Tourist Season Research Articles

Ship of Darkness: Jazz and/as Affect in the Global Cruise Industry

Ship of Darkness: Jazz and/as Affect in the Global Cruise Industry

Airbnb Host’s Perspectives on Climate Change: Wildfire Threats to Rural Tourism

This paper investigates the impact of wildfire threats, and the resulting smoke, on nature-based rural tourism. As both residents of the community and business owners, Airbnb hosts provide valuable insight into the challenges facing tourism in southern Oregon. As an investigative study where there is little past research on the subject, qualitative methods were used. Results indicate that the summer season is growing longer, and smoky conditions are reducing the tourist season. As wildfire season extends into the autumn, visitation is also decreasing during the hunting/fishing season because of closures to natural areas under wildfire threat. The politicization of climate change has changed the policy emphasis from climate change mitigation to wildfire mitigation, resulting in added expenses for Airbnb property owners.

A social media-based framework for quantifying temporal changes to wildlife viewing intensity

Documenting how human pressure on wildlife changes over time is important to minimise potential adverse effects through implementing appropriate management and policy actions; however, obtaining objective measures of these changes and their potential impacts is often logistically challenging, particularly in the natural environment. Here, we developed a modular stochastic model that infers the ratio of actual viewing pressure on wildlife in consecutive time periods (years) using social media, as this medium is widespread and easily accessible. Pressure was calculated from the number of times individual animals appeared in social media in pre-defined time windows, accounting for time-dependent variables that influence them (e.g. number of people with access to social media). Formulas for the confidence intervals of viewing pressure ratios were rigorously developed and validated, and corresponding uncertainty was quantified. We applied the developed framework to calculate changes to wildlife viewing pressure on loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) at Zakynthos island (Greece) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019–2021) based on 2646 social media entries. Our model ensured temporal comparability across years of social media data grouped in time window sizes, by correcting for the interannual increase of social media use. Optimal sizes for these windows were delineated, reducing uncertainty while maintaining high time-scale resolution. The optimal time window was around 7-days during the peak tourist season when more data were available in all three years, and >15 days during the low season. In contrast, raw social media data exhibited clear bias when quantifying changes to viewing pressure, with unknown uncertainty. The framework developed here allows widely-available social media data to be used objectively when quantifying temporal changes to wildlife viewing pressure. Its modularity allowed viewing pressure to be quantified for all data combined, or subsets of data (different groups, situations or locations), and could be applied to any site supporting wildlife exposed to tourism.

Analyses of Authenticity and Place Attachment of Local Event and Tourist Satisfaction

This study investigates the satisfaction of tourists visiting to the Eagle Festival, an event that is important to extend the tourism season and spread the heritage of falconry (eagle hunting), and how the relationship with place attachment and authenticity affect the event and how it affects the motivation of tourists’ revisit. The empirical data were collected from the international tourists via questionnaire that yielded 102 usable surveys at the Golden Eagle festival in Bayan-Ulgii Mongolia for 2 days. Officially, 250 international tourists came to participate Golden Eagle Festival and survey was collected 40.8 percent of spectators. Data was analyzed by using regression analysis to determine how relationship between cultural authenticity, and place attachment, also how these variables affect tourist satisfaction and revisit intention. According to the survey results, the value of the “Golden Eagle” festival has decreased year by year due to the organizational problems, and the increased tendency of tour operator companies’ preference to organize private eagle festivals for their own tourists, even in the survey it resulted spectators were satisfied. Conversely, it is easier to organize small events in Bayan-Ulgii province due to the relevance of cultural authenticity, place attachment, and accessibility of the event which are beneficial for participants. Consequently, these small events positively affect the tourist satisfaction and revisit intention. Considering most of the eagle festivals have similar program content, it is natural for tourists to choose travel programs and events with fewer people and more photo opportunities. Furthermore, in order to improve event management, it is important to highlight the practical significance of the event. A detailed study of the stakeholders is recommended.

