Tourism Research Resources, tourism business toolkits, tourism planning resources, and hospitality and tourism trade publications, for ecotourism (eco-tourism), hospitality, travel and leisure studies.

Tourism Research, Business Toolkits, Tourism Trade Publications

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

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

Tourism Business Toolkits & Tourism Planning Resources || Other Tourism Resources || Hospitality and Tourism Trade Publications

Fighting Food Waste in Hotels World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, came together to work with the hospitality industry on understanding and reducing food waste. Through research and a series of demonstration projects with properties across the country, innovative strategies were identified to engage staff, partners and guests in cutting waste from hotel kitchens.
Participating hotels saw reductions of 10-38% in just 12 weeks. If this scaled across the industry – it would eliminate half a million tons of waste within a year.

Tourism Research Resources

Before you begin: You will want to avoid public or professional embarrassment, or academic excoriation as a result of being caught plagiarising the work of others.

Avoiding Plagiarism - Purdue OWL. Just because it's on the web and in the public domain, doesn't mean it's free for you to use without permission. Stealing or copying someone else's work and passing it off as your own is not an auspicious way to further your career (or web site!). An excellent resource for students, teachers, and academics, "Avoiding Plagiarism" goes to a series of exercises that will help you recognise when and where to use the various forms of source materials and citations.

See also Big Volcano ERC Citation, Credits, Referencing

Academic

Below are a selection of academic web sites offering free access to published papers and peer reviewed research. You may need to sign up or sign in to access material (and don't forget to cite.)

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, create an acount or sign in using Facebook or Google (just be sure you're happy with the "terms" though), and be able to download in PDF. Clean, crisp design, fast search results and document display. For a sample of papers available see: * Tourism Studies * Ecotourism and Sustainable Development * Travel and Tourism

MDPI "A pioneer in scholarly open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. Based in Basel, Switzerland, MDPI has the mission to foster open scientific exchange in all forms, across all disciplines. Our 205 diverse, peer-reviewed, open access journals are supported by over 35,500 academic editors. We serve scholars from around the world to ensure the latest research is freely available and all content is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). " * Tourism * Ecotourism * Tourism Travel

ResearchGate "... is the professional network for scientists and researchers. Over 15 million members from all over the world use it to share, discover, and discuss research. We're guided by our mission to connect the world of science and make research open to all. Advance your research. Discover scientific knowledge, and make your research visible." Sign up for free, and search an area of interest, with access to abstracts, cites, references, and articles, publications and excerpts available for download, depending on copyright status. * Tourism * Ecotourism * Travel

Semantic Scholar "provides free, AI-driven search and discovery tools, and open resources for the global research community. We index over 200 million academic papers sourced from publisher partnerships, data providers, and web crawls." Updated * Tourism * Ecotourism * Tourism Travel

International

Statista Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Statistics Big data aggregated, filtered and made pretty to be sold. Free account offers access to "basic statistics" and download as PDF and .png. Useful for overview entry level data or those on a deadline! ;-)
STR "Founded in 1985, STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for global hospitality sectors." See also Hotel News Now "...is an online news resource that combines the decades worth of experience from its editorial team along with unprecedented access to STR data to provide vital, up-to-the-minute information for hotel decision makers throughout the world."
Travel and Tourism Research Association "TRA unites the best and brightest from the travel and tourism research community. Academics, Practitioners, and Research Experts become members to connect, collaborate, learn, and ideate with colleagues from across the globe." Updated An excellent web site for preliminary research, and networking events opportunities.
Tourism Research Links: Planning, Development, Research, Consulting Hey - it's Rene! A rich collection of hotlinks to many Tourism Resources. Quite a few now out of date, but still enough there to be useful.
The UNWTO eLibrary "... is an online service from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) with a broad coverage of tourism and related subject areas. The UNWTO Elibrary is an information source offering an unparalleled coverage of research and information in the area of tourism and available to our Member States, Affiliate Members, subscribers and general public. The subject areas reflect all important themes moving the tourism sector and include, among others, ecotourism and sustainable development, tourism statistics, market research, innovation and new technologies and tourism policies. The UNWTO Elibrary contains books, journals and statistical reports by country and by indicator."
The UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard NEW "provides statistics and insights on key indicators for inbound and outbound tourism at the global, regional and national levels. Data covers tourist arrivals, tourism share of exports and contribution to GDP, source markets, seasonality and accommodation (data on number of rooms, guest and nights)".
World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTO) Our mission is to maximise the inclusive and sustainable growth potential of the Travel & Tourism sector by partnering with governments, destinations, communities, and other stakeholders to drive economic development, create jobs, reduce poverty and foster peace, security, and understanding in our world." Updated Pity the "sustainable" bit means unfetted growth rather than sustainable development.

