Foreign tourists as external-market information source for SMEs

ABSTRACT

This study shows a low-priced information collection process. Focusing on tourists, we offered a product tasting, in order to gather the main information of their countries of origin. This information is useful to a company when it needs to make relevant decisions for its international market selection process. This economical methodology allows the company to know how consumers can behave differently in other markets and discloses information concerning the launch of a product in new territories.     

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.     

Segmenting Visitors to Battlefield Sites: International Visitors to The Former Demilitarized Zone in Vietnam

Paradoxically, part of the appeal of Vietnam as an emerging destination lies in the commodification of images, artifacts, and battlefield sites of the Vietnam War. While studied from the supply-side, little research has been undertaken yet in terms of the patterns of demand for battlefield tourism. Based on a survey of 481 visitors to the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), this article uses factor analysis and cluster analysis to segment then profile battlefield visitors based on their motivations. Three groups of visitors to the DMZ were identified: the Battlefield Tourism Enthusiast, the Opportunist, and Passive Tourists. Significant differences were found between the three segments with regard to various sociodemographics and trip characteristics. However, results from the study also emphasize that analyses of demand based on site visits should be contextualized in terms of visits to the country as a whole and that care must be taken in distinguishing specialist visitors from generalists.     

Managing tourists and politicians in India

This article describes one approach to matching the needs of foreign tourists and local communities in India—ldstar circuits” (a way of routeing tourists around a collection of sites) and condominium hotels (a way of allowing locals to participate in providing a range of tourist services). Also discussed are some of the problems that arise when Indian politicians consider tourism projects.     

Comparing differences in the spatiotemporal patterns between resident tourists and non-resident tourists using hotel check-in registers

Previous research studied the spatiotemporal patterns in different visitor segments but lacks evidence of the segmentation of resident tourists and non-resident tourists in multi-city travel. To fill this gap, this study conducts a big data study using hotel check-in registers. The exploratory data analysis visualizes the spatiotemporal patterns and the differences between resident tourists and non-resident tourists. Then, the spatiotemporal patterns are measured by the length of stay and the number of visited cities. The regression shows that both the length of stay and the number of visited cities of non-resident tourists are higher than those of resident tourists. Moreover, non-resident tourists reduce their length of stay and their number of visited cities more than resident tourists on three-day holidays, while they increase their number of visited cities less than resident tourists on seven-day holidays. This study has significant implications for understanding spatiotemporal patterns and visitors' segmentations.     

Visitor Motivational Factors and Level of Satisfaction in Wellness Tourism: Comparison Between First-Time Visitors and Repeat Visitors

This study aims to examine the differences between visitor motivations and satisfaction between first-time visitors and return visitors to a recreation wellness tourist attraction site in South Korea. Data were collected using a questionnaire at a national arboretum and 573 samples were used for analysis. The study discovered that first-time visitor motivations were composed of four factors: “relaxation and rest”, “novelty”, “self-exploration”, and “accessibility”. The return visitor motivations were “sightseeing and experience”, “convenience for touring”, “self-exploration”, and “accessibility”. The desired outcomes motivating the visitation and level of satisfaction were different between first-time and return visitors. The results contribute practical information to managers and marketers not only of the arboretum, but also of wellness tourist attractions to improve strategic visitor management in Korea and beyond. The study strategically applies the arboretum as a competitive resource in a wellness tourism industry with strategic segmentation of visitors.     

Tourism in British Columbia Metropolitan and Camping Visitors

Two issues common to tourism planning are investigated in the context of a current planning proposal between the British Columbia and Canadian governments. These issue are the problem of spatial imbalance in travel patterns and the place of camping in market development strategies. Through the use of multiple regression two group discriminatory analysis, several characteristic of metropolitan and campers visitor to British Columbia are differentiated. The dominant tourist position of British Columbia's two metropolitan centers is shown to be a function of their relative location and the availability of familiar visits. The campers proved to be independent travellers: independent of familial ties and metropolitan locations. Some implications and planning strategies for the integration of these two groups into the travel industry development objectives for the province of British Columbia are suggested.     

Legalization of Gambling in Hawaii

Abstract

The purpose of this research note is to extend Agrusa's (2000) philosophical inquiry into the possible effects of gambling offerings on Japanese tourists visiting Hawaii. More specifically, the researchers empirically assess attitudinal and behavioral responses among American and Japanese tourists vacationing in Waikiki Beach to the possible implementation of gambling in the island state. The results indicate that both Japanese and American tourists view gambling in Hawaii negatively, or with ambivalence, regardless of their country-of-origin or gender. Overall, this note provides evidence that supports Agrusa's inquiry.     

