Spa services and wellness activities within the surf tourism experience; the case study of Jersey, Channel Islands.

This paper explores the feasibility of developing spa and wellness activities within the surf tourism experience in Jersey (Channel Islands) from the surf traveller’s perspective. Using this worldview, we evaluate a surf tourism offer in Jersey. Through an analysis of the lifestyle and attitudes of today’s surf traveller, we offer preliminary suggestions to marketers and surf lodge owners to capitalise on this unique target market. The conceptual position, that we term Swellness, refers to the perceived wellness dimensions and benefits of surfing. We identify that spa and wellness elements are feasible add-ons for surf product development. The study has also revealed an openness towards other wellness-related concepts, such as Surf Set Fitness or man­made wave surfing parks. Furthermore, the research has shown that wellness and personal responsibility for well-being are part of a surf subculture.N/

Establishing IUCN Red List Criteria for Threatened Ecosystems

The potential for conservation of individual species has been greatly advanced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature\u27s (IUCN) development of objective, repeatable, and transparent criteria for assessing extinction risk that explicitly separate risk assessment from priority setting. At the IV World Conservation Congress in 2008, the process began to develop and implement comparable global standards for ecosystems. A working group established by the IUCN has begun formulating a system of quantitative categories and criteria, analogous to those used for species, for assigning levels of threat to ecosystems at local, regional, and global levels. A final system will require definitions of ecosystems; quantification of ecosystem status; identification of the stages of degradation and loss of ecosystems; proxy measures of risk (criteria); classification thresholds for these criteria; and standardized methods for performing assessments. The system will need to reflect the degree and rate of change in an ecosystem\u27s extent, composition, structure, and function, and have its conceptual roots in ecological theory and empirical research. On the basis of these requirements and the hypothesis that ecosystem risk is a function of the risk of its component species, we propose a set of four criteria: recent declines in distribution or ecological function, historical total loss in distribution or ecological function, small distribution combined with decline, or very small distribution. Most work has focused on terrestrial ecosystems, but comparable thresholds and criteria for freshwater and marine ecosystems are also needed. These are the first steps in an international consultation process that will lead to a unified proposal to be presented at the next World Conservation Congress in 2012

The Three Sisters from Echo Point, Katoomba [picture] /

Also available in an electronic version via the Internet at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an7434712

Image formation information sources and an iconic Australian tourist destination

Tourist destination brand image is a major influencing factor in traveller destination choice. This exploaratory research into the information sources form which destination brand image evolves provides insights which have the potential to improve tourism destination brand development strategies. In-depth interview with 21 international backpackers on Australia\u27s northern NSW coast indicate that mainstream media play little or no part in the formation of respondents\u27 image of the coastal destination of Byron Bay. Rather, word of mouth and autonomous independent information sources were the key media through which respondents formed their image of this iconic Australian tourist destination. Findings also show the importance of destination experience in the image formation process and suggest that destination marketing organizations can and should go beyond traditional mainstream media to communicate their brand message. Additionally, findings suggest the need for DMOs to provide leadership within the destination\u27s tourism industry to improve service delivery and exceed the \u27brand promise\u27