An Assessment of Service Quality in a Nature-Based Tourism Setting

Abstract

Tourism in most states today is a vital economic force. To meet the growing desires of the traveling public who wish to better understand the environment and how to respect it, entrepreneurs in the private and public sectors need to rise. Thus, the purpose of this study was to help nature-based tourism businesses improve the quality of services that they offered and to make new service product recommendations. Three nature-based tourism businesses in the Grand Strand region of South Carolina were studied, using visitor questionnaires. A total sample of 630 useable questionnaires was included in the analysis. The findings of this study showed the importance of including a programming dimension with an experience service such as nature-based tourism. Results suggested that nature-based tourists' expectations of service quality vary between the selected businesses. Further research in this area needs to examine the influence that involvement and loyalty has on service quality gaps.     

Trends and Issues Impacting Camp Management Towards 21st Century in Hong Kong

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the trends and issues impacting on government and voluntary camps in the next five years in Hong Kong. The study involved three stages. First, survey of a select expert panel (n = 34) identified a total of 146 trends and issues. Second, a questionnaire was then distributed to a wider group of camp managers and administrators (n = 46). Third, a sample of ideal typical cases of experienced camp managers and administrators (n = 7) were interviewed to determine the implications or solutions of these trends and issues. The results were then compared with Jubenville and Twight's model (1993) of outdoor recreation system. Data from the interviews were also analyzed. Lastly, an alternative model of camp management was then presented.     

Tourism Marketing Alliances: Member Satisfaction and Effectiveness Attributes of a Regional Initiative

Abstract

Public-private partnerships and collaborative alliances are increasing between public land management and tourism agencies facing reduced funding and staffing. Despite recent managerial and academic interest in collaborative alliances, little systematic research has examined the internal processes and impacts of these new interorganizational forms. The purpose of this study was to examine one regional alliance in depth-the Coalition For Unified Recreation In The Eastern Sierra (CURES). Through interviews with coalition members, a mailed survey, and systematic examination of secondary sources, several research questions were addressed. Findings from this study suggest that effective collaborative planning efforts require more than strong leaders and administrative support. A number of internal factors including adequate representation of interests, a shared vision, goal accomplishment, good working relationships, and open communication between members will contribute to effective collaboration and member satisfaction. Results from this study have implications for enhancing the effectiveness of emerging collaborative alliances in the tourism field.     

Role of destination competitiveness and national corruption in hotel performance: A study of developing economies of Central America

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between destination competitiveness (DC), national corruption and hotel performance (HP). A panel data analysis was applied to the Central American region. The results reveal that corruption has an impact on DC and HP. Such findings are important for the region as many of the countries are battling high levels of corruption while developing tourism industry. In addition, DC was found to have a unidirectional impact on HP. These findings provide a number of theoretical and managerial implications, reinforcing the role of a “shadow” economy and the importance of tourism.     

What are Cities Really Committing to When They Build a Convention Center?

Abstract

This paper looks at the eventual implications to cities when a convention center is built. The Delphi Technique was used to gain the expert opinions of a wide variety of knowledgeable experts in the field. Five questions pertaining to the ultimate financial consequences of building a convention center in a municipality were examined. There was great, general agreement that cities are putting themselves into a position where additional dollars will have to be spent in an attempt to make the initial investment, in this case a convention center, successful.     

Prioritizing destination attributes for optimal resource allocation: a study of Chinese tourists visiting Britain

ABSTRACT

This study assesses the importance, performance, and the interrelationships of key destination attributes for marketing managers to prioritize resource allocation. A three-dimensional analysis of importance–performance–impact-analysis (IPIA) factors, based upon a survey sample of 275 Chinese tourists to Britain and an expert panel interview with 10 destination marketing managers is presented. Data analysis was based upon a mix of multi-criteria decision-making methodologies, the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method and the Analytic Network Process (ANP) method. The framework can be applied to prioritize resources allocation to improve customer satisfaction in other contexts, such as a sector or a specific business.     

How a More Competitive Market Is Influencing Public Investments in Convention Centers

Abstract

This dialectic analysis looks at the strategy of using public money to build and subsidize the operating costs ofconvention centers in light of emerging trends in the U.S. convention market. Among the changes occurring are a dramatic increase in the amount of convention space, the rising costs associated with building and maintaining modern convention facilities, and tighter convention budgets. These trends, along with decision making processes that do not lend themselves to adequate scrutiny, are putting some communities at unnecessary financial risk.     

