Is Edu-Tourism a Sustainable Option? A Case Study of Residents’ Perceptions

Abstract

In studies of the impact of tourism, considerable attention has been given to the attitudes and perceptions of host communities toward tourism. However, most of these studies have focused on tourism in general and on sporadic alternative tourism in particular. This study aims to fill a gap in the research literature by examining residents’ perceptions of the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental sustainability of edu-tourism. It contributes to the limited literature on edu-tourism and to that on residents’ perceptions of tourism in small island developing states. A sample of 300 (N = 300) residents was surveyed in the city of Famagusta in Northern Cyprus to investigate residents’ attitudes toward the sustainability of edu-tourism. ANOVA and Cramér’s V tests were applied to analyze the perceptions of residents of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of edu-tourism. The influence of the socio-demographic characteristics of the residents on their perceptions and attitudes was of these issues was also examined. The study revealed that there is a variety of attitudes among residents toward the sustainability of edu-tourism and that, although residents are generally positive about edu-tourism, attitudes toward its social and environmental sustainability are mixed.

Assessing the State of ICZM in an Island Tourist Destination—Applying SESs and Ostrom’s Collective Action Principles: A View from Coastal Communities

“…A concentration of population along shorelines and coastal regions is not limited to island states. Small and Nicholls [84,85] (p. 584) highlighted that 'it is well known that the land areas adjacent to the world's shorelines are associated with large and growing concentrations of human population, settlements and socioeconomic activities, including many of the world's large cities. This implies a high exposure to hazards and significant human-induced changes to a range of natural processes'.…”

Social Media as a Catalyst for the Enhancement of Destination Image: Evidence from a Mediterranean Destination with Political Conflict

“…The rapid economic growth and higher standard of living that has been achieved in the north during the last two decades is the result of the contribution of Turkey through infrastructural, technological, and financial means. Turkey's contribution manifested in north Cyprus's achievement as the international educational hub and a formidable Edu-tourism destination [34,[42][43][44]. North Cyprus's political problem that hampers its tourism sector is not an isolated case.…”

Motivational Facets, Edu-Tourist and Institutional Physiognomies, And Destination Selection Behaviour in An Augmented S-O-R Model: A Conceptual Review

“…Past literature has mentioned the importance of each element in educational tourism connected to sustaining the ecosystem of educational tourism. One of the important reasons is international educational tourist behavior (Ojo & Yusof, 2020;Alipour, Fatemi & Malazizi, 2020). According to Alipour et al (2020), educational tourists refer to international students who cross borders for the sole purpose of the study and do not hold the same nationality as the host country.…”

“…One of the important reasons is international educational tourist behavior (Ojo & Yusof, 2020;Alipour, Fatemi & Malazizi, 2020). According to Alipour et al (2020), educational tourists refer to international students who cross borders for the sole purpose of the study and do not hold the same nationality as the host country. International students also benefit the local economy by spending money on transportation, trips to specific sites, restaurants, and local food while living and studying abroad (Nugroho & Soeprihanto, 2016).…”

“…The authors concluded that educational tourists rely heavily on other customers' past experiences and opinions when choosing a destination in educational tourism settings. Moreover, Alipour et al (2020) stated that in the current pandemic situation, it is crucial to evaluate the consequence of usage and implementation of innovative technologies that help reduce the physical appearance of the educational tourists on campus to endure the sustainability of educational tourism holistically. Future research on visitors' attitudes to tourism destinations is crucial at this time from a tourism management perspective (Hadinejad et al, 2021).…”