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Iran as a destination: A textual and pictorial analysis of heritage meanings
Abstract
The general objective of this study was to explore meanings and perceptions that
might be involved in the image formation of Iran as a heritage destination by tourists that could help develop a brand in the future. A combined textual and pictorial
analysis was applied aiming to achieve this goal in order to produce useful and
important information for the process of creating a brand for Iran as a destination.
In terms of heritage, it will be interesting to explore the main attributes of each cultural attraction and try to promote them more accurately, based on the USP
(Unique Selling Proposition) of Iran. this study highlights the relevance of sensory perceptions as a way for creating a bond with the cultural heritage. This should be explored in the
process of defining an image and a brand for Iran as a tourism destination.
... Nevertheless, discoveries of heritage, ranging from prehistoric (e.g. rock art), ancient, and medieval to the Islamic period are being constantly made or recognized (Rodrigues, Ghasemi, Correia, & Kozak, 2018). Also, Iran with 24 world heritage sites and 13 elements in the world intangible cultural heritage list has a unique superiority over its neighbors and this country focused on meeting cultural objectives on attracting tourists who are familiar with and have an interest in Iran's rich history and culture and who respect Iranian people as well as Iranian cultural-religious tradition (UNESCO, 2019a; UNESCO, 2019b; Zamani-Farahani & Eid, 2016). ...
This study aimed to explore various dimensions of Halal tourism among Muslim countries using the example of Iran. The research method is descriptive-analytical. The data were collected by referring to books, articles, and electronic resources. According to the results, although a statistical study of the current status shows the favourable situation of Muslim countries in the Halal tourism market due to their special geographical location, historical background, and cultural structure, it should not be forgotten that this is not the real position and share of these countries in this market. The tourism industry in general and Halal tourism in particular in these countries is always exposed to internal and external threats, and Iran is no exception as an Islamic destination.
Globally, the Muslim population is growing and if current trends continue, Muslims will make up 26.4% of the world’s total projected population of 8.3 billion in 2030. This worldwide growth of the Muslim population in the middle class and younger population has meant that Muslim tourists are becoming a significant segment within the global travel and tourism sector. According to the latest statistics total Muslim tourist arrivals were 116 million in 2014 and the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite having 7th rank in terms of Muslim tourist arrivals with 4.1 million total Muslim tourist arrivals, was in the 11th rank in terms of Islamic and Halal tourism receipts with US$ 942.5 million recorded in 2014. Sub-optimal place of Iran in Islamic and Halal tourism market as one of the most important Islamic countries, its low share of this highly profitable market despite possessing maximum Muslim population and an Islamic government with high compatibility of this type of tourism with its socio-cultural and religious values and norms, depicts the importance of this newfound type of tourism as one of the most appropriate options for tourism industry development in Iran and necessity of paying attention to its high potential in this countries tourism planning and policy-making process.
This article focuses on sustainability performance in supply chain management (SCM) and adding the “Green” concept to it so as to emphasize the importance of environmental issues and the need of eco-friendly systems. The purpose of this study is to propose a model for evaluating the sustainability performance of green supply chain management (GSCM). This article seeks to develop key performance measures for GSCM incorporating considerations of sustainable development (SD).We present a literature review on green supply chain management and sustainability performance measurement. Key indicators for the green supply chain performance measurement under the context of sustainable development are derived from a literature. We propose an analytical model to explore the influence of green practices on the sustainability performance in supply chain. This is a first step towards providing a comprehensive overview that explains the relationship between GSCM and sustainability performance. We conclude by suggesting perspectives for future research.
The strong and growing growth in the Islamic economy has led to an increase in demand for Halaal
products compliant with Islamic law. This has been reflected in the crystallization of a new type of tourism
patterns, called Halaal Tourism (Islamic Tourism), which has emerged during the last ten years as one of
the strongest patterns tourism particularly in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and is one of
greatest motivations for the economic growth. In this context this research study sought to provide a
comprehensive explanation of Islamic tourism and its future prospects, as well as the current
developments of Halaal tourism markets at the international level
A plethora of research has been conducted over the past few years to explore several aspects of the key exchange actors within the sharing accommodation sector (i.e. hosts and guests). However, despite the exponential growth in the sharing accommodation entrepreneurship, literature exploring the characteristics, motivations, and challenges of entrepreneurs venturing in this sector is still scant. This study draws on a qualitative study approach using semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs involved in the sharing accommodation sector in Petra, Jordan. Findings revealed that sharing accommodation entrepreneurs were mainly driven by the desire for economic and cultural benefits. The positive host-guest relationship (e.g., honesty toward guests and enhancing positive reputation) emerged as a key factor influencing the growth of the sharing accommodation businesses whereas market-related issues (e.g., severe competition and lobbying efforts from traditional lodging businesses) were found to be the key challenges derailing the businesses.