Role Of Homestay In Reviving Tourism In Shimla

Background: At seasonal tourist destinations like Shimla, rooms may remain vacant and unoccupied during lean peri ods. To add on, pandemic has already shut many small lodging facilities. Objective: The aim of this study is to improve our understanding of how homestay activities can contribute to revitalize sustainable tourism trends in Shimla, the study assumes particular importance in a period of economic crisis characterized by post covid trauma. Methodology: A survey was conducted in Shimla after first wave of corona virus from September 20 to December 20 as soon as the travel restrictions were uplifted. The travel and accommodation preferences of tourists were observed and found to be shifting towards less frequently visited places avoiding mass tourism. To highlight the role of homestays in reviving these tourism trends, three objectives were identified. Two separate questionnaires were developed to get the quantitative and qualitative data for this research. The data was tabulated and evaluated using SPSS tool. Results: The findings presented the analysed profile of the potential homestay operators as well as visitors seeking homestay tourism. It also reports the motivations, expectation and experience of the tourists regarding various aspects of homestay. Conclusion: Homestays can act as potential vital tool in reviving tourism.

Short-term tourism alters abundance, size, and composition of microplastics on sandy beaches

Microplastics have become a global threat to sandy beach ecosystems. To efficiently manage this threat, potential sources of microplastics should be deeply understood, which requires direct evidence as this is always a challenging task. Previous studies have reported various sources; however, the topic still needs attention to identify other potential sources of microplastics on sandy shores. Therefore, the abundance, size, color, shape, and polymer type of microplastics on nine sandy shores of the Turkish Coast of the Black Sea were examined before and after the regular tourism season to understand whether short-term tourism might be an important source. A total of 3402 microplastic items from 270 sand samples were obtained and examined. Both the abundance and the average size of the microplastics increased after the tourism season associated with the potential number of visitors and beach cleaning efforts. Further, the color, shape, and polymer type of microplastics varied between sampling times. Beach cleaning seemed to be an efficient way to minimize the adverse effect of short-term tourism influence. This study clearly identifies short-term tourism as an important source of microplastics on sandy shores and beach cleaning as an important tool to minimize microplastic abundance. The results of this study are important insights into current literature by identifying another source of microplastics on sandy shores, which should be useful for the potential management actions to reduce the harm of these global pollutants.

Guest editorial: How could the Republic of Cyprus reduce the impact of seasonal tourism on long-term sustainable development?

Guest editorial: How could the Republic of Cyprus reduce the impact of seasonal tourism on long-term sustainable development?

The Role of Ports in Tourism: Porto Santo Harbour

The island of Porto Santo belongs to the Madeira Archipelago and is often described as an idyllic paradise for its warm waters and its iconic sandy beach, though it faces vulnerabilities such as insularity; a small economy; geographic remoteness; and scarce population, area, and available resources. Nevertheless, these disadvantages have a silver lining because small territories can act as laboratories to test and develop models that can subsequently be implemented at a larger scale. This work provides a case study of the role of ports in tourism development It presents an analysis of air and maritime transport used by tourists to visit the Island of Porto Santo, Madeira Islands, Portugal. The climate changes and strong winds during the year can reduce tourist demand for the inter-island sea travel in the Madeira Archipelago. Porto Santo is a strategic transfer point for tourism, and improving the shipping infrastructures will enable a faster and more diversified maritime transportation system. To capitalise on these developments, Porto Santo needs to improve its reputation as an exclusive beach destination. This will reduce tourism seasonality and improve sustainability.

Tourism seasonality in small island developing states: evidence from Cyprus

PurposeThis paper adopts a thematic approach to a review of the literature relating to seasonality in small island developing states.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a qualitative approach by retrieving data from academic sources and official public documents from the Government of Cyprus. Thematic analysis is employed to provide information in relation to the numerical aspects of seasonality through statistics and the steps taken by official tourism authorities to alleviate seasonality.FindingsThe findings reveal a significant seasonality problem in Cyprus, especially in the high season months and stagnation during the low season months in winter. This causes problems at the national economic level and results in unemployment. However, in recent years, the government has been trying to tackle the problem by rebranding the destination for all seasons, offering a broad spectrum of varied activities, such as niche, special interest, and cultural tourism.Originality/valueThe paper offers a review-based perspective on seasonality in small island developing states and discusses the merits of developing all-year-round tourism.

