- Middlesex University Business School
The Burroughs
London
NW4 4BT
United Kingdom
- Prof. Konstantinos Andriotis obtained a professorship at Middlesex University London at a very early age (43 years) a... moreProf. Konstantinos Andriotis obtained a professorship at Middlesex University London at a very early age (43 years) and he was Associate Professor and Head of the Hotel and Tourism Management Department, as well as member of the Senate at the Cyprus University of Technology. He holds a PhD in Tourism Development and Planning (Bournemouth University, 2000) and a Post Doc in Tourism Marketing (Hellenic Open University, 2006). He edits the ‘International Journal of Tourism Policy’ and he is regular reviewer for nineteen international journals and member of the Editorial Board of sixteen journals (including resource editor at the leading tourism journal Annals of Tourism Research). He is author of six books and over 40 peer reviewed articles (30 of them single-authored) and book chapters. His work has appeared in leading academic journals such as Annals of Tourism Research (7 papers) and Tourism Management (4 papers). He has an h-index of 24 and more than 2350 citations. He has acted as Chairman (eight times of the International Conference on Tourism) and member of the Organising and Scientific Committees of various international conferences and he has given keynote speeches in several conferences. Additional achievements include: a) Several of his papers have been the most downloaded and/or most cited in top journals such as Annals of Tourism Research Articles (e.g. https://www.journals.elsevier.com/annals-of-tourism-research/most-downloaded-articles), b) he has been ranked 23rd among the most prolific authors in tourism research and 49th among the most prolific authors in both hospitality and tourism research according to a study by Park, K., Phillips, W.J. Canter, D.D. and Abbott, J, Journal of Hospitalityedit
Abstract International tourists' increasing demand for beach holidays has resulted in a rapid increase in the number of coastal resorts worldwide. As a result, substantial changes in the morphological and structural patterns of... more
Abstract International tourists' increasing demand for beach holidays has resulted in a rapid increase in the number of coastal resorts worldwide. As a result, substantial changes in the morphological and structural patterns of coastal resort development have occurred. In seeking to add to the body of knowledge about coastal resort morphology, this paper draws on the Cretan experience using two methods of data collection: observation and secondary sources. A morphological model of a typical Cretan coastal resort is provided, depicting ...
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The aim of this special issue is to provide a forum on issues pertaining to alternative and special interest tourism. It comprises eight papers addressing topics related to rural tourism, marketing of golf tourism, segmentation of... more
The aim of this special issue is to provide a forum on issues pertaining to alternative and special interest tourism. It comprises eight papers addressing topics related to rural tourism, marketing of golf tourism, segmentation of gastronomic tourists, ethical behaviour of ecotour operators, and music and urban cultural heritage. The papers adopt a multidisciplinary perspective focusing on practical perspectives that concern the development, marketing and management of alternative and special interest tourism.
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... However, the vast majority of Greek islands are cheap and mass tourism desti-nations directed towards the sun, sea and sand mass market, with ... passengers by ferry-boats and passenger-car ferries between the ports of Attica and the... more
... However, the vast majority of Greek islands are cheap and mass tourism desti-nations directed towards the sun, sea and sand mass market, with ... passengers by ferry-boats and passenger-car ferries between the ports of Attica and the islands, and the Civil Aviation Service, with ...
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This paper presents the results of a study of 194 Cretan households that had the aim of exploring the perceived impacts of tourism on four urban communities and associated resident attitudes toward tourism development. In particular, the... more
This paper presents the results of a study of 194 Cretan households that had the aim of exploring the perceived impacts of tourism on four urban communities and associated resident attitudes toward tourism development. In particular, the study assessed the influence of seven variables (city of residence, length of residence, reliance on tourism, age, gender, education, and income) on residents' attitudes and attempted to identify the underlying factors explaining their perceptions. It was found that the two most important ...
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The tourism industry worldwide faces seasonal fluctuations of demand. These fluctuations are attributed to diverse factors – mainly climatic conditions, human decisions, inertia or tradition and supply restrictions – and result in various... more
The tourism industry worldwide faces seasonal fluctuations of demand. These fluctuations are attributed to diverse factors – mainly climatic conditions, human decisions, inertia or tradition and supply restrictions – and result in various problems for tourist-receiving destinations, such as seasonal environmental congestion, low return on investment for tourist enterprises, overuse of facilities and off-season unemployment. Most of the strategies adopted by both private and public sectors to overcome seasonality fall into one of three main categories: diversification of the product mix, change of the customer mix and aggressive pricing. This paper reviews these issues taking the case of the island of Crete, and examines whether seasonality poses a problem for the island and the islanders or whether it is simply a way of life.
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The view of tourism’s past for Greece is dominated by narratives of early travelers who recorded their experiences punctuated by reference to Greek archaeological treasures, the natural history and the population, and portrayed Greece as... more
The view of tourism’s past for Greece is dominated by narratives of early travelers who recorded their experiences punctuated by reference to Greek archaeological treasures, the natural history and the population, and portrayed Greece as a place of difference. Based on these accounts, this study undertakes a typological approach as a crucial element of understanding early Greek travelers’ interests. A typological interpretation of early travel accounts has resulted in six groups of travelers, namely the antiquaries, the collectors, the philhellenists, the artists, the environmentalists, and the professional travelers. These types are compared with modern tourism in an attempt to identify similarities and differences that will help to establish continuity between early and modern traveling.
