A case study is used to demonstrate the application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to inform sustainable development. The suitability of the landscape to support tourism accommodation in a Local Government Area (LGA) is modelled by integrating existing datasets, including conservation areas, residential zones, major roads and known locations of tourism operators into a logistic regre...

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of China’s tour guiding quality assurance system as an instrument for sustainable tourism. It notes the importance of China’s 131,000 tour guides for inbound, outbound and domestic tourism. China’s tour guiding quality assurance and regulatory mechanisms are then reviewed, including qualification examination, licensing, professional certification, training...

Many tourists are interested in locally-beneficial experiences, which should afford opportunities for vulnerable individuals to earn their way out of poverty. However, host communities remain largely relegated to the role of passive tourees receiving only scraps from the tourism industry. This paper introduces “People-First Tourism”, a project that attempts to leverage information technology in...

The purpose of the study is to propose a completely barrier-less, or “accessible” tourism platform and makes suggestions to facilitate current travel information for disabled persons. Drawing on in-depth interviews with tourism industry representatives and academics, and applying Long Tail theory’s three “forces” and nine “rules”, the study makes assessments as to the viability of the disabled ...

Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors worldwide. Little is known, however, about its impacts on the wildlife on which it depends. This paper explores, as a Žrst step in addressing this shortcoming, the perceptions held by tour operators, managers and wildlife scientists regarding the role and purpose of scientiŽc research in sustainable wildlife tourism. The study drew ...

In the face of the continuing global biodiversity loss, it is important not only to assess the need for conservation, through e.g. gap analyses, but also to seek practical solutions for protecting biodiversity. Environmentally and socially sustainable tourism can be one such solution. We present a method to spatially link data on conservation needs and tourism-based economic opportunities, usin...