Small Island Tourism Research Articles

Is Caribbean tourism in overdrive? Investigating the antecedents and effects of overtourism in sovereign and nonsovereign small island tourism economies (SITEs)

PurposeDrawing on theories of development economics and sustainable tourism, this research explores the differences between sovereign and nonsovereign small island tourism economies (SITEs) and identifies the antecedents and effects of overtourism in the Caribbean.Design/methodology/approachThe research design is based on a comparative case study of selected Caribbean SITEs. Case study research involves a detailed empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context. The main purpose of a case study is to provide a contextual analysis of the conditions and processes involved in the phenomenon under study. A comparative case study is an appropriate research methodology to explore new multi-faceted concepts with limited empirical evidence.FindingsThe results confirm previous studies that nonsovereign SITEs have a distinctive overdrive toward tourism specialization. Moreover, the findings indicate that overtourism is driven by both global and domestic policy factors and generates significant economic volatility, social inequality and ecological stress. The paper discusses the tourism policy implications of the evolving economic disconnectedness, environmental decay and social tensions in SITEs in the Caribbean.Originality/valuePolicy recommendations are presented for transitioning toward a more inclusive development and strengthening the resilience of small island tourism development in the Caribbean.

Tourist willingness to pay for local green hotel certification.

This study aims to understand tourists’ willingness to pay a price premium for a local green hotel certification, and is one of only a few in the literature for small-island tourism destinations in emerging economies with their unique and pressing sustainability challenges. In a survey of 535 tourists visiting Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, facing numerous waste management and coral reef conservation issues, the willingness to pay extra for sustainable hotel services was elicited. There were five discrete pricing levels across the surveys that ranged from $0.75 USD to $7.50 USD extra per night. We examined the relationship of the respondents’ payment choice to their socio-demographic attributes and attitudes regarding environmental issues such as climate change. The main findings and practical implications of the study are: (1) to demonstrate the broad willingness to pay for sustainable hotel services. Findings indicate at all price levels (between $0.75 USD and $7.50 USD), more than 50% of tourists are willing to pay. (2) To estimate a lower bound mean willingness to pay per night for a local green hotel certificate of $1.55USD and 1.34€ EUR, and (3) To identify individual attributes that influence willingness to pay. Findings indicate environmental knowledge and preferences play a role. These results can be used generally to incorporate evidence-based practices into the development of a green hotel marketing strategy, and to help define the target market for small-scale green hotel certification. Additionally, we propose a finance strategy for funding local and sustainable initiatives that support the hotel industry and the island’s infrastructure through the premiums collected from the ’Gili Green Award’ certificate.

Sustainable development for small island tourism: developing slow tourism in the Caribbean

ABSTRACT This paper aims to (a) analyze the diverse views held about slow tourism in the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda, and (b) to propose a conceptual basis for slow tourism as a beneficial component of sustainable development. Using evidence from stakeholder interviews, this paper illustrates how local businesses, products, and the dynamic nature of the tourism industry can be provided with opportunities to propel a regions’ sustainability. The results of the study can contribute to the development agendas of many small islands, as they show how to establish effective development policy, management systems, and marketing strategies for sustainable tourism.

Integrated management of coastal zones linked to tourism in small islands of Ecuador and Cuba

This paper establishes a conceptual model about the integrated management of coastal zones linked to land use planning. The components of the environmental management model were formulated based on two different case studies concerning evidence of environmental impacts. The proposed model can contribute to preserving the natural heritage, and savings in materials, labor, energy, and time, by focusing on the problem in advance and estimating the environmental costs for long-term valuations used for feasibility studies.