The patio houses of Cordoba, Spain, are the expression of a traditional form of life and conviviality.
Since the designation of the Fiesta of the Patios as Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2012 by the
UNESCO, the patios have become an important tourism resource with a significant economic impact on
the city. This article analyzes the Fiesta of the Patios from the viewpoint of the people that reside in the
patio houses. A survey was carried out among the patio owners and managers to determine their
opinion on various aspects related to the festival. The results show that despite the wealth generated in
the city by the Fiesta of the Patios, the event has a scarce economic impact on the owners and
managers of the patios. Moreover, important issues must be addressed such as the lack of coordination
between the stakeholders involved in the management and organization of the festival. Without a doubt,
it is necessary to better rationalize resources in benefit of the patio residents, since the festival would not
be possible without them.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate tourists’ experiences of local hospitality and offer a typology of Turkish hospitality based on perspectives of international tourists.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with tourists visiting Istanbul, Turkey. Interview transcripts were content-analyzed and -coded under different themes that characterize local hospitality.
Findings
The research findings revealed 64 items describing local Turkish hospitality. These were grouped under four distinct themes: sociability, care, helpfulness and generosity.
Research limitations/implications
Using the factors of local Turkish hospitality identified in this paper, future studies might measure the impacts of these antecedents of local hospitality on tourist satisfaction and positive behaviors such as loyalty and word of mouth in a quantitative study. Exploring local hospitality in different destinations with different characteristics might also reveal valuable insight into variance and intensity of local hospitality.
Practical implications
The research findings have implications for both commercial hospitality and destination management. By leveraging the local hospitality elements in their operations and human resources management practices, the commercial hospitality firms might create strong emotional bonds with their guests and create loyalty through these relationships. Destination planning and management might also adopt the findings to facilitate interactions between the hosts and tourists for more positive experiences for both sides to emerge.
Social implications
Destinations exposed to heavy visitation may not have the same level of hospitableness toward visitors. Hence, impact of tourism activity on local quality of life should be monitored and managed.
Originality/value
Despite hospitality having been researched in numerous previous studies, local hospitality has not yet been fully explored in tourism. This study presents and discusses empirical findings and offers a typology of local Turkish hospitality.
Social media is gaining its popularity among hotel operators as one of the important platforms to market their facilities and establish relationship with customers. In general, most of previous studies that examine this topic focuses on the effects of using social media among hotel operators (i.e., electronic words of mouth); and examine the adoption issue of this platform. However not much of attention given towards understanding how hotels are utilizing this platform to engage with their customers. This study aims to understand the implementation, challenges and technique used to measure the level of engagement using social media platform among hotel operators in Malaysia. This study adopts a qualitative case study approach and the data are collected using a semi-structured interviewing technique. The data were analyzed using content analysis technique. In general, the results indicated that five-star hotels in Malaysia is not utilizing Facebook platform at its fullest potentials. Hotel operators are having challenges in maintaining the level of engagement with the customers and above all, hotel operators in Malaysia does not have good knowledge on how to measure their level of engagement with the customers. This study ended with suggestions on how to measure customer level of engagement using Facebook platform and discussion related to research limitations.
Tourism as an economic activity can contribute to the social, economic and cultural development of a region. In order to understand these dynamics, it is important not only to introduce the guiding principles of development, but also to think about strategies to implement and develop the activity in specific regions. The positive and negative factors of tourism can be shown based on the peculiar characteristics of each area. However, rather than a general discussion of the problem, this study presents the planning and management strategies of tourism of the Vale dos Vinhedos (Valley of Vineyards) Wine Route, which is presented as a case study of designing tourist routes yielding local development.
