Using systems thinking to improve tourism and hospitality research quality and relevance: a critical review and conceptual analysis

This paper argues that that much published tourism and hospitality research has had little influence on tourism or hospitality practice especially with regard to the problems of sustainability because of a failure to use systems thinking to guide research questions and approaches. This critical review and conceptual paper demonstrates how a systems thinking approach could be used to improve both the relevance of, and theoretical development in, tourism and hospitality research in the area of sustainability. This paper reviewed recent published research into tourism's social impacts to demonstrate the power of taking a systems approach to map out the research problem area. It then critically reviewed the use of concepts from psychology in published research into guest engagement in sustainability programs in hospitality businesses to demonstrate the value of systems thinking for organising theoretical concepts. In both of the reviewed areas the overwhelming conclusion was that the majority of the research lacked both practical relevance and was based on inappropriate or deficient theoretical understanding

The story turn in tourism: forces and futures

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight the rise of stories in tourism practice, identify the forces that are supporting and directing this story turn and argue for tourism researchers to pay greater attention to this new development. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based on a general review of academic and professional literature on marketing practice and experience design in tourism and an audit of destination marketing materials using story or story telling in their campaigns. Findings: This paper identifies three forces supporting a story turn in tourism: building on the experiential approach to tourism; the rise of mobile social media, user generated content and gamification; and the Asian Wave in tourism. Originality/value: This paper identifies a story turn in current tourism practice and reviews the increasing awareness of the value of stories in psychology, sociology and anthropology research, to suggest how this story turn may influence the nature of both tourism practice and research in the future

Guidelines for Managing Mainland Chinese Tourists to National Parks 2107

[Extract] This report aims to provide an educational tool for QPWS about cultural and national differences related to protected area management and offer guidelines on how to respond to these differences to ensure protected areas are managed under the principles of ecological sustainability. This aim evolved out of an internship program developed between JCU Business and QPWS in response to management issues raised at Green Island National Park. The program provided Chinese speaking interns to assist with communication of minimal impact and safety behaviours to Mainland Chinese package tourists. The report reviews the available published evidence on Mainland Chinese tourists and incorporates lessons learnt from the Green Island program to date. This report focuses on characteristics and issues likely to be relevant to all Mainland Chinese international tourists and also examines elements specific to First Wave tourists as they are the current dominant group likely to be encountered in national parks in Queensland now and for the foreseeable future

Once upon a time: the impact of storytelling on connecting people to natural landscapes

Humans use stories to explain natural processes, to explore alternatives, to resolve issues, and to imagine different possibilities and futures. Stories are a fundamental way people connect to their natural surroundings. But are some stories better for this than others? This study uses an experimental design to explore the impact of three types of stories on perceptions of natural landscapes. Using photographs of four diverse landscapes and four story conditions (no story, a story with a scientific focus, a European human story, and an Indigenous creation story), 733 respondents were exposed to one of 16 conditions and asked to rate landscape perception and preference and intention to visit. Stories, particularly those with a scientific or Indigenous creation focus, enhanced the appeal of the landscapes. Key elements of the stories that may have enhanced respondents’ perceptions of, preferences for, and intentions to visit a particular landscape are proposed

Rethinking Interpretation to Support Sustainable Tourist Experiences in Protected Natural Areas

Interpretation in protected natural areas can minimize visitors’ negative environmental impacts and encourage them to adopt sustainable practices at and beyond tourist sites. Despite this, interpretation has typically focussed on showcasing the specific features of natural areas rather than using these features as a resource for sustainability education more broadly. We argue that designing effective interpretation for complex issues such as sustainability is challenging and that new approaches may be needed. This paper reports on a front-end evaluation study that used online archival analysis and participant observation to assess the viability of an interpretive approach that requires no additional site hardening, is widely accessible, and focuses on fungi as a topic that can be easily connected to sustainability action beyond the site. Guidelines for developing effective interpretation in natural areas and practical implications of using this approach to link local places to global sustainability are also discussed

