Dental tourism: Examining tourist profiles,motivation and satisfaction

Despite the overwhelming interest in medical tourism research, knowledge in dental tourism, which is its subspecialty, remains limited. This study is the first to measure tourist profiles, travel motivation and satisfaction among inbound dental tourists in Malaysia. We purposely sampled twelve selected private dental clinics in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Melaka and Penang; and distributed the questionnaires to their inbound dental tourists. A total of 196 inbound tourists responded to the questionnaire, mainly from Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. In order of importance, the main motivation factors were dental care quality, dental care information access, and cost-savings. Tourists were extremely satisfied with dental care services received in the country. While dental care quality, dental care information access and supporting services positively influenced tourist satisfaction; cost-savings and cultural similarities had negative influences. Based on the research findings, we propose some managerial and marketing recommendations.     

Rural tourism demand by type of accommodation

This paper develops a methodology which will enable the determination of the tourist profile which corresponds to the different types of existing accommodations in a certain destination of rural tourism. This is accomplished through the use of a two-stage method (a correspondence analysis followed by a cluster analysis) to classify the accommodations in a reduced number of groups, so that each group constitutes a type. The estimation of a Multinomial Logit model determines the characteristics of tourist who is most likely to opt for each type of accommodation. Results from a study in Murcia indicate that the wide variety of accommodations with respect to size and type is a suitable form of attracting individuals of different profiles.     

Segmentation by motivation for rural tourism activities in The Gambia

In The Gambia, as in many other African countries, rural areas rarely profit from the turnover earned in the country's tourism sector. In academic and political literature, however, rural tourism is frequently identified as a diversification strategy that may trigger local economic development in remote communities. To promote rural tourism development, further knowledge is required to understand why tourists are motivated to engage in distinct tourism market segments. In this study, survey data was collected from 450 tourists in The Gambia using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was constructed to identify the key characteristics and motivations of tourists so that the significant market segments could be categorized and the (latent) tourist demand for rural tourism activities could be gauged. This study identified four distinct segments of tourists in The Gambia: heritage & nature seekers, multi-experiences seekers, multi-experiences & beach seekers, and sun & beach seekers. Drawing on our key findings, we conclude by identifying a development path that could diversify Gambia's tourism sector. The development path would also include event-based rural tourism initiatives that align with the motivations of the identified market segments and may additionally benefit rural communities by reducing economic leakage rates.     

The dimensions of rural tourism experience: impacts on arousal,memory, and satisfaction

ABSTRACT

Rural tourism is driven by the search for unique and memorable experiences in particular settings, but knowledge on visitors’ experiences in rural destinations is still scarce. This paper analyzes the rural tourism experience of Portuguese tourists who answered an online survey (N = 252). The paper aims at validating, in the rural tourism context, a previously proposed tourist experience scale, and analyzing the relationships between the experience, arousal, memory, and satisfaction. Results reveal that the rural tourism experience dimensions of education and esthetics positively predict rural tourists’ arousal, whereas escapism and esthetics determine memorability. Finally, implications for rural tourism marketing are discussed.     

The influence of volunteer motivation on satisfaction,attitudes, and support for a mega-event

Although there are numerous studies on volunteering in tourism, little research has been done on volunteer support for mega-events. This study develops a theoretical model investigating the relationship between volunteer motivation and support for the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea through mediating effects of satisfaction and attitudes toward volunteering and the Expo venue. An onsite survey of 489 volunteers at the Yeosu Expo was conducted. The structural equation model reveals that patriotism and intrinsic motivations significantly influence volunteer satisfaction, which in turn exerts a significant effect on attitudes toward volunteering and the Expo venue. Also, volunteer attitudes toward volunteering significantly influence volunteer attitudes toward the Expo venue, which in turn have a significant effect on support for the Expo. The study suggests that patriotism and intrinsic motivations can leverage support for mega-events through enhancing mediators of satisfaction and attitudes.     

