‘The Trouble with Today's Young Ones…’

ABSTRACT

This article examines the challenges for Australian clubs in attracting and keeping the younger demographic. Using a case study approach written by a participant observer, and Waterman, Peters, and Phillips' Seven-S Framework, the issues and difficulties faced by one NSW coastal club are examined as they trialled two “youth market” specific products aimed at the under-18 segment. After less than 12 months, both products were cancelled and a decision was made by the board of directors to no longer target the “difficult” youth market. In examining the challenges faced by this club, it was found that the “troublesome youth” became a convenient scapegoat for the real contributors to the under-18's product failures. This article found that, while the initial strategy to target the youth market was sound, there was a lack of support from the other internal factors of structure, systems, skills, style, staff, and superordinate goals that contributed to the cancellation and thus failure of these youth-oriented products. It is useful to examine these failures from a strategic viewpoint as a means for other clubs to become more familiar with the pitfalls of targeting the youth market from the outset, instead of through the lens of hindsight.     

A Comparison of Wage Determination in New South Wales and Queensland (Australian) Clubs

ABSTRACT

Australia's industrial relations framework has undergone substantial change since the 1990s. This has involved federal and state governments attempting to replace the centralised system, based on awards, to a decentralised system based on formalised enterprise and individual bargaining. The move to a decentralised system will supposedly, according to critics of the centralised system, provide significant improvements in flexibility, especially for the hospitality industry. This article examines the results from two studies of registered clubs, one undertakenin New South Wales (NSW)in 1996 and the other in Queensland in 2003, to examine the impact of regulatory changes on wage determination and associated variables in the sector. The findings indicate that despite the rhetoric of proponents of decentralisation, very few clubs have moved from the centralised system to the decentralised one. However, within the centralised system, clubs have undertaken a high level of informal bargaining, both in 1996 and 2003. Despite the level of informal bargaining club managers felt relatively restricted by awards and trade unions.     

A History of Machine Gambling in the NSW Club Industry

ABSTRACT

This article documents a history of the NSW club industry, with particular emphasis on its evolution to a major contemporary operator of gaming machines at state, national and international levels. It argues that three conditions of club registration-their not-for-profit status, membership requirements, and social benefit objectives-have been instrumental for clubs in gaining and maintaining dominant rights to machine gambling in NSW. These three features of clubs traditionally have underpinned their legitimacy as major providers of machine gambling, reflecting prevailing government policy that linked legalised gambling to social benefit. However, the substantial revenues that accrued from machine gambling, amidst an absence of competition, fuelled an expansion of the club sector that was neither predicted nor planned, with many clubs growing dramatically in assets, membership and facilities. The original club goals of promoting and pursuing the social purpose and community benefit for which they were established became superseded by an emphasis on expansion, market share, and profits. More recently, increased competition for the gambling dollar, reflecting a shift in government policy towards economically driven stimulation and expansion of commercial gambling, has further entrenched the commercialisation of clubs in their machine gambling operations, subordinating their social agenda to economic interests. This change in focus by club management has diminished the social contract that exists for clubs to operate gambling for community benefit, the very basis of the clubs' legitimacy as major providers of machine gambling. Indeed, the implicit assumption that social benefit was built into club machine gambling has allowed the clubs to exploit their position of market dominance in a way that exacerbates the negative social impacts of their core product.     

EDITORIAL

Abstract

This study examines the use of environmental forecasting during the strategic planning process in private city clubs. Key internal and external environmental factors were identified that impact city clubs and the club industry. Strategic planning practices and influencing factors were studied in four city clubs, in North Carolina and South Carolina, utilizing the qualitative research method of structured personal interviews, and the survey method of quantitative research. Numerous factors influenced the strategic planning process of three clubs, including consultants, employees, board members, trade associations and trade reports. One club, which did not conduct strategic planning, is struggling to survive. Environmental issues influencing these clubs were: technological, social, and economic. Each club's business was significantly affected by the business climate of the city in which it resides.     

