Inclusive Growth for Tourism Competitiveness

Dear colleagues,

Inclusive growth is a concept that advances equitable opportunities for tourism stakeholders, with benefits incurred by tourism development. Sustainable tourism development requires inclusive growth.

Today's dynamic global environment, where the tourism crisis (e.g., natural disasters, pandemics, and socio-political situations) is a new normal, may be unpredictable and high impact. Demographic changes such as longer life expectancies are also significant concerns for modulating financial security, social welfare, and health needs in many countries. Baby boomers are entering retirement; the opportunities and/or change in population have profound implications for tourism activities, both from a tourist behaviour and from an industry perspective. The Millennial and Z generations are also different from the older generations and make up the fastest-growing segment of the workforce and tourism markets.

In response to these unexpected shifts and demographic transitions, new strategies and guidelines should be considered for creating value shared between social needs and company needs. In recent years, “inclusive growth” has attracted significant attention from governments, policymakers, international organizations, and researchers to cope with the numerous problems and limitations of former tourism developments and tourist behaviours. Inclusive growth efforts in tourism will need to be agile to benefit stakeholders' full spectrum of needs at various economic and social development stages. Growth needs to be sustainable, inclusive, and cohesive, and it should deliver prosperity for tourism competitiveness across the whole world.

Inclusion, disability, the aging population, and the marginalized people in tourism and leisure are increasingly important research areas due to the implications for tourism supply and demand, and enhancing tourism competitiveness. Tourism competitiveness can be defined as capabilities to establish a sustainable tourism system and induce inclusive growth through collecting tourism resources, creating tourism value, and implementing effective tourism policies in counties or provinces. In this context, this Special Issue seeks to shed further light on the main components of inclusive growth for tourism competitiveness.

Studies on the following topics are welcome for this Special Issue:

• The concepts/issues of inclusive growth for tourism competitiveness;
• The factors of tourism competitiveness from the perspective of inclusive growth;
• Inclusive growth in tourism development;
• Inclusion, disability, the aging population, and tourism/leisure;
• Human rights, corporate social responsibility, and accessible tourism;
• Residents’ quality of life and inclusive tourism development;
• Millennials, Generation Z, and youth tourism;
• Tourism competitiveness and the means of alternative, responsible, fair, and/or sustainable tourism;
• The association between tourism/leisure activities and well-being in marginalized groups within society.

Prof. Dr. Chulwon Kim
Prof. Dr. Hyejin Yoon
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• tourism competitiveness
• sustainable tourism development
• inclusive growth
• corporate social responsibility
• responsible tourism
• fair tourism
• community-based tourism
• tourism and residents' quality of life
• senior tourism
• youth tourism (Millennials and Generation Z)
• accessible tourism
• inclusive tourism and leisure activities