Showing papers in "Journal of Travel Research in 2010"

Dimensions of Cruisers' Experiences, Satisfaction, and Intention to Recommend

Abstract: In the past decade, Pine and Gilmore set out the vision for a new economic era, the experience economy, in which consumers are in search for extraordinary and memorable experiences. Since then, a rich body of research on applications of the experience economy concepts have appeared in the marketing literature. However, academic investigations on the measurement of tourism experiences are very recent. The purpose of this article is twofold: to identify the underlying dimensions of cruisers’ experiences and to investigate the relationships among cruisers’ experiences, satisfaction, and intention to recommend. Overall, findings of this study enhance the theoretical progress on the experiential concept in tourism and offer important implications for cruise marketers.

Measuring Tourists’ Emotional Experiences toward Hedonic Holiday Destinations

Abstract: Destinations are more likely to be successful if they recognize the experiential qualities of their offerings. However, with some exceptions, research into the emotional content of the destination experience remains largely underexplored. This current research addresses this lacuna and empirically investigates the dimensions of tourists’ emotional experiences toward hedonic holiday destinations. Adopting a rigorous scale development procedure, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identify three salient dimensions to represent the Destination Emotion Scale, namely, joy, love, and positive surprise. In addition, tourists’ emotional experiences are related to satisfaction, which in turn has a significant influence on behavioral intentions. Findings offer important implications for destination marketers in relation to branding and emotional experience management.

Locals’ Attitudes toward Mass and Alternative Tourism: The Case of Sunshine Coast, Australia:

Abstract: This study examines local residents’ attitudes toward two different types of tourism development, mass tourism and alternative tourism, using data collected from residents of Sunshine Coast, Australia. The study findings reveal that host community support is affected directly and/or indirectly by the level of community concern, community attachment, ecocentric values, use of the tourism resource base, state of the local economy, and the perceived impacts of tourism development. Findings suggested that even though some of the factors influence attitudes toward both mass and alternative tourism, attitudes toward each form of development is likely to be formed based on the perceptions of different factors.

Expectation, Motivation, and Attitude: A Tourist Behavioral Model

Abstract: This study focuses on the previsit stage of tourists by modeling the behavioral process incorporating expectation, motivation, and attitude in the context of Chinese outbound travelers. An expectation, motivation, and attitude (EMA) model is proposed based on a comprehensive literature review. An instrument is developed based on previous tourism and marketing studies as well as focus groups to measure the variables in the EMA model. Data are collected from 1,514 Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou residents. Results of the study confirm the proposed relations that expectation of visiting an outbound destination has a direct effect on motivation to visit the destination; motivation has a direct effect on attitude toward visiting the destination; expectation of visiting the outbound destination has a direct effect on attitude toward visiting the destination; and motivation has a mediating effect on the relationship between expectation and attitude. Practical and theoretical contributions are discussed, with fu...

The Impact of Customer-to-Customer Interaction on Cruise Experience and Vacation Satisfaction

Abstract: While the role of customer-to-customer (C2C) interaction in shaping service experience has been recognized in the services marketing literature, empirical examination of this issue is limited Similarly, investigation of tourists’ social contacts has mainly focused on the tourist—local community and tourist—service personnel dyads, while much less is known about tourist-to-tourist interactions To fill this knowledge gap, this study has examined interaction between tourists on cruise vacations and its impact on the cruise experience and vacation satisfaction An online survey is conducted with an American online panel (n = 613) The findings reveal that the quality of C2C interaction has positive direct impacts on the cruise experience as well as indirect effects on vacation satisfaction, mediated by cruise experience Moreover, the quality of C2C interaction has suppressor effects on the quantity of C2C interaction The results call for the incorporation of C2C interaction as one component of the relatio

Global Economic Crisis and Tourism: Consequences and Perspectives

Abstract: The International Academy for the Study of Tourism convened a session on global economic crisis and tourism during its 20th anniversary conference in Mallorca, Spain, in June 2009. Three articles featuring on the impacts of economic downturn on tourism in Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and North America have resulted and appeared in this issue of the Journal of Travel Research. This summary aims at an integrated discussion on the consequences and perspectives on the global economic crisis and tourism. The prospects of world tourism for the years to come are also reflected.

