This unique and thoughtful book considers the tourism specialization, economic growth, and tourism competitiveness of a very specific type of tourism: small islands practicing warm water island tourism. This new book thoroughly examines the phenomenon of why some small island destinations have been more successful than others. The main premise applied is that success and survival of small island tourism hinges on resolving the mystery regarding the relationship between competitiveness and quality of life. In addressing this question, the book reviews four relevant and interconnected concepts: tourism, competitiveness, quality of life, and scale (or size). In doing so, the book enhances understanding of the potential of tourism for the improvement of the quality of life of the residents of small islands. In the last chapter of the book, the author assesses the impact of COVID-19 on tourism and specifically its ramifications for small island destinations. Whether small island populations can rise from beneath the COVID -19 burden that threatens their economic future is yet to be seen. Small Island and Small Destination Tourism: Overcoming the Smallness Barrier for Economic Growth and Tourism Competitiveness is written from a sustainable perspective that combines tourism dynamics, development, competitiveness, quality of life, and business. As such, it is aimed at a broad but higher-level audience including graduate students, academicians and researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and international organizations.

Over the past three decades, tourism has emerged as a major force in the global economy, with most countries, whether developed or developing, having increasing opportunities to participate, as both host and guest, in this socioeconomic phenomenon. Competition for a share of the tourism market has intensified as rapid tourism developments have been undertaken by various destinations in an attempt to reap those economic benefits from one of the world's leading industries. The growth in tourism has propelled significant changes in the way in which destinations are managed and marketed. The challenge for many small island destinations is how to become or remain competitive. It is against this background that destination marketing has assumed the critical role of ensuring that the destination lifecycle does not enter into a stage of saturation and decline, and the destination is able to adapt to the changing marketplace, seize opportunities and sustain its vitality.This book takes a holistic approach and considers marketing from a macro perspective, from the view of the destination.

Islands are the most vulnerable and fragile of tourism destinations and will experience even more pressure as the combined impacts of economic, social and environmental change accelerate in the future. In order to understand the process of island tourism development, response to change and challenges and their journey to sustainability, this book provides insights and instruction on topics including social, cultural, environmental and economic aspects of island tourism. It contains essential information for policymakers, planners, researchers, managers and operators within the tourism industry.

Many of the world's islands are dependent on tourism as their main source of income. It is therefore imperative that these destinations are managed for long-term viability. The natural appeal of a destination is typically one of its main tourism related assets, yet the natural environment is also the feature most directly threatened by potential overexploitation. Sustainable Tourism in Island Destinations builds on existing literature in the subject by providing innovative discussions and practical management structures through the use of the authors' various island project work. An original feature is the focus on islands which are part of larger nations, rather than just on island sovereign states. Through an illustrated case study approach, the book focuses on the successes and challenges islands face in achieving sustainable tourism. The authors put forward innovative mechanisms such as multi-stakeholder partnerships and incentive-driven non-regulatory approaches as ways that the sustainability agenda can move forward in destinations that face specific challenges due to their geography and historic development. The case studies - from Canada, St Kitts, Honduras, China, Indonesia, Spain, Tanzania and Thailand - provide the foundation which suggests that alternative approaches to tourism development are possible if they retain sustainability as a priority.

This book aims to clarify the present situation of the relations between small island countries and territories on the one hand and the great powers, mainland areas, and mega-islands on the other, and explores how small island countries and territories preserve and build their identity under globalization. This book is divided into five parts. The first part presents papers on issues that are related to Okinawa: the American military presence, the formation of a global human network, and the history of and language revitalization in Okinawa. The second part includes papers on security in East Asia and the Pacific Region: the history of and present issues in international relations within the South and East China Sea areas. The third part presents papers on economic issues and social developments on small islands. The fourth part deals with ocean policies and marine resource management in the Pacific Region by the United States, Australia, and Japan. Finally, the fifth part presents papers on the revitalization of three indigenous languages. All the chapters of the book are based on the achievements of the research project “Towards New Island Studies: The Ryukyus as an academic node between East Asia and Oceania” conducted by the International Institute for Okinawan Studies at the University of the Ryukyus. This 5-year project was funded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and aimed to contribute academically to the creation of sustainable and self-determinable societies in small island regions. This work will be extremely useful and informative for readers in small island countries and territories and for researchers who are interested in small island issues to understand the current situation and who wish to consider effectual and feasible solutions.

Warm-water islands are a cohesive group of islands distinguished by their geography and remoteness, history as former colonial territories, and dependence on external stakeholders for their economic and social development. Warm-water island destinations also have a year-round tourism industry. These island tourism destinations are facing unprecedented adjustment challenges in the wake of increasing globalization and susceptibility to external shocks, and are in search of appropriate policy responses to that globalization. It is critical for small islands to understand how these challenges affect tourism performance and how they impact their residents. Tourism Management in Warm-water Island Destinations unearths the critical aspects that contribute to tourism development and growth in islands. Particular emphasis is placed on destinations such as the Caribbean, with lessons learned that are applicable to other island tourism contexts in the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and the Pacific. This book provides a platform for emerging systemic perspectives of the various aspects of island tourism, with the view that strategies for the management and development of tourism in island environments can be improved and will be of interest to those studying and researching within destination management.

This is the first book to address the concept of resilience and its specific application and relevance to tourism, in particular tourism destinations. Resilience relates to the ability of organisms, communities, ecosystems and populations to withstand the impacts of external forces while retaining their integrity and ability to continue functioning. It is particularly applicable to tourism destinations and attractions which are exposed to the potentially harmful and sometimes severe effects of tourism development and visitation, but which also can experience increased resilience from the economic benefits of tourism. Tourism and Resilience is relevant for researchers, students and practitioners in tourism and related fields such as development studies, geography, sociology, anthropology, economics and business/management. Phenomena such as destination communities, wildlife populations and ecosystems are discussed, as well as the ability of places and communities to use tourism and its infrastructure to recover from disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, unrest and disease.