A selection of tourism research resources, including government, industry and academic resources
from Australia and around the world, suitable for students, operators and trade.

Holiday Guide

Big Volcano Ecotourism Resource Centre

• ERC Home Page
• Ecotourism Bookshop
• Big Volcano Site Map

CERRA World Heritage
Information Network

Or ... how to not reinvent the wheel!  A selection of tourism research resources, including government, industry and academic resources, from Australia and around the world, suitable for students, operators and trade.

Tourism Research Resources >> International || Australia/Asia/Pacific || Africa/Europe || The Americas

Tourism Business Toolkits & Resources || Tourism Planning and Other Tourism Resources

Hint: The majority of links below go to external sites. Use your right mouse button to open a new window to these sites, or use your back button to return here. NB Amazon titles will open a new window.

Tourism Research Resources

Before you begin:  You will want to prevent public embarrassment or academic excoriation by being caught plagiarising others work.  So check out Avoiding Plagiarism (The OWL at Purdue). "There are few intellectual offenses more serious than plagiarism in academic and professional contexts. This resource offers advice on how to avoid plagiarism in your work."  An excellent resource for students and academics.  See also citing.

International

• Big Volcano Ecotourism Bookshop, Other Libraries and Bookshops
• Academia.edu "is a platform for academics to share research papers. The company's mission is to accelerate the world's research. Academics use Academia.edu to share their research, monitor deep analytics around the impact of their research, and track the research of academics they follow." Search a global database for subjects, people and documents.  Go to papers with third party links (sometimes to pay for view journals), read onsite, or sign in using Facebook or Google+ (make sure you're happy with the "terms" though), and be able to download in PDF. Wow!  Clean, crisp design, fast search results and document display.
• The UNWTOelibrary "is a fully cross-searchable interactive database offering a vast number of high-quality UNWTO publications including books, journals, and statistics in their respective languages. In addition to more than 1100 books in English, French, Spanish, Russian or Arabic, the e-unwto also provides access to a growing number of documents which can be defined as "Gray Literature".
• Vagabond Globetrotting 3: The Electronic Traveler in the New Millennium (AudioBook) “The definitive how-to book for world travel, Vagabond Globetrotting was first published in 1984 at the dawn of the information age. A second, updated edition appeared in 1989. Endicott's next book "The Electronic Traveler" introduced readers for the first time to the nascent travel resources available in the then-largely-unexplored cyberspace. This twentieth anniversary edition, Vagabond Globetrotting 3: The Electronic Traveler in the New Millennium, has been extensively revised and includes hundreds of essential web sites for travelers as well as indispensable tips, checklists, and resources.”
• Travel and Tourism Research Association   "... is an international network of more than 800 travel and tourism research and marketing professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds. ... Organized in 1970 and joined together in a nonprofit venture, members learn from one another and develop systems that help them grow professionally."
• The Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory "is your guide to official tourist information sources: government tourism offices, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, and similar organizations that provide free, accurate, and unbiased travel information to the public. Businesses such as travel agents, tour operators, and hotels are not included." Simple, fast loading web site, with drop down pick lists to quickly locate a specific country's official tourism contact and/or web site.
• Tourism Research Links: Planning, Development, Research, Consulting Hey - it's Rene! A rich collection of hotlinks to many Tourism Planning and Other Tourism Resources. Probably the best place on the web to look for tourism industry and trade sites including schools, publications, calls for papers, jobs and technology. 
• WorldTourismDirectory.com "The most extensive country by country source with over 120.000 contacts of all international, national, regional, local tourism authorities, associations and organizations, travel services, corporations and travel and tourism media, government information sources, tourism investment agencies, non-profit organizations and much more."  A very comprehensive world wide directory of tourism and travel related organistation, with lightening fast and easy to read display.
• The UNWTO Knowledge Network Program is an inclusive Community of Knowledge within the UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme where knowledge generators, policy makers and practitioners proactively participate in sharing, interacting and accessing of relevant resources to be able to stimulate the creation, dissemination and application of knowledge in tourism. ... is established with the background of the former UNWTO Education and Science Council. [and] ... is composed of over 130 institutions, organizations and enterprises from 40 different countries with a demonstrated research competency and extensive experience in tourism development and innovation. Through the UNWTO Knowledge Network, members have a common space at their disposal to interact, share and access relevant information. More importantly, they benefit from an unparalleled platform to create, disseminate and apply their knowledge resources in a manner to play a prominent role in shaping the future of the tourism sector.
• World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTO)   The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is the forum for business leaders in the Travel & Tourism industry.  A useful research tools secton includes: Data Search Tool, Economic Impact Research, Monthly Updates, Benchmarking Travel & Tourism, and Other Research.  "Over the past 20 years, and along with research partner Oxford Economics, WTTC produces comprehensive economic reports on an annual basis, with updates and special reports whenever required – to quantify, compare and forecast the economic impact of Travel & Tourism on 184 economies and 24 regions around the world."

