Choosing Virtual – Rather than Real – Leisure Activities: An Examination of the Decision–making Process in Screen-Golf Participants

The objective of this study is to apply Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explicate the intention-formation process in the playing of screen golf. The study investigated how players' favorable/unfavorable attitudes toward screen golf, the social pressures they perceive related to screen golf, and their senses of capability and resources to play screen golf interact to build up or undercut the intention to play this virtual version of the sport. An Internet-based survey and field survey were conducted. Overall, the findings indicated that the fit of the proposed model was satisfactory, and that the proposed model involving the original variables in the TPB and past behavior effectively explained golfers' intention formation. In addition, golfers' concerns about the environment were found to be a moderator in forming their intention. This study illuminated the psychological and social factors that may influence recreation consumers to choose a “virtual”, rather than “real”, leisure activity.     

Whitewashing Plantations

Summary

This article begins with a brief explanation of personal experiences on plantation tours. It follows with an empirical examination of tourist brochures from over 100 plantations and a textual analysis of their data. A frequency count of keywords is created, serving to highlight that “slavery,” “slaves” and “slave cabins” occur less often than such expressions as “owners,” “landscapes” and “furnishings.” Reasons for this imbalance are sought. More specifically, the investigation asks why plantation owners and their operations under-emphasize slavery and what this situation means for the contemporary tourist. In so doing, the inquiry attempts to answer the question as to whether or not such mar-ginalization of slavery is a legitimate concern now and in the future.     

Multidimensional Scaling Analysis in the Determination of Hotel Quality Dimensions–Patagonia,Argentina

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to identify and select quality dimensions for high category hotels in Neuquén and Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina.

The research starts with a battery of 28-quality indicators that was obtained from in-depth interviews with hotel managers, and guest surveys carried out in both locations.

Through a structured interview by filling cards, the research team finds out the dimensionality that groups the hotel service quality items. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis are used to explore the items grouping pattern and to define resulting quality dimensions. An empirical content validated scale for the construct “perceived service quality in hotels” is attained. Its three dimensions are “Physical support and hotel general services quality,” “Room quality” and “Employee service quality.”     

Competencies of training professionals in the Hong Kong hotel industry

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate the competencies of training professionals in the hotel industry in Hong Kong. A survey questionnaire was adopted. Seventeen competencies were derived by factor analysis. Six essential competencies are identified, whereas “people skills and commitment” and “awareness of quality” are the most important competencies, while another 11 competencies are highly preferred. This study provides original criteria for hoteliers and human resources professionals to facilitate the recruitment process and aid training professionals in developing core competencies in hotel industry employees. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are presented.     

Golfers in Colorado

Abstract

Tourism, and specifically golf, continue to be major drivers to the Colorado economy, especially in relatively high natural amenity areas. However, it is not clear that tourism promotion and broader golf marketing strategies are effectively aimed given the evolving nature of golf consumers and their visitation patterns, even though this is an important external force impacting the industry. The objective of this research is to develop a set of golfer profiles for Colorado to assist in the development of promotional strategies differentially targeted at in-state and traveling golfers.     

Understanding Motivations,Inhibitors, and Facilitators of Association Members in Attending International Conferences

Abstract

This study examined the motivations, inhibitors, and facilitators that influence association members in attending international conferences. Mailed questionnaires were sent to conference participants of the 2000 International Council of Hotel, Restaurant Industry Educators (CHRIE) conference. It was found that “Sightseeing,” “Self-enhancement,” and “Business and association activities” are the underlying dimensions of the conference motivations. The underlying dimensions of conference inhibitors are “Conference and personal constraints” and “Distance, time, and money.” The study also revealed that “Affordability and availability of time,” “Family/spouse,” and “Distance and ease of access” are major conference facilitators.     

Are students customers? Tourism and hospitality students’ evaluation of their higher education experience

ABSTRACT

Research has suggested that higher education students assume multiple roles during their studies. Moreover, the student-as-customer model has been discussed for years and needs more in-depth discussions than other roles. Few studies have investigated education experiences from this perspective. This research contains two studies. Study one investigates faculty members’ perceptions on students’ roles in higher education and found students should not be considered purely as customers. Other roles were found. Study two investigates students’ perception of their roles in university education and how the education experiences influence their satisfaction towards university choice. A majority of the students see themselves as the “recipient of knowledge”. The six dimensions of higher education experience include “student-centred service” (SCS), “diversity and global citizenship” (DGC), “coproduction of learning experience”, “reliance on teachers” (ROT), “responsibility”, and “whole person development” (WPL). SCS, DGC, ROT, and WPL were found to have significant impact on student satisfaction.     

