Antecedents and consequences of destination image gap

The purpose of this study is to examine the antecedents that explain changes to the image that first-time tourists have (pre- and post-visit image gap) of a destination and its impact on satisfaction and loyalty through the design and validation of a model. The research has been carried out using a sample of 411 tourists in Tenerife (Spain). The involvement with the trip, the time dedicated to the search for information, and the number of attractions visited influence the change in cognitive image. The factors that explain the time spent searching for information are uncertainty, involvement, and duration and intensity of the visit. The positive gap in the image generates greater satisfaction, which has a positive impact in the loyalty.     

The evolution of triadic relationships in a tourism supply chain through coopetition

The analysis of tourism supply chains has traditionally focused on the two-party relationships between vertical suppliers. However, since a full supply chain is composed of horizontal, vertical and diagonal suppliers, there is a gap in literature regarding the dynamics of how these triadic relationships operate within a tourism supply chain. Using a multiple case study design involving four tour operators in Macau, this paper explores the interplay of relationships among horizontal, vertical and diagonal suppliers. We capture the evolutionary dynamics of how coopetitive relationships are formed between horizontal suppliers, the subsequent impact on both vertical and diagonal suppliers, and the resulting overall changes in the structure of the tourism supply chain. This paper contributes to tourism supply chain literature through a coopetitive lens by analyzing the triadic relational links among horizontal, vertical and diagonal suppliers.     

Understanding small firms in tourism: A perspective on research trends and challenges

Although small firms in tourism have featured on the agendas of policy-makers for several decades, academic interest over the same period has fluctuated. Certainly the flurry of activity that occurred during the early 1990s became a steady flow of somewhat fragmented output rather than the ambitious and coherent programme of research that was anticipated at the time. The paper traces progress in this field by reviewing inter-, multi- and disciplinary studies that contribute to current understanding of small firms in tourism and how this understanding articulates with wider debates within tourism studies. In so doing, it challenges some conventional wisdom and provides an agenda for future research.     

Market orientation of small ethnic minority-owned hospitality firms

This paper seeks to evaluate the influence of changing co-ethnic consumer habits and the nature of competition on the market orientation of ethnic minority-owned hospitality firms in the UK. The paper reports and analyses the findings of 40 face-to-face interviews with Turkish small business owners. The findings of the study indicate that ethnic minority owned small firms operate within a strong socio-cultural environment. Not only co-ethnic customers and competitors but also both mainstream customers and competitors have a bearing on the market orientation of firms. Their market orientation is the result of the interplay between the changes in ethnic and mainstream business environments.     

Resource-based local development and networked core-competencies for tourism excellence

The purpose of this article is to propose a complementary approach to the analysis of tourism systems which is grounded on theoretical frameworks deriving from the fields of dynamic capabilities and destination management. In particular, the paper explores the relationship between the networking approach of tourism firms and the development of tourism core-competencies. This perspective aims at providing a development path for policy maker actions based on the appraisal of local resources and tourism competencies. The empirical section studies an Italian area characterized by a high potential in terms of tourism resources but also, especially in the past, a medium-low relevance regarding the tourism economy. However, recently this area has shown a very interesting entrepreneurial dynamicity in tourism and cultural sectors. It is an appropriate field of research for the analysis regarding the determinants of tourism core-competence development.     

Trust-building processes in tourist coopetition: The case of a Polish region

This study examines the role of trust in establishing collaboration between two individual competing tourism firms. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by investigating how various trust-building processes influence dyadic coopetition in five municipalities in Poland. The literature suggests eight different trust-building mechanisms at various levels of analysis and collaborative endeavors. Our results indicate four processes important to start dyadic coopetition, which are based on: calculation, emotional bond, reputation and embeddedness in social networks. Our findings also show that if trust based on calculation is not reported, then even several trust-building processes combined do not lead to coopetition. Moreover, trust does not appear as a homogenous concept, and different trust-building processes do generate different effects. The results show that trust may play both positive and negative roles in coopetition formation.     

Predictors of customer service training in hospitality firms

Small hospitality firms have a reluctance to embrace business improvement activities in general and customer service training in particular. In a survey of 255 hospitality firms, this study investigated a range of predictors for owner–managers to adopt specific customer service training activities, in a series of regression equations. It was found that, in general, those firms that placed more importance on customer service training were willing to take up more training activity. In addition, it was found that predictors for specific customer service training activities, such as benchmarking best practice or mystery shopping, varied between types of activity and with a general intention to consider customer service training.     

The entrepreneurship research in hospitality and tourism

The purpose of this study is to review entrepreneurship research in hospitality and tourism (H&T), draw a map of the evolving domain, and propose a framework for future research. The entrepreneurship literature is categorized by identifying the antecedents and consequences in the context of H&T. The study findings suggest that entrepreneurship research subjects in H&T are extended from developed countries to emerging economies. The research level begins at the meso level (firms) and gradually develops to the micro level (individual entrepreneurs) and macro level (environment). Entrepreneurship in H&T is currently rich in practice but poor in theoretical development. This study is one of the few to critically review entrepreneurship research in H&T. This paper identifies a range of research issues in H&T entrepreneurship.     

