Understanding travel behavior using demographic and socioeconomic variables as travel constraints

Samdahl and Jekubovich (1997) view constraints as a subset of reasons for not engaging in a particular behavior. There is limited empirical research on the role of demographic and socioeconomic variables as travel constraints. This study investigates the relationships between a wide range of short and long trip planning and travel behaviors and sociodemographic constraints comprised of age, income and life cycle.

This research uses data generated from a cross-sectional, self-completed survey on travel and tourism which was collected during 2003 and 2004 from 49,105 Australian respondents. This paper utilizes binomial regression to find that age, income and life stage have significant differential and interactive effects on travel behavior. The results show that sociodemographic variables act in different ways to constrain/free different types of travel behavior. Implications are provided for national and state based tourism authorities. There is a need to understand these phenomena. Current research is addressing these issues.

Differences within and between travel preference, planned travel and choice behavior of Australians traveling to Asian and oversea destinations

This study seeks to examine differences in travel preference, travel intention and destination choice behavior of an aggregated set of Australian travelers. Additionally the study seeks to relate income, age, gender, life cycle and life style of Australians to the preference, planning and choice of Asian and overseas destinations. A large representative sample of 49,000 Australian respondents is utilized. Binomial regression is used to profile travelers to Asia and overseas in general. Specific significant variables and differences are highlighted. There are consistent relationships between travel preference, planning and choice and the set of independent variables of income, life cycle and life style. Age nor gender are not consistently related to travel planning or travel choice. It is apparent that a combination of demographics, e.g. age, income and life cycle, combined with life style will provide a more valuable basis for segmentation of Asian and overseas travel markets. The study aims to profile potential Australian tourists thereby making a contribution to tourism knowledge and market segmentation practice.

Medical travel and the sale of human biological materials: suggestions for ethical policy development

The international medical travel industry includes patients seeking to access human biological materials (HBM) including gametes, organs and stem cells. Of the various niche markets, ‘transplant tourism’ has earned global condemnation and efforts to eradicate cross-border trade in organs, while other markets continue to expand. This article reviews the ethical issues raised by medical travel for HBM, in particular those concerning trade in HBM. It argues that a more consistent approach to the regulation of cross-border trade is imperative to ensure that the perils of ‘transplant tourism’ are not replicated in other markets. In addition, it discusses the role of the self-sufficiency model in assisting the development of ethical and practical policies regarding the procurement and use of human biological materials at a national level, thereby minimizing demand for medical travel.

Neoconservatism, US-China conflict, and Australia's 'great and powerful friends' dilemma

Following its time-honoured 'great and powerful friends' foreign policy tradition, Australia has been cultivating close ties simultaneously with the United States and China. Yet, as a rivalry between the two powers apparently looms large, Australia faces an acute dilemma. While the rise of China and the question of Taiwan are often cited as main causes of US-China discord, this article argues that the American neoconservative policy on China, underpinned by a belief in both military strength and moral clarity, is integral to this growing competition and is, by extension, partly responsible for the emergence of Australia's predicament. To avoid such a difficult choice, the article suggests that Australia should strive to curb the policy influence of neoconservatism both in the United States and at home by pursuing a more independent foreign policy, making clear its strategic postures on US-China relations, and helping establish a trilateral strategic forum between Australia, the United States, and China.

A house in history, heritage and tourism : shifting times at Blundell's Cottage, Canberra

The history of history's institutions can offer a gritty context in which to understand historical production. A wide spectrum of influences, from the personal to the intellectual to the political, can be seen at work in shaping the history made and communicated at Blundell's Cottage over the years. Even though it has always been a humble participant in the project of history, its products probably reach some of history's larger audiences. Hence it is worthwhile to review fifty years of historio-museography.

Assessing perceived destination image and brand equity through web 2.0

Social media technologies of Web 2.0 play an increasingly important role in destination brand management practice and the consumer selection of destinations. Consumers freely discuss their travel stories, travel recommendations, travel experiences and attitudes through blogs, forums and social media. This material is read and added to by millions of people and the content has a role in determining the image of a travel destination. Therefore it is critical that destination brand managers understand what is being discussed and written about their destination. What is the content of the Web 2.0 discussions? What are the attributes, associations, experiences, connotations, connections, contexts and ramifications?

Linking attitudes and demographics in a tourist segmentation model : a two-stage approach

Segmentation has been widely studied in tourism research e.g. Dolnicar (2004). Dawley (2006) points that commonly used segmentation variables such as demographics lead to identifiable segments which are not actionable while other useful approaches e.g. psychographics, are actionable but not identifiable. The objective of this paper is to develop a two-stage linkage approach to segmentation whereby cluster analysis using psychographic variables is conducted within demographic group. Demographic groups are selected based on propensity to travel. This research utilizes data generated from a cross-sectional self-completed survey of 49,105 Australian respondents on travel and tourism. The managerial usefulness of this segmentation is assessed. Clearly segments can be directly linked both demographically and psychographically.

