The role of food in tourism has recently received increased attention within the spheres of destination marketing, tourism development, and academia. Cuisine appreciation is an indelible aspect of the holistic, polysensual experiences that travellers seek thesedays (Crouch & Desforges, 2003; Everett, 2009). The experience of cuisine is the overarching theme for this study. It addresses a contextual gap concerning the concepts of image, satisfaction, and behavioural intentions (which have been abdundantly researched from a destination perspective) applied to cuisine and the travel experience, in India. Specifically, this study’s purpose was to determine foreign travellers’ likelihood to recommend India for culinary tourism based on their perception of its cuisine and satisfaction levels with culinary experiences during their travel to the country. Additional aspects of the culinary behaviour of foreign travellers to India, such as their frequency of patronising Indian culinary establishments, types of establishments they visited, key sources of cuisine knowledge, and their opinion on cuisine knowledge based on culinary experiences in the country, are also revealed in the study. As well, the study incorporated a comparative analysis between how Indian cuisine is perceived vis-à-vis Thai, another globally popular cuisine. A cross-sectional quantitative research design was employed in this study. A questionnaire comprising of six-point Likert scale questions for cuisine image, satisfaction with culinary establishments, and recommendation for culinary tourism, and a combination of additional close and open-ended questions was posed to a convenience sample of foreign travellers to India. Data analyses consisted of frequency analyses, and parametric and non-parametric tests to address the research questions and establish correlations between the study’s central concepts. The results indicate that the sample of foreign travellers’ perception of Indian cuisine was positive overall and equivalent in comparison with that of Thai cuisine. A majority of respondents were satisfied with their culinary experiences in the country and recommended India for culinary tourism, in spite of the culinary challenges faced. The results also indicate that cuisine experience featured prominently as one of the most enjoyable aspects of their trip and that foreign travellers patronised Indian culinary establishments on a frequent basis. Respondents used affective as well as cognitive sources of cuisine information and a majority felt that culinary experiences in India had an ameliorative effect on their overall cuisine knowledge. This study carries particular pertinence in light of recent efforts on the part of the Ministry of Tourism, India to promote culinary tourism as a distinct tourism segment. Although the study cannot claim to be wholly conclusive as it is limited to a small convenience sample, the results provide valuable insight on this previously under-researched topic. Acknowledging the aforementioned caveat, implications and recommendations for three stakeholders are presented: culinary tourism marketers, owners/managers of culinary establishments, and the academic community. It is suggested that stakeholders contextualise the learnings from this study to their unique needs from a culinary tourism promotion and managerial standpoint. Being that this is an exploratory study, further research is recommended to explore the nuances of the study’s central themes with respect to phenomenon of culinary tourism.

This thesis makes a comparative study of local government autonomy in Britain and Sweden within the local economic development policy area. It argues for local government autonomy to be viewed in terms of both a vertical dimension concerning local government's autonomy vis-à-vis national government (national context) and a horizontal dimension relating to its autonomy vis-à-vis local social and economic forces (local context). A policy area approach is advocated as the strength of, and the balance between, factors influencing local government autonomy, both vertically and horizontally, may be modified by the particular characteristics of the policy area. For example, the local economic development policy area is characterized as a grey zone respecting the intergovernmental relationship and a "mixed-economy" concerning the public-private sector relationship. The concept of autonomy is distinguished into policy-making independence (measured as local authority cooperation with other actors in economic development policies) and capacity for action (measured in terms of four local authority roles in the local economy). These are tested empirically regarding the influence of the local context and the relationship between them examined. The dominant trend in both countries is that the more local authorities intervene in the local economy (extend their capacity for action), the greater their cooperation with other actors (the more restricted their policy-making independence). / digitalisering@umu

