Tourism-related Development Research Articles

Impact of anthropological activities on land-use and land-cover changes in the lower Okavango Delta, Botswana

Anthropogenic land alterations in Maun village have transformed natural vegetation into urban infrastructure, including pavements, and residential and commercial areas, leading to elevated Land Surface Temperature (LST). This urban expansion resulted from economic growth driven by population increase and tourism-related development. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between Land Use and Land Cover Changes (LULCCs) and LST. Utilising Landsat 5-TM and Landsat-8 data from 1990, 2000, and 2020, we employed a random forest algorithm for supervised classification, generating Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) maps. The mono-window algorithm was used to extract LST data from Landsat 5 and 8 images, alongside Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maps. s regression analysis assessed the LST-NDVI correlation. Results indicate that urban LULCCs significantly contribute to rising LST. Minimum and maximum LST values for 1990, 2000, and 2020 were 18.6°C, 22.8°C, 22.6°C, and 26.7°C, 34.5°C, and 42.1°C, respectively. NDVI values ranged from −0.2 to 0.56 in 1990, −0.17 to 0.58 in 2000, and 0.07 to 0.46 in 2020. Roads, pavements, barren land, and built-up areas displayed the highest LST (44.6°C), while water bodies and healthy vegetation exhibited the lowest (16.1°C). Additionally, NDVI exhibited a negative correlation with LST. Our findings emphasise the role of human activities in exacerbating LST. They highlight the need for regulated urban growth patterns to ensure sustainable development. Moreover, quantifying spatiotemporal variations in LULC, LST, and NDVI holds importance for conserving land resources and enhancing land use planning policies. Policymakers and city planners can utilise this research to mitigate heat stress effects and promote sustainable urban environments by evaluating distribution maps of LULC, NDVI, and LST.

SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EU-FUNDED TOURISM INVESTMENTS IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAIN REGION (HUNGARY) IN THE 2014-2020 BUDGET PERIOD

The aim of this paper is to present the territorial characteristics of explanation of European Union funding for tourism-related developments in the Northern Great Plain region (Hungary) in the 2014-2020 programming period of the European Union. We relied fundamentally on the website “palyazat.gov.hu” as our source, which provides information on the number of grant applications submitted and those that were successful. There are very significant differences between counties and settlements in terms of the application activity and the focus of the applications. Firstly, the specificities of the counties that make up the Northern Great Plain region had a significant impact on the region’s performance in case of national-level projects. Secondly, hand the influencing factors include the commitment of the leaders of the individual counties and settlements to tourism, the impact of the conditions set out in the calls for applications, as well as the role of political lobbying.

The role of economic conditions and sustainable rural development on the sustainability of tourism development: evidence from China

At present, tourism is counted among those industries which have gained global attention due to rapid growth. Hence, a constant diversification in terms of destination is needed in tourism development. The recent trends of industry highlight the demand of alternative tourism types, among which nature-related tourism appears to be an emerging concept. In this regard, the present article investigates the impact of economic conditions and sustainable rural development on the sustainability of tourism development in China. The current research has gathered secondary data from the World Bank from 1981 to 2020. The quartile autoregressive distributed lag model has been applied to test the association between the variables. The results revealed that GDP, inflation, FDI, exchange rate, energy use, gross savings, and sustainable rural development have a significant and positive association with the sustainability of tourism development in China. Findings offer managerial implications recommending the local government to focus on the sustainability of rural development and economic conditions that may lead to the implementation of tourism-related development projects. This study also guides the policymakers in establishing policies related to tourism development using different economic conditions and sustainable rural development.

Analysis of land use/land cover changes and prediction of future changes with land change modeler: Case of Belek, Turkey.

