Labour Market Developments in the Maritime Industry of the South Baltic Region

There are two aims of this study. The first is to outline the developments in the maritime economy and employment in the South Baltic Region, and the second to identify the emerging activities in the maritime industry and to reveal the prospects and potential for labour market development, taking into account the demand for labour, required professions, qualifications of the labour force, and feasible cross-border mobility. This comparative study refers to four EU Baltic coast regions, namely the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (D), Zachodniopomorskie (PL), Pomorskie (PL) and Klaipeda (LT) regions. Prospects for the economic development and employment potential specified for each region and selected segments of the maritime economy are consequently elaborated. The analysis of the maritime economy in the South Baltic Region reveals some crucial differences in terms of strategic maritime activities and employment potential and prospects for each of the regions. The phenomenon of the diverse demand for labour force through the various segments of the maritime economy and by region has been identified and is presented in the form of a comprehensive matrix of the projected demand for labour.Dwa główne cele badań, to analiza stanu gospodarki morskiej i zatrudnienia w Rejonie Południowego Bałtyku oraz zidentyfikowanie sektorów gospodarki morskiej wykazujących potencjał dla rozwoju i określenie wpływu, jaki będzie to miało na zatrudnienie i wymagane kwalifikacje zawodowe, a także na możliwości wymiany międzyregionalnej pracowników. Badania porównawcze przeprowadzono dla czterech nadmorskich regionów UE, a mianowicie Meklemburgii-Przedpomorza Przedniego(D), województw: Zachodniopomorskiego i Pomorskiego (PL) oraz Regionu Kłajpedy (LT). Wskazano na perspektywy rozwoju gospodarczego poszczególnych segmentów gospodarki morskiej i ustalono związany z tym wpływ na rynki pracy w poszczególnych regionach. Analiza porównawcza poszczególnych segmentów gospodarki morskiej Rejonu Południowego Bałtyku umożliwiła zidentyfikowanie różnic w możliwościach ich rozwoju i w efektach popytu na pracę i na kwalifikacje zawodowe dla każdego z regionów. Zjawisko zróżnicowanego potencjału rozwoju rynków pracy w wyróżnionych segmentach gospodarki morskiej w ujęciu międzyregionalnym przedstawiono w formie wielokryterialnych macierzy prognoz popytu na pracę

Estimating community benefits from tourism: The case of Carpentaria Shire

The small rural communities in Australia's tropical savanna landscapes depend upon the region's natural resources for income and employment. Historically primary industries - including mining, grazing and, in the case of coastal communities, fishing - have been the pillars of economic activity in those regions. More recently, tourism has emerged as an additional nature-based industry, which offers new development and employment opportunities for populations in remote regions. Net benefits from tourism accrue from the balance of economic, social and environmental interactions of tourists with a destination. This paper presents a model of tourism impact in the Carpentaria shire of North West Queensland. A methodology is developed for tracking and quantifying social, economic and environmental impacts. Data from an in-progress research project are presented and analysed to test the hypothesis that community benefits could be improved without an increase in visitor numbers, by changing the composition of visitors to the region. Interpretations are offered as to how both, sectorial and regional planning and management can effect improved community benefits from tourism.tourism impact, net benefit, savanna regions, destination management, host community, grey nomads, Environmental Economics and Policy, Marketing,

Building knowledge for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote tourism: key visitor markets and opportunities in remote Australia

This report  provides an overview of various visitor markets relevant to remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people involved in tourism. The report accumulates this information for CRC-REP stakeholders to update existing market knowledge and stimulate remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to consider broad development opportunities based on accessible visitor segments. The report divides the market descriptions into two categories: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism, and remote tourism. The third section of the report provides a snapshot of visitor segments in three different destination regions of remote Australia.Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism market segments include international and domestic visitors, with the key international visitor markets including Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Korea. Visitor numbers from many of these countries have reduced in recent years, and overall international Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism visitor numbers have also declined. However, there has been growth in visitors from China. Statistics and research about domestic markets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism show that this segment has also recorded a downward trend in recent years. Other challenges for the domestic market include matching Aboriginal tourism experiences with domestic visitor expectations.The report also draws attention to a range of remote tourism visitor segments, including four-wheel drivers, caravanners and campers, grey nomads, volunteers, wildlife visitors, fishing enthusiasts and ecotourists. The needs of each segment offer diverse tourism development opportunities, and the information in this report may stimulate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people involved in tourism to cater to segments accessible in their regions. Finally, the report discusses visitor segments in three destination regions of remote Australia. It highlights that while different regions can share some visitor segments, the diversity of remote Australia requires decision making that combines localised insight with an understanding of remote tourism.Although it presents a brief outline of many remote visitor segments, this report is unable to specify visitor segments and tourism initiatives relevant to every destination region of remote Australia, because decision makers must determine the unique tourism potential specific to their region