E-DBCM: A dynamically coupled upland and in-stream water quality model for watershed water quality simulation

A dynamic bidirectional coupled modeling framework for water environment simulation (E-DBCM), including an upland watershed model (UWSM) and a two-dimensional (2D) downstream waterbody model (DWBM), is proposed. The UWSM is implemented to describe the rainfall-runoff and determine the pollutant load to downstream waterbodies, whereas the DWBM is used to simulate the pollutant transport and flood processes on downstream waterbodies. The UWSM and DWBM are spatially connected through a moving boundary, which can ensure the mass and momentum conservation. The proposed E-DBCM is verified using three case studies and the results indicate that the E-DBCM has satisfactory numerical accuracy, which can effectively reproduce the pollutant transport process and achieve satisfactory results. The water environment in Yanqi River Basin is assessed based on the proposed model. The simulated results are consistent with the measured data, indicating that the E-DBCM is reliable and the prediction accuracy can meet the requirements of engineering practices. Water is seriously polluted in this watershed, especially during peak tourist season when many pollutants are produced. Various measures should be taken to protect the water environment in this basin.

A near Real-Time Monitoring System Using Public WI-FI Data to Evaluate COVID-19 Social Distance Measures

This study assessed the applicability of geolocation data provided by public Wi-Fi infrastructures as information sources that can contribute to urban planning and management. We focused particularly on modeling and monitoring real-time mobility and congestion using geolocation capabilities of Wi-Fi public networks in Smart cities. The proposed methodology combines a detailed geographic analysis of the space with high-frequency indicators generated from network data. This study emphasizes the importance of Wi-Fi infrastructures as noninvasive monitoring systems, and describes how network data can be applied to generate useful indicators for urban planning and management. The methodology was empirically implemented in the city of Palma (Balearic Islands, Spain), where the social distance level was measured to identify conflicting areas. We demonstrate how the proposed solution can estimate pedestrians’ density efficiently and precisely through high-frequency monitoring (5 min or less) and the construction of comprehensive indicators. In this context, we suggest several public policies that can be implemented by using this methodological approach to monitor dynamic patterns of pedestrian mobility, especially during health crises or during high tourist seasons.

Water Scarcity and Climate Change in Mykonos (Greece): The Perceptions of the Hospitality Stakeholders

Climate change, unsustainable water use by the tourism sector, and short-term-based decisions by policymakers create additional stress on limited water resources in arid and semi-arid tourism destinations. Non-conventional water resources are playing an important role in making additional water available for these destinations, and the use of desalination plants has gradually increased. However, they can create additional externalities on the environment that can compromise the sustainability of the tourist destination. The decisions of key stakeholders and cooperation among them hold vital importance for the sustainability of tourism and the availability of water resources. Mykonos Island (Greece) is a globally recognized tourist destination in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The island has suffered significant water-scarcity problems in recent years, in particular during the peak tourist season, and desalination plants are being built to reduce stress on the water supply. The first objective of this work was to analyze the perceptions of hospitality stakeholders regarding water shortages and climate change in Mykonos. A second objective was to assess whether the same hospitality stakeholders feel that desalination plants are the solution to water scarcity in island-tourism destinations such as Mykonos. The results show that (i) hospitality stakeholders have significant awareness regarding water-scarcity problems and the impacts of climate change on tourism activity, (ii) they do not view desalination plants as the only solution to water scarcity, and (iii) they perceive a significant lack of coordination among actors who participate in the decision-making process. These results provide clues regarding the importance of awareness, coordination, and cooperation of each actor involved in the decision-making process and can be of interest to policymakers and public authorities in tourism destinations facing water-scarcity problems.

