Hospitality & Tourism

Advances in Hospitality and Tourism

Small Island and Small Destination Tourism
Overcoming the Smallness Barrier for Economic Growth and Tourism Competitiveness

Robertico Croes, PhD

Small Island and Small Destination Tourism

Published. Available now.
Pub Date: June 2022
Hardback Price: see ordering info
Hard ISBN: 9781774637234
Paperback Price: see ordering info
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-77463-735-7
E-Book ISBN: 978-1-4987-3271-0
Pages: 278pp w/index
Binding Type: hardback / paperback / ebook
Series: Advances in Hospitality and Tourism
Notes: 3 color and 3 b/w illustrations


Reviews
“It is a pleasure to recommend this book to its readers. . . . There are few better qualified to pen such a text as this on small islands and other similar small destinations than Robertico Croes. . . . We are fortunate in having such an expert to guide us through the paradoxical and complex relationships as to how small destinations, often perceived by tourists as an escape from a globalized world into a retreat of peaceful land- and seascapes, can also be full members of the developed world making as much social and economic progress as their larger neighbors. . . . While engaged in technical issues, the book is written in an easily accessible style, and the non-economists will find it easy enough to negotiate their way through the various arguments.”
—From the Foreword by Chris Ryan, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

“Although often small in size, islands make a disproportionately large contribution to international tourism where policies of economic specialization have endured for decades. Authored by an ‘islander’ with both political and academic acumen, this timely contribution offers a thoughtful, engaging, and provocative insight into the future of islands and the means by which the tourism specialization hypothesis will continue to serve as the platform for their future competitiveness.”
—Dr. Alan Fyall, Visit Orlando Endowed Chair of Tourism Marketing, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida

“One of the first attempts to move beyond descriptive analysis of tourism in small islands by developing a tourism specialization hypothesis based on a solid rigorous review and extension of existing applicable economic theory to better understand the relationship between tourism in small island destinations and the wider socioeconomic environment. . . . After defining specialization, Croes puts forward his tourism specialization hypothesis, noting it is a dynamic process, bringing together supply and demand, societal learning, and openness to overcome any smallness barriers in achieving economic growth and prosperity. This book will challenge some of your existing thinking in this area.”
— Dr. Stephen Pratt, Professor & Head of School, School of Tourism & Hospitality Management, The University of the South Pacific, Headquarters & Laucala Campus, Fiji

“Dr. Robertico Croes is professor at Rosen College (USA), an expert in tourism economics, human development, poverty, and destination management with a special interest in islands and developing economies. His experience in recent years has allowed to have a critical vision, but at the same time reflective and deep strategic vision, of how the islands should approach their developments and competitiveness. The book proposes an acute and intelligent approach on the tourism specialization in the islands, which analyze the reality of these territories and their needs. . . . This magnificent book has an agile and entertaining critique, with the possibility of educating in the analysis of island spaces and their developments.”
—Dr. Eduardo Parra López, Profesor de Organización de Empresas; Economía Digital y Turismo, Profesor Invitado (Visiting Scholar) Universidad Del Valle Guatemala (UVG), Universidad de La Laguna, Dpto Dirección de Empresas e Historia Económica, Spain

“I am excited about this text by Professor Robertico Croes. The book excavates and ignites the latency in knowledge creation on such a critical subject. The book appeals to me through 3 lenses: 1. As a tourism academic 2. As the former CEO of Jamaica’s Tourism Development Agency and 3. As a national living in a small Island developing state (SIDS). From these perspectives, Croes provokes deep thought about a myriad of issues and provides a call to action in the midst of complexity. He does this in a way that demystifies nuances related to SIDS as he skillfully weaves together theory and praxis that will cause SIDS to recognize that no longer can their physical size be allowed to dwarf the enormity of their thinking. It is a line by line, page by page riveting read!”
—Andrew Spencer, PhD, Professor of Tourism Development, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica



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.

Visit the Youtube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hllyfoSkriE

CONTENTS:
Foreword by Chris Ryan, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

Preface

1. Rethinking Smallness and Openness

2. The Tourism Specialization Hypothesis

3. The Tourism Development Model

4. Tourism Angst and Demand Push

5. Tourism Specialization and Economic Growth

6. Constitutional Economics: Blasé?

7. Maintaining the Growth Momentum

8. Upending Scale

Index


About the Authors / Editors:
Robertico Croes, PhD
Professor of Tourism Economics and Management, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida

Dr. Robertico Croes is Editor of the Rosen Research Review and Professor at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. He has authored five books, including Small Island and Small Destination Tourism, issued more than 100 published works, contributed to more than twenty books, and emitted more than 30 industry reports. Professor Croes served as the Director of the Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies for 14 years, and for more than ten years as a university administrator in the capacity of Associate Dean of the Rosen College for over six years, Tourism, Event and Attractions Department Chair, and Hospitality Services Interim Chair. His expertise is in tourism economics, human development, poverty and tourism management with special interest in small and developing economies. Dr. Croes has lectured and made presentations on these topics throughout the world, including Armenia, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Bonaire, Ecuador, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Grenada, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Bonaire, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela, among others. His research has been presented in predominant industry and research conferences around the world, including Cyprus, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turkey. Dr. Croes has also consulted in numerous countries, including Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Brazil, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Grenada, Italy, and the United States. Dr. Croes has a significant funding record and is recognized as the most prominent UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management faculty member for his track record on acquiring approximately $10 million in external grants, gifts, donations, and continued educational programs. He has chaired numerous graduate students’ thesis and dissertation committees. Dr. Croes has worked as principal investigator in the development of numerous tourism master plans in small islands and developing countries. He has published in world renowned academic journals, such as Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research, Tourism Economics, International Journal of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, and International Journal of Hospitality Management. He has served on the editorial boards of 12 academic journals. Dr. Croes is the recipient of numerous research awards (e.g., 2015 Thea Sinclair Award, the 2015 UCF Research Incentive Award [RIA], 2015 Best Graduate Student Research Paper, amongst others).  He serves as the Tourism Strategist and Advisor in Bonaire. Dr. Croes received his doctorate from the University of Twente, the Netherlands. His dissertation focused on quantitative modeling of tourism demand and tourism development and government intervention. In his previous career, Dr. Croes was the Minister of Economic Affairs and Tourism, and Finance in Aruba.  He was a member of Aruba’s Parliament and Director Department of Aruba Foreign Affairs. He has also served as the Chair of the Dutch-Aruban Cultural Commission and was the Vice President of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. He was Deputy Secretary-General of the Christian Democratic Organization for the Americas and a member of the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino). Dr. Croes has over 40 years of tourism and foreign affairs experience.




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