Australia/Asia/Pacific

• Animal Ethics Infolink (Australia) "The Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (the Code) was established on the initiative of scientists in 1969. It is rewritten periodically to take into account changes in technology and society's views."
• Agreements, Treaties & Negotiated Settlements Project "The Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements database (ATNS) is an online gateway which links together current information, historical detail and published material relating to agreements made between indigenous people and others in Australia and overseas. The ATNS database is designed for the use of indigenous and other community organisations, researchers, government and industry bodies."
• Archive of Australian Heritage Commission publications.  This link goes to the "archive of publications produced by the Australian Heritage Commission prior to it being replaced by the Australian Heritage Council in 2004, ... all publications are free of charge unless otherwise indicated".  Valuable index and resource for ordering hard copies or downloading PDFs covering heritage tourism, natural heritage, Aboriginal, cultural and migrant heritage, colonial settlement, wild rivers, heritage buildings and places, charters and management guidelines, and more.  A must visit for teachers, students and operators involved in natural and cultural heritage in Australia.
• Department of Tourism - University of Otago. This link goes to research papers available on-line in html and PDF, conducted on various aspects of New Zealand's (Aotearoa) tourism, especially ecotourism, wilderness and high country (backcountry) activities, impacts, access and sustainability issues. Operators, students and stakeholders interested in high country and wilderness tourism should find the papers useful.  Additional links are available to other resources and sites.
• Great Barrier Marine Park Authority "Plans of Management are generally prepared for intensively used, or particularly vulnerable groups of islands and reefs, and for the protection of vulnerable species or ecological communities."
• New Zealand Tourism research and data Want to know about Tourism in New Zealand?  Here it is. Lots and lots and lots and lots ...
• Tourism Australia  "is the Federal Government statutory authority responsible for international and domestic tourism marketing as well as the delivery of research and forecasts for the sector."  News Centre, Events, Marketing Resources, Research and Statistics.
• "Tourism Queensland  is a statutory authority of the Queensland government. We are the most progressive destination management organisation in Australia. Our corporate website features a wealth of news, research and information on destination management, making it a central point for tourism operators and anyone interested in the business of tourism."  Link goes to Research home page.
• Tourism Research Australia "is a branch within the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.We are Australia's leading provider of quality tourism intelligence across both international and domestic markets."
• Equitable Tourism Options (EQUATIONS) "is a research, campaign and advocacy organisation. We study the social, cultural, economic and environmental impact of tourism on local communities. We believe that tourism should be non-exploitative, equitable and sustainable. A question that has been central to our work and directs much of it is 'Who Really Benefits from Tourism?'."  Indian based, with an excellent Resource Center linking to their published work.

Africa/Europe

• afrol News "is an independent news agency, established in 2000. We exclusively cover the African continent, in English, Spanish and in Portuguese. ... Our Travel - Leisure News Page contains more features about Travel - Leisure - latest news, in depth features and all the latest articles."  Unfortunately, at the latest link check (25/08/13) the majority of stories appeared to be from as loong ago as February this year.
• allAfrica.com: Ecotourism "AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 130 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica."  Excellent source for African news and developments, in English and French.
• Tourism Education Website. Faculty of Leisure and Tourism, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, UK.  "Its purpose is to provide a list of resources and links for tourism educators and students." Extensive resources and links to primarily UK and European sites, with a good representation of international sites as well.
• Visit Britain "Tourism is a valuable source of foreign exchange, the UK's third highest export earner behind chemicals and financial services. Overseas visitors spend around £18 billion a year in this country and they contribute more than £3billion in tax and duty to the Exchequer." Link goes to industry page where sub sections include Industry Groups and Bodies, and Britain Tourism Strategy, with Insights and Statistics here.

The Americas

• Michigan Travel Report Research Page "The Michigan State University Department of Park, Recreation and Tourism Resources (PRTR) and Travel Michigan organization offer information on tourism studies and research useful to tourism industry participants. Information includes data and reports from tourism and travel industries, links to economic impact studies and other resources related to the field of tourism."
• Cultural heritage tourism "This electronic clearinghouse includes information provided by many different members of Partners in Tourism, a coalition of the national organizations and agencies with an interest in cultural heritage tourism. ... [The] site has been developed as a resource for organizations and individuals who are developing, marketing or managing cultural heritage tourism attractions or programs."  US based with extensive resources including Cultural Heritage Toolkits.
• Internet Resources for Outdoor Recreation Research Excellent resource, comprising a comprehensive directory "intended to serve as an Internet resource guide for outdoor recreation students, researchers and practitioners".
• Travel and Tourism Research Programs "... International travel and tourism statistics for the U.S. Travel and Tourism Statistical System to 2011."
• Center for Responsible Travel With offices in Washington, DC and at Stanford University, The Center for Responsible Travel, or CREST (formerly CESD) was launched in 2003 as a bi-coastal institute, offering programs, conferences, courses, and research projects at both of its locations, as well as field research opportunities.  CREST uses policy-oriented research to design, monitor, evaluate, and improve the social and environmental committments of responsible tourism, as well as to promote sustainable practices and principles within the wider tourism industry. We focus on tourism's potential as a tool for poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation.

