A research on social impacts of the Foça Rock Festival: the validity of the Festival Social Impact Attitude Scale†

The purpose of this study is to examine the validity of the instrument proposed by Delamere, T. A., Wankel, L. M., & Hinch, T. D. [(2001). Development of a scale to measure resident attitudes toward the social impacts of community festivals, Part I: Item generation and purification of the measure. Event Management, 7, 11–24] and to assess the local residents' perceptions of the Foça Rock Festival, which was held in Foça, Turkey. In order to achieve the validity of the instrument, confirmatory factor analysis with LISREL 8.8 was employed, the composite reliability, the estimated percentage of variance extracted by each construct, the discriminant and convergent validity were examined. Results indicated that the local residents' perceptions have two main dimensions with five sub-factors. Furthermore, the results also suggest that these two dimensions (social benefits and social costs) can be measured by 35 items instead of using all 47 items. The collective results indicate that when convergent and discriminant validities are achieved, construct validity is supported. The results also suggest that social benefits dimension is perceived positively by the local residents. On the other hand, other important findings of this study related to the social costs of the festival are the increases in traffic congestion, pedestrian traffic, ecological damage, litter and overcrowding.     

Negotiating stigmatisation of deviant behaviour: an exploration of locals’ perceptions of nude tourists

ABSTRACT

Stigma may result in tense social interactions and discrimination between stigmatisers and stigmatised individuals. Despite its social relevance, stigma has been largely neglected in tourism sociocultural studies. Framed by Goffman’s and Falk’s theoretical propositions of social stigma, this paper aimed to explore local’s stigmatisation of tourists’ behaviour. This study revealed that locals’ stigmatisation of tourists’ behaviours can be spatially negotiated and deconstructed through social interactions. The data analysis also found that not all tourists are equally stigmatised and that tourists’ conduct can be highly stigmatised if adopted by locals. Based on in-depth interviews, these findings were drawn from an examination of locals’ perceptions of tourists’ nudist behaviours in a Mexican destination. This research’s results contribute to a fuller understanding of how locals (de)construct their stigmas of tourists’ behaviours through local-tourist sociocultural interactions.     

In search of the ‘good life’: Understanding online grocery shopping and everyday mobility as social practices

Online grocery shopping offers an alternative to everyday grocery shopping, which often requires car travel. A growing marketplace of online grocery shopping services enables distributors to control ‘the last mile’ by which products reach consumers. However, realising the energy-saving potential of online grocery shopping entails addressing several problems, as increased e-commerce does not necessarily mean decreased car use. Today, calculated potential energy savings are based on estimates and assumptions rather than on thorough knowledge of consumers and their preconditions for e-commerce. This paper is based on a survey of 19 households that regularly buy groceries online. Qualitative interviews combined with travel diaries enable discussion of the household members’ rationales, attitudes, expectations, and mobility practices. Online grocery shopping is considered here as a social practice that could contribute to a more sustainable mobility. In line with social practice theory, practices are understood as successful configurations of material, meaning, and competence that are also dependent on networks of other practices. This framing enables discussion of the likelihood that consumers will change mobility practices as an effect of online grocery shopping. The paper suggests that mobility practices results from constraining activities in everyday life, in which urban planning, norms of food and food purchasing, and the search for better quality of life are more decisive than is the practice of online shopping per se. This paper contributes empirically and theoretically to the study of mobility practices and discusses, from a user-centred perspective, the possibility of creating sustainable transport solutions.     

Understanding the changing Intangible Cultural Heritage in tourism commodification: the music players’ perspective from Lijiang,China

ABSTRACT

While Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) emerges as a new topic in the fields of heritage studies and tourism studies, the changeability of ICH in tourism commodification is still under-researched. The tension between protection and commodification of ICH is intensified when ICH is regarded as a heritage to protect and a resource for commodification, such as in the case of China. With a musical ICH element in Lijiang, China as the case, this paper applies a Critical Heritage Studies approach to investigate the values and components of ICH from the perspective of the music players. From both the diachronic and synchronic dimensions, the research shows that the players construct the values of their ICH in a subject, diverse and dynamic process. The less- and the more-commodified forms of performance are not clearly differentiated; rather, they are regarded as equally important to realise players’ dynamic and subjective needs. Provided practitioners can engage with their ICH freely, commodification can be seen as an indispensable form of the ICH-making process. This paper aims to reveal the dynamism of ICH, to rethink the commodification of ICH, and to rethink the relationship between the commodification and the making of ICH from a critical approach.     