The tourism industry worldwide faces seasonal fluctuations of demand. These fluctuations are attributed to diverse factors – mainly climatic conditions, human decisions, inertia or tradition and supply restrictions – and result in various... more
The tourism industry worldwide faces seasonal fluctuations of demand. These fluctuations are attributed to diverse factors – mainly climatic conditions, human decisions, inertia or tradition and supply restrictions – and result in various problems for tourist-receiving destinations, such as seasonal environmental congestion, low return on investment for tourist enterprises, overuse of facilities and off-season unemployment. Most of the strategies adopted by both private and public sectors to overcome seasonality fall into one of three main categories: diversification of the product mix, change of the customer mix and aggressive pricing. This paper reviews these issues taking the case of the island of Crete, and examines whether seasonality poses a problem for the island and the islanders or whether it is simply a way of life.
Research Interests:
"Most existing research about postcards focuses merely on their visual representation, but postcards offer more than only images and texts. We analyse 134 postcards sent from Smyrna between 1895 and 1922 by discussing five... more
"Most existing research about postcards focuses merely on their visual representation, but postcards offer more than only images and texts. We analyse 134 postcards sent from Smyrna between 1895 and 1922 by discussing five interdependent mobilities constituting the New Mobilities Paradigm (Urry, 2000; 2007), namely mobility of objects, corporeal, imaginative, communicative and virtual mobility, and pertaining systems enabling them. We aim to show the empirical richness of postcards and a way of looking at them through the concept of mobilities. By this we uncover who ...
"Growing tourism demand opens new opportunities for island development. Due to the increase in the real income of the island populations, and the generation of employment, island governments have seen tourism as a promising... more
"Growing tourism demand opens new opportunities for island development. Due to the increase in the real income of the island populations, and the generation of employment, island governments have seen tourism as a promising opportunity for reducing the prosperity gap between themselves and developed mainland regions and as a means of modernising their economic base and retaining their population. Although the positive effects make traditional tourism development inevitable in islands, there are some inherent disadvantages resulting from their insular character ...
After World War II the importance of the Mediterranean islands for the touristic movement, radiating mainly from Western Europe, enormously increased. This growing demand opened new opportunities for the modernization of these... more
After World War II the importance of the Mediterranean islands for the touristic movement, radiating mainly from Western Europe, enormously increased. This growing demand opened new opportunities for the modernization of these islands' economic base and has been seen as a promising opportunity for reducing the prosperity gap between themselves and developed countries. An increase in the real income of host communities, generation of employment, heritage, and environmental preservation, creation of infrastructure, cultural ...
Most existing research about postcards focuses merely on their visual representation, but postcards offer more than only images and texts. We analyse 134 postcards sent from Smyrna between 1895 and 1922 by discussing five interdependent... more
Most existing research about postcards focuses merely on their visual representation, but postcards offer more than only images and texts. We analyse 134 postcards sent from Smyrna between 1895 and 1922 by discussing five interdependent mobilities constituting the New Mobilities Paradigm (Urry, 2000, 2007), namely mobility of objects, corporeal, imaginative, communicative and virtual mobility, and pertaining systems enabling them. We aim to show the empirical richness of postcards and a way of looking at them through the ...
Taking as a case three diverse geographical locations, the coastal resort of Amoudara, the city of Heraklion and the village of Archanes, all of them within the border of the Prefecture of Heraklion on the island of Crete, the aim of this... more
Taking as a case three diverse geographical locations, the coastal resort of Amoudara, the city of Heraklion and the village of Archanes, all of them within the border of the Prefecture of Heraklion on the island of Crete, the aim of this study has been set to provide a better understanding of differences between urban, rural and coastal tourists based on the attributes of the place they visit. Although due to various limitations results cannot be generalized beyond the study population, it was intriguing to find differences in ...
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The majority of past research on residents' attitudes has examined the influence of various factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, economic dependency on tourism, distance that residents live from the tourist zone and... more
The majority of past research on residents' attitudes has examined the influence of various factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, economic dependency on tourism, distance that residents live from the tourist zone and stage of the host community's development. In addition to this, the vast majority of research has been undertaken in regions where tourism is a prevalent economic activity. As a result, there are limited studies on residents' attitudes in communities where tourism development is in its infancy. Bearing ...
