6,245 research outputs found
What now? Concluding remarks
No full text[Extract] We have previously (Prideaux and Carson 2003) described a framework for research into self-drive tourism markets. The framework was intended to provide a way of organising research into this complex topic. It showed
how drive tourism markets are linked to destinations, products, promotion, and physical infrastructure. It proposed that understanding a drive tourism market required investigation of the range of links. In this book we have
added a new model (Figure 1.2, page 10) that builds on our original work to illustrate the centrality of the drive experience in the structure and operation of the drive tourism sector. This volume is the third major effort
to bring together research into drive tourism following the special issue of the Journal of Vacation Marketing in which the framework was described, and a small book edited by Carson et al. (2002), specifically about the Australian experience. There has clearly been some progress in the field since the Journal of Vacation Marketing special issue. Some of the researchers in that issue have continued to expand their work and are featured here (Hardy, Scott, Carson and Prideaux). New researchers have emerged,
particularly outside of Australia, to add a more global view (Cooper, Wang, du Cros, Ong and Lohman). There is evidence of drive tourism being taken up as a central focus in PhD studies (Schmallegger, Cartan and Ali). While it may be argued that drive tourism research remains fragmented, this book represents a collaboration between a range of prominent researchers in the field. Collectively, we have come some way in our understanding of the defining
features of drive tourism - it is an independent form of travel that is suited to small groups and 'exploration'-type trips. The modes of travel are
numerous, as are the types of destinations and the products that accompany the trip. As the drive market evolves internationally, there is a growing distinction between those who use a self-drive vehicle because it is the
cheapest or most easily accessible form of transport, and those who need the vehicle to realise their travel aspirations
The importance of the mode of transport in self-drive tourism
No full text[Extract] The diversity of self-drive tourism markets is apparent in the different experiences they seek, and the different types of people who undertake those
experiences. The first part of this book included a number of dimensions of this - differences based on the country of origin and the sort of trips that the geography, history and culture make possible, and differences based on
the destination and the sort of trip that its geography, infrastructure and amenity suggest. This geographic theme is picked up again later in the book (Carson, this volume, Chapter 25). Diversity can also come from the demographic
characteristics of travellers, and various chapters discuss diversity as a sub-theme. This second part of the book is most interested in how the type of vehicle makes a difference to the type of self-drive trip. The vehicle can often be associated with specific markets - Hardy and
Gretzel's RVers tend to be older couples (Hardy and Gretzel, this volume, Chapter 15), while Walker's motorcyclists have traditionally been young males (Walker, this volume, Chapter 12). But the demographics can change
over time, and Walker comments on the ageing of the motorcycle touring market. The vehicle can sometimes be associated with multiple markets. The four-wheel-drive and SUV vehicles at the centre of research by Taylor
and Carson (this volume, Chapter 17), and Prideaux and Coghlan (this volume, Chapter 18) cater for old and young markets as well as families. Irrespective of the demographics, the vehicles allow for, and inspire, different
types of trips. They demand different levels and types of infrastructure, they allow different lengths of trips, they suit different types of destinations, they imply different travel party sizes and so on. The aim of this chapter is to
briefly describe the importance of the type of vehicle to understanding the self-drive tourism market as an introduction to the proceeding chapters, which then link specific vehicle types to emerging markets and global trends
Prosper. An evaluation of tourism's contribution to regional economies
No full textProsper has delivered a three part model for assessing and enhancing the value of tourism in regional areas. The
first part of the model uses simple indicators to provide an assessment of the economic, social, and environmental value attached to tourism. An indicators approach was adopted following extensive review of the application of more complex approaches to regional economic analysis. The review found that complex approaches are unlikely to produce results of sufficient validity and applicability to warrant their high resource costs (time, money, and skills). Complex models are also more difficult to maintain. The economic value is represented through quantitative indicators relating to employment and the number of businesses in tourism related sectors. These are all relative indicators (for example, proportion of all businesses which are businesses in the tourism sector or proportion of change in employment that can be attributed to change in tourism related employment). These indicators are drawn from national data sets which provide information for statistical local areas and/or postcode areas. This offers the opportunity to develop and deliver consistent national profiles through a vehicle such as Decipher. National standard data sets are supplemented in the model by more qualitative assessments of tourism’s contribution to the local economy made by business operators through
interviews or surveys. Again, tracking the change in these assessments over time is the key to the model. Social and environmental values are substantially more difficult to assess. The Prosper case studies have included qualitative assessments derived from business and community meetings, local government and other administrative documents, media and a simplified network analysis identifying the extent to which community based organisations interact with the delivery of tourism services. Data sets have been identified which would allow a quantitative analysis of the extent to which tourism activity (visitor movements, business activity, business construction) encroaches on environmentally sensitive areas or is responsible for redevelopment or preservation of built environments. The case studies have not been able to implement this quantitative analysis.