Residents’ perceptions of tourism development – implications for small economies business: the case study of Ali Sadr,Iran

Ali Sadr Cave is the world's largest water cave and is a protected national heritage of Iran. This paper examines the residents’ perceptions of tourism development. In total, 250 residents of Ali Sadr village were interviewed. To improve the economic outcomes of the exchange between individuals from various cultural backgrounds, it is important to resolve the conflicts between residents and international tourists. In the management of tourism in the region, the local people who strongly support tourism development are not involved much. This paper concludes with recommendations for tourism managers to improve the economic outcomes of local people through tourism development.     

Cultural tourism in an ethnic theme park: tourists’ views

The quest for cultural exoticism has inspired mass Han Chinese visits to regions in China, such as Yunnan, where several ‘ethnic theme parks’ have been developed. Employing surveys, informal interviews, observations and secondary sources, this study explores tourists’ views of their experiences, including their perceptions of cultural authenticity at an ethnic theme park in Yunnan, China. Mixed reactions existed to the experience of park patronage, with greater satisfaction with the overall experience than with the specific qualities and authenticity of park offerings. Most tourists had a favorable view of the site and enjoyed their overall experience. Many appreciated a packaged version of minority cultures. However, some visitors were concerned about misrepresentation, insufficient interpretation, poor service, high costs and inauthentic souvenirs. Tourists’ perceptions of authenticity and their satisfaction were significantly influenced by their individual backgrounds. The study raises important issues concerning management and promotion of ethnic attractions, given that modern tourists may have diverse needs and expectations.     

International university students’ travel risk perceptions: an exploratory study

Tourism researchers have identified the impact of perceived risk on destination choice and travel behaviour, and differences in general traveller risk perceptions based on both traveller and trip characteristics. However, such research has neglected the travel of international university students, despite the expansion and economic importance of this market. This paper outlines an exploratory study conducted on international university students studying at an Australian university. A total of 407 valid responses from the sample were achieved. Factor analysis identified four main risk factors which were labelled ‘human-induced risk’, ‘social–psychological risk’, ‘financial risk’, and ‘health risk’. Student origins were found to influence risk perceptions. In particular, Asian students perceived higher levels of human-induced and social–psychological risks compared with students primarily from America and Europe. Travel experience and repeat visitation significantly reduced risk factors apart from health risks. Financial risks were higher for students planning to travel in Australia compared with Asia and America. The implications for destination marketing are considered, and future research avenues based on the results are outlined.     

Examining the ‘relative image’ of tourism destinations: a case study

Many traditional destination image studies employ a non-comparative assessment approach. This study, however, suggests defining and measuring destination image in a comparative manner (termed ‘relative image’) for the purpose of destination positioning. Using a case study on American leisure travellers’ image of Mainland China, the author proposes and demonstrates the utility of a multi-step procedure of relative image assessment. The author concludes that by utilising competing destinations as a reference frame and replicating tourists’ actual decision-making process, relative image assessment may generate more relevant information and insights for destination marketers.     

The impact of low-cost carriers on airport choice in the US: A case study of the Washington–Baltimore region

Previous research has shown that low-cost carriers (LCCs) may stimulate traffic at an airport by offering low fares. Using passenger survey data from the Washington–Baltimore region’s three airports, we find that the benefits of LCCs to airports extend beyond the traffic generated directly by the LCCs through their low fares. In addition, we find that the mere presence of an LCC at an airport can attract passengers, even to competing carriers. These “halo effects” from LCC presence increase the significance to airport managers of attracting LCCs in order to generate passenger demand.     

SOCO's impact on service outcomes of tour guides: the moderating effect of customers’ shopping orientation

This research examines the effects of both sales-oriented and customer-oriented service strategies of tour guides on service outcomes: rapport, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and willingness to tip. This research also investigates how customers’ shopping orientation moderates the above relationships. A convenience sampling was conducted and 370 valid questionnaires were obtained. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings are as follows: (1) customer-oriented strategy of tour guides has a significantly positive impact on the service outcomes; (2) selling-oriented strategy of tour guides has a significantly negative impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty; and (3) shopping orientation of tour members moderates the relationships between selling orientation and service outcomes. Thus, if tour guides can provide service for customers in a suitable way, they will then improve the customers’ perception of services. These findings provide practical information for travel agencies and tour guides.     

