An empirical analysis of the effects of the exchange rate on Canadian tourism

The effects of depreciation of the Canadian dollar on the Canadian tourist industry are estimated, and it is shown that the exchange rate had a modest impact in attracting U. S. visitors to Canada. However, the favorable exchange rate effects seem to be offset by other factors.

Price dynamics, foreign exchange and anticipated shocks in a tourism economy

Using a dynamic model of an open monetary economy, this paper examines the effects of tourism-related anticipated shocks on goods prices and foreign exchange reserves. Foreign tourists consume mainly non-traded goods in holiday destinations, converting them into exportable goods. This gives rise to a tourism terms-of-trade effect that affects the accumulation of foreign exchange. Announcements of anticipated events bring tourist visits forward, resulting in an initial under-adjustment or an over-adjustment in the prices of the non-traded goods when the tourism terms-of-trade effect is positive or negative. This leads to an increase or a decrease in foreign reserves in the long run.

Knowledge exchange in the Pacific : The TROPIC (translational research into obesity prevention policies for communities) project

Background
Policies targeting obesogenic environments and behaviours are critical to counter rising obesity rates and lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Policies are likely to be most effective and enduring when they are based on the best available evidence. Evidence-informed policy making is especially challenging in countries with limited resources. The Pacific TROPIC (Translational Research for Obesity Prevention in Communities) project aims to implement and evaluate a tailored knowledge-brokering approach to evidence-informed policy making to address obesity in Fiji, a Pacific nation challenged by increasingly high rates of obesity and concomitant NCDs.
Methods
The TROPIC project draws on the concept of ‘knowledge exchange’ between policy developers (individuals; organisations) and researchers to deliver a knowledge broking programme that maps policy environments, conducts workshops on evidence-informed policy making, supports the development of evidence-informed policy briefs, and embeds evidence-informed policy making into organisational culture. Recruitment of government and nongovernment organisational representatives will be based on potential to: develop policies relevant to obesity, reach broad audiences, and commit to resourcing staff and building a culture that supports evidence-informed policy development. Workshops will increase awareness of both obesity and policy cycles, as well as develop participants’ skills in accessing, assessing and applying relevant evidence to policy briefs. The knowledge-broking team will then support participants to: 1) develop evidence-informed policy briefs that are both commensurate with national and organisational plans and also informed by evidence from the Pacific Obesity Prevention in Communities project and elsewhere; and 2) collaborate with participating organisations to embed evidence-informed policy making structures and processes. This knowledge broking initiative will be evaluated via data from semi-structured interviews, a validated self-assessment tool, process diaries and outputs.
Discussion
Public health interventions have rarely targeted evidence-informed policy making structures and processes to reduce obesity and NCDs. This study will empirically advance understanding of knowledge broking processes to extend evidence-informed policy making skills and develop a suite of national obesity-related policies that can potentially improve population health outcomes.

Exchange rate regime choice : some determinants and consequences

This thesis establishes that exchange rate regime choice is persistent for low-income and high-income countries. It also confirms the crucial role of capital account openness, financial development and product diversification as possible determinants of regime choice. Moreover, the thesis provides strong evidence that exchange rate regime influences fiscal discipline directly and through interaction with trade openness.

Exchange

EXCHANGE was curated by Liza McCosh and highlighted the practice of Beijing artist Zhou Mian and Melbourne artist Denise Keele-bedford who spends several months each year creating and exhibiting her artwork in China.  The exhibition comprised a body of politically based paintings from Zhou Mian executed in a traditional Western style alongside the mixed media artworks from Keele-bedford which had an obvious Eastern influence.