The second part of the model conducts a ‘diagnostic’ assessment of the capacity in the region to harness the
value of tourism through innovation. Innovation is seen as a very important mechanism for both identifying regional issues and developing responses to those issues. Innovation is widely accepted in the literature as a driver of economic growth, and concepts such as ‘systems of innovation’ and ‘regional systems of innovation’ have become common in understanding how that innovation can be encouraged and placed within technical or geographical contexts. The diagnostic element of the Prosper model uses a series of techniques (including historical document analysis, interviews, and network analysis) to investigate the characteristics of region’s human tourism resources in relation to their ‘innovation potential’. Innovation potential is influenced by:
• Economic competence – the extent to which those resources include capacity to manage projects and
implement new ideas;
• Clustering of resources – the spatial relationships between tourism attractions and amenities and nontourism
amenities and resources which may be critical in the delivery of tourism product;
• Networks – the social and professional relationships between tourism attractions and amenities and nontourism
amenities and resources which may be critical in the delivery of tourism product;
• Development blocks – the existence of sufficient new resources or new ways of looking at existing resources to provide opportunities for innovation. Development blocks need also to be a source of tension or disequilibrium so that their use is contested and therefore options more likely to be scrutinized as to their viability;
• Entrepreneurship – the capacity for human resources to engage in new tasks and drive activity;
• Critical mass – the relationship between the capacity to supply tourism product, and the capacity to access sufficient and appropriate markets (including resident markets) to support ongoing supply;
• Local government – the extent to which local government considers tourism an important issue and is willing to engage in the innovation process
• Production and distribution of knowledge – the extent to which the history and current status of tourism is understood and communicated, and the degree to which stakeholders can access and apply new information for identifying the potential or need for change, assessing the viability of projects, and evaluating activities;
• Social, political and cultural capital – the strength of the social, political and cultural environments, and the degree to which those environments can be effectively harnessed to support tourism innovation.
The third part of the model uses ‘visioning’ techniques (drawing in part on experiences from Sustainable Tourism CRC projects on ‘Gold Coast Visioning’ led by Professor Bill Faulkner at Griffith University, and research by Walker, Lee, Goddard, Kelly & Pedersen, 2005) to engage stakeholders in developing strategies for identifying tourism value issues (based on the community awareness of the value of tourism, aspirations for enhancing value, and strategies for addressing deficiencies in innovation potential). A number of processes are available for applying visioning techniques. Our case studies typically involved community leaders accepting
ownership of the results of the application of the first components of the model and, in a facilitated or nonfacilitated way, delivering these results broadly through the community. In some cases, strategies emerged
entirely from within the region, while in others, the research team was further engaged to collate strategy
suggestions and summarise the arguments attached to these suggestions. In most cases, the final case study
write-up included reference to suggestions which appeared likely to be carried forward.
The Prosper model was tested in thirteen case studies, not simply to establish whether the relationships hypothesized between innovation potential and harnessing the value of tourism could be observed, but also to establish to extent to which participating regions viewed the application of the model as important and worthwhile in their attempts to move forward. The case studies were a mix of five new studies conducted using the Prosper model in a direct way and meta-analysis of eight previous case studies. The short time frame for the research (2 and ½ years) and the relatively long term nature of change made it impossible to design the research to evaluate the success of the strategies developed or any specific innovations in new case studies, so the metaanalysis studies were significant in this respect. The case studies strongly supported the second part of the model in particular, and the research served as an influential tool for many of the case study communities who were able to implement programs of value monitoring (through quantitative or qualitative means), identify ways in which their systems of innovation could be strengthened, and develop context specific mechanisms for
identifying and assessing the feasibility of tourism development proposals. The research has delivered a number of outputs which may be used in dissemination and commercialisation of the intellectual property. A stand-alone publication reviewing the applicability of various economic value assessment techniques to regional tourism has been produced. A quick guide to the Prosper model and assessing whether application of the model would assist a particular region has been drafted, and is slated for development in collaboration with Sustainable Tourism CRC. A detailed methodology specification has been prepared, and may be used as the basis of consulting services or the conduct of further case studies. The quantitative data sets (Census, Sensis, TTF employment analysis, labour force statistics etc.) may be made available through Decipher and included in a structured Decipher product which facilitates analysis and interpretation. A book containing research results of the thirteen case studies and an overview of the relationship between those case studies and the Prosper model has been edited by Dean Carson and Dr Jim Macbeth and has been submitted to the Sustainable Tourism CRC editorial team led by Professor Chris Cooper at the University of Queensland
The structure and role of drive tourism
No full text[Extract] Although an important component of the tourism industry, researchers have generally shown little interest in undertaking research into drive tourism (Connell and Page 2008). The lack of research into the role of the car in
shaping tourism demand and increasing the accessibility of many tourism resources is surprising. As Timothy (this volume) notes, cars carry more tourists in the US than any other mode of transport, a position that is echoed by the use of cars for leisure travel in Europe and other developed nations. Given this gap in the literature, the aim of this book is to present a scholarly and comprehensive review of drive tourism from a variety of perspectives. While the authors make no claim to an exhaustive treatment of every aspect of drive tourism, the book does bring together a range of drive tourism related research that we believe will assist to move the study of drive tourism from its current peripheral position to a more central place in the tourism research agenda
