Mobile learning adoption for tourism education in a developing country

Since developing countries are gradually introducing mobile-based tourism education, it is a growing demand to understand the students’ intention to adopt mobile learning. The study used partial least squares-based structural equation modelling to analyse survey data from 176 questionnaires at three tourism education institutes in Bangladesh. The study contributes to the theory of planned behaviour by examining the antecedent impact of innovativeness and moderating effect of self-efficacy. Results confirmed innovativeness as a significant antecedent on the attitude–intention relationship; however, the moderating effect of self-efficacy has not been supported. The study has marketing implications for tourism education institutes and government bodies.     

Does it pay off for museums to foster creativity? The complementary effect of innovative visitor experiences

This paper aims to explore the link between creativity orientation, investment in visitors’ experience and operating and funding performance in tourist attractions, taking museums as a case study. The empirical work is based on an analysis of the information provided by a sample of Spanish, French, German, British and American museums. The findings highlight the positive impact of creativity orientation on museums’ operating performance, but show a curvilinear effect on funding performance. The use of new technologies and adaptation to the audience proves positive when seeking to attract visitors.     

Gaps in tourism education and workforce needs: attracting and educating the right people

The intense development of the tourism industry requires a skilled and qualified workforce. It is important to attract the right candidates to the tourism education, and subsequently provide relevant education to prepare students for the industry after graduation. While work placements may be useful and important to some extent, they are not the ideal solution. Hence, alternative approaches such as simulations and flipped classrooms may be applied. To provide realistic expectations, a closer collaboration between industry operators and education providers is needed. Education providers should assume a more proactive role by inviting tourism operators and integrated them in the tourism education programmes as guest lecturers.     

旅游发展对城市工业化的影响及其差异性研究——以58个旅游城市为例

文章构建了旅游业发展影响工业化的理论模型，并利用2000—2016年中国58个旅游城市面板数据和动态面板模型，从总体、专业化、规模和区域等多维度，分析检验了旅游业发展对城市工业化的影响及差异性。结果表明：无论是宏观层面，还是三种分类检验，旅游业发展对城市工业化都具有负向效应。当前，中国旅游城市存在一定的“旅游诅咒”效应，阻滞了其工业化深化；分专业化研究可知，旅游业发展对工业化的负向作用，由大到小依次为旅游高专业化、低专业化和半专业化城市；分规模研究发现，中型旅游城市的最显著，小型旅游城市次之，而大型旅游城市最不显著；分区域研究表明，中西部旅游城市的较突出，而东部旅游城市统计上并不显著。这为各个旅游城市采取有效措施及时防范和规避“旅游诅咒”效应和正确处理“旅游业+工业化”关系提供了参考依据。     

山西省乡村休闲旅游地空间分布特征及影响因素研究

［目的］通过对山西省乡村休闲旅游地的空间分布特征及影响因素进行研究，旨在为山西省的乡村旅游发展提供合理的参考建议。［方法］选取山西省213处国家级和省级乡村旅游示范点为研究对象，运用最临近点指数对其空间分布类型进行判别，并运用地理集中指数和地理联系率对其分布均衡程度和地理联系程度进行考量，通过核密度图进一步分析其空间分布指向，在此基础上对影响因素进行分析。［结果］山西省乡村休闲旅游地空间分布呈集聚分布的特点，且与经济规模和人口密度在空间上的均衡、配合程度较高。［结论］（1）山西省乡村休闲旅游地包括以太原和晋中为主的中部密集区和以临汾、运城、晋城为主的南部密集区，且都以各地级市为中心向周边扩展，大多数示范点分布于城郊地区； （2）经济发展、人口密度、资源禀赋、区位因素和社会因素是影响山西省乡村休闲旅游地分布的主要因素，其中农业科技类、农事体验类和特色村镇类多分布于经济和人口密度较高的地区。     

The rise of smart consumers: role of smart servicescape and smart consumer experience co-creation

