Tourism and Travel Commons^™

Drinking Water Resource Directory, New England Environmental Finance Center

Sustainable Communities Capacity Building

This document is intended to help local and regional planning agencies, and their constituent water utilities, integrate drinking water infrastructure planning and investments into plans for sustainable development. Resources listed here provide guidance on making land use decisions that protect water resources, setting adequate and sustainable drinking water rates, controlling water loss, funding water infrastructure projects, and managing water utilities.

The directory was developed by the Environmental Finance Center Network through the Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency. Through this program, EFCN is providing capacity …

Luxury As Culture: A Leader’S Guide To Luxury Service, Aldo Contreras Alba

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The luxury guest is a sophisticated world traveler, loaded with high expectations, hungry for the next must-see hot spot for business or leisure. As such, international hotel companies are on a quest to find unforgettable locations worldwide in order to provide their loyal followers an unrivaled experience, and stay one-step ahead of the competition. Orchestrated of high-end tangible comforts, beautiful structures, and elegantly appointed décor, the luxury segment may be defined by the words “Five-Star” and “Five-Diamond” – as these are the global synonyms to luxury that creates the ultimate upgrade to travel and leisure. However, the most commonly known …

Sustainable Tourism Marketing Strategies At Unesco World Heritage Sites, Fouad A. Sadiki

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Designation as a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site has a significant impact on the tourism development and sustainability of a site, city, region or country. World Heritage sites bring a certain level of prestige and international recognition, but they also have an impact on the local communities as they impact day to day life and rituals of the residents. Several paradigms exist in evaluating the success of a UNESCO World Heritage site. This paper specifically examines how marketing strategies bolster sustainable tourism efforts.

The Shifting Of The Las Vegas Tourism Industry: A Historical Perspective On Management And Resort Revenues, Eden Mccallister

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Las Vegas has been internationally recognized as the entertainment capital of the world. Whether it is top dollar luxury, world class fine dining, or vibrant night life that one seeks, Las Vegas certainly has something for everyone. The latter half of the 20th century has shown the city unprecedented arenas of success, but with intense global competition on the rise, it is clear that Las Vegas is no longer the only major player in the game. The turn of the 21st century has brought a new wave of economic challenges, and though Las Vegas has adapted over the years with …

Medical Tourism: Trends And Opportunities, Krista Wendt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Medical tourism involves travel for the purpose of receiving medical, dental, or surgical care (Medical Tourism Association), and represents a rapidly growing niche market within the healthcare, tourism, and hospitality industries. Medical travelers are motivated to seek care outside of their area of residence by many factors, including more advanced technology, quicker access, higher quality of care, or lower costs for care in the destination locality (Ehrbeck, Guevara, & Mango, 2008). Multiple factors contribute to the growth of the medical tourism industry and suggest a continuing trend toward growth in the future. This nascent industry represents a significant market opportunity …

Capturing The Chinese Outbound Tourism Market: Lessons For Las Vegas Casino Operators, Wilson Wan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

China has become a fast rising economic power and its GDP is expected to overtake America's in about 6 years (How to get a date, 2011). As a result of the increase in wealth, the Chinese middle class has been expanding rapidly and now has access to more resources than ever before. With a higher disposable income, the Chinese now have an increased desire, and capability, to travel the world. In preparation for the increase in outbound Chinese travelers, it would be wise for tourist destinations to be prepared to attract this market and thus capture a part of this …

Geotraveler Tendencies In Montana's Shoulder And Winter Seasons , Christine Oschell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

After two initial studies on geotourism in Montana (Boley, 2009; Boyle, 2012) confirmed the presence of geotravelers in the third quarter of both the Crown of the Continent region and throughout the state of Montana, research interest turned to visitors during the remainder of the quarters, or seasons. This study looked statewide at all visitors and, more narrowly, vacationers, in the “shoulder” and winter season (quarters 1, 2, 4) to determine their geotourist tendencies.

Montana People And Jobs: The Tourism Connection, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The purpose of this report was to further understand employment in the Montana tourism industry based on a random sample phone interview of the general population of Montana’s workforce. The workforce sample surveyed was 2,340, and 400 were in a tourism-related business in 2011. Seventeen percent of Montana’s workforce was employed in a tourism related job in 2011, equating to nearly 81,000 jobs of the total Montana workforce of over 476,000.

Dragon Boat Festival Visitor Study: 2012, Christine Oschell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study provided the organizers of the first Montana Dragon Boat Festival with information about the attendees, including their characteristics and the amount of money they spent in the area. This report can also provide information to other communities who may want to bring festivals to their area.

Montana Folk Festival Visitor Study: 2012, Christine Oschell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The purpose of this study was to provide the organizers of the Montana Folk Festival with an understanding of their attendees and the total money spent by those surveyed in Butte. The population of interest was attendees of the 2012 Montana Folk Festival.

