Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

The current trends of travel and tourism are subjected to complex behavior systems. New segments of travelers, related to tourist destinations by bonds of identity, origin and familiarity, are positioned in the travel and tourism market, as a result of the migratory mobility. The cuban migration towards the developed countries, mostly the United States and other tourist outbound markets, becomes one of the social phenomena of greater impact for the touristic development in the Island. If in the last decade the diaspora settled, in greater or smaller scale, in the developed countries, which at the same time constitute the main tourist outbound markets; from now on, they are able to integrate a segment of travelers, who are in the position to make greater expenses in your country of origin. The cuban´s diapora will constitute in the next years the main outbound market for Cuba; and at the same time, the greater source of tourist income for the destination, since it does not incur in important expenses with the international operators. This segment will demand new domestic products when visiting its country of origin, and undoubtedly will become the main tourist market, generating important income.

The debate regarding the viability of community-based tourism recognizes that marketing is a key factor affecting this tourism management model’s chances of success. It identifies, based on Latin American experiences with the model, the main actors, instruments and strategies that are enabling community-based initiatives’ market access. First, it summarizes the state of the academic debate on marketing community-based tourism. Then, it identifies the dynamics that are connecting community-based tourism with new upward trends in the international tourist market. Based on this growth in demand, processes of direct marketing by the same community initiatives, as well as by intermediary business structures that are pro-community, are becoming more relevant. Finally, it explains how these processes are influencing marketing structures in both sending and receptive countries to facilitate this emerging market segment. The various ongoing processes are still complex and contradictory, and involve new risks and challenges for community-based initiatives and their companions.

This paper analyzes the performance of Tanzanian tourism industry which depends on natural heritage tourism scene particularly natural resources by assessing the trend and forecasting the international tourism demand. The number of international tourist arrivals in Tanzania is used as the proxy measure for international tourism demand. Using the data for the period of 2001q1- 2010q4 and using ARIMA model, the study asserts that the international tourism demand in Tanzania is growing though in a very low pace of about 1% per year. This is less than world average growth that has reported by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in 2012 to reach 4-5% per annum. Moreover, the Tanzania international tourism demand is becoming increasingly less competitive and has been fluctuating over the years. Thus to reap enough from the world growing international tourism demand the development of artificial tourism scene to supplement the natural heritage and development of new tourism products should be given more attention in a Tanzania tourism industry development.

Dominican Republic is a country of sun and beach tourism, and it is important to analyze the motivations of tourists visiting other areas that are outside of these tourist areas. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the food as a factor that can strengthen tourism in this country developing, through a survey that allows us to know the profile, motivations and evaluations of the tourists. The study area corresponds to Dajabón city, located northwest of the country, on the border with Haiti. Among the results, note that the visitors to this geographic area are young and highly educated, but they have a low income. The main motivation is marked by eating and drinking, but also includes other motivations such as relaxation and leisure; and satisfaction with the food and the destination is high

The impressive growth of cruise tourism in Dominica, inside highly competitive area of the Caribbean basin, gives the island an astonishing flavor of success. By adopting a systemic approach the article demonstrates that three agents concentrate more than 70% of the financial impact of the cruise activity in Dominica: the local travel agencies, souvenir shops and the cruise lines. The low dispersion of the beneficiaries is concomitant with a spatial concentration and a minimal macroeconomic benefit. This case study, devoted to Dominica, suggests a highly concentrated model of cruise tourism in the Caribbean underpinned by organized tours as the main mode of experiencing the stopovers and a source of revenue for cruise lines, whose subcontractor: the local travel agencies are the primary distribution channel of cruise tourism revenue, high level of economic and spatial concentration generating low trickle down macroeconomic effect.

From the review and synthesis of the literature, this study provides an approach to the synergies between the development of CSR in tourism and the creation of value in tourism activities. From the identification of the dimensions of CSR and stakeholders involved in tourism, research shows how CSR contributes to the creation of sustainable tourism products and creating value for tourists. The study concludes with the definition of tourism business models that incorporate the development of CSR as a strategy for competitiveness and sustainability.

