Attractiveness of cultural activities in European cities: A latent class approach

Cultural tourism behaviour and destination preference was analysed for 19 European capital cities, utilising the level of participation in cultural activities (participation) and the level of enjoyment of those cultural activities (attractiveness). A latent class model with three classes described the association in the data satisfactorily. Class 1 was labeled “low participation and high attractiveness”, Class 2 was labeled “high participation and high attractiveness”, and Class 3 was labeled “high participation and low attractiveness”. The Class 2 respondents with high participation and attractiveness had the highest cultural capital, and could be considered ‘specific cultural tourists’, whereas the Class 3 respondents could be considered ‘general cultural tourists’. Class 1 respondents, with relatively infrequent participation but high enjoyment, are potentially most interesting in marketing terms.     

Multicity trip patterns: Tourists to the United States

This study examines international tourists’ multicity trip patterns within the United States. Actual and perceived distance from the country of origin to the destination is assumed to affect the likelihood of multicity tourism behavior. In addition, higher opportunity costs for first-time tourists are expected to lead to increased multicity patterns. An analysis of the trips of international tourists to US metropolitan areas confirmed that multicity patterns differ for groups of tourists with different origins and varying levels of familiarity with the destination. Differences lie in the directionality of flows as well as the extent and nature of multicity tourism behavior.     

PAGES AS STAGES: A Performance Approach to Visitor Books

This article offers a contribution to the fields of tourist performance and language. By exploring a visitor book located at a heritage site in Jerusalem, Israel, it argues that texts produced by tourists can assume the semiotic status of performances. Consequently, tourists’ texts should not be viewed merely as instances of “discourse” or “language”, but also as organic parts of the aesthetic and semiotic aspects of tourism. The article describes four dimensions that establish the visitor book as a particular “stage”, and the texts therein as the tourists’ situated performances. Taken together, these dimensions constitute a model for the analysis of linguistic performance and for the semiotic interrelationship between stage and performance in tourism.     

THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOJOURN: An Ethnographic Study of the International Student Experience

The findings from an ethnographic study of international postgraduate students’ adjustment journey through life in England illustrates the transformative potential of the international student sojourn. It is shown that removal from the familiar home environment gave students freedom from cultural and familial expectations and the opportunity for self-discovery, whilst exposure to a new culture offered them the chance to improve their cross-cultural communication skills. The durability of change was questioned by students who were apprehensive about re-entry to the origin culture and the receptivity of those left behind to the changes they had made. By pointing to the possible similarities between the experiences of international students and long-stay tourists, this paper calls for research into the outcome of long-stay tourism, in order to measure the extent of change in tourists’ self-concept and cross-cultural awareness.     

VOLUNTEER TOURISM—“INVOLVE ME AND I WILL LEARN”?

Voluntourism or volunteer tourism is increasingly available and popular amongst everyday tourists in different parts of the world. Despite its seeming virtue and it often being positioned as a form of “justice” or “goodwill” tourism, critics in the public media have begun to question and criticize the effectiveness or “real” value of volunteer tourism. However, academic work has not yet critiqued volunteer tourism in the same manner. This paper thus provides a critical and timely review of volunteer tourism, using interviews and participant observation with 11 respondents on a volunteer tourism trip to South Africa. This paper reviews volunteer tourists’ motivations (what prompted their participation); performances of the “self” in volunteer tourism; and the tensions and paradoxes surrounding volunteer tourism.     