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Airports have significant implications for regional and local tourism development, so their impacts need to be assessed. Based on in-depth interviews with local residents, this study examined the effects of an airport development project... more
Airports have significant implications for regional and local tourism development, so their impacts need to be assessed. Based on in-depth interviews with local residents, this study examined the effects of an airport development project in Mexico. Negativity bias theory was adopted as a theoretical framework to gain a fuller understanding of host communities' perceptions. In accordance with this theory, even though the economic impacts of the airport's construction are recognised as positive, its environmental and social effects on locals' everyday lives are perceived more negatively. As a result, most locals interviewed do not support the airport project. This is because, in line with negativity bias theory, when perceived negative impacts outweigh positive ones, a holistic evaluation that integrates negative and positive events will ultimately be unfavourable. Practical implications in terms of public consultation, perceived impacts and tourism development are discussed.
Airports have significant implications for regional and local tourism development, so their impacts need to be assessed. Based on in-depth interviews with local residents, this study examined the effects of an airport development project... more
Airports have significant implications for regional and local tourism development, so their impacts need to be assessed. Based on in-depth interviews with local residents, this study examined the effects of an airport development project in Mexico. Negativity bias theory was adopted as a theoretical framework to gain a fuller understanding of host communities' perceptions. In accordance with this theory, even though the economic impacts of the airport's construction are recognised as positive, its environmental and social effects on locals' everyday lives are perceived more negatively. As a result, most locals interviewed do not support the airport project. This is because, in line with negativity bias theory, when perceived negative impacts outweigh positive ones, a holistic evaluation that integrates negative and positive events will ultimately be unfavourable. Practical implications in terms of public consultation, perceived impacts and tourism development are discussed.
Research Interests:
Call for Book Chapters: Tourism Development and Planning in the Middle East To be included in the book series: CABI Regional Tourism Series https://www.cabi.org/bookshop/series/rts Editors: Omar Moufakkir, Kuwait Konstantinos Andriotis... more
Call for Book Chapters: Tourism Development and Planning in the Middle East
To be included in the book series: CABI Regional Tourism Series
https://www.cabi.org/bookshop/series/rts
Editors:
Omar Moufakkir, Kuwait
Konstantinos Andriotis and Dimitrios Stylidis, Middlesex University London, UK
Dear colleagues,
We invite you to contribute to our book project, which will be of great value to academics, policymakers and researchers in our field.
To be included in the book series: CABI Regional Tourism Series
https://www.cabi.org/bookshop/series/rts
Editors:
Omar Moufakkir, Kuwait
Konstantinos Andriotis and Dimitrios Stylidis, Middlesex University London, UK
Dear colleagues,
We invite you to contribute to our book project, which will be of great value to academics, policymakers and researchers in our field.
Research Interests:
This paper reviews previous attempts to define nudist and naturist tourism, and elaborates detailed definitions through analyzing and discussing views of numerous natourist/nudist associations worldwide. Out of this process the term... more
This paper reviews previous attempts to define nudist and naturist tourism, and elaborates detailed definitions through analyzing and discussing views of numerous natourist/nudist associations worldwide. Out of this process the term 'natourism' emerged which includes the notion of 'social nudity' as main reason for travelling as well as a wide variety of stereotypical ancillary to this reason activities. As a term 'natourism' was tested after exploring the motivations of 1508 natourists from all over the world. While initially this study through a literature review identified three general motivation groups of natourism, namely human motivations, motivations to travel and nudism/naturism motivations, factor analysis made it possible to identify additional factors of natourists' motivations which included naturalism and relaxation, sexuality, stereotypical travel motivations and personal and family motivations. Despite the limitations of the study, findings confirm the appropriateness of the term 'natourism' to establish parameters for further research.
Research Interests: Tourist Behavior, Nudism (Culture), Tourist Behaviour, Naturist Culture, Tourist Motivations, and 14 moreNudity, Tourist Motivation, Naturism, Organizational Behavior, Tourist Motivation, System Theory, Tourist Behavior, Tourisn Motivation, Cross-cultural tourism studies; tourist motivation and travelling behaviour, Tourists Motivation, Tourist motivation and its influence on the decision-making process, Authenticity, Tourist Motivation, Cultural Tourism, Consumer / Tourists Behaviour, Nudist, Effect of Naturism on Human Sexuality, Tourist Motivation Tourist Attraction, and Tourist Motivation to Travel In Destinations Affecting by Tourism
While the perennial phenomenon of begging exists in many historical cities, where tourists tend to concentrate, the topic has not been examined in depth in the context of tourism. By using Goffman's (1955, 1963, 1971) dynamics of public... more
While the perennial phenomenon of begging exists in many historical cities, where tourists tend to concentrate, the topic has not been examined in depth in the context of tourism. By using Goffman's (1955, 1963, 1971) dynamics of public space interaction and taking as a case the historical center of the city of Heraklion (Crete), this study draws on unobtrusive research methods (written records, non-participant observations and photographing), to shed further light on beggars-tourists' encounters by exploring not only the strategies beggars adopt to ensure almsgiving from tourists, but also to provide a typology of beggars and tourists based on their interactions.
