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Book part
Publication date: 8 November 2019

Hubert J. Siller and Stefanie Haselwanter

Alpine destinations have a large number of decentralized actors who behave autonomously, but they jointly contribute to the tourism product of the destination. Guests expect…

Abstract

Alpine destinations have a large number of decentralized actors who behave autonomously, but they jointly contribute to the tourism product of the destination. Guests expect quality standards comparable to those they experience in large businesses. Leadership is needed that goes beyond pure management tasks. The analysis of “Showcase Stubai” reveals how leadership for an alpine destination in Austria initiated a successful development of summer tourism by means of courageous goals, simple processes, and regionally adapted measures. The destination of Stubai is increasingly becoming a model for the hiking theme in the alpine region. Impressive numbers, data, and facts have confirmed the achievement of this development throughout the last five years.

Article
Publication date: 22 November 2011

D.H.P. Verbeek, A. Bargeman and J.T. Mommaas

The European Alpine region is an important tourism destination that at the same time faces environmental challenges. In aiming for a sustainable development of Alpine tourism…

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Abstract

Purpose

The European Alpine region is an important tourism destination that at the same time faces environmental challenges. In aiming for a sustainable development of Alpine tourism, tourism boards and municipalities of 22 villages cooperate in the Alpine Pearls (AP) association. The main goal of the AP association is to develop an integrated, continuous passage for sustainable tourism mobility, which improves the possibilities for environmentally friendly travel to, between, and in the Alpine Pearls villages. This paper aims to focus on whether and how this “passage” enables tourists to travel smoothly, problem‐free and environmentally friendly to and in the Alpine region.

Design/methodology/approach

To analyse the Alpine Pearls holiday, the authors use a theoretical framework based on the social practices approach (SPA), which offers a contextual approach to consumption behaviour. The dynamics between travellers and providers of sustainable tourism and travel services along the passage of the Alpine Pearls holiday are the main interest. Data have been gathered through participant observation and interviews with informants.

Findings

The research points, among other things, to the fact that the creation of a passage for environmental‐friendly Alpine holidays is complicated by the nationally organised railway infrastructures and the sectorially organised tourism industry.

Originality/value

Evaluating sustainable tourism mobility passages on the level of holiday practices is a new contextual approach that can be of value to both tourism scholars and the tourism industry.

Details

Tourism Review, vol. 66 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1660-5373

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2006

Mariangela Franch, Umberto Martini, Pier Luigi Novi Inverardi and Federica Buffa

Upon the changes that have taken place in the tourist sector since the 7 990s, the SMTEs and the destinations where they operate are called to reflect on the opportunity to…

Abstract

Upon the changes that have taken place in the tourist sector since the 7 990s, the SMTEs and the destinations where they operate are called to reflect on the opportunity to redefine the strategic and organizational assets that have distinguished them until now in order to respond to new needs and desires coming from a more segmented demand side. This paper presents the results of a research project conducted in the Dolomites, the most important alpine area in terms of numbers of tourists, representative of a community tourist destination and where the tourists do not defer to intermediaries to organize the vacation (do‐it‐yourself tourists). The Dolomites are now in the “mature” phase of the development life cycle and as such need a new approach to the market in order to maintain loyalty among current visitors and to gain loyalty in new tourist segments. The research was done in the summer 2001 and winter 2001–2002 by administering 5,000 online questionnaires to a representative sampling of “do‐it‐yourself” tourists. The objective was to study the decision‐making and behavioural models of do‐it‐yourself tourists and to build profiles of tourists who choose this destination. From these profiles it is possible to identify strategies that the SMTEs and the alpine destination as a whole could undertake to achieve the goals described above. The research highlights the importance for SMTEs to overcome the entrepreneurial spontaneity and to adopt an informed and planned business strategy. In this scenario the Regional Tourist Boards emerge as important actors that can play a key role in meta‐management.

Details

Tourism Review, vol. 61 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1660-5373

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Pierdomenico Signorile, Vincenzo Larosa and Ada Spiru

Developing sustainable mobility can add value to the travel and tourism experience in alpine areas and can become a challenge for destinations in terms of interests, goals, skills…

1938

Abstract

Purpose

Developing sustainable mobility can add value to the travel and tourism experience in alpine areas and can become a challenge for destinations in terms of interests, goals, skills and values involving both public and private subjects. Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a new model for delivering sustainable transport services that in recent experiences seem to be an alternative to the use of owned cars by allowing the personalized use of a bundle of public and private transport means. This paper aims to identify the positive aspects in the two main Alpine regions affected by tourism demand coming mainly from Lombardy by implementing a mobility model inspired by Maas in the Lombardy capital.

