Concern for the degradation of the environment has seen the emergence of a small but steadily increasing number of UK organisations. These organisations bring together paying volunteers and research projects to support sustainable development, which has given rise to an emerging niche within the sustainable tourism framework - Research Tourism. The study evaluates the dynamics between the organisations (Research Tourism Sector) and its customers (Research Volunteers). Independent studies were conducted of both the organisations and the volunteers. Seventy six interviews with research volunteers were undertaken and a survey was used for the organisations in the research tourism sector. The survey of organisations used a SPACE Analysis distributed to fifteen companies, of which nine were returned. The findings of the study on research volunteer's captures the socio-demographic profile that indicates sixty percent of the research volunteers are British, mainly single and are either currently studying or had previously studies at university. It continues by identifying a volunteer typology indicating three different types of volunteers and finally, a conceptual framework (research tourism systems model) which displays the components of travel in the sector. At the same time the analysis of the business environment suggests that the SPACE factors are not strong enough to depress profits and, therefore, the balance sheets should be healthy. The financial analysis suggests that this is not always the case. Organisations recognise that relying on volunteers' contributions could make them vulnerable and a growing number of alternatives are identified. It is argued that the sector has the potential to delivery the sustainable development agenda in terms of capacity building, policy advice and knowledge management the extent to which individual organisations deliver these concepts varies. Consequently, the 'sustainable difference' that the organisations in the research volunteer sector requires more consistent implication and therefore greater levels of monitoring. Evaluation of the dynamics between the organisations and colunteers identifies eight interrelated items. The framework of a spider's web demonstrates that when one dynamic is exposed, reverberations across all eight are inevitable. A connection between the eight dynamics and the volunteer typology indicate an even greater complexity. Further, when the strategic implications of the volunteer typologies were examined, it was found that the two discrete segments, Sepcific Research Volunteers and Corporate Research Volunteers, are not any more lucrative than the General Research Volunteer. The specialisation of these segments has largely come about through monopolisation of a particular funding source rather than the derivation of unique product offering. The thesis argues that a symbiotic relationship exists between the organisations and volunteers, in that volunteers contribute money that normally might not be spent on sustainability. However, this funding source is contingent on meeting a variety of non profit based criteria. This study is a contribution to the literature on volunteer tourism and further research directions are identified.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Reading, 1990. / Includes chp. 3 of Marketing tourism places edited by Gregory J. Ashworth and Brian Goodall titled People, places and priorities, opportunity sets and consumers' holiday choice by Peter Kent. Includes several papers from the 2nd International Conference, Leisure, Labour and Lifestyles : International Comparisons, Sussex University, Brighton, England, Juen 29-July 3, 1988. Includes bibliographical references.

This study examines psychological determinants of the suppressed demand for recreational tourism. Its broad aim is to develop existing theoretical perspectives in order to throw light upon free choice non-holidaymaking. Part one uses structured interviews, and a supporting attitude survey, to contrast the perceptions and environmental circumstances of more and less vociferous participants. Specifically the interviewees' disclose perceived non-holidaymaking determinants and opportunity costs. Part two utilises questionnaires with personality items and non-parametric hypothesis testing, critically evaluating Nickerson and Ellis' (1991) postulated yet unsubstantiated predisposition to non-participation (introversion, low arousal seeking tendency and external locus of control). A cognitive mapping procedure then reveals evaluative criteria relevant to the holiday/no holiday decision. The explorative analysis demonstrates that suppressed demand has a non-permanent composition. Also the perceived opportunity costs of holidaymaking are invariably connected with homemaking expenditures (eg decorating and DIY). People moreover differentially prioritise holidaymaking 'per se'. Regarding the personality affects on non-participation, the analysis finds no evidence to support Nickerson and Ellis' assertions about introversion and low arousal seeking. On the other hand, an external locus of control does to dispose to non-holidaymaking (p=<p.05). The cognitive mapping experiment illustrates that homemaking expenditures are generally prioritised over and above holidaymaking. Although, more adventurous travellers perceive that these expenditures are of relatively more equal importance. These findings are combined in a synthesis of an emotive generic holiday decision model; emphasising transient effects, a generic resource allocation bias, and the normative-affective influences of omnipresent constraints. It is proferred that this model provides a previously lacking foothold that will support further advancements in holiday decision making research.