The geo-psychological separation from the everyday that is embedded in spiritual travel practices, can be seen as a laboratory in which individuals can examine, consider and practice spirituality in a way that is not always available in daily life. This feature of the tourism experience is arguably the reason for the popularity of spiritual tourism experiences among novices to spirituality-driven endeavours, as well as to those who wish to develop and deepen their ongoing transcendent engagement through and during travel. If spirituality is the goal, traveling seems like an ideal setting within which it can be sought and, sometimes, even found. This Special Issue has identified the emergence of a binary between spiritual tourism performance as intrinsically religious and conversely, as secular practice. Considering secular motivations firstly, it is clear that underlying the many specific drivers are deliberations focused on the self with motives like wellness, adventure or recreation predominant. Conversely, religious motivations for spiritual tourism largely leverage links to religion and are centred on specific drivers that are underlined by religious observance, ritualised practice, reaffirmation of identity and cultural performance.
Airbnb has grown very rapidly over the past several years, with millions of tourists having used the service. The purpose of this study was to investigate tourists’ motivations for using Airbnb and to segment them accordingly. The study involved an online survey completed in 2015 by more than 800 tourists who had stayed in Airbnb accommodation during the previous 12 months. Aggregate results indicated that respondents were most strongly attracted to Airbnb by its practical attributes, and somewhat less so by its experiential attributes. An exploratory factor analysis identified five motivating factors—Interaction, Home Benefits, Novelty, Sharing Economy Ethos, and Local Authenticity. A subsequent cluster analysis divided the respondents into five segments—Money Savers, Home Seekers, Collaborative Consumers, Pragmatic Novelty Seekers, and Interactive Novelty Seekers. Profiling of the segments revealed numerous distinctive characteristics. Various practical and conceptual implications of the findings are discussed.
In 2013, Daniel Guttentag in an article titled Airbnb: Disruptive innovation and the rise of an informal tourism accommodation sector has proposed the view that Airbnb properties compete directly with budget hotels because of their comparably low cost and the present paper assesses the applicability of this hypothesis in the Singapore context. Interviews were conducted with representatives from economy/mid-tier hotels and hostels which account for over 10% of Singapore’s hotel room stock and with Airbnb. The researchers draw upon these key informant views to propose an Accommodation Price and Capacity Matrix as a theory-based mapping of
Airbnb’s offerings within the context of Singapore’s accommodation landscape. It is concluded that although Airbnb should not yet be considered as a direct competitor for Singapore’s budget hotels, it will pose a growing threat through the near to medium term. The paper concludes with recommendations about how Singapore’s home rental market should be best regulated.
Female migrants make an important contribution to the global tourism industry yet their employment experiences and histories are poorly understood. This paper draws on a phenomenological position to explore the life-world and ten-year employment trajectory of one highly skilled Polish immigrant to the UK as told through her own voice and artwork. It challenges prevailing de-personalised and gender-blind accounts of tourism migrant workers, and demonstrates the methodological potential of one-voice research to humanise the female migrant experience, document long-term employment trajectories and foreground complex working lives. The paper provides nuanced understanding of intersectional gendered and ethnic marginalisation in the labour market and explores the ways in which employment creates spaces for both oppression and self-determination for precarious workers.
Nowadays, a new part of sector tourism is emerging and feels attracted by the authentic and traditional. This study analyzes the influence of certain socio-economic variables of the Spanish tourists that visit the Festival of the Patios de Córdoba, which was recently declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and, in turn, reviews the influence of certain determinants. For this purpose a field work has been developed based on the realization of a survey within a period and area of celebration of the Fiesta in 2014. It is concluded that the profile of the visitor is a person with a university degree, of medium/high income and more than 50 years old. The study also revealed that the visitor not only has an appreciation for the conservation, cohesiveness and ambiance of the courtyards, but also shows great satisfaction of their visit to the city of Cordoba.
