Corporate Environmentalism in the Hotel Sector: Evidence of Drivers and Barriers in Penang,Malaysia

The linking of tourism businesses and their environmental impacts may be obscured by tourism's image as a ‘soft’ industry. This may explain why there are few studies of the drivers and barriers involved in corporate environmentalism, particularly within the context of developing countries where tourism is often a major foreign exchange earner. This paper narrows this gap by providing evidence about the drivers of and the barriers to corporate environmentalism in the hotel sector of Penang, Malaysia. Using qualitative data obtained via elite interviewing, document analysis and personal observation, the paper discusses the theoretical drivers of and barriers to corporate environmentalism in the study context. The findings indicate that without the introduction of more and stronger drivers, and without understanding and addressing the underlying barriers, instilling a sense of environmental responsibility in the hotel sector in Malaysia, as in other developing countries, may prove daunting.     

Performance of French destinations: Tourism attraction perspectives

In this paper, we assess and compare the performance of French tourism destinations, using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) two-stage procedure, where in the first stage the efficiency score are calculated, and then followed in the second stage by a bootstrapped truncated regression model. In the context of France such analysis takes an additional importance, especially as the country is expected to face a decrease in its tourism competitiveness. A discussion in terms of D-attraction and E-attraction is also proposed and policy recommendations are derived.     

Tourism Markets and Marketing in Sarawak,Malaysia

Abstract

A multi-scale approachs is used to analyze issues of markets and marketing with regard to the emerging destination of Sarawak in Malaysia. In particular, an analysis of market profiles and travel patterns reveals marked differences in the demand for tourism in Sarawak and in peninsular Malaysia and suggests different strategies might be needed for marketing the state. Issues of state marketing within a federal system are then explored.     

Tourism seasonality in cultural destinations: Empirical evidence from Sicily

Seasonality is one of the main phenomena affecting tourism. It depends on the characteristics of both tourism demand and tourism destinations in terms of location and services supplied. This paper focuses on a particular aspect of tourism supply: the cultural attractiveness of tourism destinations, and aims to evaluate the role of cultural tourism in tourism seasonality. We analyze the seasonality of tourist presence in different destinations in Sicily, selected according to their different degree of cultural attractiveness. The methodology adopted to measure seasonality is based on a regression analysis approach, using the Census-X12-Arima procedure. Results are discussed and some policy implications are derived.     

An Analysis of Push and Pull Motivational Factors of International Tourists to Penang,Malaysia

This study identifies the travel motivations of international tourists to Penang, Malaysia, using the theory of push and pull motivations as a conceptual framework. The methodology was comprised of quantitative research based on 400 self-completed questionnaires. A principal component factor analysis was used to identify the underlying dimensions of push and pull motivational items. The results revealed three push and three pull factor dimensions. Among the identified motivation factors, Novelty and Knowledge-Seeking and Cultural and Historical Attractions were regarded as the most important push and pull factors, respectively. Based on the study’s findings, practical implications for tourism marketers are suggested and future research recommendations are provided.     

Tourism destinations: A universality conjecture based on network science

The structural characteristics of a tourism destination are of crucial importance since they influence its dynamic behavior. Many studies have shown that destinations have apparently similar topologies. The question posited in this paper is to what extent does this similarity hold, and whether these topologies can be considered as a universal trait. This study reanalyzes available data to test this conjecture. In particular, several quantities representing the topological structures of the destination are calculated; further, we obtain size-invariant and scalable similarity scores. The results indicate that destinations hold structurally similar, and arguably universal, characteristics. This finding is important as it suggests that there are some very basic (and consistent) strategies destination managers can develop when designing plans and actions.     

Unemployment effects of economic crises on hotel and residential tourism destinations: The case of Spain

This paper analyses the effects of economic crises on tourism destinations from a city and regional point of view. The objective is to determine which kind of Spanish “Sun and Beach” tourism destinations, residential or hotel, has better weathered the most recent economic crisis in Spain, linked to the Global Financial Crisis of 2007/8. For this purpose, the authors have analysed the increases in the unemployment rates of a pool of 138 tourist destinations located on the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. The main finding of the paper is that during the crisis, residential destinations experienced a greater destruction of employment than hotel destinations. This result is consistent with previous literature that indicates a better economic performance of the hotel tourism development model.     

Tourism life cycle and sustainability analysis: Profit-focused strategies for mature destinations

Tourist destinations tend to follow similar development patterns. Eventually, all destinations enter the market maturity stage leading to a decline in visitors. To prevent visitor decline, tourism managers and policy makers try to reposition their destinations appealing to more tourist segments. A multi-segment strategy is expensive and may create a fuzzy destination image, further accelerating the decline. An alternative strategy extends Zeithaml, Rust, and Lemon’s (2001) customer pyramid theory. This paper applies customer pyramid theory to Turkey’s tourism industry. Precise targeting of the most loyal visitors (Platinum tourists) creates a less costly and more focused marketing strategy leading to a sustainable tourism industry. Loyal Platinum tourists tend to be less price sensitive than other visitors. The discussion includes strategies to convert Gold and Iron category tourists to Platinum providing additional growth opportunities.     