The empirical development of a taxonomy for classifying recreation participants based on their attitudes toward the public and commercial sectors

Abstract

This study examined attitudes held toward the public and commercial sectors as variables relevant to classifying the recreation participants. The data were collected in a controlled experimental setting. A taxonomy was developed which can be used to categorize individuals on the basis of their attitudes toward the two sectors. Discriminant analysis was used to place individual subjects into one of nine groups in the taxonomy. The discriminant analysis identified statistically significant differences in the attitudes of individuals who were placed into the various groups. Further analysis revealed that the taxonomy may be simplified by collapsing the nine groups into three groups. The three groups include: (1) people who have more favorable attitudes toward the public sector than toward the commercial sector; (2) people who have more favorable attitudes toward the commercial sector than toward the public sector; and (3) people who have similar attitudes toward both sectors. Limitations of the study, implications for managers, and directions for future research are discussed.     

Investigating public relations as a destination promotion strategy: the role of multiple dimensions of publicity

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the relationships between tourism-related public relations, publicity, and tourism demand. Publicity was split into three aspects: attention, prominence, and valence based on multidimensionality of media salience. These relationships were tested in the context of United States tourists to South Korea using a system of equations. Empirical findings indicated that public relations and the three aspects of publicity had a significant effect on tourism demand. Public relations was also found to have a significant effect on the prominence and valence dimensions of publicity. However, public relations did not influence the attention dimension. Theoretical and practical implications along with suggestions for future research are presented.     

Older women’s identity reconstruction in leisure spaces: a case of Guangzhou,China

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the social interactions and social relations generated by older women in the urban public leisure spaces of Guangzhou, China. The intent is to explore the identity of older women in daily leisure spaces. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and non-participatory observation and then were analysed to explore the relation among identification, leisure spaces, and interaction. The study shows the older women’s need for self-fulfilment and social interaction, as well as the need to fill emptiness are generally unfulfilled because of the alienation of urban life – the citizens share a common sense of loneliness and senselessness. Nevertheless, the inclusiveness, openness, and group honour of urban public spaces offers a good complement to the sense of isolation. In the specific socio-cultural background of Guangzhou, older women reshape or strengthen their identities through multiple factors to achieve a strong sense of belonging in daily leisure spaces.     

Repositioning a Tourism Destination

SUMMARY

This paper is a case study of the repositioning of New Orleans as a tourism destination after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. It examines the event from a post-disaster marketing viewpoint and first outlines the tourism industry in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina, including visitor profile, destination image, and positioning statements. The article then recounts the effects of the hurricane on the tourism infrastructure. The effectiveness of recovery marketing strategies, including the repositioning strategies undertaken by the city's tourism marketing organizations, is examined. The disaster management frameworks as discussed in the literature are revisited and extended to include the lessons learned for post disaster market repositioning.     

Towards a Conceptual Framework for Assessing Community Attractiveness for Conventions

Abstract

The convention, exposition, and meeting industry (CEMI) has been growing at an unprecedented rate with cities of all sizes building or expanding their convention centers. While the cities may or may not have made good decisions, the underlying base for these judgements has not taken into account those characteristics of the city that convention attendees deem important. This research fills this void by delineating sixteen different city traits that impact on conventioneer destination attractiveness and develops scales for each. For each scale, applications to major convention cities are provided as examples. The framework provides an empirical base for convention decision making that was not previously possible. The extant research offers a means by which convention center operators and city policy makers can compare themselves to other cities or centers and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Thus, entities using this approach can better position themselves in the market with a resulting increase in success with conventions.     

The go-along interview: a valuable tool for leisure research

Abstract

The go-along interview, where the researcher and participant visit a predetermined location relevant to the research objective, is a data collection method that aligns with, but is distinct from, ethnographic traditions. This article introduces, critiques, and offers suggestions for the use of the go-along interview in leisure research based on two research projects focused on the leisure experiences of people with mental health challenges. We describe the go-along interview as a means of eliciting rich data situated in specific leisure settings while building rapport and addressing the power imbalances that can characterize traditional interviews. Further, we describe the need for careful consideration of how the researcher is introduced in the research setting and document pertinent ethical and safety considerations. A sample protocol for researcher and participant safety and a list of suggestions for the use of this method are provided.     

