The effectiveness of environmental interpretation at resource‐Sensitive tourism destinations

The process of appropriate visitor management is an integral part of sound tourism management. Visitor management includes the development and implementation of rules and regulations with respect to visitor activity, which in turn provides the guidelines for visitors. On the other hand, it also aims to create enjoyable visitor experiences in the hope that visitors will appreciate the value of the site. Environmental interpretation in a resource‐sensitive tourism destination is considered to be an effective visitor management strategy that helps to encourage visitors to adopt more appropriate behaviour in order to sustain the development of tourism. This paper aims to examine the processes and purposes of visitor management and environmental interpretation, including relevant definitions and functions. The characteristics of visitor management and environmental interpretation, and how to increase their effectiveness, also are addressed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A general framework for collecting and analysing the tracking data of cruise passengers at the destination

Cruise passengers’ behaviour at the destination is a rather poorly investigated phenomenon. The single exit/entry point and the relatively brief visiting time, which characterize cruise passengers’ experience at their destinations, make the use of GPS technology particularly suitable for the analysis of such a relevant phenomenon. The aim of this research is to propose a general framework for collecting and analysing GPS tracking data relating to cruise passengers’ behaviour at their destination. The main prerequisites and research stages for the implementation of surveys on cruise passengers will be described and a set of tools and measures for the analysis of GPS tracking data will be proposed, together with their potential applications. As examples of case studies, two surveys performed in the ports of Palermo and Dubrovnik will be described and the main results of the collated information will be presented. Improving our understanding of the behaviour of cruise passengers at their destination is particularly relevant for the management of tourism destinations, given the challenges that this growing phenomenon is posing for many port destinations in the Mediterranean.     

Marketing visitor attractions: a segmentation study

This research revisits issues related to the travel behaviours of first‐time versus repeat visitors to a destination, with a special focus on the impact that the repeat visitor segment has upon the paid‐attraction sector. Healthy attractions are critically important to the success of a destination, but as this research notes, attractions have difficulty drawing guests in a repeat visitors‐dominated market. Implications that should be of value to marketers and attraction management in any maturing tourism destination are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Visitor Management in Protected Areas: From ‘Hard’ to ‘Soft’ Approaches?

Historically, visitor management in protected areas has been concerned largely with visitor impacts and emphasis has been placed on managing negative impacts. This has involved controlling visitor numbers, attempting to modify visitor behaviour and also modifying the resource. These approaches can be divided into ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ categories (Ling Kuo, 2002). ‘Hard’ visitor management approaches involve physical management, regulatory management and economic management. ‘Soft’ approaches make use of education and interpretation. While the approach of managing impacts has its merits, and has met with some success, it has tended to assume that the visitor is ‘guilty until proven innocent’ (Mason, 2002). Such an approach has also tended to ignore the role of visitor experience in relation to visitor management. This paper critically evaluates a number of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ approaches to visitor management, focusing specifically on interpretation and codes of conduct in protected natural areas in New Zealand, Australia and Antarctica. It argues that the traditional approach of managing visitor impacts should be supported by a far greater emphasis on managing visitor experience. It proposes that placing emphasis on managing visitor experience should allow a more holistic perspective to be employed, in which the visitor can be put within a context that includes both the destination community and the environment visited. Such an approach, it is argued, should not only lead to better informed and behaved visitors, but a reduction in negative visitor impacts.     

A typology of solo independent women travellers

This paper aims to profile solo independent women travellers in Tropical North Queensland, describe their key motivations for travel and behaviours, and locate this group on a typology of solo independent travellers in Australia. Previous research has painted solo independent women at one end of a travel spectrum as fearful and risk‐adverse and at another end, as risk‐takers who have few concerns about safety within the destination. This analysis is based on visitor surveys completed over 21 months at Cairns Airport (n = 2,618). The results indicated that solo independent women travellers (n = 228) felt safe in the destination and participated in a wide variety of activities including those with some degree of risk. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Factors influencing theme park visitor brand-switching behaviour as based on visitor perception

With the development of theme parks, which represent a multi-million-pound industry worldwide, research investigating the factors affecting theme park visitor brand-switching behaviour is an important method for improving theme park competitiveness. In the present work, models and research hypothesis are constructed based on visitor perception, and the survey data are collected and analysed to assess the hypothesis and to revise the conceptual model in this paper. The results indicate that there are seven factors influencing visitor brand-switching behaviour: ‘visitor variety-seeking', ‘visitor satisfaction', ‘switching cost', ‘perceived value', ‘competitor attraction', ‘theme park image' and ‘visitor involvement'. The perceived value and visitor satisfaction strongly influence brand-switching behaviour as intermediate variables. Visitor variety-seeking and competitor attraction are positively related to visitor brand switching behaviour, whereas the other five factors are negatively related to visitor brand-switching behaviour.     

