Journal of Hospitality Application and Research

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Assessing the Responsible Tourism Practices for Sustainable Development-An Empirical Inquiry of Yelagiri, Tamil Nadu


Affiliations
1 Pondicherry, India
2 Dept. of Tourism Studies, School of Management, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Tourism in India is experiencing exponential growth with a massive contribution of 9.6% to the GDP and 9.3% to the total employment. Nevertheless, sustainability is emerging out to be one of the most predominant factors to be considered while developing and promoting Indian destinations. Ever since the formulation of its definition in the Brundtland Commission report, entitled Our Common Future, “Sustainable Development” has been invariably the most discussed concept in the development literature. To ensure sustainability, each stakeholder must be conscious about their actions and impacts on the destination. In that regard, Responsible tourism is a useful tool to identify key local issues and address them to attain sustainable development by providing clear report of the progress.

The current study is an empirical analysis which tries to assess the extent to which responsible tourism practices are followed by different stakeholders at Yelagiri and consequently, highlight the sustainability of the destination. Both qualitative and quantitative data have been collected through questionnaires (i.e. structured and unstructured), field notes and participant observation. Thematic content analysis has been employed to analyze qualitative data while quantitative data has been analyzed through SPSS software and Microsoft Excel. Qualitative data collected from the local community members and Govt. officials have been triangulated with the quantitative data collected from the tourists to further reinforce the findings. The findings of the study reveal positive economic benefits to the host community albeit negative social and environmental impacts on the destination; thus, pointing towards unsustainable development.


Keywords

Sustainable Development, Responsible Tourism Practices, Host Community Benefit, Economic Development, Environment Protection.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Aref, F., & Redzuan, M. R. B. (2009). Community capacity building for tourism development. Journal of Human Ecology, 27(1), 21-25.

  • Arnegger, J., Woltering, M., & Job, H. (2010). Toward a product based typology for nature-based tourism: A conceptual framework. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18(7), 915-928.

  • Ashley, C. (2000). Applying livelihood approaches to natural resource management initiatives: Experiences in Namibia and Kenya. London, UK: Overseas Development Institute.

  • Ashley, C., & Roe, D. (2002). Making tourism work for the poor: strategies and challenges in southern Africa. Development Southern Africa, 19(1), 61-82.

  • Babbie, E. R. (2013). The basics of social research. California: Cengage Learning.

  • Beattie, A. J., & Ehrlich, P. R. (2004). Wild solutions: How biodiversity is money in the bank. Yale University Press.

  • Bohdanowicz, P. (2006). Environmental awareness and initiatives in the Swedish and Polish hotel industries - survey results. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 25(4), 662-682.

  • Boo, E. (1990). Ecotourism: The potentials and pitfalls. Washington, DC: WWF.

  • Bornhorst, T., Ritchie, J. B., & Sheehan, L. (2010). Determinants of tourism success for DMOs & destinations: An empirical examination of stakeholders’ perspectives. Tourism management, 31(5), 572-589.

  • Bramwell, B., & Lane, B. (Eds.). (2000). Tourism collaboration and partnerships: Politics, practice and sustainability (Vol. 2). Channel View Publications.

  • Briedenhann, J., & Wickens, E. (2004). Tourism routes as a tool for the economic development of rural areas—vibrant hope or impossible dream?. Tourism Management, 25(1), 71-79.

  • Brown, K., Turner, R. K., Hameed, H., & Bateman, I. A. N. (1997). Environmental carrying capacity and tourism development in the Maldives and Nepal. Environmental Conservation, 24(4), 316-325.

  • Buckley, R. (2012). Tourism, conservation and the Aichi targets. Parks, 18(2), 12-19.

  • Buckley, R., Pickering, C., & Weaver, D. B. (2003). Nature-based tourism, environment and land management. Cabi Publishing.

  • Cahn, M. (2008). Indigenous entrepreneurship, culture and micro-enterprise in the Pacific Islands: Case studies from Samoa. Entrepreneurship and regional development, 20(1), 1-18.

  • Ceballos-Lascurain, H. (1996). Tourism, ecotourism, and protected areas: The state of nature-based tourism around the world and guidelines for its development. Iucn.

  • Chambers, R. (1987). Sustainable livelihoods, environment and development: Putting poor rural people first.

  • Chapin, F. S., Zavaleta, E. S., Eviner, V. T., & Naylor, R. L. (2000). Consequences of changing biodiversity. Nature, 405(6783), 234.

  • Cooper, C. (2008). Tourism: Principles and practice. Pearson education.

  • Daily, G. (Ed.). (1997). Nature’s services: Societal dependence on natural ecosystems. Island Press.

  • Day, G. (2006). Community and everyday life. Routledge.

  • Denman, R. (2003). Tourism and local agenda 21: The role of local authorities in sustainable tourism. United Nations Publications.

