Tourism Commons^™

Hard Apple Cider In The New York Hudson Valley Region: A Tourism Study, Meghann Smith, Pankaj Lal

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Hard apple cider production is an emerging industry in apple-growing regions of the United States due to the growing popularity of local craft products in the alcoholic beverage industry. This study strives to understand how hard cideries may affect local product promotion, rural tourism, and agriculture’s economic viability in the Hudson Valley region of New York. Tourism is evolving towards travelling for experiential value; the hard cider industry can offer an authentic environmentally and historically significant experience. By identifying the consumers and their expectations, the possibilities for building tourism specifically surrounding products with regional significance expand significantly. In this study, …

Intertidal Interactions: Stakeholder Relationships Arising From Kitesurfing In Paje, Zanzibar, Jenna Walczak, Iris Levine

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study investigated the growth of the kitesurfing industry in Paje, Unguja, Zanzibar in relation to its social, economic, and environmental impacts on the community. Prior research has noted that the increase in unregulated kitesurfing tourism in the intertidal zone in Paje has led to conflicts between various stakeholder groups— including seaweed farmers, fishermen, the tourist industry, tourists, and community members. This research aimed to promote a better understanding amongst all actors regarding aspects in which the kitesurfing industry can continue to benefit those involved while ensuring that the rights and livelihoods of the locals are upheld. In order to …

An Analysis Of Biodiversity, Sustainability, And Ecotourism In The Vo.I.M.Ma Community Managed Forest, Andasibe, Madagascar, Catherine Knowlton, Charlotte Walton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The concept of eco-tourism as a culturally sensitive, ecologically beneficial alternative to traditional vacations is a fairly new idea. While on the surface it seems positive for everyone involved, there are complexities in the relationships between all parties. This study explores the ties between the community forest, the tourists, and biodiversity (specifically endemic lemur populations) in the VO.I.M.MA Community Managed Forest. This study found that the community forest model is sustainable, based on the criteria of protecting biodiversity and satisfying customers. To truly promote a sustainable business model in the future (ecologically as well as economically), the center could improve …

Gender And Climate Change In The Indian Himalayas: Global Threats, Local Vulnerabilities, And Livelihood Diversification At The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Monica V. Ogra, Ruchi Badola

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Global climate change has numerous implications for members of mountain communities who feel the impacts in both physical and social dimensions. In the western Himalayas of India, a majority of residents maintain a livelihood strategy that includes a combination of subsistence or small-scale agriculture, livestock rearing, seasonal or long-term migration, and localized natural resource extraction. While warming temperatures, irregular patterns of precipitation and snowmelt, and changing biological systems present challenges to the viability of these traditional livelihood portfolios in general, we find that climate change is also undermining local communities’ livelihood assets in gender-specific ways. In this paper, we present …

Walkable Gettysburg— How Pedestrian Friendly Is The Borough Of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania?, Samuel C. Gilvarg, Shane A. Kesnig

Student Publications

Walkability is a measure of how easily pedestrians can reach a variety of destinations via walking. Greater walkability has been linked to several benefits, including improvements in human health, economic stimulus, and improved air quality. We surveyed 37 blocks in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to record the presence of 13 design factors such as street trees and pedestrian oriented amenities that have been shown to encourage walking. These results were then compared with the Walk Score from walkscore.com, a common measurement tool of walkability. Based on the surveys, we calculated a design quality score (DQI) for each block. There was no correlation …

Pollution In Stone Town’S Coastal Waters: An Assessment Of Environmental Influences On Fecal Contamination, Socorro Lopez

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Urbanized areas in Tanzania, including Zanzibar Town on Unguja, are struggling to deal with the large amount of waste generated by growing populations and increasing tourist industries. In 2010, the waters surrounding Stone Town, a subsection of Zanzibar Town, were found to be highly polluted by fecal waste. This study attempted to determine whether pollution has lessened or worsened in the past four years. Furthermore, environmental components of the coastal area, particularly tides, were tested in order to determine whether they had an impact on pollution in the waters. Using the membrane filtration method, mean enterococci were quantified in two …

