Tourism and Travel Commons^™

A Regenerative Approach To Tourism: Learnings From Community Enterprises, Sophie Price Dr, Steve Taylor, Kendra Turnbull, Mary Rose Stafford

Publications

The benefits of tourism to communities have long been recognised but so too are the pressures it can place on local communities. Recent global turmoil has led to new ways of conceptualising tourism development and the emergence of regenerative tourism as a guiding philosophy. However, there still remain considerable gaps in our knowledge of the application of regenerative tourism principles. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the emerging literature on regenerative tourism with a particular, and practice-oriented, focus on learnings from community-based social enterprises, that illustrate the positive and meaningful impacts a regenerative approach to tourism development …

Tourism Networks As A Mechanism For Degrowth: The Case Of The Burren Ecotourism Network In Ireland, Aisling Ward, Shirley Millar

Publications

This exploratory paper examines how a community-based ecotourism network can sustain a destination from an economic, environmental and social perspective while pertaining to a degrowth approach that measures success beyond the traditional economic variables of volume and revenue. It focuses on the Burren Eco-tourism Network (BEN) in the West of Ireland, a region known for its unique landscape and natural heritage. Nine qualitative in-depth interviews were completed using a community-based tourism case study methodology. Evidence of a degrowth mindset was littered throughout the research and this was verified through the voluntary nature surrounding its origins, the equal requirements, training and …

Strategic Nets In Tourism Destinations: Investigating The Learning Processes Underpinning Dynamic Management Capabilities, Noel Murray, Patrick Lynch, Anthony Foley

Publications

Managing a tourism destination is fraught with complexity, with a general consensus that no single entity can manage the comprehensive multiplicity of stakeholders and offerings involved. In this study we take a unique approach by examining tourism destination management through a strategic net lens, where the Destination Management Organisation (DMO) is an intentionally developed strategic net involving a restrictive group of stakeholders, which coordinates and manages the value creating activities of actors in the destination. Our empirical findings are based on the investigation of three strategic net case sites within the Irish tourism industry. We identify net partnering, net visioning …

Communities And World Heritage Nomination: The Journey Of The Valentia Transatlantic Cable Ensemble, Elizabeth Baxter

Theses

In recent years, the role of communities in the stewardship of World Heritage (WH) sites has been recognised and encouraged by UNESCO. Communities have formally been included in all WH processes from nomination to inscription on the WH List. This case study documents a community-led approach to Ireland’s first industrial WH nomination; The ‘Valentia Transatlantic Cable Ensemble’ (VTCE) on Valentia Island, Co. Kerry. Objectives of this project have been fulfilled through a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative research design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of the Valentia Island community and other stakeholders. Examination and analysis of the data …

Exploring “Smart And Green” Concepts: A New Synergy For Irish Hospitality, Yi Sheng Tan, Angela Wright

Dept. of Organisation & Professional Development Publications

The spotlight on “smart and green” has never been so bright and, within the hotel sector, emphasis on opportunities such as sustainability and digitisation are quickly shaping the agenda. This paper explores key components of the “smart and green” agenda among Irish hotels in the Republic of Ireland and how these concepts relate to their public customer image. While the multifaceted hybrid model of “smart and green” hotels is rapidly emerging as the new theme in the sustainable tourism industry, previous literature failed to address the issue in relation to a lack of uptake from Irish hoteliers. A post-positivistic paradigm …

An Analysis Of The Micro-Determinants Of Domestic Holiday Expenditure By Households In The Republic Of Ireland, Lisa Noonan

Irish Business Journal

The dramatic decrease in overseas visitors to Ireland in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the risks, for the tourism sector, associated with being over-reliant on international tourism. Growing the domestic tourism market is now critical for sustaining jobs and businesses within the sector. The purpose of this paper is to examine the micro-determinants of expenditure on domestic holidays by households in the Republic of Ireland.