  • Denzin, N. K. (2012). Triangulation 2.0. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 6(2), 80-88.

  • Doxey, G. V. (1975). A causation theory of visitor-resident irritants: Methodology and research inferences. In the impact of tourism sixth annual conference proc of the travel research Association (pp. 195-98).

  • Fennell, D. A. (2008). Responsible tourism: A Kierkegaardian interpretation. Tourism Recreation Research, 33(1), 3-12.

  • Gao, J., Huang, Z., & Zhang, C. (2017). Tourists’ perceptions of responsibility: An application of norm-activation theory. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 25(2), 276-291.

  • Goodwin, H. (1996). In pursuit of ecotourism. Biodiversity & Conservation, 5(3), 277-291.

  • Goodwin, H. (2009). Reflections on 10 years of Pro-Poor Tourism. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 1(1), 90-94.

  • Goodwin, H. (2011). Taking responsibility for tourism. Woodeaton: Goodfellow Publishers Limited.

  • Goodwin, H. (2016). Responsible tourism: Using tourism for sustainable development. Goodfellow Publishers Ltd.

  • Goodwin, H., & Francis, J. (2003). Ethical and responsible tourism: Consumer trends in the UK. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 9(3), 271-284.

  • Harrison, L. C., Jayawardena, C., & Clayton, A. (2003). Sustainable tourism development in the Caribbean: Practical challenges. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 15(5), 294-298.

  • Häusler, N. (2012). Myanmar responsible tourism policy. Yangon: Hanns Seidel Foundation in Myanmar, 9, 27.

  • Haywood, K. M. (1988). Responsible and responsive tourism planning in the community. Tourism Management, 9(2), 105-118.

  • Hobbs, R. J., & Saunders, D. (Eds.). (2012). Reintegrating fragmented landscapes: towards sustainable production and nature conservation. Springer Science & Business Media.

  • Hobbs, R. J., Saunders, D. A., & Arnold, G. W. (1993). Integrated landscape ecology: A Western Australian perspective. Biological Conservation, 64(3), 231-238.

  • Jamal, T. B., & Getz, D. (1995). Collaboration theory and community tourism planning. Annals of tourism research, 22(1), 186-204.

  • Jurowski, C., Uysal, M., & Noe, F. P. (1993). US Virgin Islands national park: A factor-cluster segmentation study. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 1(4), 3-31.

  • Keeble, B. R. (1988). The Brundtland report: Our common future. Medicine and War, 4(1), 17-25.

  • Lélé, S. M. (1991). Sustainable development: A critical review. World Development, 19(6), 607-621.

  • Leung, M. W., Yen, I. H., & Minkler, M. (2004). Community based participatory research: A promising approach for increasing epidemiology’s relevance in the 21st century. International Journal of Epidemiology, 33(3), 499-506.

  • Mcelroy, J. L., & De Albuquerque, K. (1986). The tourism demonstration effect in the Caribbean. Journal of Travel Research, 25(2), 31-34.

  • Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J., & Behrens, W. W. (1972). The limits to growth. New York, 102, 27.

  • Miller, G., Rathouse, K., Scarles, C., Holmes, K., & Tribe, J. (2010). Public understanding of sustainable tourism. Annals of tourism research, 37(3), 627-645.

  • Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. (2017). Performance of Tourism Sector during December, 2016 (p. 1). New Delhi. Retrieved from http://tourism.gov.in/sites/default/files/FTA/Press_Note_FTAs_Dec_16.PDF

  • Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. (n.d.). Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India- Principles and Indicators for Tour Operator and Accommodation Sector (pp. 1-2). Retrieved from http://tourism.gov.in/sites/default/files/Other/Document.pdf

  • Mowforth, M., & Munt, I. (1998). Tourism and sustainability: New tourism in the Third World. Routledge.

  • Mowforth, M., & Munt, I. (2015). Tourism and sustainability: Development, globalisation and new tourism in the third world. Routledge.

  • Muhanna, E. (2006). Sustainable tourism development and environmental management for developing countries. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 4(2), 14-30.

  • Murphy, P. E. (1983). Tourism as a community industry - An ecological model of tourism development. Tourism Management, 4(3), 180-193.

  • Nash, R. F. (1989). The rights of nature: A history of environmental ethics. Univ of Wisconsin Press.

  • Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods. (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications, inc.

  • Pigram, J. J. (1992). Alternative tourism: Tourism and sustainable resource management. Tourism alternatives: Potentials and problems in the development of tourism. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 76-87.

  • Redclift, M. (2005). Sustainable development (1987-2005): An oxymoron comes of age. Sustainable Development, 13(4), 212-227.

  • Riedel, J. A. (1972). Citizen participation: Myths and realities. Public Administration Review, 32(3), 211-220.

