The Role of the Psychological Contract in Managing Research Volunteer Tourism

Volunteer motivations and the psychological contract are outlined, demonstrating a reciprocal relationship needing more complex marketing approaches. Limitations of relationship marketing resulting from short project times are identified. Maguire's three-tier model is used to develop a theoretical model of the Research Volunteer psychological contract. Qualitative case data is used to illustrate transactional, career, and relational relationships. The article maps relationship marketing and the psychological contract model together, arguing that using both constructs enables more effective management of such a tourism niche.     

An Examination of Social Media Marketing in China: How do the Top 133 Hotel Brands Perform on the Top Four Chinese Social Media Sites?

The purpose of this study is to evaluate hotel companies’ social media marketing efforts using the “6Is” social media monitoring framework. More specifically, in this study we set out to understand how hotels disseminate information, engage with consumers, and distribute products through social media. We investigate the presence of the top 133 hotel brands in China on the top domestic Chinese social media sites in order to identify to what extent the hotel industry in China recognizes the potential of this marketing tool. The findings indicate that the majority of the hotels actively and consistently use the Sina Weibo and Wechat platforms for their social media marketing.     

The relationship between CRM, RM, and business performance: A study of the hotel industry in Taiwan

This study aims to investigate the implementation of customer relationship management (CRM) and its effect on relationship marketing (RM) and business performance, through an analysis of the hotel industry in Taiwan. A survey on hotels, including general and tourist hotels, and bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) was conducted, and a total of 560 questionnaires were returned. The results showed that implementing CRM has a significant and positive influence on the RM effect, positively affecting business performance for both hotels and B&Bs. However, a comparison of the influential paths of relationship models between hotels and B&Bs showed that, for hotels, the Internet service and customer support functions of the CRM strategy are the main sources of influence on the RM effect and business performance, whereas for B&Bs, the marketing support function of the CRM strategy alone influences the RM effect and business performance. To achieve higher performance, the different types of hotel enterprises should understand their main advantage before implementing key CRM strategies.     

Selling Tourism on the Internet: Analysis of the Balance of Power Between Seller and Consumer During Information Exchange and Negotiation

Abstract

Business on the Internet is experiencing rapid development. Numerous companies in the tourism industry are setting up sites on the “World Wide Web” in order to create virtual shopping, to promote their product lines and to offer a service or to make direct sales. However, the exploitation of this new communication medium works regardless of the consequences of such an evolution on consumer behavior, in particular during the phase of commercial research and negotiation. This article is an analysis of the balance of power between seller and consumer within the framework of Computer-Mediated Communication. The result of this commercial research will make it possible to assess the different degrees of influence on retailers that are competing within the framework of network communication. Recommendations regarding the development of direct sales on the Web will be made.     

A content analysis of travel agency web‐sites in Korea

The Internet has become a dominant issue in today's tourism environment. This paper is to provide large travel agencies in Korea with a better understanding of their Web‐based competitive environment. A content analysis of the top 60 travel agencies Web‐sites in Korea suggests that many travel agencies do not develop their own Web‐sites and although travel agencies are using the Web, they have not, as yet, fully utilized capabilities of Web‐sites. This study also suggests some implications for successful cyber tourism marketing, including the establishment of a Web‐site, on‐line selling, customer supports, and cyber marketing mix strategy on the Web. Limitations and further research issues are also suggested.     

Modelling E-Marketing Strategies: Internet Presence and Exploitation of Greek Hotels

Abstract

Despite the wide use of the Internet in the tourism industry and the exponential growth of e-commerce, little is still known on how the new medium is transforming marketing practices and concepts. The purpose of this empirical study is to fill in this gap. Specifically, the study first analyses Internet's capabilities as well as the Virtual Marketspace and the marketing transformations that the Internet is creating. After reviewing models and strategies for Internet marketing, an e-marketing mix is proposed that exploits Internet capabilities. The latter is used in order to investigate and provide suggestions on the development of Internet strategies of hotels in Greece.     

Effectiveness of the hotel websites in Singapore: A perspective from Business‐to‐Business (B2B) organisations

Internet marketing in hotels allows potential users to learn about the hotels, to tour hotel facilities and to compare prices among other benefits without directly interacting with a hotel representative. For some users, Internet is the first and only channel consulted when booking hotel accommodations. In the present age, Internet is increasingly becoming both an opportunity and a challenge for hotel marketers. The opportunity lies in reaching users directly through Internet sites. The challenge is to get the guests’ attention long enough to tell the marketers’ story (Connolly, Olsen and Moore, 1998). It has always been controversial as to how effective Internet marketing can be. Both firms and researchers have indicated that the measuring of effectiveness of Internet marketing is a multidimensional question. This study sought to examine the effectiveness of business‐to‐business Internet marketing in the hotel industry in Singapore through analysing the differences between the travel agents expectations of service and hotels’ understanding of those expectations. A total of 66 hotel websites in Singapore were scanned to give the features analysis. On the basis of the perception scores of 112 inbound travel agents, the study identified the gaps between the users and the website provider (hotel industry).     