The Impact of Cultural Distance on Perceived Service Quality Gaps

Abstract

The data base of previously published research which tested a SERVQUAL-Gap model for tourists' judgments with respect to service quality for seven different quality dimensions and seven different vacation activities in alpine tourism (Weiermair and Fuchs 1999, Fuchs and Weiermair 1998) is used to explore the potential impact of tourists' cultural belonging upon their judgment regarding the overall and partial service quality experience in different settings of tourism activities. Using respondents' characteristics with respect to their country of residence and past vacation experience in alpine skiing the paper attempts to construct a proxy for cultural distance which subsequently is tested for its impact upon service quality judgments of tourists. A bifurcation hypothesis is proposed and used, whereby tourists from very distant cultures either display high tolerance levels for “exotic” or non-familiar service quality, thus yielding high quality judgment scores or alternatively, cultural distance is associated with higher transaction costs of the tourism experience resulting in significantly lower quality judgment scores. The presence of a matrix of 49 separate service quality scores allowed to differentiate the cultural impact hypothesis with respect to different service quality settings. The paper provides some tentative conclusions which have important ramification regarding the question of product development and the management and/or control of service quality for culturally different tourist segments.     

Market shares analysis: The Case of French Tourism Demand

This paper examines the magnitudes and determinants of changes in destinations’ shares of a major tourist origin market. The Almost Ideal Demand System model is used to quantify the responsiveness of French tourism demand in Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom to changes in relative prices, exchange rates, tourists’ expenditure budget, and external events. The results indicate that effective price competitiveness is a key variable driving changes in market shares. Policymakers who wish to maintain their shares of the French market should pay particular attention to tourism pricing policies, as well as to improving the tourism offer.     

Geographical consciousness and tourism experience

Scholars of many persuasions have recognized the experiential features of geography, such as the consciousness arising from the spatial and temporal bonds between people and places. Until recently, however, tourism researchers have largely overlooked those features. In partial response to this omission, this article presents a phenomenological exploration of leisure tourism experience. By describing the lived experiences of Canadian tourists traveling to and within China on two separate package tours, this article discusses if and how geographical consciousness influences the tourists’ experiences. Its main purpose is to provide insights for research and application.     

Making sense of tourists' complaints

The problem of dealing with tourists' complaints is not fully covered in the tourism literature. This article discusses the quality of the data available on tourists' complaints and it is proposed that two concepts from social psychological research can be used to interpret and understand them; first, the notion of ‘fit’ between tourists and the environments they visit; second, the concept of attribution theory is shown to be useful for understanding the process by which tourists allocate blame and responsibility.     

Prior knowledge, credibility and information search

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between prior knowledge, source credibility, and information search behavior. The specific objectives were to determine whether prior knowledge is a multidimensional construct, document how this influences individuals’ information search behavior, and assess the combined influence of it and credibility of sources used on information search behavior. The results provided evidence that prior knowledge may be a multidimensional construct; that when addressed independently, it does influence individuals’ search for vacation information; and that source credibility is the strongest predictor of type of information sources used. These results challenge traditional thinking about the variables that impact tourists’ information search behavior, specifically within the context of a resort-based vacation.     

Competitive analysis of cross cultural information search behavior

The aim of this study was to investigate German, French, and British travelers’ information search behavior. This study used the data collected from a series of in-flight surveys on German, British, and French travelers to the US between January and December 1997. To visualize tourists’ information research behavior, a correspondence analysis was employed. The results from correspondence analysis revealed two-dimensional solutions: the first was labeled as business/leisure dimension, and the second was identified as dependent/independent information search behavior. In addition, four distinct market segments based on the information search behavior emerged from the analysis. In conclusion, future study in respect to cross-cultural choice behaviors was advocated.     

A comparative analysis of international tourists’ satisfaction in Mongolia

The purpose of this study was to examine international tourism development in Mongolia in the last decade and analyze international tourists’ satisfaction of their travel experience with tourist attractions, facilities, services and prices. This study identified the demographic characteristics of international tourists from four regions: Europe, the US, Japan and other Asia/Pacific countries by surveying a sample of 530 visitors by air travel. Satisfaction level of international tourists from these four different regions were analyzed and compared to find regional similarities and differences. Recommendations were made for the Mongolian tourism authority to target efficiently its international tourism markets and improve tourism services in Mongolia.     

