People-First Tourism Lab Blog

As People-First Tourism rapidly spreads through North Carolina and is about to expand to different states and countries, developing countries are witnessing the uttermost signs of Human Rights abuses, poverty, lack of primary education, health and other basic living standards advocated by the UN. Tourism could play a crucial part in eradicating all these deficiencies because it holds considerable potential in creating jobs, boosting livelihoods through visitation of natural and cultural resources.   Here in Iran, people are suffering from political issues that directly or indirectly have affected their daily life. Also, government leaders are so conservative in developing systems that may intervene their control over diffusion of information. In addition, lack of availability of information and trust between marginalized groups and city dwellers have led into intense isolation, difficulties and disparities. But presumably, People-First Tourism and its unique IT system coul...

Tzung-Lian Tzeng, Political Science Visiting Scholar, Duke University Gene L. Brothers and Duarte B. Morais, PRTM, North Carolina State University Every year, tens of millions of tourists from all over the world come and visit America. Although the United States economy began to slow significantly in 2007 due to the related financial problems such as real-estate slump and gas prices, the U.S. tourism and travel industry is still a substantial component of U.S. GDP and employment, representing 2.7% of GDP and 7.5 million jobs in 2010 [i] . However, international travel to the United States accounts for a small portion of this industry (16%) [ii] , and our international competitiveness has decreased from 2000 to 2010 (from 17% to 11% of total inbound travel) [iii] . President Obama’s recent executive order proposes the streamlining of non-immigrant visa applications and the processing of visit requests [iv] ; factors that most tourism observers have noted as major constraints limitin...

In People First , Jo Boyden argues that "...sustainable rural development will only be achieved through the efforts of rural people themselves working for the benefit of themselves, their families and, hopefully their communities." (p. xvii).  This very practical book provides a discussion of the causes of poverty; explains why top-down development schemes have been largely ineffective; and provides a road map for participatory rural development projects aiming at producing long-lasting self-reliant development. The invitation is out for you to read this inspiring and informative book and to post comments about ideas or sections that resonated with you and that you might question! Cheers,  Duarte