With the distinguished natural and cultural tourism resources, Tibet is undoubtedly a desirable travel destination both domestically and internationally. With the newly opened Qinghai-Tibet railway to Lhasa in July 2006, Tibet tourism development was boosted markedly due to the increased accessibility and affordability. This study evaluates the impacts of the increased accessibility achieved through the Qinghai-Tibet railway on tourist travel decisions for, and experiences in, Tibet from travelers’ perspectives. The relative importance of the train journey in comparison with the destination experience at Tibet is also examined. A destination choice framework is proposed based on a review of previous literature. It is applied in this study to understand tourists’ travel destination choice of Tibet. A questionnaire survey was designed as the major primary data collection method to collect travelers’ perceptions on the train journey and Tibet tourism. Conducted on the train to and from Lhasa of Tibet, a total of 187 questionnaires were collected, including 82 for the pre-visit sample and 105 for the post-visit sample. Important destination choice factors for Tibet are identified in this study. The findings also support the importance of the railway on tourists’ destination choice of Tibet and in the overall travel experience of Tibet. Expectations and satisfactions with the destination are also compared to indicate possibilities for further destination development in Tibet. This study improves the understanding of both the supply and demand sides of the tourism industry in Tibet. Both practical implications and academic implications are presented based on the major findings of this study. Contributions of this study and future research opportunities are discussed.

For years, the gambling industry has been gaining popularity among a variety of countries and communities for its contribution to tourism development and thus, to the economy. At the same time, the addictive nature of the gambling activities poses questions for society’s future wellbeing. In the Republic of Cyprus, tourism is a major economic activity. Recently, some of the local practitioners of tourism lobbied government to allow the introduction of the casino industry to increase tourists’ arrivals, enhance their experience, as well as limit the number of travelers who go to the bordering Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for casino-gambling. However, the potential adverse impacts of gambling on the local community cannot be overlooked as a factor in decision-making. As a result, this study explores the implications for the Greek-Cypriot community development of introducing casino-style gambling as a part of the tourism development strategy. This study’s findings suggest that while the literature does indicate that there can be some possible immediate direct economic benefits from the introduction of casinos to local economies, those benefits are not demonstrated in this particular investigation. The findings were derived from a literature review, nineteen interviews, and two hundred and twenty surveys completed by tourists and local residents in Cyprus. They revealed mixed responses to the introduction of the casino industry. During the course of the data analysis and interpretation, it was identified that tourists are not as interested in seeing casinos introduced to Cyprus as were some local residents. If that is the case, on the basis of this study there does not appear to be a persuasive argument for introducing casino-style gambling to promote tourism on the island. Moreover, there are some potentially negative effects of gambling that could adversely affect the tourism industry and local culture.

In recent years, the impacts of tourism on the environment have indicated an urgent need for sustainability principles to be introduced within the industry. Although problems arise regarding the definition and meanings of sustainability, the Ecological Footprint has been proposed as a key indicator of sustainable tourism. In this study, the ecological footprint was adapted to a tourism context, in order to measure the sustainability of backpacker tourists, who are speculated to be environmentally friendly due to their low budgets and use of few resources. During this study surveys were conducted with 123 backpackers and hostel tourists staying at 8 hostels located throughout Ontario and Quebec. Information was collected on respondents’ food, activity and transportation behaviours, as well as hostel occupancy rates, property sizes, energy usages, and waste management routines. This data was inputted into the ecological footprint calculator to determine the average ecological footprints of backpacker tourists in Ontario and Quebec, and the relationship between the ecological footprint, demographics and travelling behaviours. In addition to the data collected for ecological footprint calculations, information was also gathered on hostel and respondent environmental behaviours. The findings indicate that backpacker tourism is substantially more sustainable than some other forms of international travel, however it is generally not sustainable as an activity. Backpacker ecological footprints were considerably higher than the average footprints of residents in their home countries, indicating the immense impacts of transportation, which accounted for 77% of the average EF in this study. As most backpackers in this study were international travellers, the transportation impacts were often a result of flight emissions and although an inquiry was made into sustainable flight options, it is clear that there is currently no perfect solution for decreasing flight impacts. As a result, reducing the ecological footprint of backpacker tourism to a sustainable level currently appears to be for the most part, impossible. However, as backpacker tourism does contribute to the social and economic sustainability of some areas, minor changes are possible within the sector, to at least make the backpacker market as environmentally sustainable as currently possible.