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This study aims to provide a better understanding on cruise travel experience by studying cruise ship passengers motivation, satisfaction and likelihood of return to the port of Heraklion (Crete, Greece). From the findings, it is evident... more
This study aims to provide a better understanding on cruise travel experience by studying cruise ship passengers motivation, satisfaction and likelihood of return to the port of Heraklion (Crete, Greece). From the findings, it is evident that ‘exploration’ and ‘escape’ were among the main motivations of visitors, and ‘product and services’ as well as ‘tour pace’ were significant dimensions in shaping overall satisfaction levels. Nevertheless, onshore activities were restricted to sightseeing and shopping, because of the limited available time. Based on these findings, relevant proposals are made in order to provide positive port experiences. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Social representations theory has been adopted for explaining tourism impacts and local attitudes. However, its usefulness in segmenting local population in terms of their attitudes towards specific types of tourists has not been tested.... more
Social representations theory has been adopted for explaining tourism impacts and local attitudes. However, its usefulness in segmenting local population in terms of their attitudes towards specific types of tourists has not been tested. This study identifies the attitudes of local people towards spring break, a North American young tourist phenomenon in the context of the Mexican beach resort of Acapulco. Although residents perceive an increase in alcohol consumption, drug use, noise and litter during the spring break season, they largely recognise economic benefits and are thus generally supportive for the phenomenon. Based on these attitudes, three clusters were identified: spring break supporters (identified by their high appreciation of spring break benefits), ambivalents (who are uncertain about both benefits and costs) and realistics (characterised by recognising both benefits and costs). The main contribution of this study lies in the confirmation of the usefulness of social representations theory in explaining residents’ attitudes towards a very specific type of tourists whose hedonist behaviours are a common characteristic.
Although souvenirs have received increased research interest in tourism studies, sociological research in this field still remains limited. This exploratory study aspires to overcome past research negligence on the values identified in... more
Although souvenirs have received increased research interest in tourism studies, sociological research in this field still remains limited. This exploratory study aspires to overcome past research negligence on the values identified in social theory for commodities, such as Marx’s use and exchange values and Baudrillard’s sign-value, as well as introducing an additional one, the spiritual-value. By using a sample of twenty respondents in Veria, a small city in Northern Greece, this study attempts to interpret souvenirs as commodities with certain values and to identify the functions that tourists expect to perceive when purchasing them. Despite its limitations, this study provided a theoretical understanding of the sociological aspects of souvenirs’ consumption in relation to the four values.
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Social representations theory has been adopted for explaining tourism impacts and local attitudes. However, its usefulness in segmenting local population in terms of their attitudes towards specific types of tourists has not been tested.... more
Social representations theory has been adopted for explaining tourism impacts and local attitudes. However, its usefulness in segmenting local population in terms of their attitudes towards specific types of tourists has not been tested. This study identifies the attitudes of local people towards spring break, a North American young tourist phenomenon in the context of the Mexican beach resort of Acapulco. Although residents perceive an increase in alcohol consumption, drug use, noise and litter during the spring break season, they largely recognise economic benefits and are thus generally supportive for the phenomenon. Based on these attitudes, three clusters were identified: spring break supporters (identified by their high appreciation of spring break benefits), ambivalents (who are uncertain about both benefits and costs) and realistics (characterised by recognising both benefits and costs). The main contribution of this study lies in the confirmation of the usefulness of social representations theory in explaining residents’ attitudes towards a very specific type of tourists whose hedonist behaviours are a common characteristic.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Most existing research about postcards focuses merely on their visual representation, but postcards offer more than only images and texts. We analyse 134 postcards sent from Smyrna between 1895 and 1922 by discussing five interdependent... more
Most existing research about postcards focuses merely on their visual representation, but postcards offer more than only images and texts. We analyse 134 postcards sent from Smyrna between 1895 and 1922 by discussing five interdependent mobilities constituting the New Mobilities Paradigm (Urry, 2000; 2007), namely mobility of objects, corporeal, imaginative, communicative and virtual mobility, and pertaining systems enabling them. We aim to show the empirical richness of postcards and a way of looking at them through the concept of mobilities. By this we uncover who were the people sending postcards, for what purposes, which places postcards connected through images and words, and how did postcards function as ordering artefacts in the pre-telephone and internet era.
Keywords: new mobilities paradigm; postcard mobility; communication; ordering; Smyrne."
Keywords: new mobilities paradigm; postcard mobility; communication; ordering; Smyrne."
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This research study is confronted with the crystallization of a specific antinomian travel counterculture that advocates withdrawal from the social milieu by visiting the island of Gavdos (a Greek island on the margin of European... more
This research study is confronted with the crystallization of a specific antinomian travel counterculture that advocates withdrawal from the social milieu by visiting the island of Gavdos (a Greek island on the margin of European civilization). By adopting two naturalistic data collection techniques, in-depth participant observation and interviewing, it explores antinomians’ specific travel patterns, motivations, activities, norms, beliefs, appearance and forms of social interaction. The main findings include that antinomians place an emphasis on independently organized, long-term and flexible travel schedules, non-mainstream activities, rejection of materialism and intense social interactions. The aforementioned attributes distinguish antinomians not only from institutionalized travel, but also from other forms of alternative budget traveling.
