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Abstract This article reports on findings from an exploratory study which examined the qualifications, skills, and experience of local job seekers In Tropical North Queensland to ascertain their potential as [...]

Abstract The impact of the fly-in fly-out (FIFO) lifestyle on the psychosocial and emotional well-being of the workers and their families has been a topic of discussion in local media, [...]

The article describes and test few assumptions and claims made in adopting branding from the consumer goods to travel destinations. It concludes that brand personality can be used to differentiate destination, further studies can evaluate more closely.

The genetic algorithm (GA) optimization method allows the the application of optimization techniques to real-life problems in water pipe networks. System-optimization computer programs are preferred to simulation programs. However, previous attempts to use linear programming, partial enumeration, dynamic programming and nonlinear programming optimization techniques were only able to handle basic pipe sizing problems. GA optimization allows the searching of various possible solutions to look for the cheapest pipe, tank, valve and pump combinations to meet specified demands., Tools used by designers to analyze water distribution systems have come a long way since the manual Hardy Cross network method was first introduced in 1936. The earliest computer network [...]

Many governments and NGOs have argued for using tourism, especially community-based tourism (CBT), as a development tool. While this tourism option is often described as more sustainable in terms of contributions to destination community well-being, there is only a limited understanding of the processes that actually underpin CBT and its outcomes in peripheral destinations. This article argues that one reason for this limited understanding is that research into CBT has typically been conducted from a Western perspective with little consideration given to historical and political contexts of colonization and disempowerment. This article reports on a research study that used an alternative, culturally appropriate research methodology with 12 rural PNG villages that had self-initiated CBT ventures and that specifically sought to give these village communities a voice in understanding how CBT can be developed to be one part of larger sustainable community development processes. Major findings included: a positive view of tourism as an additional source of income that fitted well with existing sustainable livelihoods; strong connection between development decisions and the core Melanesian values of clan identity, leadership, and support from elders, community cooperation and reciprocity in the successful maintenance of tourism activities; the need to manage the entire supply chain and not be limited by the actions and power of external tourism operators and agents; the need for education and training in many aspects of tourism to enhance entrepreneurial approaches and greater returns from the supply chain; and the challenge of gender issues.

Tourism researchers have recently begun to examine in detail the connections between tourism development and destination community well-being. To date though there has been only limited research that critically examines the links between different aspects of tourism and the nature of social capital in a destination community. The literature review identified a need to both explore further the linkages between tourism and social capital and to better understand practitioner perspectives on these linkages through the use of Mode 2 research approaches. This paper will report on a qualitative action research project that explored the perspectives of 16 regional tourism officers on how tourism contributes to the social capital, and hence the well-being, of destination communities. The results of a thematic analysis of participant responses to a series of workshop activities identified key factors necessary for enhancing destination community social capital, including effective local resident engagement in tourism planning, the need for strong tourism leadership, and a desire to find different models for local and regional tourism organizations. The research also used Derrida's concept of absence and Foucault's concept of invisibility in social discourse to identify issues that were not immediately or overtly discussed by the participants, such as the need to better manage negative tourism impacts and specific mechanisms for building trust amongst tourism stakeholders. Implications both for further research and practice in this area are provided.

Small island destinations face a number of issues related to tourism and its sustainability. Recent discussions of destination development and marketing have suggested that new approaches to tourism management and marketing are needed to address these sustainability issues and that these should be centred on the concept of destination community wellbeing (DCW). This paper examines these issues in the context of a small island destination in Northern Australia. The history of tourism development on Magnetic Island (MI) since the 1980s is a troubled one, with extensive community conflict over various proposed developments and ongoing issues with trust and damage to social capital. A program of engagement was conducted to determine current perceptions of how tourism might contribute to, or detract from, community wellbeing at this destination. While this program identified a number of tourism planning options, only limited attention was paid to the potential markets to support these options. The present paper considers how destination marketing could be used to support more sustainable tourism development for small island destinations. It demonstrates a different approach to tourist market segmentation using a survey of actual and potential visitors to MI to identify and assess tourist markets in terms of their potential to make positive contributions to the DCW of MI. This market segmentation process, which uses tourist characteristics consistent with the DCW elements, needs and aspirations of the MI community, is compared to more traditional market segmentation techniques, showing the value of a sustainability focussed segmentation strategy.

Contradictions and complexities in the study of tourist scams can potentially be overcome by developing a more organised taxonomic account of these essentially deceptive activities. Using a key-informant survey of 78 strategically selected stakeholders and a multidimensional scaling analysis, we discovered four dominant features to classify tourist scams, including deception types, interpersonal trust, victim culpability and prevalence. A 16-category taxonomy was thereby proposed, articulating typical examples and victimisation features. The taxonomy assists in interpreting variable outcomes from diverse studies and places, and offers fresh insights for those seeking to manage and avoid such deceptions.

Music tourism can be seen as a type of special interest cultural tourism. This paper addresses the role of themed music festivals in regional development. Three diverse and recurring music tourism events in regional Queensland, Australia are studied. The case studies describe the festivals and their impacts and contributions to tourism development in their area. These analyses specifically examine the roles of clusters and networks in the contributions made by these events to regional tourism and associated development. The results of the analyses are used to examine government policies and recommendations are made to support better outcomes for host communities.

There are a number of current debates in the academic and management literature about the benefits and costs of introducing technology into tourist experiences. The debate is an important one for those who manage tourist attractions when making decisions about which directions to take in the development of visitor experiences. A review of the relevant literature in tourism suggests that very little attention has been paid to tourists' perceptions of, and interest in, the use of technology to create and enhance their experiences. This study sought to address this gap by surveying visitors to an Australian aquarium and asking them about their support for the adoption of various forms of exhibits. The results indicated that tourists can be grouped according to their support for the use of technology in visitor experiences and their levels of use of technology in general. A general model of tourist technology adoption is proposed and explored and implications of the results are discussed both for tourist attraction management and for future research into this phenomenon.

The term backpacker is widely used in Australia to describe young budget travelers on extended holiday. However, little in-depth research has been conducted on this segment of travelers, with a resulting lack of understanding of their key characteristics and motives. The results of this nationwide study of 690 backpackers reveals that they are primarily motivated by the need for excitement/adventure and meeting local people. Factor analysis was used to examine their motives with respect to PearceÆs Travel Career Ladder, and cluster analysis revealed that not all backpacker respondents had the same motive profile. Four motive-based clusters were found; Escapers/Relaxers, Social/Excitement-Seekers, Self-Developers and Achievers. Nationality was the most pronounced difference across segments. They also differed in terms of expenditure patterns, accommodation and activity structure preferences, and destinations visited.

Features a children's story entitled `Waiting for Grandpa,' by Laurie Smith Murphy, where words are substituted with pictures.