This study assesses the relationship between planning and creative destruction in the village of Creemore, Ontario. The study has four objectives. The first is to describe the evolution of tourism in Creemore by tracking change in three variables: investment, visitor numbers and resident attitudes. Second, is to describe past and present tourism planning in the village. Third, is to assess Creemore’s position in the model of creative destruction, based on information presented in objectives one and two. The final objective is to provide recommendations for Creemore’s future based on information gained from the other objectives. To investigate the first objective, entrepreneurial investment was provided by secondary sources, including the Creemore Business Improvement Association (BIA). Visitor numbers were obtained from content analyses of copies of the local newspaper and from information provided by the Creemore Springs Brewery. Resident attitudes were gleaned from a survey completed by 126 residents of Creemore. To meet the second objective, a content analysis was completed on historic issues of the local newspaper and six key informant interviews were conducted. Based on the information provided from the first two objectives, it is concluded that Creemore is in the second stage of Mitchell’s (1998) model of creative destruction, Advanced Commodification. This conclusion is drawn since visitor numbers and investment levels are still low and resident attitudes are generally positive towards tourism. It is also concluded that tourism planning plays a large role in creative destruction, as it can speed up, or slow down, the process, depending on the types of planning that are implemented. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that a tourism plan be developed to help mitigate possible future negative impacts of tourism, and to ensure the village does not evolve any further along the path of creative destruction.

Development agencies and policymakers are increasingly advocating tourism as a viable and legitimate poverty reduction strategy in least-developed countries (LDCs). However, the rhetoric surrounding tourism development mechanisms in the context of LDCs far outweighs the empirical evidence. Much of the tourism literature has examined impacts of tourism in LDCs, but little research has examined development processes and their impacts on poverty, comprehensively defined. This study examines the development processes by which tourism affects poverty, analyses the effects of tourism employment on poverty conditions, and explores ways that tourism can contribute to poverty reduction. These objectives are addressed using a multi-methods research approach and case study situated in Nkhata Bay, Malawi. The research findings demonstrated that tourism development mechanisms of employment, local sourcing, and philanthropy were most prevalent in Nkhata Bay, while mechanisms such as direct sales, the establishment of small enterprises, taxes, and infrastructure were less apparent. Further analysis revealed that while tourism employment had positive effects on monetary and employment conditions of tourism employees, these effects did not reflect improvements in other facets of poverty. The main conclusions of the study are that tourism is not an indelible force for poverty alleviation, as it can have alleviating, perpetuating, and exacerbating effects on poverty. However, while tourism offers limited poverty reduction potential as a national economic development strategy, tourism facilitates alternative sources of development finance, such as philanthropy, which can support alternative development processes on a local level, and may be more effective in harnessing the potential of tourism to deliver poverty reduction objectives.