ABSTRACT

Rapid technological advancements have led to the emergence of smart services and smart consumers. This study focuses on smart consumers who voluntarily engage in value creation activities, in order to conceptualise smart experience co-creation (SEC) and the smart servicescape. Drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, a model is proposed and tested around the impacts of smart servicescape dimensions (aesthetics, superior functionality, social presence, perceived interactivity and perceived personalisation) on smart consumer experience co-creation. SEC is conceptualised as a second-order construct consisting of cognitive, hedonic, social/personal, and pragmatic/economic first-order dimensions. Results show that the technological environmental cues of the smart servicescape (S) collectively influence smart experience co-creation (O), and this co-created experience eventually influences consumers’ service brand equity and word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions (R). A major novelty of this study lies in uncovering the relationship between experience co-creation and service brand equity. Findings have theoretical and managerial implications for smart services.     

Interpretive structural modeling of quality factors in both medical and hospitality services in the medical tourism industry

This study aims to theoretically integrate quality factors of both medical and hospitality services in medical tourism. Medical tourism comprises both medicine and tourism. Although the core product in medical tourism is medical treatment, attractive hospitality and travel options are also essential. Despite the dual nature of medical tourism, the two aspects of this concept have not been integrated in a unique framework. This study attempts to fill this gap using interpretive structural modeling (ISM). According to ISM, although factors of medical services and hospitality services are independent from each other, these factors have vital impacts on perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty.     

Entanglements in multispecies voluntourism: conservation and Utila's affect economy

Abstract

Through a case study of conservation voluntourism this article brings together critical political ecology, multispecies ethnography, and studies of humanitarian tourism to advance a political ecology of multispecies conservation voluntourism. The article presents multispecies conservation voluntourism as a field that produces and is produced by an “affect economy”, or an economy based on the exchange or trade in the relational. Since the mid-1990s, life on Utila, Honduras, a popular discount backpacker scuba destination located along the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, has been deeply transformed by the growth of dive tourism, the ecological destruction it has produced, and now the conservation voluntourism industry emerging in its wake. Seventy percent of Utila is comprised of mangroves and associated wetlands, home to several endangered and endemic species. Using examples of whale shark tourism, lionfish hunts, and iguana tracking, this article shows how conservation organizations operate as affect generators, enabling the privilege of engaging in multispecies encounters. Engaging in multispecies conservation voluntourism produces value in the form of cultural capital which is then exchanged for material outcomes by volunteers in the global economy; at the same time, this form of voluntourism obscures local relationships to nature and alters multispecies assemblages from past configurations.     

Understanding Event Sport Tourism Experiences of Support Partners: A Research Note

The purpose of this research reflection is to set the stage for a more detailed research agenda in exploring event sport tourism experiences of support partners (SPs) during events. Using photo elicitation, the article presents a preliminary empirical case study. Visual materials were assembled by three female participants to interrogate how SPs experience “spectator space” and explore the processes that produced those experiences, an area of study that remains relatively unexplored in leisure research. Initial findings show how waiting to see the triathlete can be anxiety-provoking, but the release of emotion when smiles are exchanged constitutes core activities of being there. However, there are more questions than answers, and there is a need for further inquiry. Suggestions for future research on the impact of serious leisure on intimate others are given.     

Planning for ecotourism in the protected area of Manesht and Ghelarang,Ilam Province,Iran

ABSTRACT

This paper reports a study of the Manesht- and Ghelarang-protected area in Iran. The study sought to identify ways in which sustainable tourism policies could be generated that aid the natural and human environments. From surveys and questionnaires completed by tourists, residents, and officials, an initial set of 10 areas of weakness, 9 strengths, and 6 opportunities were identified. Using these classifications combined with mapping techniques that included maps of topography and flora, a subsequent Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution analysis identified potential future policies that require infrastructure development and reinforced pro-environmental policies to address the problems currently being experienced.