Trust is a crucial issue in online shopping environments, but it is more important in social commerce platforms due to the salient role of peer-generated contents. This article investigates the relationship between trust in social commerce and purchase intentions and describes a mechanism to explain this relationship. We propose a main and two alternative models by drawing on three concepts: social commerce information seeking, familiarity with the platform, and social presence. The models clarify the mechanisms through which trust, familiarity, social presence, and social commerce information seeking influence behavioral intentions on social commerce platforms. Findings from a survey of Facebook users indicate that trust in a social networking site (SNS) increases information seeking which in turn increases familiarity with the platform and the sense of social presence. Moreover, familiarity and social presence increase purchases intentions. Findings indicate that the main model fits the data better than the alternative ones. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
In the past few years, user generated content (UGC) has been taking an increasingly important role in tourism. Traveller’s experiences and opinions about destinations and tourism services support potential customers in their booking decisions. Sentiments can be extracted automatically from UGC and be used as valuable input for managerial decisions. An important subtask of sentiment analysis is the task of topic detection, thus, identifying the topics or product features, like room, service, or food & drink in case of hotel reviews, the review is about. The paper presents an overall approach for extracting topics from touristic UGC, making use of different data mining techniques. The applied data mining techniques are compared and evaluated on the base of hotel reviews regarding the Swedish mountain tourism destination Åre.
h i g h l i g h t s The need to confirm the applicability of an integrated destination image model to local residents is highlighted. The hypothesized relationships were tested using local residents and tourists in the resort city of Eilat. The cognitive, affective and the overall image evaluations positively affect intention to recommend. Among tourists, the affective component exerted a greater influence than the cognitive on overall image and behavior. Thefindings help explain how differences between the respective images of each group arise. a b s t r a c t Tourism research has yet to confirm whether an integrated destination image model is applicable in predicting the overall destination image and behavioral intentions of local residents. This study examines whether the cognitive, affective and overall image-hypothesized to be predictors of behavioral intentions are applicable to residents and tourists in the resort city of Eilat. The proposed model allowed for the distinct effect of each image component on overall image and behavior to be closely examined. The findings support the applicability of the model to local residents and also showed that among tourists, the affective component exerted a greater influence than the cognitive on overall destination image and future behavior. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for research on destination image.
This book describes both the positive and negative effects of tourism on the destination community. It examines together many of the issues and critical concepts that pertain to the relationship between destination communities and tourism. These issues include economics, society and culture, heritage identity, politics and power, indigenous rights, ethical stakeholder interactions, development theory, planning, environment/ecology, management and marketing. Each of these issues forms the nucleus of an individual chapter. The 14 chapters are divided into three sections under the headings of: community tourism perspectives; community tourism dynamics; and challenges and opportunities for destination communities. Each chapter contains brief case studies and empirical examples. The book has a subject index.
Relationship marketing—establishing, developing, and maintaining successful relational exchanges—constitutes a major shift in marketing theory and practice. After conceptualizing relationship marketing and discussing its ten forms, the authors (1) theorize that successful relationship marketing requires relationship commitment and trust, (2) model relationship commitment and trust as key mediating variables, (3) test this key mediating variable model using data from automobile tire retailers, and (4) compare their model with a rival that does not allow relationship commitment and trust to function as mediating variables. Given the favorable test results for the key mediating variable model, suggestions for further explicating and testing it are offered.
The author presents a conceptual model of brand equity from the perspective of the individual consumer. Customer-based brand equity is defined as the differential effect of brand knowledge on consumer response to the marketing of the brand. A brand is said to have positive (negative) customer-based brand equity when consumers react more (less) favorably to an element of the marketing mix for the brand than they do to the same marketing mix element when it is attributed to a fictitiously named or unnamed version of the product or service. Brand knowledge is conceptualized according to an associative network memory model in terms of two components, brand awareness and brand image (i.e., a set of brand associations). Customer-based brand equity occurs when the consumer is familiar with the brand and holds some favorable, strong, and unique brand associations in memory. Issues in building, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity are discussed, as well as areas for future research.
Which attitudes are related to purchasing decisions? In this article the authors argue that out of many possible attitudes only a few really relate to or “determine” buying behavior. These attitudes are defined in this article and methods of measuring them are discussed.