Keywords: antinomian counterculture, deviant behavior, drugs, nudity, antimaterialism, social interaction, budget travelers
Keywords: antinomian counterculture, deviant behavior, drugs, nudity, antimaterialism, social interaction, budget travelers
Research Interests:
Whilst several tourism scholars have deconstructed the notion of authenticity on heritage environments either from a theoretical or empirical perspective, few, if any, have undertaken a close look at Pine & Gilmore’s (2007) genres of... more
Whilst several tourism scholars have deconstructed the notion of authenticity on heritage environments either from a theoretical or empirical perspective, few, if any, have undertaken a close look at Pine & Gilmore’s (2007) genres of authenticity, namely natural, original, exceptional, referential, and influential. It is the aim of this study to overcome past research negligence by rendering the appeal of the five genres of authenticity in the case of Mount Athos, a pilgrimage landscape located in northern Greece, which can be considered as the last surviving byzantine complex of monasteries. Based on the findings of the study, this paper links the five genres of authenticity with past research on pilgrimage experience.
Keywords: genres of authenticity; religious heritage experience; pilgrimage landscape; Christian Orthodoxy.
Keywords: genres of authenticity; religious heritage experience; pilgrimage landscape; Christian Orthodoxy.
Research Interests: Tourism Studies, Cultural Heritage, Material Culture Studies, Heritage Studies, Anthropology of Pilgrimage, and 14 morePilgrimage, Heritage Tourism, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Authenticity, Culture, Pilgrimage Routes, Travel & Tourism, Cultural Heritage Management, Intangible Cultural Heritage (Culture), Tourism, Religious Studies, Religious Tourism, History and traditions of monasticism at mount Athos and Macedonia, and Anthropology of Religion
Taking as a case three diverse geographical locations, the coastal resort of Amoudara, the city of Heraklion and the village of Archanes, all of them within the border of the Prefecture of Heraklion on the island of Crete, the aim of this... more
Taking as a case three diverse geographical locations, the coastal resort of Amoudara, the city of Heraklion and the village of Archanes, all of them within the border of the Prefecture of Heraklion on the island of Crete, the aim of this study has been set to provide a better understanding of differences between urban, rural and coastal tourists based on the attributes of the place they visit. Although due to various limitations results cannot be generalized beyond the study population, it was intriguing to find differences in motivations and preferences of urban, rural and coastal tourists which are a consequence of socio-demographic, motivation and travel-related variables. Based on these differences, this study provides implications for future decision making to target specific market segments.
Keywords: urban, rural, coastal tourism, behaviour, preferences, motivations, Crete
Keywords: urban, rural, coastal tourism, behaviour, preferences, motivations, Crete
Research Interests:
Despite the importance of beaches for a broad spectrum of recreational activities, very little is known about the multitude of beach use in marginalized spaces offering a range of opportunities for transgressive behaviour. To explore the... more
Despite the importance of beaches for a broad spectrum of recreational activities, very little is known about the multitude of beach use in marginalized spaces offering a range of opportunities for transgressive behaviour. To explore the ways that the principles of Foucault’s heterotopia are articulated by users of a gay nude beach, functioning as an erotic oasis, this study adopted a covert ethnographic approach which involved non-participant observation. The results of the study offer a unique glimpse into the role of beach, body and sexuality in the tourism experience and unlock the complexities and entanglements engaged in deviant beach use.
Keywords: heterotopia, erotic oasis, beach experience, nudism, gay space, sexual body.
Keywords: heterotopia, erotic oasis, beach experience, nudism, gay space, sexual body.
Research Interests: Sociology Of Deviance, Tourism Studies, Cruising Sex, Heterotopia, Space and Place, and 14 moreSexuality, Gender and Sexuality, Deviance (Anthropology), Tourism Geography, Travel & Tourism, Michel Foucault, Eroticism, Nudity (Culture), Sandy Beaches, Tourism, Naturist Culture, Heterotopias, Naturism, and Gay tourism
This study explores the ways in which public debates about the sexual, drinking and risk taking behaviour of young British travellers, who participate in trips organized to Greek summer resorts exclusively by Club 18-30, have been... more
This study explores the ways in which public debates about the sexual, drinking and risk taking behaviour of young British travellers, who participate in trips organized to Greek summer resorts exclusively by Club 18-30, have been interpreted, and framed, within print media (British newspapers). Using a template analysis approach four themes emerged, namely binge drinking, sexual behaviour, risk taking and host reactions. These themes are discussed in relation to the methodology adopted, and the findings of previous research, and policies for risk-taking decrease, and solutions to reduce the problems posed by young tourists’ antisocial behaviour in summer Greek resorts, are provided.
Keywords: youth travel, antisocial behaviour, binge drinking, casual sex, risk taking, template analysis.
Keywords: youth travel, antisocial behaviour, binge drinking, casual sex, risk taking, template analysis.
