Vanessa GB Gowreesunkar | University of Africa, Toru-Orua (original) (raw)

Papers by Vanessa GB Gowreesunkar

Routledge eBooks, Aug 27, 2020

Despite years of discourse, many tourism scholars hold that pilgrim and tourist are the same whil... more Despite years of discourse, many tourism scholars hold that pilgrim and tourist are the same while others believe that a pilgrim (religious tourist) and a tourist (secular pilgrim) are distinct in their motivations, behaviours and use of services. Some call them ‘quasi-pilgrim’ or ‘half tourist’ due to lack of understanding. This paper is an effort to re-examine the two epithets by using the case of Himalayan pilgrimage, which was systems based, i.e. had respect for the integrity of ecosystems, and prophylactic in nature, maintaining culture and values. This traditional pilgrimage system worked on the principle of pilgrim economy, which was based on austerity and principles of ethics and equity within the religious framework, violation of which was an act of blasphemy. With the onslaught of modern tourism this age-old traditional Himalayan pilgrimage system has been transformed gradually. This paper pleads to revitalize the old Yatra practice before it comes to an end. The revitalization process should be according to the diktat provided in Hindu scripture namely Skand Puranas. Traditional pilgrimages by their very nature were designed to be sustainable in terms of resource use. A pilgrim and a tourist are made of different virtues – the pilgrim being pious and humble while a tourist may be a pleasure-seeker. Before this land of gods transforms into pleasure dome, the concerned stakeholder, the Badrinath temple committee in particular should cry halt to this process of transformation. The grand dhamas yatra should be considered as national heritage. Keywords: Pilgrimage, transformation, pilgrim economy, Hindu Tirtha, sustainability, mountain communities.

The Journal of Communication and Media Studies, 2016

International Journal of Law and Management, Feb 2, 2023

Welcome, to the Special Issue (SI) on "Blue whistle for brandsconsumers' and stakeholders' perspe... more Welcome, to the Special Issue (SI) on "Blue whistle for brandsconsumers' and stakeholders' perspective towards reformation in marketing legal practices" in the International Journal of Law and Management (IJLM). This draws upon papers submitted to the International Conference on Excellence in Marketing and Tourism Management which was organized virtually from 15 to 16 January 2022, jointly in association with FsCongress-International Congress on Social Science-Turkey, and Blue Forskning Research Academy, India. The scientific committee of the conference selected some of the articles presented in the congress and, in an open call, the authors were invited to submit a manuscript that perfectly matches the aims and scopes of the SI. The evaluation process is carried out on the principle of double-blind refereeing, later on, the journal carried out its own review process to scrutinize the articles based on merit. In the absence of a guide on legal marketing strategies post-pandemic, this SI serves as a suitable option to understand the marketing challenges and opportunities faced by stakeholders. In his article entitled "consumer in the age of corona virus", Professor Philip Kotler, known as the father of modern marketing, speculated a paradigm shift in marketing following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (Kotler, 2020; Seshadri and Kumar, 2022). Following several months of lockdown and closure of borders and businesses, it was unclear how the pandemic would further affect marketing activities. As a result, marketing practices require a re-invention and a reformation to get back on track (Islam et al., 2021). Against this backdrop, this SI aims to offer insight into the transformation in marketing practices post COVID-19 pandemic. The objective is to provide a practical understanding of marketing challenges and opportunities from a legal and management perspective. This year we are focusing on learning from the best practices around the world in rebuilding, as since the beginning of the last year 2020 the marketing industry has been struggling in an unprecedented manner, facing the biggest global challenge in 100 years-COVID-19 pandemic. On one side, marketing practices make consumers' decisions better, whereas, on the other side, reformation in firms' law and legal aspects are making global business smooth. Educating consumers and stakeholders for sustainable marketing practices needs to be done very precisely as it is a question to the entire world that how to do in this tough time. Demystifying the consumers' social consciousness would be challenged in this decade. The brands are trying to figure out the balance between social media, capital market and corporate communication in the lens of legal formalities as shareholders' engagement and communication by corporate would be a great challenge to make customers comfortable. To promote the reformation in the marketing industry post-Covid-19, the government of the respective countries should embrace the policies which could support this sector to recover and grow. Alone government cannot make this possible, support from society, business,

