Commercial hospitality in restaurants and tourist accommodation: Perspectives from international consumer experience in Scotland

This study investigates international consumer perceptions of their restaurant dining and hotel accommodation experiences to identify the common core elements of hospitality in commercial settings. A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the deep-rooted reactions, feelings, and perceptions of consumers. The empirical data are based on semi-structured interviews with 20 international postgraduate students in Scotland. The data analysis specified five categories of perceived commercial hospitality, including: interpersonal interaction, psychological connection, openness to different cultures, sensation satisfaction, and perceived value. Additionally, this study proposed a model of commercial hospitality for interpreting the dynamic and interactive relationships among different components. Complex hospitality experience relies primarily on customer emotional and social values. Several strategies based on perceived value and cultural differences were also developed to cater to various customer needs.     

Effect of consumer sentiment on hospitality expenditures and stock returns

Given the importance of consumers to the U.S. economy and especially to the hospitality industry, we explore how consumer sentiment (i.e. confidence in the economy) affects consumption expenditures and stock returns in the hospitality industry.We find that not only does consumer sentiment partly predict changes in future consumption expenditures, but changes in consumer sentiment are contemporaneously related to hospitality industry stock returns. More importantly, our results indicate that changes in consumer sentiment can partly predict changes in stock prices of hospitality firms, an indicator of firm performance. The predictive ability of consumer sentiment can thus be useful to managers in business forecasting, planning, and strategizing for profit maximization.     

A framework of memory management and tourism experiences

This research first develops a conceptual model to link relevant concepts in psychology and tourism research to each stage of the long-term memory (LTM) system. It combines insights from mindfulness, positive affect, and quality of conscious experience to understand how tourists encode information; research in short-term memory and working memory as well as social identity to address the consolidation of information; and concepts of remembering, false memory, and storytelling to highlight information retrieval. Next, focus groups were conducted to examine how practitioners are helping tourists encode, consolidate, and retrieve their memories in the context of this model (Study 1). Finally, in-depth interviews were conducted to complement the practitioner’s perspective by reflecting the tourist’s voice that is relevant in each stage of the LTM system (Study 2). Overall, this research connects findings from the practitioner’s viewpoint with the tourist’s voice to present a framework of memory management and tourism experiences.     

Effect of experiential value on customer satisfaction with service encounters in luxury-hotel restaurants

Exactly how the restaurant industry creates good quality service experiences has attracted the attention of scholars and practitioners. Some scholars advocate creating high quality service encounters to enhance customer satisfaction. However, recent research has not examined hotel restaurant service, and a detailed understanding of its potential effects on the customer meal experience and customer satisfaction is needed. Consequently, this study of service encounters and restaurant consumer behavior constructed a comprehensive framework via a literature review. Empirical data were collected by a questionnaire distributed to luxury-hotel restaurant customers. The empirical results indicated that restaurant environmental factors and interactions with service employees and other consumers positively influence the consumer experiential value. Additionally, only interactive relationships with service employees directly and positively affect consumer satisfaction. Restaurant environment factors and interactions with other consumers indirectly and positively influence consumer satisfaction through experiential value. Finally, with respect to marketing and development initiatives, the results of this study can help improve the physical attractiveness of the examined luxury-hotel restaurants.     

Improving consumer commitment through the integration of self-service technologies: A transcendent consumer experience perspective

An increasing number of hospitality firms have integrated self-service technologies (SSTs), yet limited studies exist concerning consumers’ experience of using SSTs. The present research theorizes SSTs experience as a bi-dimensional (i.e., extrinsic and intrinsic) construct and tests its impact on consumer commitment (i.e., affective, temporal, and instrumental commitment). This research further examines the potential mediating effect of transcendent consumer experience (TCE) on the tested relationships. Results of Structural Equation Modeling using a sample of 223 hotel and restaurant consumers reveal that TCE fully mediates the impacts of SSTs’ extrinsic attributes on the instrumental commitment as well as the impacts of SSTs’ intrinsic attributes on the instrumental and the temporal commitment. In contrast, TCE partially mediates the impacts of SSTs’ extrinsic attributes on the affective and the temporal commitment as well as the impacts of SSTs’ intrinsic attributes on the affective commitment. The paper concludes with theoretical implications and managerial implications.     

