Showing papers in "Journal of Travel Research in 2001"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify and examine those factors that have helped rural communities successfully develop tourism and its entrepreneurship opportunities and demonstrate the importance of the community approach to tourism development and that rural tourism development cannot work without the participation and...
Abstract: Since the 1970s, economic restructuring and the farm crisis have reduced rural communities’ economic opportunities. These changes have limited rural communities’ economic development options, making older development strategies less viable and forcing many to look for nontraditional ways to sustain themselves. One of the most popular nontraditional rural development strategies has been tourism and its associated entrepreneurship opportunities because of tourism’s ability to bring in dollars and to generate jobs and support retail growth. The purpose of this study was to identify and examine those factors that have helped rural communities successfully develop tourism and its entrepreneurship opportunities. Several focus groups were conducted with local businesspersons and leaders in six rural Illinois communities. The results clearly demonstrate the importance of the community approach to tourism development and that rural tourism development and entrepreneurship cannot work without the participation and ...
544 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the relationship of entertainment travelers' past vacation behavior, vacation satisfaction, perceived vacation value, and intentions to revisit and repurchase and found that past behavior, satisfaction, and perceived value are good predictors of entertainment vacationers' intention to revisit the destination.
Abstract: This study investigated the relationship of entertainment travelers’ past vacation behavior, vacation satisfaction, perceived vacation value, and intentions to revisit and repurchase. Subjects were inquirers for the purchase of an entertainment package that visited the destination and were systematically selected over a 12-month period. Results suggest that past behavior, satisfaction, and perceived value are good predictors of entertainment vacationers’ intentions to revisit the destination. It was further found that the variables of past behavior, satisfaction, and perceived value are poor predictors of intentions to visit and attend live theater entertainment or book an entertainment package during a visit. Given the relationships between past behavior, satisfaction, perceived value, and intentions to revisit, results of the present study provide important theoretical implications and direction for entertainment destination management.
516 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared the motivations of visitors at four South Island, New Zealand, events (two food and beverage festivals, an air show, and a country and music festival) to highlight the diversity in motivations that are to be found from event to event.
Abstract: The comparative analysis of the motivations of visitors at four South Island, New Zealand, events—two food and beverage festivals, an air show, and a country and music festival—highlights the diversity in motives that are to be found from event to event. Event-specific factors are especially important; there is little evidence yet of generic event motivations. In contrast to earlier case studies, the comparative approach employed here gives more weight and greater visibility to events per se as a distinctive phenomenon.
393 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a generalizable model for undertaking economic impact studies that tourism professionals can use to conduct similar studies in their own communities, using the economic impact of a festival on Ocean City, Maryland as an exemplar.
Abstract: This study’s intent is to offer a generalizable model for undertaking economic impact studies that tourism professionals can use to conduct similar studies in their own communities. A conceptual rationale for undertaking economic impact studies is described. The four principles central to the integrity of economic impact analyses are reviewed: exclusion of local residents, exclusion of “time-switchers” and “casuals,” use of income rather than sales output measures of economic impact, and correct interpretation of employment multipliers. The economic impact of a festival on Ocean City, Maryland, is offered as an exemplar.
344 citations
TL;DR: This article examined Toronto visitors' perceptions of products and services in terms of importance and satisfaction by visitor origin and applied the results to the importance-satisfaction model to identify strengths in service.
Abstract: The purposes of this study were to examine Toronto visitors’ perceptions of products and services in terms of importance and satisfaction by visitor origin and to apply the results to the importance-satisfaction model to identify strengths in service. The sample consisted of 359 visitors to Toronto in either August or November 1998. The results suggest that, in general, the overall visitors’ image of Toronto is similar. Closer analysis of the visitors’ country of origin, however, shows that there are some important differences in the attributes seen as important as well as in levels of satisfaction.
301 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a cluster analysis identified 61% of the respondents who diversified for economic reasons, 23% who did so due to reasons external to the operation, and 16% who were motivated by social, economic, and external factors.