This study is set within the context of the tourism and hospitality sector in Egypt, a popular and expanding tourism destination in the Middle East/North Africa. The study specifically investigates the impact of culture on expectations and perceptions of service quality in hotels. In the literature it has been pointed out that there is a shortage of studies focusing on the impact of culture on service quality. What research has been done generally indicates that expectations of service quality by an individual may vary according to whether that person is from a high or low power distance, and whether from a high context or low context, cultural background. With increasing competition in the hospitality sector service quality could be an important factor in gaining competitive advantage, and understanding cultural differences and can be helpful in dealing with customers from different backgrounds. Following a positivistic methodology and quantitative methods, an adapted version of the SERVQUAL questionnaire was administered to Arab and British hotel guests in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Consequently 504 correctly completed copies were analysed using hypotheses testing and correlation analysis. To the five dimensions of SERVQUAL- tangibles, empathy, responsiveness, assurance and reliability-a sixth dimension of sustainability was also added. This was a novel idea. The findings showed that Arabs had, overall, lower expectations and perceptions of service quality than the British guests. This showed that there is a relationship between expectations of service quality and culture but that the finding could not be explained in terms of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions as the literature review generally suggests. Follow up interviews with hotel guests showed that the lower expectations of Arabs in general and Egyptians in particular, could be the result of their beliefs that Westerners are always treated better than Arabs by the hotel staff. The findings also show that environmentally friendly practices by hotels can be added as a dimension to SERVQUAL in respect of the hospitality sector.

Thesis (M.T.M.)--Victoria University of Wellington, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar as políticas públicas de turismo desenvolvidas pela São Paulo Turismo, empresa oficial de turismo e eventos da cidade de São Paulo, com foco nos programas e ações de lazer que possibilitem o morador conhecer a própria cidade. Essa perspectiva trata do Lazer em estreitas relações com a cultura, a educação e a cidadania, bem como o turismo enquanto vivência de lazer, trabalhado a partir de sua dimensão social e de seus impactos gerados à população local. A discussão centrou-se na necessidade de políticas de turismo que despertem um novo olhar do morador sobre sua própria cidade, história e cultura, sendo capaz de gerar vivências que possibilitem o alcance dos níveis mais altos de participação, crítico e criativo, pensando na superação de inúmeras barreiras socioculturais presentes no lazer e na possibilidade de mudança da ordem social vigente. A metodologia utilizada foi composta pela combinação de pesquisa bibliográfica, documental e empírica, com a realização de estudo de caso histórico-organizacional da São Paulo Turismo. Dentre as técnicas de coleta de dados utilizadas na pesquisa empírica estavam a realização de entrevistas centradas com os gestores e responsáveis pelo desenvolvimento dos programas e ações da instituição e de entrevistas estruturadas com moradores da capital paulista que frequentam as Centrais de Informação Turística. Como resultados, identificou-se a necessidade de ações mais representativas, considerando a grandiosidade da cidade de São Paulo, e de ações descentralizadas, com atendimento a regiões mais periféricas do munícipio, assim como a importância de iniciativas que permitam ao morador se apropriar dos fixos e fluxos de sua cidade, possibilitando o estabelecimento de vínculos afetivos com o local de moradia e a superação do desconforto em espaços que, na visão dos moradores, são somente destinados aos turistas. Para isso, muitos são os desafios, dentre eles ultrapassar os limites dos conceitos de turismo a partir de suas relações com o lazer, a fim de garantir a elaboração de leis e políticas de turismo desenvolvidas próximas das realidades locais, avaliando-se o contexto social no qual as políticas são formatadas e gerenciadas, bem como a cidade de São Paulo e suas múltiplas facetas / This study aims to analyze the tourism policies developed by São Paulo Tourism, official tourism and events organization in São Paulo, focus on leisure programs and activities that allow the resident to know their own city. This perspective understands leisure in close relations with culture, education and citizenship, as well as tourism, considered as a leisure activity, worked from its social dimension and impacts in the local population. The discussion focuses on the need for tourism policies that stimulate a new look of the city, it history and culture, by their residents, that can be able to generate experiences that enable the achievement of higher levels of participation, critical and creative. This can support the search to overcome numerous socio-cultural barriers present in the leisure, and the chance to change the current social order. The methodology consists of the combination of bibliographic, documentary and empirical research, with the development of a historical-organizational case study of São Paulo Turismo. The data collection techniques used in empirical research were focused interviews with managers and responsible for the development of programs and actions of the institution and structured interviews with residents of the state capital, patrons of the Tourist Information Centers. As result, it is possible to identify the need for more representative policies, considering the greatness of the city of São Paulo and the need of decentralized actions that can serve more remote areas of the municipality. The importance of efforts to enable the resident to appropriate fixed and flows of their own city, as well as allows them to establish affective bonds with the place of residence. It also can help to overcome discomfort in spaces that, in the view of the residents, has only intended for tourists. For this, there are many challenges, among them to overcome the boundaries of tourism concepts, from its relations with leisure, in order to ensure the development of laws and tourism policies close to the local realities, considering the social context in which policies are developed and managed, as well as the city of São Paulo and its many facets