Using data from the Irish Household Budget Survey 2015-2016, instrumental variable estimators are used to conduct the analysis. The results reveal that disposable income, being located in the Border, Midlands and Western …

Harvesting A New Synergy: Exploring ‘Smart And Green’ Hotels Within The Context Of The Irish Hospitality Industry, Yi Sheng Tan

Masters

Hospitality emphasizes the ability for exchange of friendly and generous reception between businesses, guests and strangers. The complex nature of future travel and tourism industry directs the converging forces towards the hospitality industry to develop progressive strategies in response to increasing economic turbulence. Within the hotel sector, particular emphasis on emerging opportunities like sustainability and digitization are quickly shaping the strategic agenda in this competitive sector. It is envisaged that the hospitality industry will differ completely from today, owing to developments in artificial intelligence and smart technology. This research has explored the key components of the overall ‘smart and green’ …

Leaving No Trace In The Irish Countryside: Effecting Behavioural Change Of Recreationists, Noel Doyle

Theses

The Irish countryside has become a hotspot for outdoor recreation and activity tourism. Despite the many positive impacts of these activities, adverse impacts on wildlife, the environment and farming practices are an unfortunate consequence of irresponsible behaviour. Although not all negative impacts can be mitigated by behaving responsibly, user education has been identified as crucial to reducing negative impacts and ensuring the environmental, and hence the economic, sustainability of both activity tourism and recreation. The development of effective programmes aimed at behavioural change requires a thorough investigation of the target audience and how they interact with the natural environment. This …

A V-Linc Analysis Of Agrifood And Tourism Specialisations In West Cork: Analysis, Impressions And Policies For Future Growth, Brigid Mary Walsh

Theses

In recent years industry clusters have become recognised as a common feature of economies across the globe (Pouder and St. John, 1996; Porter, 1998a, 1998b; DTI, 2004; Sölvell, 2008; Ketels and Memedovic, 2008). Advantages associated with clusters include regional economic growth, new firm formation, employment growth, increased innovation and increased prosperity. The advantages associated with clusters are so great that cluster initiatives have become a widely accepted policy tool for regional economic development. As a small open economy, reliant on exports for economic growth, clusters appear to represent an opportunity for Irish industry to increase competitiveness. Theory argues that clusters …

Yeats’S Legacy And Literary Tourism: A Study Of The Yeats Winter School In Sligo, Mary Mcguckin

Irish Business Journal

Literary tourism is of increasing importance within the field of cultural and heritage tourism yet remains under-represented in academic literature. Smith, et al. (2010, p. 108) define it as a “tourism activity motivated by interest in an author, a literary creation or setting, or the literary heritage of a destination”. The typical profile of a literary tourist is that of a well- educated holidaymaker who is seeking an authentic experience, may have heard about the place’s linkage with a writer but may not have high levels of knowledge about the actual work of the writer. The socio-economic characteristics of literary …

The Influence Of Employer Branding In Talent Management In The Hotel Industry, Donagh Davern, Leo Jago, Margaret Deery

Irish Business Journal

This paper aims to explore the influence of employer branding in attracting and retaining talented employees, with a particular focus on millennial staff. The paper reviews literature in the area of talent management, employer branding and the millennial generation in the hotel industry and draws on the results of interviews with hotel General Managers. At a time when there is a shortage of talent to fill available positions in the hotel industry, this paper seeks to give hoteliers an improved understanding of the concepts of talent management and employer branding and their usage in the attraction and retention of staff, …

Don’T Mention Dark Tourism: An Irish Perspective, Emilie-Kate O'Mahony

Theses

This study investigates dark tourism in the Irish context with international supporting research. Dark tourism is connected to sites of death, the macabre and suffering and there are many sites in Ireland that fit this description. Examples include prisons, famine sites, graveyards, sites of terrorist attacks and many more. In this document the term dark tourism is thoroughly researched via secondary sources to provide a foundation of understanding. By including this academic research from journals and books, the researcher is provided with the background information necessary to understand the importance of dark tourism and to identify gaps in knowledge suitable …