Corporate reputation,satisfaction, delight,and loyalty towards rural lodging units in Portugal

This paper enriches the model of delight and satisfaction that Oliver et al. (1997) propose and Finn (2005) modifies, with a suggested causal relationship between disconfirmation and arousal and the introduction of two new variables: the lodging unit's corporate reputation and perceived quality. The modified model is applied to rural tourism accommodations in Portugal and validated using PLS (Partial Least Squares). The results suggest that the lodging unit's reputation is a more significant determinant of loyalty than satisfaction or even delight. This study further supports the conceptualization of customer delight and customer satisfaction as distinct constructs. Results may help managers of rural tourism accommodations to develop and implement more successful relationship marketing strategies.     

The role of the rural tourism experience economy in place attachment and behavioral intentions

This study aims to empirically explore the effect of the experience economy on place attachment and behavioral intentions through emotions and memory. To do so, the rural tourism context was selected as it not only provides small accommodation units in the countryside, but is also related to a set of possible activities involving both passive and active participation by guests. The survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to individuals experiencing rural holidays in the South of Portugal. A convenience sample of participants, resulting on 222 usable questionnaires, was employed to test the model. The partial least squares (PLS) approach was used to treat the data. The findings demonstrated the role of pleasant arousal and memory as mediators between experience and behavioral intentions. An excited and pleased guest is more likely to memorize the experience. Nevertheless, the effect of pleasant arousal and memory on place attachment was not proven. The findings also lead to managerial implications, limitations and suggestions for future research.     

The inter-relationship between rural and mass tourism: The case of Catalonia,Spain

In certain regions of Southern Europe, mature coastal resorts are currently coexisting with rural tourism areas several kilometers inland. This paper analyzes the inter-relationship of these two types of tourism and the conditions for sustaining both in Mediterranean destinations. To do so, common and uncommon characteristics of the tourist product in rural and mass tourism are identified. The case study focuses on the region of Catalonia, Spain. By applying a hedonic price model, the valuation of some traditional mass tourism characteristics in rural tourism is tested. The results show that rural and mass tourism in the region share several attributes, some of them with opposite effects. The general conclusion is that both types of tourism are compatible, but should be developed and promoted independently to preserve the attractiveness of the destination. Some managerial recommendations for rural tourism in Catalonia are also derived from this analysis.     

Land use suitability analysis of rural tourism activities: Yenice,Turkey

In this study, a land use suitability analysis was conducted for rural tourism in the Yenice district, located in the north-west of Turkey. As part of the research process involved dividing the area in question into landscape units using GIS and RS techniques. A suitability rating for tourism activities in each landscape unit was obtained by following through the steps of the ELECTRE method, individually repeated for each landscape unit. It is considered that the 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-degree suitable activities were most relevant in the rating of the nine different tourism activities. Therefore assessments were made on the basis of these first three ranks. As a result of the analysis, from the 1st-degree suitable activities identified, the first three were found to be mountaineering, trekking and wildlife observation. From the 2nd-degree suitable activities, the first three were flora observation, trekking and hiking, and from the 3rd-degree suitable activities, the first three trekking, orienteering and mountaineering.     

Reliving self-presentational concerns in rural tourism

Tourists are known to behave differently from their home environment, a phenomenon that has been well interpreted by sociologists in early conceptual works. By investigating tourists’ self-presentational concerns, this study attempts to provide a psychological explanation of this phenomenon, as well as empirical evidence to test it in the context of rural tourism. Through a mixed-design questionnaire survey, the study shows that destination environment may function as the back stage for tourists to do away with the social constraints at home and relieve their daily self-presentational concerns. Specifically, rural destinations perform better than urban destinations in reducing urban residents’ self-presentational concerns but this advantage becomes weaker as tourists stay longer at the destinations.     