Wildlife tourism is often promoted as an activity which supports conservation by enhancing environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour through interpretative messaging and personal experiences with wildlife. Despite these potential linkages, evidence to support such claims is limited. In order for wildlife tourism operators to build a motivated constituency supporting conservation, elements of the tour which contribute to positive attitudes and environmental behaviour must be identified. This study investigated the attitudes and environmental behaviour of 136 wildlife tourists following a white shark cage-dive experience in South Australia. Responses to an online survey revealed a significant increase in participation for seven of the eight conservation-related behaviours explored, and a positive shift in participants’ understanding, awareness, attitudes, and concern for sharks following the tour. Results suggest that emotional engagement during the tour is associated with enhancing participants’ knowledge and attitude towards sharks. Recommendations for complementing the emotional response to viewing wildlife, with interpretative communication, are discussed.
The aim of the present study was to identify the profile and motivations of users of public facilities in Sierra de las Nieves, a protected area (‘natural park’) in the Spanish Mediterranean mountains, and their influence on perceptions of crowding and satisfaction. A self-reported questionnaire, including socio-demographic questions and a scale measuring perception of crowding, type of motivation, frequency of visits, and satisfaction, was administered to 345 visitors. Four profiles of visitors were identified: social, sport, learning, and nature visitors. Results showed that sport and nature visitors perceived more crowding than learning visitors. Type of motivation, and the interactions, age × type of motivation and employment-status × type of motivation, explained a significant amount of variance of perceived crowding. Interaction analysis showed that both age and employment status moderated the relationship between type of motivation and perception of crowding. We suggest implications for park planning and management.
Service failures, once handled quietly by customer service departments, are now played out on a highly public social media stage. These failures can result in not only the loss of a loyal consumer but also can negatively affect relationships with those watching the dialogue between disgruntled customers and organizations. The phenomenon of seeking resolution to service failures online is distinct from both traditional word-of-mouth and voice behaviors. This article introduces social voice: public complaining behavior that aims to change the behavior of the organization. A qualitative methodology defines eight dimensions of social voice and categorizes them by the strength of the relationship to the organization. Results indicate that appropriate response strategies differ based on social voice segment.
The coming of post-secular society has opened up interesting transdisciplinary research and perspectives. Research and academic debates on the post-secular have yet to make inroads into the discipline of tourism studies, which is ironic since there is an intrinsic religiosity to tourism. We table that tourism lies at the core of the post-secular turn and should be studied as such. Likewise, academic debate on post-secularism has not accorded tourism its proper due. This study has two objectives. First, to fill the research gap in studies of tourism and post-secularism and, second, to show that post-secular tourism is one of the key spaces where the post-secular is articulated. This article is based on interviews of pilgrims in the Galicia region (Spain) conducted in 2011, 2012 and 2014. Four major attributes of post-secular tourism were identified: (self-)reflexivity, quest for ontological security, heterodoxy and topos-disloyalty. Our findings indicate that the post-secular tourist transcends conventional dichotomies between religious pilgrimage and tourism, journeying as affirmation of denominational faith and pure leisure. Post-secular tourism is about ontogenesis, that is, it is performative rather than injunctive. It is in this sense that one can speak of post-secular tourism as something open, unfolding and in constant becoming.
Purpose
This study investigates customers’ perceptions of the service quality facets of Airbnb accommodation using social exchange theory as a suitable conceptual framework to explain aspects of interactivity between guests and hosts.
Design/methodology/approach
A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 25 accommodation- specific service quality attributes, structured according to Akbaba’s (2006) measurement scale and based on the service quality hierarchical conceptualization described by Brady and Cronin (2001) and Cronin and Taylor (1992), was distributed to Airbnb international guests visiting Phuket, Thailand. The sample was chosen through a two-stage sampling process and the PLS-SEM technique was used for data analysis.
Findings
The results showed that convenience and assurance are critical contributors to the measurement of service quality in remote Airbnb lodgings. The findings further revealed that Airbnb guests are mainly interested in lodgings which have access to certain tourist sights, and in easily accessible information and efficient resolution of problems during their stay. We also found that guests greatly value the convenience and flexibility offered by Airbnb, and that they particularly appreciate the warm hospitality provided by the hosts. Finally, Airbnb guests have very low expectations of the amenities and services available at the lodgings.
Research limitations/implications
Airbnb is one of the most well-known examples of hospitality in the sharing economy and results cannot be generalized to similar accommodation providers in sharing economies. Despite the appropriateness of using the measurement tool provided by Akbaba (2006), it is only one option among others for measuring service quality.
