERTY OWNERSHIP AND PUBLIC-SCHOOL FUNDING IN WISCONSIN’S NORTHWOODS

Northern Wisconsin’s tourism economy has drawn the attention of scholars interested in the economic linkages that exist between it and sending areas in the urban and suburban Upper Midwest. Interrelationships between the two areas have left an indelible mark on the rural landscape through the presence of lakefront vacation homes owned by nonresidents. Where are these properties located, and where do the nonresident landowners call home? Geospatial data for 816,000 parcels, provided by the Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office, are utilized to reveal the extent and value of nonresident property in the Northwoods. Schumpeter’s theory of Creative Destruction is used as a framework to explain the emergence of tourism-dependent communities in the region, and case studies reveal the impacts of nonresident property taxes on public school funding. These findings suggest that as population in the Northwoods declines in upcoming years, communities will increasingly rely on nonresident investment to sustain local institutions.

Responsible Tourism: A New Era of Responsibility?

The discourse on responsible tourism, although not new, has been given a new lease on life in the wake of COVID-19. Before 2020, global tourism mobilities were unparalleled with seemingly little standing in the way of the juggernaut that tourism had become. Typically, tourism is seen through an economic lens – for the jobs it provides and the impetus it gives to the coffers of governments and the wallets of tourism dependent communities. This has not changed since the tourism growth model was spawned in the 1960s and has only intensified through to the era of overtourism. In invoking the term, New Era of Responsibility, it not too subtly suggests that for global tourism, the reframing that needs to take place is urgent and has been expedited by the pandemic of 2020. What is called for has been broached before and if tourism is to be the panacea of the catalogue of things ascribed to it, business as usual is surely not feasible. The call for an epoch where responsibility is assumed reverberates in talking circles that reference the Anthropocene as a time when the urgency to act with greater responsibility is now, more than ever, vital, given that the demands put upon the planet continue to intensify while the requisite attention needed to allow recovery and replenishment, and to stave off system failure, continually deteriorates. Tourism has become entrenched as a lifestyle phenomenon for many, and a livelihood source for as many more. The call for responsible tourism appeals to finding the balance between competing priorities and most importantly, to acknowledge planetary limitations.

After the Fire: An Assessment of Small Business Preparedness and Recovery in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

ABSTRACT For tourism-dependent communities, disaster recovery preparedness is essential for the retail and hospitality industries because they are often under the greatest threat of natural disasters. Using the National Disaster Recovery Framework, this study focuses on understanding natural disaster preparedness and recovery for small businesses within the tourism community of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Researchers utilized an exploratory qualitative approach and conducted interviews via referrals with small business owners/managers (n = 11). Findings revealed a general, yet critical, lack of disaster preparedness that inhibited a swift and timely business recovery. Fundamental issues point to the need to prepare for unexpected disasters to aid recovery.

A PGIS-based climate change risk assessment process for outdoor recreation and tourism dependent communities

Climate change is affecting human and geophysical systems in a variety of complex and interdependent ways. For nature-based tourism-dependent communities like those along the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota, impacts to the region’s abundant natural resources can subsequently affect the livelihoods of individuals who depend upon those resources to provide essential ecosystem services and support the region’s economy. Many of the area’s natural and outdoor recreation resources are collaboratively managed, making cooperation essential to address climate change impacts. In this study, we engaged North Shore stakeholders in a climate change risk assessment process through an exploratory application of participatory geographic information systems (PGIS). Stakeholder involvement allows for the co-production of science to deliver locally-relevant data and information. Involving stakeholders through a PGIS-based climate change risk assessment process allows locally-relevant data and information to be represented and visualized spatially. We used PGIS focus groups, as well as pre- and post-surveys, to solicit stakeholders’ perceptions of risk thresholds (i.e., the time scale of impacts) and climate-related risk severity to sites with built infrastructure, natural amenities, and recreation and tourism destinations. The stakeholders’ knowledge, as well as their commitment to their communities and local environments, influenced general perceptions of region-wide climate-related vulnerabilities. The PGIS exercises generated important discussion among stakeholders and shed light on how to more efficiently collect spatially-explicit data and information from stakeholders that can be used to inform mitigation and adaptation efforts.