See also Academic, Education & Scientific Organisations, Industry Associations and Societies, Australian Government Agencies, Newsgroups and Email lists, Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Activities, Sustainable Design & Management

Tourism Business Toolkits & Resources

• Destination NSW Tourism Business Toolkit "The Tourism Business Toolkit is a resource designed for operators at every stage of their business, to help gain a better understanding of the tourism industry and develop sustainable tourism products."
• The SPTO Tourism Strategy Development Resources. "The SPTO Tourism Strategy Development Resources website aims to provide access to existing Tourism strategy tools and resources. The collation of this knowledge will aid the future development and planning of tourism strategy on a national and regional level. Users of this website are encouraged to submit new tools and resources and provide feedback on existing content."
  • Includes The SPTO Tourism Toolkit and examples of past and current Tourism Strategies for South & Central Pacific, Caribbean, Asia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and more.
• Cultural heritage tourism "This electronic clearinghouse includes information provided by many different members of Partners in Tourism, a coalition of the national organizations and agencies with an interest in cultural heritage tourism. ... [The] site has been developed as a resource for organizations and individuals who are developing, marketing or managing cultural heritage tourism attractions or programs."  US based with extensive resources including Cultural Heritage Toolkits.
• The Canadian Tourism Commision (CTC) has developed a series of tools for Canadian tourism businesses to help you in your efforts to attract travellers. These resources will help you to better understand your best customers and what they're looking for in a travel experience.
• Capricorn Enterprise Tourism Toolkits, A "practical resource for current and prospective tourism businesses [from] ... Capricorn Enterprise, recognised as the peak tourism organisation for the Capricorn Region within Central Queensland to promote the Capricorn region as a desirable holiday destination within regional, state, national and international market.  See also the Destination Tourism Strategy 2012-2016
• Nova Scotia Tourism Division "... covers planning, development, marketing and operations for the tourism industry in Nova Scotia. Our staff works to provide tourism operators with the tools and support they need to run successful businesses."  Includes Tourism Business Guides, tookits and Worksheets
• Tourism in the North East " Tourism in the North East is made up of four independent organisations, or partners: Northumberland Tourism, NewcastleGateshead Initiative, Visit County Durham and Tess Valley Unlimited ... [who] work closely together, as well as with national and international tourism bodies and associations, to promote the region to visitors and to facilitate tourism businesses to access research, training, business advice and marketing opportunities.  Toolkits, case studies, research and more.
• Arizona Tourism University Toolkit "All Arizona Office of Tourism divisions conduct activities and programs, which tourism organizations around the state can also carry out to promote or gather information on their specific product or destination. These ATU Toolkits are designed to offer instruction and practical advice on tourism related activities. Use these toolkits as a guide and resource for developing the related activities as part of your overall tourism marketing plan."
• Toolkit on Poverty Reduction through Tourism "The toolkit outlines the background to poverty reduction approaches and how the International Labor Union (ILO) is involved within the context of decent work and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Recent developments in tourism and a vision for an inclusive, pro-poor tourism industry are summarized.  A toolkit on poverty reduction through tourism has been produced. It aims at assisting developing and least developed countries to create a sustainable tourism industry and businesses based on decent employment. It is oriented towards SMEs and local communities in rural areas and includes case studies, training sessions and best practices. The toolkit illustrates the links between the ILO Decent Work Agenda, poverty reduction and the Millennium Development Goals."  Available as a PDF download in English, Español: Français, Bahasa Indonesia, Português, tiéng Viet.‎
• Training and Tools for Tourism Professionals "Hotels, tour operators, travel agencies and wholesalers play a major role in influencing industry standards through the vacation packages they design and offer to their clients. The Rainforest Alliance works with major local and international tour operators around the world to promote ecologically and socially responsible best practices for tourism businesses in Latin America."
• Sustainable Tourism Toolkits Nine tourism toolkits from a set of courses on Sustainable Tourism that have been developed by USAID, The George Washington University, Solimar International, and other USAID Global Sustainable Tourism Alliance (GSTA) partners. These tookits are the collective result of compiling the lessons and best practices from the GSTA program and a host of other tourism development experiences from around the world."
• Tourism Yukon Tourism e-Library: Guides, Reports & Toolkits "... a wide-array of free downloadable resources that can help you to develop or expand your business. Browse through the most recent and relevant guides, reports and toolkits to obtain information about planning and development, marketing and promotions, and regional, national and international tourism."
• Tool Kits and Agritourism/Nature Tourism Planning Guides A comprehensive link list from the US Agricultural Marketing Center based at Iowa State University, going to tool kits and guides for nature based/community tourism and farmers wanting to diversify into agritourism.
• Tourism Planning Toolkit - Tourism New Zealand.  "The development of a Tourism Planning Toolkit for local government is a collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism, Local Government New Zealand and Lincoln University. The Toolkit brings together extensive existing information, as well as developing new resources, that will enable local government to improve tourism destination management in their areas."  The PDF kit is a downloadable link now hosted at the Sport and Recreation Knowledge libarary.