Career change in a small island tourism destination: evidence from former hospitality managers

ABSTRACT Recent decades have revealed labor turnover to be the Achilles’ heel of the hospitality industry. This has led interested members of the academic community to investigate the topic from an array of perspectives. Managerial career change, which shares certain theoretical attributes with the phenomenon of turnover, has heretofore been inexplicably overlooked by academia, despite its strong operational and strategic implications. By espousing a qualitative methodology, namely grounded theory, this study builds on existing theoretical capital and investigates the factors contributing to managerial career change, which is defined as a manager’s voluntary decision to exit the hospitality industry and seek employment in other segments of the economy. Ten in-depth interviews with individuals who had invested in hospitality degrees, so as to take on management-level positions, but subsequently decided to pursue other careers, have provided insight on the factors contributing to such decisions. Our findings should be of interest to industry stakeholders, as they may assist in further theorizing the social process leading to managerial career change.

Over the Caribbean Top: Community Well-Being and Over-Tourism in Small Island Tourism Economies.

The Caribbean is one of the most tourism-intense regions of the world with rising levels of over-tourism, especially in dependent small island tourism economies (SITE). More critically, mounting socio-ecological pressures are compounded by increasing climate change and enduring social vulnerabilities, thereby challenging traditional policies and paradigms of growth and sustainability. Drawing on previous studies of inclusive development and community well-being, this research paper frames and extends the phenomenon of over-tourism from a political economic perspective. Based on a historical account of small island tourism development, an in-depth case study of Aruba is presented. Recognized internationally as the ‘One Happy Island’ and one of the most tourism-dependent small island economies, the findings yield a contextualized understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of over-tourism, and identify the main antecedents and effects of over-tourism. The study discusses the evolving economic disconnectedness, environmental decay, social inequality, and institutional failures. The findings describe the role of institutional capture and policy drift which stem primarily from political as well as market forces, and have resulted in a gradual marginalization of community well-being and agency. The paper proposes an extended conceptualization of over-tourism in small island tourism economies by explicitly recognizing that the crux of the over-tourism conundrum in SITE is political in nature and institutional by nurture. Recommendations are provided for transitioning towards community-driven development by building capabilities and pathways for innovation, internalization, and institutionalization in order to strengthen the resilience of small island tourism development.

Stakeholder’s (natural) hazard awareness and vulnerability of small island tourism destinations: a case study of Malta

ABSTRACT Small island tourism destinations are particularly vulnerable to (natural) hazards, disasters and crises. Although much literature considers disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies, risk mitigation and the impacts of disasters on the tourism industry, the literature on how these strategies are implemented and managed by stakeholders with vested interests is scarce. Understanding stakeholders’ awareness of threats, and their ability and knowledge to respond to sudden and/or projected natural disasters is a key dimension in helping create and implement management plans, recognised in the UNISDR goals, Hyogo and Sendai Frameworks. With tourists increasingly travelling to destinations in locations of varying risk, this paper explores the intersections of stakeholder’s (natural) hazard awareness and resulting vulnerability of small island tourism destinations utilising Malta as a case study setting, focusing on decision- and policy-making dimensions. Qualitative methods were utilised to consider hazard awareness in Malta and future management of vulnerability. Results indicate a recognition of an increasing need for integrated stakeholder collaboration, with flooding, drought and storms being the three most likely hazards to affect Malta. Key outcomes are a need for (natural) hazard awareness training and development of management plans to be implemented to benefit the general population and tourism sector.

Research on Small Island Tourism Experience Perception Based on Big Data Analysis

Ge, J., 2020. Research on small island tourism experience perception based on big data analysis. In: Bai, X. and Zhou, H. (eds.), Advances in Water Resources, Environmental Protection, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 115, pp. 39-41. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Tourism environment is the natural ecological environment, economic environment and social and cultural environment on which tourism development depends. It is the material basis for sustainable development of tourism. The marine industry will become an important pillar of the national economy, while the marine tourism industry is an important component of the marine industry group with broad prospects and broad development prospects. In tourism development, it is of great significance for the sustainable development of small island tourism to strengthen the research and excavation of cultural connotation in scenic spots and scenic spots and enhance the attraction of islands to tourists. Based on relevant online reviews and travel notes, this study uses content analysis method and Ver1.0.1 word frequency analysis software to analyze tourists' tourism experience and perception of tourism experience, excavate tourists' behavior characteristics, and put forward management improvement suggestions for negative reviews so as to strengthen the sustainable development of small island tourism.