Redefining Rural Tourism in Malaysia: A Conceptual Perspective

There is little consensus on the definition for rural tourism. Researchers from different countries have developed their own definitions based on their unique experiences or contexts. In Malaysia, the current definition for rural tourism is rather vague, narrow and focuses on homestay programmes in rural areas. As rural tourism is an important component of the tourism industry in Malaysia, there is a need to redefine what rural tourism is, so that it encompasses the multiple dimensions and complexities. Hence, this paper proposes to redefine rural tourism in Malaysia. The objective was achieved through a content analysis of the different definitions used in selected developed and developing economies that were available in the published literature. With the clear understanding of what rural tourism should ideally encompass, the findings from the study can be used to guide the Malaysian Government in re-positioning rural tourism as a key niche industry and boost the tourism industry higher up the value chain.     

Tourism migrant workers: The internal integration from urban to rural destinations

This article examines the unique phenomenon of tourism migrant workers (TMWs) who move from developed urban areas to less-developed rural destinations in China. It investigates the four dynamic dimensions of TMWs' integration process: economic adaptation, social integration, cultural acceptance and psychological integration. Three inhibiting factors of the integration process are identified from the socio-cultural context of Chinese society: TMWs' own social network, urban-rural differences, and sojourner mentality. This research was conducted in three stages and used both qualitative and quantitative research methods to examine TWMs' integration process from the perspectives of TMWs and local residents.     

Organizational Learning in Tourism Crisis Management: An Experience From Malaysia

Tourism and related organizations are dealing with crises either based on a specific crisis management plan, contingency planning, designed guideline, or ad hoc response. These organizations learn from crises in different ways, but no mechanisms have been explored to indicate how these organizations learn within the framework of Tourism Crisis Management (TCM). Among various reasons is limited systematic research that has been undertaken in this area. This study addresses this gap in our current knowledge by proposing a model for analyzing and developing organizational learning within the framework of TCM. The study shows the perceptions of 25 key players in Malaysia’s tourism industry on the role of organizational learning in managing crises. The findings also revealed that organizational learning is subject to negligence and few key practitioners thinking about in-depth learning from the crisis management perspectives.     

The influence of knowledge-based factors on taxi competitiveness at island destinations: An analysis on tips

Mobility at the destination is an important element of the tourism system on islands. Tourists have mobility needs that are often met by trains, buses, taxis and other means of transport there. The competitiveness of the taxi industry can be strategic for destinations because it is an industry with a traditional high proportion of entrepreneurs and SMEs. The knowledge-based view has contributed to understand firm performance better, and knowledge-based factors can be crucial for taxi competitiveness. The impact of taxi drivers' knowledgebased- aspects on tips are analysed, since this last factor is an interesting proxy for competitiveness due to its link to tourist satisfaction and potential loyalty. The empirical approach of this work is based on a survey in Gran Canaria, Spain. Knowledge of foreign languages (with mixed results), driving knowledge and knowledge creation seem to exert a significance influence on tips and play a relevant role in taxi competitiveness.     

Tourism stakeholder exclusion and conflict in a small island

Research in the Isle of Man, British Isles, reveals limited and dysfunctional collaboration between stakeholders, and in particular between public and private sector actors. Power and influence over tourism decision-making is generally felt to be restricted to a small and opaque network. Moreover, different levels of interest in and support for tourism further divide stakeholders. Various negative consequences are shown to arise from this absence of collaboration, including a lack of shared vision or future strategy for local tourism, and high levels of mutual mistrust between stakeholders. Resulting conflict, wasted resources, lost enthusiasm and lack of strategic direction appear to undermine the current and future management of island tourism. Emphasised by research is the importance of stakeholder collaboration to sustainable tourism management and underlying factors which may enhance or undermine. Focus on describing dysfunctional collaboration within an untypical small island setting makes a unique contribution to the existing literature.     

Tourism in Malaysia competing needs in a plural society

Tourism development in Malaysia is constrained by certain socioeconomic and political factors which require planning considerations beyond the traditional concerns for growth and promotion. Apart from the New Economic Policy which calls for racial-spatial economic restructuring and indigenization of control, tourism development in Malaysia requires reconciliation with the less than liberal religious and cultural orientations of the populace. This paper presents an overview of the socioeconomic impacts of tourism with particular reference to the role of ethnicity in the development of the tourist industry.     

Tourism in a small island economy: the case of Malta

For many small countries, especially those concentrating on the development of their manufacturing industry, the establishment of a stable economic base has proved difficult. In the case of Malta, tourism has emerged during the last decade as an alternative source of foreign exchange earnings. This paper is concerned with the development of Maltese tourism, and with the problems that have arisen within the last three years. Malta's position of weakness as a small economy in the international markets is emphasized as a serious problem, as is the dependence upon the UK tourist markets. Ultimately, the causes of the malaise currently afflicting Maltese tourism are similar to those which have dogged Maltese manufacturing activity.