In the areas declared to be a tourism center by state planning, a rapid tourism-related development occurs depending on the investments in tourism, which causes a dramatic land use/land cover (LULC) change. Determining, monitoring, and modeling of LULC changes are required in order to ensure the conservation-use balance and sustainability within such vulnerable areas that are under development pressure. This study consists of four steps. In the first step, the Landsat images dated 1985, 2000, 2010, and 2021 were classified using the maximum likelihood method and the LULC of Belek Tourism Center located in Turkey were determined. The second step included the identification of areal and spatial changes between the LULC classes for the four periods. In the third step, the LULC changes in Belek Tourism Center for 2040 were modeled using the land change modeler. Last step evaluated the relationship between the modeled spatial development pattern and the current planning decisions. According to the results obtained during 36years, the rates of built-up, forest, and water body areas have increased by 11.91%, 13.67%, and 0.82%, respectively, whereas the rates of barren land and agricultural areas have reduced by 22.25% and 4.15%, respectively. The LULC map modeled for 2040 predicts the built-up areas to expand by 8.25% and the agricultural areas to shrink by 5.42% by comparison with 2021. This study will contribute as a key measure for planners, policy-, and decision-makers to make decisions related to sustainable land use in the areas declared to be a tourism center.

The Tourism Value of the Coast: Modeling Seaside Amenity Values in Belgium

ABSTRACT This study seeks to quantify the value of coastal amenities to the blue tourism economy. It assesses the value of recreational and aesthetic coastal amenities in an area where tourism-related development is a key economic activity, specifically, the West Flemish vacation rental sector. Using spatial panel data comprising a cross section of 821 active Airbnb listings acquired from AirDNA, covering the time period from March 2019 to February 2020, the study models the effects of sea view and coastal proximity on Airbnb revenue alongside other structural and locational attributes. Rental units with a view of and close proximity to the sea yielded significantly higher revenues.

Impacts of Second Home and Visiting Friends and Relatives Tourism on Migration: A Conceptual Framework

What is the thread that unites tourism and migration? A review of existing literature suggests two forms of tourism linked to migration: visiting friends and relatives and second home tourism. Tourism related to visiting friends and relatives can be stimulated by migratory movements, and, in turn, gives rise to new migrations. Second home ownership, however, serves as the main connection between tourism and migration, promoting tourism that generates from or relates to current and past migrations. This exploratory study is based on a qualitative systematic literature review and focuses on the characteristics of second home and visiting friends and relatives-related tourism, and migration, in order to clarify little studied linkages among them that can affect tourism-related development. The study shows that many of the migration-led tourism segments reflect factors that may promote sustainable development.

Tourism-Related Facility Development in Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) National Park and Buffer Zone, Nepal Himalaya

The increase in the number of tourists to mountain regions poses both opportunities and challenges for sustainable mountain development. In order to achieve sustainable development, it is essential to examine societal, landscape, and population transformation in mountain regions. This study explores transformation in the context of the tourism-related facility in Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (SNPBZ) of Nepal as an example of the Himalayan region. Questionnaire surveys targeting the owners and managers of tourism-related facilities and interview surveys with various community leaders, officials, and school principals were conducted in the park in 2017–2019. Both surveys show that the types, ownership, distribution, and capacity of facilities in the park have been transformed. Growth of tourist numbers, improvement of porters’ accommodation conditions, and migrant labor are the main factors driving the transformation. Tourism has also induced imbalanced development and unequal benefits among the villages in the park. The findings suggest that diversification of trekking routes and facility and service quality improvement could help to mitigate imbalanced development and unequal benefits. The in-depth examination of the transformation of tourism-related facilities augments the knowledge of the dynamic changes of facilities in mountain regions, which is vital for sustainable mountain development.

Classification of the Development Areas of the South Transdanubian Region (Hungary)

The Hungarian Government decided on the establishment of the South Transdanubian Economic Development Zone. The identification of the areas formed by clustering settlements of similar features will help better target development goals and funds to the region. The development concepts of the counties (forming the region) were reviewed and each of the 656 settlements of the region were put into categories. The categories were formed according to the county concepts; classification of the space followed all of the area classifications mentioned in them: development goals, priorities, strategic categories or sectoral targets. It has been found that 291 settlements have not been targeted by the county concepts at all. Further 177 ones are classified as deprived areas either because of their peripheral situation or their underdevelopment status by law. 62 settlements are mentioned as ones to be targeted with either economic development programmes or classified as growth zones. The latter category consists of 26 settlements, which are either growth, industrial, innovative or logistic centres according to the development concepts. Tourism related developments are targeted and may be outbreak points in 176 settlements. The threat to the development of rural areas due to shrinking medium sized cities must be addressed. Our review and classification of South Transdanubian Region’s settlements adds the value of the multifaceted approach through the application of the county development concepts.

