Developing a CD-ROM as a Teaching and Learning Tool in Food and Beverage Management

ABSTRACT

Food and Beverage Management is the traditional core of hospitality education but, in its laboratory manifestation, has come under increasing pressure in recent years. It is an area that, arguably, presents the greatest challenges in adaptation to contemporary learning technologies but, at the same time, stands to benefit most from the potential of the Web. This paper addresses the design and development of a CD-ROM learning resource for food and beverage. It is a learning resource which is designed to integrate with rather than to replace existing conventional classroom and laboratory learning methods and, thus, compensate for the decline in the resource base faced in food and beverage education in recent years. The paper includes illustrative material drawn from the CD-ROM which demonstrates its use in teaching and learning.     

Tourism Education and the Internet

Abstract

Using the Internet in the teaching and learning environment assists tourism students in achieving two criteria increasingly being expected by employers. These are an understanding of the applications of the Internet to the industry, and a set of operational Internet skills.

In this paper the benefits and challenges of integrating the Internet into the teaching and learning environment are discussed. In addition, the results of a small-scale survey of tourism academics are reported.     

Studies in Tourism and Hospitality Management

Abstract

Universities around the world are involved in dynamic change as they seek creative solutions in response to a number of educational and structural issues. To be effective, educational methodologies and technologies need to be anchored to the diverse material circumstances characterising different groups of learners. The challenge for universities offering programs of study in tourism and hospitality management is to provide avenues for learning which are reflective of the needs of industry and incorporate the technology now available. One of the more significant responses has centred on the development of educational programs for flexible learning.

This paper is an analytical reflection on the experience of redesigning and developing programs in tourism and hospitality to increase student access to a wide variety of stimulating learning resources and delivery media. In particular, it documents the process of developing, teaching and evaluating a subject entitled, “Asian Cultures in Tourism and Travel” within a three-year Bachelor of Business program that offers concentrations in Tourism, Travel, Hospitality and Leisure Management.     

Tourism,information technologies and sustainability: an exploratory review

ABSTRACT

Considerable attention has been paid in recent years to the fundamental changes in the global tourism system related to the emergence of information technologies (IT), and, specifically, the rise of social media. Opportunities to search travel-related information, to reserve and book, evaluate and judge; to receive travel advice and to communicate one's mobility patterns have all profoundly changed the practices of performing tourism, with concomitant repercussions for the management and marketing of businesses and destinations. This paper provides a discussion of the implications of these changes for the sustainability of the global tourism system. Based on an exploratory research design, key changes in the tourism system are identified and discussed with regard to their environmental, socio-cultural and psychological, as well as economic significance. The paper concludes that IT affects the tourism system in numerous and complex ways, with mixed outcomes for sustainability: while most changes would currently appear to be ambivalent – and some outright negative – there is considerable potential for IT to support more sustainable tourism. Yet, this would require considerable changes in the tourism system on global, national and individual business' levels, and require tourism academics to probe many new issues.     

Teaching around the world for 106 days: my Semester at Sea experience

ABSTRACT

Traveling and teaching around the world for 106 days sounds adventurous or even romantic. The Semester at Sea (SAS) program introduces students to many different cultures through coursework and intensive in-country experiences with the aim of cultivating global citizenship. From the collaborative learning atmosphere that results from the unique relationships developed outside the classroom to the deep learning that occurs when students must put what they have theorized in class into practice in foreign countries. The SAS experience is more than the sum of its ports; it is like living on another campus for a semester and the interplay of varied shipboard and port experiences influence students toward a more comprehensive global perspective. This paper will describe the overview of SAS program and share my experience as a faculty member teaching for SAS program.     

Residentsʼ attitudes and behavioural support for tourism in host communities

ABSTRACT

In our study of the “perceptions–attitudes–behaviours” sequence, we explain how resident perceptions of tourism’s impacts on host communities influence not only their attitudes towards tourism, but also their attitudes towards tourists – i.e. a new variable that has recently been introduced in literature. Moreover, we introduce the behavioural support, a concept that denotes a higher level of involvement and engagement of residents with their communities in comparison with the traditional attitudinal support. Our results indicate: (1) the residents’ perception of the positive economic and cultural impacts of tourism are the main variables influencing their attitudes towards tourism and tourists; and (2) both types of attitudes influence on behavioural support for tourism in host communities.     

Where the World Meets

Abstract

Singapore's meetings, incentive, convention and exhibition industry (MICE) attracts over 4,000 events and over 400,000 foreign participants every year. Since 1982, Singapore has been the top convention destination in Asia and today ranks among the top ten in the world. An assessment of Singapore MICE attractiveness shows that while the country has many strengths, particularly infrastructure and management, it has a number of weaknesses, as well, including limited entertainment and cultural attractions. Further analysis shows that much of Singapore's success has been based on regional meetings, rather than truly global events. As regional competition heats up, Singapore will need to better develop the global market. To do this Singapore is attempting to leverage its well developed transportation, hospitality and human resources, along with its role as a regional and global economic center.     