Subjective food-risk judgements in tourists

Sources of risk in contemporary tourism vary over a long array of phenomena ranging from the risk of terror attacks to risks related to food and consumption. Currently, alleged food-risk sources such as Creutzfeldt–Jacobs Disease (CJD; commonly known as “Mad Cow Disease”), Salmonella, Scrapie disease and even genetically modified food are salient in mass media.In the present study, we addressed the pervasiveness of tourists’ judgements of such food-related risks. As part of a larger study, some 1880 individual tourists (from 48 different nations) answered a questionnaire pertaining to food-risk issues. Based on the logics of the availability heuristic, we expected that food risks would be judged to be lower in one's own home country than abroad. We also expected that people would rate various sources for food risk differently when rating food risks at home and abroad.The results indicate that risks linked to food are indeed perceived to be higher abroad than at home, regardless of where the respondents’ homes are, although attributions of risk to the various risk sources seem to vary between at home and abroad. The results also show a significant, but moderate correlation between travel experience and food-risk judgements abroad and at home. The results also indicate cultural differences in risk judgements concerning food.     

综合国家距离对中国入境旅游的影响——基于CAGE距离框架的实证研究

入境旅游在旅游发展中具有重要战略地位,而我国入境旅游发展相对滞后,甚至影响到我国服务贸易的高质量发展。旅游具有异地性特征,现有研究往往从文化距离、行政距离、地理距离或经济距离等单一距离开展研究。然而,多种距离同时影响游客决策,单一距离模型降低了距离因素的解释力,同时纳入模型又会造成共线性问题,导致现有研究结论间存在矛盾,阻碍理论发展与应用。Ghemawat提出的国家距离框架基于多种距离形成评价总体国家距离的综合国家距离,得到普遍认可。文章基于国家距离框架,整合来自世界银行数据库、霍夫斯泰德文化维度官方数据、双边地理距离数据库、世界经济论坛等相关数据,形成2006—2018年我国55个客源国入境旅游的平衡面板数据,系统分析了综合国家距离对入境游客量的主效应、非线性影响,以及客源国互联网使用率的调节作用,得到如下结论:(1)综合国家距离是影响我国入境游客量的显著变量,距离对入境游的影响是文化距离、行政距离、地理距离和经济距离的复合效应;(2)综合国家距离与入境游客量之间呈正U形关系,综合国家距离可以是入境旅游的阻碍因素,也可以是促进因素,入境游客量随着综合国家距离增加而先减少后增加;(3)客源国互联网使用率没有弱化综合国家距离的影响,反而产生极化作用,极化了综合国家距离在拐点左侧的负影响和在拐点右侧的正影响。以上发现的主要价值为:(1)增进了对距离因素在国际旅游中作用的理解,提出影响入境游客量的综合国家距离变量;(2)识别出综合国家距离与入境游客量呈现正U形关系,证实综合国家距离是细分客源国市场的新变量;(3)揭示出客源国互联网使用率对综合国家距离产生的极化效应,突出了我国采用互联网传播目的地形象的必要性和重要性。     

Tourism image, evaluation variables and after purchase behaviour: inter-relationship

Numerous authors have pointed out the influence of tourism image on consumer behaviour. Tourism image will also exercise some influence on the quality perceived by tourists and on the satisfaction obtained from the holiday experience. This paper focuses on the relationship between the image of a destination as perceived by tourists and their behavioural intentions, and between that same image and the post-purchase evaluation of the stay. We will also examine the relationship between quality and satisfaction and between these variables and the tourist's behaviour variables. We place the accent on a joint analysis of these relationships, using a structural equation model. The results of the empirical study show that tourism image is a direct antecedent of perceived quality, satisfaction, intention to return and willingness to recommend the destination. The role of image as a key factor in destination marketing is thus confirmed. With reference to the other relationships, on the one hand, it is confirmed that quality has a positive influence on satisfaction and intention to return and that satisfaction determines the willingness to recommend the destination. However, the influence of quality on ‘willingness to recommend’ and the influence of satisfaction on ‘intention to return’ cannot be corroborated. In this sense, further research could be necessary.     

