Perception on the Usage of Information Communication Technology for Ecotourism Development in Nigeria

This study aimed to assess the perception of tourists on the usage of information and communication technology at Old Oyo National Park, Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort and Lacampagne Tropicana by using structured questionnaire directed at 384 tourists randomly; 20 tourists at Old Oyo National Park, 150 tourists at Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort and 214 tourists at Lacampagne Tropicana. Data was analyzed and presented descriptively using tables and inferentially using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results indicated that the tourists mostly made use of internet and social media at the sites. The tourists also perceived that the use of Information Communication Technology would be an innovative approach to solving some of the problems of sustainable tourism development and that use of Information Communication Technology has made work easier and faster. Furthermore, the study indicated significant differences in some socio-demographic characteristics as well as perception on the usage of ICT at the sites (P<0.05). Management of ecotourism sites should therefore create more awareness on the usage of other forms of information communication technology at their sites so as to further enhance tourists’ satisfaction.

Critical Influences on Responsible Tourism Behavior and the Mediating Role of Ambivalent Emotions

This research employed a behavioral model to confirm and elucidate the critical influence of place attachment, destination involvement, and ambivalent emotion on responsible tourism behaviors. A total of 415 questionnaires were collected from tourists visiting Penghu Island in Taiwan. Following data analysis using structural equation modeling, the results suggested that place attachment, destination involvement, and ambivalent emotion critically impact responsible tourism behaviors, and that place attachment is negatively related to ambivalent emotion. In addition, ambivalent emotion was found to mediate the relationship between place attachment and responsible tourism behaviors. Finally, implications for the promotion of sustainable tourism development were thoughtfully provided based on these findings.

A Framework for Sustainable Tourism Development in and around National Parks

The proliferation of tourism to U.S. national parks yields increasing demands for service and conservation programs that are well-matched with the broadening view of sustainability management in and around PPAs. As such, there is a critical need for research regarding holistic perspectives on planning and monitoring sustainable development. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a non-profit, independent organization that develops and manages global baseline standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria. The GSTC Destination Criteria have not been widely applied to PPAs, yet these criteria may offer a useful guiding framework for sustainable tourism development in PPAs. Therefore, this study explores the utility of the GSTC Destination Criteria as a tool for assisting managers at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) in developing a destination-level sustainability plan. In August 2018, we conducted a sustainability evaluation using the GSTC Destination Criteria. Specific areas of success and improvement were identified, and park managers are using this information to improve the park’s strategic plan. The results of this evaluation are reviewed and critiqued within our broader assessment of the utility of the GSTC Destination Criteria in national park planning.

Does Tourism Affect Sustainable Development in MINT Countries?

Following the failure to achieve Millennium Development Goals by most countries in the world, Sustainable Development Goals are now at the center of developmental issues. Consequently, this study aims to examine if tourism can be an ally to sustainable development in MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey) countries between 1995 and 2018. The study uses adjusted net saving and international tourism receipts in these countries as measures of sustainable development and tourism, respectively. In achieving its objectives, the study employs the augmented mean group (AMG) estimation technique to estimate the long-run parameters. Besides, mean group (MG) and common correlated effects MG techniques are employed to check the robustness of the estimates obtained via the AMG approach. The results from the three estimators show that tourism is indeed an ally to sustainable development in MINT countries since there is a significant positive relationship between tourism and sustainable development. In other words, tourism can put the MINT countries on the path to sustainable development. This implies that any policy that will enhance the performance of the tourism industry will ensure sustainable development in MINT countries. Thus, the governments of MINT countries should focus basically on achieving sustainable tourism development, as this will translate to sustainable development in their countries.

EVALUATION OF ARCHITECTURAL COMPONENTS IN BAYUNG GEDE VILLAGE SETTLEMENT, BALI AS A TOURISM OF SPECIAL INTEREST

<p>Special interest tourism is one of the efforts to provide alternative tourist attractions and sustainable tourism development in Bali. Visits of both domestic and foreign tourists to Bali in the last 4 years (2015-2019) have increased by an average of 8%. Now the tourism sector in Bali, especially in Bangli Regency, is starting to investigate or explore the possible development of tourist attractions through the development of tourist villages. In this case, the development of special tourism, including the tourist village of Bayung Gede, Bangli is very dependent on the architectural components of traditional settlements and the traditions of the residents in it as a source of attraction and main attraction for tourists. However, the influence of tourism has led to the transformation of traditional settlements. In this case, the transformation has given rise to a paradoxical phenomenon where on the one hand traditional housing attracts tourists, on the other hand the presence of tourists has led to a transformation of the traditional settlements of an area. The purpose of this study is to examine the architectural components of the Bayung Gede Village settlement as a tourism potential based on special interest tourism and then to find out how far the tourism architectural potential is found and how strong the Bayung Gede Village settlement icon is as a special interest DTW. The method used is a qualitative-exploratory and descriptive method. The results show that the traditional settlement of Bayung Gede Village contains elements of special interest tourism such as elements of novelty seeking, quality seeking, enriching, rewarding, adventuring and learning, so that it has the potential as religious tourism (the existence of four types of graves), culture (settlement and residential layout) and citrus plantation sector agro-tourism in improving the economic sector of the community. Investigation and inventory of Bayung Gede traditional housing is an effort to find a village icon that has prestige that can attract tourists to visit and be able to compete with other tourist villages.</p>

