Planning for a Qatar without Oil: Tourism and Economic Diversification, a battle of perceptions.

Qatar has developed a long-term strategy to plan for a time when the country will not be dependent upon its oil and gas reserves. The strategy focuses on export diversification, largely through the development of service industries, including finance, knowledge-based sectors and tourism. This may be seen as a sensible option given the availability of capital and the paucity of non-energy resources. To date the success in attracting leisure tourists has been limited. The country faces a number of challenges with its economic diversification strategy through tourism, including the task of creating a strong destination image and assuring personal safety, civil liberty and political stability in a region not noted for these characteristics. It also needs to offer a product that is sensitive to the religious and cultural traditions of the host population whilst appealing to international tourists. This paper looks at diversification as a development strategy, the rationale for Qatar’s diversification strategy, the risk perceptions and appeal of Qatar as a holiday destination and then empirically tests whether Qatar fits into a typology of evoked, inert or inept sets of destinations. The results show that there is strong support for the link between export diversification and economic growth but while seen as a relatively safe destination, Qatar currently lacks appeal and does not fall into the evoked set of destinations for UK visitors

Tourism and Empirical Applications of International Trade Theory: A Multi-Country Analysis

This paper examines the application of quantitative techniques to further our understanding of international trade theory with respect to tourism flows. The analyses are based on the construction of Balassa and Grubel-Lloyd Indices, as well as the construction of dynamic indices. The results of the analyses suggest that international trade theory has much to offer the study of international tourism flows. Many countries seem to specialize as both exporters and importers of tourism services. The analyses also explore the theoretical assertion that intra-industry trade is likely to be of importance in understanding international tourism flows

The manifestation of the political in the gendered society of Gilead in Margaret Atwood's The Testaments

Le genre représente l'un des sujets les plus populaires dans les discussions sur les romans de Margaret Atwood. Les Testaments, le roman le plus récent d'Atwood, n’est pas d’exception. La plupart de ces études, cependant, sont dépourvues d'une étude politique dédiée analysant les systèmes et les gouvernements et leur rôle dans la création de la condition actuelle. Par conséquent, le but de cette étude est d'adopter une approche différente et de se concentrer sur le régime de Gilead en tant que système politique et de l'analyser sous le prisme d'une théorie politique dédiée. En choisissant le politique plutôt que le politique, cette recherche peut aller au-delà de l'action et enquêter sur l’incitation et le principal moteur des actions du régime de Gilead, qui ne sont pas nécessairement sexospécifiques. La recherche actuelle se concentre sur le concept de politique de Carl Schmitt et analyse les relations ami-ennemi et les raisons de sa production telles qu'elles se manifestent dans le roman. Étant donné que la théorie de Schmitt ne suffit pas à couvrir les compréhensions multidimensionnelles et radicalement différentes du politique, la lecture des Testaments basée sur la définition du terme de Hannah Arendt est nécessaire. La définition d'Arendt se concentre sur le politique comme une force de manipulation et un contrat partagé entre les individus. Elle distingue le social et le politique et explique la fonction du politique dans l'espace public et privé. Bien que le genre ne soit pas une priorité absolue pour lire Les Testaments dans cette recherche, il est également discuté en fonction de ses relations avec le politique. Les résultats indiquent que, pour Gilead, le maintien du pouvoir et de la sécurité, ainsi que la manipulation de l'espace privé pour garantir la souveraineté, importent plus que le genre. De plus, le roman, tout en discutant des horreurs genrées du régime religieux de Gilead, tente d'attirer notre attention sur l'importance d'étudier les gouvernements plutôt que les sociétés et les discours seuls. Mots-clés : politique, souveraineté, espace public, espace privé, ami, ennemiGender represents one of the most popular topics in discussions of Margaret Atwood’s novels. The Testaments, Atwood’s most recent novel, is no exception. Most of these studies, however, are devoid of a dedicated political study that analyzes the systems and governments and their role in creating the present condition. Hence, the purpose of this study is to take a different approach and focus on the Gilead regime as a political system and analyze it through the lens of dedicated political theory. By choosing the political instead of political, this research can move beyond the action and investigate the incentives and the main driving force behind the actions of Gilead’s regime, which are not necessarily gender-oriented. The present research focuses on Carl Schmitt’s concept of the political and analyzes friend-enemy relationships and the reasons behind its production as manifested in the novel. Since Schmitt’s theory is not enough to cover the multi-dimensional and drastically different understandings about the political, reading The Testaments based on Hannah Arendt’s definition of the term is necessary. Arendt’s definition focuses on the political as a manipulative force and a shared contract between the individuals. She distinguishes the social and the political and explains the function of the political in the public and private space. While gender is not a top priority to read The Testaments in this research, it is also discussed based on its relations to the political. The results indicate that, for Gilead, sustaining power and security, as well as the manipulation of private space for securing sovereignty, matters more than gender. Furthermore, the novel, while discussing the gendered horrors of Gilead’s religious regime, tries to attract our attention to the importance of studying governments rather than societies and discourses alone. Keywords: the political, sovereignty, public space, private space, friend, enem