Effects of rural revitalization on rural tourism

Rural revitalization is not only a strategy to promote sustainable rural development in developing countries, but also an inevitable trend towards global urbanization. This study used multi-source data, such as remote sensing images, building data, official websites and field survey, to investigate the morphological and social evolution of rural communities from the perspective of touristification and to analyze their drivers. The results showed that from 1988 to 2016, the selected sample case (Jinshitan scenic area, a tourist location situated in the Liaodong Peninsula in China) experienced continuous increases in the average weighted building height, building volume and floor area ratio; the proportion of non-agricultural employment increased by 99.57%; and tourism has become the leading industry in the research site, with a tenfold value of agricultural output value during touristification. These data lend support to that rural revitalization strategy is beneficial to non-urban communities in terms of their economic development and growth in China. Findings provided managerial implications suggesting the local government should implement tourism-related development projects to enhance rural tourism activities to develop the local economy and increase employment.

Climate Change Impacts and its Potential Integration in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process & Property Management: The Case of the Negril Tourism Industry in Jamaica

Tourism-related developments in Negril, Jamaica, hotels in particular, are most vulnerable to climate change because of their location. This research examined the extent to which climate change impacts were integrated in select EIAs undertaken in Negril between 1992 and 2013, and industry managers’ knowledge, perception, and awareness to climate change. Negril is Jamaica’s foremost tourist destination with a significant proportion of hotel developments along eleven kilometers of coastline that is highly susceptible to climate change. The research design is qualitative involving a review of EIA reports approved by the lead agency, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) using a modified climate change assessment tool and questionnaires completed by hotel industry managers in Negril. Thereafter, the findings were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. The findings revealed that climate change integration in the EIA reports reviewed generally improved with time. EIAs generally lacked an integration of climate change impacts in project modelling to include future perspectives. Industry managers were generally aware of climate change impacts related to their developments, and government assistance and regulations regarding tourism and climate change. However, it was clear that additional training is necessary. This thesis is the first in evaluating the level of integration of climate change in EIA studies in Jamaica and it is hoped that the findings will inform EIA implementation. It is recommended that a climate change assessment tool be included in the reviewing of EIAs, and climate change considerations are specifically incorporated in the terms of reference issued. Tourism is an important contributor to Jamaica’s economy and therefore this study recommends a full evaluation of all tourism-related EIAs due to the significant fixed assets located along Jamaica’s vulnerable coastline.

International Remittances as a Driver of Domestic Tourism Expenditure: Evidence from Mexico

This article aims to empirically assess the impact of international remittances on domestic tourism expenditure (DTE) in Mexican households. Using Probit and Tobit regressions with instrumental variables and information from the 2016 National Household Income and Expenditure Survey, our findings show that international migrants’ remittances can improve DTE among Mexican households. Controlling for endogeneity of remittances, the results show a statistically significant and positive impact of international remittances on both the probability and the amount of money spent on domestic tourism. This suggests that international remittances provide the necessary resources to alleviate the liquidity constraints that restrict access to tourism activities for recipient households. This research also highlights the need to encourage public policy recommendations aimed at promoting tourism-related development in Mexico.

A new Nucras Gray, 1838 (Squamata: Lacertidae) from the Strandveld of the Western Cape, South Africa.

A striking new sandveld lizard of the Nucras tessellata group is described from the Lambert's Bay Strandveld of the Western Cape Province, South Africa. It is sister to the clade N. livida + N. tessellata, and is phenetically most similar to N. tessellata, from which it differs in its more elongate body and possibly increased number of presacral vertebrae and patternless orange dorsal coloration. The form elegans, described as a species by Andrew Smith (1838), but treated as an infrasubspecific variant by Broadley (1972), also exhibits weak patterning, but is likely a regional color variant. Nucras aurantiaca sp. nov. is the ninth member of the genus found in southern Africa. Its discovery in the well-collected coastal Western Cape suggests that further herpetofaunal surveys are needed in this region, which is threatened by agricultural activity and tourism-related development.