Practical implications
The current study can assist hosts in gaining better knowledge of guests’ decision making processes and in designing effective marketing strategies by focusing on guests’ requirements in terms of service quality. The effective use of competitive strengths and the prioritization of business resources would potentially enhance guests’ positive experiences at the accommodation and at the destination.
Originality/value
Limited numbers of studies have focused on the sharing economy and hospitality and in particular on Airbnb and this is the first study with a focus on service quality issues in terms of Airbnb accommodation.
First published in 1967, Visual Anthropology has become a classic in its field, invaluable not only for anthropologists but for anyone using photography, film, and video to understand human behavior and culture. This completely revised and expanded edition brings the technical information up to date and includes the insights the Colliers have gained from nearly thirty-five additional years of collective teaching and research experience since the first edition.
People worldwide are largely engaged and attached with the web 2.0 technology and Social media platforms. By the same token, businesses start looking at such technologies as effective mechanisms to interact more with their customers. Equally, the related issues of social media marketing have been also the focus of attention for academics and researchers to expand the current understanding about such phenomena over the marketing area. Accordingly, the main aim of this study is to systematically examine and review the current studies that have conducted over the related area of social media and marketing. By reviewing approximately 144 articles, the researchers were able to provide an overview of the main themes and trends covered by the relevant literature such as the role of social media on advertising, the electronic word of mouth, customers’ relationship management, and firms’ brands and performance. In this review, it has also studied the most common research approaches adopted to examine the related issues of social media marketing. Further discussion is also introduced followed by an explanation of the current review limitations and recommended directions to be examined by future studies.
As the World Thought Leaders on Customer Experience, Colin Shaw and the team at Beyond Philosophy have undertaken more than 18 months of groundbreaking research to discover the emotions that drive and destroy value in an organization, and can now disclose the empirical link between evoking these emotions and substantial financial returns.
Travel narratives can shape tourist imaginings about places, and are a useful tool for understanding tourist experiences. One long-standing media trope is the transformative potential of travel to Italy, especially for women. In this qualitative phenomenological study, contemporary non-fiction books written by women about their travel experiences in Italy were analysed, using well-being as a theoretical framework. Six well-being dimensions were found to be present in these narratives, with the first five reflecting the dimensions of the DRAMMA model of triggers promoting well-being in leisure, alongside an additional dimension drawn from the PERMA model of well-being. Both hedonic and eudaimonic forms of well-being were mentioned. Identity, in terms of self-discovery and reinventing oneself, underpinned a number of these dimensions. The study extends work on travel imaginings beyond the fictional literary or film context and has practical implications for the promotion of destinations and marketing tourism as an avenue towards well-being.
Millions of tourists have used Airbnb accommodations, and Airbnb is frequently discussed in terms of its current or future impacts on hotels. The purpose of this research was to investigate such impacts by determining the extent to which Airbnb is used as a hotel substitute and to examine how Airbnb guests expect their accommodations to perform relative to hotels. Together, these analyses were intended to provide empirical insight into Airbnb’s status as a disruptive innovation. The study involved an online survey of over 800 tourists who had used Airbnb within the previous year. Nearly two-thirds had used Airbnb as a hotel substitute. When considering traditional hotel attributes (e.g., cleanliness and comfort), Airbnb was generally expected to outperform budget hotels/motels, underperform upscale hotels, and have mixed outcomes versus mid-range hotels, signalling some – but not complete – consistency with the concept of disruptive innovation. Numerous practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
The statistical tests used in the analysis of structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error are examined. A drawback of the commonly applied chi square test, in addition to the known problems related to sample size and power, is that it may indicate an increasing correspondence between the hypothesized model and the observed data as both the measurement properties and the relationship between constructs decline. Further, and contrary to common assertion, the risk of making a Type II error can be substantial even when the sample size is large. Moreover, the present testing methods are unable to assess a model's explanatory power. To overcome these problems, the authors develop and apply a testing system based on measures of shared variance within the structural model, measurement model, and overall model.
A critical element in the evolution of a fundamental body of knowledge in marketing, as well as for improved marketing practice, is the development of better measures of the variables with which marketers work. In this article an approach is outlined by which this goal can be achieved and portions of the approach are illustrated in terms of a job satisfaction measure.