Tourism and Empirical Applications of International Trade Theory: A Multi-Country Analysis

This paper examines the application of quantitative techniques to further our understanding of international trade theory with respect to tourism flows. The analyses are based on the construction of Balassa and Grubel-Lloyd Indices, as well as the construction of dynamic indices. The results of the analyses suggest that international trade theory has much to offer the study of international tourism flows. Many countries seem to specialize as both exporters and importers of tourism services. The analyses also explore the theoretical assertion that intra-industry trade is likely to be of importance in understanding international tourism flows

Tourism, travel risk and travel risk perceptions: a study of travel risk perceptions and the effects of incidents on tourism

When major incidents occur, whether in the form of natural disasters (for example, Tsunamis, hurricanes) or man-made incidents (such as acts of terrorism or war), there is an impact on travel flows and patterns. These impacts can be in the form of the volume of tourists that flow to a particular area, the characteristics of those tourists and/or the expenditure they make whilst there. The time required for destinations to recover from such incidents and the loss of tourism receipts depends upon a variety of factors such as the nature of the incident, the response of the destination to the incident and the impact that such events have on the travel risk perceptions of tourists. The purpose of this research is to examine the nature,magnitude and direct impacts of a selection of incidents and the time recovery period. Case studies of high profile events such as those that occurred in Egypt, Indonesia, Kenya, Spain, the UK and the USA have been selected because of the relative importance of the events and, to include a broad range of destination types. The incidents that have occurred will be examined through secondary data drawing heavily on related journal articles and the analyses of data that are published by the UNWTO, the World Bank and the relevant national governments. The literature analyses will look at the research that academics have undertaken when looking at specific incidents that occurred in the case study areas and in terms of their effects on tourism in general and to the areas involved. Data from published statistics will be used to examine tourist arrival trends prior to the incidents, immediately following. the incidents and the time period needed for the level of tourism activity to be restored to where it was likely to have been if the incident had not happened. Although the incidents are examined as individual case studies the analyses will also take a chronological approach to examine whether the impacts of major incidents diminishes with exposure to such events. That is, did the earlier terrorist attacks have a greater impact because of their novelty and therefore enhanced shock effect compared with later events even though the latter may have been of greater magnitude? The secondary analyses will also examine aspects such as whether there is a difference in impact if the incidents are specifically targeted at tourists in general rather than tourists of a particular nationality. Whenever events occur they may influence the perception of travellers in terms of the potential risks they face, related risks and how they may impact on the travel decisions of tourists, particularly non-business or discretionary tourists. There is a variety of risks that may influence the travel decisions of tourists including those relating to physical harm, financial loss and also the risk of dissatisfaction from their travel experience. The different types of risks that may influence travel decisions will be examined together with demographic characteristics of the travellers in order to explore whether there are differences in risk averseness between travellers from different countries of origin, age groups, gender, education and occupation. This aspect of the analysis will be driven by primary data analysis in the form of a questionnaire (physical and on-line) that uses both quantitative and qualitative instruments to determine travellers' travel-related risk perceptions and identify regions and countries that are felt to be high risk destinations by type of risk. The perceived risks will also be compared with actual risks as identified by insurance company claims data. Although limited in scope, this aspect of analysis will seek to identify whether travel-related risk perceptions mirror actual risks or whether they are driven by other factors such as media coverage of events. Using the man-made risks as the identifier, the regional aspects of travel-related risk will then be focused to one region of the planet in particular. This region is the Middle East plus some selected countries that share the same issues in relation to tourism development. Countries in this area have been beset by man-made incidents that have deterred the development of tourism in spite of the attractiveness of the region in terms of climate, heritage and culture. A comparative analysis is undertaken to look for commonalities and factors that explain the lack of tourism development in some countries. Using the findings from the secondary and primary data analyses the potential future of the region in general and Iran in particular will be examined using the Delphi technique by drawing upon the collective wisdom of some experts in tourism who have an understanding of tourism development in difficult political areas. Finally the research will attempt to pull all of these strands together to see if there are any identifiable guidelines that may help our understanding of travel related risks and whether there are any lessons that can be learned to inform the policy makers in troubled areas