Drive tourism: a view from the road
No full text[Extract] The nature of self-drive tourism is changing globally. In countries where privately owned vehicles have long been a popular choice of tourism transport, increased access to low-cost airfares and increased costs of vehicle
maintenance and fuel have been critical influences. Holyoak et al. (2009) documented the shift in Australia, for example, from a market dominated by tourists 'in transit' - using the vehicle simply as the most convenient mode of transport between the origin and the destination - to one where the use of the vehicle was more central to the enjoyment of the trip as a whole. Consequently, self-drive tourism research is now beginning to pay more attention to four-wheel-drive travel (Taylor and Carson, this volume,
Chapter 17; Prideaux and Coghlan, this volume, Chapter 18), caravanning (van Heerden, this volume, Chapter 6; McClymont et al., this volume, Chapter 16), motorcycling (Walker, this volume, Chapter 12) and other subsets of the market where the vehicle itself is embraced as a core attribute
of the tourism experience, rather than as a necessary evil of transport. In countries where vehicle ownership is only now becoming widespread (Yu et aI., this volume, Chapter 8; du Cros and Ong, this volume, Chapter 9, which highlight the case of China), whole new types of tourism experiences
are being made possible, free from the constraints of scheduled mass transit. The use of the vehicle as conspicuous consumption reflects the rise of new middle classes who want to purchase tourism as part of a confirmation of their new place in a wider world than they previously accessed. It must also be noted that in a number of markets, including China, India, Eastern Europe and South America, self-drive tourism has emerged after the development of low-cost air travel. The development of the self-drive market in these countries will not take the same path as in North America, Europe and Australasia, where the mass ownership of cars pre-dated access to low-cost air travel. Our thesis is that the major change in the global self-drive markets is a shift away from the car as a form of least-cost transport towards the use of a variety of self-driven vehicles that add value to the tourism experience. This book has documented the meaning of that fundamental change in the marketplace from the perspective of the tourist. Chapters have documented what it now means to be a drive tourist in China, a four-wheel-driver
in Australia, a motorcyclist in the UK, a motorhome driver in the US, an international self-driver in Brazil, and so on. There have also been reflections on what the global markets and emerging trends mean for the tourism
industry - rental car companies in New Zealand, motoring associations, marketers of touring routes and other drive destinations, or emergency services agencies. In this chapter, we use the 'Grand Tour' (Olsen 2002) of Central and Eastern Australia to illustrate the challenges facing destinations and businesses in adjusting to new market dynamics and to synthesise issues raised throughout the book
Information and communications technology (ICT) and the challenge of sustainable self-drive tourism
No full text[?] is the ironic one. Nota sull’errore, lo humour e AC, the bittersweet
No full textAnalizzandone la dimensione ironica, l'opera teoretica e poetica di Anne Carson si pone in relazione con l'opera video di Tacita Dean dedicata ad Antigon
The Savannah Way: developing a successful touring route
No full text[Extract] Touring routes have been suggested as one strategy for promoting regional development by increasing the level of dispersal of drive tourists beyond major destinations. However, Carson and Cartan (this volume, Chapter 21) have raised a number of issues about the purpose and value of touring routes. One of the issues identified was that touring routes have become a form of industrial organisation - a way for the industry to feel (and act) that they are making and keeping contact with the market. In many cases, themed routes have been foisted on to the communities that they were developed to assist, often employing a top-down management style that may not
necessarily include consultative mechanisms, which allow local stakeholders to have their views taken into account. Few major touring routes are managed by stakeholders through the bottom-up system of management, where local stakeholders retain control. This chapter examines how the
Savannah Way, a themed touring route that connects Australia's east coast with its west coast, emerged as a bottom-up initiative that was later formalised and industrialised through a top-down process to create a drive
route that is unique, at least in Australia. The chapter has three parts: the first outlines the history and operations of the Savannah Guides organisation and their involvement in the Savannah Way; the second looks at the role that the Savannah Way now plays in promoting self-drive tourism in northern Australia; and the third examines how the Savannah Way was transformed from a bottom-up route to a government-funded top-down tour
route. Because other chapters (Cartan and Carson, this volume, Chapter 21; Smith, this volume, Chapter 23) have discussed a range of issues relating to the classification and operation of drive routes, these issues are not
repeated in this chapter
Practical Advice to Entrepreneurs Series by ACE Adjunct Professor Dean Shepherd: Practical advice on managing new venture survival
No full textThe author, Dean Shepherd, is of entrepreneurship—how entrepreneurs think, decide to act, and feel. He recently realized that while his publications in academic journals have implications for entrepreneurs, those implications have remained relatively hidden in the text of the articles and hidden in articles published in journals largely inaccessible to those involved in the entrepreneurial process. This series is designed to bring the practical implications of his research to the forefront
Practical Advice to Entrepreneurs Series by ACE Adjunct Professor Dean Shepherd: Practical advice on whether to grow the business
No full textThe author, Dean Shepherd, is of entrepreneurship—how entrepreneurs think, decide to act, and feel. He recently realized that while his publications in academic journals have implications for entrepreneurs, those implications have remained relatively hidden in the text of the articles and hidden in articles published in journals largely inaccessible to those involved in the entrepreneurial process. This series is designed to bring the practical implications of his research to the forefront
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