O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar as políticas públicas de turismo desenvolvidas pela São Paulo Turismo, empresa oficial de turismo e eventos da cidade de São Paulo, com foco nos programas e ações de lazer que possibilitem o morador conhecer a própria cidade. Essa perspectiva trata do Lazer em estreitas relações com a cultura, a educação e a cidadania, bem como o turismo enquanto vivência de lazer, trabalhado a partir de sua dimensão social e de seus impactos gerados à população local. A discussão centrou-se na necessidade de políticas de turismo que despertem um novo olhar do morador sobre sua própria cidade, história e cultura, sendo capaz de gerar vivências que possibilitem o alcance dos níveis mais altos de participação, crítico e criativo, pensando na superação de inúmeras barreiras socioculturais presentes no lazer e na possibilidade de mudança da ordem social vigente. A metodologia utilizada foi composta pela combinação de pesquisa bibliográfica, documental e empírica, com a realização de estudo de caso histórico-organizacional da São Paulo Turismo. Dentre as técnicas de coleta de dados utilizadas na pesquisa empírica estavam a realização de entrevistas centradas com os gestores e responsáveis pelo desenvolvimento dos programas e ações da instituição e de entrevistas estruturadas com moradores da capital paulista que frequentam as Centrais de Informação Turística. Como resultados, identificou-se a necessidade de ações mais representativas, considerando a grandiosidade da cidade de São Paulo, e de ações descentralizadas, com atendimento a regiões mais periféricas do munícipio, assim como a importância de iniciativas que permitam ao morador se apropriar dos fixos e fluxos de sua cidade, possibilitando o estabelecimento de vínculos afetivos com o local de moradia e a superação do desconforto em espaços que, na visão dos moradores, são somente destinados aos turistas. Para isso, muitos são os desafios, dentre eles ultrapassar os limites dos conceitos de turismo a partir de suas relações com o lazer, a fim de garantir a elaboração de leis e políticas de turismo desenvolvidas próximas das realidades locais, avaliando-se o contexto social no qual as políticas são formatadas e gerenciadas, bem como a cidade de São Paulo e suas múltiplas facetas / This study aims to analyze the tourism policies developed by São Paulo Tourism, official tourism and events organization in São Paulo, focus on leisure programs and activities that allow the resident to know their own city. This perspective understands leisure in close relations with culture, education and citizenship, as well as tourism, considered as a leisure activity, worked from its social dimension and impacts in the local population. The discussion focuses on the need for tourism policies that stimulate a new look of the city, it history and culture, by their residents, that can be able to generate experiences that enable the achievement of higher levels of participation, critical and creative. This can support the search to overcome numerous socio-cultural barriers present in the leisure, and the chance to change the current social order. The methodology consists of the combination of bibliographic, documentary and empirical research, with the development of a historical-organizational case study of São Paulo Turismo. The data collection techniques used in empirical research were focused interviews with managers and responsible for the development of programs and actions of the institution and structured interviews with residents of the state capital, patrons of the Tourist Information Centers. As result, it is possible to identify the need for more representative policies, considering the greatness of the city of São Paulo and the need of decentralized actions that can serve more remote areas of the municipality. The importance of efforts to enable the resident to appropriate fixed and flows of their own city, as well as allows them to establish affective bonds with the place of residence. It also can help to overcome discomfort in spaces that, in the view of the residents, has only intended for tourists. For this, there are many challenges, among them to overcome the boundaries of tourism concepts, from its relations with leisure, in order to ensure the development of laws and tourism policies close to the local realities, considering the social context in which policies are developed and managed, as well as the city of São Paulo and its many facets

Aim of the thesis will be analyze of winter and summer services in location Lipensko and market conditions based on mystery shopping, survey by guests, visitors and tourists or interview with company management a local stakeholders at the discretion of the author of the thesis. In thesis will be used historical, logical and comparative analytical methods with using an analysis of statistical data.