Research Interests:
This study aims to provide a better understanding on cruise travel experience by studying cruise ship passengers motivation, satisfaction and likelihood of return to the port of Heraklion (Crete, Greece). From the findings, it is evident... more
This study aims to provide a better understanding on cruise travel experience by studying cruise ship passengers motivation, satisfaction and likelihood of return to the port of Heraklion (Crete, Greece). From the findings, it is evident that ‘exploration’ and ‘escape’ were among the main motivations of visitors, and ‘product and services’ as well as ‘tour pace’ were significant dimensions in shaping overall satisfaction levels. Nevertheless, onshore activities were restricted to sightseeing and shopping, because of the limited available time. Based on these findings, relevant proposals are made in order to provide positive port experiences.
Keywords: cruise experience; motivation; satisfaction; activities; intention to return.
Keywords: cruise experience; motivation; satisfaction; activities; intention to return.
Research Interests:
This paper attempts to broaden the subject of sacred site experience by presenting the findings of a study on the experiences of an exclusive male sacred shrine in Greece, Mount Athos, also known as the Holy Mountain. The study involved a... more
This paper attempts to broaden the subject of sacred site experience by presenting the findings of a study on the experiences of an exclusive male sacred shrine in Greece, Mount Athos, also known as the Holy Mountain. The study involved a phenomenological approach undertaken through initiating conversations with visitors, participant observation and reviewing narratives on visitor books kept in monasteries. From the analysis five core elements of authentic experience emerged, namely spiritual; cultural; environmental; secular; and educational. These elements were discussed in relation to the methodology adopted and the findings of past research.
Keywords: religious, Christian pilgrimage, sacred shrine, experience, authenticity, phenomenology.
Keywords: religious, Christian pilgrimage, sacred shrine, experience, authenticity, phenomenology.
Research Interests: Religion, Christianity, Cultural Studies, Sociology of Religion, Tourism Studies, and 15 moreCultural Heritage, Heritage Studies, Heritage Tourism, Phenomenology, Authenticity, Culture, Cultural Memory, Hermeneutic Phenomenology, Cultural Heritage Management, World Cultural Heritage, Phenomenology of Space and Place, Tourism, Tourism, religion and spiritual journeys, Religious Tourism, and Tourism and Religion
Tourism development cannot be fully understood and validated from a positivist perspective without the testing of theory against empirical evidence. Thus the pattern-matching approach studies phenomena on the basis of facts and... more
Tourism development cannot be fully understood and validated from a positivist perspective without the testing of theory against empirical evidence. Thus the pattern-matching approach studies phenomena on the basis of facts and observations relevant to the testing of theories and models. This paper compares two selected tourism development theories, diffusion and dependency, against empirical evidence from Crete. In doing this it has three main objectives: to set out the nature of the pattern matching approach; to illustrate the application of the pattern matching approach, in an exploratory way; and to evaluate the approach based on the evidence of the exploratory application.
Keywords: Pattern-matching approach, development theory, case study, tourism, Crete.
Keywords: Pattern-matching approach, development theory, case study, tourism, Crete.
Research Interests:
The view of tourism’s past for Greece is dominated by narratives of early travelers who recorded their experiences punctuated by reference to Greek archaeological treasures, the natural history and the population, and portrayed Greece as... more
The view of tourism’s past for Greece is dominated by narratives of early travelers who recorded their experiences punctuated by reference to Greek archaeological treasures, the natural history and the population, and portrayed Greece as a place of difference. Based on these accounts, this study undertakes a typological approach as a crucial element of understanding early Greek travelers’ interests. A typological interpretation of early travel accounts has resulted in six groups of travelers, namely the antiquaries, the collectors, the philhellenists, the artists, the environmentalists, and the professional travelers. These types are compared with modern tourism in an attempt to identify similarities and differences that will help to establish continuity between early and modern traveling.
Keywords: early travelers, travel accounts, modern tourists, typology, Greece
Keywords: early travelers, travel accounts, modern tourists, typology, Greece
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Tourists visiting religious destinations are usually influenced by religious motivations. However, this might not be the case for all tourists, since visitors to religious sites may visit a destination not only for pilgrimage, but also to... more
Tourists visiting religious destinations are usually influenced by religious motivations. However, this might not be the case for all tourists, since visitors to religious sites may visit a destination not only for pilgrimage, but also to satisfy various needs that are interlinked with social, cultural and recreational factors. This paper attempts to investigate the motivations and activities of tourists visiting Tinos, a Greek island known as a religious destination for Christian Orthodox, by undertaking a clustering approach. A self-administrated questionnaire was distributed to 97 visitors of Tinos during the summer of 2007. Respondents were approached at the courtyard of three religious sites: the Holly Mary’s Church, the Christian Orthodox Monastery of the Assumption, the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as well as the shopping centre of the capital of the island, Chora. From the findings it is evident that although the island is considered as one of the main religious sites for Christian Orthodox, tourists are not a homogenous group. Instead, the analytical approach adopted produced three segments, namely the “cultural tourists” (who are attracted by cultural and religious attractions), the “vacationers” (who visit the island to rest and relax) and the “religious tourists” (who visit the religious sites of the island for pilgrimage). The findings of the study are discussed with reference to the sociodemographic characteristics and the activities of tourists and the implications and conclusions of the study are provided in order to propose marketing initiatives to attract specific market segments.