Personality, Risk Perception, Benefit Sought and Terrorism Effect

Risk perception can affect travel decision-making. It is subjective and variable among different people. The purposes of this study are threefold: it examines the relationship between personality and risk perception, risk perception and benefit sought and finally tests to see whether willingness to travel alters after a terrorist attack and how this differs across different personalities. To do this, a random sample of 475 British households was selected to facilitate the analysis. The findings show that there are differences in terms of people's personality and risk perception. Benefit sought and risk perceptions are partially related, but not in the context of terrorism attacks in seaside resorts, where terrorism creates an atmosphere of uncertainty that leave the door open for fear, and the lack of ability to control the risk stops even the most confident traveller

The COVID-19 Experience for the Family and Children: A Study of Iranian Immigrant Families in Montreal, Canada

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on children and families around the world. Iranian immigrant families in Montreal, Canada, have faced unique challenges related to social isolation, economic pressures, and difficulties accessing public services during this time. Pre-existing stressors, such as language barriers, cultural differences, and the integration process in the new country, compounded these challenges. Eight Iranian immigrant parents (seven mothers and one father) were interviewed regarding their experiences coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, the effects on the children and the strategies families used to cope with the pandemic. Finally, parents were interviewed regarding their perceptions and beliefs regarding exposing children to nature, its opportunities and challenges and one coping strategy. Parents reported feeling overwhelmed by the demands of managing their children's education at home while also trying to work and manage their own stress. Parents also stated that children, in turn, experienced feeling lonely and disconnected from their peers and struggling with the abrupt changes in their daily routines. Despite these challenges, the study also found that this population was resilient and resourceful, relying on their own networks of support and seeking out community resources to cope with the pandemic. Overall, the study highlights the need for policymakers and service providers to understand better the unique needs of immigrant families, including access to resources in multiple languages, addressing financial challenges, and mental health support during the pandemic

Tourism, travel risk and travel risk perceptions : a study of travel risk perceptions and the effects of incidents on tourism