ISER Working Paper 2009.1

In this report we calculate the economic importance of nature-based tourism in Southeast Alaska as measured by business revenue. Our estimates are based on field research conducted during 2005, 2006 and 2007. We define nature-based tourism as those tourism activities for which the natural environment is a significant input.1 Our key findings include the following: • Nature-based tourism generates about $277 million per year of direct business revenues in Sitka, Juneau, Chichagof Island, Prince of Wales Island, Petersburg and Wrangell. This number is most likely an underestimate of total revenues because not all naturebased tourism businesses and business sectors could be included in our estimates. Our numbers do not include tips – which in some businesses might add 25taxes and fess paid directly to local governments. In addition, the especially rainy weather of 2006 probably caused abnormally low sales for some businesses. • Average revenue per visitor varies considerably among communities and activities; ranging from about$140 per visitor in Juneau to more than $2,600 per visitor on Prince of Wales Island. These differences reflect the range of activities offered -- from half-day excursions to multiple, overnight all-inclusive lodge stays. • Nature-based tourism expenditures create a significant economic ripple effect that keeps money circulating through the economy. This money supports jobs in marketing, support services, food and beverages, accommodations, fuel sales, government, and other sectors. • Communities are clearly striving to differentiate themselves and capitalize on local amenities such as the Stikine River, Anan Creek, the LeConte Glacier, Tracy Arm, Glacier Bay, Pack Creek and exceptional fishing and scenic opportunities. • A large and growing portion of Southeast Alaska’s visitors are cruise ship passengers. Both cruise passengers and independent travelers are similarly interested in nature-based tourism services. The majority of cruise ship shore excursions offer nature-based activities, from hikes and glacier viewing to flightseeing and forest canopy zip lines. • Communities hosting large numbers of cruise passengers are actively developing new and creative tourism products such as forest canopy zip lines and mountain biking while those with fewer visitors tend to be focused on sport fishing. This appears to be the case even if local amenities exist to support a broader range of business and visitor activities. Thus, there appear to be unrealized opportunities in some communities, but these may also reflect an inadequate visitor base upon which to risk additional investment. • There is a complex and competitive system for pre-booking cruise ship shore excursions. Businesses with exclusive cruise line contracts make price and tour information available only to cruise passengers and often agree to sell tours only through the cruise line.• The tourism businesses in cruise ports of call that appear to be most successful either have a cruise ship shore excursion contract or are catering to overnight (non-cruise) guests with high-quality and high-value services. Examples of these types of businesses include sport fishing lodges and multi-day yacht cruises. • It is difficult to compete with established businesses holding existing cruise line contracts. Despite this hurdle, a number of companies are offering creative new products including zip lines through the forest canopy, glass-bottomed boats, and an amphibious “duck” tour. • Some operators attribute the increased interest in adventure activities to a change in cruise ship clientele. In recent years, cruise companies have been catering to a younger crowd, targeting families. In any event, increasing numbers of passengers are interested in more active pursuits. • Competition for cruise passengers exists both within and between communities, as people are booking their shore excursions in advance and look at all the options. Sitka companies mentioned they were carefully tracking zip line activity in Juneau and Ketchikan, dogsled tours on the Mendenhall Glacier, and other activities to see which market niche they could capture. • There is some evidence that visitors are willing to pay premium prices for higher quality experiences in more pristine environments. However, it is not clear what specific attributes (seclusion, fishing experience, food, services, perceived exclusivity, and environmental amenities) are the key components of this higher market value. • It is possible to design a community-based tourism program that provides employment to local residents as is occurring in Hoonah. However, Elfin Cove appears to bring in more in gross revenues than Hoonah with about one-eighth as many visitors because Hoonah’s operation relies on volume while Elfin Cove businesses rely on higher-priced fishing lodge experiences. Day trips seem to be relatively higher cost, lower profit operations. • Independent travelers appear to try to avoid crowds and many are repeat visitors. Most tend to stay longer and have more open itineraries than those on cruise ships or organized tours. These characteristics make independent travelers more difficult to contact. • Independent travelers also appear to seek communities with fewer visitors and those that they perceive to be more “authentic,” such as Petersburg, Wrangell, and communities on Chichagof Islands. A lack of transportation capacity, whether on scheduled jets or on ferries, may be limiting the opportunities for these smaller communities. Less marketing may also be a factor limiting visits by independent travelers. • The primary marketing mechanisms for smaller, non-cruise related businesses are the internet and word of mouth. In addition, many customers return to the same fishing lodge, yacht tour, or charter business year after year. • Wildlife viewing is highly attractive to visitors due to spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife including whales and other marine mammals. Companies in several communities expressed a desire to move toward more wildlife viewing and sightseeing and away from sport fishing. These operators preferred wildlife viewing as it was less stressful due to less pressure to catch fish. Some operators were making this shift, while others thought they would not be able to match the revenue generated by sport fishing. • Weather has a significant impact on business for companies whose tours are not prebooked on cruise ships. Operators noted a marked difference between the sunny, dry summer of 2004 and the remarkably wet summer of 2006. Visitors walking off a ship in the rain were much less likely to go on marine tours or hikes in soggy conditions, and seasonal revenues were down. Businesses with cruise contracts did not experience this setback as passengers are not reimbursed for pre-sold tours when weather conditions are poor. The one exception was flightseeing, where companies had to cancel tours due to unsafe weather conditions. • Promoting wildlife watching is an important marketing strategy for Southeast Alaska communities. Visitors bureaus currently produce pamphlets with charismatic large animals, such as whales and bears. Bureau staff cited studies showing the desire to see wildlife was attracting a large portion of out-of-state visitors. • A significant policy question emerging from this research is how the public lands might be managed to increase the economic returns from tourism to residents of Southeast Alaska communities, especially the smaller communities that can only accommodate smaller numbers of visitors at one time. Bear viewing is one example of a high-value activity that depends on controlled access to specific infrastructure.Alaska Conservation Foundation. University of Alaska Foundation. The Wilderness Society.Executive Summary / Introduction / Methods / Ketchikan / Juneau / Sitka / Norther Southeast Alaska Yachts / Chichagof Island / Prince of Wales Island / Petersburg / Wrangell / Conclusion