How to develop a road cycling tourism destination. Girona as a case study

Road cycle tourism is a modality of cycling which, by virtue of its characteristics, can contribute to the de-seasonalising of tourist demand in destinations with very rigidly marked tourist seasons. In addition, it can favour the decentralisation of tourist and recreational activities, moving them away from urban centres towards the rural periphery, and promote the inclusion of new tourist agents. Despite the growth and benefits of this tourism product, it is still insufficiently researched. This being so, in terms of the management and promotion of destinations, it is worth arriving at a fuller understanding of how to develop this model of cycle tourism from the suppliers’ perspective. Bearing in mind the points mentioned above, the present study set out to evaluate the conditions and factors involved in the successful development of a tourist destination for road cycling and to analyse the attractiveness of the particular tourist destination referred to. With that in mind, the article seeks to shed light on the significance of road cycling for tourism purposes and to develop a value-based system which can be used in the planning for road cycling in tourist destinations. • Road cycling tourism can contribute to the de-seasonalising of tourist demand. • Conditions and factors involved in developing a road cycling tourist destination: geography, climate and transport connectivity are the main conditions involved. • Professional cyclists can contribute to develop a road cycling tourist destination. • Planners must identify the specific needs of this segment to configure provision. • Specialised tourist services are necessary to support road cycling tourism. • Road cycling tourism can boost the emergence of related businesses and services. • Tourism products should connect tourist attractions with cyclists' interests. • Cycling infrastructure and road education must be part of the development. • Road cyclist tourists are consumers with medium to high level purchasing power. • Ambassadors and cycling-related brands can help improve destination's positioning.

Hybrid supercapacitors contributions to intra-urban transport ecosystem based on RES for seasonal tourism

Renewable Energy Sources (RES) use at local scale reduces the environmental impact, maximizing the effect as production and consumption are carried out in the same place. Therefore, this limits the losses associated with distribution networks, and minimizes the impact on the landscape in areas of special interest, including touristic beaches and other natural sites, where there are high-value natural environments, and where the citizens’ comfort must be considered. Implementation of an intra-urban transport ecosystem, based on fleets of light electric vehicles charged from RES, is proposed for these natural touristic areas. In this context, Urban Touristic Transport at Sustainable Environments (TTUES) project aims to promote the implementation of a transport ecosystem, using specifically designed and tested light and small-sized electric vehicles (EVs), and suitable charging stations based solely on RES. This paper presents a development of an Energy Storage System (ESS) based on Hybrid Supercapacitors (HSC) for their application in light EVs recharging points. It details the main equipment and capabilities of the testing facilities, and the tests performed by INTA, the Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology, in the framework of the project TTUES, as well as the experimental results validating the HSC system for its application.

Effects of Covid -19 Pandemic on Tourism in Kashmir

Tourism is defined as leisure travel. Tourism generates jobs and promotes long-term growth, benefiting local economies. The Mughal emperor Jahangir called it "paradise on Earth." Snow-capped mountains, enchanting gardens, majestic waterfalls, apple orchards, deep gorges, and poplar, deodar, and chinar trees are among JK's top attractions. Tourism is big business in JK. Tourism, the country's largest service industry, boosts the state's GDP, foreign exchange, employment, and tax revenue. Jammu and Kashmir are popular tourist destinations due to their successful development. The Covid-19 outbreak hit Kashmir just as the tourist season was starting, dampening spirits. Travel and tourism have spread a novel coronavirus that is highly contagious. This jeopardises the industry's future. This paper examines how the COVID-19 lockdown has affected the tourism industry and other activities. COVID-19 is expected to have significant effects on Kashmir tourism through 2020, resulting in reduced visitor numbers and travel restrictions. The pandemic had severe consequences for the economic development of Kashmir Valley, located in the Indian state of Kashmir. Poorer people (tourist stakeholders) were also severely harmed; the findings show the COVID-19 pandemic's early effects on tourism and cost.

Reducing the impacts of tourism seasonality in the small island state of Cyprus

PurposeThis concluding article aims to summarize the key points and outcomes from the theme issue question: How could the Republic of Cyprus reduce the impact of seasonal tourism on long-term sustainable development? Which is a follow-up issue to the Cyprus sustainability theme issue published in Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes volume 13 number 6 2021.Design/methodology/approachThe paper summarizes the findings of the theme issue in relation to how stakeholders in the Republic of Cyprus can reduce the impact of severe tourism seasonality on long-term sustainable tourism development.FindingsThe findings of the articles in this theme issue explore the depth of the seasonality problem and its impact on the long-term sustainability of the small island state of Cyprus. Further, the articles in this collection explore potential remedies and ways to mitigate seasonality with the help of alternative, special interest tourism activities, improved air connectivity, established cluster-based activities, and improved accessibility to the island.Originality/valueThe articles in this issue provide perspectives from academics, practitioners, industry professionals, and policymakers on what steps could be taken to tackle increasing tourism seasonality that has profound effects on economic, social, and environmental sustainability in the island of Cyprus.