Web‐based destination marketing systems: assessing the critical factors for management and implementation

The Web‐based destination marketing system (DMS) has been widely used as a distribution channel and marketing tool by destination marketing organisations (DMOs) at different levels in the promotion and management of tourism destinations. However, successful Web marketing requires a systematic approach in understanding key factors supporting the management and implementation of the DMS both from business and technical perspectives. The purpose of this study is to assess the critical factors of the Web‐based DMS used by DMOs in the USA on the following five areas: website function design, website promotion, Website‐performance measurement, Web‐marketing impact assessment and organisation technology environment. Discussions of the study results and implications for Internet destination marketing and management are also provided. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Generation Y: An Agenda for Future Visitor Attraction Research

This study provides a comprehensive secondary‐based synthesis of previous studies on the profile and patterns of consumption of Generation Y, their consumption experiences and the role of information communication technologies and social media in determining their emerging patterns of behaviour at visitor attractions. The paper concludes by advancing a management‐oriented attraction research framework specific to Generation Y with a set of research propositions proposed to stimulate further research and management action on this specific and highly influential generational cohort. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring the impact of destination attachment on the intentional behaviour of the US visitors familiarized with Baja California,Mexico

This study focuses on exploring the existing relationship of destination attachment within the US visitor's intentional behaviour towards border places in Baja California, Mexico. The research consists in formulating a set of hypotheses for a model sustained by empirical data obtained from a telephone survey and analysed with Partial Least Squares path modelling. This study found a positive impact of destination attachment on intentional behaviour and visitor experiences, which influences significantly both mentioned constructs. In this context, characterized by the importance of cross-border flows and a stigmatization due to safety issues as well as other kinds of personal visit inhibitors, the study shows that familiarity with destination allows reverting and transforming this impression to a positive perception of the visited place.     

Spatial planning,mobilities and culture—Chinese and New Zealand student preferences for Californian travel

Itineraries are under‐researched within tourism, which is arguably strange given their potential importance as determinants of visitor expenditure distribution, and how itinerary planning may become a tool of destination management in determining which areas are most affected by visitor flows, whether positively or negatively. This exploratory study required students in New Zealand and the Peoples' Republic of China to draw maps of potential trips to the south‐west of the USA in order to assess to what degree differences might exist as to (i) preferred places to visit; (ii) durations of stay; (iii) speeds of dispersion and concentration at the points of embarkation and disembarkation (in this instance Los Angeles); and (iv) total distances travelled. Differences were indeed found, and ethnicity appeared to be the main explanatory variable for the differences. Chinese students were found to travel slightly less, not to become so dispersed overall, but were also found to have higher rates of dispersion and slower rates of concentration at the commencement and at the end of the trip. The itineraries also suggest a further triangular pattern of travel that can be added to the categories identified by Oppermann. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Destination environment quality and tourists' spatial behaviour in Nigeria: a case study of third world tropical Africa

In order to ascertain important features of tourist behaviour and destination environments that could form the basis for destination quality improvement in Nigeria, 376 tourists were randomly sampled from seven tourism destinations, using a simple rating scheme in a questionnaire survey. Results obtained showed that activities involving leisure/recreation, cultural appreciation and appreciation of nature, history and cultural artifacts were dominant experiences, values and motivation for destination visit. Results also showed variations in quality of environmental features between tourists in various destinations and between foreign and domestic tourists in their spatial behaviour, values and motivations. The study provides unique implications for tourism planning management and marketing, and a context for cross‐cultural comparison with similar western studies. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley &Sons, Ltd.     

Destination choice and the identity of places: A disaggregated analysis for different types of visitor population environment in the Netherlands

Individual behaviour relates to the ecological structure or identity of places. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the space–time ecologies of different types of visitor population environment in the Netherlands and destination choice. Multinomial logistic regression modelling for car users was applied to determine the relative importance of various personal and household attributes on choosing for a particular purpose a particular type of visitor population environment during a particular time period of the day. The attributes with the strongest link to the space–time ecologies of destination environments proved to be age, educational level, car ownership, and household income and type.     

The quays in salford: an analysis of visitor perceptions,satisfaction and behavioural intention

Despite an extensive literature on urban regeneration, visitor perceptions of urban waterfront destinations and their subsequent outcomes remain largely unexplored. The paper reports the findings from a survey of visitors to the Quays in Salford; it focuses on their perceptions, satisfaction and behavioural intentions. While the primary attractions were found to have an important influence, the secondary elements explain more of the variance in overall satisfaction and intention to return to the Quays and the environmental aspects have a greater influence on visitor intention to recommend the destination. The implications of the findings for destination management and marketing are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An assessment of ‘international best practice’ in visitor attraction management: does Scotland really lag behind?