Comparison between hotels and motels using CRM effect model – An empirical study in Taiwan

This study aims to explore the influence of customer relationship management (CRM) on the relationship marketing effect (RME) and business performance (BP) for hotels and motels in Taiwan, and compare the differences between the two. After surveying 224 hotels and 114 motels, the study establish a CRM effect model and finds that the implementation of CRM can have a significant and positive impact on the RME and BP for both types of establishments. However, enterprise type has an interference effect on the intensity of the relationship paths in the CRM effect model. Therefore, different enterprise types should plan CRM strategies that are based on individual advantage, which will not only increase the RME, but also further enhance BP by improving customer relationships.     

From innovation to sustainability: Sustainability innovations of eco-friendly hotels in Taiwan

Sustainable innovation is a critical attribute in modern hotel management, as is widely recognized by experts and hotel managers alike. This paper develops and tests a new integrated theoretical model of associations among innovation diffusion, environmental marketing strategy, sustainability innovations, and the organizational environment. This research also considers the mediating effect of environmental marketing strategy and the moderating role of the organizational environment. The results of a study that included 367 managers of eco-friendly hotels in Taiwan provide support for this model across various dimensions of hotels’ sustainable innovation. The present study found relationships among innovation diffusion, environmental marketing strategy and sustainability innovations, and a mediating effect of environmental marketing strategy. The results also confirmed that the organizational environment moderates the relationship between innovation diffusion and environmental marketing strategy. That is, a supportive organizational environment will enhance the effect of innovation diffusion on environmental marketing strategy.     

Native American casino marketing on the web

The Internet and its component, the World Wide Web (WWW or Web), as well as the casino industry grew tremendously in the United States in the past decade. While there are various estimates about the future size of the Internet and the casino market, all agree that the two will continue to grow substantially. However, very few studies have discussed Internet use within the casino industry. This study reviewed 58 Class III Native American casino web sites. Content areas analyzed included introduction to the casino organization, local destination attractions, food and beverage services, accommodations, entertainment and recreation facilities, maps and directions to casinos, links to related commercial and regulatory agency web sites, and user friendliness. Web site features were evaluated based on marketing mix and principles.     

Present and future hotel website marketing activities: Change propensity analysis

The objective of this study is to examine and predict website marketing activities of US hotels. An online survey is conducted to collect data from members of three major hotel associations located in the US. Change propensity analysis is utilized to evaluate future trends of website marketing activities. The results demonstrate that current website exploitation by the US hotels is relatively limited, with a focus on information dissemination. It is suggested that a number of transaction and relation-building activities will emerge in the near future. Implications based on the results are discussed.     

服务营销管理体系与酒店绩效关系的实证研究

已有研究主要探讨某一服务营销管理举措与企业绩效的关系,而在酒店业不同的发展阶段,各种服务营销管理举措发挥作用的程度不同.为了揭示现阶段我国酒店最佳的营销管理组合,我们在充分总结有关研究的基础上,构建了服务营销管理体系对酒店绩效影响的回归模型,随后对全国30多个城市千余家酒店进行了问卷调查,对221个有效样本的分析发现:在酒店服务营销管理体系中,服务创新、服务补救和人员管理决定着酒店绩效,且酒店星级对以上关系存在显著的调节作用.     

The Future of the Meeting,Incentive, Convention,and Exhibition (MICE) Industry Buyer-Seller Relationship

ABSTRACT

Business on the Internet and in the MICE industry are both experiencing rapid development. The construction of dedicated-convention centers, usually by the public sector, in large cities reflects this trend. In order to obtain a return on investment in the competitive MICE market, centers must competitively market themselves on the global stage, and the World Wide Web has provided the ideal vehicle. Findings from this study indicate that while the Internet and the Web are providing branding and information services, to date, clients still prefer printed promotional material and personal interface as a way of doing business. In the MICE market, marketing collateral appears to have a very short shelf life, with updates having resource implications for each center.     

RELATIONSHIP INTENTION AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN RELATIONAL BENEFITS AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN THE TOUR OPERATOR INDUSTRY

Relationship and customer loyalty management have been an important field of research in marketing for decades. However, the focus for many years was mainly on the benefits of relationship marketing for companies. This article contributes to a deeper understanding of the benefits of relationship marketing for customers in the travel industry. It investigates the effects between relational benefits, relationship intention and intentional loyalty using the tour operator industry as an example. Relationship intention will be introduced as a variable influencing intentional loyalty. The role of relationship intention in the customer benefit‐intentional loyalty context will be analyzed by testing different path models. The measurement model is estimated, based on a confirmatory factor analysis using LISREL with a sample of 1,702 tour operator customers. The structural model as well as the estimate path coefficients were analyzed applying a partial least square approach (PLS) using SmartPLS. This article not only contributes to the further development of models explaining intentional loyalty, but also to the development of practical insights about the influence of different measures and tools on intentional loyalty from a customer benefit perspective. It can be concluded that the intention of a customer to invest in a relationship is dependent on the perceived level of relationship benefits. Further, the results show, that the buying behavior of customers is influenced by the perceived relational benefits. With the management of customer relations, a provider can influence the behavior of the customer to exploit the earning potential efficiently. Therefore, a provider has to be successful in creating new relational benefits for his customers through measures of customer relation management.     