Measuring Residents' Emotional Solidarity with Tourists: Scale Development of Durkheim's Theoretical Constructs

Abstract: While it can prove easy to conceptualize of the relationship between residents and tourists as “us versus them,” it devalues the potential for intimate relationships to exist, whereby residents and tourists have many things in common. The theory of emotional solidarity can aid in explaining such an intimate relationship. Developing the framework from previous qualitative work, the purpose of this study is to formulate and validate scales corresponding to the constructs in Durkheim’s theoretical framework of emotional solidarity. Following two initial stages of pilot testing, each scale is included in an onsite self-administered survey instrument, with 455 heads of household completing the instrument in a coastal South Carolina county. Psychometric properties are assessed and each scale is found to be high in internal consistency and construct validity (i.e., convergent and discriminant validity). Implications as well as potential research opportunities concerning emotional solidarity are discussed.

Impacts of the World Recession and Economic Crisis on Tourism: Forecasts and Potential Risks

Abstract: In the face of the world recession, this article concentrates on analyzing and forecasting demand for outbound traveling in Australia, Canada, United States, Japan, and the EU-15 countries in terms of tourism imports at constant prices and exchange rates. Drawing on an analysis of the macroeconomic effects of the global recession and its impact on tourism demand for outbound traveling, the article develops forecasts for the period from 2009 to 2010. For 2010, two scenarios are created to project demand for foreign travel. The study is rounded off by a discussion of forecast uncertainties and open questions.

Toward a Quality-of-Life Theory of Leisure Travel Satisfaction

Abstract: This article proposes a quality-of-life (QOL) theory of leisure travel satisfaction based on goal theory. The proposed theory has four central principles: (1) selecting leisure travel goals that have high levels of positive valence, (2) selecting leisure travel goals that are very likely to be attained, (3) engaging in actions that would implement these leisure travel goals, and (4) engaging in actions that would allow the tourist to experience goal attainment. Numerous subprinciples are introduced in the context of these four major principles. A research agenda is discussed based on the overall theory. Managerial implications of this research are also discussed.

Impacts of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Tourism in Asia

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to forecast inbound tourism to Asia and outbound tourism from Asia by considering the possible impacts of the current financial and economic crisis. The autoregressive distributed lag model is used to calculate the interval demand elasticities, which are then used to generate interval forecasts for inbound tourism to and outbound tourism from Asia. Interval forecasts reduce the risk of complete forecasting failure arising from the uncertainties associated with the crisis. The forecast results suggest that the financial and economic crisis will have a negative impact on both inbound and outbound tourism in Asia but the demand will rebound from 2010.

Digital Divide in Tourism

Abstract: Tourism is an important wealth creator at both global and local levels. An appropriate diffusion of the information and communication technologies (ICTs) in this sector can improve the social and economic impacts, from which many citizens and organizations in developed and developing countries can benefit.This article analyzes digital divide and proposes an integrated theoretical framework to explore the relevant factors that lead to unequal access and use of ICTs for tourists and destinations. It integrates the technical, social, and motivational aspects derived from different approaches to digital divide to demonstrate how these factors affect the capacity of markets and destinations to meet and interact effectively in a global tourism environment.

Applying Hofstede’s National Culture Measures in Tourism Research: Illuminating Issues of Divergence and Convergence

Abstract: Given the emerging evidence that national culture influences visitor behavior and that Hofstede’s concept (1980, 2001) has become the most accepted means to quantify dominant national cultural values, the focus of this study was to test the underlying assumptions of how these measures are applied in research. Drawing from a sample of tourists from eight countries who completed Hofstede’s original instruments, the results reveal little differences between Hofstede’s 2001 national cultural measures with the current study’s data. This finding provides strong support for Hofstede’s dimensions as a measure of central tendencies of visitors from different nations. Second, graphically contrasting respondents’ values along the five cultural dimensions reveals that the between-nation differences are relatively small when compared to the within-nation variability, indicating that subcultures do exist. This analysis also identifies international regions that cluster closely together, demonstrating that national cult...

