International tourism in North Korea: how, where and when does political ideology enter?

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 260-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukang Wang ◽  
Anne Marie Van Broeck ◽  
Dominique Vanneste

Purpose In the recent decades, an increasing trend has been observed in the steps North Korea has taken to open up to tourism. The purpose of this paper is to gain a deeper understanding of the influence the North Korean political ideology has on different aspects of international tourism. Design/methodology/approach Apart from the scarce academic literature, news media and internet resources, fieldwork that includes interviews with two international travel companies and a trip to North Korea contributed to gathering information from different perspectives. Findings It is not surprising that North Korean tourism cannot be divorced from its political context. By looking at the political influence exerted by the North Korean Government on the structure of the industry, tourism policies applied to the organization of tours and the content of tourism and marketing, this paper shows the existence of elements that remained unchanged in the last three decades, as well as new liberal elements that transform North Korea into a more open and versatile tourism destination. Originality/value Based on an analysis of primary and secondary data, this paper makes original contributions to North Korea tourism studies by investigating the influence of the political ideology on different aspects of tourism industry and on tourist experience.

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 705-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Costa ◽  
Silva Carvalho ◽  
Daniela Rodrigues

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to draws on the main conclusions of an International Tourism Forum Round Table discussion, attended by representatives of the main entities of the tourism sector in Portugal as well as international travel and tourism specialists. The authors identify the importance of making travel and tourism growth sustainable and discuss how success approaches can be shared more widely. Design/methodology/approach The main conclusions resulting from the International Tourism Forum Round Table are presented and discussed. The event was organised by the Institute for Tourism Planning and Development (IPDT), with Sponsorship support from the Solverde Group, under the theme: “Tourism in 2018: How to Share Tourism Success”. Findings Participants in the International Tourism Forum Round Table concluded that the tourism industry worldwide and in Portugal in particular, is facing major challenges that calls for innovative ways of managing the tourist experience. Several questions regarding tourism have been discussed, including desertification in some inland cities and villages. Originality/value This paper provides knowledge about the current state of Portuguese tourism, its challenges and opportunities and identifies innovative ways and likely solutions for drawing tourists to other regions of the country – beyond the major cities.


Significance The situation has highlighted several issues of concern around the influence of the Mexican military, the government’s reliance on it and the challenges Mexico and its security agencies face in trying to meet US demands while addressing domestic threats. Impacts Mexican militarisation was facilitated by Trump administration apathy on human rights; this will change under President Joe Biden. Increased US-bound migration, encouraged by Biden’s more humane rhetoric, will heighten the need for bilateral security cooperation. Future Mexican administrations will struggle to reverse the political influence the military has obtained.


2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 839-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Nazlia Jamil

Purpose This study aims to examine the economic role of politics on corporate governance reforms in one of emerging market, namely, Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based upon a literature review analysis. Findings The Malaysian economic, political and social settings have resulted in undue state and detrimental political influence on business, and yet the corporate governance reforms undertaken seemed not be able to resolve the matter. It is suggesting that it would be beneficial for Malaysia to have more independent regulatory bodies representing a wide variety of stakeholders to improve the transparency and accountability to ensure that the reforms are effectively enforced without conflicting with the political agenda. Legal institutional reforms also may be needed to improve the structure, capacity and performance of judicial system, as it is capable to capture reliance of economic role of politics and promoting accountability in Malaysia. Research limitations/implications The economic role of politics on corporate governance reforms is merely to broaden the political strategy in the corporate sector as the change in politics can improve the effectiveness of corporate governance reforms. Moreover, the economic role of politics raises the tone of the corporate governance reforms, and it implies that policymakers need to have effective corporate governance strategy in dealing with the reforms initiatives in areas that have strong political interventions. Originality/value Regulatory and judicial implications are offered as a means to improve corporate governance in Malaysia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugues Seraphin ◽  
Frederic Dosquet

Purpose The purpose of this study adopts a news media narrative approach to Yield insights on aspects of the COVID-19 impact. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a news media narrative approach as this method can yield insights on aspects of the COVID-19 impact. Findings In the post-COVID-19 lockdown context, second-home tourism and mountain tourism could play the role of placebo. The dual dimension of second-home tourism and mountain tourism reflect the Janus-faced character of the tourism industry. Beyond the fact that this study has highlighted the placebo role that both forms of tourism are probably going to play, it makes the connection between mountain tourism and second-home tourism; highlights the Janus-faced character of both forms of tourism; and highlights the mutation impacts of COVID-19 on tourism trends. Originality/value COVID-19 is the current concern, and this paper offers a timely perspective on a topic of significant interest.


Significance Portugal is set for the best five-year period of growth since the turn of the millennium, unemployment is falling and public finances are showing positive signs. The upswing is reflected in the remarkable stability of the political system. Impacts The economic recovery is likely to drive down yields on government bonds. Centeno’s appointment as Eurogroup president will raise Portugal’s standing in the EU. Security concerns in many Mediterranean countries are likely to boost Portugal’s tourism industry.


