Cancer survivors’ experiences of a community-based cancer-specific exercise programme: results of an exploratory survey

Purpose Exercise levels often decline following cancer diagnosis despite growing evidence of its benefits. Treatment side-effects, older age, lack of confidence and opportunity to exercise with others in similar circumstances influence this. Our study explored the experiences of people attending a cancer-specific community-based exercise programme (CU Fitter™). Methods A survey distributed to those attending the programme gathered demographic/clinical information, self-reported exercise levels, information provision and barriers to/benefits of exercise. Results Sixty surveys were evaluable from 65/100 returned (62% female, 68% >60yrs, 66% breast/prostate cancer). Most (68%) were receiving treatment. 68% attended classes once or twice weekly. 55% received exercise advice after diagnosis, usually from their hospital doctor/nurse. More (73%) had read about exercising, but less used the internet to source information (32%). Self-reported exercise levels were higher currently than before diagnosis (p=0.05). 48% said their primary barrier to exercising was the physical impact of cancer/treatment. Improving fitness/health (40%) and social support (16%) were the most important gains from the programme. Many (67%) had made other lifestyle changes and intented to keep (50%), or increase (30%) exercising. Conclusions This community-based cancer-specific exercise approach engaged people with cancer and showed physical, psychological, and social benefits. Implications for cancer survivors Community grown exercise initiatives bring cancer survivors together creating their own supportive environment. Combining this with instructors familiar with the population and providing an open-ended service may prove particularly motivating and beneficial. Further work is required to provide evidence for this

Contemporary Asian Artistic Expressions and Tourism – An Introduction

This introductory chapter presents and critically discusses the various themes underpinning this book. Firstly, it provides an examination of the notion of ‘contemporary art’, including an overview of the existing definitions and debates in the current literature. Secondly, this chapter discusses the nexus between tourism and contemporary art by providing an overview of the past studies conducted on cultural and heritage tourism. In this section, the various themes underpinning the different parts of the literature on art tourism (e.g. identity, authenticity, commoditisation and capitalism) are considered. Thirdly, a discussion on the relationship between tourism and Asian contemporary art is presented, which also includes a part problematising and questioning terms like ‘Asia’ and ‘Asian art’. Finally, an overview of the different chapters that constitute the backbone of this collection is offered alongside the four themes around which the book is structured

What motivates and hinders people from travelling alone? A study of solo and non-solo travellers

Contemporary lifestyles and social changes have precipitated the popularity of solo travel. Despite the growing prominence of the solo travel market, it remains an under researched area. This study explores the definitions, motivations, and constraints of solo travel, taking into consideration both existing and potential solo travellers, and provides a gender-balanced investigation and subsequent in-depth understanding of the underlying factors that drive solo travel motivations and constraints. Interviews were conducted with 14 solo travellers and 14 non-solo travellers. The findings suggest that solo travel as an evolving and fluid concept, varies according to individual travel experiences and personal circumstances. Solo travel motivations can be broadly categorized into ‘solo by circumstances’ and ‘solo by choice’. Transformative experience, freedom, and flexibility are key motivators for solo travellers, while anticipated self-discovery and freedom inspire the potential solo travellers. Safety, cost, and social constraints emerged as the top three inhibitors impeding or constricting solo travel participation and experience. The findings reveal the institutionalization of solo travel and proclivity to join tours as strategies to build confidence and overcome safety and social constraints. Recommendations for the travel industry to cater to the solo travel market were also examined from the travellers’ perspectives.Full Tex

Risk perception of Asian solo female travellers: An autoethnographic approach

Griffith Business School, Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel ManagementNo Full Tex

Gender equality reporting in tourism

Despite the increasing acknowledgement of gender equality as the sustainable development goal, few studies explored how tourism organizations develop, measure and review gender equality initiatives in sustainability reporting. Through the document analysis of 67 corporate documents by 10 multinational hotels and 22 airlines, this study found that tourism corporations have substandard information on target (goal), process and recipients of gender equality initiatives. It is of concern because incomplete social reporting can be counter-productive if corporations appear to address social issues such as gender inequality without committed efforts. Informed by findings, a gender equality reporting framework is proposed for tourism researchers and practitioners to effectively measure, report, and benchmark tourism organizations’ gender equality performance and instigate meaningful and sustainable change.No Full Tex

An Art-Based Inquiry into the Perception of Tourism Impacts on Their Quality of Life: The Case of Cambodian Host-Children

While host-children are vulnerable to tourism impacts, the tourism literature has neglected how these impacts affect host-children’s quality of life (QOL). The concept of QOL is ambiguous, and the influence of a host-guest relationship on residents’ QOL has been overlooked. This paper addresses these gaps by exploring how host-children in a developing country perceive tourism impacts on their QOL, focusing on power dynamics in a host-guest relationship. Data were collected from 94 Cambodian host-children using qualitative methods, including drawings and group interviews. The findings revealed Cambodian host-children’s perceptions of tourism impacts over five life domains—material, learning opportunity, cultural pride, emotion, and child sex tourism/trafficking. Despite their perception of negative impacts, all host-children believed that tourism had improved their QOL. The paradox of QOL is explained through Bottom-up Spillover Theory incorporated with Social Exchange Theory. Practical implications for post-COVID and directions for future research are suggested.Full Tex

Enablers for empowerment: Saudi women’s employment in the events sector

A recent United Nations World Tourism Organisation publication, Regional report on women in tourism in the Middle East identified that the representation of women working in tourism in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is significantly below the global average. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) government is seeking to address this imbalance. The purpose of this research is to support this initiative, by determining how women’s workforce participation in the event sector can be encouraged. A qualitative study using a mix of case studies and semi-structured interviews with twelve personnel from within the event sector in KSA was conducted. Additional qualitative data was gathered from the authors’ participation in virtual gender-related tourism events and conferences. Thematic analysis indicated key findings which include the need for the KSA government and the corporate sector to promote a positive attitude towards women in the workplace. The cessation of activity in the sector, due to COVID-19, requires government and business leaders to develop a recovery plan that will continue to foster the empowerment of women in the sector. Without a recovery plan, there is a real risk that the gains in the empowerment of women in the sector will be lost.No Full Tex

Do constraint negotiation and self-construal affect solo travel intention? The case of Australia

Drawing on an Australian sample (n = 944), this study used PLS-SEM modeling approach to test the effect of motivations and constraints on solo travel intention by considering constraint negotiation. The study also examined the influence of self-construal and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on solo travel intention. The findings identify self-actualization, self-construal, and PBC as key drivers of solo travel intention. While interpersonal constraints negatively affect solo travel intention, negotiating structural constraints is more crucial in enabling the intention. Recommendations informed by the findings are provided to the travel industry for it to harness the full potential of the solo travel market.Full Tex

Children's learning processes in family travel: A narrative review through a social cognitive lens

While the significance of family travel in facilitating children's informal learning is widely recognized, current research overlooks how children learn during such journeys. This study adopts social cognitive theory (SCT) as its theoretical framework and conducts a narrative synthesis of the fragmented environmental, behavioural, and personal factors influencing children's learning processes in family travel. The synthesis results in an SCT-informed integrative framework for understanding children's learning processes in the context of family travel, identifying existing knowledge gaps, and outlining future research directions. Furthermore, this integrative framework advances SCT by examining long-term, multi-contextual learning experiences in the informal learning setting. The findings of this study provide valuable insights and practical advice for parents and tourism professionals seeking to optimize the educational benefits of family travel for children.Full Tex