Design/methodology/approach

The tourism demand of the Autonomous Province of Trento and the Aosta Valley Region is thus analyzed using descriptive statistics on tourist flows and mobility characteristics.

Findings

Technology and propensity to change are the determining factors to move from traditional to innovative mobility systems.

Originality/value

This work, by considering the recent studies on MaaS models, limited to sustainable urban mobility models, extends the MaaS approach to the key concepts of “sustainable mobility” and “sustainable tourism” by analyzing the tourist flow, which from Lombardy invest the main alpine regions.

Details

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-4217

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2004

Domenico Bodega, Gabriele Cioccarelli and Stefano Denicolai

The aim of this paper is to develop a better understanding of network relationships in local tourism clusters and illustrate inter‐organizational forms in mountain tourism. The…

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to develop a better understanding of network relationships in local tourism clusters and illustrate inter‐organizational forms in mountain tourism. The networking among mountain tourism resorts, aimed at solving organizational and technological shortfalls, in order to promote integrated but flexible tourist packages, has led to detailed empirical research and study on these topics. The research analysis considered three important Italian Alpine destinations, based on adjacency matrices graphics and analytical indicators, calculated by different algorithms for each variable. The research was based on questionnaires submitted to all tourism operators of these destinations, and in‐depth interviews with important local entrepreneurs. The main findings of the research have resulted in identifying four typical inter‐organizational forms (or structures) in Alpine tourism resorts: ▪ community model, each tourist operator works alone, with no inter‐organizational vision; ▪ corporative model, a highly concentrated organization based on recognised agreements, usually ontrolled by a few people; ▪ governed model, tourists are managed through associations or ‘equity systems’, such as consortiums, where each ‘node’ of the network offers entrepreneurial expertise; ▪ constellation model, high relational density and reciprocal trust allow good coordination and balance of power among the tourism enterprises.

Details

Tourism Review, vol. 59 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1660-5373

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2003

Kurt Matzler and Hubert J. Siller

The youth travel market is an important market segment in terms of size and growth rates. Youth travelers, however, differ in their travel motivations from other market segments…

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Abstract

The youth travel market is an important market segment in terms of size and growth rates. Youth travelers, however, differ in their travel motivations from other market segments. Therefore, in order to attract and satisfy youth travelers it is necessary to match their travel motivations with their perceptions of destinations. Based on an empirical study (N=2.128) among German Youth Travelers a methodology is presented which enables tourism managers to link travel motivations with perceptions of the destination. A two‐dimensioned matrix assesses the degree to which motivations and perceptions correlate. This analytical tool then forms the basis for the formulation of marketing strategies. The results of the empirical study presented in this paper show clear differences between travel motivations in summer and winter tourism and between perceptions of the Alps as a summer and winter destination.

Details

Tourism Review, vol. 58 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1660-5373

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2002

Harald Pechlaner and Elmar Sauerwein

Tourist regions with long tradition and years of experience often have a hard time implementing strategic management concepts. This is due to decision‐making and management…

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Abstract

Tourist regions with long tradition and years of experience often have a hard time implementing strategic management concepts. This is due to decision‐making and management processes at the level of tourism policy and the different levels of the tourism organization. These levels were bogged down for many years and aggravated the task of carrying out the required modifications. With the example of the Alpine region South Tyrol, this paper explains the errors that are likely to happen in the formulation and implementation of strategic concepts. The idea was to use a concrete example to explain the interdependence of the individual elements of strategic management from vision to implementation while, at the same time, elucidating the barriers and the sources of resistance to change at tourism organizations.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 August 2008

Hansruedi Müller and Fabian Weber

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate possible impacts of climate change on tourism on a regional level and therefore to provide a basis for discussion for tourism destinations.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate possible impacts of climate change on tourism on a regional level and therefore to provide a basis for discussion for tourism destinations.

Design/methodology/approach

By means of a statistical analysis of data and a comprehensive desk research, the ecological consequences of climate change on regional level were outlined. In expert workshops, the effects on tourism were discussed and the main challenges for tourism enterprises and destinations were derived.