Mama Nyani: A Study Of The Correlation Of Behaviors And Habitat In Papio Anubis, Madison Beran

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the population in Tanzania continues to grow more people are in search of jobs. In Northern Tanzania a village named Mto Wa Mbu is conveniently located directly adjacent to Lake Manyara National Park. With its good location and weather for crops, many people have moved there in hopes to earn some money from the 1 million tourists that visit Tanzania per year. As more people move to Mto Wa Mbu the pressure between animals and the people has increased. With the national park directly across the street from housing both animals and people can easily access each other’s homes. …

An Evaluation Of Potential Management Options For The Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Aduncus) Population In Kizimkazi, Zanzibar, Rebecca Hamilton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A short-term study was conducted between November 3rd and November 30th of 2013 in which dolphin area usage was assessed and interviews conducted in order to evaluate which actions should be considered in order to improve dolphin management in Kizimkazi, Zanzibar. GPS coordinates during dolphin sightings were recorded while on tourist and volunteer boat trips to assess dolphin movement and distribution. While on the tourist boats, observations were also made regarding boat operator, tour guide, and tourist knowledge and behavior in relation to tourism interaction guidelines. Interviews were conducted with locals involved in the dolphin tourism sector, tour company representatives, …

Manifestations Of Tibetan Buddhism In Pudacuo National Park And Its Effectiveness As An Environmental Education Tool, Ellen Martin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Pudacuo National Park in Shangri-la, Yunnan is mainland China’s first national park and comprehensive conservation and eco-tourism attempt. The Nature Conservancy worked with Yunnan provincial government to establish park guidelines and advocate for certain conservation measures. One of the important guidelines that The Nature Conservancy included was local cultural preservation. A primary goal of this experiment in US-modeled national parks is to ensure the longevity of traditional values and beliefs in the parkland area. Pudacuo National Park is not only attempting to conserve the local Tibetan Buddhist tradition but also is attempting to capitalize on the uniqueness of the experience …

Above The Mukpa: The Shifting Ground Of Khumbu's Sacred Geography, Noah Brautigam

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Himalayan region is suffering from global warming,2 and the effects are felt at all scales, from the local to the global. Himalayan glaciers feed ten major Asian rivers, and 1.3 billion people in southern and southeast Asia reside in those river basins (Eriksson, et al. 2009:1). Global warming is melting these glaciers at a rapid rate, with retreat ranging from 10 to 60 meters per year on average, and many smaller glaciers already disappearing (Mool, Bajracharya and Shrestha 2008:1). This research is a study of local perceptions of global warming and glacial melt among the Sherpas of Khumbu, Nepal. …

Yongzhi Village: An Example For Sustainable Tourism And Development In Deqin County, Kiersten Brown

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Nestled beneath misty mountain peaks, among the Salween, Mekong, and Yangtze rivers, a beautiful Tibetan village lies. Alongside low-lying mountain creeks and waterfalls this village is in Deqin County of Yunnan’s Deqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Deqin TAP). The Deqin TAP is the most Northwest prefecture of Yunnan. Deqin boasts that 33% of its population is comprised of the dominant minority group, Tibetans. Deqin prefecture is comprised of three counties, Shangrila County, Deqin County, and Weixi County. Deqin County is mostly comprised of small Tibetan towns and villages like Yongzhi. About 100 families inhabit Yongzhi. The village is placed right along …

Les Impacts De L’Éco-Tourisme Sur La Population De Ranohira: Étude De Cas Du Parc National De L’Isalo, Benjamin Cook

