ICPTR

In The Gambia you will find a mediterranean environment with an African hospitality that will exceed your expectations. A year-round sun destination with a touch of wind that takes you away from your daily routine to a relaxed beach atmosphere where service excellence is as natural as the face of the Smiling Coast. This young beach destination flavored with touches of old ethnic cultural activities will welcome you, relax you, and energise YOU. All in a safe environment, day or night, the hospitality of the Gambian people, whether working in the tourism industry or not, will make you feel special, not only because they understand the importance of tourism to their economy, but also because they are proud people and people proud of their country. They will make you come back.

Your visit to The Gambia -the smiling coast of Africa- will help the Gambian economy and WILL contribute to the Gambians’ quality of life. You need to see it to believe it! http://www.visitthegambia.gm/ 

(click on title to read more)

The Call for Contributions to the CABI publication, Tourism, Progress and Peace, listed
25 topics deemed relevant to the proposition that tourism can help in bringing about a more peaceful world (Table 1). The same list may be referred to by potential contributors to the new Journal of Tourism and Peace Research.

Table 1: Topics relevant to peace through tourism

Tourism and globalization
Ethical and responsible tourism
Tourism as a social force
Tourism and poverty alleviation/elimination
Industry initiatives
Peace museums
Attitude change
Travel writing (eg, the tourist as witness)
Reconciliation tourism
Diaspora tourism
Tourism and the media
Tourism and community development
Success stories and case studies Conflict and tourism
Tourism as a political force
International initiatives (eg, codes of ethics)
International cooperation
Festivals and events
Peace parks
Volunteer tourism
Tourism and human rights
Tourism borders
Cross-cultural behavior and understanding
Tourism ethics
Tourism and humanitarian relief

However, some, if not all of the topics listed may be seen as mega-topics whose complexities are hidden in an overview approach. It may, therefore, be useful to suggest, for these, a breakdown into component parts each of which can be addressed by one or more research questions.

For example, the issue of Tourism and Poverty Alleviation/Elimination may be addressed through a range of questions, as follows:

1. How can/should poverty be defined? Can we develop a definition which identifies a central element while capturing the range of conditions (absolute to relative, local to global) by which poverty is recognised?
2. How is poverty distributed? Is there a relationship between geographical location and poverty? Does the distribution of poverty change over time?
3. How serious is the problem of poverty? What are the impacts of poverty on individual and community life quality, health and wellbeing? Is poverty a contributor to conflict and antisocial behaviour?
4. How is the problem of poverty addressed? What has been done in the past and has it been effective? What is being done now?
5. Does tourism contribute to poverty? If so, how can this be remedied?
6. How can tourism make a positive contribution? How can the beneficial impacts of tourism be optimised? Are there case studies which can provide useful examples?

With respect to Question 6, Goodwin (1998)* suggests the following:
• a focus on destination level issues – diversification, ownership, economic leakage, local employment and protection of the environment;
• meaningful consultation with and assistance in participation by the local community;
• a regulatory framework for ethical and sustainable trading;
• an effective taxation system;
• infrastructure development which serves the community as well as visitors;
• collaborative arrangements among elements of the tourist destination value chain; and
• targeted assistance from developed nation governments, NGOs and tour operators.

It is recognised that this review is far from comprehensive and the Centre invites input in the form of comments, suggestions for additional topics, research proposals and submissions to the Journal of Tourism and Peace Research from educators, travel writers, administrators and industry practitioners with an interest in how tourism may be managed to encourage peaceful relationships.

* Goodwin, Harold (1998) Sustainable Tourism and Poverty Elimination: A Discussion Paper. (http//:www.propoortourism.org.uk/dfid_paper.pdf)

Ian Kelly (February 2010)