Abstract: Increasing financial strains on family farms/ranches have put pressure on these businesses to look outside agriculture as a means to sustain the operation. One option has been to offer farm/ranch recreation to visitors (i.e., agritourism). Eleven reasons for diversifying were tested while controlling for various demographic variables. Principal components analysis resulted in three factors: social reasons, economic reasons, and external influences. A cluster analysis identified 61% of the respondents who diversified for economic reasons, 23% who diversified due to reasons external to the operation, and 16% who diversified for social, economic, and external reasons.
292 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors conducted a survey of a cross-section of mobility-disabled consumers and found that disability relates to environmental criteria, accessible criteria, and activities criteria and that those with more severe disabilities travel differently and for different reasons.
Abstract: Few consumer groups have greater potential and are more ignored than the disabled. Consisting of 50 million individuals in the United States, with discretionary income of over $200 billion, this largest of all minority groups has been viewed by many tourist businesses as a source of confusion, requiring extra expenditures on ramps, specially fitted rooms, and the loss of prime parking. This article offers new insights into the possibilities associated with the disabled, including general trends and need sets. Also included are the results of a survey of a cross section of mobility-disabled consumers. Four hypotheses relating severity of disability with destination decision criteria were tested. Results indicate that disability relates to environmental criteria, accessible criteria, and activities criteria. The findings indicate that segmenting the disabled by level of severity is a valuable process and that those with more severe disabilities travel differently and for different reasons. Managerial implic...
265 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a standardized method for assessing direct economic expenditures and impacts associated with tourist events is presented, which addresses critical and often overlooked methodological issues that distinguish analysis of impacts from tourism in general and analysis of impact from tourist events.
Abstract: This article outlines a standardized method for assessing direct economic expenditures and impacts associated with tourist events. The method addresses critical and often overlooked methodological issues that distinguish analysis of impacts from tourism in general and analysis of impacts from tourist events. These issues involve a common failure to account for sources, origins, destinations, and causes of expenditures. The corresponding errors in impact estimation will carry through into subsequent input-output or multiplier models and are of particular significance when one considers impacts of tourism events in regions dominated by other tourist sites or attractions, such as heavily visited coastal communities. Implications of the framework for impact estimation are illustrated using examples drawn from recent Rhode Island tourist events, including the 1997 Newport Folk Festival.
229 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a 10-item specialization index composed of items representing three subdimensions theorized to represent the multidimensional nature of specialization was used to identify three types of tourists who visit heritage or cultural sites.
Abstract: Americans’ interest in traveling to historic sites has increased recently and is expected to continue. Despite this trend, however, very little is known about individuals who visit heritage or cultural sites. Evidence suggests that there may be types of tourists who progress from general travelers to focused or specialized tourists. The objective of this study was to document whether types of heritage tourists exist and, if so, whether they differ based on sociodemographic characteristics, visitation behavior, motivations, and/or perceptions. Using a 10-item specialization index composed of items representing three subdimensions theorized to represent the multidimensional nature of specialization, three types of heritage specialists were identified. All differed with respect to education, visitation behavior, motivations, and overall satisfaction.
223 citations
TL;DR: This article examined the contention made in the travel-style literature that individuals with different travel styles differ in terms of how they prefer to travel when on vacation and found that preferences for the study factors differed by travel style group, although not always in the direction suggested by the literature.
Abstract: This research examines the contention made in the travel-style literature that individuals with different travel styles differ in terms of how they prefer to travel when on vacation. Study participants classified into travel-style groups evaluated conjoint profiles for a vacation to a hypothetical novel destination described in terms of three factors: type of accommodations, type of travel companions, and type of language. The findings indicated that preferences for the study factors differed by travel-style group, although not always in the direction suggested by the literature.
185 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, three methodological paradigms for researching into the curriculum emerge: the scientific positivist, the interpretive, and the critical, and an analysis of the differences between research paradigmologies, the implications of using each of them for curriculum design and the limitations of scientific-positivist approaches.