What Supports Are Needed To Encourage And Assist Community Festivals And Events To Succeed And Grow? An Empirical Study., Helen Mcdwyer

Theses

Abstract: Communities are motivated to host festivals and events for a myriad of reasons. They generate important economic and social benefits for an area with increased visitor numbers, increased local spending and greater community cohesion. Festival and event tourism is an important segment of the overall tourism product in Ireland, particularly in an area such as Kerry where there is a heavy reliance on tourism. Many festivals and events in Kerry are organised by community and voluntary groups and yet these groups are increasingly pressurised to increase the professionality of their offering to compete for regional funding and sponsorship. Changes …

Exploring The Role Of Irish Local Authorities In Tourism Development: A Senior Management Perspective On Tourism Development In Cork County Council, Monica Moisuc

Masters

In an Irish context, the government's engagement in tourism and its role in developing the sector is acknowledged across most Irish government publications. However, despite efforts made to highlight the major role of the government in tourism, the number of studies that seek to understand how Irish local governments are engaging in tourism is limited. In an attempt to fill this knowledge gap, this study brings a new contribution to the current relevant literature by exploring the role of the government in developing tourism within a local Irish context.

Using a qualitative case-study approach, the particular entity under investigation is …

Cork International Airport: A Fulcrum For Business And Tourism Sectors In The Southern Region?, Kieran Moynihan

Theses

This research finds that aviation delivers many economic and social benefits for a region. European airports have undergone a major business transformation over the last two decades - from facilitators of air travel to fully-fledged businesses, competing for business and traffic in a liberalised market. This study focuses on Cork International Airport, in a national and international context, to assess its infrastructural importance to the economic performance of the region. A post-positivistic approach was applied to research the topic, and interviews were conducted with relevant authorities on the subject matter. The researcher interviewed twelve contributors with a fixed list of …

The Economic Impact Of The Marine Leisure Industry On Cork Harbour, Aisling Conway Lenihan, Helen Mcguirk

Publications

This report, commissioned by the Cool Route Project,presents the economic impact of the Marine Leisure Industry in Cork Harbour. The Cool Route Project, funded byInterreg VB1funding, “investigates all aspects of the practical logistics and business potential to establish a bi-directional yacht cruising route along the western offshore areas of the Northern Periphery Area, stretching from Co. Cork in the South of Ireland, to the UK (Northern Ireland and Western Scotland) and onwards to the Faroe Islands and Norway”(Cool Route 2017).Led by theCork Institute of Technology (CIT), the Project partners, also include the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Donegal County Council, Derry …

Food Tourism In Cork’S English Market - An Authentic Visitor Experience, Lisa O'Riordan, Prof. Margaret Linehan, Aisling Ward

Irish Business Journal

Authenticity is deemed to be a crucial element in many tourism experiences. Tourism, however, is often accused of succumbing to notions of perceived authenticity to ensure commercial success, leading to misrepresentations of cultures. Food tourism, conversely, is advocated as a means of encountering genuine culture, history and lifestyle. This paper investigates the role of food tourism as an authentic representation of culture in Cork’s English Market. In-depth interviews were conducted with market traders and analysed through the grounded theory method. Results indicate that, allowing for natural evolution, food tourism is providing a platform for the continuation, sharing and development of …

Food Tourism In Ireland: An Exploration Of The Role Of Food Tourism In Cultural Sustainability, Lisa O'Riordan

Theses

Previous research proposes that food tourism is a medium through which traditions can be maintained, as well as a conduit through which authentic culture can be experienced (Fox, 2007; Henderson, 2014; Okumus et al, 2007). Food tourism is also advocated as a sustainable means of environmental, economic and sociocultural development (Everett and Aitchison, 2008; Montanari and Staniscia, 2009). The unique focus of this research study is the role food tourism plays in cultural sustainability in Ireland, specifically, in Kinsale, the English Market and Dingle. In particular, this study draws on the viewpoints of thirty three food tourism representatives on the …