BORACAY ISLAND DESTINATION IMAGE THROUGH TRAVEL BLOGS

Destination images are important information for marketing professionals, local planners, and travel bloggers on social media. The rise of social media has allowed more tourists to share their knowledge, emotions, and experiences from their travels. However, despite the popularity of adapting online narratives to destination images, little or no qualitative analysis has been conducted about island’s sustainable tourism development in the Philippines using information from social media. One type of destination are small islands in the Philippines. The examination is worthwhile inasmuch as the literature has been silent on destination images of top island retreats in the country, although there are many negative images of overcrowded and unsustainable resorts posted by both international and local tourists. Method of this research are using data from 83 travel blogs written from January 2013 to February 2018by visitors of Boracay, the current study extracts underlying themes and subthemes relating to visitors’ overall impressions, cultural exchanges, economic development, and environmental changes. It was determined that tourists are interested in the white beaches, breathtaking landscapes, and varieties of activities offered, such as island-hopping and “mermaiding.” There is also evidence that Boracay continues to face issues concerning its sustainability, such as threats on its unfortunate transportation system, losing its cultural identity, uncontrolled urbanization, and unsustainable solid waste management practices. The findings here are useful for local government, small island tourism planners, and service providers in understanding visitor perceptions of quality and value, which in turn have influenced the island’s competitiveness and sustainability.

Is Edu-Tourism a Sustainable Option? A Case Study of Residents’ Perceptions

In studies of the impact of tourism, considerable attention has been given to the attitudes and perceptions of host communities toward tourism. However, most of these studies have focused on tourism in general and on sporadic alternative tourism in particular. This study aims to fill a gap in the research literature by examining residents’ perceptions of the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental sustainability of edu-tourism. It contributes to the limited literature on edu-tourism and to that on residents’ perceptions of tourism in small island developing states. A sample of 300 (N = 300) residents was surveyed in the city of Famagusta in Northern Cyprus to investigate residents’ attitudes toward the sustainability of edu-tourism. ANOVA and Cramér’s V tests were applied to analyze the perceptions of residents of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of edu-tourism. The influence of the socio-demographic characteristics of the residents on their perceptions and attitudes was of these issues was also examined. The study revealed that there is a variety of attitudes among residents toward the sustainability of edu-tourism and that, although residents are generally positive about edu-tourism, attitudes toward its social and environmental sustainability are mixed.

Prospective tourist preferences for sustainable tourism development in Small Island Developing States

Tourism development is crucial for economic growth in Small Island Developing States, but its management involves trade-offs between ecosystem services and social and cultural identities. This paper aims to contribute to the debate around the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through an investigation of the sustainable management of tourism and coastal ecosystem services. The paper presents a choice experiment and latent factor analysis to disentangle relevant aspects of sustainable tourism in Small Island Developing States for potential visitors. Willingness to pay is reported for the different factors revealing preferences variability for previous and prospective visitors. Pro-environmental attitudes influence individual tastes and policy makers should consider these traits in order to attract visitors and private funding. Our findings show that prospective tourists are interested in the wider aspects of the tourism experience which in turn require the careful management of social and environmental resources in Small Island Developing States.

