Shopping destination competitiveness: scale development and validation

ABSTRACT

As shopping becomes ever more important to tourists, this interest increasingly drives their destination choices. That is, shopping tourists tend to consider destinations to be more attractive and competitive if they offer key shopping resources. Therefore, this study aims to develop and validate a measurement scale for shopping destination competitiveness, which can provide an identification of shopping- and destination-specific attributes and dimensions. In theoretical terms, this study contributes to the literature by integrating a model of destination competitiveness with a servicescape model and with the current Globe Shopping Index, to investigate shopping destinations at a macro-level. Five hundred and twenty-three usable samples were obtained for data analysis. The findings suggest that shopping destination competitiveness has nine key dimensions: shopping atmosphere, merchandise, store service orientation, affordability, Korean pop culture, safety climate, accessibility, government promotion, and attractiveness.     

欠发达地区旅游中心地发展与演变——以南宁市为例

欠发达地区旅游中心地随着区域旅游业的不断发展,大多经历了旅游依托地向旅游集散地的发展历程.这种演变使旅游中心地所在的旅游区域随之形成旅游中心地体系,且其在此旅游中心地体系的等级也随着这一发展历程向更高等级演化.把握好旅游中心地这一演变发展规律并制定相应的旅游发展战略,是区域旅游规模不断扩展且持续良性发展的重要环节.     

Recognise me from outside to inside: Learning the influence chain of urban destination personalities

This study aims to develop a personality scale specific to urban destinations and explore the antecedents and consequences of perceived urban destination personalities. Using a sample of 672 tourists, and an intelligent data analysis tool, machine learning, this study develops an urban destination personality scale with four components, i.e., temperament, competence, attitude and mood. Urban landscapes are found to be significant antecedents, with different influential importance in both components (modern space/ancient space/ecological/living/social landscapes) and elements. Besides, the impacts of urban destination personalities on overall destination image are identified, and the mediating effects of urban destination personalities on the relationship between urban landscapes and overall destination image are discovered. The findings contribute to revealing an influence chain of urban destination personalities and furtherly providing concrete practical insights into building or upgrading personalities of a particular urban destination so as to make it be more distinctive and attractive from outside to inside.     

Determinants of destination choice by Japanese overseas travelers

Using the data from the Japanese Pleasure Travel Survey, this study developed a logistic regression model to analyze destination choices of Japanese outbound pleasure travelers. The analysis revealed the effects of a number of variables on the Japanese destination choices. These variables are demographic characteristics including age, marital status, education level, and income, as well as types and purposes of trip. Various motivational factors were also found to be significant in classifying the Japanese market by their destination choices. The findings of this study provide useful information for destination marketers in their efforts to segment and target the Japanese outbound pleasure travel market. They will have a better understanding of the characteristics of the Japanese market relative to the strengths and weaknesses of their respective destinations, thus allowing them to be more effective in their packaging and promotion.     

旅游目的地地格的理论源流、本质与测度指标

全球化背景下,在旅游目的地开发与营销过程中忽视了地方的本质特征,旅游目的地竞争走向“无地方性”与“无个性”的地方趋同陷阱。地格理论融合地理学的地方性理论、营销学的品牌个性理论、旅游学的推拉理论以及管理学的资源基础论,提出旅游目的地开发与营销成功的关键是以地格为依托,即关注目的地长期积累形成的生活方式的本质特征,避免地方趋同。本文指出具有代表力、吸引力与竞争力的旅游地格是旅游目的地的品牌基因,还从旅游目的地政府、游客和居民视角出发,运用定性与定量相结合的方法,创建了由自然环境、人文环境与群体性格组成的地格因子体系。     

Hotel pricing at tourist destinations – A comparison across emerging and developed markets

The application of price hedonic theory in the hotel pricing domain has relatively ignored the destination and country-level differences. We compare hotel rents across tourist and non-tourist destinations for an emerging (India) and a developed (USA) market. Utilizing multiple regression on a combined dataset of 21,904 data points spread over 2458 unique hotels, we show that the nature of destination and market moderates the association between hotel attributes and rents. Further, the results show that hotels at tourist destinations enjoy a rent premium across markets. However, this rent premium is positively associated with star rating, only in emerging markets, and is stable in developed markets. We contribute to price hedonic theory by proposing destination and market variables as moderators. Globalization and industry concentration make location decisions recurring and flexible. The study aims to help hotel managers by providing a contextual framework for making these strategic investment decisions.     