What are wilderness areas for? Tourism and political ecologies of wilderness uses and management in the Anthropocene

ABSTRACT

In global imaginaries, wilderness areas are considered to represent the last parts of “original” nature, untouched by civilization and modernization. In most cases, this is misleading as wilderness environments have been exploited, explored and also converted into administrative units in various protected area networks. Indeed, most wilderness areas have been a part of human–environment interactions for a long time and they have been influenced and modified in that interaction. As a result, wilderness is constitutively a cultural and politically loaded idea. While the Western notion of wilderness as a place where “man himself is a visitor who doesn't remain” represents the global hegemonic conservation thinking, it does not necessarily work with different local realities, meanings and use values of “the wild”. In addition, in recent decades, the tourism industry has placed an increasing interest on nature-based and adventure tourism products creating new kinds of ideas and use needs for the remaining wilderness environments. This paper analyzes empirically how wilderness environments and their roles are seen in the context of new and traditional anthropogenic uses and meanings of wilderness areas. More specifically, the paper uses a political ecology approach to evaluate the use and management priorities in the Finnish Wilderness system.     

Bridging the Divide Between Theory and Practice

Abstract

Experiential learning approaches such as role-play have been found to be valuable methods of bridging the divide between academic knowledge and practical skills, a problem often cited in tourism and hospitality management education. Such approaches have been found to contribute towards deeper learning by enhancing students' interest, motivation, participation, knowledge and skill development. This paper reports on the implementation of an experiential learning approach designed to encourage and facilitate deeper learning approaches, with the contributing aims of providing students with a more interesting learning experience and a broader set of skills for future employment.     

Are students customers? Tourism and hospitality students’ evaluation of their higher education experience

ABSTRACT

Research has suggested that higher education students assume multiple roles during their studies. Moreover, the student-as-customer model has been discussed for years and needs more in-depth discussions than other roles. Few studies have investigated education experiences from this perspective. This research contains two studies. Study one investigates faculty members’ perceptions on students’ roles in higher education and found students should not be considered purely as customers. Other roles were found. Study two investigates students’ perception of their roles in university education and how the education experiences influence their satisfaction towards university choice. A majority of the students see themselves as the “recipient of knowledge”. The six dimensions of higher education experience include “student-centred service” (SCS), “diversity and global citizenship” (DGC), “coproduction of learning experience”, “reliance on teachers” (ROT), “responsibility”, and “whole person development” (WPL). SCS, DGC, ROT, and WPL were found to have significant impact on student satisfaction.     

A reflexive journey through curriculum space(s)

ABSTRACT

Tourism education has the power to transform how students see and think about tourism and, ultimately, how they act within and for tourism. Yet students are likely to have different outcomes depending on the curriculum space(s) they journey through. In this article, I present a Reflective Topical Autobiography that explores the ways in which my praxis has been shaped and moulded by tourism education. Drawing on my experiences of journeying through three different curriculum spaces, I will illustrate the dynamic relationship that exists between the curriculum, pedagogy and learning. In doing so, I aim to further elucidate the benefits associated with values-based teaching and learning.     

VONNA(HBP)

ABSTRACT

In this paper, a new learning package, VONNA(HBP), which provides an interactive and online environment for novices to study and practice hotel budget planning, is introduced. Its design philosophy will be discussed thoughtfully with special focus on how to make use of the multimedia and Internet. According to literatures, learning packages are faced to be more effective in delivering teaching material. Researchers indicate that students using a self-paced learning package score higher than in a traditional classroom setting. Moreover, the learning package provides different scenarios for students to explore themselves in a practical environment and is more cost effective and systematic than lectures. Currently, most learning packages in hotel education are not implemented using multimedia with Internet access. Our paper describes a new learning package that fills the gaps.

VONNA(HBP) requires participants to investigate operational budgets on various areas such as sales levels, payroll, inventory level, promotion strategies, and facilities planning, etc. Eventually, the students/novices are required to practice their skills in a comprehensive case about a hypothetical hotel. They need to solve managerial problems by a combination of budgetary planning on human resources, staff training programmes, facilities' maintenance and replacement, or promotion schemes. Analytical tools are available for students/novices to judge an appropriate decision in handling constrained resources.     