Tourism has become one of Egypt’s main sources of income and has undergone rapid privatization and subsequent growth. This has resulted in numerous policy and implementation gaps including those in environmental policy. Egypt’s natural resources are thus threatened by this unsustainable tourism growth. This study analyses the impact of the tourism privatization movement in Egypt on the distribution of environmental responsibility between the private and public sectors and the environmental consequences. Changes in the roles of the private and public sectors in tourism and other roles, priorities, and agendas that each stakeholder may have are considered in this thesis. In order to gather information for this study, Egyptian laws and legislations pertaining to the areas of the environment, tourism and investment were examined. Secondary data from government sources about tourist numbers and characteristics, and about investment trends in Egypt were also obtained and examined. A series of interviews of key informants from the public sector, private sector, and NGOs were also conducted in the Egyptian capital city, Cairo, and on the Red Sea. Two Red Sea cities, Hurghada and El Gouna were visited and environmental initiatives in them were observed and made note of. This study finds that the Egyptian private sector is more successful than the public sector at planning and managing environmental initiatives, and that Egypt’s tourism pricing policy is a key influence on the level of environmental degradation. In terms of laws and regulations, it was found that Egypt has a sufficient number of environmental regulations and institutions; but that the challenge lies in their functioning and efficiency, and that the government’s environmental initiatives are largely symbolic and designed to attract foreign aid. These findings suggest that Egypt should focus on improving the quality rather than increasing the quantity of tourism. Accordingly, the marketing competitive advantage should be the quality and uniqueness of the destination rather than its low price. In terms of private-public sector interactions, governmental institutions should assume a more active role in environmental protection and should employ experts and knowledgeable professionals as decision makers, while the private sector should be encouraged to undertake large-scale tourism projects. It is found that sustainable tourism cannot be achieved without the contribution and collaboration of both parties in tourism planning and development.

This study examines the relationship between parks and adjacent communities, through a case study of Bon Echo Provincial Park and the village of Cloyne. Two objectives are identified. First is to assess the nature of the relationship between Bon Echo and the community from the perspective of local community members, using the Grounded Theory methodology. The second objective is to provide recommendations, based on the findings of the case study, using the framework of the Healthy Communities approach. These objectives are met through primary and secondary data collection. The former consists of thirty-two personal, semi-structured interviews that were conducted with community members. The latter includes a variety of documents written about the park, the village and the general area. The study finds that the park has been an important part of this area for many years. It demonstrates that three types of relationships exist between Cloyne and Bon Echo. The formal relationship is the ‘official’ relationship between the park and the community. The functional relationship describes how the community perceives and uses the park. The facilitative relationship highlights how the park facilitates (or creates) costs and benefits to the community, and how it influences sense-of-place. Finally, the study demonstrates that the community would like to see change in its relationship with the park. As such, six recommendations are provided that are in line with the Healthy Communities approach. These recommendations illustrate that the overall relationship could be improved by encouraging the park to localize their methods and practices. By localizing provincial parks and helping to develop stronger local tourism economies, both the park and the community will benefit.

Industrial remains can be found in many regions that experienced industrialization. However, they are, in general, at risk of loss through destruction and abandonment. Promoting tourism can be a helpful tool for regional restructuring and economic development. The creative economy is also emerging as a powerful tool for reinvigorating economic growth, employment and social cohesion of those areas, which may affect the development of touristic activities and industries. However, little research has been done to link creative economy theory and industrial heritage tourism. This paper elaborates on and clarifies the link between industrial heritage tourism and creative economy, and illustrates the impact of creativity and the driving role of the creative class in industrial heritage tourism through a case study. The study site, 798 art zone, is a newly emerged tourism destination in China which developed based on an abandoned soviet-style factory. Through analyzing the initiation status of tourism development in the factory, the interests of visitors, the influences of tourism, and the role of artists, the research reveals the dramatic change under the impact of tourism and more recently added development boom that has taken place at the 798 art zone. The findings identify the characteristics of 798 art zone in different periods and the contributions of the artist community to the art zone. Unlike most industrial heritage tourism sites, the development of 798 art zone was bottom up owing to the creativity of artists. With their creative eyes, artists identified the special features of the abandoned factory (high ceilings, historic design, open spaces, and abundant natural light), and used their creativity to add artistic feelings to this area. When the factory was facing the fate of being razed, they pulled together. With their efforts, the factory was preserved and 798 art zone was acknowledged by the government. The results are in accord with the creative economy theory that creativity is the driving force of economic development and improve the understanding of how creativity and tourism interact. The development pattern of 798 art zone might not apply precisely to any other places in the world, but it provides an effective alternative model for revitalization of old industrial sites as well as other tourism sites. Some management related suggestions and concerns about 798 art zone and tourists profile are proposed. Both practical implications and academic insights are presented based on the major findings of this study.