Habitat loss and fragmentation caused by tourist development along the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico represents a big threat to the survival of Nearctic-Neotropical migratory songbirds. This habitat plays a crucial role for successful migration for many migratory birds. However, the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on these birds have not been well documented in the region. From September- December, 2006-2008, we mist-netted and conducted transect surveys to assess the variation in the avian community among three different levels of development (high, medium and low). The study area included two small reserves (10-20 ha) in the hotel zone associated with the Riviera Maya (high development), two sites with limited development within the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve associated with small fishing camps (medium development), and two undeveloped sites located on a private ranch within Sian Ka’an (low development). I assessed species richness and abundance of four avian groups: the entire community, year-round residents, winter residents, and transients. Species richness and abundance decreased significantly with the greatest levels of disturbance. The high development level had the least species richness and abundance, whereas the medium development level had the greatest richness for all bird classes. However, my results suggest that small reserves in the hotel zone can be important compliments to the large, undisturbed reserves (Sian Ka’an) for both resident and migrant birds. Forty-six percent of all birds species captured in mist nets were Nearctic-Neotropical migrants; thus this group composed a significant component of the avian community. The dominance in the year-round resident community by the endemic Black Catbird (Dumetella glabrirostris) at medium and low development sites showed that coastal dune vegetation is also important in maintaining populations of endemic species, which are sensitive to levels of disturbance. The use of two different survey methods (mist-netting and transect surveys) produced complimentary descriptions of community composition. Because many year-round resident species and migrants depend on this scarce and discontinuous coastal habitat, and because of the intense development pressure on this coastal zone, better conservation strategies are needed to successfully sustain the avian community of this region.

This thesis considers how 'day visitors' to the Peak National Park construct accounts for their behaviour. It takes an inductive approach to the problem of 'day visits' as an under-researched topic within tourism and leisure studies. The thesis examines the discourses within tourism studies and in particular the ways in which notions of what it is to be a 'tourist' are constructed and used in tourism studies. Further it seeks to relocate the notion of tourism within the realm of ordinary social member's understandings, and therefore tourism becomes an object of study within everyday life. The thesis is particularly interested in the concept of motivation for tourism. Rather than regarding tourism motivation as a set of fixed 'needs' the study sets out to demonstrate the inherently social, locally managed and produced nature of motivation for tourism within everyday conversation about tourism. The empirical analysis is based on a small number of semi-structured, conversational interviews with people who had recently been on a 'day visit' to the Peak National Park. It was found that the respondents orient to the production of accounts of their experiences and accounts for their behaviour that served a number of functions. Accounts were found to allow members to construct notions of identity as a resource to achieve credibility in their accomplishment of 'day visitor' experiences in talk. This study considers how 'being a tourist' is accomplished or resisted by the respondents in their talk. Identity construction is also considered in relation to the accomplishment of spatial practice in accounting for 'day visitor' behaviour.

I argue that the bubonic tourist is a resistive and reflexive everyday character. I hypothesize that the bubonic tourist can generate spatial and temporal transgressions that sanction increased social agency and thereby transform our sense of subjectivity. By appropriating, cannibalizing, and carnivalizing social codes and modes of operation, I considered how communities are created through performance. I argue that by departing and arriving from the centre to the margins of a peer, social, and cultural genus—what Pierre Bourdieu calls habitus—marginalized individuals can both destabilize and inform demarcated and delimited categories. By performing and feeding back to social codes and norms experiences of the margins, the bubonic tourist creates fissures that engender self-reflexivity and meaning. I argue that, the bubonic tourist as a critical and creative practitioner can emancipate and empower the self and others. I considered how the bubonic tourist as an ethical individual is a member of a community that is created through performance. Finally, I considered how creative interventions might engender someone to transmogrify into the bubonic tourist and how as a methodology the bubonic tourist could have practical application. This study, seeks to outline the grounds in which instability can generate agency and a sense of self.