Published article at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2016.09.009 For those who don't have access to it a preprint version is available at http://www.vtt.fi/inf/julkaisut/muut/2017/What_are_the_differences_between_sustainable_and_smart_cities.pdf
ABSRACT:
City assessment tools can be used as support for decision making in urban development as they provide assessment methodologies for cities to show the progress towards defined targets. In the 21st century, there has been a shift from sustainability assessment to smart city goals. We analyze 16 sets of city assessment frameworks (eight smart city and eight urban sustainability assessment frameworks) comprising 958 indicators altogether by dividing the indicators under three impact categories and 12 sectors. The following main observations derive from the analyses: as expected, there is a much stronger focus on modern technologies and “smartness” in the smart city frameworks compared to urban sustainability frameworks. Another observation is that as urban sustainability frameworks contain a large number of indicators measuring environmental sustainability, smart city frameworks lack environmental indicators while highlighting social and economic aspects. A general goal of smart cities is to improve sustainability with help of technologies. Thus, we recommend the use of a more accurate term “smart sustainable cities” instead of smart cities. However, the current large gap between smart city and sustainable city frameworks suggest that there is a need for developing smart city frameworks further or re-defining the smart city concept. We recommend that the assessment of smart city performance should not only use output indicators that measure the efficiency of deployment of smart solutions but also impact indicators that measure the contribution towards the ultimate goals such as environmental, economic or social sustainability.
- This paper describes the process of inducting theory using case studies from specifying the research questions to reaching closure. Some features of the process, such as problem definition and construct validation, are similar to hypothesis-testing research. Others, such as within-case analysis and replication logic, are unique to the inductive, case-oriented process. Overall, the process described here is highly iterative and tightly linked to data. This research approach is especially appropriate in new topic areas. The resultant theory is often novel, testable, and empirically valid. Finally, framebreaking insights, the tests of good theory (e.g., parsimony, logical coherence), and convincing grounding in the evidence are the key criteria for evaluating this type of research.
All-inclusive (AI) holiday packages have become a popular travel choice, particularly in the sun-soaked destinations of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Despite the benefits the AI is assumed to offer to key stakeholders, caution has been urged over the increase in AI offerings due to the negative impacts they impair on destinations. This paper aims to investigate supply-side perceptions of the growth and impacts of the AI on Cyprus’ tourism development. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders, findings reveal that the AI is determined by an interplay of demand and supply conditions while its growth is moderated by contextual factors pertaining to coastal destinations’ development stage. With a range of negative impacts being identified as detrimental to the tourism development of Mediterranean destinations, the study proposes a conceptual framework outlining the determinants, influencers and outcomes of the AI trend.
Tourist-host social contact, as a unique type of social contact, is not getting sufficient attention in tourism academia considering its remarkable impacts on tourists' travel attitudes, behaviors and long-term perceptions. The objectives of the current study are to explore the dimensions of tourist-host social contact and to contribute to the theory of tourist typology according to their dynamic nature in tourist-host social interaction. Forty-five in-depth interviews were conducted to generate insightful information. The software of NVivo 10 was applied to examine and code the transcripts. As a result, six dimensions were adopted to describe tourist-host social contact, which are purposes, determinants, activities, intensity, impacts and attitudes. Five types of tourists were pinpointed and theoretical and practical contributions of the study were discussed.
The ‘new paradigm’ for protected areas emphasizes communities and their cultural assets, including intangible cultural heritage, as critical and inseparable parts of these areas. As tourism can be a significant factor in the economic framework of natural protected areas (NPAs), the prominent role of the community can have important implications. This paper reports on one of the first empirical studies on the interaction between intangible cultural heritage and tourism in an NPA with a special focus on the role of intangible cultural heritage. It is based on six months of qualitative ethnographic fieldwork in Qeshm Geopark, in the South of Iran. Local intangible cultural heritage is found to manifest and be used in tourism in three distinct ways: First, as a source of attraction and addition to any tourism offerings; second, as conservation tool, especially where the natural environment has strong cultural meanings for the local community; and third, as a driver for facilitating culturally and naturally sensitive behaviour by visitors. Concluding statements address any conceptual and practical implications.