The Effects of Travel Agent Characteristics on the Development of Trust: A Contingency View

Abstract

Trust is a key factor in the establishment of long-term relationships between travel agents and their customers. Prior research across service industries has documented that both “person-related” (e.g., empathy, politeness, and customer/service representative similarity) and “offer-related” (e.g., customization, competence, reliability, and promptness) service representative characteristics have an impact upon trust. However, the relative importance of these characteristics, and in some cases the direction of their relationships with trust has varied across studies. In this paper, we posit a contingency model of trust, suggesting that within the travel agency industry, the effects of the above variables on trust will be moderated by length of customer/service provider relationship. Our model is tested in a business-to-business context by means of a mail survey involving 487 small business owners. The small business owners provided data about their relationships with their travel industry service providers (i.e., agents). Our results demonstrate how corporate travel agencies can work toward the establishment of trust with their clients under varying market conditions.     

Analytical Reflections on the Economic Impact Assessment of Conventions and Special Events

Abstract

Over the past decades, the growth of the convention and event industry has enhanced an awareness of its economic significance to local, state, and national economies. Accordingly, many industry and academic studies have introduced various methods for accurately assessing the direct and indirect economic impacts of conventions and special events. Among them, the input-output (I-O) model is widely used for the economic impact assessments. This article first reviews economic impact studies in the convention and event tourism sector and then discusses issues related to the I-O model framework.     

Environmental Forecasting and Strategic Planning Practices in Country Clubs

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to determine the extent to which private country clubs utilize environmental forecasting in their strategic planning activities. Also identified were key environmental issues that affect the country clubs' ability to plan strategically within the constraints imposed by their boards and general memberships. General managers from four country clubs in North and South Carolina were queried using a combination of personal interviews and survey questionnaires. Three of the four clubs surveyed practiced strategic planning to some extent, utilizing a variety of influences and participants in the process. Human resource issues were a major concern faced by all of the clubs surveyed. Each club also rated economic, technological, and ecological issues as most important to their clubs' success.     

Running Havana: Observations on the Political Economy of Sport Tourism in Cuba

Abstract

Sport tourism is a booming global business that has different costs and benefits for distinctive societies depending upon both global and local socio‐cultural, political and economic factors. With more than 130 officially sanctioned events worldwide, marathon running has developed to become a key feature of the international sport tourism calendar. This paper provides an ethnographic account of the 2005 Marabana – the Havana Marathon. After consideration of some of the central conceptual and historical issues pertinent to sport tourism in relation to the marathon in general, it uses this race and the events surrounding it as a critical window into Cuba’s complex contemporary political economy. Detailed consideration is given to the special conditions that have led to the development of the Island’s sport tourism industry and the consequences of that development in terms of Cuba’s political heritage. What sets Cuba apart from the tourist economies of its Caribbean neighbours is its continued commitment to the economic and political principles of communism and its strained and tense relationship with the United States. The paper concludes by pointing to the social and economic contradictions associated with the development of a tourist economy that is essentially capitalist within a society that is avowedly communist.     

The Determinants of the Travel Demand on International Tourist Arrivals to Thailand

The purpose of this study is to develop a travel demand model of international tourist arrivals to Thailand and to assess the impact of crisis incidents on Thailand's tourism industry. A 20-year (1987–2006) annual time series data of “number of international tourist arrivals”, “exchange rate”, “promotion budget”, and dummy variables of “Asia financial crisis”, “special promotional campaigns”, “SARS” and “tsunami” were used to develop the travel demand model by performing a multiple regression analysis. The results showed that travel demand of international tourist arrivals to Thailand could be explained by “exchange rate”, “promotion budget”, “Asia financial crisis” and “SARS”.     