Hospitality Industry Expectations Of Entry-Level College Graduates: Attitude Over Aptitude, Dana V. Tesone, Peter Ricci

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This article reports on the findings of an empirical study conducted with senior hiring executives who represent various sectors of the hospitality and tourism industry in the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) of Orlando, Florida. The geographic area was chosen for its representation of a number of hospitality and tourism sectors. While the sample represented various sectors, the purpose of the study was to identify perceptions of attributes preferred for entry-level workers primarily in the lodging and restaurant sectors. The article presents background information from the literature, methodologies employed within the study, as well as conclusions and recommendations for future education/industry …

Assessing Tourism Development From Sen’S Capability Approach, Robertico R. Croes

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this study is to assess tourism development in the context of Sen’s capability approach. The study developed a model to investigate the relationship between tourism development and human development while focusing on two countries, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The study applied a cointegration technique based on the Granger representation theorem. Overall, tourism development and human development reveals a tenuous relationship in both cases, reflecting some threshold effect. The importance of tourism growth is merited in the distribution of its benefits and the extent that tourism receipts are allocated to support human development (public health, education, safety, etc.). …

Does Discounting Work In The Lodging Industry?, Robertico R. Croes, Kelly J. Semrad

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The central intent of this econometric case study analysis is to examine the relationship between discounting room rates and hotel financial performance. The study provides a theoretical framework that investigates the fundamentals of discounting and empirically assesses the efficacy of the discounting process in the lodging industry. The study adopts an error correction model to properly account for the dynamics of the industry. The results indicate that the variables may be modeled as an integrated process and which are linked in the long run and also possess a short-term relationship. The research findings suggest that discounting works both in the …

Discounting Works In The Hotel Industry: A Structural Approach To Understanding Why, Robertico R. Croes, Kelly J. Semrad

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This case study provides an empirical assessment of the relationship between discounting hotel room rates and hotel financial performance. The dynamics of the lodging industry are accounted for through the adoption of an error correction model. Recent research suggests that the use of discounting room rates may not be an effective pricing strategy as it results in increased occupancy rates at decreased average daily rates, thereby reducing a common financial performance indicator – revenue per available room (revPAR). The recommendation made to hotel managers, then, is to avoid discounting and instead adopt an average rate. This study generates opposing findings …

The Montana Tourism Industry: The People And The Businesses, Christine Oschell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The purpose of this study was to understand more about tourism industry business owners and employees, their employment history and their perception of the benefits that have come from their job in tourism. Another important aspect of this study is determining where Montana tourism businesses spend their money.

Missoula Marathon Participant Study: 2012, Christine Oschell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The purpose of this study was to provide the organizers of the 2012 Missoula Marathon with an understanding of their race participants and the total money spent in Missoula. This study compliments and can be looked at in conjunction with the 2007 and 2010 Marathon studies (below).

Dominican Resort Tourism, Sustainability, And Millennium Development Goals, Vinod Sasidharan, Marilyn E. Hall

Journal of Tourism Insights

The tourism industry continues to be touted as the main income and employment generator for Caribbean nations. In the Dominican Republic (DR), international tourism has become one of the largest industries and is a major contributor to the country’s economic growth. A recent trend in the DR is the development of luxurious residential resort complexes and private resort cities, mainly designed and created for foreign ownership. The Dominican government support for such projects has been very strong due to the economic propensity of these high-end resorts to assist the country in generating local opportunities for stable employment, creating basic infrastructure, …

Tourism, Agriculture, And Identity: Comparing Grenada And Dominica, Velvet Nelson

Journal of Tourism Insights

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between agriculture and tourism in the promotion of economic identity at the turn of the twentieth century and again at the turn of the twenty-first in the case of two Eastern Caribbean islands: Grenada and Dominica. From the beginnings of export-oriented agriculture in the Caribbean until recent decades, agriculture was the dominant economic activity in the islands. Consequently, the economic identity of these islands has also been tied to their agricultural produce. Initially the emphasis placed on sugarcane cultivation in the region gave rise to the idea of the “sugar …

Perception Of Green Hotels In The 21st Century, Godwin-Charles Ogbeide

Journal of Tourism Insights

This study was conducted to examine the perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and thoughts of consumers when it comes to “green” hotels (resorts) in the twenty-first century. People have, in recent years, shifted their focus towards preserving the environment; thus, leading a movement to an expectations of “green” lifestyles. These lifestyles are not only in the home, but wherever the traveler goes leading to “green” hotels being a major interest to consumers. The result of this study indicated that consumers are willing to stay in green hotels. The study also showed that a majority of consumers considered going “green” as an important …

Dream Dinner Or Dinner Disaster? French And American Cultures Collide, Wendy W. Amato Ph.D.

French Model Lesson Plans

Sociocultural Model Lesson Plan centered on a translinguistic and transcultural analysis of French and American dinner party conventions.