野生动物观赏旅游者的敬畏感体验：基于斯里兰卡大象旅游的实证研究

野生动物观赏旅游在唤起敬畏感方面有着巨大潜力,值得研究者多加重视。本研究以斯里兰卡大象旅游为例,试图对敬畏感所包含的4个维度（时间感、联通、浩瀚和适应）进行描述性分析,并对具有不同人口统计学特征或旅游行为特征以及到访不同野生动物生境下的旅游者所获得的敬畏感差异进行检验。采用独立样本T检验和单因素方差分析等方法对回收数据进行分析。结果表明,大多数旅游者获得较强的敬畏感,但旅游者之间存在一定差异。其中,女性、中年人或受过高等教育的旅游者能够获得更强的敬畏感;与大象拥有特定文化联系的斯里兰卡和印度游客体验到的浩瀚和适应感明显高于西方游客。此外,自然情境在旅游者获得的适应感方面亦发挥重要作用。     

Anime consumer motivation for anime tourism and how to harness it

Although a niche, the consumption of Japanese anime and related products is extensive and expected to grow. This study explores Chinese anime consumer motivation to participate in anime tourism. A mixed method is applied to identify travel motivation factors and to examine their importance across three levels of involvement (anime audience versus anime fans versus otaku), and as based on sociodemographics. Three motivation factors were identified: (1) Blending reality and fantasy, (2) Social belonging, and (3) Self-development, with the latter considered as most important. Results show that the importance of Blending reality and fantasy is higher for consumers with a greater level of involvement in the anime subculture, and the otaku is the most promising group in terms of tourism motivation. Recommendations for anime destination and attraction marketing are suggested.     

The effects of consumer experience and disconfirmation on the timing of online review: Field evidence from the restaurant business

This study investigated the effects of consumer experience and disconfirmation on the timing of online reviews. Based on a unique dataset of restaurant reservations and online reviews, the empirical results indicate that (1) there is a reverse U-shaped relationship between consumer experience and online review posting timing, i.e., consumers who have strongly dissatisfying or satisfying experiences tend to post online reviews earlier than consumers who have moderate experience; (2) the disconfirmation between a customer’s experience and the average rating of prior reviews has a negative effect on his or her online review posting speed; and (3) the effect of disconfirmation on review posting speed is substantial for consumers who have strongly dissatisfying or satisfying experiences, while it is weaker for consumers who have moderate experience.     

Overlooked encounters: young tourists' experiences at dark sites

This research note reviews the existing literature comprised of dark tourism articles and chapters mentioning children. Publications meeting the search criteria were few. Accordingly, we offer possible reasons for the scarcity of research on children in dark tourism, including the legal constraints when researching with minors, the academic risk in undertaking a new field of research, and the substantial expertise needed to engage children in studies. We conclude with the compelling reasons to undertake such research: to inform interpretation of emotionally provocative sites for children, to understand and mitigate children's psychological distress at dark sites, and to advance theoretical work on children as tourists.     

Emotional Connection,Materialism, and Religiosity: An Islamic Tourism Experience

Materialism and Islamic religiosity have been studied in tourism, but the influence of these concepts on the emotional connections established during an actual religious experience has yet to be explored. This study develops a model that links Islamic religiosity and materialism with the religious experience, communitas, and emotional connection with a sample of 538 Iranian Umrah participants using partial least squares. The study found significant effects of religious connection upon emotional connection. The research also identified the positive influence of Islamic religiosity upon communitas and the religious experience, alongside a negative impact of materialism on the religious experience.     

Dimensions and correlates of consumer value: An application to the timeshare industry

The concept of consumer value has been hailed as the “very underpinning” of marketing, yet the concept has been subjected to limited empirical research, particularly in the hospitality industry. This study investigates the value that consumers derive from ownership of timeshare holiday products. A total of 785 people answered questions regarding their background, timeshare ownership, valuing of timeshare, and satisfaction with timeshare. Confirmatory factor analyses showed consumer value to be a multi-dimensional construct comprising opportunities for relaxation, gift-giving, status, quality, flexibility, fun, new experiences, and financial benefits. These value dimensions varied with other factors such as type of timeshare ownership (e.g., weeks, points).     

Audience involvement and film tourism experiences: Emotional places, emotional experiences

This study attempted to investigate the extent to which audience involvement or engagement with a serialised TV drama affects their actual on-site film tourism experiences at its former filmed locations. As an empirical study, an on-site survey was conducted at Daejanggeum Theme Park, the main filmed location of Jewel in the Palace, known in Korean as Daejanggeum, in Yangjoo, South Korea. The results indicated that audience’s emotional and behavioural involvement was the main driver that positively affected their on-site film tourism experiences. Cognitively oriented audience involvement including cognitive interaction and critical reflection, however, was not considered as one of the major vehicles to construct and influence audience viewing experiences and their subsequent on-site film tourism experiences. The results also identified that the more emotional involvement audience develops through viewing the TV drama, the greater the likelihood of them visiting film tourism locations.     

Developing creativity in tourist experiences: A solution to the serial reproduction of culture?

As culture is increasingly utilised as a means of social and economic development, the cultural tourism market is being flooded with new attractions, cultural routes and heritage centres. However, many consumers, tired of encountering the serial reproduction of culture in different destinations are searching for alternatives. The rise of skilled consumption, the importance of identity formation and the acquisition of cultural capital in (post)modern society point towards the use of creativity as an alternative to conventional cultural tourism. This paper considers the development of creative spaces, creative spectacles and creative tourism from the perspective of supply and demand. The need for creativity in developing new products and how to address the challenge of serial reproduction are discussed, and examples of creative tourism projects are examined and contrasted to traditional models of cultural tourism.     