In search of inclusive tourism in the Caribbean: insights from Aruba

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the evolution of inclusive tourism in a small-island tourism economy of the Caribbean. Dubbed the “One Happy Island” in the Caribbean, the operationalization and development of direct and indirect channels of inclusive tourism are studied and discussed to foster policy guidance and future studies.Design/methodology/approachBased on an in-depth case study of Aruba, the findings yield significant insights on the unfolding of inclusive tourism within the context of a maturing small-island tourism economy in Aruba. A mix of historical socioeconomic analysis in conjunction with community resident perspectives provides an expanded framing of small-island inclusive tourism development.FindingsIn mature, small-island tourism economies such as Aruba, social and ecological disparities are particularly evident and over an extended period have exceeded direct economic contribution. The case study reveals an Aruban community experiencing significant negative socioecological impacts and subsequent diminishing economic contribution and well-being. Concerns about environmental pollution and destruction, the loss of quality of life and income equality, in addition to over construction and crowding, indicate a growing animosity toward tourism and further tourism growth.Research limitations/implicationsBased on previous studies, this study provides an extended framing of small-island inclusive tourism, which opens opportunities for further testing and validation across other small-island tourism economies. It provides a conceptual critique of classical tourism growth maxims in small-island developing states.Originality/valueThe paper provides rich historical insights using an in-depth case study approach that extends the concept and evolution of inclusive tourism in mature, small-island tourism destinations, especially in the Caribbean, thus providing a contemporary framing of inclusive tourism.

The nexus of climate change and hotel management in Malaysia: an exploratory study

Small island tourism is susceptible to the adverse impacts of climate change and is expected to challenge the business model of hotel operators. Thus, it is imperative for them to understand the interactions between climate change and hotel management to mitigate the unfavourable impacts. This study aims to investigate the perceptions among hotel managers in Kapas Island, Malaysia on the climate change impact to their hotel operation. It represents their readiness when experiencing adverse conditions brought by climate change. Qualitative research through case study is conducted to get an in-depth investigation of the understanding about climate change among managers. Results showed that there are mixed views among respondents on the impact of climate change to their hotel management. Most hotel management in Kapas Island perceived that climate change impact are irrelevant for their hotel operation. Thus, no serious actions in terms of business operation and adaptation strategy were taken by the owners to prepare for any unexpected climate event. This study contributes to the literature on climate change adaptation by providing information from the Malaysian perspective.

Circular economy principles and small island tourism

Circular economy principles and small island tourism

The nexus of climate change and hotel management in Malaysia: an exploratory study

Small island tourism is susceptible to the adverse impacts of climate change and is expected to challenge the business model of hotel operators. Thus, it is imperative for them to understand the interactions between climate change and hotel management to mitigate the unfavourable impacts. This study aims to investigate the perceptions among hotel managers in Kapas Island, Malaysia on the climate change impact to their hotel operation. It represents their readiness when experiencing adverse conditions brought by climate change. Qualitative research through case study is conducted to get an in-depth investigation of the understanding about climate change among managers. Results showed that there are mixed views among respondents on the impact of climate change to their hotel management. Most hotel management in Kapas Island perceived that climate change impact are irrelevant for their hotel operation. Thus, no serious actions in terms of business operation and adaptation strategy were taken by the owners to prepare for any unexpected climate event. This study contributes to the literature on climate change adaptation by providing information from the Malaysian perspective.

Sustainable smart specialisation of small-island tourism countries

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) development and terrestrial and marine protection on the economic and environmental sustainability of small-island tourism countries. The current study expands the smart specialisation literature in the context of small-island tourism nations. It also proposes sustainable future growth strategies for these countries. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopted structural equation modelling using the data of 14 island nations between 1995 and 2014. The selection of countries was based on a set of criteria borrowed from literature. Findings The results indicate that the development of ICT infrastructure was not only associated with a higher inflow of tourists and a higher GDP per capita but also with a higher carbon dioxide (CO2) emission. Results also suggest that higher protection of terrestrial and marine areas has no impact on tourist inflows in tourism countries. Also, higher protection decreases the dependence of the total output on the tourism sector. Research limitations/implications A limitation of this study is the lack of available macro data on some other relevant variables for the countries studied. Social implications Following the findings of this study, the governments of these countries should make stringent environmental regulations and relax the telecom regulations for sustainable smart specialisation. Originality/value This study presents a novel insight into the sustainability challenge of island nations through the lens of smart specialisation. It also contributes to the literature on ICT and development.