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." Why might Animal Ethics be included here with tourism research resources? Because if you are a wildlife researcher or guide, you need to be aware of these codes and policies.
Agreements, Treaties & Negotiated Settlements Project "Empowering Traditional Owners through information. Our goal is to strengthen Indigenous nation building and share information on agreements between Indigenous peoples and others." Updated Discover the range of agreements with Indigenous peoples, Learn about treaty processes with First Nations in Australia and overseas, Read about recent cases and search ATNS for case summaries, Search for an ILUA, native title determination or RNTBC, and more.
The Australian Heritage Council "...is the principal adviser to the Australian Government on heritage matters. The Council assesses nominations for the National Heritage List, and the Commonwealth Heritage List. The Minister may ask the Council for advice on action that he may take in relation to the List of Overseas Places of Historic Significance to Australia." Find information about National heritage assessments, Nominating a heritage place, Priority assessment lists, Heritage strategies and management plans, Thematic studies, AHC publications, National heritage organisations, International heritage organisations, and more.
Department of Tourism - University of Otago: Centre for Recreation Research Updated Index page with links to research reports. Abstracts, posters and reports available in PDF format.
EQUATIONS "is a research, campaign, and advocacy organisation working on tourism and development issues in India. We collaborate closely with other organisations and peoples movements to encourage people-centered forms of tourism & policies that ensure significant local benefits and take into account the negative impacts of an unbridled growth of tourism." Updated
Great Barrier Marine Park Authority Strategies to manage the Reef Updated "To achieve this protection and sustainable use, we're working with other Australian and Queensland government agencies, industries and the community to implement the Reef 2050 Long-term Sustainability Plan, an overarching framework for Reef management."
New Zealand Tourism research and data "We collect, analyse and publish New Zealand tourism data, along with a range of useful tools and publications."
Tourism Australia "Tourism Australia's corporate website. News and information for Australian tourism businesses and international media."
Tourism and Events Queensland Research and Insights. New "analyses data and conducts research on a variety of aspects of the tourism industry in order to provide data and insight to assist various stakeholders with decision making and strategy development."
Tourism Research Australia "We provide statistics and research to assist the government, tourism industry and Australian businesses." Updated

Africa/Europe

allAfrica.com: Travel "AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 700 news and information items daily from over 140 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Monrovia, Nairobi and Washington DC." Excellent source for African travel industry news and developments.
The European Travel Commission (ETC) "...is the non-profit organisation responsible for the promotion of Europe as a tourist destination in third markets. Our 33 member National Tourism Organisations work together to build the value of tourism for all the beautiful and diverse countries of Europe through cooperation in sharing best practices, market intelligence and promotion." Publications include Handbooks, Market studies and Trends available to download as PDF or watch a video.
European Commission Overview of EU Tourism Policy "EU policy aims to maintain Europe's standing as a leading destination while maximising the industry's contribution to growth and employment and promoting cooperation between EU countries, particularly through the exchange of good practice. The EU's competence in the tourism is one of support and coordination to supplement the actions of member countries."
Visit Britain Updated "As the national tourism agency – a non-departmental public body funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), VisitBritain/VisitEngland plays a unique role in building England's tourism product, raising Britain's profile worldwide, increasing the volume and value of tourism exports and developing England and Britain's visitor economy." Link goes to research and insights page.