基于旅游体验视角的旅游产业价值链分析

由于产业链的概念不清与旅游定义不明确,旅游产业的边界也因此十分模糊。本文从旅游体验是旅游现象的硬核的视角出发,根据新兴产业的模块化特征,围绕旅游体验的生产与服务供给,分析旅游产业价值链的结构与特点,并据此分析旅游产业的边界及其划分意义。     

Exploring religious tourist experiences in Jerusalem: The intersection of Abrahamic religions

By considering the importance of religious tourism for travel and the tourism industry, this study aims to identify religious tourists' experiences in Jerusalem, as one of the most important holy cities. By a survey, 848 data were collected from the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious tourists. Results showed that religious tourism experience was a multi-faceted construct, which consists of engaging mentally, discovering new things, interacting & belonging, connecting spiritually & emotionally, and relaxing & finding peace dimensions. By using these dimensions, perceived experience differences of tourists were examined depending on religion. Moreover, religious tourism experience was identified to significantly affect overall tourist satisfaction with Jerusalem. The study concluded with discussion of the findings and their implications.     

Bringing the past to life: Co-creating tourism experiences in historic house tourist attractions

This ethnographic study concentrates on the co-creation of experiential value between the tourist and tour guide in a single historic tourism site; Huntingdon Castle, Ireland. Built upon the principles of service dominant logic, the research explores how storytelling acts as an engagement platform and value enhancing strategic resource. In doing so, it impels the value co-creation journey and shapes the tourist's experience. Observation is coupled with qualitative interviews to capture the dual perspective of both guides and tourists. Findings exhibit the co-creation process through the performance of stories; how and when people derive pleasure (value); the influencing aspects of the environment or place; and guide/tourist perspectives on how they feel and think during the experience. The research contributes by taking a practical operational view of how co-creation occurs. It goes beyond the guide's perspective and exhibits the importance of co-creation of lived experience in the story enhanced tourism experience framework.     

The Effects of Local Hospitality,Commercial Hospitality and Experience Quality on Behavioral Intention in Cultural Heritage Tourism

The main aim of this study is to examine the influence of the two domains of hospitality—local hospitality and commercial hospitality—on behavioral intention in the cultural heritage tourism context. This study anticipated that the above relationships were mediated by the tourism experience quality. A total of 500 foreign tourists visiting the Malaysia’s first World Heritage City, Malacca City were surveyed using structured questionnaire. The results revealed that both local and commercial hospitality have positive relationships with experience quality, and experience quality fully mediated the relationships between each of the two domains of hospitality and behavioral intention.     

Employment experiences of Polish migrant workers in the UK hospitality sector

The research explores the experiences of Polish migrant workers in the UK hospitality sector. It reports quantitative and qualitative empirical data on the migrants’ reasons for entering the hospitality workforce and their subsequent employment experiences. The findings reveal the main motive for entering employment in hospitality is for self development as migrants wish to use and learn foreign languages, gain work experience and receive other benefits that the sector provides. These self development opportunities are viewed as a means to improve career prospects in the UK or upon return to Poland. Once in the sector, positive experiences associated with hospitality employment include opportunities to meet people and work in a lively environment. Negative aspects relate to working conditions, low pay, physically demanding jobs, discrimination and management behaviour. The research suggests that certain practices and working conditions in the sector pose an obstacle to the long-term commitment of migrant workers. Suggestions for the management of migrant human resources are outlined.     

An Exploratory Evaluation of Rural Tourism Websites

Abstract

An evaluation of 50 rural tourism websites in the United States was undertaken using 23 parameters of stickiness drivers. The parameters measured the websites' effectiveness in the three areas of content, interactivity, and promotional value. The study found that rural tourism websites were largely driven by vertical contents, demonstrated poor interactivity, and had only marginal promotional value in them. Results indicate the need for rural destination-marketing organizations to work closely with neighboring destinations to enhance horizontal content, so that they improve the drawing power of their websites. Also, findings suggest the need for websites to better exploit the interactive capabilities of the Internet to capture tourist imagination in the travel purchase decision-making process.     

从体验视角看旅游的本质及旅游学科体系的构建

自从马里奥蒂首次从经济学角度对旅游现象作了系统的剖析和论证迄今已近百年,学术界对旅游本质的认识,依然呈现“诸家学说,百花齐放”的局面,严重影响了旅游学科的建构和旅游教育的发展。本文通过理性分析和比较分析两种途径来理解旅游的本质,并由此认为旅游研究应采纳从心理学视角进去,从地理学、社会学和经济学等其他学科的视角出来。整个研究的切入点应该是旅游体验。也就是说,旅游研究应该以体验作为基本视角。最后,本文以此为根基,构筑了旅游学科的基本框架。