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This book provides a review of the current theory and practice of experiential tourism and how it is marketed. Many societies today are characterised by widespread individual wealth of an order previously confined to the elite with the consequence that ownership of 'ordinary' physical goods is no longer a distinguishing factor. Instead people are now seeking the 'extraordinary' with examples being bodies enhanced through surgery, personal fitness trainers, and, in the case of leisure and tourism, seeking unique and unusual places to visit and activities to undertake. This trend manifests in the increasing consumption of services and the addition of experiential elements to physical goods by businesses aware of societal changes. The trend is enhanced by rapidly changing technology and economic production methods providing new sectors of the world's population with access to the consumption experiences that are repeatedly featured in the media. This is the experience economy, characterised by a search by consumers for fantasies, feelings, and fun., Yes.

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Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Griffith Business School, Griffith Business School, After a major earthquake in Taiwan in 1999, the Taomi community, a rural location in the mountainous part of the country, faced a number of livelihood impacts. But the earthquake disaster was not only a crisis; it presented residents an opportunity to transform their situation and solve their livelihood problems through developing ecotourism. The development of ecotourism required experts and scholars being invited to conduct an education and training programme to provide residents with ecotourism industry skills and knowledge, and establish their ability to alleviate poverty in Taomi community. This study examines the changes brought by ecotourism to this community over the past decade using the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach. The aim of this study is to explore and examine the relationships between the various elements of community capital when ecotourism is used to provide sustainable development as a solution to a crisis event. The study adopted a theoretical framework of social constructionism, using a range of data-collection methods to create a holistic picture of the ecotourism development in the Taomi community. In all, 26 residents and 10 experts were interviewed, with semi-structured and in-depth interviews, in face-to-face settings, and 3 focus group interviews conducted (involving another 15 residents). Interviewees were interviewed extensively; follow-up interviews were found necessary to clarify and further explore their perceptions and attitudes. Other data was collected data through participant observation, and examining documentary evidence, to be combined with the interviews findings, to crystallise emergent research. The aim of this triangulation was to better understand the whole picture of the ecotourism development in the Taomi community after the 921 earthquake crisis. This study uses the Sustainable Livelihood Approach and analyses the positive and negative changes to its six forms of capital–natural, human, physical, financial, social and

"Quality tourism experiences", including its singular form, is a well used phrase in tourism industry literature and traveller dialogues. Yet definitions of a quality tourism experience remain elusive. Tourism studies, recreation and marketing literature similarly resonate with numerous applications of the phrase as well as its contributing terms. A social constructivist approach was applied to a literature review, in order to reflect on the status of "quality tourism experiences", its meanings, as well as research approaches used and research agendas proffered. From the review emerged multiple interpretations and constructions as well as an emphasis on complexity. Research approaches were predicated to post/positivistic approaches. Research agendas essayed to understand specific dimensions of quality tourism experiences along with more holistic frames., Yes.

Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Department of Tourism, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Management, Griffith Business School, It has been claimed that one of the major issues currently facing the tourism and hospitality industry worldwide, and Australia in particular, is the issue of labour and skills shortages. Current estimates indicate that there are up to 7,000 positions vacant in the tourism and hospitality industry in Australia. If estimates are accurate, over the next decade this number will rise to close to 100,000 unfilled positions in the industry in Australia. Due to the fragmented nature of the industry it is not well equipped to deal with the future challenges provided by these skills shortages. Current figures suggest that approximately 2,500 students graduate from tourism and hospitality programs in Australia each year. The main issue facing tourism and hospitality recruiters is that there is evidence that many of these graduates are leaving the industry or even failing to enter the industry upon graduation. Therefore the purpose of this thesis is to examine how working in the industry impacts on students perception of the industry as a career path. The thesis also examines the ways in which tourism and hospitality employers are utilising students and graduates in their workforce. The project uses a methodological combination of a large online quantitative survey, interviews with industry managers and qualitative experiential ‘blogs’. The latter is an innovative research technique and offers a major methodological contribution. The main findings of this study have identified that having direct experience working in the tourism and hospitality industry can cause students to acquire negative views towards pursuing a career in the industry. Of the 76% of respondents that had work experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, most were working, or had worked previously, in food and beverage in hotels, restaurants or bars. The majority of respondents were working in frontline positions, with many claiming that the experience of working in the industry had left them with a n

Quality tourism experiences are frequently referred to in tourism industry literature and discourses, albeit definitions are rarely provided. A study of adventure travel industry providers using an interpretive social sciences approach was conducted in 2007 during peak season at an East Coast Australian tourist destination in order to understand what constituted a quality adventure tourism experience. Empirical materials were collected using a qualitative methodology and purposive sampling. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews generated discourses which were interpreted using successive approximation within a grounded theory tradition. Core elements of quality tourism experiences for adventure travel providers included experience delivery, personal and social connectivity, inter-connectivity of entire tourism experiences as well as provision of combinations of experiences., Yes.

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Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Department of Tourism, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Management, Griffith Business School, Tourism and film are broadly recognised as linked through their power to create, alter and reinforce destination images (Beeton, 2005; Busby & Klug, 2001; Butler, 1990; Croy & Walker, 2004; Hudson & Ritchie, 2006; Olsberg, 2007; Riley & Van Doren, 1992; Tooke & Baker, 1996). Major motion picture films, in particular, provide the places, objects and subjects for the gaze of many people, and for some, films induce them to travel specifically to the locations where they were filmed (Riley, Baker & Van Doren, 1998). Yet, for others, visiting film sites may be incidental and simply add to more generally planned travel itineraries. Although motion picture films are not produced with the prime intent of inducing people to visit locations, this medium can enhance the awareness, appeal and profitability of destinations via images seen on the screen. It is these images that may influence consumer decision making processes in terms of motivating visitation to a film location. Understanding the relationship between tourism and popular media, such as film, is becoming more crucial as destinations strive to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace...

Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), School of Environmental and Applied Science, This research examines the Australian farm tourism sector within both family business and rural studies research paradigms. It analyses which farmers in Australia establish farm tourism businesses, and why. It extends previous research on farm tourism both in breadth, by covering an entire continent; and in depth, using qualitative approaches to determine the internal and external triggers for individual decisions, as well as quantitative approaches to establish the operational structure of the sector and the overall motivations of its operators. There were three separate stages to this study, with an increasingly detailed focus. In the first, a national database of farm tourism operators was constructed from publicly available sources. In the second phase, a 92 item questionnaire was mailed to every operator, with a response rate just below 50%. In the third phase, detailed interviews were conducted with 43 farm tourism operators either on site or by telephone. There are over 650 working farms which offer farm based tourism products in Australia. A few are large, remote and luxurious, but the majority are small, family priced and close to major population centres. There are around 14,000 beds, with mean occupancy rate 35%, and total annual turnover AUS$115 million. Only 0.2% of Australian farmers have taken up tourism, as compared with 10-20% in some European countries. There are four major groups of farm tourism operators in Australia: full time farms, part time farms, retirement farms and lifestyle farms. There are statistically significant differences between these groups in the make up of their income streams, and in their motivations and family structures. Australian farm tourism operators attach slightly more significance to social than financial gains. Particular groups of operators, however, do indeed rely on farm tourism as a key income stream. For lifestyle operators, the farm component is principally a lifestyle luxury and a tourism attraction, with tour

Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Griffith Business School, Griffith Business School, A critical understanding of stakeholders' involvement in destination tourism planning and development, and the factors that influence their perceptions, opinions and involvement in the decision-making process and evaluation of the destination competitive strategies, is not only important for tourism destination planners and managers, but also for the host community's support for tourism development and the destination's competitiveness. It has been widely recognised that tourism destinations need to plan their development strategies to succeed internationally and gain a sustainable competitive advantage. However, there is scant empirical evidence that addresses approaches in which stakeholder participation in the planning process contributes to destination competitiveness. This study examines the interrelationships between various destination-specific situational factors, including economic, social, political, environmental, and cultural factors, community participation, community attachment, and impact on the development of the Sultanate of Oman's tourism resources and attractions, and in turn the support of its competitive strategies. Furthermore, it investigates potential effects of those interrelationships on the government's initiatives in formulating and implementing tourism development, management and marketing policies/strategies. The key objective is to develop and empirically test a conceptual framework of tourism destination competitiveness that focuses on a stakeholder's perspective of Oman, and investigates the interrelationships between its constructs. Such an approach echoes the stakeholder perspective of 'Third Way' tourism planning suggested by Burns (2004). This study utilises social exchange and stakeholder theory. Accordingly, the research problem is: How does the interrelationship between destination-specific situational factors, stakeholders' perceived power (community participation), and community attachment, impact on the development of Oman'

Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Griffith Business School, Any purchase of a tourism product requires some extent of information search on part of the consumer. Even for the simplest booking, the traveller must have information about prices, schedules, availabilities, suppliers, and transaction methods. For more complex holidays, information is needed for inspiration, planning, and execution of the trip. Because of the intricacies of the tourism product, communication in this industry is actively pursued by the customer, and it is essential for tourism marketers to make sure that the right kind of information is available at the right place at the right time. Achieving this precision in marketing communication is getting increasingly complicated as a result of an exponential growth in the amount of available information. Being two of the most dynamic industries in the world today, the concurrent expansion of tourism and information technology has increased both the number of information providers and the number of channels through which travellers may search for tourist information. One consequence of the information society is that it has become a huge challenge for marketers to compete for the attention of the consumer. A prerequisite for success in this competition is a thorough understanding of how these consumers choose between the various sources and channels of information available to them. This dissertation explores the reasons behind travellers’ choices of information search strategies. A search strategy is defined as the combination of an information source (provider of information) and an information channel (communication method), and it is argued that the two should be considered both separately and in combination when examining how travellers search for information. The results of this study indicate that the reasons for choosing an information source may be different from the reasons for choosing an information channel. When explaining why a search strategy is chosen, one should therefore distinguish between

Purpose - This paper relates the lived experiences of a learning community involved in embedding business ethics and responsible practice in an undergraduate business (tourism) degree course as a means to develop future business professionals with knowledge, values and skills related to practising ethical business principles and achieving sustainable businesses. Design/methodology/approach - An action research cycle informed the embedding process while profession-based learning, seven conditions for learning, andragogy, ethnogogy, experiential learning, reflexivity and communities of practice informed learning engagements. Findings - The reflection phase of the action research cycle identified seven recommendations that organisations and groups involved in developing and embedding sustainable and ethical business principles and practices might consider with regard to the preparation of learning engagements associated with a similar aim. These are associated with (1) the use of communities of practice for socialising and professionalising learning engagements; (2) the facilitative capacity of action research for collaborative future oriented issues resolution; (3) the immediacy of action research processes with regard to monitoring and evaluating learning engagements; (4) the effectiveness of profession-based learning, the seven conditions and communities of practice as learning-teaching embedding mechanisms; (5) use of diverse learning teaching resources to match different learning styles; (6) the role of student reflexivity in learning engagements; (7) dialogue regarding differing ethical viewpoints and institutionalised expectations. Originality/value - The paper demonstrates a transferable process-based model associated with use of action research and complementary profession-based learning as well as related teaching learning approaches suitable for embedding business ethics and responsible practice, which are predicated on communities of practice prin, No, Yes