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During the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism slowed down as the world went into lockdown. This pause in tourism provides a unique opportunity to analyze the environmental and socioeconomic effects of tourism by comparing tourism participation levels before, during, and after the pandemic restrictions. We examined tourism in Iceland, an island nation in the Arctic where international tourists vastly outnumber residents. Specifically, we systematically analyzed the materials, energy, tourist, and information flows, as well as the causes, effects, and agents of tourism in Iceland using the framework of telecoupling (human-nature interactions over distances). Results show that the U.S., U.K., and Nordic countries sent the highest numbers of tourists to Iceland. Flows of tourists to Iceland were tracked based on international flights and cruise ships, with Iceland’s tourism industry returning close to pre-pandemic levels in 2022 for air arrivals, while cruise ship tourism was slower in returning to pre-pandemic levels. Agents in the Icelandic tourism industry include government entities, local businesses, tour operators, and many others. There are diverse causes for tourism in Iceland, such as the demand for nature-based tourism and a cooler climate. International tourism in Iceland had both substantial environmental effects (CO2 emissions, damage to sensitive areas, etc.) and socioeconomic effects (e.g., increases in GDP and jobs). Many effects also spillover to the rest of the world as increases in CO2 emissions contribute to global climate change. Tourism is also expected to continue increasing after Iceland’s 2022 marketing launch of “Iceland Together in Progress.” Since Iceland has had such a strong tourism rebound, other countries around the world (especially other Arctic countries) that are looking to increase their tourism can gain insights from Iceland. However, it is important to make tourism more sustainable (e.g., reduction in CO2 emissions).
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International Tourism Dynamics in a Globalized World: A Social Network Analysis Approach
A complex network of tourism has emerged in the globalized world, but there is little research on the dynamics of global tourism networks and the underlying forces that affect those dynamics. Using international tourism data for 124 countries between 2000 and 2013, we integrated cluster analyses and social network models to identify the structures of global tourism networks and uncover factors affecting changes in international tourist flows. Results indicate that global tourism networks have become highly consolidated over time and that reduced transaction costs (e.g., language, distance, and visa policies) are more important in attracting international tourists than natural and cultural attractions. Furthermore, cost of living differences between countries decreased in importance over time. Finally, international tourist flows are resilient to political instability and terrorism risks. Our approach and findings highlight the key strategic factors for decision-making to implement proactive tourism policies.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1924111
- PAR ID:
- 10194534
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Travel Research
- Volume:
- 59
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 0047-2875
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 387 to 403
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287519844834