Significance South Korea’s unification minister (MOU) warned on April 10 that any US strike on North Korea would put “the safety of the public” at risk. A day later, Seoul’s defence (MND) and foreign (MFA) ministries dismissed rumours on local social media of an imminent war crisis as “overblown” and “groundless”, respectively. Moon Jae-in, the liberal opposition candidate whom most polls predict will win the May 9 snap presidential election, said he does not expect a US pre-emptive strike on the North. However, Moon also warned Washington that South Korea is “the concerned party” which “owns” peninsula-related matters, including the nuclear issue. Impacts Experienced military professionals in Trump’s cabinet and National Security Council are a restraining influence. South Korea and Japan, being in the front line, will counsel their US protector against any action that might imperil their security. If Moon Jae-in is elected, his desire to re-engage the North will clash with Trump’s hard-line attitude and narrow nuclear focus. After his smooth -- if insubstantial -- summit with Xi, Trump’s threatened unilateralism on North Korea is likely to stop at sanctions.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Ajagunna

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the position of tourism in tourism dependent countries in light of newly industrialized countries and how trends in the industry impact these developing tourism dependent nations. International tourism, for example, is now a technologically advanced activity in which some developing countries are lagging behind. These developing countries are challenged in adapting to compatible and new technology, financing, staff training and the relevant to the future of the industry. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a qualitative research methodology using both primary and secondary data drawn from a study conducted on the South Coast of Jamaica with supporting literature from a global perspective. Findings – Moves by major players in the international tourism industry to increase their influence and dominance of global markets may reduce consumer choice thereby creating a shift for tourism from old tourism dependent developing nations to newly industrialized countries of the world. This would mean that the old tourism dependent nations need to devise a new way of diversifying their tourism products to attract elite markets seeking clean and un-spoilt environments and destinations. Originality/value – This paper is part of a PhD work, which has been published in a book. The key issues raised in the paper are still current and the challenges present now need government and policy makers ' attention.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-61
Author(s):  
Olesia Iastremska ◽  
Oleksandra Kononova

Restrictions on transportation between countries because of lockdown caused by the prevalence of morbidity COVID-19 have slowed down economic activity worldwide. Therefore, in this paper, we examine and estimate the short-term economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global market situation in terms of the international tourism industry. The purpose of the study is to analyze the current economic situation of the world tourism sector, which suffered the most because of the COVID-19 pandemic, determine the main tourist flows (inbound and outbound tourism), and identify main tourism trends that characterize travel and tourism in 2020, to form practical directions for improving the tourism industry, domestic tourism in particular. This article analyzes the dynamics of international touristic destinations for the period 2019-2020, with regard to the pre-pandemic period and during the COVID-19 lockdown. Also, the dynamics of destinations of international tourists by different regions and the world in general for different types of travel limitations in 2020 are analyzed. It is detected an enhancement in percentage change of tourism destinations from July 2020 because the world began to open up to international tourism, mainly in the European Union. In this article, it is considered that the implementation of travel restrictions is clearly affected international travel. The dynamic of the international tourists’ destinations with a complete/partial closure of borders and other restrictions by region in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic are analyzed. The major trends in the tourism sector during the coronavirus crisis are highlighted. The main practical directions for the resuscitation of the tourism industry have been formed, which will have to reduce the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and created a basis for increasing the competitiveness of domestic tourism. It is determined that support for the development of the tourism industry at the central and local levels should be based on the expected preferences of tourists and the risk of using illegal resorts with the possibility of infection. The article examines the main problems of the tourism sphere of Ukraine, which arise as a result of the introduction of measures to overcome the coronavirus pandemic in the world and in Ukraine in particular. Using the experience of other countries and international recommendations, measures for intersectoral cooperation in the context of increased epidemic risks are proposed. The article reveals the peculiarities of the development of the tourist sphere of Ukraine in the conditions of increased epidemic risks. Modern tendencies of functioning of the tourist sphere of the country are investigated. The tourism sector is suffering on a global scale due to the implementation of measures to overcome the coronavirus pandemic and the uncertainty of further development of the situation. According to various scenarios, in 2020 the volume of international tourist arrivals is expected to fall by 58-78% compared to last year. According to experts, the recovery of demand to the level of 2019 will take at least two years. According to experts, the sphere of tourist services of the coronavirus crisis period will be characterized by giving consumers priority in terms of choice of shorter rest periods, a predominance of individual movement and individual accommodation, choice of health, sea, and rural tourism.


Subject Caste politics in India. Significance In a sign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ability to shape the political agenda, the National Democratic Alliance's candidate Ram Nath Kovind was sworn in as India's 14th president on July 25. With attacks on Dalits (low castes) in the north Indian heartlands of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surging, the nomination of a Dalit for the presidency was designed to strengthen the party's appeal to the community ahead of state elections. Impacts Support for the main opposition Congress party among Dalits will decline in Gujarat. Beef and leather exports will fall despite the Supreme Court suspending the ban on trading cattle for slaughter. Anti-Muslim violence may increase across the country.


Significance However, opposition political parties and former rebels, most prominently northern Mali’s main ex-rebel bloc, the Coordination of Movements of Azawad (CMA), refuse to participate in the dialogue. Substantial tensions between the government and CMA present worrying signals about the trajectory of Mali's peace process. Impacts Rising insecurity will prompt neighbouring states to apply greater pressure on Bamako to resolve the situation in northern Mali. Jihadist leader Iyad ag Ghali will be central to resolving the political question in the north. France’s opposition to talks with jihadists may delay or preclude altogether such an option.


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