An ESL Program with Laotian Refugees

This project is a report on an ESL program developed for and taught to a Laotian couple who arrived in Brattleboro, Vermont in December 1979. The program took place from January to March 1980. The purpose of this report is to present and discuss issues, incidents, suggestions and conclusions regarding the teaching of ESL to Laotian refugees which may be helpful to program organizers and teachers. The first part of the report details the refugee couple\u27s background before their arrival in Brattleboro. Next is a description of the process of organizing the program and establishing the classroom procedure. This is followed by details of teaching the program including the general problems faced in teaching illiterate and semi-illiterate Laotian adults. This report also details the various problems, choices and decisions that had to be made in teaching literacy, pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. There is then a description of the methods used in teaching each of the skills. Appendices include a partial sequence of the skills and samples of the literacy activities. Finally, a detailed bibliography of useful publications and resources is included

On AIPS++, a new astronomical information processing system

The AIPS system that has served the needs of the radio astronomical community remarkably well during the last 15 years is showing signs of age and is being replaced by a more modern system, AIPS++. As the name implies, AIPS++ will be developed in a object oriented fashion and will use C++ as its main programming language. The work is being done by a consortium of seven organizations, with coordinated activities worldwide. After a review of the history of the project to this date from management, astronomical and technical viewpoints, and the current state of the project, the paper concentrates on the tradeoffs implied by the choice of implementation style and the lessons we have learned, good and bad

Tourism\u27s Potential to Benefit Ecuador\u27s Poor

Tourism development has long been discussed as having potential to promote economic growth and alleviate poverty in developing countries. In an award-winning paper, Rosen College researchers Dr. Robertico Croes and Dr. Manuel Rivera use a new model - the Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), to assess the impact of tourism development using Ecuador as an example. Their focus? To examine whether the poor, in particular, benefit from increased levels of tourism

Tourism potential to benefit the poor: a social accounting matrix model applied to Ecuador

The study examines the distributional effects of tourism expansion applying a Social Accounting Matrix model to the case of Ecuador. Specifically the study examines what share of tourism expansion benefits poor people. The study finds that tourism has large multiplier effects on the Ecuadorian economy and has the potential for substantial benefits to the poor. The study also found that distributional effects of tourism development are spread across all household incomes in both urban and rural areas benefiting the lowest and low households the most. Tourism has the potential of reducing inequality and is pro-poor in the case of Ecuador. Benefits to the poor seem to hinge on how and where tourists spend their money

Testing the impact of tourism on competitiveness: the case of Puerto Rico

This study examines the empirical relationship between tourism and the competitiveness of a destination. It uses the cointegration and error correction model (ECM) in a bivariate context as a precondition to apply the Granger causality test. This procedure was carried out in the case of Puerto Rico\u27s tourism industry during 1960–2004. The study found cointegration in the intertemporal rather than the contemporaneous effects, as well as a one-directional causality running from changes in tourism spending to changes in competitiveness. This result highlights the long-run equilibrium spending behaviour of tourists as a major concern of destination managers

Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival: Through The Looking Glass

The study was commissioned by Fundashon Bon Intenshon (FBI), through its sole Director and Founder, Mr. Gregory Elias, and was conducted through an intercept survey on site during the two major concerts on August 30 and 31, 2013. The study was carried out by the Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies (DPITS) of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. This is the fourth time in a row that the DPITS conducts the study on behalf of FBI. This report documents the economic contribution and the experience of the international visitors attending the Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival (CNSJF). The CNSJF\u27 music pre-eminence and performance is well known and is exposed through multiple publications by the international media. The CNSJF economic contributions provide a major spurt to the tourism sector in Curacao. The 2013 festival featured two major concerts on August 30 and August 31. The current study differs from the previous three reports in terms of the economic impact of the festival in that the focus of attention is only on the spending behavior and impact of the international visitors. The festival\u27s context The 2013 festival was surrounded by uncertainty which affected the attendance to the festival. The confluence of the ongoing recession in the Netherlands and the supply-side constraints in the Curacao tourism industry put pressure on this year\u27s festival. For example, the weak spending behavior of the Dutch market spurred by the economic recession was greatly felt in the attendance at this year\u27s festival. The Dutch economy has shrunk over the past two years and there seems no end in sight regarding its downward trend. The economic recovery is feeble and employment continues to suffer. The weak economy has significantly reduced the vacation intentions of the Dutch (1) to the extent that the Dutch inbound markets have experienced a strong dip in number of Dutch travelers (2). Another unexpected external factor that affected the attendance at the festival was the sudden bankruptcy of the Curacao carrier Dutch Antilles Express (DAE). This bankruptcy significantly affected the accessibility to Curacao from nearby markets such as Aruban festival aficionados. Due to capacity constraints and the short time notice it was not possible to quickly find an alternative carrier to fill the void in the market