Interrelationships between tourist involvement,tourist experience,and environmentally responsible behavior: a case study of Nansha Wetland Park,China

ABSTRACT

This study examines a model linking three facets of tourist involvement (“importance & pleasure,” “sign value,” and “risk probability & consequence”) with tourist experience (TE) and environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). Data were collected with a self-administered questionnaire in a convenient sampling approach from tourists visiting Nansha Wetland Park, China. In total, 308 valid questionnaires were obtained. The structural equation modeling technique was applied to data analyses. Of three tourist involvement (TI) facets, “importance & pleasure” was found to be the most salient predictor of TE, which in turn led to ERB. “Risk probability & consequence” was shown as a potent predictor of both TE and ERB. “Sign value” did not have any effect on either TE or ERB. Basically, TE served as a full mediator between “importance & pleasure” and ERB, and a partial mediator between “risk probability & consequence” and ERB. Contributions, managerial implications, and future research directions are discussed.     

Tourists and researcher identities: critical considerations of collisions,collaborations and confluences in Svalbard

ABSTRACT

Svalbard is an “edge-of-the-world” hot spot for environmental change, political discourse, tourism and scientific research in the Anthropocene. Drawing on ethnographic and qualitative research, I use this context to critically explore the identity-categories of “researcher” and “tourist”. Through the lens of political ecology, I draw out the uneven power relations of knowledge production that are attached to these labels and their consequences for ongoing efforts for managing sustainable tourism. By considering the experiences of tourists, researchers and “scientific tourists”, both practically and from an embodied experiential perspective, I challenge the distinctions typically made between these roles. I bring to light several common aspects, goals and experiences these practices share. In doing so, I aim to disrupt the existing hierarchies of knowledge that champion an impersonal, rational scientific approach and call for a more varied array of knowledge and practices to be taken into account when considering the future ecologies of Svalbard and the broader Arctic region.     

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN SHOPPING FOR LUXURY GOODS: WESTERN,ASIAN, AND HISPANIC TOURISTS

This study examines the significant differences in shopping for luxury goods among Western, Asian, and Hispanic tourists and, in particular, the perceived importance of different types and characteristics of the luxury consumer and travel goods tourists buy on vacation. The results show that Western, Asian, and Hispanic tourists‐shoppers significantly differ in the perceived importance of luxury consumer and travel goods and their characteristics. Western and Asian tourists attach more importance to buying “gifts for others” than Hispanic tourists. Asian tourists attach more importance to buying “golf equipment,” “health spa/wellness treatment,” “luxury cruises,”and “luxury yachts/rentals” than Hispanic tourists. Western tourists attach more importance to “fine dining” than Hispanic tourists. Implications of the study results and recommendations for future studies are discussed.     

Exploring the Relationships Between Hotel Management Courses and Industry Required Competencies

ABSTRACT

Recently, higher education in Taiwan for the hospitality industry has grown dramatically. However, hospitality education is still considered a relative newborn in comparison with other programs. To develop effective programs, it would be appropriate to investigate competencies that influence career success in the hotel industry and the courses that nurture those important competencies.

A researcher-developed survey instrument was used to collect data from 200 industry professionals. Instrument reliability and validity were reported. The results revealed the competencies relating to communication and adaptability most influenced career success. Moreover, Finance/Marketing/Personnel Management, Foreign Languages, and Communications & Quality Management curriculum dimensions were significantly related to competencies of “communication skills & adaptation to environmental changes.”     

Functions of privacy in wilderness environments

Abstract

Westin (1967), in his Privacy and Freedom, suggests that there are four basic functions of privacy in society (personal autonomy, emotional release, self‐evaluation, limited and protected communication). Westin's theoretical model was examined for its utility in understanding the functions of privacy in wilderness environments. Importance ratings of 106 wilderness users for 28 scale items which characterized the privacy functions were factor analyzed. The factor analysis yielded five functions instead of Westin's four; however, Westin's model served as a valuable tool for interpreting the functions. “Emotional release” was rated the most important function, while “resting the mind from anxiety and mental fatigue” was the highest rated individual item.     