Tourism-related Social Capital and Its Relationship with Other Forms of Capital: An Exploratory Study

Abstract: The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine tourism-related social capital and its relationship with other forms of capital. The concept of social capital has emerged from several disciplines. Social capital has been used extensively among communities exploring a variety of economic development options, including sustainable agriculture and entrepreneurship. As part of a larger project, 307 tourism stakeholders in a four-county region of Virginia are identified and surveyed regarding their (1) perceptions of tourism-related social capital of the area and (2) perceptions of built, financial, natural, cultural, human, and political capital. Using structural equation modeling, analysis of the results shows that there is a relationship between length of residence and tourism-related social capital as well as a relationship between tourism-related social capital and cultural capital, political capital, human capital, private built capital, and financial capital, but no relationship exists between touri...

Impacts of the World Recession and Economic Crisis on Tourism: North America

Abstract: This article has been prepared as part of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism’s initiative to provide a better understanding of the impact that the economic crisis of 2008-2009 has had, is having, and will have on the well-being and performance of the global tourism industry. More specifically, it seeks to serve as an information “backgrounder” for the North American components of the study. As such, it provides a concise assessment of the current and evolving status of the tourism sector in each of the three countries in North America. Information on Canada was drawn from data provided by Statistics Canada, the country’s centralized government-funded statistical agency, as well as information bulletins issued by the Canadian Tourism Commission. Information on Mexico was drawn from a number of official reports prepared by several government agencies. Information on tourism in the United States was assembled primarily from available data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis from their U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account system. In summary, the present backgrounder reveals that tourism in Canada and the United States has been, and is being, affected by the current economic crisis, and it appears likely that it will be further affected in the near future. In contrast, tourism in Mexico has been affected more directly and to a much greater extent by the swine flu pandemic, exchange rates, and weather conditions than by the economic crisis itself.

The Flight Experiences of People with Disabilities: An Exploratory Study

Abstract: Using in-depth interviews, this study explores the flight experiences of people with disabilities through their own perspective, revealing the physical and social hurdles facing blind people and those who use wheelchairs and crutches. Accessibly difficulties in boarding the plane, disembarkation, and on board are reported. The findings suggest that participants are confronted with physical and social difficulties, which, for wheelchair users, result in humiliation and physical suffering. Moreover, crew members’ behavior toward people with disabilities indicates the need to train and educate airline employees. The article concludes with implications for researchers and practitioners.

Designing Festival Experiences to Influence Visitor Perceptions: The Case of a Wine and Food Festival

Abstract: An activity that has been found to enhance wine tourism opportunities is wine and food festivals.This article examines how, through the manipulation of such festival attributes, festival managers can foster positive consumer perceptions of products central to the festival. The article first describes the attributes that define a festival and then, using the Moonlight Wine Tour festival as a case for study, explores how much of an influence certain festival attributes have on shaping visitors’ perceptions of the wine on show. An ANOVA determines that five festival attributes are effective predictors of creating positive changes in people’s perceptions, while one attribute has a negative effect. A binomial generalized linear model is then created for use in managerial situations by specifying which combined set of attributes are the most significant in creating positive and negative changes in consumer perceptions.

Residents as Travel Destination Information Providers: An Online Community Perspective

Abstract: Prior research regarding residents and tourists has focused on their commonalities and interactions occurring on-site. What is missing from the literature is an examination of residents as information sources to potential tourists. Online travel communities offer such a viable venue. This study has two main purposes. The first is to examine the influence residents may have on travel decisions and identify the types of travel decisions they influence. The second is to compare the influence residents have on travel decisions with other online community members (i.e., experienced travelers). Treemapper is used to identify the country forums, and thematic networks are used for the analysis of influence of eWOM. The results reveal that nearly one-third of the communication threads (including 1,699 postings from 713 contributing members) have been influential for members. Residents are more influential in accommodations and food and beverage recommendations, whereas experienced travelers are more influential in...

Genealogical Tourism: A Phenomenological Examination

Abstract: Seeking to contribute to ongoing investigations of diverse contexts of tourism consumption, the current investigation explores the meanings genealogical tourists attribute to their lived experiences and contextualizes those findings within larger social approaches to the human dynamics that drive contemporary tourism. Taking an interpretive turn, it proposes genealogical tourism as reflecting contemporary tourists’ call for diversity of leisure interests and opportunities as well as their desire for a full range of varying intimacies, intensities, and complexities in their tourism lived experiences. In particular, it reveals tourism as a reflexive response to a sense of loss that underpins modern society, assisting in reaffirming both a generational sense of the self and a self-recognition that one has one’s own perspective on the world.