Enhancing The Irish Adventure Tourism Product Through Networking, Philip Stallard

Theses

The adventure tourism industry is experiencing a period of accelerated growth (UNWTO, 2014) and is increasingly being recognised as a source of huge potential for Ireland (Failte Ireland, 2013). The adventure tourism industry in Ireland is highly fragmented, unregulated and mainly comprised of micro enterprises largely based in rural and isolated locations. These characteristics combine to enhance the uniqueness of the adventure product but also bring challenges for business development. Many challenges facing adventure tourism operators can be alleviated by strategic networking. The benefits of engaging in effective business networking range from aspects of learning and exchange, business activity and …

Learning In Action: Implementing A Facilitated Learning Programme For Tourism Micro-Firms, Dr. Felicity Kelliher, Dr. Leana Reinl

Irish Business Journal

This paper presents findings from research associated with a tourism micro-firm facilitated learning programme, carried out over a four-year period. Considering traditional educational interventions have had limited impact on micro-firm activities; the researchers propose an alternative approach to meeting the learning needs of micro-firms which encompass local and self-developed knowledge and the successful completion of learning cycles. Using a behavioural lens, the researchers’ consider the experiential learning impact of facilitated learning programmes on observed micro-firm owner-managers. Adopting an action learning (AL) approach, the researchers explore the design, development, implementation and impact of this programme and contemplate the observed micro-firms’ focus …

An Investigation Of Work Placement In The Hotel Industry: Perceptions From Hoteliers And Students, Margaret Lenihan, Irene Sheridan

Irish Business Journal

The changing need of higher education to interface more effectively with industry has been widely documented, as has the rising awareness of those attributes which most benefit graduates seeking employment. A key way in which third-level institutions can build stronger partnerships with employers, and assist their students in postgraduate success, is through the provision of work placements. This paper presents research conducted in relation to work placement in the hotel industry, from the perspective of both hoteliers who facilitated the work placements and students who undertook placements. Primary research was conducted with both hoteliers and students. The findings from the …

Profiling Tourism Entrepreneurs And Their Enterprises Along The Wild Atlantic Way, Dr. James Hanrahan, Dr. Áine Conaghan

Irish Business Journal

This paper discusses the profile of tourism entrepreneurs and their enterprises along the WAW (Wild Atlantic Way). Ireland had witnessed less numbers of some holidaymakers in particular the British market visiting over the past five years, resulting in a significant loss of market share from GB. This research undertook a proactive approach to investigating regional qualitative stakeholders profiles while identifying factors that impact on the management of tourism Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) to develop the International market. The research provides the industry with a snapshot of a current typology of successful tourism entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the research develops a …

An Exploration Of The Role Of Food Tourism In Sustaining Cultural Authenticity In Ireland, Lisa O'Riordan, Dr. Aisling Ward

Irish Business Journal

Authenticity is often a motivating factor for tourists. In many situations what occurs, however, is staged authenticity. Food is one of the few entities left that indicates true cultural authenticity. Food can bridge the gap between tourists and their understanding of and involvement in a place. Native cultures that are struggling to preserve their heritage and ways of life from globalising forces can use food as a defensive mechanism. This paper is part of a wider postgraduate study on food tourism and culture so will focus on the research completed to date, mainly the literature reviewed as well as initial …

Assessing Service Quality In Adventure Tourism, Prof. Antonie Bauer

Irish Business Journal

The purpose of this paper, which is based on a survey of activity providers in South West Ireland, is to assess the quality of adventure tourism offerings and to investigate which aspects of the experience contribute most to visitors’ perception of quality. In addition, it explores the validity of different methods for the assessment of service quality. A new importance weighted method is developed that avoids the inconsistencies of existing approaches and has higher predictive value than the other models for the Irish sample. A simple performance only approach is second best in explaining variation in overall perception of quality, …