Introduction: how could the Republic of Cyprus reduce the impact of seasonal tourism on long-term sustainable development?

PurposeThis paper provides an overview and explains the context of the theme issue. The paper outlines the approach and profiles the articles written in response to the strategic question as to how the Republic of Cyprus could reduce the impact of seasonal tourism on long-term sustainable development.Design/methodology/approachThe paper outlines the approach to exploring ways of reducing the impact of seasonal tourism on long-term sustainable development in Cyprus. The strategic question is tackled in articles containing literature reviews, data and evidence reviews, interactions with practitioners and practical solutions.FindingsThe findings of the theme issue focus on long-term sustainable development and the alleviation of seasonality in Cyprus. The issue provides insights into the history, current state of development and progress made by the impact of seasonal tourism and sustainable development on the tourism and hospitality industry.Originality/valueThis theme issue outlines the causes and effects of seasonality in the tourism industry in a small island developing state (SIDS) that is highly dependent on income generated by tourism activity. In SIDS, where seasonality is a threatening factor for tourism development, it is essential to understand what measures can be taken to lower seasonality. The articles in this theme issue provide insights into the causes and effects of tourism seasonality, climate change, alternative and special interest tourism, future destinations and young travellers' behaviour, air transportation, the remedy to seasonality and gastro tourism.

Tourism seasonality: the causes and effects

PurposeThe aim of the paper is to examine and analyse the thematic literature on tourism seasonality and the causes and effects thereof.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a review of scientific and theoretical research by various authors on tourism seasonality, in order to systematically analyse the causes and effects of the seasonal patterns in tourism activity.FindingsSeasonality is one of the most important features of tourism demand, and it has a significant effect on many aspects of the tourism industry. The literature review suggests that tourism seasonality is caused by natural and anthropogenic factors that have a very significant bearing on the geographical location of a tourist destination, as well as institutional and economic factors. Assessments of the effects of seasonality in the scientific literature differ. The effects of seasonality analysed in the relevant literature can be divided into four major categories: economic, employment, social and cultural as well as ecological.Originality/valueThe paper presents a systematic literature review on tourism seasonality and the causes and effects thereof.

The Influence of Seasonality on the Sustainability of Livelihoods of Households in Rural Tourism Destinations

Even though seasonality is an important concern in tourism research, only a few scholars have focused on the seasonality of rural tourism. Therefore, this study examines seasonality in rural tourism destinations. We adopt a mixed research approach to explore the sustainable livelihoods of households in rural tourism destinations from a seasonality perspective, using the case of rural tourism destinations in Yulong River basin, Guangxi, China. First, in-depth interviews and grounded theory are used to construct a sustainable livelihood model for households in rural tourism destinations under the influence of seasonality. Second, the model is tested using the data envelopment analysis model and statistical analysis. We find that (1) psychological capital, a previously neglected livelihood capital, is an important component of rural households’ livelihood capital in rural tourism destinations under the influence of seasonality; (2) rural tourism does not significantly improve rural livelihoods due to seasonal influences; and (3) participating in tourism work in the off-season and combining it with other work practices are the main livelihood strategies of rural households to cope with seasonality; however, over-dispersing resources reduces the livelihood efficiency. This study’s findings will prove useful for policy formation by governments to deal with seasonality in rural tourism.

Air transportation and tourism interactions and actions for competitive destinations: the case of Cyprus

PurposeAir connectivity is one of the most important aspects of tourism development, especially for island state destinations (ISD) which rely on air travel for accessibility. The complexity of the tourism industry necessitates close interaction among involved stakeholders to ensure successful policy implementation of air transportation operations that facilitate tourism mobility at a destination.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper self-administered questionnaires in a structured format were distributed to 200 managers. Additionally, seven unstructured follow-up interviews were conducted to enrich the content and better support the conclusions.FindingsThe results of the study suggest that air transportation and connectivity are not fully integrated with tourism policy and strategy planning. Yet it is crucial that a stakeholder approach is adopted that accounts for the needs of diverse stakeholders and airline strategies, along with a diversified tourism policy that can establish Cyprus as year-round destination.Originality/valueThe role of the airline industry in overall tourism strategy and policy is examined and the unique problems and challenges ISDs like Cyprus face in developing as a tourism destination and overcoming tourism seasonality are underlined.