Written by a team of international contributors, from Australia, Europe and the USA, the text uses international case studies and examples to illustrate and highlight discussion. Contributors include: Paul Beedie, De Montfort University, UK; Kay Dimmock, Southern Cross University, Australia; Gary Easthope, University of Tasmania, Australia; Simon Hudson, University of Calgary, Canada; Gayle Jennings, Griffith University, Australia; Lilian Jonas, Jonas Consulting, USA; Les Killion, Central Queensland University, Australia; Gianna Moscardo, James Cook University, Australia; Harold Richins, Sierra Nevada College, USA; Chris Ryan, The University of Waikato, New Zealand.
Inland territories are currently of great interest in the tourism industry based on their natural and cultural resources, the surroundings and valuing of natural spaces, local traditions and cultures, ways of life, and the experiences of territories with authenticity. In this context, ecocultural resources are determining factors of development for the mobilization of economic and socio-cultural initiatives, promoting tourism and generating conditions of sustainability in inland territories. They are spaces of opportunity, maintaining resources and heritage with high preservation, enhancing new perceptions and forms of use, generating territorial cohesion, promoting self-esteem for local communities, and providing diverse and differentiated tourist experiences. The involvement of the community is decisive in valuing the destination, understanding local ecocultural realities, and developing the processes of preservation and service creation. It is considered a necessary approach for inclusion, protection, and aggregating the ecological and cultural binomial as a determinant for deeper knowledge of territorial realities and their specificities. Thus, sustainability and participation are crucial for the long-term future of inland tourism activities, with local governance assuming an important role in building tourism capacity, mobilizing resources, and streamlining entrepreneurial initiatives. Challenges and New Opportunities for Tourism in Inland Territories: Ecocultural Resources and Sustainable Initiatives provides knowledge on the trends for tourism in inland territories, territorial innovation, good governance practices, new projects in inland tourism, and other important aspects in the field. The topics covered include sustainability of local culture, cultural heritage, social responsibility, local governance, public policies, and innovation and tourism in inland territories. This book is essential for tourism management organizations, environmentalists, hotel managers, restaurateurs, tourism departments, practitioners, policymakers, public officials, researchers, academicians, and students interested in the innovative practices and initiatives in tourism with a specific focus on inland territories.
In recent years, there has been an increased engagement throughout the social sciences with the study of extreme places and practices. Dangerous games and adventure tours have shifted from being marginal, exotic or mad to being more than merely acceptable. They are now exemplary, mainstream even: there are a variety of new types, increasing numbers of people are doing them and they are being appropriated and have infiltrated more and more contexts. This book argues that hazardous sports and adventure tourism have become rather paradoxical. As a set of activities where players and holidaymakers are closer to death or danger than they would otherwise be, they are the complete opposite of normal games or vacations. Adventure sports and tours reverse the general definition of a holiday as being an escape from the seriousness of everyday life, as in most cases, they are innately serious, requiring as they do 'life or death' decision-making. Beginning with the rise in colonial explorations and moving on to consider the Dangerous Sports Club of Oxford, this book examines the increasing phenomena of adventure sports such as bungy jumping, cliff jumping or 'tomb-stoning', surfing and parkour within a framework of positive risk. It explores how certain assumptions about knowledge, agency, the body and nature are beginning to coalesce around newly developing spheres of social relations. Additionally, extreme games have become activities that are germane to the dawning of green social thought and so the book also addresses issues that deal with the intimate connections that exist between pleasure and the moral responsibility towards the environment.
This volume offers new insight into an important and largely under-examined area of marine leisure and tourism: scuba diving tourism. Knowledge of scuba diving has long been hidden among broad discussions of water-based sports and activities and this focused book aims to shed further understanding and knowledge on this popular international activity. The book examines the current issues central to research into and management of scuba diving Tourism from multidisciplinary perspectives such as health and safety, climate change, policy and regulation and the recreation/leisure context. It further reveals critical management issues of economic, environmental and socio-cultural impacts related to scuba diving tourism which extends to the influence of climate change on the industry’s operations and future. This significant volume which conceptualizes the issues surrounding scuba diving tourism now and in the future is written by leading experts in this field and will be valuable reading for all those interested in marine leisure and tourism.