This paper compares and contrasts selected management practices among visitor attractions in Scotland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The catalyst for the study was the growing perception that management practices among visitor attractions in Scotland are becoming increasingly outdated and that the sector needs to learn from ‘international best practice’ in this respect. A postal questionnaire was sent to all paid‐admission visitor attractions in the four countries. In total, 1022 visitor attractions replied, representing an overall response rate of 41%. Chi‐square analysis was then used to test various hypotheses relating to the uptake of these management practices. A key conclusion is that although management practices do vary significantly among the four countries, Scotland does not necessarily lag behind. Indeed, Scottish visitor attractions seem to lead the way in many respects. Meanwhile, the study finds no strong evidence to suggest that visitor attractions in the other three countries have indeed identified and are following a common ‘international best practice’. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Beyond the rhetoric of visitor management in transboundary protected areas: the case of Peneda–Geres

Although the objectives for transboundary protected areas are often clear, in practice the development and management of these areas, particularly for tourism, are complex. Often explained, in part, by cultural and political differences evident among border partners, this complexity adds to the challenge of managing these often pristine natural areas for tourism. Through a case‐study of Peneda–Geres National Park, Northern Portugal, which forms part of the Transfrontier Park of Geres–Xures, and which encompasses the Natural Park of Baixa–Limia Serra do Xures of Galicia, Spain, this paper sets out to explore the effectiveness of transboundary partnerships for purposes of visitor management in transboundary protected areas. The paper introduces 12 core guidelines, developed by the authors, for transboundary visitor management and highlights the range of constraints and limitations that impede effective visitor management. Thereafter, the paper compares and contrasts the 12 core guidelines with the visitor management ‘actions’ and ‘decisions’, and their underlying rationale, taken by the transboundary protected area authorities of the Transfrontier Park of Geres–Xures. The paper concludes with an assessment of the success to date of the Portuguese authorities in their attempts to meet the core guidelines. Subsequently, a preliminary assessment as to the implementation of further guidelines for the future is conducted. A Portuguese perspective is emphasised throughout this paper, owing to recent developments in Portuguese National Policy aimed towards the promotion of nature‐based tourism, efforts in the establishment and embetterment of a network of Protected Areas and the political and economic importance of cross‐border activities for northern Portugal and Galicia, Spain. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Clustering and compatibility between tourism attractions

Cumulative attraction or compatibility is a powerful factor in locational decisions of retail outlets, but it has received little attention in the tourism literature. Existing studies largely ignore the impact of spatial and thematic clustering on compatibility between tourism businesses. This research questions whether and how spatial and thematic clustering are related to tourist movements between visitor attractions. The study in Cornwall, England, is based on in‐depth interviews with tourist attraction managers and key informants, complemented by a survey of 435 tourists. It provides insights into the relationship between the nature of the tourism product, spatial clustering and tourism behaviour. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Creative tourism and visitor motivation

Creative tourism has been explained as a new genre of tourism that offers the visitor an opportunity to develop their creative potential through an engaged experience in the destination visited. Despite a growing literature on the topic, little attention has been given to examining what motivates creative tourists to visit particular places and events. This paper aims to address this research gap by applying the push-pull framework to investigate the travel motivations of creative tourists. To do so, the responsive interviewing model was employed to survey 20 of such tourists who had visited creative spaces and spectacles in three of China's UNESCO-designated creative cities. Through a qualitative thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews, a new push-pull framework is introduced to conceptualise the travel motivations of creative tourists. Our paper concludes with practical considerations for destination managers seeking to design and market creative tourism experiences.     

Gay men's holiday destination choice: a case of risk and avoidance

Gay men are subject to discrimination and social disapproval in many parts of the world. This paper examines the possible impact of this on choice of holiday destination, drawing on the concepts of risk and destination avoidance. A number of interviews were held with gay men and it was concluded that risk of adverse reactions and of the need to modify behaviour were significant issues in destination avoidance and choice. It is possible, as a consequence, to classify holiday‐taking by gay men into a typology including gay‐centric and gay‐related. In addition, it is appropriate to modify existing models of risk‐avoidance through the addition of the risks that are more applicable to gay men than to other tourists. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The successful management of organisational change in tourism SMEs: initial findings in UK visitor attractions

Organisational change management theory for small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) within the tourism industry is an under‐researched field. Changing political, economic, social and technological factors can leave unprepared SMEs exposed to external as well as internal pressures, which can lead to underperformance, or in worst case scenario, business failure. This paper, reporting on the findings of exploratory research of nine UK‐based visitor attractions, all qualifying as SMEs, suggests that the successful management of change is crucial for SMEs' survival and success. The findings argue that the current approach taken to organisational change management within the industry is bumpy incremental, bumpy continuous and planned. Hence, the paper provides a framework for managing organisational change based on eight critical success factors identified by the study: adaptability and flexibility, commitment and support, communication and co‐operation, continuous learning and improvement, formal strategies, motivation and reward, pragmatism, and the right people. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An investigation of the relationship between public transport performance and destination satisfaction

The availability and perceived quality of local transport at tourist destinations has latterly been established as exercising an influence on visitor experience, overall satisfaction and repeat visitation. The dimensions of urban public transport performance used by overseas visitors to evaluate quality and their relative contribution to overall destination satisfaction are investigated by this paper for the case of Greater Manchester. It is concluded that the influence of public transport’s ease of use on destination satisfaction is greater than the influence of efficiency and safety. Overall, however, perceived performance of the public transport system has only a minor influence on destination satisfaction.