Fostering rural and agricultural tourism: exploring the potential of geocaching

Geocaching is a modern-day version of “hide and seek” where participants use geographical longitude and latitude coordinates to locate a “geocache” using a GPS device or mobile app. An agriculturally focused geocache program could foster tourism, interest and educational opportunities about rural and agricultural areas, and could facilitate additional patronage of businesses that operate in these areas. As a prerequisite to such a program, however, organizations must commit to establishing and maintaining a geocache. This study explores the perceived benefits and constraints to an organization's participation in a rural or agriculturally focused geocache program. A case example of an agriculturally focused geocaching program, AgCache, is used as a starting point. In-depth interviews of program Founders and current participants explored the program's background and goals, and experiences of participating sites. Complimenting this, a survey collected information from potential host sites, and probit model analyses were used to assess influences on an organization's interest in hosting a geocache. While many organizations indicated that they would be interested in such a program, several indicated (addressable) concerns. Characteristics of the organization and respondent were found to significantly influence their interest. Findings are instructive for targeting and recruiting organizations into an agricultural or rural geocaching program.     

Factors influencing social capital in rural tourism communities in South Korea

This study aimed to identify the factors influencing social capital as it affects community conflict management for community residents in rural tourism villages. An on-site survey consisting of self-administered questionnaires was conducted with residents of rural tourism communities. These self-administered surveys were obtained from 380 community residents in the study area. A factor-clustering method identified distinct segments: high social capital (52%) and low social capital (47.7%). The estimation of a binary logistic regression model determined the characteristics of community residents who were most likely to be associated with each type of social capital. Results indicated that fruit, vegetable and rice farmers who also operated farm-stay businesses and rural activity programmes for tourists had the most social. We suggest that certain types of government policy programmes are helpful for increasing social capital and managing community conflicts by means of involvement in the tourism business.     

The link between travel motivation and satisfaction towards a heritage destination: The role of visitor engagement,visitor experience and heritage destination image

There are shortcomings in studying tourist satisfaction from the direct effect of travel motivation. The current study constructed an integrated model of motivation-satisfaction towards a heritage destination with the addition of experience-related factors and destination image. Unlike previous studies mainly focusing on pre or after the experience, this research employed a survey aiming at tourists during their on-site experiences. By using Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling, the proposed structural model was tested with a sample of 352 visitors at Hoi An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vietnam. Motivation had significant effects on visitor engagement, visitor experience, and heritage destination image, which in turn led to heritage tourists' satisfaction. The indirect link between motivation and satisfaction was also confirmed, contributing to a better understanding of the formation of satisfaction in the context of heritage tourism. Practical implications are provided for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) of heritage sites.     

The long and winding roads: Perceived quality of scenic tourism routes

This study aims to understand self-drive tourists’ satisfaction with and loyalty toward scenic roads. Building on previous studies in the context of tourism destinations, satisfaction is hypothesised to be influenced by leisure and holiday motorists’ motivation for driving the routes and the provision of roadside facilities. In turn, satisfaction is assumed to increase motorists’ loyalty toward the route. The study comprises data from two scenic roads in Norway that differ with respect to landscapes formations, settlements, experiences along the routes, and travel distance. Data are analysed using structural equation modelling. Results show that roadside facilities play a crucial role in achieving overall satisfaction and loyalty among motor tourists, and that route managers should improve the quality of these and related infrastructure facilities and services. Moreover, the study indicates that it is important to take into consideration the motorists’ desire to experience attractive sceneries in order to increase overall route satisfaction. Finally, satisfaction is demonstrated to significantly increase route loyalty, although this relationship appears weaker than in conventional destination studies.     

A phenomenological explication of guanxi in rural tourism management: A case study of a village in China

Drawing on hermeneutic phenomenology in tourism studies as well as Heidegger's concept of being-in-the-world, this paper reveals how tourism can and should be done in a Chinese rural village. This research contributes a contextual interpretation of guanxi in Chinese rural tourism development through an empirical study of a traditional agricultural village in China that has been transformed through tourism development. The paper argues that for the Chinese indigenous residents who are the primary actors engaged in tourism, guanxi is, neither a Confucian political ideal nor an instrumental tool, but the specific manner in which they dwell in their place. It demonstrates how the tourist destination, landscape and managerial regulation have been modified and adapted in a guanxi way. The paper suggests that an emic understanding of guanxi and the roles it plays in tourism participants' daily life is warranted and can provide a more holistic picture of tourism development in rural China.     