Nature tourism trends in Australia with reference to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area

Nature-based tourism has been viewed as a large and growing segment of the tourism market. Advocates of nature-based tourism argue its potential to generate income for biodiversity conservation and local economic benefit, while detractors fear a risk of “loving our parks to death”. Some recent studies have suggested that nature-based tourism may be declining on a per capita basis, especially in economically developed countries. Others have detected no such trend. Nature-based tourism is a key industry within Australia, based strongly on its unique scenery and biodiversity. We compared nature-based visitation and population growth during 1998–2012 for Australia overall and specifically for the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area which is adjacent to the country's largest conurbation of Greater Sydney. We found substantial declines in domestic per capita visitation, both nationally and regionally. Because visitation provides the “political capital” for parks to survive, strategies to encourage visitation should be a target for land managers. Since children foster environmentally responsible behaviour in adults, they should be part of the focus for developing diverse experiences that encourage park visitation.     

Strategic Management of External Change in NSW Registered Clubs

ABSTRACT

This research examines how clubs strategically manage change resulting from alterations in their external environment. Specifically, this paper aims to investigate the marketing implications of recent legislative change arising from restrictions imposed on advertising and promotion of club gaming in one Australian state, the most populous state of New South Wales (NSW). Managers of three northern NSW clubs situated adjacent to the southern Queensland (QLD) border were interviewed to obtain primary data for this investigation. Results show that legislation restricting gaming advertising, promotion and external signage has caused difficulties in marketing these three clubs whose core product is gaming machines. Short-term results of revised marketing strategies indicate that club member numbers are steady but spending is unpredictable. Visitors are harder to attract, particularly new visitors.     

Residents' Perceptions Toward the “Chinese Tourists' Wave” in Hong Kong: An Exploratory Study

Mainland China experienced an extraordinary progress in its economy in the past two decades which directly stimulates more outbound travels. Considering the geographical proximity and political ties between Hong Kong and Mainland China, the share of inbound tourists to Hong Kong has been, and will continuously be, largely occupied by Mainland Chinese tourists on an uprising basis. The phenomenon of the “Chinese tourists' wave”, operationalizing as the influx of tourists from Mainland China, has brought tremendous change on Hong Kong's tourism industry, economy and local community. It is, thus, of necessity to understand the perceptions and response toward this phenomenon from local residents' perspective as they are the stakeholders of local tourism. Drawing on the findings from three focus group interviews with 18 Hong Kong residents, three conventional dimensions, namely “Economic”, “Social-cultural” and “Environmental” were identified and discussed to demonstrate the local residents' perceptions toward the impact of “Chinese tourists' wave” phenomenon. Generally, residents tend to recognize the positive economic impacts as well as negative social–cultural and environmental impacts generated from this tourism phenomenon. The recommendations suggested in this study also serve as a reference for tourism authorities concerned to redress the existing problems.     

Exploring the Impacts of Service Guarantee Strategy

This study examines the impacts of service guarantee in terms of consumers' perceived purchase risks, loyalty, complaint behaviors, and intent to use “word-of-mouth” within the context of the casual dining restaurant segment. The scenario method was developed and used to test the research hypotheses. The results of the study reveal that a well-executed service guarantee could reduce consumers' perceived purchase risks, and increase a positive word-of-mouth and customer loyalty. On the other hand, it also raises consumers' intent to complain upon service failure. Furthermore, the results of the study indicate that a “specific” service guarantee is much more effective in reducing consumers' perceived purchase risks, and increasing consumers' intent to claim after a service failure as opposed to an “unconditional” service guarantee. The results of the study suggest that a service guarantee offered by independent restaurants could offer a competitive advantage over brand restaurants not offering a service guarantee.     

Tourism and environmental subjectivities in the Anthropocene: observations from Niru Village,Southwest China

ABSTRACT

The increasingly popular notion of Anthropocene urges us to reflect and review the role of the human, the Anthropos, as part of the planet earth. In this context, tourism has been singled out as a global industry that is driven by neoliberal economic principles and is inevitably intertwined in the production of the Anthropocene. At the same time, tourism has been adopted also as part of environmental governance and management, aiming for a more sustainable economy. Based on the idea that ecotourism contributes to the discourse of “nature” (and Anthropocene) disruptively as well as productively in unsettling the normative ideas of “nature” and “culture”, in this article I attempt to understand more specifically how ecotourism may enable individuals' subject formation in relation to the broader environmental discourse. Drawn on fieldwork in Niru Village, Shangri-La, Southwest China, I employ a political ecology approach and examine the ways individuals relate themselves to “nature”, through a process of negotiation and exchange with others engaged in ecotourism activities. The tourism encounters in Niru Village, therefore are also embodied encounters of different environmental subjectivities.     