The Americas

The Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) This site serves as the research and marketing resource for the Arizona tourism industry and media representatives. Research data, marketing plans and program information regarding the Arizona Office of Tourism's strategic program of work is available throughout this site." Useful Research Resources link page to National and Arizona state tourism, travel and government web sites.
Pure Michigan "...strives to be a resource for the tourism industry in the state of Michigan. Here you'll find the latest tourism industry reports and initiatives, as well as the most up-to-date Travel Michigan program updates."
Cultural Heritage Tourism "Our Mission is to provide a platform for Cultural Heritage and Destination Tourism Professionals to Connect and Share Info on Best Practices – Research & Statistics – Toolkits – Technical & Funding Assistance – Events – Workshops & News." US based with (some broken) links to extensive resources. Still useful despite this.
Destination Canada "Destination Canada provides intelligence, tools and resources that help the Canadian tourism industry reach domestic and international markets." Updated See also Research.
National Travel & Tourism Office (NTTO) Updated "In addition to providing statistics, the NTTO creates a positive climate for growth in travel and tourism by reducing institutional barriers to tourism, administers joint marketing efforts, provides official travel and tourism statistics, and coordinates efforts across federal agencies through the Tourism Policy Council. The Office works to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and increase its exports, thereby creating U.S. employment and economic growth".
"The Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) is a global nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC dedicated to increasing the positive global impact of responsible tourism. CREST provides evidence-based research and analysis to governments, policymakers, tourism businesses, nonprofit organizations, and international agencies to solve the most pressing problems confronting tourism, the world's largest service industry." See also Research. Updated
Yukon Tourism Statistics Updated Find tourism and visitor statistics and reports, in bullet point form, and links to PDF reports.

Tourism Business Toolkits & Tourism Planning Resources

Fighting Food Waste in Hotels World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, came together to work with the hospitality industry on understanding and reducing food waste. Through research and a series of demonstration projects with properties across the country, innovative strategies were identified to engage staff, partners and guests in cutting waste from hotel kitchens.
Participating hotels saw reductions of 10-38% in just 12 weeks. If this scaled across the industry – it would eliminate half a million tons of waste within a year.
How to calculate RevPAR and other hotel performance metrics"Data is incredibly valuable to any hotel or accommodation business. Without it you can't hope to make accurate, informed, or strategic decisions for the benefit of your property. This article will explain everything you need to know about RevPAR and many other popular hotel metrics, so you can start making positive change at your hotel straight away." Valuable resources from Siteminder.
Destination NSW Business Development Resources "...has an extensive range of business development resources available to assist tourism operators and related businesses in the tourism and events industry. The collection is constantly being updated and enhanced in response to industry requests and the availability of new programs and multi-media options". Link index to an excellent range of tourism business development tools and resources.
"The New Zealand Tourism Research Institute,brings together experts in the tourism and hospitality arena. Our goal is to develop timely and innovative research solutions for the tourism industry and those who depend on it. Our focus is on helping to develop a profitable and sustainable industry which provides tangible benefits for business, residents and visitors." Updated
Northumberland Tourism Resources "Northumberland Tourism is the Destination Management Organisation for Northumberland." Resources include Toolkits, FAQs, Facts sheets, research and more.
Toolkit on Poverty Reduction through Tourism "The toolkit outlines the background to poverty reduction approaches and how the 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." Updated Available as a PDF download in English, Español: Français, Bahasa Indonesia, Português, tiéng Viet.‎
Rainforest Alliance's Online Training Platform "Learn about sustainable agriculture and Rainforest Alliance certification in online courses and face-to-face trainings. Connect with trainers and get access to training materials." Updated

Other Tourism Resources

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

American Trails "advances the development of diverse, high quality trails and greenways for the benefit of people and communities." Updated Resource Library. North American focus with excellent resources that should be useful elsewhere.
The Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) – ANPSA – is an association of state and territory based native plant Societies. As such, it caters for people interested in Australia's native flora whether that interest is simple appreciation of the beauty and diversity of the flora or whether it extends to propagation, cultivation and conservation. Updated
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Environment. Updated " Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia's environment."
Hawai'i AgriTourism Association The Hawai'i AgriTourism Association (HATA) is the leading organization and recognized voice that connects the agriculture sector with the visitor industry and residents across Hawai`i for mutual educational and economic development.
Hotel Terms Dictionary: Your Guide to 230+ Industry Acronyms, By Social Tables. New "Submitted by professionals in the hotel and planner side of hospitality, these were the most common hotel terms, acronyms, and abbreviations that professionals need to know." While not as extensive as Dauntless Jaunters below, and with some overlap, there are a few inclusions here that tap a different segment of the hospitality market.
THE Travel Glossary: Ultimate List of Tourism Terms & 300+ Definitions New "Welcome to our extensive tourism and travel glossary! Along with definitions for travel terms and travel-related words and idioms, it’s a full-fledged dictionary on geography, diplomacy, transportation, the hospitality industry, and general travel phrases, vocabulary, and lingo." Published by Dauntless Jaunters, they're not joking. It's an extensive list, with generous descriptions.
Vagabond Globetrotting 3: The Electronic Traveler in the New Millennium Updated “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. The 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.” Published 2004,