Abstract: A critique of tourism curriculum proposals in the literature enables different methodological approaches to curriculum design to be identified and evaluated. Three methodological paradigms for researching into the curriculum emerge. These are the scientific positivist, the interpretive, and the critical. The analysis of this article points to differences between research paradigms, the implications of using each of them for curriculum design, and the limitations of scientific-positivist approaches. It finds that methods that are exclusively scientific-positivist may have only limited application because of their lack of attention to meaning and values and underlines the importance of approaching curriculum design mindful of the full range of research paradigms.
TL;DR: In this article, a tourism industry perspective on what items could be sustained and what indicators should be used to monitor for sustainability policies is provided, from the results in the state of Montana.
Abstract: The issue of sustainability and tourism has become a more widely studied topic in the past few years. However, little of this research investigates the relationship between the two concepts—sustainability and sustainable tourism—and how sustainability should be measured. Ambiguities in what is meant by sustainable tourism as reflected in the questions of how to make the industry sustainable, what should tourism sustain, and what is sustainable tourism further complicate social discourse. Progress on achieving sustainability is also limited by the need for shared definitions of means and ends among those involved in tourism development. This study provides a tourism industry perspective on what items could be sustained and what indicators should be used to monitor for sustainability policies. From the results in the state of Montana, the question of how sustainable tourism should move forward remains problematic because of differences between what should be sustained and appropriate indicators.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the long-run demand for Australian outbound leisure tourism during the period 1983 to 1997 for nine major tourism destinations and found that the variance of the exchange rate was a significant determinant of long run tourism demand in 50% of estimates.
Abstract: This study investigates the long-run demand for Australian outbound leisure tourism during the period 1983 (quarter 1) to 1997 (quarter 4) for nine major tourism destinations. The study is unique in an international context by using exchange rate volatility as an explanatory variable, while it is unique in an Australian context by using a composite substitute price variable. The estimation and hypothesis-testing processes are undertaken using both the Johansen and Engle and Granger procedures. The variance of the exchange rate was found to be a significant determinant of long-run tourism demand in 50% of estimates. Real disposable income and substitute prices were found to have inelastic long-run effects on tourism, while the long-run relative price elasticity tended to differ widely across countries. Indonesia was the only country to find that the exchange rate has a significantly different impact on tourism than relative prices.
TL;DR: In this paper, the behavior of Hong Kong Chinese tourists when they take outbound group tour packages and the underlying dimensions of Chinese tourists' cultural values were investigated using an arched semantic differential scale on 22 behavioral questions.
Abstract: This study investigates the behavior of Hong Kong Chinese tourists when they take outbound group tour packages and the underlying dimensions of Chinese tourists’ cultural values. The behavior of Hong Kong Chinese tourists was collected using an arched semantic differential scale on 22 behavioral questions. Tourists were asked to view more than 13 Chinese values—extracted from the Chinese Value Survey—in relation to travel behavior. Factor analysis identified four factors in Chinese tourists’ cultural values: social integration, Confucian work dynamism, personal well-being, and moral discipline. Canonical correlation revealed that Hong Kong Chinese tourists preferred to travel in groups, be safe, and join all self-paid activities. Nevertheless, tourists placed a low value on personal well-being when joining group tour packages. Recommendations for tour operators, including safe activities, social interaction, exposure to local cuisine, and photo taking, are presented to improve group tour packages.
TL;DR: Results of participant observation at the 1998 Margaret River Masters surfing event in Western Australia are combined with concurrent visitor survey data and direct observations to generate recommendations for improving its management.
Abstract: Service mapping is described and illustrated in the context of evaluating and improving service quality at special events. Results of participant observation at the 1998 Margaret River Masters surfing event in Western Australia are combined with concurrent visitor survey data and direct observations to generate recommendations for improving its management. Conclusions are drawn on the utility and application of the service-mapping technique for events and on the nature of service quality at events.