Darbo tikslas - išanalizuoti į Vilniaus miestą atvykstančių turistų srautus pagal šalis ir pateikti jų apibendrinimą. Šiam tikslui pasiekti buvo iškelti uždaviniai: - nustatyti iš kokių šalių daugiausiai atvyksta turistų į Vilniaus miestą; - išanalizuoti pagrindinius turistų iš užsienio šalių, iš kurių daugiausiai atvykstama į Vilniaus miestą, rodiklius prieš jiems atvykstant ir jų lankymosi sostinėje metu; - išsiaiškinti ar buvimo trukmė Vilniaus mieste ir išlaidų dydis priklauso nuo turistų atvykimo tikslų; - pagal atliktą tyrimo duomenų analizę, pateikti turistų pagal šalis, iš kurių atvyko, buvimo Vilniuje metu apibendrinimą. Tyrimo metu buvo apklausiami turistai iš užsienio šalių, atvykę į Vilniaus miestą. Buvo suformuota aštuonių asmenų grupė, kuri vasaros sezono metu keturiais etapais po septynias dienas skirtingose Vilniaus miesto gatvėse apklausė turistus iš užsienio šalių. Pagal atliktą turistų apklausą buvo nustatyta, iš kokių šalių daugiausiai atvyksta turistų į Vilniaus miestą. Taip pat buvo išsiaiškinta kokia transporto priemone daugiausiai naudojasi turistai atvykdami į Vilniaus miestą. Darbe pateikiami užsienio turistų informacijos ieškojimo būdai prieš atvykstant į sostinę. Išanalizavus tyrimo duomenis buvo nustatyta kiek turistai iš užsienio šalių praleidžia Vilniaus mieste ir kuo jie domisi lankydamiesi sostinėje. Darbe pateikta turistų išlaidų analizė jų lankymosi Vilniaus mieste metu. Atlikus tyrimą atsakyta į klausimą ar turistų išlaidų dydis ir... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The main goal of this job is to make research of tourists according to the country arrrived in Vilnius city and to give a generalization. There was made four tasks to reach this goal: - to establish the countries from whiches the tourists mainly are comming to Vilnius city; - to analyze the main index of tourists according to the countries, from whiches mainly are comming to Vilnius city, before arriving and during the visit in capital of Lithuania; - to clear up the dependence between visit time in Vilnius and expenditure from goals tourists arrived in Vilnius city; - taking it into consideration of made research analize, to establish the generalization of tourists according to the countries during visit in Vilnius city. During the research were questionnaired tourists from foreign countries arrived in Vilnius city. To make such questioning there was united the group of eight persons, which in summer time in four stages, continueted seven days, in different places of Vilnius city, questionnaired tourists of foreign countries. Taking it into consideration was established from which countries tourists mainly are comming to Vilnius city. There was cleared up transport tourists are using to come to Vilnius city. In this job of master are given the ways of information tourists are looking before arriving to capital of Lithuania. Taking it into consideration was established how many time tourists are spending in Vilnius city and what they are interesting during the visit. In... [to full text]

This study was designed to investigate the meaning of the concept of tourism among black South Africans in general and black urban dwellers in particular. The aims of the study were as follows: (a) To look at how black urban dwellers engage in tourist activities. (b) To look at what black urban dwellers understand by the concept of tourism. (c) To find out what places and tourist destinations black people prefer to patronise. (d) To establish the distances black people travel to reach tourist destinations. (e) To focus on the quality of the experiences black people gain at tourist destinations. (f) To gain knowledge about the modes of transport black people use to reach tourist destinations. The dimensions, which pertain to the expression of tourism, were connected. This connection was done in such a way as to reflect on those features of tourism experience which are common amongst urban blacks, and those, which differ for a variety of social and economic reasons. The data presented and analysed in this investigation was gathered from two sources. Quantitative data was collected from a sample of 580 urban black dwellers from several black townships. Qualitative data was collected from 30 families who reside at Esikhawini township. The principal hypothesis of the study is that tourism is not popular among black South Africans mainly because of economic constraints, and a legacy of discriminatory legislation, discriminatory attitudes, as well as the unattractiveness to black tourists of tourist destinations. The sub-hypotheses are as follows: (a) Blacks prefer to visit places where they can be accommodated by friends and relatives. (b) Blacks regard visits to friends and relatives who stay long distances from them as part of tourism. (c) Black people's experience of tourism is more regional than national. (d) Black people prefer to visit urban destinations than rural areas. (e) There are clearly identifiable dimensions of black people's participation in tourism and tourist experience which are common amongst urban blacks. The most important conclusions of the study are: (a) Black urban dwellers understand tourism to mean the practice of travelling for recreation. (b) Black urban dwellers prefer to visit destinations where they can be accommodated by friends and relatives. (c) Black urban dwellers' experience of tourism is more regional than national. (d) Black urban dwellers are mostly attracted to urban destinations than rural areas. (e) Black urban dwellers' tourist experiences have been grossly affected by the policy of apartheid which prohibited them from visiting certain destinations and deprived them of disposable income. The study sheds light on the perceptions and involvement of black urban dwellers in tourism. The investigation of the meaning and expression of tourism among urban blacks is a valuable exercise if tourism is to be made accessible to all South Africans regardless of race, colour and creed. Key words: Tourism, Tourist, Urban Black, Tourist Attraction, Tourism Experience, Tourism Destination. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1999.

No description available.

