Currently, faculty members from the Event & Tourism Institute (ETI) are working on three research studies focused on Sustainable Travel and Community-Based Tourism. Below are a summary of the three projects.
Please reach out to Drs. Amanda Cecil (akcecil@iu.edu) or Becky Liu-Lastres (bliulas@iu.edu) for more information or to collaborate on a research initiative.
Summary:
The tourism and travel industries are eager to return to pre-pandemic tourist numbers and travel spend. The young generations, specifically Gen Y and Z, play an important role in the tourism market and often assume a sustainable mindset. In turn, sustainable tourism development and "green" travel practices are increasingly necessary. The main purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework to understand and compare the young generations' attitudes and behaviors related to sustainable travel, with a specific focus on their sustainable travel motivations. The results of this study can be used in many interdisciplinary fields of study and generate conversation in multiple disciples (i.e., sociology, business marketing, consumer behavior, sustainability and tourism). The intent is also to provide suggestions for destinations to promote sustainable travel best practices and encourage more travelers to make intentional, sustainable choices.
Summary:
Community-based tourism (CBT) is a popular initiative that has been widely used for sustainable tourism development, especially among emerging destinations. The natural association between sustainable development goals (SDG) and tourism is highlighted by the United Nations Agenda 2030 and noted in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework, where tourism has been marked as a key pathway to achieving SDGs. This study is guided by the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, a theoretical framework that critically evaluates the contribution of a development method to various community assets. By inquiring about their experiences related to CBT, sustainable development, livelihood development, eco-tourism, and perceptions of justice and equity, the findings of this study will be able to provide a comprehensive understanding of CBT's contribution to an emerging destination. The findings of this study will also lead to the development of a collaborative, sustainable tourism development model and provide important practical implications for policymakers, communities, and practitioners in CBT and sustainable tourism development.
Summary:
This study aims to provide insights into connecting college students' study abroad experiences and commitment to sustainable practices. It is based on the transformative learning theory and adopts an experience sampling method. The project will review and compare the study abroad experiences of different groups of students (e.g., minority and first-generation college students) and different programs (e.g., environmental, cultural, and scientifically-focused) through the lens of sustainability. Previous literature has documented the general benefits of study abroad programs, such as greater knowledge and cultural awareness. These scopes are consistent with the concept of sustainability, but little is known regarding how these experiences affect students' continuous commitment to sustainability. This study will not only help educators enhance the benefits of study abroad programs but also offer suggestions on how to transform students' experiences into changing their behavior toward daily practices of sustainability efforts.