The Perceptions of Small Business Owners on Tourism Development in the Blackstone Valley, Rhode Island

Samuel MENDLINGER, Masaki MIYAKE, Robert BILLINGTON

Boston University, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/jssm.2009.23017                

Abstract

The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council (BVTC), a state designated council to promote tourism in the Blackstone Valley, Rhode Island, has led tourism development efforts for two decades to revitalize the economics and livability of place. This study examines the perception of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in juxtaposition to the macro-regional level of tourism development as lead by the BVTC. Local SMEs foresee business opportunities via tourism, yet often do not fully recognize their potential role within it. Local government and the notion of civic tourism are also examined to further understand this gap. The study concludes that local community involvement still remains in the realm of participation rather than empowerment. Thus, the BVTC is being sought for a more innovative and strategic role to develop and manage tourism assets instead of the implementer role traditional tourism organizations engage in.

Keywords

SMEs, communication, BVTC, tourism development strategy

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Michael, E. J. (2006). Developing cluster. In E. J. Michael (Ed.), Micro clusters and networks: the growth of tourism, Kidlington, United Kingdom: Elsevier, Ltd., 21-32.
[2]	Crouch, G. I. & Ritchie, J. R. B. (1999). Tourism, competitiveness, and societal prosperity. Journal of Business Research, 44, 137-152.
[3]	Fainstein, S. & Gladstone, D. (1999). Evaluating urban tourism. In D. Judd and S. Fainstein (Eds.), The Tourist City. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 21-34.
[4]	Tooman, L. A. (1997). Applications of the life-cycle model in tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 24, 214-234.
[5]	Naisbitt, J. (1994). Global paradox: The bigger the world economy, the more powerful its smallest players. New York, NY: William Morrow & Co.
[6]	Law, C. M. (1992). Urban tourism and its contribution to economic regeneration. Urban Studies, 29, 599–618.
[7]	U.S. Census Bureau. (2007). Facts for Features: Small business week 2006. (No. CB06-FFSE.03). Washington, DC.
[8]	Gavron, R., Cowling, M., Holtham, G. & Westall, A. (1998). The Entrepreneurial Society. London: Institute for Public Policy Research.
[9]	Shaw, G. & Williams, A. (1994). Critical issues in tourism: A geographical perspective. Oxford: Blackwell.
[10]	Riley, M. (1986). Some social and historical perspective on unionization in the U.K. hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 14, 99-104.
[11]	Diamond, J. (1977). Tourism’s role in economic development: The case reexamined. Economic Development and Cultural Change, 25, 539-553.
[12]	Brunetto, Y. & Farr Wharton, R. (2007). The moderating role of trust in SME owner/managers’ decision making about collaboration. Journal of Small Business Manage-ment, 45, 362-387.
[13]	Morrison, A. & Teixeira, R. (2004). Small business performance: A tourism sector focus. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 11, 166–173.
[14]	Thomas, R. (2000). Small firms in the tourism industry: Some conceptual issues. International Journal of Tourism Research, 2, 345–353.
[15]	Page, S. J., Forer, P. & Lawton, G. R. (1999). Small business development and tourism: Terra Incognita? Tourism Management, 20, 435–459.
[16]	Pistrui, D., Welsh, H. P., Pohl, H. J., Wintermantel, O. & Liao, J. (2003). Entrepreneurship in the new Germany. In A. Watson, D. & A. Kirby (Eds.), Small Firms and Economic Development in Developed and Transition Econo-mies: A Reader. Hampshire, UK: Ashgate Publishing Ltd., 115–130.
[17]	Freeman, E. & McVea, J. (2001). A stakeholder approach to strategic management. in M. Hitt, E. Freeman, and J. Harrison (Eds.). Handbook of Strategic Management. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
[18]	Schaffhauser, A. (2005). Entrepreneurship and economic growth. Minnesota Economic Trends, http://www.deed. state.mn.us/lmi/publications/trends/1105/growth.htm.