Classifying technological innovation attributes for hotels: an application of the Kano model

ABSTRACT

Technological facilities and services have become attractive features in hotel selection. However, limited research has been conducted on how technological innovation attributes are perceived by hotel tourists. This paper aims to highlight and categorize the technological innovation attributes of hotels based on the Kano model. Empirical testing shows four technological innovation factors: Internet and app usage, smartphone usage as a room key and for payment, E-housekeeping, and the use of electronic self-service systems. Findings provide practical implications for hotel operators planning to introduce technologies into their hotels.     

Volunteer tourists’ perceptions of their impacts on marginalized communities

Abstract

Using a phenomenological approach, this study examines the experiences of volunteer tourists in host communities using social representations theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with volunteer tourists on perceived impacts on favela (slum) communities of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study was developed to address a need for further research that critically looks at the social impacts of volunteer tourism in marginalized communities. It addresses the following question: How does volunteer tourism influence a marginalized community from the perspective of the volunteers? Notably, the majority of the volunteers in this study had difficulty describing how volunteer tourism has benefited the community beyond their own individual contributions, and it was difficult for them to see broader implications of volunteer tourism in general. Recommendations of management actions that will help to maintain and enhance the benefits and alleviate the negative consequences and obstacles that were perceived by volunteer tourists are given.     

Examination of the adoption of augmented reality: a VAM approach

ABSTRACT

Despite the growing importance and popularity of augmented reality (AR) technologies in hospitality and tourism, little research to identify the degree of user adoption, particularly in the business travel sector, has been conducted. Based on a questionnaire administered to 161 stakeholders attending two international conferences in Hong Kong, user experiences and adoption intention were examined and analyzed through structural equation modeling. Adoption was explored using a value-based adoption model. AR adoption is affected by its perceived value to which the benefits of usefulness and enjoyment contribute, along with newly identified components of technicality and captivating inputs.     

Degrowing tourism: rethinking tourism

Abstract

Concerns with growth have steadily advanced since the Limits to Growth report due particularly to human impacts on the natural environment. Since that time, neoliberal capitalism has become increasingly reliant on growth exacerbating these problems. The destructive outcomes of these strategies has led to a growing interest in degrowth. Analysts are examining how we can create economies that eschew a growth imperative while still supporting human thriving. Tourism as a key facet of capitalism is implicated in these issues and recent concerns with “overtourism” are only one symptom of the problem. This article presents a conceptual consideration of issues of degrowth in tourism. It examines current tensions in international mobility and argues just and sustainable degrowth will require greater attention to equity. This analysis suggests that essential to such an agenda is redefining tourism to focus on the rights of local communities and a rebuilding of the social capacities of tourism. This article argues for the redefinition of tourism in order to place the rights of local communities above the rights of tourists for holidays and the rights of tourism corporates to make profits.     

Tourism Crisis Management and Organizational Learning

SUMMARY

To date limited attention has been provided on the review stage of the crisis management framework, despite the importance of organizational learning for developing effective tourism crisis strategies. Using the concepts of double loop learning (Argyris and Schon, 1996), doubting (Blackman and Henderson, 2004) and Preskill and Torres (1999) core processes of evaluative enquiry, the paper discusses the possible application of critical evaluative inquiry and managed reflection by DMOs. The paper recommends that DMOs question their existing knowledge, assumptions and beliefs through reflection and dialogue with stakeholders and collect and analyse information, not just related to confirming the success of crisis strategies, but to assesses the likely impact of alternatives. Challenging existing mental models and capturing this emergent knowledge should enable DMOs to develop even better tourism crisis communication strategies in the future.     

A revised paradigm of leisure choices

A theory‐based model distinguishing three kinds of leisure from required nonwork activity has been examined through research on adult leisure in three communities. In the research sequence, the defining dimension of relative freedom and constraint is found central to the perceptions of respondents, but the work‐relation dimension does not significantly differentiate types of leisure. The model is revised to replace work‐relation with meaning to the participant that is either intrinsic to doing the activity or primarily social. Further, anticipated satisfactions in building and maintaining relationships are found more salient in leisure choices than in meeting role expectations. The revised typology is employed to classify activities from the New Town phase of the research as (1) unconditional, (2) recuperative, (3) relational, and (4) role‐determined.     

Travel-Related Behavior of Japanese Leisure Tourists: A Review and Discussion

Summary

Japan has emerged as a leading generator of international tourism in the past decade. Given the importance of Japanese tourists to the global tourism industry, understanding of their travel-related behavior has become an essential item in the tourism research agenda. A review of literature revealed that a number of studies related to various aspects of Japanese tourists' behavior was reported. However, these studies did not follow any systematic themes of research and the information generated by these studies has not been well conceptualized. Therefore, this paper aims to present a comprehensive review of the literature which pertains to the travel-related behavior of Japanese leisure tourists and to conceptualize the major behavioral attributes and findings of reported research.