Identifying the Role of Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Components in Understanding Residents’ Attitudes toward Place Marketing:

Abstract: This study examines attitudes and opinions of local residents regarding place marketing and identifies the role of cognitive, affective, and behavioral components in residents’ positive or negative attitudes toward place marketing. The conceptual model is developed based on attitude, reasoned action, and social exchange theories. Data are collected across several destination areas at different levels of tourism development to test Doxey’s Irridex model. Results show an adequate role of the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components on positive or negative attitude formation in place marketing. Personal benefit from tourism is relevant for moderating the relationship between the three components and attitudes toward place marketing. Results imply residents from the least developed tourism county are more optimistic about increasing the local tourism economic growth as they are in the beginning stage of tourism development compared with the moderately and most developed counties, where some residents o...

E-Business Readiness, Intensity, and Impact: An Austrian Destination Management Organization Study

Abstract: The majority of today’s information and communication technology (ICT) impact studies disregard infrastructural, organizational, and environmental factors typically responsible for successful e-business adoption and use. This article proposes an empirical approach that shows how the mentioned factors determine both e-business adoption and the impact of information and communication technologies. The research framework is based on E. Rogers’ Innovation Diffusion Theory and is tested with survey data gathered in the Austrian destination management organization sector. By referring to K. Zhu and K. L. Kraemer’s (2005) e-business impact model, the proposed approach explicates how the use of e-business applications may positively affect the performance of tourism organizations. Online survey data are analyzed through a linear structural equation modeling approach.

Destination Segmentation: A Recommended Two-Step Approach

Abstract: Tourism segmentation studies have traditionally developed segmentation variables from secondary data or a review of the literature. Based on stakeholder theory, this study recommends a two-step approach to destination segmentation, incorporating the views of multiple stakeholders. This article details the recommended segmentation approach using one Australian destination. Step 1 involves understanding how multiple stakeholders viewed their market to identify relevant segmentation variables. Step 2 involves segmenting the destination based on the variables identified in step 1. When compared with segments currently used by the destination marketing organization, the segments derived from the two-step approach to segmentation capture more of the tourists visiting the area. Segmentation guides budgetary decision making, and the proposed two-step approach to segmentation may assist tourism destinations to maximize limited resources by targeting more of the types of tourists who are frequenting the destination.

Gaming Destination Images: Implications for Branding

Abstract: The study examines brand images and perceptions of Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Chicagoland (IL, IN), and Connecticut to reveal their perceived strengths and weaknesses. The brand images are analyzed through a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures. Significant differences between the four destinations are found, revealing strengths and weaknesses across 19 cognitive variables, 4 affective variables, and overall image and behavioral intentions.These results are enhanced with answers to open-ended questions about each gaming market, which surface additional cognitive and affective associations. Interestingly, no brand personality descriptors are mentioned in the open-ended responses, questioning the applicability of brand personality scales to tourist destinations. Well-known destination brands are associated with high awareness and familiarity, more positive overall images, and more affective descriptions, which might have a halo effect on evaluations of cognitive attributes, visitation intenti...

Measuring the Effectiveness of Destination Marketing Campaigns: Comparative Analysis of Conversion Studies

Abstract: This article presents findings of a comparative study of destination marketing evaluation research in the United Kingdom to identify success factors, highlight best practices, and draw attention to determinants of poor performance in destination marketing campaign activities. Increasing levels of competition between tourism destinations has led to increased pressure on destination marketing organizations (DMOs) to maximize the effectiveness of their marketing spend. Therefore, the evaluation of tourism marketing campaigns reveals not only if the campaign has been successful in terms of attracting visitors but also if the expectations in terms of expenditure impact and return on investment are achieved. This study investigates the success of 18 campaigns directed to potential domestic visitors, using the conversion study technique to evaluate expenditure impact and return on investment. This article contributes to marketing practice through increased understanding of the key components that lead to a high ...