Sustainability Assessment of Natural Capital Based on the 3D Ecological Footprint Model: A Case Study of the Shennongjia National Park Pilot

The sustainability assessment of natural capital (SANC) is one of the key elements in the field of national park protection. Assessing the impact of socioeconomic development on the Shennongjia National Park Pilot (SNPP), a typical national park in China, would be extremely conducive to the sustainable management of its natural capital. To this end, a natural capital account system encompassing transportation, accommodation, food, and waste for both locals and tourists was developed. Throughout the period from 2007 to 2016, a SANC was conducted in SNPP based on the 3D ecological footprint (EF3D) model to measure stock consumption as well as flow occupancy. The main conclusions were as follows: First, the ecological footprint (EF) size of the SNPP increased yearly from 2007 to 2014, although it decreased in 2015, when the government started preparing for the SNPP. Second, rapid tourism-related developments brought about an increase in the EF of built-up land, and the increasing medicinal planting also enlarged the EF of arable land. Third, the cumulative EF of tourism was 2.82 times that of locals over the past decade. This gap has been expanding. Overall, the results show relatively steady sustainability in terms of natural capital in the SNPP. More precisely, the preceding stock consumption did not severely constrain the function of the current regeneration of flow capital, whereas tourism and planting have become potential threats to the sustainability of the natural capital.

Functional Analysis of <I>Telajakan</I> Plants and Space in Northern Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

Bali Island, Indonesia, is undergoing rapid land use changes owing to tourism-related development and urbanization. Consequently, urban green spaces, which provide a myriad of benefits to residents, are disappearing and deteriorating. Focusing on telajakan, a strip of traditional green space between the frontal wall of a housing compound and a ditch/pedestrian path in a roadside, the study aims: 1) to investigate and document the changes that are occurring with regards to telajakan in Denpasar, Bali and 2) to evaluate the functions of the plantings in telajakan. The research methods include literature review on traditional green spaces in Bali, vegetation survey at a lot scale, and homeowner interviews with the help of local experts. The study found that: 1) aesthetics, economics, and rituals are the top three functions provided by the telajakan plants with aesthetic function being by far the most provided function; 2) species diversity does not correspond with functional diversity; and 3) telajakan space itself is often minimized or sometimes lost completely for more inner, privatized space or for vehicle parking lot for shop owners. Since telajakan is an important component of traditional Balinese architecture, its loss, degradation, and marginalization necessarily lead to the loss of Balinese culture and identity. This study hints, however, a new form of social interaction through aesthetically-pleasing telajakan. Also, functional diversity, which is arguably as important as species diversity, can be maintained by carefully selecting indigenous species with multiple functions.

Assessing the Stability and Sustainability of Rock Art Sites: Insight from Southwestern Arizona

In light of global trends in human population growth and urbanization, burgeoning cultural heritage tourism industries, and climate change, cultural heritage places in nearly every corner of the world are significantly threatened, and will remain so into the foreseeable future. Rock art sites are some of the most imperiled, with their exposed contexts posing unique challenges to conservation. Consequently, effective management of publically accessible rock art sites necessitates a sustainable approach that weighs visitation in regard to cultural significance and site stability. This essay integrates rock art stability and sustainability assessment methodologies at the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site in southwestern Arizona. The study specifically applies the Rock Art Stability Index (RASI) to evaluate the natural and anthropogenic weathering forces impacting the site, and the Heritage Asset Sensitivity Gauge (HASG) to assess site sustainability under existing management practices in relation to current and forecasted rates of visitation. A spatial analysis of aggregated RASI data shows that visitor foot traffic has had some of the most profound impacts to the petroglyphs. Unrestricted access to the site area is also highly correlated with the presence and location of vandalism and graffiti, and visitor-related trampling has adversely affected the site’s surface artifact assemblage. Application of the HASG projects that, while existing management practices are fairly sustainable, they become less so under forecasted increases in visitation. Further, the HASG appraises the site’s cultural significance as outweighing its market appeal, indicating management efforts should prioritize conservation over tourism-related development.

