Research Publications (Academic Support)
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Item Characteristics and policies of community-based tourism in the case of Jamaica(2015-01) Giampiccoli, Andrea; Jugmohan, Sean; Mtapuri, OliverThe aim of the article is to investigate the relationship between relevant Community-based Tourism (CBT) characteristics and the Jamaican Community Tourism Policy and Strategy (CTPS) and to discuss its value in community development. This article makes a contribution towards the understanding of the role of government in the development CBT. It argues that while the Jamaican CTPS has many positive strategies, they seem to be skewed in favor of the well established and market ready Community Tourism Enterprises (CTEs). It argues that such a state of affairs risks increasing the inequality gap between the rich CTEs and the poor ones and the members involved. By inference, it also risks developing ‘elite’ CTEs. As such, the article also argues that support should be given to all CTEs in the various tiers depending solely on need. The article also posits that it is critically important to develop community tourism partnerships with government ministries and other agencies, the private sector and NGOs for the establishment of standards, assessments, branding, marketing, financing and legal issues and capacity building. The article argues that the forms and modes of capacity building and empowerment which it advocates should make communities independent in the interest of social justice. While Jamaica’s CTPS has numerous feasible strategies, it is their prioritization which is highly contestable.Item Diversification and innovation in tourism development strategy : the case of Abu Dhabi(Geo Publishing, 2015) Giampiccoli, Andrea; Mtapuri, OliverThrough its diversification thrust, Abu Dhabi has succeeded in reaping the benefits both of oil and gas and of the services sector, including tourism, through deliberate government action. Diversification and innovation have been key drivers in all sectors of the economy, including tourism, and innovations in one sector have spawned innovations in others. Drawing on literature sourced from secondary data, including government documents and publications available in the public domain, this article argues that innovation in various sectors can facilitate tourism diversifi-cation, innovation, and product/market development. The authors propose a diver-sification and innovation model, arguing that these aspects are inter-related and that their relationship is cyclical. Diversification and innovations are generated from and influenced by any economic, social, or institutional milieu and by entities such as government, business, and non-governmental organizations The article contends that Abu Dhabi’s new growth path should be geared towards small and medium enterprises in the boutique and lifestyle lodging business, so as to spread the benefits of its success in the tourism industry to the broader population through diversifying the emirate’s “traditional” hotel market.Item Community-based tourism in rich and poor countries : towards a framework for comparison(African Journals Online, 2015-12) Giampiccoli, Andrea; Jugmohan, Sean; Mtapuri, OliverThis article is conceptual based on a perusal of academic journal articles and books on matters related to Community-based Tourism (CBT). It contends that CBT is a very important tool for local economic development, community development, empowerment and the attainment of social justice. It observes disparities between rich and poor countries in terms of endowments and how the multiple dimensions of poverty can confound how tourism can be experienced in different contexts. It posits an eight Es model which represents the fundamental pillars upon which to judge a CBT for purposes of support, monitoring and evaluation. The eight E are Endogenous (emphasising a reliance on local resources); Environment – (reflecting the importance of caring for the environment, and broader environmental conditions and infrastructure); Education – (to advance skills and education); Empowerment – (which embraces economic, psychological, social and political empowerment); Equity – (for equitable distribution and re-distribution of both benefits and resources); Evolving – (always improving and changing to take advantage of dynamic opportunities); Enduring – (for long term sustainability) and supporting Entrepreneurship – (for innovation, creativity and viability). The framework/model is also significant as it provides a common ground upon which the understanding of CBT could be carried at international and national level. The model can be customised to take into account local conditions; it is flexible and all-encompassing with potential to be used for rating facilities.Item Between theory and practice : A conceptualization of community based tourism and community participation(Loyola College of Social Sciences, 2015) Giampiccoli, Andrea; Mtapuri, OliverTourism in general and community-based tourism (CBT) in particular is important in the overall development discourse in which political ideology and philosophy have a role to play. This paper, using a thorough desk top research, perused various sources of literature, especially handbooks and manual on CBT, to interrogate how theory and practice inform the conceptualization of Community Based Tourism and community participation. CBT is a form of tourism which emphasises and encourages the involvement of communities in showcasing their culture, artifacts, heritage and environments. Community participation may include running own enterprises as individuals, as collectives and/or with formal partners and may include village visits and tours, participation in village life, cultural tours and so forth. his paper argues that the degree of participation is informed by the CBT venture type as some venture types work to the advantage of communities while others do not. Notions of control, power, empowerment, decision-making and socio-economic conditions are important in this discourse. Participation approaches should be able to challenge existing power structures if genuine empowerment is to be achieved in previously disadvantaged areas The major contribution of this paper is the Community participation and CBT Model Framework which it posits. The framework can be used to locate areas of effective community participation through ‘citizen control’ by venture type. It informs both policy and practice in modeling CBT ventures which ensure community participation, control, empowerment and community decision-making. While most manuals mostly targeted practitioners, this paper advocates the development of manuals which target communities so that they can initiate, manage and run productive CBT projects.Item Tourism development in Qatar: towards a diversification strategy beyond the conventional 3 Ss(2015) Giampiccoli, Andrea; Mtapuri, OliverResearch on tourism development in oil-dependent countries is still in its infancy arguably because the tourism sector itself is new in those countries. This paper makes a contribution filling this gap with a focus on the diversification strategy which Qatar seems to be pursuing. The pursuit of the conventional 3 Ss model of Sea, Sand and Sun by Qatar in terms of its tourism development trajectory seems to be the only focus of its tourism development strategy. Against a backdrop of phenomenal growth, Qatar then incorporated the 4Ss of Safari, Skyscrapers, Sport, Shopping, and Surgery to offer a diversified product which appeals to sport enthusiast; a shopper; safari adventurer; a landscape and architectural admirer; health enthusiast (or just patients) for surgery; and a holiday maker for sea, sand, sun thereby establishing its own competitive advantage in the tourism sector. The framework of Qatar’s offerings and model of tourism development of Qatar are this paper’s major contributions as they open up new research areas as to whether endowments can be expanded/diversified as is the case of Qatar and whether growth trajectories are context specific. For Qatar, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions, Festivals, History, Heritage, Desert, Sea, Nature reserves and Safari are all part of a single experience.Item A reformulation of the 3 SS model for community-based tourism : towards an alternative model(Serials Publications, 2014) Mtapuri, Oliver; Giampiccoli, AndreaThis article posits a 7S’s model to expand from the 3S’s model of Sun, Sea, and Sand as anchors for tourism development. It extends the discussion by arguing that within the 7 S’s model Government/community relationship must be elevated to take a new meaning – with Government as a facilitator and the community providing the decision-making platforms in a reconfigured bottom-up approach in the interest of holistic development. Thus, the 3S’s model is expanded to include Safari, Surfing, Shopping and Ski-ing to form a 7S’s model including Sun, Sea and Sand. The model is based on the soundness of leveraging on indigenous knowledge, community ownership of tourism resources, re-formulation of fitting and apt legislation and identity definition to achieve ecological, economic, social and cultural sustainabilities without which tourism cannot properly thrive. Based on this, the article argues that the tourism sector is particularly well positioned to enhance holistic development especially within particular historical-geographic contexts.