Private motorised urban mobility in China’s large cities: the social causes of change and an agenda for future research

The growth of private motorised urban mobility has become a key issue in relation to environmental quality in China’s cities. This paper reports on a nationwide study of the changes in car use in the 2000s, conducted in eleven large cities. This may assist us in filling the gaps in our existing knowledge, which is based on individual city cases. It is apparent that China’s large cities are embracing a new era of the automobile at an unexpected speed and scale. However, at the same time, it seems that a ‘peak’ in car use has occurred in Shanghai and Beijing, as either the absolute number of VKT per capita has dropped or its growth has slowed in these cities. The changes in urban mobility are deeply affected by social and economic transition factors. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of the effects of increasing incomes and the growing middle class, changing lifestyles and the emerging consumer society, the appearance of the e-Society and an increasingly ageing society. In particular, the growing demand for car use by the younger generation (G2), women and elderly people for the purpose of social activity has become an important force behind the increase in overall VKT. The paper concludes with a discussion of current theoretical perspectives and the issues which should be addressed in future research on the social aspects of private motorised urban mobility in China.     

Integration of HSR and air transport: Understanding passengers’ preferences

Different solutions for the integration of high-speed rail (HSR) and air transport could be implemented, ranging from very basic integration to more sophisticated systems which include ticket and handling integration. A discrete choice experiment is conducted to better understand passengers’ preferences. We estimate a number of flexible choice models, taking into account the existence of systematic and random taste heterogeneity. We obtain a range of willingness-to-pay values for service quality attributes, finding some important results that can be used to infer policy conclusions about the real attractiveness of the Air–HSR integrated alternative. In this respect, we find that schedule coordination which reduces connecting time will be crucial.     

The opening of direct flights across the Taiwan Strait: the impact on the global role of Taiwan’s international airport

Scheduled direct flights between Taiwan and Mainland China were halted for six decades and restarted in December 2008. The Taiwan’s government has a policy of developing Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), the major international airport in Taiwan, as one of main hubs in East Asia, based on the airport’s access to Mainland China. To assess whether the airport is progressing toward meeting the set expectation, this study evaluates the changes in airline networks of the TPE after the opening of direct flights across the Taiwan Strait. The time-dependent earliest arrival time algorithm is applied to global flights in 2004, 2008, and 2012. Empirical evidence demonstrates that providing direct flights across the Taiwan Strait has significantly increased accessibility from TPE to airports in China, but did not improve the centrality of TPE. Additionally, the transfer dependency of TPE on other airports is increasing significantly. This result was based on two major reasons: the first involves the Chinese government’s refusal to allow Chinese citizens to use airports in Taiwan as transfer points to and from other countries and the second reflects the competitiveness among airports and airlines in the region. The key finding is that political exclusion of airline use by external governments via travel regulations adversely influences the development of an airport as a global hub.     

An innovative transit system and its impact on low income users: the case of the Metrocable in Medellín

The Metrocable in Medellín, Colombia, is an innovative system to improve access to deprived areas located in hilly zones. The idea to use cable cars as feeders to the metro was integrated into an ambitious urban project that, to date, has improved accessibility dramatically for some low-income residents. Using data before and after the project’s implementation, we evaluate the impact on social equity for the population in the zone of influence, considering changes in accessibility to employment and in housing-related costs. The access provided by the project to the main high-employment centres has doubled the number of opportunities that can be reached by the “target population,” even though travel-time savings and costs have seen only small changes. In fact, prior access to the CBD was poor and expensive, but time and costs were reduced with the Metrocable, although this reduction was not equal for all locations in the metropolitan area. In general, we argue that the main benefits, in terms of accessibility that differentiates the areas analysed from those used for comparison, are related to a localised ease of access to specific centres of activity according to the centralised development of the city’s job market along the mass transit lines. In terms of housing costs, we developed a set of difference-in-difference models that considered rent, transport, and public utilities costs; however, none of them have allowed us to conclude that there was a statistically valid relationship between the Metrocable and the changes in costs between the two analysed populations.     