An examination of food tourist’s behavior: Using the modified theory of reasoned action

A number of studies have been conducted to examine the behavior of tourists. However, there has been little research done on food tourism examining food tourist’s behavior. Food tourism is one of the fastest growing industries and areas of interest in the tourism industry today. The current study provides an integrated approach to understand the effect of food tourists’ behavior based on perceived value and satisfaction as it relates to their intention to revisit using the modified theory of reasoned action (TRA). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of perceived value on intention to revisit (H1) and satisfaction (H2), and satisfaction on intention to revisit (H3). Empirical findings indicated that H1, H2, and H3 were supported significantly in this study (p < 0.01). H1 was supported (β = 0.67) showing the perceived value is the antecedent of satisfaction. H2 and 3 suggested that attendees’ intention to revisit is predicted by the perceived value (β = 0.13) and satisfaction (β = 0.67) respectively. The most significant contribution of this study is a theoretical understanding with empirical results using the new factors (i.e., perceived value, satisfaction, and intention to revisit) in the context of the modified TRA rather than using the original factors. The implications will be very useful for food festival organizers as well as destination marketing organizations.     

A tourist's “vision quest” in an African game reserve

This essay deals with the role of guides in the Moremi Wildlife Reserve of Botswana and the frictions that arise between them and visitors to the reserve. The guides' role as “interpreters” is juxtaposed with the tourists' desire for first-hand “communion” with nature, which is here treated as similar to a “vision quest.” The essay analyzes the interactions between the Tswana guides on the one hand and South African tourists on the other, focusing on the relegation of the former by the latter to the (basically menial) role of pathfinders and assistants that most Africans fill in the tourists' home culture. Attention is drawn to a possible crisis brewing in tourist-guide relationships, due to the fact that guides are unsuccessful, or even redundant, mediators in “vision quest” tourism.     

Interactive design of personalised tourism routes

The tourism sector has evolved in recent times, with a transformation in tourists’ preferences and behaviour. They are increasingly abandoning standard tours in favour of more personalised options. New technologies offer easy access to a large amount of tourism information. However, this also means it is difficult for a decision-maker to assess all the possible alternatives for designing a customised trip. Making such decisions may well require the resolution of conflicting objectives. Therefore, in this paper we develop a tool that provides each tourist with the itinerary best suited to their needs. This itinerary can include the desired different activities on an established schedule, bearing in mind the tourist’s wishes and needs, along with the characteristics of the area. This is done by using a mathematical model and interactive multi-criteria techniques. Finally, we will carry out a practical application in the Autonomous Region of Andalusia.     

From drifter to gap year tourist: Mainstreaming Backpacker Travel

Long-haul, long-term independent travel—here backpacking—has become increasingly common over the last few decades. Once considered a marginal activity undertaken by society’s drop-outs, it has gradually entered the tourism mainstream. Based on interview and internet material and ethnographic field research, this article considers where this growth in interest has come from, and how transformations in the perception of backpacking have taken place. Focusing on the travel imagination, it examines socioeconomic and cultural “incitements to travel”. As backpacking has become more mainstream its “alternative” standing has diminished, but it continues to be a potentially status-enhancing activity.     

Validating the international tourist role scale

This study was designed to validate the international tourist role scale and the three dimensions it revealed. The purpose of this attitudinal scale was to measure the tourist role typology. United States adult outbound tourists flying with 11 major airlines returned useful questionnaires. This study validated the role scale as a reliable one that properly identified three conceptual dimensions of international tourist typology and successfully provided measures of tourists’ novelty-seeking preferences on the three dimensions. The study demonstrated, however, that the scale would measure the novelty-seeking preferences of international tourists more effectively if it were supplemented by other measures.