Perceptions, Behaviors & the Economic Impact of Tourism in Curacao

The Curacao Tourist Board commissioned the Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida to conduct an analysis of tourists\u27 perceptions with regard to the Curacao tourism product, the tourist profile, and the spending behavior of tourists frequenting the island. In addition, the CTB requested that the DPI provided recommendations to the CTB regarding the enhancement of the tourist data collection process, the data analysis, and the re-design of the Tourist Exit Survey itself. Of the 3,390 survey respondents assessed according to year (2007 = 1,938; 2008 = 1,452}, most of the respondents ranged from the ages of 15 to 40 years old, and more than 60% of the tourists visiting the island listed leisure as their main motive for travel. More than SO% of the tourists earned an annual salary of less than USD30,000. Regarding the types of accommodations used by tourists 65% stayed in hotels and 25% stayed with friends and relatives. Additionally, the average length of stay was seven days and the average party size was 1.77 persons. The average tourist spent USD847 in 2007 during a week, while in 2008 the average spending per tourist was USD750. The American tourist spent more per day while the Dutch tourist spent more per stay. The statistics revealed that a large majority of the tourists arriving to the island received their information from travel agencies. The concentration of tourist activities was primarily the downtown area and the beaches. In addition to visiting the downtown area and the beaches popular activities/sites that tourists participated in or visited included the following: Sea Aquarium, the West side area, the Dolphin Academy, and the Hato Caves. Many of the tourists indicated that they liked the weather, the people and the infrastructure the most while visiting the island. Ironically, the people and the infrastructure of the island are also two of the most least liked components of the tourist product. The DPI determined that while the satisfaction levels of the tourists were extremely high the likelihood of repeat visitation indicated a declining trend with more frequent visits. Not only is there a declining trend in the repeat visitation of the tourists but there is also a declining trend in spending behavior. The DPI has provided numerous tables and figures to illustrate the statistics of the tourist s\u27 visiting profiles. We have also provided written assessment and recommendations as well as a draft survey that the CTB may use to enhance the reliability and efficiency of information flow to support the CTB\u27s marketing intelligence. The Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies would like to acknowledge the support and assistance from Ms. Christine Campagnard, MIS Research Assistant at the CTB, for the completion of this study

Curacao: Building on the Power of the Past

Curaçao faces hard choices in the upcoming years. High unemployment (especially among the youth), a stagnant economy, and low confidence levels may spiral the island into dangerous socio-economic waters. These domestic challenges are occurring in the midst of the global economic uncertainties that have been triggered by a shaky Chinese economy, a weakened European Union and Euro, and the deepening economic travails and budget problems of Brazil and Venezuela. Yet, despite these challenges, Curaçao has made great strides in the tourism sector compared to other economic sectors on the island. The tourism sector demonstrated resilience against outside shocks and was able to steadily increase its prominence in Curaçao’s economy. In fact, today, its share of the island’s economy is nearly 18% of the total economy, impacting every economic sector on the island. In addition, the tourism sector has become a substantial source of employment on the island. Nearly 23% of jobs are created and sustained directly or indirectly by the tourism sector. With its buoyant growth, the tourism sector has mushroomed in the past fifteen years. It is more mature, more desired by tourists, and discloses more promise for the future. Curaçao’s tourism product has changed significantly over time with regard to the product portfolio, market segment mix, and the industry’s overall contribution to the economy. So, fittingly, the current tourism product seems to possess a composition of experiences that are evaluated by tourists as favorable. This favorable evaluation is shared by both actual tourists: those who have visited Curaçao within one year, and those potential tourists who have not visited Curaçao but have visited the Caribbean within the last five years

Curacao North Sea Jazz & Destination Convergence: A Harbinger Beckoning?