The correlation coefficient and problems of inference in recreation research

Correlation analysis frequently has been used for the investigation of leisure research questions. This paper illustrates the problem of “unequal weighting of cases” which is present in the use of correlation analysis. It further illustrates how this problem can mislead researchers when they make substantive inferences about leisure.     

The Effects of Travel Agent Characteristics on the Development of Trust: A Contingency View

Abstract

Trust is a key factor in the establishment of long-term relationships between travel agents and their customers. Prior research across service industries has documented that both “person-related” (e.g., empathy, politeness, and customer/service representative similarity) and “offer-related” (e.g., customization, competence, reliability, and promptness) service representative characteristics have an impact upon trust. However, the relative importance of these characteristics, and in some cases the direction of their relationships with trust has varied across studies. In this paper, we posit a contingency model of trust, suggesting that within the travel agency industry, the effects of the above variables on trust will be moderated by length of customer/service provider relationship. Our model is tested in a business-to-business context by means of a mail survey involving 487 small business owners. The small business owners provided data about their relationships with their travel industry service providers (i.e., agents). Our results demonstrate how corporate travel agencies can work toward the establishment of trust with their clients under varying market conditions.     

An examination of the recruitment selection factors for a front desk agent

ABSTRACT

The author examined the selection factors within the three traditional steps of recruitment of reviewing the cover letter, the résumé, and the face-to-face interview for a front desk agent position. Differences between hospitality recruiters and hiring managers indicate each group has selection factors according to their personal guidelines. The findings suggest hospitality experience and background, length of time at a position, and positive attitudes (personality) are most important in each of the three stages. Even though experience was the most frequent selection factor, the final decision of a “gut feeling or intuition” chose the applicant.     

Climate variability and water use on golf courses: optimization opportunities for a warmer future

Global freshwater resources are under ever-increasing pressure that is anticipated to be exacerbated by climate change. Increasing demands for water use will require tourism to improve and disclose its monitoring and reporting, particularly for water-intensive activities such as golf tourism. Using a sample of 129 courses from Ontario (Canada), this is the first study to examine golf course characteristics that influence water use variability (e.g. dominant soil type, ownership type, and age of course). By establishing “best in class” water use efficiency among common types of courses, potential water extraction savings of 35% are identified (or 6.75 billion litres annually). Importantly, the study also accounts for the influence of climate variability on water use by comparing a climatically normal season (for the 1981–2010 period) with an anomalously dry and warm season to examine the potential impact of future climate change on water use (i.e. reduced precipitation and higher temperatures). Average water use effectively almost doubles during an anomalously dry-warm season (increasing from 59.6 to 94.2 million litres), accentuating the importance of achieving potential water use efficiencies. In addition to best management practices, the need to reshape public perceptions of golf course aesthetics is also discussed.     

Designing a Hospitality Ethics Course Content from the Students' Perspective

ABSTRACT

In managing a curriculum, it is important to solicit students' perspective to ensure that it is relevant to their interest and needs. Therefore, in an attempt to develop content for a hospitality ethics course, this study conducts a questionnaire survey with 520 hospitality students to help identify the importance of 39 ethical issues in the hospitality industry. As suggested by Thomas, Clermont, and Maimbolwa-Sinyangwe (1984) and DuFrene, Elliott-Howard, and Daniel (1990), if an ethical issue is judged to be important, it can serve as a topic around which part of the course is to be developed. The top three most important issues are found to be “Disposal of hazardous waste,” “Acceptance of bribes or gifts by employees” and “Sexual harassment on the job.”     

Playing in the Posthuman Band: Toward an Aesthetics of Intra-Action in Musical Leisure

Abstract

In this article we use ideas from theorists associated with the “new materialist” or “posthuman” turns in contemporary philosophy in order to challenge the conception of the musical subject posited in aesthetic contemplation advanced by what we term the “pedagogical music world,” and to pursue the possibilities afforded by an aesthetics of intra-action exemplified in practices of the musical “jam.” We return to ancient Greek conceptions of music and leisure (mousikē and scholē), mediated by posthuman theoretical concerns in an examination of the nature of musical affect to argue that an aesthetics of intra-action necessitates a distributed and immanent notion of musical agency rather than individual and transcendent one. Through this discussion, we attempt to trouble the ideas put forth by the pedagogical music world to illuminate leisure potential as imagined in the “posthuman band.”