Use of Dynamic Panel Cointegration Approach to Model International Arrivals to Australia

Abstract: The aim of this article is to use dynamic panel data cointegration technique to determine elasticities of tourist arrivals to Australia, using income, real exchange rates, and airfares as demand determinants. Annual data from 1991 to 2007 for arrivals from the 10 main markets are used. Previous studies that applied dynamic panel data sets in the tourism context have used the Arellano—Bond estimation technique. Because this technique produces biased and inconsistent estimates in samples with a small time span, this article uses the corrected least square dummy variable technique to generate unbiased and efficient parameter estimates. The results obtained show that demand is inelastic with respect to its determinants in the short run and elastic in the long run. The main implications of these results are that maintaining destination price competitiveness and consumer satisfaction should be rated very high in the priorities of the Australian tourism industry.

Quasi-Trial Experiences through Sensory Information on Destination Web Sites:

Abstract: Tourism Web sites have unique interactive and multimedia qualities with the potential to create experiences similar to product trial. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether destination Web sites with sounds and sensory descriptions can have a positive impact on consumers’ mental imagery processing, which in turn should enhance quasi-trial experiences. A Web-based experiment is conducted for a fictitious island destination Web site. Empirical results show that sensory descriptions, but not sound, have a positive influence on the extent to which participants experience mental imagery and that the experience of extensive mental imagery leads to greater feelings of virtual presence and, as a result, to stronger attitudes about the destination. Implications for destination Web site design and future research are discussed.

The Influence of Involvement, Familiarity, and Constraints on the Search for Information about Destinations

Abstract: This study investigates the influence of familiarity, structural constraints, and level of involvement in the decision on whether to search for information and on the strength of the search effort made by individuals who decide to search. Data have been collected from 1,677 structured personal interviews undertaken in two Portuguese national parks. Results indicate that financial constraints encourage people to engage in search but time and accessibility constraints do not exert any influence on search. Evidence indicates a tentative relationship between level of involvement and search effort and suggests this relationship is strongest in the early stages of the decision process. Finally, those who are less familiar with destinations are more likely to search for information about those destinations.

Applying Expenditure-based Segmentation on Special-Interest Tourists: The Case of Golf Travelers:

Abstract: Given the growing competition among golf travel destinations and the increasing costs of managing and maintaining related facilities, it is important to investigate and understand the expenditure patterns of golf travelers. The results of this research provide useful information for golf destination marketers in the development of strategies to attract and retain golf travelers. This study uses an expenditure-based segmentation of golf travelers visiting a Southern Gulf region in the United States. The findings indicate that the heavy spenders exhibit clear spending patterns and are responsible for most of the sample’s total expenditures. The heavy spenders also are well differentiated along golfographic and tripographic measures, but not along sociodemographics and information sources used prior to the vacation. The article ends with an assessment of the contributions of the findings both to the literature on travel expenditure and to golf destination marketers.

Integrating Sustainability into the Strategic Planning of National Tourism Organizations

Abstract: This article describes an empirical study undertaken in national tourism organizations in Europe responsible for tourism planning to investigate the parameters that compose the capability to integrate sustainability into the strategic planning process and the factors that contribute to its development. Results indicate that both strategic planning and the integration of sustainability in national tourism organizations face problems that limit the potential of strategic planning to contribute substantially toward sustainability. Further to problems traced within the organizations and in the design of the strategic planning process, the research reveals the negative influence exerted by various exogenous factors. This article discusses the role that national tourism organizations can play in operationalizing sustainable tourism and pursuing it through strategic planning and suggests ways to improve performance in this respect. It also reveals a large scope for more empirical work for the integration of sust...

Online Travel Surveys and Response Patterns

Abstract: This article reviews the benefits and issues with online surveys as it relates to response rates, speed of response, representativeness of the samples, and the differences in results due to different survey media. Analysis of the response data for four travel-related online surveys showed consistent response patterns. This article demonstrates that an exponential growth model is most appropriate when modeling the numbers of returns over time. The model can predict the final number of returns based on 7 or 8 days’ survey return numbers with a relatively small degree of error. The study suggests that surveying a pilot sample and analyzing their responses can allow a researcher to estimate the parameters of the response model for a large-scale survey and thus conduct a study in a more effective way.