Objectives

Work Packages and Objectives

The general research objective of the project is to examine, understand and translate into theoretical approaches, empirical observations and practical conversations, the processes through which destinations are responding to the challenges of global change (and in particular to climate change and the de-carbonization of the productive system), in terms of mitigating its effects, transforming socio-spatial dynamics, changing mobility regimes, and the enhancing of social justice with the aim of increasing resilience.

From a methodological perspective, the research will unleash the potential of such dimensions by integrating them in different Work Packages (WP). This necessitates a rethinking of existing concepts and models available for studying destination evolutionary (and in some cases metamorphic) transformation (WP2) under current global transition dynamics (WP1). It includes analysis of the main policy transitions that tourism destinations are undergoing: information technology tools related to digital data analysis, deployment of a new communication strategies and the setting of new governance agendas for reinforcing resilience and sustainability (WP3). Finally, the project also includes transversal activities aiming to monitor ethics and gender issues and increase its broader social and academic impact (WP4).

Listed briefly, clearly, precisely and realistically and taking into account that a project will be carried out during four years, 10 objectives are set out in four Work Packages. The PI responsible for WP1 and WP3 (Objectives 1, 6, 7 and 8) as well as Objective 10 of WP4 is Salvador Anton Clavé, while the PI responsible for WP2 (Objectives 2, 3, 4 and 5) and Objective 9 of WP4 is Aaron Gutiérrez.

WP 1. Identification of the emerging global drivers of transformation affecting local complex destinations vulnerability and resilience. Development of analytical frameworks for empirical research. PI: S. Anton Clavé

Objective 1: To assess the vulnerability of destinations in response to global change drivers and the challenges of a low-carbon transition.

Activity 1: To link, at a conceptual level, global change drivers, uncovering the meaning and dimensions of vulnerability which can hinder the viability of response strategies in tourism destinations across different scales.

WP 2. Analysis of different processes of destination transformation triggered by global changes. Identification of mitigation/transition strategies, local impacts and response frameworks. PI: A. Gutiérrez

Objective 2: To evaluate dynamics of socio-spatial balance in the transformation of destinations.

Activity 2. Analysis of the potential socio-spatial transformation of complex destinations to increase its adaptability and frame the path to resilience.

Objective 3: To analyse the reconfiguration of tourism mobilities in a context of global mobilities redefinition.

Activity 3. Measure the reconfiguration of mobilities and changes in the tourists’ spatial behaviour and identify emerging challenges for a more sustainable, equitable and healthy transport system in destinations.

Objective 4: To determine the vulnerability of complex tourist destinations to climate change and monitoring of adaptive and mitigation strategies.

Activity 4. Analysis of tourism destinations responses (mitigation and adaptation) in response to the climate emergency, to minimise their vulnerability

Activity 5. Analysis of the evolution and relationship between tourism wellbeing, prosperity and social inclusion in the context of global changes and local transitions and responses.

WP 3. Assessment of different agency tools in the technological, communication and governance domains that may produce substantial variations in destination vulnerability and resilience. Evaluation of co-evolutionary path-place-based responses. PI: S. Anton Clavé

Objective 6: To assess the development of smart systems in order to cope with the challenges of global transformations at local level.

Activity 6. Assess to what extent the smart systems implemented in tourism destinations have improved the efficiency in the management of global challenges (WP1) and consequent transformations (WP2).

Objective 7: To analyse the strategies by which destination communicate new policies applied handling rapid transformation processes.

Activity 7. Analyse how destinations, cities or territories manage the communication of changes observed and policies implemented, to manage the transformation of destinations as reported in WP2, and analyse customer communications policies, with the aim to identify co-creation processes of place image and the destination brand positioning.

Objective 8: To define visions, metrics and tools to assess resilience of complex destinations in the face of global change and to design and new systems of governance which are fit to increase adaptability.

Activity 8. Provide a grounded examination of the adaptability as ‘capacity of response’ of tourist destinations to global change drivers. It is based on an examination of the meaning, regimes, normative dimensions of destination resilience, in a context of multi-agent, multi-sectoral, and multi-scalar complexity.

WP 4. Project social responsibility, impact evaluation, academic dissemination and knowledge transfer. PI: S. Anton Clavé and Aaron Gutiérrez

Objective 9: To assess project ethics and gender perspectives of all research activities in a transversal manner.

Activity 9. Define, monitor and review the Ethics Procurement and Gender Analysis of all project activities and outputs.

- Activity 10. Review the social impact of the project. - Activity 11. Develop and apply a knowledge transfer action plan in a transversal manner. - Activity 12. Produce, publish and disseminate research results through academic publications and means.