TL;DR: This study demonstrated that multistate categorical survey data could be successfully used and can be more practical in the field of applied tourism research.
Abstract: One challenge in tourism market segmentation research is finding a statistical clustering method that can use data from the commonly used qualitative (categorical scale) survey instrument Current proven methods require the use of quantitative (ratio or interval scale) data However, quantitative survey instruments are seldom used Many quantitative clustering methods severely restrict the number of attributes measured despite the fact that segmentation analysis works best when it measures all the multistate attributes that visitors identify as influencing their tourist experience This study demonstrated that multistate categorical survey data could be successfully used Using data from a bed-and-breakfast survey (229 guests), a two-stage analysis method was employed First, multiple correspondence analysis was used to spatially map each of the attributes, and then cluster analysis was used to identify market segments It is believed this method can be more practical in the field of applied tourism research
TL;DR: This article investigated the influence of gender and religion on health-risk behavior potentials and destination-related expectations of college students on spring break vacation using a random sample of 534 students from two U.S. universities.
Abstract: The authors investigated the influence of gender and religion on health-risk behavior potentials and destination-related expectations of college students on spring break vacation using a random sample of 534 students from two U.S. universities. Results indicated that gender and religion had a significant impact on students’ potential to engage in health-risk behaviors during spring break as well as their choice of spring break destinations and their expectations for hospitality service quality and characteristics of the destinations. Important social marketing and public policy implications for the tourism and hospitality industry are discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors surveyed 122 general managers representing North American theme parks and attractions regarding the future of the industry and found that economic forces, employees, and changing demographic forces were perceived to have the greatest impact on the future operation of industry.
Abstract: The study solicited opinions from 122 general managers representing North American theme parks and attractions regarding the future of the industry. The findings revealed that economic forces, employees, and changing demographic forces were perceived to have the greatest impact on the future operation of the industry. General managers also thought that consumers would most likely seek interactive adventure, fantasy and mystery, movies and television shows, and science fiction/futuristic themes. The future health of the industry was associated with the impact of economic forces and the quality of service provided. Other dimensions such as the franchising of the industry, the impact of the senior market, and the ability of small attractions to invest were perceived to have a negative impact on the future health of the theme park and attraction industry.
TL;DR: In this paper, the demographic and trip attribute factors of potential cruise passengers based on a nationwide sample of persons who previously requested travel information for tourist destinations in South Texas from regional convention and visitors bureaus were described.
Abstract: This article describes the demographic and trip attribute factors of potential cruise passengers based on a nationwide sample of persons who previously requested travel information for tourist destinations in South Texas from regional convention and visitors bureaus. The analysis used logistic regression modeling. The key factors in determining the propensity to choose a cruise vacation are marital status, income, previous cruise vacation experience, cost, the duration of the cruise, visiting new destinations, and the availability of a precruise or postcruise package. Factors that were not found to be statistically significant included the typical number of pleasure trips per year, the itinerary, direct air flights to the departure city, accessibility from the airport to the ship, gender, age, educational attainment, and number of children in the household.
TL;DR: It is determined that international VFRs made substantial use of commercial accommodation and had significant expenditures on food and beverages, transportation, gifts and souvenirs, and entertainment.
Abstract: Using data from the In-Flight Survey of International Travelers for 1997, this study analyzed international visiting friends and relatives’ travelers (VFRs) to the United States. Three of the factors in an initial typology of VFRs were tested for their effects on travel expenditures. These typology factors (sector, scope, accommodation used) were found to have a significant influence on the expenditures of international VFRs to the United States. VFRs for whom VFR was the main travel purpose differed in their spending patterns from those for whom it was a secondary purpose. VFRs who used commercial accommodation had different expenditures from those who exclusively stayed in private homes. VFRs from individual countries differed in travel expenditures. Besides partially validating the typology, this study determined that international VFRs made substantial use of commercial accommodation and had significant expenditures on food and beverages, transportation, gifts and souvenirs, and entertainment.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined Pennsylvania senior travelers' motorcoach use and their important considerations in selecting a motor-coach tour, and found that senior travelers taking motorcaches could be predicted from their demographic, psychological, and psychographic characteristics.