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

À Madagascar, une île dans l’Océan Indien, le tourisme et les installations touristiques sont en processus de développement. Alors que certains étrangers profitent du climat tropical pour aller à la plage, d’autres passent le temps dans l’un des 20 parcs nationaux, tous connus pour la flore et la faune uniques. Madagascar National Parks, une organisation privée qui était établie en 1990, est chargé de la gestion de chaque parc y compris l’éco-tourisme, la conservation, et le développement durable. Généralement reconnu comme l’un des parcs les plus visités de Madagascar (avec des dizaines de milliers de touristes chaque année), le Parc …

Fire On The Mountain: Growth And Conflict In Colorado Ski Country, Michael W. Childers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation examines the environmental, economic, and cultural conflicts over the private development of ski resorts in Colorado's National Forests between 1910 and 2000. Downhill skiing emerged as an increasingly popular winter activity during the first half of the twentieth century, particularly in western state such as Colorado. A part of the a larger outdoor recreational boom throughout the United States' during the interwar years, downhill skiing challenged the Forest Service's ability to meeting the public's growing appetite for year-round recreational opportunities. These challenges increased following World War II as the nation's growing population and affluence drew millions to their …

Cultural Heritage Preservation Meets Modern Port Development: Securing The Integrity And Authenticity Of The Lamu Town World Heritage Site In The Face Of Current And Future Challenges, Sarah M. Wiggins

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study identifies the current major threats to the Lamu Town World Heritage Site, which lies on the coast of Kenya. Lamu gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its well preserved Swahili living culture as well as the physical representations of that culture in architecture etc. Lamu is a tourist hotspot within the region and hosts over 50,000 for the Maulidi Festival alone. However, the town is in desperate need of infrastructure development if it is to be maintained for the future. The greatest barrier to development and cultural heritage preservation is the lack of a …

Connection To Nature In Park Visitors: A Look At Structured And Unstructured Recreational Activities, Chelsea D. West

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

There is evidence that park visitation is on the decline (Pergams & Zaradic, 2008) and if this is the case, and budgets decrease proportionately, there is a chance park land will be lost. Definitive explanations of the decline in park visits and time spent in nature are not available. In addition, there has been some discussion and research pertaining to the possible effects on people of not going into the natural environment and experiencing a connection with nature.

This study represents the first research known to focus on connectedness to nature and its relationship to structured and unstructured recreational activities. …

Analysis Of Mammoth Cave Pre-Park Communities, Matthew Brunt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Before the creation of Mammoth Cave National Park, this area was home to numerous communities, each with a sense of identity. To prepare for the creation of the National Park, all residents living within these communities were relocated, and many of these communities were lost to the passage of time. Today, public memory of these lost communities is being fostered by the descendents of the pre-park area.

Through the use of a Historical Geographic Information System, 1920 Edmonson County manuscript census data, and statistical analysis, the demographic composition of these lost communities was explored. This project not only brought to …

The Realities And Effectiveness Of Ecotourism Operations On Moreton Island, Yoshihiko Kubota

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry, but there has been a lack of studies assessing the tour operators’ views on the environment of the area of their operation, and of the effectiveness of their interpretation methods. This study focuses on Moreton Island for its relatively undisturbed environment and restricted accessibility.. Interviews with a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employee, representative of a local conservation group, and multiple tour operators were conducted to assess the knowledge of tour operators on the environmental issues of Moreton Island, while pre-visit and post-visit surveys were conducted with Moreton Island visitors …

Behind Your Beach Vacation: A Review And Evaluation Of Eias As A Legal Framework To Regulate The Environmental Impacts Of Tourism In Zanzibar, Mahima Sukhdev, Ayelet Singer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and related legislation in Zanzibar were examined, and their implementation by hotels in the coastal villages of Nungwi, Kiwengwa and Uroa were studied. Interviews were conducted with relevant government agencies and legal documents were examined in order to understand the current framework within which hotels operate. Hotels in the study area both with and without EIAs were questioned about their environmental and social impacts. The environmental management plans of those hotels with EIAs were considered in light of their current practices in order to gage the effectiveness of the EIA process in regulating the environmental impacts …