The length of stay of tourists in Madagascar

Survival models are a type of analysis that investigate the length of stay of tourists in certain tourist destinations. This study analyzes the length of stay of tourists in Madagascar. A duration model is used to analyze the length of stay based on a questionnaire to ascertain the significant characteristics influencing the length of stay of these tourists. Policy implications are derived to improve the understanding and management of the length of stay of tourists.     

A taxonomy of creative tourists in creative tourism

This study aims to characterize creative tourists and their perceptions of creative experiences at tourism sites. Creative tourists are active co-creators of their experiences; hence, they should be treated as a heterogeneous group of co-producers who have subjective opinions and feelings toward their creative experiences. The existing literature suggests that a creative experience is constructed by ‘inner reflections’, which include not only ‘consciousness/awareness’, ‘needs/motivations’ and ‘creativity’, but also ‘outer interactions’ which refer to ‘environment’, ‘people’ and ‘activity’ (Tan, Kung, & Luh, 2013). However, how a particular mix of factors interact and define an individual's perceptions of a creative experience may vary among different types of creative tourists. Q methodology was used to reveal the tourists' inherent subjectivity of creative experiences with regard to the constructions of personal meaning. Five distinct groups of creative tourists were identified: novelty-seekers, knowledge and skills learners, those who are aware of their travel partners' growth, those who are aware of green issues, and the relax and leisure type. Each consists of a different composition of factors which can provide new insights into how different creative tourists construct their personal creative experiences at these sites.     

Gambling motivation among tourists in Macau's casino resorts

The number of tourists visiting casino resorts has risen in recent years. Tourists often view gambling as a leisure activity option that they can participate in during their holiday. This study aims to investigate the motives that influence tourists’ gambling intention. A list of potential motives is derived from the extensive tourism literature, and a sample including 462 respondents was collected in Macau. The survey results indicate that benefits, learning, pleasure, costing, and socialization are all motives for tourists to engage in recreational gambling. However, adventure, relaxation, prestige, and winning are not influencing factors among tourists who gamble during their trip. The study also explores the moderating roles of gender, age, and educational level on the relationship between different motives and gambling intention. Understanding the motives for why tourists gamble is useful for integrated resort operators to formulate marketing strategies for attracting tourists.     

Rethinking indigenous people as tourists: modernity,cosmopolitanism, and the re-invention of indigeneity

This paper starts from the observation that the literatures on indigenous tourism tend to perpetuate the assumption of indigenous people as suppliers and objects of tourism experiences and services, while there is a dearth of research as to how to theorise indigenous people as tourists, and how to study the tourist practices of indigenous people. This paper argues that to take indigenous people seriously as ordinary tourists just like others would enrich the concept of indigenous tourism on the one hand, and on the other, advance theoretical perspectives on the translocal constitution of indigeneity. Our empirical study addresses the arguments by investigating the touristic practices of the ethnic minority Mosuo, who reside in the Lugu Lake area in southwest China.     

The silence of the Kogi in front of tourists

This article sets out to explain the silent behavior of the indigenous Kogi people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta when in front of tourists. It was found that silence corresponds to indigenous cosmology, to Kogi behavioral protocol when faced with outsiders, and to a defense strategy in front of tourists. Understanding the interactions between tourists and indigenous peoples has practical implications for designing cultural policies in these territories. The work is original in its use of ethnography in place of quantitative methods for studying the factors that determine the behavior of the residents in front of tourists. Equally it constitutes a contribution to the few studies that exist on silence as a rhetorical strategy in power relations.     

Heterogeneity in risk and safety perceptions of international tourists

The travel decisions of international tourists have, over the past decade, been significantly affected by external events, such as the fear of pandemics and terrorist attacks. Yet, little attention has been paid to heterogeneity among tourists with respect to risk perceptions. The question whether some tourist segments are less sensitive to external risks and thus more attractive to tourism industry in times of crises remains largely unanswered. This study conducts a data-driven segmentation of heterogeneity in the tourist population with respect to perceived risks of international travel and assesses if market segments with different risk perception patterns are distinct in other behavioral and personal characteristics. Additionally the study includes nationality as a proxy for “cultural background”, here analyzed in light of Hofstede's (1983) model. Practical implications are discussed.     

Shopping experiences: International tourists in Beijing's Silk Market

This study examines international tourists' experiences in Beijing's Silk Market, one of the China's most well-known tourist markets. Tourists' spontaneous reviews on TripAdvisor were analyzed through Leximancer, a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software. The study confirms that markets can be major tourism attractions and can provide important experiences for international tourists. Most international tourists were impressed with their Silk Market trip. The dominant narratives of their experiences were the “price” of the items they “bought”, the “fun” of “bargaining”, and the “fake” quality of the products. Further analyses show that different satisfaction groups used somewhat different narratives to represent their shopping experiences and that male international tourists enjoyed the Silk Market experiences more than their female counterparts.