Establishing Influence Areas of Attractions in Rural Destinations

This research provides a critical approach to the assessment and evaluation of traditional administratively based tourism destinations. It suggests the abandonment of tourist destinations understood as all-inclusive administratively defined areas, readjusting to a more flexible model tied to tourists’ travel patterns. Given the centrality of attractions, the flows that attractions are able to generate from neighbouring accommodation hubs explains an important share of the way a destination is consumed. Based on three rural case studies, this research investigates within-destination travel patterns, focusing on the relationship between accommodation hubs and attractions as represented by visitor flows. The graphical representation of flows enables, firstly, the identification of influence areas of attractions which traverse administrative boundaries and overlap with those of other attractions, and secondly, the factors affecting the influence areas of attractions. Finally the application of a distance decay curve approach clarifies the relationship between accommodations and the visiting of attractions

Governing geospatial aspects of smart destination development: The case of Novi Sad, Serbia

The development of smart cities and destinations heavily relies on geospatial technologies and intelligence. Geospatial aspects encompass location-based data and tools and are of significant importance in governing smart tourism destinations. This paper investigates the geospatial elements involved in the development of smart tourism destinations, by analyzing smart projects implemented in Novi Sad, Serbia. The theoretical framework draws upon the fields of geoinformatics, urban planning, and smart city development. Research conducted in Novi Sad reveals that the majority of smart initiatives, solutions, projects, and practices are geospatially oriented. To enhance the governing of smart cities, the paper introduces a comprehensive and adaptable catalogue of smart projects, which is easily navigable and comprehensible

(SA)6: A new framework for the analysis of smart tourism destinations. A comparative case study of two Spanish destinations

The adoption of technology in tourism has changed destinations’ communication and created the emergence of a new concept: Smart Tourism Destinations (STDs). The growing trend of STDs has been an increasingly relevant research topic. However, its novelty, together with rapid changes in the tourism field, has caused many difficulties to researchers and policy-makers. This paper aims to present a framework of analysis of STDs, afterwards, to test it in two destinations with different characteristics and level of smartness, finally, to specify which dimensions are more important and difficult to implement by the STDs. The results show that big and small destinations are facing different challenges in their smart tourism plans. The most important aspects of the framework of analysis are accessibility and management. Some issues, such as the availability of wi-fi, tourism website, mobile applications and public transportation are considered the basic features for any destination willing to be smart.La adopción de la tecnología en el turismo ha cambiado la comunicación de los destinos y ha creado la aparición de un nuevo concepto: Smart Tourism Destinations (STDs). Los STDs son un tema de investigación de creciente relevancia. Sin embargo, su novedad, junto con los cambios rápidos en el campo del turismo, causa dificultades a los investigadores y a los responsables políticos. Este trabajo presenta un marco de análisis de los STDs, lo prueba en dos destinos con diferentes características, y especifica qué dimensiones son más importantes y difíciles de implementar por los STDs. Los resultados muestran que los destinos grandes y pequeños se enfrentan a diferentes desafíos. Los aspectos más importantes del marco de análisis son la accesibilidad y la gestión. Algunas cuestiones, como la disponibilidad de wi-fi, sitio web de turismo, aplicaciones móviles y transporte público se consideran las características básicas para cualquier destino dispuesto a ser inteligente

Characterizing outdoor recreation user groups:a typology of peri-urban recreationists in the Kromme Rijn area, the Netherlands

Increasing urbanization accompanied by a growing demand for recreational use of peri-urban green spaces is likely to cause land-use conflicts. The nature of these conflicts is subject to the heterogeneous preferences of outdoor recreationists. Although the importance of diversifying between recreational user groups has been acknowledged in the literature, most studies - and especially studies on landscape preferences - focus on specific user groups and are not operationalized for creating a recreationist typology. This study presents a typology on case-study level accounting for variations in landscape preferences, visitation behavior, and socio-demographic information. The typology is based on data originating from a structured questionnaire with a total of 200 respondents. It is constructed by employing two commonly used data-driven methods for typology development: PCA of preferences for landscape characteristics and cluster analysis of all data (landscape preferences, visitation behavior and socio-economic variables) to derive alternative typologies. Comparing the results of both types of analysis leads to a consistent picture of the main differences between three distinct outdoor recreation user groups which we refer to as ‘the convenience recreationist’, ‘the day tripper’ and ‘the culture/nature recreationist’. The first user group prefers convenient, short-term recreation, close to home. The second group is characterized by clear preferences for one-day recreational activities and destinations, while the last group is mainly defined by its strong interest in culture and nature. Our study identified large variations in outdoor recreation preferences and recreation needs between these three user groups. Understanding the heterogeneity of recreation preferences can help to articulate effective landscape management strategies, targeted to ensure the multi-functional character of peri-urban landscapes for different types of users