Contributions to sustainable tourism in small islands: an analysis of the Cittàslow movement

The Cittàslow philosophy aims to preserve the unique characteristics of places, people, products, food and the environment. Inclusive participation is the focus of the movement for small communities that aim to improve residents’ quality of life and share in one of a kind experiences with visitors. Discussion of the Cittàslow movement has been increasing in recent years, and the conceptualization offered in this paper adds to that discourse by showing how the movement, with its unique approach to sustainability and local governance, has the potential to be beneficial to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) by directly and indirectly contributing to sustainable tourism development. Slow Food, Slow Tourism, and sustainability in relation to tourism are discussed to clarify how they all fit into the slow tourism ethos and influence the Cittàslow movement. Interestingly, by examining some of the essentials of the Cittàslow movement, we can ascertain how the quality of life and experience value of tourism complements the Cittàslow approach to sustainable tourism development for SIDS. Sustainability from an island perspective is conceptualized in the context of the Cittàslow model, and the varying elements that are contributors to sustainable tourism development in SIDS are discussed. These include its marketing potential, environmental and agricultural benefits, as well as the definitive socio-economic advances that may come about from implementing such an initiative. Ultimately, our analysis illustrates the SIDS specific impacts that the strategies of the Cittàslow model facilitate, while it also highlights some of the potential barriers to SIDS seamlessly adopting such a concept.

Cultivating the Chinese market through destination loyalty: enhancing resilience in the Maldives

Market diversification, one critical means by which tourism-dependent small island states can maintain sector resilience and destination life cycle stability, requires understanding of the destination loyalty of strategic new inbound markets such as China. An online survey of 1260 Chinese adults with previous travel experience to the Maldives identified positive proclivities with respect to revisitation and recommendation intentions as well as agreement that Chinese visitors were well catered for. Sample diversity, however, was demonstrated by cluster analysis, which revealed dominant ‘highly loyal’ (31.2%) and ‘loyal’ (37.1%) segments along with specialized clusters ambivalent about the catering (14.3%) or the revisitation intent (17.4%). Loyalty was strongly associated with older, married and higher income visitors who were aware that the Maldives is an Islamic country and who included the capital city of Male in their itinerary. Such information is invaluable for assisting target marketing and product development strategies, but situates in a context of bilateral asymmetry in which the Chinese government can destabilize small island tourism through decisions that curtail visitation by otherwise loyal residents.

The social-ecological status of small islands: An evaluation of island tourism destination management in Indonesia

A social-ecological system approach has been applied to measure the complexity of sustainable tourism development on small islands. In general, tourism development and ecosystem management have been shown to be relatively unbalanced. Tourism development attempts have not yet been accompanied by environmental management efforts. In this paper, the social-ecological status is measured to improve the sustainable development mechanism with appropriate indicators. Using the Gili Matra Islands as a case study, the social-ecological status of tourism in the region was examined using the social-ecological status index (SESI), a coupling index of the coastal waters quality index (CWQI), the coordination degree model (CCDM) and the index of information entropy weight (IEW) as tools for measuring and evaluating the social-ecological status and sustainable development of small island tourism.

A Model of Development Maritime Tourism Competitiveness in Nikoi Island, Riau Islands Province

This study aims to explain the factors and models to develop the competitiveness of marine tourism destinations in Nikoi Island, Bintan Regency, Riau Islands Province by using a qualitative approach (descriptive method). Data and information were generated through in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and literature studies which were then analyzed using the Porter Value Chain framework (1985). The richness and uniqueness of natural resources that can offer beauty and experience for travelers are basic capital for the development of marine tourism in Nikoi Island. Investors play a central role which starts from planning, construction design to management and continuous business improvement. A large percentage of Bintan’s PAD comes from their tourism sector which includes Nikoi island. The development of Nikoi Island as a tourist destination can be used as a model to develop inclusive and sustainable marine tourism in thousands of other small islands owned by Indonesia with private sector acting as the main investor. However, during implementation in the field, the private sector cannot stand alone. They must be able to cooperate with the Government (both at Central and Regional level) and other related stakeholders. In the national midterm plan, 2020 – 2024, the development of tourism in small islands can be seen as a breakthrough that forms new economic growth centers.