Effects of destination resource combination on tourist perceived value: In the context of Chinese ancient towns

Destination resources lay an essential foundation for the development of destinations and the balanced combination of divergent destination resources can create a pleasant tourist perceived value. This paper aims to identify specific combinations of destination resources that contribute to a thriving tourist perceived value. Based on the resource-based view and crisp set qualitative comparative analysis method (csQCA), we find that destination's core resources need to cooperate with other destination resources to yield a superior tourist perceived value. In addition, for destinations with less abundant core resources, an appropriate combination of destination resources can still provide a positive perceived value. Our paper extends the understanding and application of the resource-based view. Furthermore, the results provide insights into destination resources and tourist perceived value.     

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.     

Linking Travel Motivation,Tourist Self-Image and Destination Brand Personality

Abstract

Despite a growing body of work on destination branding, there has been little investigation of whether or not tourists attribute brand personality characteristics to tourism destinations and whether or not an emotional connection exists based on tourists' perceived self-image and the ‘brand personality’ of destinations. The aim of this study is to explore the links among four key constructs proposed for the destination branding and choice processtourist needs, destination brand personality, self-congruity, and intentions to visit and satisfaction with a visit. The results indicate that where tourists can make an association between a destination and a destination brand personality, and where this association is consistent with their desired holiday experience, a high level of congruity will exist between the tourists' self-image and their perceptions of the destination. In turn this self-congruity was related to satisfaction with a visit to the destination but not to intention to travel to the destination.     

区域旅游线路的复杂网络特征——以福建省为例

区域旅游线路呈现出的空间几何特征及其地理拓扑关系可以运用复杂网络工具进行剖析。该研究在国内外相关研究的基础上,以福建省为例,分别对省内出发和省外出发两种不同空间尺度的旅游线路进行定量分析,利用从出发地到各个旅游目的地形成的地理拓扑关系建构区域旅游网络,在此基础上从空间平均距离、形态指数、点度分布、中间性、匹配性、鲁棒性等统计量来分析旅游线路的空间网络结构。研究表明,多重区域旅游线路组合形成的网络整体上呈现出无标度网络特征,知名旅游目的地在网络中占据着核心位置;区域旅游线路的空间网络结构反映出福建省各旅游目的地的跨区合作已初见端倪,但仍需要深化推行产业集群区的跨区域合作经营;从点度的分布方面,省内旅游市场中的旅游线路在空间尺度上对旅游目的地的覆盖范围更加广泛,且各目的地的点度分布较为均衡,而省外旅游市场则仍需要继续与区域旅游的非核心目的地进行深度整合。     

Gay tourism in a sun and beach destination

Gay tourism is seen as an attractive business opportunity for many destinations. However, there is a lack of research at identifying the resources necessary for success in this type of tourism. This work is aimed at filling this gap by using the premises of the resource based view and transfers them to the analysis of territories to identify the valuable resources that are required for a sun and beach destination to attract gay tourists. To this end, this study has focused on a gay tourism sub niche, tourists lodged in gay-exclusive resorts in Gran Canaria. In order to confirm the validity of this approach, the relationship between the satisfaction of gay tourists and the condition of the valuable resources was studied by means of a robust statistical new method, namely Bayesian model averaging. That method permits the inclusion of uncertainty in the theoretical models that determine destination competitiveness, thus reducing many of the problems that arise in the application of the more conventional statistical methods in this type of analysis.     

旅游目的地竞争力模型比较:以奥兰多和拉斯韦加斯为例

旅游目的地的绩效评估是许多旅游目的地面临的一个复杂但很重要的问题。现有的基于增长率的绩效评估模型并不能反映有关旅游目的地竞争力和可持续性发展的信息。本文旨在提出并以数据证明以价值为基础的旅游目的地的绩效评估模型。     

Designing a Model for Competitiveness Measurement of Selected Tourism Destinations of Iran (The Model and Rankings)

Destination competitiveness is the ability to sustain or improve market position and market share of a destination over a period of time. Different markets have different expectations which increase the importance of features a destination should provide in order to achieve competitive advantage. The results of this study show that the domestic model of Iran’s destinations competitiveness comprises 9 major indices. These indices are made of 64 variables which have been derived from literature reviews and qualitative surveys. The results of running the model for all selected destinations are consistent with the destinations’ tourist statistics except for one destination (Qom).     

Analysis of the Implementation of Celebrity Endorsement as a Destination Marketing Instrument

This study will investigate the implementation potential of celebrity endorsement to market destinations. Nine marketing experts in endorsement strategies expressed their views of the key elements to effective celebrity destination endorsement. Content analysis was used to find three categories that may moderate the effectiveness of celebrity endorsers, High‐Involvement Products, Celebrity Credibility and Celebrity Expertise. It seems that when products are high in psychological or social risk, such as the annual main holiday destination, the ‘right’ celebrity endorser could make an appropriate match and create a more favorable evaluation of the advertisement than a non‐endorsed advertisement. On the other hand, various issues regarding the tourist decision‐making process suggest that the choice for celebrity endorsement to market a destination is less appropriate.     

