Soft infrastructure at tourism sites: identifying key issues for Asian tourism from case studies

Abstract

Building on the under-utilized power of case studies, this conceptual review considers information to enhance Asian tourism sites and attractions. Soft infrastructure, defined as the total effect of the hospitality, interpretive and person-to-person encounters, was considered at 16 strategically selected locations drawn from 7 Asian countries. An emic, tourist-oriented perspective was used to appraise the effects of the soft infrastructure. The researchers employed information from academic publications, attraction websites, tourists' reviews and personal visits to identify common cross-site issues. Seven key issues were identified: the importance of emotional labour/sincerity; the value of quality and professionalism; creating understanding and the role of language; the appeal of performance and spectacle; the usefulness of immersion and participation; the power of authentic local voices; and the management of crowding and close encounters. Site and tourist precinct attraction managers can evaluate these issues to better use their tourism assets and create enhanced on-site experiences.

A comparative survey of the condition of tourism infrastructure in Iranian provinces using VIKOR and TOPSIS

“…For example, Ghosal (2013), like many other scholars (e.g. Pearce & Wu, 2015;Hall & Page, 2006), divides tourism infrastructure into hard and soft types, which are in some studies called social and economic sub-sectors (Hope, 2010). The social infrastructure sub-sector is responsible for specific social services, such as the provision of education, information, urban planning, health services, and other social welfare services in a society.…”

“…Thapa (2012) has also added professional human resources to the sub-set of soft infrastructure, emphasizing the human factor as the most important element of infrastructure in developing countries. The factors associated with soft infrastructure and their interplay with hard infrastructure are taken into account in the model proposed by Pearce and Wu (2015) (see Fig. 1).…”

“…In order to systematize the tourism sector within the soft infrastructure, an amalgamation of diverse factors is shaped, including hospitality, interpretation and person-to-person encounters that tourists experience (Pearce & Wu, 2015). Thapa (2012) has also added professional human resources to the sub-set of soft infrastructure, emphasizing the human factor as the most important element of infrastructure in developing countries.…”

“…To accomplish this aim, the indicators proposed by Pearce and Wu (2015) and the data registered in the statistical yearbook of the Statistical Centre of Iran are investigated and analysed. The results can provide part of the data necessary for the future planning and budgeting of the industry in the provinces of Iran.…”

“…Because of the importance of infrastructure in the tourism development, the present research is an attempt to examine the hard elements of tourism infrastructure in different provinces of Iran, using the indicators proposed by Pearce and Wu (2015) [Pearce, P. L. & Wu, M. Y. (2015).…”