Rank

Pressing Issues

Poll

1

Global Warming and Sustainability Issues

26

2

Safety, Security and Crisis Management (ex. terrorism, bird flu, SARS, crime, natural disasters, etc)

16

3

Emerging Asian markets: <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />China and India as a future driver of tourism. - The UNWTO predicts it will become the world's largest source of outbound tourism by 2020 and also the world's leading destination.

13

4

Political and legal frameworks (The political economy and international relations of tourism)

10

5

e-Tourism (The changing means for purchasing travel, Use of the internet, etc) Rapidly growing demand from developing third world nations i.e. India and China

9

6

Globalization and concentration: Impact of Globalization (world’s economy) on Tourism

8

7

Changing Tourism Supply & Products (ex. Quality Tourism Products and Experiences, Low quality Product Development Directors etc)

5

7

Aging population and accessibility (Age differentials and population growth across the globe)

5

7

Tourism Education and Training (The role of education/training/information for tourists)

5

7

Competition in Airline industry (ex. Airlines are likely to become a low-cost industry, The boom of no-frills airlines, Airline alliances)

5

11

Cultural and Heritage Tourism

4

11

Partnerships and Strategic Alliances in Tourism

4

11

Tourism marketing (i.e. Personalization and niche marketing , relationship marketing, database marketing)

4

11

Mega Mass Tourism and its Restructuring - More massive cruise ships impacting port authorities and destinations, bigger casinos in major gaming destinations, increasing amusement parks and simulated attractions to divert masses of tourists, the new monster Airbus A380, plus forecasts for ever increasing numbers of planes and passengers, overcrowded airports, and spewing carbon dioxide.

4

11

Ethics and their Relationship to Global Tourism Issues

4

16

Dark Tourism

3

16

Rapid Growth of Business Travel

3

18

Human Resource Issues - The predicted growth of tourism requires qualified staff. Where are we going to find them?

2

18

Information and communication in tourism (Emphasis on timely communication of accurate information to mitigate negative impacts on destinations.)

2

18

Social and economic implications of tourism on the local population (esp. in developing countries)

2

18

Effects of immigration/emigration on international travel patterns

2

18

Effects of the price of fuel on the distance/frequency of travel

2

23

Sport tourism (i.e. positive and negative impacts)

1

23

Traveler/Tourist Rights (ex. cruise passenger crime victims and airline passenger abuse by airlines, privacy and security issues)

1

23

The existing theories/models of tourist behaviors and motivations, sociology and psychology of tourism in general, which are largely built on the samples of the "west".

1

23

Service standards and models of tourism businesses, which have been so far largely driven by the demands of the tourists from the developed nations.

1

23

Travel has become more activity-interest based rather than destination- based

1

23

Travel agents transform themselves into travel consultants

1

23

Polarization of tastes and travel spending

1

23

Competition and cooperation among destinations for inbound tourists

1

23

Ubiquitous Icts (Inclusive conducted tour)

1

23

Destination Importance

1

23

Changing Tourist Demands

1

23

Destruction tourism

1

23

Comparing university student professional preparation for employment in different nations

1

23

Employment outcomes of university degrees, comparing results from different types of departments (geography, strictly tourism, hospitality, recreation)

1

23

The challenge of finding consensus for tourism development among all stakeholders

1

23

Space Tourism

1