Keywords: religious tourism, Tinos Island, cluster analysis, segmentation
Keywords: religious tourism, Tinos Island, cluster analysis, segmentation
Research Interests:
Many governments have encouraged integrated resort development in an attempt to improve the well-being of the local population by generating jobs and increasing income, and because of the easier control of tourism activities within their... more
Many governments have encouraged integrated resort development in an attempt to improve the well-being of the local population by generating jobs and increasing income,
and because of the easier control of tourism activities within their boundaries. However, most research reports various adverse environmental and social impacts. Because of the difficulty of assessing the impacts that may result from the construction of integrated resorts, the majority of research has been conducted after their construction. This study is an impact assessment carried out prior to a large-scale development that examines whether an integrated resort proposed for development at Cavo Sidero, Crete, will result in positive impacts for the destination and the local community, and it investigates whether any conflicting interests have arisen within stakeholder groups. Through primary research examining various stakeholder groups it is revealed that economic impacts are perceived as mostly positive, while social and environmental impacts, in many cases, are viewed as negative, and that conflicting interests have arisen between different stakeholder groups.
Keywords: Crete, conflicting interests, impacts, integrated resorts, large-scale developments, perceptions
and because of the easier control of tourism activities within their boundaries. However, most research reports various adverse environmental and social impacts. Because of the difficulty of assessing the impacts that may result from the construction of integrated resorts, the majority of research has been conducted after their construction. This study is an impact assessment carried out prior to a large-scale development that examines whether an integrated resort proposed for development at Cavo Sidero, Crete, will result in positive impacts for the destination and the local community, and it investigates whether any conflicting interests have arisen within stakeholder groups. Through primary research examining various stakeholder groups it is revealed that economic impacts are perceived as mostly positive, while social and environmental impacts, in many cases, are viewed as negative, and that conflicting interests have arisen between different stakeholder groups.
Keywords: Crete, conflicting interests, impacts, integrated resorts, large-scale developments, perceptions
Research Interests:
Academic literature contains the results of many studies that have investigated tourism development. These studies have focused on two aspects of that development: the outputs and outcomes of development and/or the perceptions of local... more
Academic literature contains the results of many studies that have investigated tourism development. These studies have focused on two aspects of that development: the outputs and outcomes of development and/or the perceptions of local residents of those outputs and their outcomes. The degree of match between the reality of tourism development (what has happened or is happening) and how people perceive tourism development (what they think has happened or is happening) is vitally important for the acceptance of tourism development in host areas. Depending on the match, or mismatch, between actual outputs and outcomes and the perceptions of them, different tactics are required. The danger is one of focusing policy, and its associated tactics, on the wrong aspect: the reality or the perceptions of reality. Based on secondary and primary sources, this paper investigates the match between the reality and the perceptions of the outputs and outcomes of tourism policy in Crete and assesses the implications.
Keywords: Reality, perceptions, tourism policy, Crete
Keywords: Reality, perceptions, tourism policy, Crete
Research Interests:
Tourist satisfaction has been considered as a tool for increasing destination competitiveness. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of tourists’ satisfaction in an island mass destination this study has taken Crete as a case with... more
Tourist satisfaction has been considered as a tool for increasing destination competitiveness. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of tourists’ satisfaction in an island mass destination this study has taken Crete as a case with the aim to identify the underlying dimensions of tourists’ satisfaction, to investigate whether tourists could be grouped into distinct segments and to examine the differences between the segments and their sociodemographic and travel arrangement characteristics. A segmentation procedure based on destination dimensions produced three clusters: the ‘Higher-Satisfied’; the ‘In-Betweeners’; and the ‘Lower-Satisfi ed’. The implications and the conclusions of the study are provided in relation to the marketing of the island of Crete.
Keywords: cluster, factor analysis, satisfaction, segmentation, sociodemographic characteristics, Crete
Keywords: cluster, factor analysis, satisfaction, segmentation, sociodemographic characteristics, Crete
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Tourists during their vacations participate in a variety of activities. These activities range from active to passive ones and they may depend on various factors, including travel arrangement and sociodemographic characteristics. The aim... more
Tourists during their vacations participate in a variety of activities. These activities range from active to passive ones and they may depend on various factors, including travel arrangement and sociodemographic characteristics. The aim of this article is to provide guidelines to Cretan destination managers for supplying well diversified tourist products that could satisfy particular requirements of tourists by examining tourist vacation preferences and identifying whether certain factors can influence tourists’ preferences. The findings suggest that tourists visiting Crete prefer passive activities, and that the three main factors that influence tourists’ activities are nationality, age, and season of visit. Despite the limitations of the study, it is evident that various policies are required by Cretan destination managers in order to provide activities directed to satisfy tourists’ demand. These policies are discussed in relation to Crete’s brand identity.