Internal marketing practices,genuine emotions and their effects on hotel employees’ customer-oriented behaviors

Drawing on social exchange and conservation of resources theories, this study investigates genuine emotions as a mediator of the effects of internal marketing practices on customer-oriented behaviors. Data collected from customer-contact employees in the four- and five-star hotels in Antalya, one of the most popular tourism destinations in Turkey, were used to assess the aforesaid relationships. The results from structural equation modeling reveal that management’s simultaneous emphasis on internal communication, training, and internal market research as the indicators of internal marketing practices fosters customer-contact employees’ genuine emotions displayed in service encounters. Such internal marketing practices as well as genuine emotions boost employees’ customer-oriented behaviors, as manifested by enjoyment and needs. As hypothesized, genuine emotions partly mediate the effects of internal marketing practices on customer-oriented behaviors. Theoretical and management implications associated with the abovementioned results are discussed.     

Antecedents and consequences of relationship quality in hotel industry

This study investigated the antecedents and consequences of relationship quality. This study will help hotel managers to develop and implement effective relationship marketing strategies. Effective usage of relationship marketing strategies will be able to improve hotel performance such as share of purchases, relationship continuity, and word of mouth. To analyze data collected from 12 five-star hotels in Seoul, the linear structural relationship (LISREL) model was used to identify structural characteristics of relationship management between service providers and guests. The empirical results of this study were threefold. First, greater service providers’ relational and customer orientation resulted in higher relationship quality. Second, better service providers’ attributes resulted in higher relationship quality. Third, higher relationship quality resulted in higher share of purchases and better relationship continuity and share of purchases.     

Investigation of Social Media Marketing: How Does the Hotel Industry in Hong Kong Perform in Marketing on Social Media Websites?

The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which social media marketing is being utilized in the Hong Kong hotel industry. Marketing performance of 67 hotels in Hong Kong on 23 social media sites was evaluated according to 18 criteria adapted from past studies. The results indicate that hotels generally have a poor performance in using social media to learn about customers. Major problems regarding the hotels' social media marketing efforts are identified. Implications behind these problems and recommendations for improvement are made accordingly.     

Evaluation of Web Site Performance: Korean Convention Centers

With strong government support for the convention industry, several international-scale convention centers have been established in major cities in Korea. The convention centers have developed Web sites as an online marketing tool for meeting planners. The purpose of the study is to identify and compare the current performance level of the Korean convention centers' Web sites and to provide useful strategies to improve Web site performance. The results revealed that the Korean convention centers should improve the customer- and marketing-related aspects on their Web sites among four perspectives in Web site performance evaluation. Recommendations are made on how the Korean convention centers can improve the effectiveness of the Web sites.     

Change or perish: Examining the role of human capital and dynamic marketing capabilities in the hospitality sector

Many researchers have endeavored to explain which factors contribute to sustainable competitive advantage. Toward this end, this study contributes to the marketing and hospitality management literature by providing empirical evidence on how human capital, dynamic marketing capabilities, and market dynamism influence competitive advantage in the hotel sector. We collected cross-sectional survey data from marketing and sales managers in 165 hotels, along with in-depth interviews in three hotels, based in four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, namely, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The findings reveal that human capital directly, and indirectly through dynamic marketing capabilities, plays a critical role on developing competitive advantage. To contextualize this role, our research reveals that market dynamism moderates the mediated relationship between human capital and competitive advantage via market sensing capabilities. We discuss how the findings offer theoretical and managerial implications for the development of competitive advantage in the hotel sector.     

Unraveling the dynamic and contingency mechanism between service experience and customer engagement with luxury hotel brands

This study unravels the dynamic and contingency mechanism between service experience and customer engagement with luxury hotel brands by investigating a multi-step model linking these two variables, in which emotional attachment and relational quality constructs (i.e., brand satisfaction, brand trust, and brand commitment) act as a bridge, while customer involvement acts as a moderator. Based on a self-administered survey dataset of 249 international tourists who are customers of luxury hotel brands, partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that all proposed hypotheses are supported. As such, this study discovers and clarifies the nature and dynamic mechanism underpinning the co-creation and reciprocation process of customer engagement with luxury hotels. In particular, the positive service experience is found to contribute to customer engagement via emotional attachment and relational marketing. Furthermore, the moderating role of customer involvement in the luxury hotel setting is confirmed.