Smart destinations and the evolution of ICTs: a new scenario for destination management?

[EN] The impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on tourism and their foreseeable future evolution seem to be shaping a new scenario for destination management. This new context has given rise to the need for new management models. One of these models is the emerging smart tourism destination (STD), although it requires greater conceptual precision in order to become a new paradigm for destination management. This paper proposes a systemic model for STDs which facilitates the interpretation of the role of ICTs in the management of tourism destinations. Accordingly, the Delphi technique has been applied so as to determine the opinion of experts regarding the feasibility of the STD approach, its advantages and limitations and also the size of the impact of ICTs on the management and marketing of tourism destinations. This prospective exercise highlights the intensification of the impact of ICTs over the coming years which will shape a new scenario for management characterised by technology and data management. However, the efficiency of the STD approach will not depend exclusively only on technology but also on an appropriate governance of the destination that systematically incorporates the three levels of the STD, namely the strategic¿relational, instrumental and applied levels.This research has been carried out within the framework of the project "New approaches for tourism destinations planning and management: conceptualization, case studies and problems. Definition of smart tourist destinations models" (CSO2014-59193-R) under the Spanish National R&D&I Plan financed by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.Ivars-Baidal, JA.; Celdrán-Bernabeu, MA.; Mazón, JN.; Perles Ivars, A. (2019). Smart destinations and the evolution of ICTs: a new scenario for destination management?. 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Seaport Vulnerability to Criminal Networks: A Mixed Method Approach to Measuring Criminological Vulnerability in the Top 30 U.S. Container Ports

Seaports form a unique space for criminological examination. As the locus points for the majority of international and domestic trade criminal network access to a port can provide outsized benefits. While ports are physical spaces they are underlined by complex systems incorporating public and private agencies, companies and small entities. Underlying the administrative and logistical activity at the port is a jurisdictional web of public and private security regulatory agencies. The complexity of the environment creates vulnerabilities that criminal networks can use to gain access to ports. This dissertation developed a Seaport Vulnerability Framework (SVF), developed from the rational choice and situational crime prevention literature with a multi-disciplinary focus that allows security stakeholders to identify whether a port is at risk of utilization by criminal networks. The SVF is used to measure and analyze criminological vulnerability in the top 30 U.S. container seaports and in-depth in a case study at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Finally, I examine the implications of the SVF for port and maritime security policy and port security assessments in the U.S. and worldwide

The GHG emission reduction toolkit : a case study of Blacktown City, Australia

This PhD thesis is in line with Australia’s national policy of a 26-28% reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions to 2005 levels. According to a review of its climate change policy in 2017, the Australian Government is committed to tackling climate change, while maintaining a strong economy, providing affordable energy and security for industries. This requires new initiatives in existing technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or the emergence of new technologies altogether. Whatever the strategy, the final goal is to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. This national target is now disseminated among different sectors and governmental bodies in Australia, requesting them to submit their action plans against climate change. This includes all Australian City Councils and incorporates Blacktown City Council as the Case Study for this study. As part of the Blacktown City Council’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this research study is the result of collaboration between the Council and Western Sydney University. The authorities of both sides have signed a research collaboration agreement, ample evidence of a local university tackling local problems. This research agreement is unique as it opens a door for other local Councils to collaborate with universities. Blacktown City Council, on the other side of this agreement, can improve its body of knowledge through a comprehensive investigation of greenhouse gas mitigation using its available tools. Therefore, this research study developed a toolkit to help reduce the Council’s GHG Emission