Eco-fatigue and its potential impact on sustainable tourist experiences

Sustainability leaders in tourism have begun to focus attention on building sustainability into their guest experience and using these experiences to encourage sustainability action beyond both their individual businesses and the tourists’ own travels. This argument that tourism needs to contribute to sustainability beyond the tourist experience has been made by several authors and is usually linked to either the idea of including sustainability education/information in the tourist experience (Moscardo & Hughes, 2018; Weaver, 2014) or to claims that there is increasing consumer demand for sustainability in tourist experiences (Buffa, 2015; Lopez-Sanchez & Pulido-Fernandez, 2016). The label of eco-fatigue has been used to describe the idea that people have become weary of discussions about sustainability, pessimistic about the future of sustainability, and distrustful of business claims about sustainability. This concept of eco-fatigue challenges both the claim that there is increasing demand for sustainable tourist experiences and the argument that sustainable tourism experiences should include and/or encourage sustainability learning and action beyond tourism. The concept of eco-fatigue has been given almost no attention in the academic tourism literature but is well-established in popular discussions of sustainability action (Turtle, 2008). The present paper reports on an exploratory study that examines both the nature of eco-fatigue and demand for sustainable tourist experiences

Fun with fungi in the forest: making tourist experiences more sustainable with quality interpretation

For many years tourism has been criticized for its negative impacts on the natural and built environment; impacts that range from pollution, litter and erosion to habitat destruction, wildlife disturbance and graffiti. Yet tourism has also been championed as a way to increase public awareness of environmental issues and enhance people’s commitment to adopting sustainable practices both at tourist sites (Brown, Ham & Hughes, 2010) and in their daily lives (Ballantyne, Hughes, Lee, Packer & Sneddon, 2018; Ballantyne, Packer & Falk, 2011; Walker & Moscardo, 2014). While some attention has been paid to managing the negative environmental impacts of visitation, little attention has been given to using visitor experiences as a way to encourage greater sustainability beyond the site (Moscardo & Murphy, 2014; Walker & Moscardo, 2014). This paper seeks to direct attention to this issue by describing the design of a more sustainable set of tourist experiences at Binna Burra Lodge in Australia. After reviewing the issues linked to sustainable tourist experiences and the relevant literature on sustainability communication it will explore a specific case study of Binna Burra Lodge in the world heritage protected rainforests of southeast Queensland in Australia. It will describe the steps involved in designing a set of tourist experiences based on communication about rainforest fungi and present some preliminary interpretive materials arising from these steps. The overall aim is to demonstrate the application of research findings for sustainability practice in tourism

La contemporaneità del dialogo socratico antico. Il ruolo delle emozioni

This chapter concludes the book by considering the main themes and key conclusions that can be drawn from the various chapters that have been included. The chapter also acknowledges some of the major gaps in the book by providing some initial thoughts about key stakeholders and dimensions of sustainability that have not been discussed in other chapters. These include EfS in technical and vocational education sectors, government officials and NGOs. The need for innovation in curricula, pedagogies and technology enhanced learning are explored as key dimensions of EfS. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the future for both sustainability in tourism and EfS

Linking travel motivation, tourist self-image and destination brand personality

Despite a growing body of work on destination branding, there has been little investigation of whether or not tourists attribute brand personality characteristics to tourism destinations and whether or not an emotional connection exists based on tourists' perceived self-image and the 'brand personality' of destinations. The aim of this study is to explore the links among four key constructs proposed for the destination branding and choice process-tourist needs, destination brand personality, self-congruity, and intentions to visit and satisfaction with a visit. The results indicate that where tourists can make an association between a destination and a destination brand personality, and where this association is consistent with their desired holiday experience, a high level of congruity will exist between the tourists' self-image and their perceptions of the destination. In turn this self-congruity was related to satisfaction with a visit to the destination but not to intention to travel to the destination

High tech versus high touch: Visitor responses to the use of technology in tourist attractions

There are a number of current debates in the academic and management literature about the benefits and costs of introducing technology into tourist experiences. The debate is an important one for those who manage tourist attractions when making decisions about which directions to take in the development of visitor experiences. A review of the relevant literature in tourism suggests that very little attention has been paid to tourists' perceptions of, and interest in, the use of technology to create and enhance their experiences. This study sought to address this gap by surveying visitors to an Australian aquarium and asking them about their support for the adoption of various forms of exhibits. The results indicated that tourists can be grouped according to their support for the use of technology in visitor experiences and their levels of use of technology in general. A general model of tourist technology adoption is proposed and explored and implications of the results are discussed both for tourist attraction management and for future research into this phenomenon