Abstract: Senior travelers (those 55 or older) are a substantial and accessible market for motorcoach operators because they represent a major portion of the motorcoach market. This study examined Pennsylvania senior travelers’ motorcoach use and their important considerations in selecting a motorcoach tour. It was found that senior travelers’ taking motorcoach tours could be predicted from their demographic, psychological, and psychographic characteristics. The study provides practical implications that could be helpful for tourist destinations and motorcoach companies to target senior travelers and to build a sound marketing planning strategy.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors assess the economic impacts of tourism on the Victorian economy in Australia using a modified version of the input-output model in which the linearity assumption is partially relaxed.
Abstract: This article assesses the economic impacts of tourism on the Victorian economy in Australia using a modified version of the input-output model in which the linearity assumption is partially relaxed. The results indicate that in 1993-1994, in gross terms, day-trippers contributed the greatest amount to gross state product, followed by interstate, intrastate, and international visitors. If substitution expenditure effects by residents are taken into account, interstate tourism contributed the greatest amount to gross state product and employment, followed by international visitors. Per dollar of visitor expenditure, the Victorian government should promote interstate tourism for employment creation, although still encouraging international tourism for value adding.
TL;DR: This paper investigated age-related differences in memory for pictures of tourist destinations and found no age differences found in pictorial memory performance, with destination familiarity and education variables statistically controlled, and suggested that older adults are more likely to recall the content of tourist pictures.
Abstract: Older adults are a key leisure travel market segment. As a growth market for the travel industry, it is imperative to understand how older travelers respond to pictures and illustrations in destination advertising used to prompt the destination selection decision. This study investigated age-related differences in memory for pictures of tourist destinations. After receiving encoding instructions, 90 younger and 90 older adults viewed four pictures of tourist destinations and later recalled the content of the pictures. With destination familiarity and education variables statistically controlled, there were no age differences found in pictorial memory performance. Implications of, and possible explanations for, the results are discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors report on a study that compared respondent data from two data sets based on the same survey instrument: the first, collected via a traditional mall-intercept-type data collection exercise and the second, an e-sample collected from random e-mail addresses.
Abstract: Tourism researchers continually seek to improve their primary data collection methods. With the spread of Internet and e-mail technologies, various researchers have begun to explore the potential and efficacy of electronic data collection. This article reports on a study that compared respondent data from two data sets based on the same survey instrument: the first, collected via a traditional mall-intercept-type data collection exercise and the second, an “e-sample” collected from random e-mail addresses. Analysis of the responses found similar travel psychographic characteristics but significant differences in demographics and travel patterns. The article concludes that while there seems to be legitimate potential for tourism research “e-surveying,” current logistical problems and issues of sample bias remain serious stumbling blocks precluding widespread use of the method.
TL;DR: In this paper, the benefits sought by university-educated women who travel for pleasure were analyzed through a literature review and chosen a priori to represent nine separate benefit dimensions, including rest and relaxation, family/social, and action seekers.
Abstract: This study focused on the benefits sought by university-educated women who travel for pleasure. Twenty-seven benefit statements were derived through a literature review and chosen a priori to represent nine separate benefit dimensions. A principal components analysis was used to reduce the data into benefit dimensions. Based on an outcome of nine benefit dimensions, not all of which met the a priori assumptions, cluster analysis was employed to identify similar “types” of respondents. The findings showed that there are three possible types of female travelers: rest and relaxation seekers, family/social seekers, and action seekers. When differences between the types of travelers were addressed, only employment status proved to be significant. Family/social seekers were more inclined than the other groups to be composed of working women.