A PGIS-Based Climate Change Risk Assessment Process for Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Dependent Communities

Climate change is affecting human and geophysical systems in a variety of complex and interdependent ways. For nature-based tourism-dependent communities like those along the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota, impacts to the region’s abundant natural resources can subsequently affect the livelihoods of individuals who depend upon those resources to provide essential ecosystem services and support the region’s economy. Many of the area’s natural and outdoor recreation resources are collaboratively managed, making cooperation essential to address climate change impacts. In this study, we engaged North Shore stakeholders in a climate change risk assessment process through an exploratory application of participatory geographic information systems (PGIS). Stakeholder involvement allows for the co-production of science to deliver locally-relevant data and information. Involving stakeholders through a PGIS-based climate change risk assessment process allows locally-relevant data and information to be represented and visualized spatially. We used PGIS focus groups, as well as pre- and post-surveys, to solicit stakeholders’ perceptions of risk thresholds (i.e., the time scale of impacts) and climate-related risk severity to sites with built infrastructure, natural amenities, and recreation and tourism destinations. The stakeholders’ knowledge, as well as their commitment to their communities and local environments, influenced general perceptions of region-wide climate-related vulnerabilities. The PGIS exercises generated important discussion among stakeholders and shed light on how to more efficiently collect spatially-explicit data and information from stakeholders that can be used to inform mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Strategies to facilitate the integration of Hispanic migrants in a tourism-dependent community

ABSTRACT Tourism employers and tourism-dependent communities have come to rely on migrants to fill the considerable labor needs of the tourism industry. However, migrants are not always well integrated into the communities that they support, leaving them, the tourism industry, and tourism-dependent communities vulnerable. Set in a community where migrants have been welcomed and well integrated this study utilized in-depth interviews and focus groups with migrants, residents, tourism business owners, and policymakers to identify strategies that have helped Hispanic migrants integrate into a tourism-dependent community. Analysis of this qualitative data was guided by the social exclusion framework. This analysis revealed how economic, social, political, and cultural dimensions play a role in migrants’ integration into the community. The findings reveal the importance of applying a multidimensional approach to integrating migrants into tourism-dependent communities—e.g. language, an element of the social dimension, facilitated activities related to the political dimension. Based upon these findings multiple strategies for integrating migrants into tourism-dependent communities are presented. These strategies move the literature beyond a descriptive identification of the challenges migrants face in integrating into tourism-dependent communities. Such strategies provide opportunities for tourism-dependent communities to improve the well-being of the tourism industry through the well-being of migrants.

Costs and benefits of environmental change: tourism industry's responses in Arctic Finland

ABSTRACTRecent research has focused on the impacts of environmental change to tourism. In particular, the perceived costs of climate change have been increasingly studied. However, the relationship between costs and benefits resulting from the changing environmental conditions for the industry has been less examined. This paper identifies the locally observed changes in the natural and socio-economic environments and aims to analyse the financial costs and benefits to tourism businesses in two tourism-dependent communities in northern Finland. The specific focus is on adaptation and adaptive management in a tourist destination scale. Adaption is understood as an investment creating not only implementation costs, but potentially also benefits for tourism operations. Research materials were collected among tourism and tourism-related businesses through 41 semi-structured thematic interviews. Results indicate that the evaluated benefits of environmental change seem to exceed those of costs. This conforms to the on-going discourse of climate change–tourism relations associated with the Arctic region where both awareness and vulnerability to change are considered relatively high but the level of responses, i.e. adaptation, low. These results can help to further identify the most vulnerable sectors in tourism and assist entrepreneurs preparing for environmental and climate change. However, the paper concludes that while global environmental change, with specific adaptive management strategies, may create local short-term direct benefits for the industry, a long-term sustainability of tourism in the Arctic calls for mitigation responses to climate change.

Community Stakeholders and the Perception of Tourism Downtowns: An Assessment of Brand Identity

The purpose of this article is to examine the brand identity of tourism-dependent downtowns as perceived by stakeholders in the community. From the theoretical perspective of the resource-based view of the firm, perceptions of local residents and downtown business owners are considered in terms of how each group perceives the downtown's brand. Specifically, this research seeks to identify and better understand differences in how these two groups attribute elements of the downtown's brand identity to overall downtown performance. Hypotheses are developed and tested using data collected from residents and downtown business owners in four tourism-dependent communities in the Midwestern US. The results suggest that whereas business owners attribute downtown success to both brand image and positioning, brand image alone affects residents' perceptions of downtown performance.