Keywords: activities; preferences; mass; alternative tourism; policy-making; Crete
Keywords: activities; preferences; mass; alternative tourism; policy-making; Crete
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Although many authors have examined various aspects of general planning, a literature review of tourism shows that, with few exceptions, not many authors have been concerned with tourism planning. Bearing in mind past research negligence,... more
Although many authors have examined various aspects of general planning, a literature review of tourism shows that, with few exceptions, not many authors have been concerned with tourism planning. Bearing in mind past research negligence, this paper was written with the aim to investigate the planning process in the case of tourism, by providing a framework whereby tourism planning processes might be better described and explained, and applying this framework in the case of Greece. The findings of the study confirm that the proposed framework can be used as a mechanism for present and future problem-solving orientations of tourism planning, as a tool to provide a balance between the positive and negative effects of tourism, and as a basis for planners to evaluate whether or not the objectives of tourism planning have been fulfilled.
Keywords: Tourism planning process, Greece
Keywords: Tourism planning process, Greece
Research Interests:
The majority of past research on residents’ attitudes has examined the influence of various factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, economic dependency on tourism, distance that residents live from the tourist zone and stage of... more
The majority of past research on residents’ attitudes has examined the influence of various factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, economic dependency on tourism, distance that residents live from the tourist zone and stage of the host community’s development. In addition to this, the vast majority of research has been undertaken in regions where tourism is a prevalent economic activity. As a result, there are limited studies on residents’ attitudes in communities where tourism development is in its infancy. Bearing this in mind, the current paper investigates the perceptions of residents in a rural Cretan community where tourism is not well developed although the area has great potential for further development. It also assesses the influence of two factors (number of residents and place of residence - coastal vs. inland) on residents’ perceptions. Research employed a telephone survey on a sample of 65 residents. The findings of the research revealed that people leaving in coastal areas and in higher populated communities supported stronger the positive impacts of tourism on the local economy, although they expressed higher concerns about its negative impacts on the natural environment. These findings are in accordance with Doxey’s model, which suggests that residents’ perceptions and attitudes are more positive in the early stages of tourism development. Also, the study of the Cretan rural community residents revealed that there is a development gap between coastal and inland areas, as well as, between areas with low and high population density. This study, taking into consideration the above remarks, proposes measures for the future development of the area.
Keywords: Residents’ perceptions, rural areas, tourism development, coastal vs. inland areas, population density.
Keywords: Residents’ perceptions, rural areas, tourism development, coastal vs. inland areas, population density.
Research Interests:
The expansion of mass tourism is becoming highly unpopular and 'tourism-phobia', often expressed in the form of anti-tourism marches, is spreading across various destinations. In light of this, there is a paradigm shift from 'tourism... more
The expansion of mass tourism is becoming highly unpopular and 'tourism-phobia', often expressed in the form of anti-tourism marches, is spreading across various destinations. In light of this, there is a paradigm shift from 'tourism growth' to 'tourism degrowth' through a desire for a drastic transformation of the tourism industry. Degrowth is a key strategy to balance tourism growth. It works to ensure that the direction of institutional change and the orientation of technological development are controlled and in harmony with the environment. Degrowth involves people whose use of personal time enhances the richness of the experience through traveling less, more slowly and using low carbon options, taking time to support the environment, the local economy and to explore the local culture.
This book addresses the paucity of combined research on tourism and degrowth by presenting emergent knowledge and research on this increasingly important concept. In this book:
- The core theme of degrowth from a tourism perspective is outlined.
- Content is enriched with contributions from multi-disciplinary academics from around the World.
- Theory is put in to practice via international case studies.
This book addresses the paucity of combined research on tourism and degrowth by presenting emergent knowledge and research on this increasingly important concept. In this book:
- The core theme of degrowth from a tourism perspective is outlined.
- Content is enriched with contributions from multi-disciplinary academics from around the World.
- Theory is put in to practice via international case studies.
Research Interests:
The modern-day world faces a hostile climate, depleted resources and the destruction of habitats. The dream that growth will lead to a materialistic utopia is left unfulfilled by a lack of ecological and economic capacity. The only choice... more
The modern-day world faces a hostile climate, depleted resources and the destruction of habitats. The dream that growth will lead to a materialistic utopia is left unfulfilled by a lack of ecological and economic capacity. The only choice is to find alternatives to increased growth, transform the structures and institutions currently shaping the world, change lifestyles and articulate a more credible vision for the future and lasting prosperity. As a reaction to the problems accrued by capitalism, new development approaches such as the concept of degrowth have evolved. Degrowth in Tourism explores newly-emerging development and philosophical approachesthat provide more equity for host communities and offer a low-carbon future by looking at alternatives to the classic models of development and applying the concept of degrowth in a tourism context. Proposing that we need to shift tourism research from models which prioritize commodified tourism experiences to those that offer alternative decommodified ones, this book: • Provides topical analysis and illustrates the key themes of degrowth; • Discusses the relationship between tourism and degrowth from both a historic perspective and through contemporary patterns of activity; • Includes international examples and case studies to translate theory into practical new approaches.