Segmenting tourists using sustainable values: a cluster analysis of Tanzanian inbound tourism

ABSTRACT

This study aimed at examining different segments of visitors to Tanzania with respect to their values around sustainability. Using a self-administered questionnaire, 286 cases were analyzed through a combination of non-hierarchical and hierarchical cluster analyses. The results indicated three clusters of visitors, each with different sustainable values. A follow-up analysis using ANOVA and Chi-square indicates the three clusters are significantly different in their sustainable values, their travel motives, and their demographics. These results provide insights for both public and private organizations on how to market and manage different destination elements to visitors in a sustainable manner.     

Nicaragua's Buen Vivir: a strategy for tourism development?

ABSTRACT

Although often framed as an emerging anthropocenic socio-ecological imaginary, the Latin American paradigm of Buen Vivir has provided a broad base of support for tourism development in the region. This article focuses on Nicaragua's Buen Vivir, a national development campaign entitled “Live Clean, Live Healthy, Live Beautiful, Live Well” (called Vivir Bonito, Vivir Bien) The campaign was launched in 2013 as a multi-pronged approach to integrated development in distinct areas including employment, public health, waste management, education, urban aesthetics and national pride. However, it has also had the effect of opening up opportunities for tourism development not only in the capital city of Managua but also alongside other mega-projects such as the planned interoceanic canal. This article draws upon the example of Vivir Bonito, Vivir Bien to illustrate the variety of tourism development strategies currently emerging at the intersection of a left-turn toward Socialism of the 21st Century and Buen Vivir in Latin America, on the one hand, and a post-neoliberal context in which political economic projects of the past continue to leave their mark.     

Diversity in a democracy: Expanding the recreation opportunity spectrum

Abstract

Diversity in tastes among the public for outdoor recreation has been a consistent finding from more than two decades of research. A number of planning and management systems have been designed to accommodate this diversity. The most recent and highly developed design has been the recreation opportunity spectrum, which suggests, among other things, relatively standard relationships between recreation setting conditions to produce a variety of opportunity classes. This paper suggests that these relationships may, ironically, limit rather than encourage potential diversity in outdoor recreation. More liberal interpretation of these relationships is suggested.     

The effect of tourism investment on tourism development and CO2 emissions: empirical evidence from the EU nations

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of tourism investment on tourism development and CO₂ emissions in a panel of 28 EU countries using annual data from 1990 to 2013. The empirical results from a panel cointegration test confirm the presence of long-run equilibrium relationship among the variables. The long-run elasticities indicate that tourism investment has a significant positive and negative impact on tourism development and CO₂ emissions, respectively. Finally, the short-run heterogeneous panel non-causality test results show the evidence of bidirectional causality between tourism investment and tourism revenue. These results therefore suggest that tourism investments not only increase tourism revenue but also reduce CO₂ emissions. Given these findings, we suggest the policy makers of the EU nations to initiate more effective policies to increase the tourism investments. The increasing tourism investments will allow the industry to grow further by ensuring sustainable tourism development across the EU member countries.     

Sources of Slavery-Destinations of Slavery

Summary

This study seeks to account for differences between the UK and US in including sites of black slavery as part of their heritage tourism and museum agenda. Both countries were heavily involved in the slave trade and both currently have immigrant communities with an appreciation of their origins. However, and unlike the American situation, it is only recently that Britain has opened the contentious issue of slavery to public gaze. In this regard, attention focuses specifically on the mounting of a pioneering Slave Exhibition at Liverpool's Maritime Museum and, by interviewing its chief curator, various insights are gained as to the potential and pitfalls of such a permanent display of an inglorious past. Further interpretation is added by references to the general literature on heritage tourism, the emerging context of “thanatourism” and the framework of a Force Field model that can usefully accommodate the competing interests of rival stakeholders.     

Public Financing of Headquarter Hotels in the United States

Abstract

The past decade has seen a dramatic shift toward public sector financing of large hotels in the United States. This dialectic analysis examines trends in public participation in hotel development and examines why governments are investing in these projects. It looks at the different types of public participation and considers the market implications of these subsidies on private sector hotel development. The case is made that there is a need for accountability and more thorough review of these public investments. The paper proposes various ways that this can be achieved and discusses barriers to such reforms.