“Just trained to be a chef,not a leader”: A study of head chef practices

ABSTRACT

Hierarchical manners and taxing work complicate the picture of the restaurant industry, a sector in great need of personnel. There is little scientific research on daily work in restaurants. Through interviews and observations in restaurant kitchens, three head chef practices were detected: “Master the materiality” is a stipulation for leading kitchens, but does not imply leadership aspirations; “show and guide” is teambuilding through which standards are reinforced by the presence of leaders while allowing coworkers some freedom; and “overview and foresight” involves nonhierarchical supervision by head chefs during service. These practices make sense to head chefs as they enhance product quality and their reputations as professionals. The study points to a horizontal leadership in the restaurant industry and a possible new order for growth and development.     

Categories of Participants Based on Their Expectations of Instructor-Led Training

SUMMARY

Trainees' expectations of training are important considerations in the development of training programs, yet a lack of research exists to understand the expectations of trainees as they relate to various training delivery methods. To investigate the underlying dimensions or factors that determine trainees' expectations in instructor-led training sessions, 164 surveys were collected from attendees at six different hospitality industry instructor-led training sessions. Utilizing a factor analytic procedure, the following five dimensions of trainees' expectations were identified: courtesy, entertainment, climate, tangibles, and relevance. These expectations of training dimensions were then used to cluster analyze trainees into three groups: “the good-timers,” “the high hopes,” and “the serious students.”     

Examining the Influences of Senior Discount Usage in the Hospitality Industry

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of this study was to examine older adult attitudes and behaviors of discount usage in the hospitality industry. A secondary purpose was to understand the relationship between usage category (nonusers, light users and heavy users), age and influences of discount usage in the hospitality industry. Results suggested that (1) the profile of the older adult discount user in the hospitality industry reveals that the average discount user is married'partnered, educated, with a variety of income levels, basically the “average” older adult and (2) generally, the age of the senior does not have a significant impact on discount usage, but rather previous discount behavior and institutional barriers played a significant role. Employees in the hospitality industry need to be trained to recognize and manage for “ageism.” Seniors will be less inclined to use discounts if employees in the hospitality industry treat older adults poorly. If use of hospitality discounts is related to general discount then specials or cents-off coupons should be placed in the newspapers along side of general coupons.     

The City as a Destination

ABSTRACT

The findings of this original research provide a methodology that eliminates the subjectivity inherent in prior methods utilized to rank or gauge the capability of a city to attract delegates to conventions of professional associations. These new analytical techniques may also be employed to estimate convention attendee market shares, as well as determine reliable rankings of a destination's “attractiveness” and its financial or economic sustainability. The criteria identified in this study also comprise the “vital signs” for measuring a city's future health.     

Audience Members’ Motivation,Satisfaction, and Intention to Re-visit an Ethnic Minority Cultural Festival

This study investigates the relationships among audience members' motivation, satisfaction, and re-visit intentions at an ethnic minority cultural festival. As an empirical study, an on-site survey was conducted at the 2009 Fe?ta–Croatian Food and Wine Festival in Adelaide, South Australia. The results of the study identified eight main motivational dimensions for ethnic minority cultural festival attendance: “community support,” “escape,” “knowledge/education,” “food, wine, and entertainment,” “novelty,” “family togetherness,” “marketing,” and “socialization.” The findings of this study also confirm the implication that festival audience members' motivation is an immediate antecedent of overall satisfaction and likelihood of future attendance, and that the level of a festival audience members' overall satisfaction has a direct impact on the likelihood of future attendance. These findings offer important implications for public or private festival and event organizations, state governments, and local communities that have an interest in creating and staging ethnic minority cultural festivals.