Global education, travel and new imaginaries for teachers' work

This study investigated how teachers‘ knowledge and identities are influenced through their experience of travel. Understanding how teachers make meaning from and respond to travel revealed aspects of knowledge creation and identity formation. Set within contexts of globalisation, the study also investigated global education through analysis of changing definitions and meanings by taking an historical stance.
Through qualitative methodology semi-structured interviews were conducted with two teachers who had recently been on a study tour. The other form of data collection included a collection of four ‗travel‘ stories written by the researcher. The social imaginary was the concept employed to explain and analyse the impact of travel on teachers work and lives.

This small case study of three participants provided a depth of responses to the following three research questions.
1. What is global education?
2. How does the experience of travel shape teachers‘ work and identities?
3. How does teachers‘ work reconfigure global education?
The findings from this study revealed that global education has shifted from a position of marginality in curriculum and teaching practices to a more central location in education policies. The analysis of participants‘ responses to travel as a feature of globalisation, revealed new knowledge, additional teaching pedagogies and greater awareness of stereotypes both held and disclosed from students. The practices and thinking described by participants were consistent with calls for greater cosmopolitan teaching.

This study contributed understanding about how teachers embed global imaginaries in their teaching. This in turn builds understanding around how globalisation is reshaping local contexts and individuals‘ thinking and being. The findings challenge global education as a discrete framework and suggest teachers‘ experiences as influential on education now in a global world. The study confirms that globalisation is reshaping educators‘ work and lives towards a global education.

Global education : travel and new imaginaries for teachers' work

This workshop reports on Learning across Latitude - a trans-national collaborative project that joined teacher education students from Australia, Denmark and Malaysia. The project offered a unique opportunity for students to explore concepts and dialogue with their teacher education peers in three countries. Over a two week period, 116 students in 13 forums posted 365 messages into a forum space hosted by Deakin University. 
During week 1, students introduced themselves to each other and discussed their reasons to become teachers, qualities of a good teacher and the issues facing teaching in their country. Because many students life experiences are local in experience such a project expands notions of being a teacher in a global world. Student’s responses to qualities of a good teacher were analysed to build knowledge of global teacher identities.
During week 2 students discussed what it means to be a good citizen in their country. How is citizenship as a concept explained across three countries? In the virtual discussions for Malaysian and Danish students, English was a second language. These forums opened new awareness for all students of the challenges of conversing with English as second language students.
This project illustrated that the changing contexts of education and globalisation means new opportunities and challenges for teacher education at local and global levels. Implications from Learning across Latitudes suggest possibilities for teacher education to build global citizenship, and teacher identities as technology enables such possibilities.

Value relevance of accounting information in China pre- and post-2001 accounting reforms

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate whether the accounting reform in China has improved the relevance of China's accounting information. It seeks to investigate the association between earnings and book value of equity to share returns before and after the introduction of the Accounting System for Business Enterprises (ASBE) in 2001 for A- and A&B-share firms.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs the return regression model. The pre-ASBE period is designated as 1997 through to 2000, and the post-ASBE period is designated as 2002 through to 2004. All firms listed on the Chinese stock market during the investigation period constitute the sample.

Findings – It is found that accounting information better explains share returns for both A-share firms and A&B-share firms in the post-ASBE period. The paper also finds that the book value of equity for A&B-share firms is incrementally value relevant to that of A-share firms in the post-ASBE period.

Research limitations/implications – Further studies will contribute to understanding how governance mechanisms and liquidity influence the association between accounting information and share returns in the Chinese A-share market.

Practical implications – The findings provide empirical evidence regarding the relevance of accounting information in emerging markets.

Originality/value – The paper contributes to the extant value relevance literature by investigating time periods surrounding the issue of ASBE in 2001 in the Chinese stock market.

Lost in Hanoi : disorientation, travel, and urban space

Using a 2010 trip to Hanoi, Vietnam, this article looks at the ways that disorientation is used as a  trope within the urban environment and to create the traveling subject. Suggesting that travel is a form of deliberate disorientation/ orientation, the article focuses on ideas of disorientation within the urban environment and the ways they have been portrayed in Western cultural forms (the flâneur; the dérive) while suggesting these forms are not sufficient to understand the dynamics of travel. Moreover, the article focuses on two forms of travel as disorientation derived from John Zilcosky—the trope of being “lost and found” and that of  “the return.” Finally, the article suggests that Marcus Auge’s idea of non-place is not only a sufficient way of conceptualizing contemporary notions of travel, but is also an indicator of something beyond its scope—that of globalization.