Solesolevaki as social capital: a tale of a village, two tribes, and a resort in Fiji

ABSTRACTThis paper advances understanding of the complex and adaptive nature of indigenous Fijian communities involved in tourism. It examines how tourism-related development has set the people of one Fijian village along two separate development pathways, and explores how preferential access to tourism benefits has created disparities within the community. Complex Adaptive Systems theory and Social Capital theory are used to conceptualise how over 40 years of tourism involvement has influenced development within an indigenous Fijian community. The findings argue that indigenous Fijian communities are non-homogeneous entities, which are constantly in transition, responding and adapting integratively to both internal and external changes over time. The findings show that the emergence of new behaviours and ways of life has led to the collapse of the pre-existing systems of social capital. As a response, community members retreated and regrouped, strengthening internal bonds and social capital in their smaller social units, leading to both dependency and opportunity-seeking behaviours among participants. Ultimately, the paper asserts that money alone does not lead to development, but rather tourism and access to a variety of capital do.

Using a spatial hedonic analysis to evaluate the effect of sea view on hotel prices

This paper attempts to examine the effect of sea view to room rates alongside other structural and locational attributes. Specifically, it aims to test whether rooms with a sea view are priced higher than others, thus trying to quantify the associated aesthetic values of coastal areas where tourism-related development is a key economic activity. For this purpose, a sample of 557 rooms in Halkidiki, Greece was collected through an online database during the summer tourist season. Subsequently, these data were integrated into a GIS-system in order to apply a spatial hedonic model. A semi-parametric geographically weighted regression model was used to assess the local effects, as well as, to investigate the spatial variability of the selected attributes. The results exhibited a significant spatial variability concerning the effect of sea view to room rates, indicating that local natural and/or tourism resources may have a substantial role in aesthetic values.

Amsterdam Residents and Their Attitude Towards Tourists and Tourism

In Amsterdam, the phenomenon of overcrowding is increasing, and tourism is one of the causes. Both the public debate and the municipal authorities are pointing to an increasing need for more expertise and knowledge regarding ways of achieving a healthy balance for various stakeholders. This article focuses on the stakeholder role of city residents and discusses their attitudes to tourists and tourism-related developments in their own neighbourhood and in the rest of the city. The term “attitude” can be divided into three components: feeling, behaviour and thinking. The results of this study are based on both quantitative and qualitative fieldwork (surveys and semi-structured interviews) and on desk research. It can be concluded that, for the most part, residents have a positive attitude to tourists and tourism. Differences in attitude are mostly determined by the city district where respondents live and by personal feelings and thinking. Follow-up research in the coming years will examine the complexity of the issue of overcrowding in more depth.

Societal Opposition to Tourism-Related Development in the Hautes-Pyrénées: a Missed Opportunity for Territorial Innovation?

In the Pyrenees, the decentralised manner in which planning permission is awarded to projects might give the impression that the expansion of ski resorts is now more attuned to the concerns of local people, with potential conflicts handled more effectively than they were in the past. The reality is in fact quite different: The direct proximity of highly artificial spaces dedicated to winter sports with zones of exceptional environmental and natural importance continues to produce many conflicts; however, these receive relatively little media attention, but they have the potential to block development. Today’s anti-development associations are using new tools and methods, and their ability to counter proposed projects is undeniable. Presenting a resistance that is “solid, well-organised and backed up by legal expertise”, they use legal channels to campaign against projects they consider to be harmful, and they eschew mass demonstrations. This marks a clear break from previous approaches. Unlike the protest movements of the 1970s, these citizens’ associations remain pragmatic, non-hierarchical and local, led by ‘mountain folk’. Some local campaigns are ambiguous in nature and bring together a highly diverse array of stakeholders with interests in the local economy. Protest groups first and foremost, these associations rarely transcend their oppositional stance to propose real alternatives and become a force for territorial innovation.

Social Marketing and Tourism

Though the effectiveness of social marketing has been proven in various areas, it has captured scant research attention of tourism scholars. This article analyzes the social marketing characteristics of a number of tourism-related projects that have been funded by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Vietnam. The importance of NGOs in Vietnam’s development process is highlighted. A search strategy is described where some terms and phrases are combined to identify tourism-related development projects. Forty-five projects were found and assessed against a set of six social marketing benchmarks. Twenty-one projects match all the criteria, where different evaluation measures are noted. Significantly, no project labeled itself in terms of social marketing attributes. The social marketing label is thus not necessarily effective in identifying social marketing interventions in tourism-related projects. Despite some caveats, the article indicates that social marketing may be effective in promoting behavior change for sustainable tourism development and poverty alleviation.