Hospitality and Tourism Trade Publications

While there are hard copy and online only publications available in each country or region, these are the web sites for trade publications I find useful for staying up to date with overall industry trends and news. You can become a subscriber, or just sign up to get regular free e-news updates.

Executive Traveller "...is the new global destination for the world's premium travellers. Springboarding from the phenomenal success of Australian Business Traveller, Executive Traveller brings the best coverage of premium travel and lifestyle to an international audience. Sign up to our free newsletter and join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn." Great for keeping up to date with travel and tourism technology, airline and hotel news in particular.
Travel Weekly AU "...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." Great for keeping up with news across various indutry sectors; especially aviation, with new route announcements and safety issues, technology for privacy, security and big data trends, and tourism for everything from PR announcements through to important industry trends.
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. Like Hotel Executive (next), guest columnists offer insight into emerging trends and ideas, although I often find they're not quite as "meaty" as the latter, and serve more as a flag for more research elsewhere if it's a topic of interest.
hotelexecutive.com "HotelExecutive is the hotel industry's leading online business resource for hotel owners and operators, including senior executives, directors, managers, investors and developers. Our website provides best-practice insights on hotel management and operations, as well as one of the largest news release distribution available to this market segment." This description pretty much sums up what this site provides. I'm rarely disappointed with articles I read when I choose to click on the email newsletter link. Even if you're a small operator, you can get many insights and ideas from here.
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". Also see their Hotel Resource Network for full B2B Network sites listings, and sister site Travel Industry Wire for latest global and country travel data. I opted out of their daily emails and now prefer to drop into their twitter feed to stay in touch.
Skift "Skift deciphers and defines trends for global CEOs and CMOs across travel, dining, and wellness sectors through a combination of news, research, conferences, and marketing services." Skift articles offer timely news about trends in travel and hospitality, and are almost always worth the read. While most articles will be valuable, sometimes their summary analysis can appear superficial, and read more like a public relations release than a researched story.

Additional Special Interest / Trade Publications

If you're targeting international markets, it helps to know what the local perspective is. I visit the following web sites occassionally.

Adventure Travel Trade Association News The news feed web site for the Adventure Travel Trade Association. An excellent curated newsfeed for member news, and adventure and outdoor developments. "Our mission is to empower the global travel community to protect natural and cultural capital while creating economic value that benefits both trade members and destinations."
Greek Travel Pages New "Covering news about the Greek travel industry since 1975 through print media. In 2013, we introduced GTP Headlines to the web, bridging the gap between the local industry and those abroad interested in the Greek travel industry, with industry-focused travel news.
Mongabay "News and inspiration from nature's frontline. Mongabay is a non-profit provider of conservation and environmental science news. A nonprofit environmental science and conservation news platform that produces original reporting in English, Indonesian, and Spanish by leveraging over 450 correspondents in some 50 countries. We are dedicated to evidence-driven objective journalism. Our main beats are forests, wildlife, oceans, and the conservation sector. We also undertake special reporting projects, which are deep dives on specific topics and geographies." Brilliant reporting and coverage. If the depressing news gets you down, check out their solutions topic stream for inspiration and hope.
Travel Weekly UK "...provides unrivalled news, analysis and features on the people, products and issues facing the travel industry."
Travel Weekly (TravelWeekly.com) USA. "...are the most influential B2B news resources for the travel industry. Via a multimedia portfolio of products, Travel Weekly and TravelWeekly.com deliver all the late-breaking news, analysis and research that travel professionals need to succeed." US travel trade magazine and web site.

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