Innovative business models within niche tourist markets: shared identity, authenticity and flexibile networks. The case of three italian SMEsThe evolution of business models is a crucial challenge for tourism companies, which should understand how they can stimulate their creativity and introduce innovation. However for many firms, in particular for SMEs, this process is not so easy to be adopted. Even more difficult it is to understand how the business model should change to be successful in solving what appears to be one of the main problems for SMEs, especially within mature, tourist destinations, i.e. targeting new profitable segments.The paper discusses the main findings of a research project carried out by the authors about changes in the business models of Italian tourism companies, underlining in particular three case-studies of interest in terms of the innovation put in place and that relate to SMEs. The analysis, based on the business model canvas, the value constellation and the storytelling, found out that these three firms are flexible companies that have characteristics emblematic of the knowledge and information economy business models. They successfully answer the needs of specific niches, finding new opportunities within a mature tourism market and famous destinations, thanks to their ability to develop wide flexible networks, where customers are an active part, and thanks to the value proposed to the clients, centred on the idea of a shared identity between the clients and the company’s founders and of an authenticity guaranteed by the life story of the founders themselves.

This study has as main aim to apply, spread and validate JOB IN ®. This is a platform that automates recruitment, pre selection and selection processes for candidates for the hostelery and food services sector, from the analysis and identification of the competences and key psycho-social processes for a high quality performance in their position. For tool validation purposes a sample of 363 candidates was considered , ages between 18 and 56 years old, being more frequent people under 20 years old (53,5%) that were looking for his first job on the industry. 53,7% of the sample were women and 47,5% were men. For results validation of the tool, other two tests were used: HORECA-5 and Overall Personality Assessment Scale (OPERAS).Our results indicate that the platform JOB IN ® is a system that has the characteristics to be considered “smart” since it enhances accessibility and quality of recruitment and pre-selection processes of the candidates in the hostelry sector. All aspects of the platform shown a very discreet reliability (α=.56). Additionally, high and significative correlations between JOB IN ® scale facets and the scales of HORECA-5 and OPERAS.

PurposeDeveloping CSR is one of the most important aspects of so-called Smart Tourism, just as an in-depth knowledge of consumer characteristics and behavior is a key element of smart tourism management.Tourism and hotel companies’ understanding of the importance of CSR, as well as the value the consumer places on it, may result in increased quality of the travel experience and, therefore, in improving the destination's competitive advantage. This work aims to analyze the influence of certain sociodemographic characteristics of hotel consumers on their views of CSR and whether said views affect their purchasing behavior.ApproachA review of the literature is carried out, followed by a descriptive study with a sample of 4685 consumers from different nationalities.FindingsThe results show that age, education level, and nationality are characteristics that influence hotel product consumers’ views of CSR.Practical ImplicationsSmart tourism involves offering products that are increasingly adapted to the specific needs of each client and, therefore, knowing which consumer profile places the most importance on CSR may guide the actions of tourism companies.OriginalityIn the literature there are several studies on the impact of CSR views in different interest groups, especially managers and employees. However, there are fewer studies on hotel consumers’ views on CSR and the importance they place upon it. This study aims to offer an initial understanding of a sociodemographic profile of the client in relation to their views on CSR.

This communication has as main objective to assess the incidence of ICT in selected tourist destinations of the Spanish mountain (Picos de Europa, Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas and Sierra de Guadarrama), and specifically: a) To know the level of application of ICTs in case studies in relation to product creation, information and promotion of destinations; B) to research the potential of new technologies (GPS, QR codes, augmented reality, apps, etc.) in the creation of new tourism products and the promotion of destinations; and c) to assess the contribution of ICTs to achieve more sustainable tourism practices. The research has descriptive, evaluative and prospective purposes and therefore the methodological proposal is characterized by a multi-strategic design that integrates different procedures: review of documents and web pages, and discourse analysis. The main results identify that although the destinations have progressed in the adoption of the ICT, they use it basically to provide information to users, while the rest of the tourist consumption phases are not yet well developed in the digital environment. The social networks have not yet acquired a central role as a tool for information and promotion of destinations. Thus, it is evident that there is still a long way to exploit ICT potential to mountain tourism.