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The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution and transformation of tourism distribution channels, focusing on the role the internet has played in such a process. It attempts to graphically illustrate, in a temporal manner, the evolving complexity of the tourism distribution systems.

This paper provides insights into the change of the structure of tourism distribution that has not been extensively explored. Indeed, the complexity of the tourism distribution structure has been diagrammatically depicted multiple times by previous researchers and each depiction has contributed to a fuller understanding of the body of knowledge by focusing on different aspects of that structure. This paper builds upon those valuable knowledge contributions by focusing on the evolution of the structure over time, systematically and diagrammatically revealing the progressively larger number of intermediation layers, in spite of concurrent disintermediation and reintermediation activity. This paper does not focus on every action of every participant in detail, but rather focuses on categories of intermediaries, looking at pioneering examples of each. Likewise, the comparative rates of technology adoption in different regions of the world are not investigated.

The complex network proposed in this paper indicates that the advance of information and communication technology has not reduced the number of intermediaries in the distribution channel, but rather resulted in an increasingly complex array of intermediaries. The structure of the tourism industry has taken the form of a complex global network. In the struggle to prosper in this environment, participants at various levels will continue to compete, cooperate, merge, form partnerships, and change relationships on a regular basis.

The extant literature has covered many aspects of intermediation, disintermediation, and reintermediation, albeit with differing terminologies. Most of these studies have adopted a static and cross‐sectional approach in examining the structure and use of tourism distribution channels. This paper examines the historical evolution and progression of tourism distribution channels which is not only important in understanding where we are now as an industry, but also where we came from and where we are heading to.

Co‐operation among multinational food corporations, public health agencies and charities to combat food shortages and inadequate nutrition is worthy of serious, objective consideration. Unfortunately, there is some suspicion, hostility, and lack of understanding among different parties. The private sector has valuable expertise and a customer/client orientation that is usually missing elsewhere. Several interventions and difficulties are discussed. Present and potential products, product development, and promotion are considered. It is concluded that significant amounts of responsible co‐operation are vital and possible.

The focus of this paper is to compare access to higher education by Syrian refugees in Jordan and Germany. Background of the Syrian refugee crisis and its scope are provided before delving into a description of the university-age population among Syrian refugees in both countries. The nature of access to higher education in both countries is first examined before conducting a comparative analysis of the two. Implications and recommendations for policy and practice are provided.

The present writer has reviewed in AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING all but two of the Sections of the Handbook of Supersonic Aerodynamics as each has appeared; and it is a matter of some disappointment that although the first review was made over ten years ago, nearly half the handbook is still awaited. For such an important document to take so long to appear is, to say the least, unfortunate. When complete the handbook will have 21 Sections comprising six volumes; the sections are each prepared by an expert, under the general editorship of the John Hopkins University, while publication and distribution arc in the hands of the U.S. Naval Bureau of Ordnance. Of the 21 sections, there have appeared at various times and in no particular order Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 15, 16, and 18: they have been reviewed, singly or in groups (except for Section 15, a set of tables) in the May 1952, November 1952, November 1958, February 1960, September 1960 and January 1961 issues of AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING. Of the remaining sections, eight are in process of preparation; there is no statement about the last.

This paper examines German trade and investment structures in relation to China, establishing for the 1990s: a severe trade imbalance, with stagnating German exports and sharply rising imports; it also establishes, despite occasionally substantial increases in contracted investment, a general pattern of steep decline in realized German investment. These findings contrast markedly with official surveys of German business opinions which seem to yield a very positive frame of mind by German businessmen regarding their business activity in China. Both grounds for disillusionment and success factors for foreign (German) business in China are explored, phenomena which are possibly shaping German conformance to the wider, distinct and apparently inexorable trend away from joint ventures towards wholly foreign‐owned enterprises. Regardless of such developments, Germany is a key business partner for China, not least because of its readiness to share sensitive high‐technology as, for example, in the field of environmental protection.

The following bibliography focuses mainly on programs which can run on IBM microcomputers and compatibles under the operating system PC DOS/MS DOS, and which can be used in online information and documentation work. They fall into the following categories:

Teaching drawing in architectural education raises questions regarding the representation of spatial experiences: to what extent can sensory experiences of space be intensified through observing and drawing and, perhaps equally important, what those drawings would look like?

In the context of their drawing classes, the authors started to inquire the discrepancy between conceiving and perceiving space, and the aptitude of representing spatial concepts upon a two dimensional surface. Through observation and translating observation into drawings, students discover that conventionalised ways of drawing, such as linear perspective, only reveal part of the story. While linear perspective remains the dominant way of representing space, obviously visible in photography, film, 3D-imaging and architectural impressions, the authors started looking for ways of drawing which inquire possibilities of expressing spatial experiences. Drawing as an activity which is able to enhance spatial understanding, rather than as a tool to communicate virtual spaces. Next to drawing as a ‘skill’, which can be learnt, the drawing classes started to inquire non-visual aspects of space by analysing attributes of spatiality, which are difficult to convey through two dimensional drawings.

Starting from a contextualisation of spatial drawing within architectural practice, the article examines the discrepancy between geometric space and lived space, in order to reveal the dubious role of linear perspective within (architectural) culture and history. After a brief return to how we imagined and represented space in our childhood, the article presents a series of practice based examples. Drawing on the authors’ teaching practice, it illustrates possibilities to expand our visual language by exploring space and spatiality through observing and drawing.

As scholarly research in online purchasing increases in size and scope, understanding the manner in which consumers engage during online purchasing in hotels is critical. The purpose of this study is to provide an analysis of the current online purchasing research pertaining to the hotel industry.

A content analysis was conducted of 85 peer-reviewed articles published between 2006 and 2016 in hospitality and tourism journals to uncover the most critical aspects of online purchasing in hotels. Keyword searches and specific search parameters (e.g. literature time frame and locus of search) guided the review of the articles selected for the analysis.

This study recognizes that the discrete transaction per se represents the focal element in the hospitality scholarly research in online purchasing. It also recognizes the importance of the overall encompassing hospitality experience in creating and appropriating value for all stakeholders. Finally, the review found a strong orientation toward self-reported survey data as indicative of online transactions and the steps that precede them online.

The study recognizes the present focus on discrete transactions and recommends expanding the focus to tap into more comprehensive purchasing processes that are mediated by technology.

The analysis presented here offers practitioners insight into the value chain member and consumer behaviors that could be feasibly converted into actionable managerial practices.

In contrast to the reviews discussing online purchasing, this study provides a unique broad analytical perspective on the relationships among buyers, sellers, products, retail interfaces and consumer decision processes that characterize the hotel online purchasing environment, as reflected in the past 10 years of hospitality and tourism literature.