The Cost Of Progress: Failed Development And Community Response On Pulau Serangan, Julia Nakad

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Introduction - extract

No place on Bali illustrates the promise and heartbreak of development more clearly than the failed development project on Serangan Island, the location of a halted (if not completely aborted) development project in the 1990s that drastically changed the landscapes and livelihoods on the island in a relatively short span of time. Prior to the development project, most Serangan people made a living from fishing in the ocean surrounding the island, as well as from extracting coral and engaging in the turtle trade. These same people were promised jobs in the resorts that were to be built …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Shane Bevell, Carol C. Harter, Lori Bachand, Cate Weeks, Mamie Peers

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Consumptive Water Use At The Mirage Hotel And The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino In Las Vegas, Nevada, Johann A. Feller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Las Vegas Valley is one of the driest regions in the southwest United States. Due to limited water supplies from the Colorado River, rainfall, and groundwater sources, the water requirements of the valley’s growing population is slated to surpass the current available water supply. The purpose of this comparative study is to quantify the amount of consumptive water used at a major Las Vegas resort/casino in one year. This, being of importance, because of the resort/casino industry’s role as one of the largest, most visible, and most resource intensive industries in the Las Vegas valley. The goal of this …

Assessment Of Potential Environmental Impacts Of Nature-Based Tours Originating Within Clark County, Nevada, Beth Domowicz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis was to assess the potential magnitude of negative environmental damage of nature-based tours originating in Clark County, Nevada. An ordinal ranking system was used for assessment of five variables. These variables were resource use, noise pollution, soil degradation, vegetation degradation, and wildlife disturbance. There were two proposed answers. The first was that as distance increased, negative tour impact would increase. This was not supported, since tours had high impacts for destinations that were close by and far away. The second was that most tours were not causing high damage to the environment. This hypothesis was …

Ecology, Economy And Ecotourism: Sustaining People And The Environment, Richard Snow

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Tourism is the world's largest industry. The fastest growing segment of the travel and tourist trade is ecotourism. The concept of sustainable development insists that humans cooperate with nature in the search for an ecological economy which can support present and future populations. Ecotourism attempts to attain this elusive goal by preserving ecosystems while generating revenue for local communities. In this study, the researcher examines the positive and negative effects of ecotourism on people, culture, and landscape. An analysis of tourism data seems to suggest that developing countries, which are popular ecotour destinations, are benefitting economically and ecologically from properly …

Environmental Perception And Its Impacts On The Tourist Industry: A Case Study Of The Niagara Region, Donna Marie Senese

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The natural resources of the Niagara Region of Ontario have played an important role in the success of the tourist industry in the region. The Niagara Region has been developed on an industrial and agricultural base since the nineteenth century. Due to conflicting demands of the manufacturing, agricultural and tourism industries for aesthetic, recreational and waste disposal purposes, the physical environment has deteriorated. The research problem of this thesis is to determine the extent of the effect of this deteriorated environment upon the tourist industry in the Niagara Region.

Physical inventories of resources are not adequate in terms of evaluating …

Ua77/1 Western Alumnus, Vol. 45, No. 1, Wku Alumni Relations

WKU Administration Documents

WKU alumni magazine. Features the following articles:

• Relevance - Western Environmental Programs
• The Environmental Sciences & Technology Building
• Snodgrass, Jim. Environmental Education
• Hurst, Teri. Carpooling - The Energy Saver
• Henderson, Ray. A Piece of the Rock - Football
• Mud, Rice and Camellias
• Conlin, Bill. Hilltoppers Classy Club - Football
• Feix, Jimmy. Western Pays Its Tribute to This Dear & Gentle Man - Nick Denes
• Bruce, Don. Teacher of the Year - Paula Morgan
• Ward, Robert. Letters from Ireland
• Conway, Sheila. A Dream Come True - Randy Yeager
• Remember When? - Faculty Photograph
• Governor Julian Carroll Honors Dr. L.Y. Lancaster for …