TL;DR: The number of inbound tourist arrivals to Australia has increased markedly in the past 15 years, along with the economic, social, and environmental significance of tourism, and one of the consequences of this growth has been a new interest in tourism-related education and research.
Abstract: The number of inbound tourist arrivals to Australia has increased markedly in the past 15 years, along with the economic, social, and environmental significance of tourism. One of the consequences of this growth has been a new interest in tourism-related education and research. This article traces the rapid changes in this research in the past 15 years, identifies some of the achievements so far, and suggests the future for tourism research in Australia.
TL;DR: For example, Foxwoods has avoided all reference to Indianness, relying on its rural location in the Connecticut woods and its size for its brand appeal as mentioned in this paper, while Disneyland changed its name and its image from “Americanizing” to Americana.
Abstract: As travel destinations turn to branding for differentiation, they must comprehensively assess all values held in their potential market areas to maximize their appeal. Foxwoods Casino and Resort and Disneyland Paris (re)branded themselves in “hostile” environments to attract the millions of visitors their investments require yearly. Disneyland changed its name and its image from “Americanizing” to Americana. Foxwoods has avoided all reference to Indianness, relying on its rural location in the Connecticut woods and its size for its brand appeal.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used an environmental justice framework to determine whether inequalities exist for certain socioeconomic and racial groups with respect to the distribution of federal tourism sites in Southern Appalachia (SA).
Abstract: This article uses an environmental justice framework to determine whether inequalities exist for certain socioeconomic and racial groups with respect to the distribution of federal tourism sites in Southern Appalachia (SA). Federal tourism sites and campsites were mapped along with the census block groups (CBGs) using geographic information systems. CBGs within a 1,500-meter radius of these federal lands were identified and examined based on five socioeconomic variables (race, education, household income, occupation, and local heritage). These CBGs were then compared with the remaining CBGs in SA that were outside the 1,500-meter radius. Results show that a negative relationship exists between income and occupation and location of a number of federal tourist sites. CBGs with a low-income, blue-collar makeup were significantly more likely to be situated within the 1,500-meter radius than outside. Additional study should determine the desirability of tourism-based land use with respect to factors such as ur...
TL;DR: In this article, a study conducted in Albury, New South Wales, Australia, the largest city located between Melbourne and Sydney, found that through travelers were significantly different from main-destination and through travelers and they could be considered discrete markets.
Abstract: Dual-purpose destinations serve both tourists choosing an area as their main destination and those using it as a stopover or secondary destination. While the dual role of most destinations is widely recognized, the importance of the through-traveler segment is often unappreciated, unrecognized, or misunderstood. Indeed, to date, little work has been conducted examining main-destination and through travelers. This article reports on a study conducted in Albury, New South Wales, Australia, the largest city located between Melbourne and Sydney. It discovered that main-destination and through travelers were so significantly different that they could be considered discrete markets. Indeed, the study suggests that some dual-purpose destinations ought to consider a multiple positioning strategy to appeal to these different segments. Main-destination and through travelers come from different geographic areas, have different demographic profiles, and exhibit different behavior at the destination.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the economic benefits of sport fishing in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and found that the annual value of the sport fishing resources and the nonconsumptive value of nonresidential wildlife-watching resources for angler households.
Abstract: This article answers two major policy questions about the economic benefits of sport fishing in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania: (1) what is the annual value of the common-wealth’s sport fishing resources, and (2) what is the annual impact from the use of that resource? The study also evaluates the nonconsumptive value of nonresidential wild-life-watching resources for angler households. A mail survey was used to collect data on licensed Pennsylvania anglers’ annual equipment and trip expenditures for sport fishing and for wildlife watching. Results of the travel cost method showed that the annual values of the sport fishing resources and the wildlife-watching resources were $3.98 and $0.50 billion, respectively. Results of the Impact Analysis for Planning model indicated that the annual economic impact of sport fishing was $4.75 billion. This information can be used with biological data, results of public opinion, and surveys about fisheries management to formulate policy decisions that help match avail...