The CNSJF was held at the World Trade Center in Curaçao on September 3-5, 2015, marking the 6th annual CNSJF. This year’s festival offered, similar to the previous year, a unique promotion with one free admission to a show on Thursday night (September 3) featuring Juanes and Oscar de Leon. Friday and Saturday featured an impressive line-up of twenty-five top performers including Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriters John Legend and Lionel Ritchie, R&B legends The Isley Brothers, Grammy-winning star jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson, Enrique Iglesias, and Usher. The festival attracted 7,216 international tourists mainly from the Netherlands, the USA, Venezuela, Colombia, Aruba, and Suriname. The typical attendee was representative of Gen X, enjoying a high level of income and education. Their travel party size was 1.73 which was significantly lower than the previous year and they stayed for nearly a week at the host destination. Nearly one out of four attendees were single and female, which reveals that the festival has a strong appeal to this specific lifestyle segment. Most respondents were reasonably familiar with Curaçao as a tourist destination; but, for nearly three out of four respondents, the CNSJF was the primary reason for their visit to Curaçao. Half of the respondents attended the festival before revealing strong loyalty to the festival. Respondents were clearly pleased with their experiences at both the CNSJF and the host destination. Satisfaction and behavioral intentions to recommend CNSJF and Curaçao to others was also strong. The spending per person per trip exceeded last year’s spending by more than US$600 per trip, amounting for a total spending of US$2,155.00. The spending per day per person was US$311. Last year’s respondents reported spending US$254 per day, which means that spending this year surpassed the year before by 22.5%. This year’s spending exceeded the spending per day per person of a typical tourist visiting Curacao by more than three times. Hotels and restaurants captured almost half of total attendees’ spending. Compared to the previous year, spending in hotels increased by 69%, while spending in restaurants swelled by an immense 85.4%. The other two categories that also benefited the most were car rentals and nightlife, where spending per trip per person was US$183 and US$176 respectively. Spending in hotels, restaurants, car rentals, and nightlife soared by the highest amounts compared to the previous years. The increase in spending may be attributed to the festivals’ high satisfaction level, the smaller travel party size, and longer stays. Nearly ninety-five percent of respondents were satisfied with the festival, while nine out of ten respondents reported a desire to return to the festival and to recommend it to anyone who asks. The festival was able to increase the attendees’ length of stay by nearly one week. This was due to the extension of the concert nights from two to three, as well as to the staging of multiple events outside the festival. The substantial spending surge spawned significant spillovers into the local economy. The total direct impact was US$8.7 million, while the total indirect spending was US$7.2 million for a total economic impact of US$15.9 million. This year’s total economic contribution surpassed last year’s contribution by US$1.5 million. Due to the lack of household income data, Curaçao’s economic model does not allow for the inclusion of the festival’s induced effects. Had this data been available, the economic impact would have been much higher. The highlight of this year’s festival is the seeming convergence between the festival and the host destination. The report last year expressed concern that “The ongoing and growing mismatch between the value of the festival and the value of the destination is endangering the viability of the festival.” More events outside of the festival have been staged this year, such as the Punda Downtown Jazz Festival, the multiple hotel after parties, and events at local cafes. Stakeholders other than the festival organizer have realized that for the CNSJF to stay sustainable over time more entertainment opportunities that blend with the festival should be developed. The festival has finally been able to change the perceptions regarding the host destination as is revealed by visitors’ intentions to return to the host destination. For example, nearly 60% of respondents positively answered the question, “If the festival did not occur, would you still come to Curaçao?” Blending offerings that are staged outside the festival provides the host destination with the opportunity to take advantage of the economics that unique enterprises may bring. This, then, may enhance the destination brand with creative initiatives beyond that of sun, sand, and sea and into “beautiful nights in Curacao.” Though it is hopeful that we are seeing signs of convergence between the festival and the host destination through the initial offerings, the efforts for this convergence are only surfacing. However, while signs of convergence between the destination and the festival are evident it is important for all stakeholders to maintain rigorous strides in order to fully align the high quality of the festival to that of the destination