Conceptualising and aligning leadership style to successful performance in sustainable tourism (Cases from Wales) Dr Andrew L Jones & Dr Silvio Debono ITTC UNIVERSTY OF MALTA European Summer School “Leadership and Governance for Sustainable Tourism” Naples, 8- 12 July 2013
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Conceptualising and aligning leadership style to successful
performance in sustainable tourism(Cases from Wales)
Dr Andrew L Jones & Dr Silvio DebonoITTC
UNIVERSTY OF MALTA
European Summer School “Leadership and Governance for Sustainable Tourism” Naples, 8-
12 July 2013
Research parameters
Research backgroundThe research - Case StudiesResearch OutcomesResearch Conclusions
The Research BackgroundThe Alternative Tourism Model
(Mieczkowski,1995: 495)
Mass tourismconventional or standard tourism
nature tourismeco tourism
cultural tourism educational tourism scientific tourism adventure tourism agri-tourism
Alternative Tourismsustainable tourism development
niche tourism or tourism micro markets
TOURISM
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Wales
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WALES’ TOURISM PRODUCT
SMALL COUNTRY CELTIC HERITAGE & LANGUAGE RICH IN NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES DOMESTIC orientated tourism SMALL INTERNATIONAL MARKETS FRAGMENTED PRODUCT Smes DOMINATION SMALL BUSINESS ACCOMODATION MAINLY SELF-CATERING 10% of GDP 9% ALL EMPLOYMENT
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DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN WALES
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Visit WalesSustainable Tourism Strategy
PRIORITY STRATEGIESPolicy Focus
Economic sustainability Environmental
sustainability Coastal and resort
regeneration Cultural Tourism
Strategy Historic town programme Country holiday
marketing New product
developmentFood and Gastronomy
Examples
Kite Country Project Mid Wales
Landsker Borderlands Festival of the
Countryside Makers of Wales
Swansea Bay festival UNESCO
Historic Seaside resortsTenby
Wales Rural Forum
Industrial Heritage
S Wales Valleys
Urban Regeneration
Swansea
CYMRU Y GWIR FLAS
Wales True Taste
Wales Coastal Tourism Strategy
The research cases studies2001-2011
The research premiseThe concept of sustainability
‘Sustainable tourism tends to be a kinder gentler form of tourism that is generally small in scale, sensitive to cultural and environmental resources and impacts and respects the involvement of local people in policy development’. (McCool and Moisey 2001:3)
Research Questions
1. Is sustainable tourism and its associated markets a kinder or gentler form of tourism?
2. Are such forms of tourism more sensitive to cultural and environmental resources?
3. Do such forms of tourism have less impact, particularly on the environment?
4. Are local people genuinely engaged in the policy and decision making processes and gain positive benefits ?
5. What makes a good sustainable tourism project?
Key Findings1. “The results highlighted that both positive and
negative impacts were largely influenced by , for example,
a) the scale of the attractionb) its location and c) its type.
2. “As well as these, there are more critical operational factors associated for example with
a) the sophistication of organisational structure b) financial support and funding and c) variety of product market focus particularly the tensions
associated between conservation or commercialisation”
Key Findings -support1. “there are significant imbalances in the
support mechanisms available to the small, medium sized public, private and voluntary sector attractions”
2. “ some correlation does exist between strong public support and positive effects on levels of community engagement and cultural capacity building.”
3. “levels of public funding and support available to smaller public, private, and voluntary sector attractions can be a major determinant of broad success or failure within their respective communities.”
Key findings -strategy1. “research clearly shows that the key
message for tourism and economic policy makers is one that requires a more strategic inclusive and government led approach if such attractions are to be sustained and evolve into cultural assets for the regions and communities in which they are located”.
Key Findings - strategy
1. “Without an over-riding strategy it is not possible to plan and implement cohesive initiatives which benefit the nation”
2. “Nonetheless, it could be contended that lack of momentum and lack of focus with regards a strategy have created perceptual gaps.
3. “there is also a perception that there is not an over-riding strategy but only a large quantity of short-term peace-meal initiatives.”
Key finding – long term1. “Ensuring strategic long term
agendas have also become progressively more difficult as evidence from the cases shows high incidences of failed strategic planning and poorly co-ordinated community led responses.”
Key Findings – sustainable concepts
1. “There is a failure to optimise the use of natural and built environment, the local community and local businesses - the co-ordination of which is fundamental to the concept of sustainable development”
2. “critical problems and implementation issues which arise also concern perceptual gaps. These not only relate to the gaps between public sector and private sector, previously mentioned, but also relate to the gaps between the perceptions of the consumer and those of the producer”
Key Findings – economic development?
1. “Destination management priorities appear to remain largely focussed upon economic development objectives”
2. “The compatibility between resource conservation and economic development also appears to remain fundamentally at odds”
Key Findings - malaise1. “evidence from the cases demonstrates that
despite much positive debate during the early 1990s progress on implementation and understanding has been marginal with increasingly negative attitudes and more resigned pragmatic responses”
2. “the growing paradox between the need to ensure public support for such strategies against a back drop of ever decreasing public funding and an increasing reliance on the private sector to deliver socially and economically balanced initiatives has been a somewhat perplexing phenomena “
Key Findings - complexity1. “The key findings from the cases support the
notion that sustainable concepts associated with the conservation of heritage and the environment, the promotion of urban renewal and rural regeneration and the development of cultural tourism markets are becoming increasingly complex with little evidence of real achievement or progress being made in attaining wide spread long-term growth.”
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGESthe creation of sustainable tourism markets -
Conceptually Speaking - More Questions than Answers!
Top Down – Bottom Up Policy DirectionsStrategic Leadership
Role of strategic planning?
Regulating Tourism Access
Managing finite sensitive resources with social and
environmental responsibility?
Strategic PrioritiesBalancing economic development vis a
vis social and conservation
needs?
Tourism Dependency on Natural Resources
resource auditing & priority for
conservation ?
Diverse Stakeholder Interests
Getting agreementconsensus through
enablers?
Meeting Community Capabilities & Expectations measures for
community capacity building?
Funding Sustainable Projects
Relying on private finance in a world of
ever decreasing public funds
THE PARADOXLeadership Challenges
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Successful performance for sustainable tourism?
1. Securing Balanced & Sustainable Funding?2. Organisational infrastructure and co-
ordinated strategies - Strategic planning?3. Statutory regulation – Protecting Resources?4. Capacity building - Dissemination of good
practice – Building Consensus?5. Distinctiveness and valuing authentic regional
identity?6. Education & skills development?7. Understanding the concepts and reality -
Research?
Key Findings“When integrated with properly balanced approaches to regeneration such tourism initiatives can show great benefits and sustain pride in once proud communities”,