Assessing Farmers’ And Landowners’ Attitudes Towards Environmental Sustainability And Their Motivations Towards Walking Tourism In Sheep’S Head Way, Co. Cork, Gráinne Dwyer

Irish Business Journal

Numerous studies within academic literature examine motivations of walkers engaging with nature-based tourism activities, such as hillwalking. However, a gap exists in the literature regarding the suppliers of this type of tourism, namely landowners and farmers. This research hopes to address this identifiable gap in tourism research in a confined study area located in the Sheep’s Head Way in Co. Cork. The purpose of this research was to examine geographical spatial differences in environmental attitudes, and to determine the factors that influenced the landowner’s intentions to permit the walkway throughout their land. To examine these factors, seven semi-structured interviews were …

Niche Markets In Irish Tourism: The Case Of North American Coach Tourists, Dr. Marie Ryan, Prof. Jim Deegan, Dr. Richard Moloney, Dr. William Sjostrom

Irish Business Journal

In 2010, 115,000 coach tourists came from North America to Ireland, averaging a length of stay of 9 nights. This paper applies factor analysis to a survey of North American coach tourists to Ireland (with 486 responses). It identifies the most significant factors that have common characteristics amongst the tourists. Factor analysis, although popular in tourism research, has never been applied to an inbound tourist market to Ireland, so this research fills an important gap in Irish segmentation research. The factor analysis of the survey identifies a number of important characteristics of this market. For example, the North American coach …

Analysis Of The Current Public Relations Practices Within The Irish Luxury Hotel Sector And The Importance Of These Practices To The Industry., Aoife Ducatta Lohse

Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current knowledge, importance and application of public relations within Irish Luxury Hotels. Another aim was to find out how the public relations theories of relationship management, strategic management and communications are used in the sector.

The research methodology in this study used a mixed method approach. Quantitative research was used in the form of an online questionnaire and qualitative research was used in the form of semi-structured interviews. The online questionnaire was distributed to all luxury four star and five star properties with an online presence in Ireland with an aim …

Critical Success Factors In The Promotion Of Sustainable Rural Tourism By Destination Marketing Organisations: A Study Of Ballyhoura Fáilte, Louise Nugent, Siobhán Lynch

Irish Business Journal

With the Irish tourism industry maturing, destination marketing organisations (DMOs) must meet tourists’ changing expectations. For rural tourism destinations, the challenge lies in ensuring that they obtain a position of sustainability in the Irish tourism industry (Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht, 2011). Due to the highly volatile nature of the Irish rural tourism industry, treating rural tourism like any other product does not comply with the new approach to destination marketing management, which considers the resources available, the environment, the tourist, and the residents themselves (Buhalis, 2000; Pike, 2008). The aim of this study is to carry out a …

Dark Tourism: An Assessment Of The Motivations Of Visitors To Auschwitz – Birkenau, Poland, Aisling Ward, Agnieszka Stessel

Irish Business Journal

Travel to sites of death and destruction is not a new concept. It is however, a phenomenon that has in recent years emerged as a clearly identifiable tourism product from a supply perspective and a growing tourism trend throughout the world. An element of human nature is this fascination with death and disaster, which has been catered for through the emergence of tourism sites associated with death, disaster and destruction. Today, many places of death and disaster attract millions of tourists from around the world such as Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland, Anne Frank’s House in Amsterdam, Ground Zero in New York, …

Golf Tourism In Ireland: An Inbound Perspective, Brian Murphy

Theses

The fact that Ireland has some of the finest natural golf courses in the world is not a new phenomenon, with renowned courses such as Waterville, Ballybunion and Royal Country Down regularly appearing in the list of top ten best golf courses in the world. The sheer ruggedness and natural beauty of many of Ireland’s links golf courses have for many years attracted golfing enthusiasts to our shores. The experience of playing these magnificent courses is only surpassed by the warmth and hospitality which is shared by the local people. Ireland has a reputation for welcoming visiting tourists with open …