Expression of Behavior and Attitudes toward Sustainable Tourism in the Youth Population: A Search for Statistical Types

Youth attitudes and behavior in tourism activities are crucial for sustainable tourism development. This study aims to identify the statistical types of youth according to their expressed behavior in sustainability and attitudes toward sustainable tourism development. Survey data were collected from 1085 respondents representing different Baltic Sea countries—Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia. A unique research instrument, constructed by the authors, was developed for the empirical research, responding to the latest theoretical insights and models and was empirically validated by statistical methods (the factor validity of the scales was tested with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, etc.). Attitudes towards sustainable tourism development were measured with the SUS-TAS scale. The factor clustering method used in the study identified the statistical types of the youth included, according to the expression of sustainable behavior and the attitudes toward sustainable tourism development. The results indicated that the majority of youth belong to the “oriented toward sustainable behavior” type (50.6%), while the analysis of youth attitudes showed that 71.5% belong to the socioeconomic type, indicating that young people prioritize the long-term socioeconomic wellbeing of the region, which can be achieved through efficient management, tourism planning, and active public participation in the implementation of tourism policies.

The Use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Cultural Heritage and Deep-Diving Destinations

Underwater cultural heritage and deep diving are important attractions for tourism. Using cutting-edge technology tools for cultural heritage became more important for tourism destinations. The purpose of this chapter is to evaluate the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in tourism from the perspective of cultural heritage and deep diving. This chapter will contribute to the literature to show a new way of sustainable tourism. Commercial diving to an underwater heritage site a is popular touristic activity. Sometimes shipwreck recovery can be hazardous for cultural heritage. The review results indicate that these underwater cultural heritage sites need to be protected for sustainable tourism development. Virtual tours contribute to the sustainability of cultural heritage. On the other hand, treasure hunting trips and recreational diving may cause damage to the archaeological sites. Underwater cultural heritage sites should be protected for sustainable tourism. VR and AR applications can be used to promote a touristic destination by tourism marketers for experimental marketing.

Community-Based Tourism Experiences in Nepal

This chapter presents a case study of community-based tourism (CBT) in Nepal. Based on the Nepalese experiences, this chapter demonstrates that the CBT approach not only helps to economically empower the local community, revitalize local culture, and enhance appreciation for the natural and cultural environment, but also ultimately helps to promote socially responsible and environmentally conscious sustainable tourism practices. Identifying policies and appropriate practices for the sustainable development of tourism is critical because of the recent crisis of COVID-19 that has almost paralyzed the entire travel and tourism industry. Furthermore, based on CBT approaches, the knowledge derived from the Nepalese experiences can be used in various developing countries that aim to develop sustainable tourism development models for the post-COVID-19 era.

Smiling vs. Frowning Faces

Participatory development has become an integral strategy for achieving sustainable tourism in view of the varying impacts brought by mass tourism. Community participation ensures local control of the pace of tourism development and the creation of a more personalised tourism product. However, some studies have stated tension between governments and locals, which has hindered tourism development. This study, thus, sought to explore the extent to which communities are involved in decision-making and how useful the outcome has been. To achieve the study objectives, two tourism sites in Ghana implemented based on participatory principles, namely Kakum National Park and Afadjato Mountain, were compared. Results of the study suggest there is a fair degree of community involvement at the Gbledi Traditional Area (Afadjato) leading to satisfaction (smiling-faces), rather than Abrafo-Odumase (Kakum), which exhibited dissatisfaction (frowning-faces). The policy and research implications relate mainly to the challenge of achieving sustainable tourism development at the community level.

Are New Cartographies Strengthening a Sustainable and Responsible Island Tourism?

The tourism industry through interaction with information and communication technologies is being strongly influenced and transformed rapidly. Spatial information in the form of novel smart web maps can become a significant factor in documenting the identity of tourist destinations. As geoinformatics and cartography evolve, they can play a substantial role in promoting the tourist destination and eventually, sustainable tourism development for the region, which is required by all stakeholders. In its first part, the chapter discusses the current tourism model and the necessity for sustainable management. In this framework, it then delves into the role of new cartographies and the use of maps in official tourist platforms for popular island tourist destinations in Mediterranean Sea, as well as the requirements of new tourists according to new cartographic trends. The aim of the chapter is to highlight the current and potential contribution of new cartographies to a sustainable and responsible tourism development.