Findings

The ecological consequences of climate change are shown for the different destinations in the Bernese Oberland. The economic effects on tourism under changed conditions are estimated. The changes in tourism revenue, including adaptation measures, would result in annual losses of approximately 70 million CHF, or about −4 per cent.

Research limitations/implications

There are many uncertainties regarding climatic development, effects on tourism and adaptability of the industry. In addition, the impacts depend heavily on local conditions and the structure of tourism.

Practical implications

The paper provides a useful basis for discussion for alpine tourist destinations planning to set climate change and its consequences on the agenda and develop strategies to face these new challenges.

Originality/value

This paper presents an analysis of ecological consequences of climate change and possible implications on tourism on a regional level and points out the challenges as well as possible mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Details

Tourism Review, vol. 63 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1660-5373

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 April 2013

Pietro Beritelli, Andreas Strobl and Mike Peters

In remote rural areas such as the Alps, communities present a set of specific laws, norms and rules. According to social capital theory, these idiosyncrasies are founded on the…

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Abstract

Purpose

In remote rural areas such as the Alps, communities present a set of specific laws, norms and rules. According to social capital theory, these idiosyncrasies are founded on the closure of the actors in the community. On the contrary, as tourist destinations develop, enterprises and organizations gradually acquire non‐local directors in the boards, slowly affecting the identity of the local community. The aim of the paper is to analyze whether interlocking directorships with board members, residing outside of the destination, really increases openness in the boards of the organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

For a set of salient organizations in six tourism destinations in Austria and in Switzerland, the authors analyzed the networks of interlocks between local and non‐local (outside of the region, outside of the country) board directors.

Findings

Chi‐square tests for group differences in tie densities show that, with the exception of the control destination Zürich, intragroup linkages (i.e. locals and non‐locals among their peers) are stronger than intergroup linkages.

Research limitations/implications

Further research must address the operationalization of social capital with a set of variables that could be checked against increasing interlocks with non‐local directors, and the validation of the results of the six case studies with additional tourist destinations and regions and in the context of other industries, where inherently the identity and the underlying social capital may be less developed.

Practical implications

The benefits of interlocking directorships with non‐local board members (i.e. acquisition of knowledge, increase of reputation for the destination) may fail to appear, when these actors do not effectively join with local board directors. In contrast, rather close networks of local board directors may increase the probability of collective action, effective sanctioning, and, generally speaking, the development of social capital.

Social implications

A tourist destination or generally a community must ponder the benefits of either one of the aspects. That is, a closed community guarantees the preservation of reciprocal trust and the development of locally grown and accepted governance. In contrast, by increasing the organizational connections with external directors in the boards, the enterprises may gain additional knowledge, new financial resources, etc. but they may undermine historically grown rules and norms as well as routines that are founded on reciprocal trust and a common identity.

Originality/value

The functionalities of destination communities are of growing interest for tourism researchers. However, tourism research has never focused on networks of interlocking directorships. By analyzing interlocking directorships in the context of tourist destination communities, this research opens a new stream of discussion for both community research, and the usefulness of research on interlocking directorships.

Article
Publication date: 23 November 2010

Mariangela Franch, Umberto Martini and Federica Buffa

The purpose of this paper is to identify primary and secondary stakeholders for the development of community‐type destinations and to analyse how the difference in power…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify primary and secondary stakeholders for the development of community‐type destinations and to analyse how the difference in power characterizes them with regards to how they value specific rules and how they estimate trust and control in the destinations. From this analysis it is possible to draw useful indicators for the definition of the destination governance.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes the form of a literature review and field research. The literature review considers network approach and stakeholder approach in order to analyse the actors involved in the tourist offer (size of the network and characteristics of the nodes) and their influence reputation for identifying primary and secondary stakeholders within the destination. The field research is carried out in two community‐type destinations in the Alps. In both destinations, tourism is the main economic activity, as it involves a multiplicity of public and private stakeholders; the two destinations do differ for some important factors, like the kind of DMOs and the path of tourism development.

Findings

The research identifies and investigates primary and secondary stakeholders within community‐type destinations and their opinions about the involvement of public and private actors for the development of the destinations and their judgements regarding trust and control.

Research limitations/implications

Results are limited to two community‐type destinations.

Originality/value

The research adopts an innovative methodology to identify primary and secondary stakeholder of community‐type destinations and highlights some indicators for the definition of the destination governance (e.g. level of community participations, role of private and public actors, influence of trust and control).

Details

Tourism Review, vol. 65 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1660-5373

Keywords

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