When major incidents occur, whether in the form of natural disasters (for example, Tsunamis, hurricanes) or man-made incidents (such as acts of terrorism or war), there is an impact on travel flows and patterns. These impacts can be in the form of the volume of tourists that flow to a particular area, the characteristics of those tourists and/or the expenditure they make whilst there. The time required for destinations to recover from such incidents and the loss of tourism receipts depends upon a variety of factors such as the nature of the incident, the response of the destination to the incident and the impact that such events have on the travel risk perceptions of tourists. The purpose of this research is to examine the nature,magnitude and direct impacts of a selection of incidents and the time recovery period. Case studies of high profile events such as those that occurred in Egypt, Indonesia, Kenya, Spain, the UK and the USA have been selected because of the relative importance of the events and, to include a broad range of destination types. The incidents that have occurred will be examined through secondary data drawing heavily on related journal articles and the analyses of data that are published by the UNWTO, the World Bank and the relevant national governments. The literature analyses will look at the research that academics have undertaken when looking at specific incidents that occurred in the case study areas and in terms of their effects on tourism in general and to the areas involved. Data from published statistics will be used to examine tourist arrival trends prior to the incidents, immediately following. the incidents and the time period needed for the level of tourism activity to be restored to where it was likely to have been if the incident had not happened. Although the incidents are examined as individual case studies the analyses will also take a chronological approach to examine whether the impacts of major incidents diminishes with exposure to such events. That is, did the earlier terrorist attacks have a greater impact because of their novelty and therefore enhanced shock effect compared with later events even though the latter may have been of greater magnitude? The secondary analyses will also examine aspects such as whether there is a difference in impact if the incidents are specifically targeted at tourists in general rather than tourists of a particular nationality. Whenever events occur they may influence the perception of travellers in terms of the potential risks they face, related risks and how they may impact on the travel decisions of tourists, particularly non-business or discretionary tourists. There is a variety of risks that may influence the travel decisions of tourists including those relating to physical harm, financial loss and also the risk of dissatisfaction from their travel experience. The different types of risks that may influence travel decisions will be examined together with demographic characteristics of the travellers in order to explore whether there are differences in risk averseness between travellers from different countries of origin, age groups, gender, education and occupation. This aspect of the analysis will be driven by primary data analysis in the form of a questionnaire (physical and on-line) that uses both quantitative and qualitative instruments to determine travellers' travel-related risk perceptions and identify regions and countries that are felt to be high risk destinations by type of risk. The perceived risks will also be compared with actual risks as identified by insurance company claims data. Although limited in scope, this aspect of analysis will seek to identify whether travel-related risk perceptions mirror actual risks or whether they are driven by other factors such as media coverage of events. Using the man-made risks as the identifier, the regional aspects of travel-related risk will then be focused to one region of the planet in particular. This region is the Middle East plus some selected countries that share the same issues in relation to tourism development. Countries in this area have been beset by man-made incidents that have deterred the development of tourism in spite of the attractiveness of the region in terms of climate, heritage and culture. A comparative analysis is undertaken to look for commonalities and factors that explain the lack of tourism development in some countries. Using the findings from the secondary and primary data analyses the potential future of the region in general and Iran in particular will be examined using the Delphi technique by drawing upon the collective wisdom of some experts in tourism who have an understanding of tourism development in difficult political areas. Finally the research will attempt to pull all of these strands together to see if there are any identifiable guidelines that may help our understanding of travel related risks and whether there are any lessons that can be learned to inform the policy makers in troubled areas.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Cloning and expression of Aca f 1: A new allergen of Acacia farnesiana pollen

Acacia farnesiana is the main source of allergenic pollen and one of the most important causes of respiratory allergic disease in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The purpose of this study was to produce a recombinant variety of allergenic Ole e 1-like protein from the pollen of this tree. To predict its allergenic cross-reactivity with other members of the Ole e 1-like protein family of common allergenic plants, the nucleotide sequence homology of the Acacia Ole e 1-like protein was evaluated. Amplification of cDNA strands encoding Acacia Ole e 1-like protein was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. Following expression in Escherichia coli using the pET-21b(+) vector, the recombinant protein was purified using metal-affinity chromatography. IgE-binding competence of purified recombinant Ole e 1- like protein (rAca f 1) was analysed by immunoassay using 25 sera collected from Acacia pollen-sensitised patients. Nucleotide sequencing revealed an open reading frame of 453 bp encoding 150 amino acid residues that belonged to the Ole e 1-like protein family, and 11 patients (44) had considerable specific IgE levels for the rAca f 1. Immunodetection and inhibition assays indicated that the purified rAca f 1 may be the same as that in the crude extract. Aca f 1, the second allergen from Acacia pollen, was identified as a member of the family of Ole e 1-like protein. A high degree of homology was found among amino acid sequences of Aca f 1 and several allergenic members of Ole e 1-like protein family