Ara: Revista de Investigación en Turismo

Mientras que por un lado, el emprendimiento social como un nuevo movimiento, es impulsada por los... more Mientras que por un lado, el emprendimiento social como un nuevo movimiento, es impulsada por los individuos para hacer del mundo un lugar mejor, por otro lado, las pequeñas islas, con predominio de las micro y pequeñas empresas (MYPE) parecen haber pasado por alto las nuevas iniciativas de concepto en la gestión del turismo. El trabajo de Séraphin (2012) hizo sobresalir dos importantes planes de emprendimiento social en Haití, pero olvidó aclararnos sobre la importancia y las implicaciones para el turismo insular. Del mismo modo, en la Isla Mauricio, el Ministerio de Turismo y Ocio participa en varias iniciativas de gestión turística alineados con la visión gubernamental llamada 'Maurice Ile Durable "(MID), pero, el emprendimiento social no es considerado en el plan de turismo. Comenzando con una breve reseña de Mauricio y Haití como destino turístico, este trabajo examina dos pequeñas islas que dependen fuertemente del turismo. De naturaleza exploratoria, este artículo ...

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Nov 30, 2022

De Gruyter eBooks, Sep 7, 2020

Mikkelsen & Blichfeldt  'We have not seen the kids for hours': the case of family holidays an... more Mikkelsen & Blichfeldt  'We have not seen the kids for hours': the case of family holidays and free-range children Annals of Leisure Research Rhoden, Hunter-Jones & Miller  Tourism experiences through the eyes of a child Annals of Leisure Research Karsten & Felder  Parent and children consuming the city: geographies of family outings across class Annals of Leisure Research Reis  Children, families and leisure Annals of Leisure Research Berbary & Richmond  The dangerous deconstruction of gender: narrative inquiry of masculinities in a popular children's book Annals of Leisure Research Agnew, Pil & Drummond  Investigating the elements that encourage or inhibit the participation of children and youth in Australian football

De Gruyter eBooks, Sep 7, 2020

문화관광연구, 2018

Purpose-Our objective is twofold: First, to identify what can cause local residents dissatisfacti... more Purpose-Our objective is twofold: First, to identify what can cause local residents dissatisfaction with events and tourism in rural communities. Second, show that the level of happiness of the local residents can mitigate their dissatisfaction with the tourism industry and event development. Design/methodology/approach-In terms of methodology, this paper is based on primary data collected using a questionnaire. SPSS has been used to run some descriptive analysis Practical implication-Existing literature discuss mainly the contribution of events and tourism to destinations and local residents as a one-way contribution or impact with events and tourism impacting or contributing to the local community and destination overall. We are arguing that in some cases, the direction of the impact or contribution goes the other way round. It is the resilience of local residents that enable events and tourism to grow and remain. Quality of life or happiness should systematically be used as a metric by DMOs to assess their performance. Originality / value-Happiness and/or Quality of Life and tourism are very topical at the moment and still poorly researched. This research paper is therefore going to contribute to the meta-literature in the area. Last but not least, there is absolutely no research paper on tourism and events based on Winchester (UK).

Routledge eBooks, Apr 27, 2018

Apple Academic Press eBooks, Aug 3, 2023

De Gruyter eBooks, Sep 7, 2020

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Oct 14, 2019

Purpose This concluding paper filters out smart and sustainable strategies drawn from a rich vari... more Purpose This concluding paper filters out smart and sustainable strategies drawn from a rich variety of articles presented throughout the theme issue. This paper aims to provide a summary of the key points related to the perverse impacts of overtourism and smart and sustainable strategies to overcome the phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach The methodological design is based on empirical evidence and case studies analysed by practitioners and academics. Findings The overall findings unpack different types of strategies based on collaborative input from tourists, locals, government, NGOs, DMOs and service providers. Based on the realities of today’s tourism environment, the outcome reveals that it is possible to address overtourism, but smart strategies are required as both tourists and residents (including relevant stakeholders) are sophisticated, emancipated and connected enough to understand the dynamism of overtourism. Originality/value The articles in this theme issue address a theoretical and practical gap while proposing innovative strategies to tackle overtourism in an era of “connected tourism.” The value of this paper lies in the fact that it draws from a variety of original case studies, each unique in their own right and proposes smart strategies that may be sustained in the future.

Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Aug 25, 2022

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Oct 9, 2017

The introductory article sheds lights on issues that post-colonial, post-conflict and post-disast... more The introductory article sheds lights on issues that post-colonial, post-conflict and post-disaster destinations are facing, and more importantly provides strategies to overcome the issues. The solutions are tailored to the particular profile of the destination. Findings In order for post-colonial, post-conflict and post-disaster destinations to enhance their image to potential visitors and also to be able to compete equally with established destinations, it is important to provide solutions that are tailor made to their own case, as one size does not fit all. Originality The value of this article is that it re-establishes the truth about post-colonial, post-conflict and post-disaster destinations, while highlighting their potentials and barriers.

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Aug 1, 2019

Routledge eBooks, Aug 27, 2020

The Journal of Communication and Media Studies, 2016

International Journal of Law and Management, Feb 2, 2023

Ara: Revista de Investigación en Turismo

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Nov 30, 2022

De Gruyter eBooks, Sep 7, 2020

문화관광연구, 2018

Routledge eBooks, Apr 27, 2018

Apple Academic Press eBooks, Aug 3, 2023

De Gruyter eBooks, Sep 7, 2020

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Oct 14, 2019

Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Aug 25, 2022

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Oct 9, 2017

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Aug 1, 2019

ICSBMPSI, 2021

The desire to understand more about leading from behind in workplaces has driven the authors of t... more The desire to understand more about leading from behind in workplaces has driven the authors of this exploratory paper to study how this style of leadership impacts behaviours in an organisation. This style has also been called Servant Leadership by various theorists. At some point in the history of an organisation, a servant leader leaves his or her mark by impact-ing on employees who work for that organisation. As such, self-serving leaders will not find their place in leadership positions of the organisation. Leaders around the world will likely be individuals who “serve first and lead second”.

Black women in particular have not derived the full socio-economic benefits and the level of invo... more Black women in particular have not derived the full socio-economic benefits and the level of involvement is low, as they are in the low-skilled sector. Eg. In hotels, they work as housekeeping, vendor, cook assistants, and waitress and other low menial jobs. From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to the Sustainable Development Goals today, global attention remains focused on promoting human rights and eliminating discrimination between man and woman.Despite this growing understanding, removing inequalities experienced by women has not kept pace. Even educated, African women still face this dilemma to choose between career and “social acceptance” – it’s a lesson ingrained into girls’ mind that society should dictate what a woman should or should not do. This kind of thinking deter women from participating fully in entrepreneurship, with the same typical obstacles in the form of twisted cultural practices, traditional stereotypes, difficulty in accessing financial assistance and land ownership.

DeGruyter Publication, 2020

This book works to fill a serious gap in tourism and hospitality research – children as future co... more This book works to fill a serious gap in tourism and hospitality research – children as future consumers. For decades, researchers and industry practitioners alike have overlooked and undervalued the significance of children’s perspectives and their influence as decision-makers. However, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) emphasizes that children have the right to participate in matters that affect them. With this in mind, the contributors to this edited collection draw attention to children as thinkers, actors and transformers of the future of the tourism and hospitality industry. Through a mix of conceptual and empirical chapters, the book collectively supports an overarching theme: the empowerment of children as present and future consumers should be a core component of any sustainable tourism initiative. Towards this goal, the chapters herein represent internationally diverse perspectives and offer a number of innovative recommendations to the industry’s practitioners.

june, 2021

T ou r is m Secu r ity-Sa fety a n d P os t Con flict D es tin a tion s T ou r is m Secu r ity-Sa... more T ou r is m Secu r ity-Sa fety a n d P os t Con flict D es tin a tion s T ou r is m Secu r ity-Sa fety a n d P os t Con flict D es tin a tion s 2020 has left a mark on the history of travel worldwide leaving tourist destinations with lessons to learn from impact of COVID-19. Tourism Destination Management in a Post-Pandemic Context gives an insight into the challenges faced by tourism destinations during and after the pandemic, exposing trends and proposing management solutions in order to develop resilience against the effects of potential future pandemics. Drawing on lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, this collection presents cases and competency frameworks to advance knowledge in the management of destinations post-pandemics. www.emeraldpublishing.com/bookstore