Tourism Planning and Other Tourism Resources

A miscellaneous category for resources which don't really fit elsewhere, including general tourism papers and strategies, and resources for operators which could assist with interpretive and operational topics.

• Impacts of Trails & Trail Use Hosted by AmericanTrails.org "Studies of the impacts of trails and greenways, and research on adjacent landowner concerns and property values. Surveys of trail users, demographics, and outdoor recreation goals and activities." North American focus.
  • Economic Impact of Trails Hosted by AmericanTrails.org A veritable feast of information is contained in this extensive link catalogue of economic studies, benefits, and tourism papers from around the world, covering rail trails, cycle and walking paths, scenic trails and more
• DEH Environmental Economics Unit - Publications Index to Environmental Economics Research Papers, Environmental Economics Seminar Series and Other publications.
• Techniques to Value Environmental Resources: an Introductory Handbook (1995) "This guide complements the existing literature by introducing the techniques of valuation, illustrating them with a wide range of Australian examples and indicating how to use the techniques and the values to make informed decisions. The goal of this book is to assist practitioners and non-practitioners who need to appraise resource use decisions and to aid effective policy formulation."
• Reimbursing The Future (1996) Now archived the basic proinciples may still be of value.  "An evaluation of motivational, voluntary, price-based, property-right, and regulatory incentives for the conservation of biodiversity."
• ePrintsUQ - Strategic Planning for Local Tourism Destinations: An Analysis of Tourism "This paper reports on a study of the planning practices of local tourism destinations. The tourism plans of 30 local tourism destinations in Queensland, Australia were analyzed to determine the extent to which sustainability principles, namely strategic planning and stakeholder participation, were integrated into the planning process. Utilizing a tourism planning process evaluation instrument developed by Simpson (2001), it was found that local tourism destinations are not integrating sustainability principles in their planning processes." Page displays download link to PDF file (119kb) only.
• Hawai'i AgriTourism Association Promoting Sustainable Agriculture and Tourism in Hawai'i Hawaii Agtourism offers visitors opportunities to look behind the scenes, to experience more than just a sunny beach and the purchase of an Aloha shirt. With its natural beauty, warm weather, and renowned agricultural products (coffee, macadamia nuts, flowers, and tropical fruits of many kinds), Hawaii's small farms and rural communities offer an extraordinary array of memorable experiences.
  • See also What is "Ag-Tourism?" The original web site with information and descriptions.  Then visit Education and Research in our region. (We call it "agritourism" or "farmers technical tours".
• The Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants (ASGAP) A very useful resource for Australian operators and tour guides, with plant guide, propogation and links, amongst other resources.
• Hotel News Resource "...the leading online information and knowledge base for the hospitality & travel industries. From operations in the USA, Canada, Mexico and Germany the network aggregates and distributes content on behalf of 2,533 organisations and utilizing proprietary software provides it's partners with a real-time solution to access relevant industry intelligence serving their region, segment and demographic."   Fast loading and comprehensive, it is "the source for hotel industry news".   See also Hotel Resource Network for full B2B Network sites listings.
• Hospitality Net "... the portal serves a worldwide audience of hospitality professionals, providing them with both daily updated content and interactive services. The site offers industry news, multimedia streamed features, discussion platforms, a recruitment center, a supplier marketplace and several focus areas in areas such as technology and sales & marketing."  North American focus, with good international depth.   Extensive industry resources, especially market reports, events and industry links.
• Travel Weekly "is the market-leading magazine for the Australian travel industry, featuring news and analysis, career advice, training and product information, competitions and giveaways, new technology and online development, cruising, and leisure and business travel."

See also Industry Associations and Societies, Newsgroups and Email lists, Search Engines, Directories & Databases, Ecotourism Papers & Articles, Tourism Research Resources and Other Libraries and Bookshops