Globally, the tourism industry is recognised as one of the fastest growing industries, generating high revenues and creating a vast number of job opportunities. In South Africa, this is no different and, in recent years, the tourism industry has outshone the country's gold exports therefore claiming its position as the fourth highest earner of foreign exchange to date. Yet the industry is still to receive the attention it deserves from conventional economics. This research aimed to fill this gap in South Africa by providing an understanding on the determinants of international tourism demand for South Africa. The first objective of the study was to provide a broad overview of the tourism industry of South Africa. The discussion focused on the supply and demand sides of tourism which, in turn, are divided into the domestic and international tourism markets. There has been a high growth, especially in the international market since 1994 and, while domestic and international markets continue to grow, seasonality remains an issue. Tourism has a significant impact on economic activity, employment, and the balance of payments and therefore the industry has great potential. The second objective was to create a theoretical understanding on the different factors that could determine the international demand for the tourism product. From this discussion it was found that there are various economic and non-economic factors that are believed to have an influence on tourism demand. Income, prices, transport cost, and the exchange rate are amongst the favourite economic variables with travel time, population, marketing expenditure, climate, and capacity being the more popular noneconomic factors. Among these, certain threats were also identified that could have harmful impacts on tourism growth. The third objective and main aim of the study was to determine which of the factors identified earlier determine the demand for international tourism to South Africa. This was done through an empirical investigation. Data from all the continents were used to attain an international perspective on tourist arrivals (tourism demand). The results indicated that capacity and climate factors determine tourism demand in the short term with income and transport cost influencing South Africa as a tourism destination in the long term. The last objective was to determine whether certain events or disasters that take place globally have a negative influence on tourism demand to South Africa. The event that was looked as was the terror attacks on the United States in September 2001. It was found that although the overall tourism activity of the world became stagnant during this period, the effect was not that considerable in South Africa's tourism arrivals. Tourism in countries such as the United Sates, on the other hand, has still not recovered fully after this event. / Thesis (M.Com. (International Commerce))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

The tourism industry involves people with specific but different needs to be satisfied, whether one is able-bodied or has a disability. People with disabilities are a global phenomenon and research indicated that 600 million people in the world have some type of disability. Therefore the market for tourists with disabilities cannot be disregarded, for it can significantly contribute to a country's tourism receipts. To understand and effectively cater for the disability market, there are several aspects that the tourism industry should look at. This leads to the aim of this study viz. to determine what the barriers and constraints faced by people with disabilities are. In order to achieve this aim, a hundred questionnaires were distributed to various sectors of the tourism industry, for example the accommodation sector (hotels, guesthouses, Bed and Breakfasts), tour operators and travel agents. The study indicated that: *The tourism industry needs to adapt and promote “Tourism for All”. *The lack of available and accessible facilities, transport, accommodation and attractions have an impact on the travel patterns of tourists with disabilities. * Marketing should include information to tourists with disabilities. * To achieve this goal and server diverse tourists, a universal design needs to be included in the current and future developments of tourism products. Evaluation of existing facilities and tourist attraction need to take place in order to provide a quality service and experience to people with disabilities. * Government and local authorities have an important role to fulfil to ensure that a universal design be implemented in tourist attraction and facilities. The key aspect that the tourism industry need to know and remember is that if a person has a disability, it does not mean that he/she is unable to travel or does not want to travel. / Thesis (M.A. (Tourism))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003.

The tourism industry involves people with specific but different needs to be satisfied, whether one is able-bodied or has a disability. People with disabilities are a global phenomenon and research indicated that 600 million people in the world have some type of disability. Therefore the market for tourists with disabilities cannot be disregarded, for it can significantly contribute to a country's tourism receipts. To understand and effectively cater for the disability market, there are several aspects that the tourism industry should look at. This leads to the aim of this study viz. to determine what the barriers and constraints faced by people with disabilities are. In order to achieve this aim, a hundred questionnaires were distributed to various sectors of the tourism industry, for example the accommodation sector (hotels, guesthouses, Bed and Breakfasts), tour operators and travel agents. The study indicated that: *The tourism industry needs to adapt and promote “Tourism for All”. *The lack of available and accessible facilities, transport, accommodation and attractions have an impact on the travel patterns of tourists with disabilities. * Marketing should include information to tourists with disabilities. * To achieve this goal and server diverse tourists, a universal design needs to be included in the current and future developments of tourism products. Evaluation of existing facilities and tourist attraction need to take place in order to provide a quality service and experience to people with disabilities. * Government and local authorities have an important role to fulfil to ensure that a universal design be implemented in tourist attraction and facilities. The key aspect that the tourism industry need to know and remember is that if a person has a disability, it does not mean that he/she is unable to travel or does not want to travel. / Thesis (M.A. (Tourism))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003.

No description available.