Matching Items (34)
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Description
Social Carrying Capacity (SCC) has been used commonly in the past to study the impact of increasing numbers of tourists on tourists’ satisfaction with a destination. However, it has been used less commonly to research the impact of increasing levels of tourism on residents of tourism destinations. As definitions of

Social Carrying Capacity (SCC) has been used commonly in the past to study the impact of increasing numbers of tourists on tourists’ satisfaction with a destination. However, it has been used less commonly to research the impact of increasing levels of tourism on residents of tourism destinations. As definitions of sustainable tourism shift to be more inclusive of residents, commonly used constructs should also be refined or modified to reflect this ontological shift. Current operational definitions of SCC tend to focus on crowding as the major indicator SCC has been reached. Even the theories commonly used to study SCC, stimulus-overload and expectancy theories, relate directly to crowding. This Master’s thesis aimed to expand the concept of SCC to be more representative of the manifold impacts experienced by residents of tourism destinations as tourism increases. This aim was accomplished through an exploratory mixed methods study ultimately resulting in the creation of a new SCC measurement tool.

The qualitative phase of this research consisted of four focus groups in three sites with varying levels of tourism development. The data from the focus groups were used to inform item writing of a measurement tool that represented a greater number of SCC indicators than crowding to confirm the validity of the indicators in the quantitative phase of the research. After the instrument was distributed via a statewide poll, two structural equation models were fit to compare the operational definitions. A better understanding of the relationship between one of the supporting theories, stimulus-overload theory, and SCC was uncovered with evidence of an emergent connection between SCC and tourism-related stressors.

The results of the research indicate that there are multiple indicators of SCC experienced by residents of tourism destinations which can change in degree and expression as tourism development in a community increases. The operational definition including these indicators explained more variance in support for tourism development than overcrowding alone. A greater awareness of these indicators and their evolution can strengthen the theoretical foundation of SCC and enable practitioners to make multi-faceted, proactive decisions when managing a destination.
ContributorsMoran, Casey D (Author) / Vogt, Christine (Thesis advisor) / Jordan, Evan (Committee member) / Andereck, Kathleen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
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Description
This dissertation presents a new tool for analysis of the way difficult experiences

or phenomena influence the process for constructing self-identity in the performance of everyday life. This concept, refraction, emerged as part of a grounded theory methods analysis of ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Itacaré, Bahia, Brazil from January to July

This dissertation presents a new tool for analysis of the way difficult experiences

or phenomena influence the process for constructing self-identity in the performance of everyday life. This concept, refraction, emerged as part of a grounded theory methods analysis of ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Itacaré, Bahia, Brazil from January to July 2014. The work here contributes to the field of performance studies as a possibility for examining how affective responses to difficult experiences contribute to a shift in perspective and subsequently shifts in the performance of self in everyday life. This research was conducted with critical and reflexive autoethnographic methods in order to hold the research accountable for the ways subject position influences the research. In this case the most salient theme that emerged from these autoethnographic methods was an unpacking of unacknowledged tourist privilege in this setting. The resulting work-in-progress

performance will offer ways for spectators to question their own assumptions

regarding tourist privilege in Brazil, and in so-called developing countries in similar

tropical climates. An additional contribution to the field of performance-based research that resulted from this dissertation is the articulation of a dynamic locus of creativity wherein rigorous established qualitative research methods complement creative practices in conjunction with a spectrum of tacit knowledge and theoretical sensitivities. This juncture becomes the theoretical space where creativity in research can be articulated in ways that are legible to both artists and researchers.
ContributorsPorter, Laurelann (Author) / de la Garza, Sarah Amira (Thesis advisor) / Underiner, Tamara (Thesis advisor) / Mcelroy, Isis (Committee member) / Gomez, Alan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
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Description
ABSTRACT

The tourism industry continues to mature as many consumers are demanding more responsible and sustainable development. Mindfulness has been studied in tourism as a cognitive trait recognized by actively processing information through an acute sensitivity to an individual's environment and openness to new information. Mindfulness has been shown

ABSTRACT

The tourism industry continues to mature as many consumers are demanding more responsible and sustainable development. Mindfulness has been studied in tourism as a cognitive trait recognized by actively processing information through an acute sensitivity to an individual's environment and openness to new information. Mindfulness has been shown to predict behaviors related to tourism and recreation. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has been extensively applied to understand human behavior. Despite TPB's extensive history in the social sciences, researchers continue to incorporate new social factors to explain behavior. This study employs an emerging psychological construct, mindfulness, into the TPB model as an enhancement to conceptual and empirical discrepancies.

This study aimed to: (1) understand the presence of mindfulness among those who travel, and (2) test a hypothesized relationship between mindfulness and intent to be sustainable on vacation. The research seeks to answer - does mindfulness add to a traveler's likelihood to behave sustainably in a destination with active sustainable initiatives? The purpose of this study is to showcase emerging consumer traits, like mindfulness, to enhance visitor experiences through sustainability initiatives.

A survey research method was employed to provide a broad, generalizable set of findings from a group of people who were planning a trip and may have visited a specific destination. This study partnered with Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau to access such a population. The survey was conducted with a self-administered online survey and 550 completed surveys were obtained. Behavior intention to be sustainable, in any visited destination, was regressed twice to address the research question. The first regression included original TPB independent variables (such as attitude, social norms, perceived behavioral control). The second regression added the mindfulness variable. The mindfulness variable was found to be positive and significant in a general context. The model was tested for those who traveled to Sedona and mindfulness and actual behaviors associated with sustainability were strongly related. A traveler's perception of their ability to control behaviors had a significant role when paired with mindfulness. Results suggest the TPB model has availability to incorporate new consumer behavior traits to understand behavior intention.
ContributorsAzzi, Maya Violette (Author) / Vogt, Christine A (Thesis advisor) / Buzinde, Christine (Committee member) / Cloutier, Scott (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
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Description
The COVID-19 pandemic arguably affected the travel industry more than any other global industry. In what felt like overnight, both domestic and international travel was halted due to the spread of the virus. Travel organizations, such as The Travel Corporation, had to learn to adapt and create policies and procedures

The COVID-19 pandemic arguably affected the travel industry more than any other global industry. In what felt like overnight, both domestic and international travel was halted due to the spread of the virus. Travel organizations, such as The Travel Corporation, had to learn to adapt and create policies and procedures to help mitigate the consequences of the pandemic. This qualitative research examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel industry to provide an understanding of future travel implications and restrictions for travelers and guided travel companies, utilizing The Travel Corporation as an example. A total of 36 employees of The Travel Corporation were surveyed regarding their views on how the company handled the pandemic. The research shows that the travel industry needs to have policies in place that ensure resilience against any future catastrophes.
ContributorsBurg, Amber Dawn (Author) / Akpan-Obong, Patience (Thesis advisor) / Veach, Paula (Thesis advisor) / Todd, Megan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023