Assessing the impact of co-branding of island destination and tourism activities on tourists’ reactions

The aim of this study is to examine the status and images of certain islands based on specific tourism activities. A total of 385 valid samples were obtained from tourists at the islands' main transportation facilities. The results are as follows: (1) different island destinations are promoted differently, which significantly affects the perceptions of tourists. (2) Tourists' familiarity with various tourism activities and the rate of participation in these activities vary significantly between the islands; in addition, tourists display greater familiarity with beach/water activities and participate in these activities in higher proportions. (3) Greater consistency in the matching of island destinations with tourism activities helps produce a co-branding effect, which positively affects tourists' perception of these destinations. From a co-branding perspective, this study demonstrates that the empirical market positioning of island destinations must be consistent with the tourism activities that are possible to produce an optimal experience for the tourists. This comparison of different islands explains why the development of island tourism on such locations should involve the provision of information on rankings and tourism activities.     

An empirical investigation of the seaport’s economic impact: Evidence from major ports in China

In this study, we investigate the impact of the seaport on host city’s economic development. Based on data from 41 major port cities in China over the period 2003–2010, our econometric analysis shows that port cargo throughput has a positive effect on the economic growth of the host city. In addition, the competing ports in the neighborhood have an even larger positive association with the local port city. Through examining some of the most dynamic ports in the world, this study provides a renewed understanding of the economic importance of seaports.     

Measuring airport quality from the airlines’ viewpoint: an application of data envelopment analysis

The main objective of this paper is to develop a model to determine the relative efficiency and quality of airports. This factor seems to have a strong effect on the airlines’ choice of hubs. Previous studies of airport quality have used subjective passenger data whereas in this study airport quality is defined from the airlines’ viewpoint. Accordingly, we have solicited airlines’ evaluations of a number of European and non-European airports by means of a detailed questionnaire. Statistical analysis of the median score has shown that these evaluations vary considerably relative to quality factors and airports. The key methodology used in this study to determine the relative quality level of the airports is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which has been adapted through the use of principle component analysis. Of the set of West-European airports analyzed, Geneva, Milan and Munich received uniformly high, relative efficiency scores. In contrast, Charles de Gaulle, Athens and Manchester consistently appear low in the rankings.     

Market segmentation for a leverage revitalization of China’s inbound tourism: the case of US leisure tourists

China’s inbound tourism currently faces a tough choice between a niche strategy and a wide-range tourist attraction. The derivative concept of ‘leverageable market’ provides a reasonable method to solve the problem. This study, thus, attempts to conduct market segmentation for identifying a core crowd in the leisure tourism market of US near-venturers that leverages revitalization. A mixed segmentation method was adopted that combined ‘a posterior approach’ with ‘a priori approach’ in an overall multi-stage framework. ‘Venturesomeness’ in Plog’s psychographic model was the first principle segmentation variable used, which is intrinsically pertinent to the connotation of a leverageable market. ‘Activity participation’ was added to further partition the near-venturers identified, yielding refined management strategies. The data first indicated an obvious shift of China’s psychographic destination position from ‘near-venturer’ to ‘mid-centric’. Cluster analysis further identified four activity-based near-venturer segments: outdoor stimulus experiencers, recreation and amusement seekers, culture searchers, and extensive interest holders. Significant socio-demographic and trip-related features were found among the clusters. The corresponding managerial and theoretical implications, limitations, and agendas for further related research were finally discussed.     

International and domestic tourists’ “a priori” and “in situ” image differences and the impact of direct destination experience on destination image: the case of Linz,Austria

A profound understanding of destination image and its determinants is of significance for destinations aiming to effectively position themselves in the tourism market. However, existing research on destination image formation has mainly focused on the “a priori” and “a posteriori” stages and paid only limited attention to the “in situ” stage. To fill in this gap, this study examines the effect direct destination experience and visitors’ nationality (domestic vs. international) have on both “pre-travel” and “in situ” cognitive and affective elements of image. The study was conducted using 400 international and domestic visitors to Linz, Austria. The findings indicate that there are significant differences in the way domestic and international tourists perceive Linz as a tourist destination both prior and during the actual experience. The study also provides empirical evidence that direct destination experience plays a major role in destination image formation, irrespective of individual’s nationality. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed.     

East Coast vs. West Coast: The impact of the Panama Canal’s expansion on the routing of Asian imports into the United States

Asian firms shipping to inland US points choose between West and East Coast ports. West Coast shipments often have lower transit times but higher freight charges. To investigate factors affecting this routing decision, a coast choice model is estimated. Results are then used to project shifts in demand with the coming completion of the Panama Canal expansion. Our simulations show that if the Panama Canal expansion generates significant transit time savings on shipments from Asia, as projected, that there will be major shifts in traffic from West to East Coast ports, raising important policy implications for port operators on both coasts.