Beyond image attributes: A new approach to destination positioning based on sensory preference

This research expands destination positioning theories by introducing a new perspective on destination positioning, namely sensory experience. This can be used to distinguish destinations with otherwise similar images. Through three studies focusing sequentially on positioning, segmenting and targeting (STP), this research for the first time provides a complete analytical procedure for positioning research. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of destination positioning based on sensory preference. For tourists with a particular dominant sensory preference (e.g. taste or smell), promotion of the corresponding type of sensory experience is effective in destination marketing; for tourists with a more balanced set of sensory preferences, promotion of the type of sensory experience in which the destination has a natural advantage proves more attractive to the group of tourists with a moderate level of sensory demand. This new approach to destination positioning thereby supports more effective marketing.     

Reject or select: Mapping destination choice

The purpose of this study is to empirically explore tourists’ destination choice processes. Destination choices are investigated using a combination of data on destinations and on tourists’ individual destination choices. Data were collected in Munich/Germany in 2013 using personal interviews; 622 interviews were completed. This approach allows detecting reasons for the rejection or selection of certain types of destinations during the destination choice process. Results show that tourists often start the destination choice process with various combinations of destination types but act similarly when choosing the final destination. The investigation of tourist and destination characteristics results in a tourist typology that varies in regard to similarity and type of alternative destinations at different stages of the destination choice process.     

A Comparison of International Travel Between an Emerging and a Mature Source Market

Little research has been published on the evolution of markets, but markets, like destinations, should evolve over time. A market's collective travel behavior should change as residents become more experienced international tourists. Market evolution may be triggered by rapid economic development. As Tourists become more experienced, their destination choice, travel patterns and package tour propensity should change. This paper compares the international travel patterns of similar source markets at different stages of their travel life cycles. Hong Kong can be considered as an established source market, whereas Macau is a rapidly emerging source market. The study identifies significant differences in destination choice, package tour propensity, long-haul travel propensity, motivations and behavior within destinations. The authors conclude the paper by offering a number of propositions about market evolution.     

Local cuisines and destination marketing: cases of three cities in Shandong,China

This study analyzes how the three cities of Jinan, Qingdao, and Qufu in Shandong Province of China use their cuisines in promoting their destinations. Based on a critical review of previous studies, a conceptual framework was developed, which included five closely related areas: foods, beverages, dining, farming, and food festivals. All related texts, images, videos, brochures, booklets, and websites designed to market these three cities were content-analyzed. The study findings suggest that all the three cities have not yet fully utilized their cuisines in their destination marketing efforts. Although some of their culinary resources appear in their marketing materials, the local cuisines of these three cities are not yet skillfully integrated into their marketing efforts. The present study offers specific theoretical and practical implications on marketing the culinary resources of destinations that are in the early stages of their development.     

旅游目的地品牌标识评价研究——以中国优秀旅游城市为例

品牌标识是旅游目的地的核心品牌要素,也是其竞争优势的重要来源.但是,目前国内外对旅游目的地品牌标识及其评价的研究很少.文章在分析旅游目的地品牌标识内涵和类型基础上,提出旅游目的地品牌标识评价应遵循市场营销之功能性原则.基于此,文章构建了旅游目的地品牌标识评价的IDCAM模型,提出一个好的品牌标识应该具备识别性、区分性、一致性、易于被注意和易于被记忆之特征.以该模型为基础,文章从信号传递、符号意义、要素组合、视觉要素四个视角对旅游目的地品牌标识评价的具体标准进行了研究,并构建了基于IDCAM模型的旅游目的地品牌标识评价标准模型.依据IDCAM模型,我国优秀旅游城市正在独立使用的149个品牌标识大部分具有识别性,但是区分性明显不够,而且符合理想层次评价标准者仅有31个.     

The effectiveness of the destination logo: Congruity effect between logo typeface and destination stereotypes

A well-designed logo can assist destination marketers in the development of destination identity and image, and yet the factors that contribute to an effective destination logo are poorly understood. Thus, this study aims to explore how typefaces influence the effectiveness of logos of destinations with differing stereotypes. By conducting four scenario-based experiments with different experimental stimuli, this study has revealed a congruity effect between logo typeface and destination stereotypes. Specifically, linking logos with handwritten typefaces with warm destinations, and machine-written typefaces with competent destinations can elicit more favorable attitudes and stronger travel intentions toward those destinations (Study 1). The results further showed that the congruity effect on tourists’ travel intentions is sequentially mediated by processing fluency and attitude (Studies 2a, 2b) and is attenuated for tourists with high needs for cognition (Study 3). This research also offers practical suggestions for destination marketers around the design of effective logos.