  • Rolston, H. (1988). Environmental ethics: duties to and values in the natural world [Book summary].

  • Royo, S., Yetano, A., & Acerete, B. (2011). Citizen participation in German and Spanish local governments: A comparative study. International Journal of Public Administration, 34(3), 139-150.

  • Saunders, D. A. (1989). Changes in the avifauna of a region, district and remnant as a result of fragmentation of native vegetation: The wheatbelt of Western Australia. A case study. Biological Conservation, 50(1-4), 99-135.

  • Saunders, D. A., Hobbs, R. J., &Margules, C. R. (1991). Biological consequences of ecosystem fragmentation: A review. Conservation biology, 5(1), 18-32.

  • Scherr, S. J. (2000). A downward spiral? Research evidence on the relationship between poverty and natural resource degradation. Food policy, 25(4), 479-498.

  • Scoones, I. (1998). Sustainable rural livelihoods: A framework for analysis.

  • Simpson, M. C. (2008). Community benefit tourism initiatives - A conceptual oxymoron?. Tourism Management, 29(1), 1-18.

  • South Africa, (2000). The Municipal Systems Act, No.32 of 2000 (Online). Retrieved from http://www.communitylawcentre.org.za/localgov/legislation/32of2000.pdf

  • Spenceley, A. (2012). Responsible Tourism (pp. 3-5). Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

  • Stanford, D. (2006). Responsible tourism, responsible tourists: What makes a responsible tourist in New Zealand?.

  • Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), (n.d.). Tamil Nadu Tourism - Hill station. [online] Tamilnadutourism. Retrieved from http://www.tamilnadutourism.org/HillStation/TNHillStations/Yelagiri.aspx [Accessed 31 Aug. 2017].

  • Theodori, G. L. (2005). Community and community development in resource-based areas: Operational definitions ischolar_mained in an interactional perspective. Society and Natural Resources, 18(7), 661-669.

  • Tongco, M. D. C. (2007). Purposive sampling as a tool for informant selection. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 5, 147-158.

  • Tosun, C. (1999). Towards a typology of community participation in the tourism development process. Anatolia, 10(2), 113-134.

  • Tourism, D. F. I. D. (1999). Poverty elimination: Untapped potential. London: Department for International Development.

  • Weeden, C. (2008). The values of ethical and responsible tourists (Doctoral dissertation, University of Glasgow).

  • World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Our Common Future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

  • World Tourism Organization (Madrid). Network, W. E., University of Hawaii (Manoa)., University of Calgary (Calgary, Canada)., & James Cook University (Australia). (1997). International tourism: A global perspective. World Tourism Organization.

  • World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). (2017). Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2017 India (p. 1). London, United Kingdom: World Travel and Tourism Council. Retrieved from https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic-impact-research/countries-2017/india2017.pdf

  • Zhao, W., & Ritchie, J. B. (2007). Tourism and poverty alleviation: An integrative research framework. Current Issues in Tourism, 10(2-3), 119-143.


Abstract Views: 278

PDF Views: 0




  • Assessing the Responsible Tourism Practices for Sustainable Development-An Empirical Inquiry of Yelagiri, Tamil Nadu

Abstract Views: 278  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Hemachandran Rajamanicam
Pondicherry, India
Priyakrushna Mohanty
Dept. of Tourism Studies, School of Management, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India
Anu Chandran
Dept. of Tourism Studies, School of Management, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India

Abstract


Tourism in India is experiencing exponential growth with a massive contribution of 9.6% to the GDP and 9.3% to the total employment. Nevertheless, sustainability is emerging out to be one of the most predominant factors to be considered while developing and promoting Indian destinations. Ever since the formulation of its definition in the Brundtland Commission report, entitled Our Common Future, “Sustainable Development” has been invariably the most discussed concept in the development literature. To ensure sustainability, each stakeholder must be conscious about their actions and impacts on the destination. In that regard, Responsible tourism is a useful tool to identify key local issues and address them to attain sustainable development by providing clear report of the progress.

The current study is an empirical analysis which tries to assess the extent to which responsible tourism practices are followed by different stakeholders at Yelagiri and consequently, highlight the sustainability of the destination. Both qualitative and quantitative data have been collected through questionnaires (i.e. structured and unstructured), field notes and participant observation. Thematic content analysis has been employed to analyze qualitative data while quantitative data has been analyzed through SPSS software and Microsoft Excel. Qualitative data collected from the local community members and Govt. officials have been triangulated with the quantitative data collected from the tourists to further reinforce the findings. The findings of the study reveal positive economic benefits to the host community albeit negative social and environmental impacts on the destination; thus, pointing towards unsustainable development.


Keywords


Sustainable Development, Responsible Tourism Practices, Host Community Benefit, Economic Development, Environment Protection.

References