The complexities of religious tourism motivations: Sacred places,vows and visions

The aim of this paper is to understand the complexity of travel motivations to sacred places. Using ethnographic techniques within the Greek Orthodox context, we argue that while motivations are institutionally constructed, they are fragile, dynamic and progressive; being embedded within everyday performances of religion. This calls into question the fixed centeredness and predetermined sacredness of religious sites. Travel motivations become directly influenced by believers’ intimate and emergent performances not only of places but also of religion itself; the meaning of places being based on lived experiences of doing religion and interacting with the sacred, as exemplified in vows and visions. Such understandings are crucial in predicting the effects of failing pilgrimages and the processes of authentication of places, which can help explain visitation patterns.     

Domestic tourists to Elmina Castle,Ghana: motivation,tourism impacts,place attachment,and satisfaction

Abstract

Current research on dark tourism lacks an in-depth investigation of the relationships between the various psychological factors that influence tourist satisfaction. Using the cognitive-affective-behavior system, this paper evaluates a theoretical model that postulates relationships between four constructs, namely: motivation, perceptions of tourism impacts, place attachment, and satisfaction. The study extends the tourism literature on cultural sustainability by showing the psychological connections of domestic tourists to a dark heritage site, and the implications for perceptions of tourism impacts on this heritage. Based on a sample of 414 domestic tourists at a dark heritage site in Elmina, Ghana, PLS-SEM confirmed several inter-relationships among the four constructs. Motivation had a positive relationship with perceptions of positive and negative tourism impacts, suggesting that the tourists who were more motivated to visit the site for cultural/learning experiences were also more inclined to perceive both positive and negative tourism impacts. Implications for dark tourism and how heritage site management can influence tourists’ perceptions of impacts are offered.     

Comparisons of stakeholder perceptions of tourism impacts in rural eastern North Carolina

The purpose of this study was to discover if differences in perceptions of tourism's impacts on a rural community existed between four stakeholder groups in eastern North Carolina: residents, entrepreneurs, government officials, and tourists. Data were collected from stakeholders using a mail-back questionnaire, which included nine Likert-style questions inquiring about attitudes and perceptions of tourism development in the community. To discover if differences existed, an ANOVA test was conducted for each question, followed by a Scheffe test to determine which groups were different. The analysis indicated that there were differences in the perception of tourism impacts between stakeholder groups. More specifically, the results of the ANOVA test indicated that there were statistically significant differences between stakeholder groups for seven of the nine questions. Differences were identified between the entrepreneurs and government officials, residents and governmental officials, residents and entrepreneurs, and residents and tourists.     

Territorial tourism planning in Spain: from boosterism to tourism degrowth?

Abstract

Tourism saturation and unsustainability have been studied in urban political ecology. Both of these problems are inseparable from tourism planning and they have resulted in proposed solutions based on growth containment and even degrowth. These types of measures have been applied to varying degrees in mature coastal destinations in Spain since the 1990s, and they are currently being used for the country's main urban destinations due to problems generated by tourism saturation. This study examines the progressive incorporation of these measures in territorial tourism planning in Spain and it points out that the traditional emphasis on urban-tourism growth is declining and that more restrictive policies are now being implemented. This shift is illustrated through the analysis of three innovative territorial tourism planning instruments in Barcelona, the Balearic Islands and the Autonomous Region of Valencia. These ostensibly progressive processes suffer from crippling contradictions due to their inability to directly confront the capitalist accumulation model underlying the tourism growth they address. Consequently, much stronger measures capable of transcending this accumulation model in pursuit of genuine, and fair degrowth without systemic constraints are needed.     

Application of appreciative inquiry in tourism research in rural communities

Appreciative inquiry is a participatory research method based on positive psychology. Founded upon grounded theory and the social constructivist paradigm, appreciative inquiry is a simple, effective, and epistemologically sound tool to understand the rural population’s knowledge, needs, and priorities without alienating them from research. Based on the study conducted to comprehend the interrelationships among conservation, livelihood, and tourism development in three rural communities located in the vicinity of Chitwan National Park, Nepal, this study argues that appreciative inquiry can be a useful tool for conducting tourism research in rural communities. This study employs five steps, including grounding, discovery, dream, design, and destiny.