[19]	Hjalager, A. (1999, August). Tourism destinations and the concept of industrial districts. Poster session presented at the European Regional Science Association (ERSA) Conference. Dublin, Ireland.
[20]	Tosun, C. & Timothy, D. J. (2003). Arguments for com-munity participation in the tourism development process. The Journal of Tourism Studies, 14, 2–15.
[21]	Rhode Island Policy Council, RIPC. (1997). Chapter 12: Travel and tourism. In Meeting the Challenge of the New Economy – 1997 (207–227). Retrieved September 27, 2007 from http://www.ripolicy.org/resources/content/cha- llenge.html.
[22]	Billington, R. D. (2004). Federal leverage attracts private investment in industrial historic sites: A case study. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 10, 349–359.
[23]	Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, BVTC. (2007a). Annual Report to the Community. [Brochure]. Pawtucket, RI: Author.
[24]	Holecek, D. & Fridgen, J. (2002). Geo-Tourism: The new hyphenated tourism. Michigan Tourism Business, 1.
[25]	Cole, S. (2006). Information and empowerment: The keys to achieving sustainable tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14, 629–644.
[26]	Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, BVTC. (2007b). Annual work plan 2007. Retrieved September 27, 2007 from http://www.blackstonevalleytourismcouncil.com/ workplan.htm.
[27]	Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, RIEDC. (2007a). State and community profiles. http:// www. riedc.com/riedc/ri_databank/31/.
[28]	Travel Industry Association. (2006). Economic impact of domestic travel on the main nine communities of the Blackstone Valley at Rhode Island in 2004. Washington, D.C.
[29]	Hernandez, S. A., Cohen J., & Garcia H. L. (1996). Residents’ attitudes towards an instant resort enclave. Annals of Tourism Research, 23, 755–779.
[30]	Kayat, K. (2002). Power, social exchanges and tourism in Langkawi: Rethinking resident perceptions. International Journal of Tourism Research, 4, 171–191.
[31]	Lepp, A. (2007). Residents’ attitudes towards tourism in Bigodi village, Uganda. Tourism Management, 28, 876– 885.
[32]	Westwood, S. (2007). What lies beneath? In I. Ateljevic, A. Pritchard and N. Morgan (Eds.) The Critical Turn in Tourism Studies: Innovative Research Methodologies, Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier Ltd., 292–316.
[33]	Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce. (2007). Member directory. http://norhodeislandricoc.weblinkcon-nect.com/CWT/External/WCPages/WCDirectory/DirectoryStartPage.aspx.
[34]	Herman, S. & Egri, C. P. (2002). Triangulation in action: Integration of qualitative and quantitative methods to re-search environmental leadership. In Parry, K.W. and Meindl, J.R. (Eds) Grounding Leadership Theory and Research: Issues, Perspectives and Methods. Grennwich, CT. Information Age Publishing, 129–148.
[35]	Palmer, A. & Bejou, D. (1995). Tourism destination marketing alliances. Annals of Tourism Research, 22, 616–629.
[36]	European Commission. (2003). Thinking small in an enlarging Europe. Brussels, Belgium.
[37]	Thomas, R. & Thomas, H. (2006). Micro politics and micro firms: A case study of tourism policy formation and change. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 13, 100–114.
[38]	Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, RIEDC. (2007b). Rhode Island business incentives – August 2007. http://www.riedc.com/files/RI_Business_Incentives.pdf.
[39]	Szivas, E. (2001). Entrance into tourism Entrepreneurship: A UK case study. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 3, 163–172.
[40]	Bahaire T. & Elliott White, M. (1999). Community participation in tourism planning and development in the historic City of York, England. Current Issues in Tourism, 2(2&3), 243–276.
[41]	Tsundoda, T. and S. Mendlinger (2009). Economic and social impact of tourism on a small town: Peterborough New Hampshire. Journal of Service and Management 2, 61-70.
[42]	Beshel, B. (2001). An introduction to franchising. New York, NY: IFA Educational Foundation.