Developing nations comprise economically-weak societies where a large portion of their people str... more Developing nations comprise economically-weak societies where a large portion of their people struggle to secure their livelihoods. As such, international chains are welcome on such lands with the expectation that their operations will benefit the country through the implementation of an effective Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scheme. However, it is often observed that international hotels operating on developing countries do not always lead to improved standards of life in the places concerned. Based on this understanding, the aim of this chapter was to analyse the CSR plans of five international hotel chains in Haiti, a post-colonial and post disaster tourism destination. The study is based on qualitative content analysis of secondary data obtained derived from websites of selected international chains. What emerges out of this work is that, the five international chains are in one way or the other engaged into similar CSR plans. As one of the poorest countries in the world, Haiti could benefit from the presence of international chains if the latter aligned their CSR schemes with the broader economic, social, environmental imperatives of the country. The study proposes that Government should have an enabling role in the planning of CSR actions by international chains operating on their lands. However, this might represent a barrier of entry for some companies while for others it could be a good way for the government to filter the international chain of hotels that have the best interest of the country at their heart.

Short Abstract Attributes determining customer satisfaction is complex to understand in tourism. ... more Short Abstract Attributes determining customer satisfaction is complex to understand in tourism. This is because tourism destinations offer a combination of product and services and satisfaction/ dissatisfaction usually occurs as a result of customer interactions with these components. A further challenge that complicates this understanding is that, in the 21 st century environment, not only tourists travel, but information also travels. Therefore, destination managers have to be quick in understanding online information in order to keep track of attributes guiding tourism satisfaction. With this as background, the aim of the chapter is to analyze attributes influencing customer satisfaction at a tourism destination. Mauritius is utilized as case study to explain customer satisfaction attributes of dolphin watching tourists. The implications are analyzed and lessons are drawn based on a given customer satisfaction model. The chapter is concluded with recommendations directed towards the improvement of destination attributes leading to the satisfaction of the discerning tourists.

Attributes determining customer satisfaction is complex to understand in tourism. This is because... more Attributes determining customer satisfaction is complex to understand in tourism. This is because tourism destinations offer a combination of product and services and satisfaction/ dissatisfaction usually occurs as a result of customer interactions with these components. A further challenge that complicates this understanding is that, in the 21 st century environment, not only tourists travel, but information also travels. Therefore, destination managers have to be quick in understanding online information in order to keep track of attributes guiding tourism satisfaction. With this as background, the aim of the chapter is to analyze attributes influencing customer satisfaction at a tourism destination. Mauritius is utilized as case study to explain customer satisfaction attributes of dolphin watching tourists. The implications are analyzed and lessons are drawn based on a given customer satisfaction model. The chapter is concluded with recommendations directed towards the improvement of destination attributes leading to the satisfaction of the discerning tourists.

Africa is today a rich and promising continent. As a result, leading countries of the world are s... more Africa is today a rich and promising continent. As a result, leading countries of the world are showing considerable interest to invest in the continent. From an economic perspective, it is observed that countries in Africa are increasingly focusing on tourism and the sector is a rapidly growing one of African countries’ export baskets. For instance, in the year 2014, Africa welcomed 64.3 million tourism arrivals and the industry generated 105.4 million jobs, representing 3.6% of the world total employment (Africa Tourism Monitor, 2015). The top African tourism destinations contributing to this number are member states of the African Union and these are: Cap Verde, Mauritius, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa Tanzania, Madagascar, Algeria, Mozambique and Sudan. This observation is also confirmed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, which points out that Africa’s strong performance in 2014 makes it one of the world’s fastest-growing tourist destinations, second only to Southeast Asia (UNWTO, 2015). The African Union which regroups 54 African countries are richly endowed with tourism resources. The uniqueness and variety of those resources have immensely contributed to make Africa a desirable and appealing destination.

The 11th Hybrid Conference on 'Sustainable Tourism, Culture and Sports' aims to provide a forum f... more The 11th Hybrid Conference on 'Sustainable Tourism, Culture and Sports' aims to provide a forum for academics, emerging researchers, policy-makers, industry practitioners, marketing professionals, and destination managers to discuss the latest sustainability issues and challenges in tourism in an era of uncertainty due to climate change and Covid-19. The Conference aims to bring together leading academics, researchers, and industry experts to exchange and share their views on the current situation facing tourism. The conference will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 18-20 May 2022. Due to travel restrictions the conference will be hybrid to allow both online and in person participation at the same time. Details and updates on the conference are available from our website HERE