GIS as a Decision Support Tool
for Community Based Tourism Development Project
The research titled 'GIS as a Planning
Support Tool for Community Integrated Tourism
Development: A Pilot Study for Fiji Islands and
the South Pacific' is a pilot study
which worked in partnership with the Ministry
of Tourism and Transport, Fiji to develop the
database and examine its applicability for wider
implementation both in Fiji and for government
and other development agencies (donors, NGOs,
QUANGOS) throughout the South Pacific region.
The pilot study site was Zone A of the Fiji Tourism
Development Plan (1998-2005) with a particular
focus on the proposed Natadola resort development.
The scoping study was conducted in Momi Bay.
This research also generated interests in Fiji
and internationally. On 10th June 2004, Dr. Doorne
presented the findings of his research as "GIS
as a Planning Support Tool for Community Integrated
Tourism Development" to the New
Zealand Tourism Research Institute Seminar on
Tourism in the South Pacific, organized by Auckland
University of Technology. The findings was also
presented during the United Nations Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP),
10th Meeting of the Executive Committee of the
Network of Asia-Pacific Education and Training
Institutes in Tourism (APETIT): Seminar on Planning
for Community Tourism Initiatives in Pacific Island
Countries which was held in Suva, Fiji Islands
from 10-12 July, 2004. On 3rd November 2004, the
research findings titled 'Integrating
Communities in Tourism Development: Opportunities
for GIS as Planning Support Tool'
to the USP community and key tourism stakeholders.
Mr. Pene, the GIS counterpart presented the findings
as a paper titled "Public Participation in GIS
- Observations of a tourism development project"
at the 2004 Pacific Islands Countries GIS and
RS Annual Conference, held on Suva from 24th to
26th November 2004. Dr. Doorne was also invited
to the International Symposium on Village Tourism
and Hospitality Cultures, organised by the School
of Business and Tourism Management, Yunnan University,
P. R. China and the University of Lapland. Yunnan
University, Kunming, P. R. China from 27 November
- 1 December 2004 to present the findings.