Visiting friends and relatives distinguishing between the two groups: The case of Hamilton, New Zealand

Within tourism the term visiting ‘friends and relatives' (VFR) is used with little distinction between the two components of ‘friends' and ‘relatives'. This paper examines the proposition that significant differences exist, and provides evidence of such differences derived from a survey of 763 respondents collected over a four month period. Although these differences are small, they indicate that those visiting friends are more likely to visit bars, night clubs and casinos than relatives; and relatives are more likely to visit gardens. Of particular importance is that specific patterns emerged as to attraction attendance and that age of visitor is perhaps more important than status as a ‘friend' or a ‘relative'. The data comprise both quantitative and qualitative forms. The former are analyzed by utilizing descriptive statistics, while the latter are analyzed using CATPAC software based on the principles of neural network analysis. A conceptual model is suggested to provide an insight into the phenomenon

Coastal Capital -- Economic Valuation of Coral Reefs in Tobago and St. Lucia

Presents findings on the economic benefits of coral reefs to the local economies of Tobago and St. Lucia, using a new, broadly applicable methodology that focuses on benefits to tourism, fisheries, and shoreline protection. Includes policy applications

Hawaii's Marine Fisheries: Some History, Long-term Trends, and Recent Developments

This paper provides an overview of Hawaii's marine fisheries from 1948 to the present. After three decades of decline following a brief period of growth at the conclusion to World War lI, Hawaii's commercial fisheries began a decade of sustained development in the 1980's. At the same time, fisheries management issues became more significant as different segments of the fishery came into more direct competition. This paper provides new estimates of commercial landings for the 1977-90 period, and summarizes limited information on recreational and subsistence fisheries in the 1980's. It also provides some historical context which may be useful in evaluating fishery development and management options

Strategies and Resources for Integrated Community Sustainability Planning in St. Paul’s, NL

Under the Federal Gas Tax Agreement, Canadian municipalities are required to complete an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) by March, 2010. Integration and sustainability are two key concepts that have become the foundation of recent models for community planning. The purpose of such planning is to provide a broad, long‐term plan for a community that will help it maximize economic and social benefits, without depleting the environmental resources upon which community members depend. Like many coastal communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, St. Paul’s is currently facing many challenges to future sustainability. The town also has opportunities to develop linkages between its many assets in order to build a stronger community. This document discusses some of these challenges and opportunities in the context of integrated community sustainability planning. The document also includes strategies and resources that St. Paul’s, and other, similar coastal communities can use to develop linkages between community assets