The role of affinity and animosity on solidarity with Ukraine and hospitality outcomes

The tourism and hospitality industry has had to make some hard decisions during the year 2022. Many major hotel chains have had to decide whether to stay or pull out of Russia, and which policies to implement toward individual Russian guests at their hotels outside of Russia. This study investigates solidarity as an important factor to understanding the conflict and its ramifications for the hospitality industry. The authors explore whether solidarity with Ukraine is driven by affinity toward Ukraine, or by animosity toward Russia. Further, the study demonstrates that place solidarity impacts two specific outcomes in the hospitality industry. The paper concludes by outlining implications for scholars and practitioners.     

The antecedents of memorable tourism experiences: The development of a scale to measure the destination attributes associated with memorable experiences

Providing visitors with memorable tourism experiences (MTEs) is important for achieving success in the highly competitive tourism marketplace. To support destination managers, this paper developed a scale instrument that conceptualizes the attributes of destinations associated with MTEs. Following a rigorous scale development procedure, this study identified a 10-dimensional construct that affects MTEs. The data support this dimensional structure of the attributes of destinations affecting MTEs and the internal consistency and the validity (i.e., content, construct, convergent, and discriminant) of the scale. The theoretical and managerial implications of the study's results are discussed.     

Characteristics and outcomes of grievance arbitration decisions in hospitality firms

The establishment of a grievance arbitration process in the collective bargaining agreement remains the principal method for resolving contractual disputes in unionized settings in the US. This study presents an analysis of grievance arbitration cases in the hospitality industry published during the period from January 1985 through December 1995. It examines some of the unique characteristics of arbitration in this industry. Included is a discussion of the significant implications of arbitration cases for the training of managers and supervisors responsible for the application of the discipline process, and the resolution of disciplinary grievances.     

Merger abnormal returns and payment methods of hospitality firms

The study aims to examine the long-term abnormal returns to hospitality acquirers as well as the association between excess returns with financing methods and size. The study applies regression analysis with secondary data examining 19 hospitality acquirers from 1996 to 2007. Using hospitality sector specific indices, the study shows that hospitality acquirers receive positive abnormal returns 12 months post-merger and that there is negative association between cash payment and acquirers’ excess returns.     

Effects of personification and anthropomorphic tendency on destination attitude and travel intentions

This research examined how individual differences in anthropomorphic tendency (the tendency to humanize non-human agents/objects) influence how people respond to destination marketing communications. Specifically, this study examined whether individual-level anthropomorphic tendency and text-personification of destination marketing communications interact to influence destination attitude and travel intentions. Results from a study involving 210 Australian participants revealed that destination attitude and travel intentions were most favorable for people with high levels of anthropomorphic tendency and who were exposed to personified tourism messages. These findings indicate that text-personification represents a new communication tactic for tourism – particularly for target consumers who are high in anthropomorphic tendency – and one that can humanize the destination leading to more favorable attitudes and higher intentions to travel. This effect is mediated by positive emotions. People with high anthropomorphic tendency who are exposed to a personified advertisement feel more positive emotions, which lead to positive tourism outcomes.     

Antecedents and outcomes of emotional labour in hospitality and tourism: A meta-analysis

This paper meta-analytically investigates a theoretical framework of emotional labour and its antecedents and outcomes in the hospitality and tourism literature with 57 correlation matrices from published journal papers. Adopting the psychometric meta-analytical methods and meta-structural equation modelling (meta-SEM) methods, the study finds that emotional labour is related to antecedents including personality, emotional intelligence, customer orientation, social support and display rules, as well as related to attitudinal, behavioural, and customer-related outcomes. In addition, strain mediates the relations between emotional labour and its outcomes. This paper is the first meta-analysis on the relations between emotional labour and the antecedents and outcomes in hospitality and tourism management.     

An overview of Internet-based surveys in hospitality and tourism journals

Survey research has reached an era when the Internet is commonly used as a research tool in different fields of study. Yet, the use of this method in tourism and hospitality research has not been fully explored. This study provides a state-of-the-art assessment of journal publications in the past ten years to reveal how the Internet has been incorporated into tourism and hospitality research. Various aspects of online research in tourism and hospitality are identified via reviewing relevant articles retrieved from the EBSCOhost.     

A review of entrepreneurship research published in the hospitality and tourism management journals

This research evaluates the entrepreneurship research in field of the Hospitality and Tourism Management to obtain a better understanding of its progress and potential. The study examines entrepreneurship articles published in seven leading hospitality and tourism management journals from 1986 to 2006. Findings indicate that Tourism Management, International Journal of Hospitality Management, and International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management are the top three journals that publish entrepreneurship research. However, the amount of entrepreneurship research in the leading hospitality and tourism management journals appears less than expected. Publication of empirical work has not increased over time over the past 21 years, and theoretical work remains at a consistently low level. Even for empirical studies, there is a lack of methodological sophistication of analytical and statistical tools. The results suggest a concern that entrepreneurship research remains under studied; therefore, more theoretical work is needed to map a course of study and to develop a framework unique to the entrepreneurship domain of hospitality and tourism research. The good news is that there are abundant opportunities for scholars in hospitality and tourism management to explore the field of entrepreneurship as a viable research paradigm.     

Commercial hospitality in destination experiences: McDonald's and tourists' consumption of space

This paper examines the multiple roles that globalised, branded spaces of hospitality can play in tourists' experiences in destinations. It is argued that previous studies have not considered adequately how such commercial hospitality services and spaces interact with and influence tourists' experiences of places. Drawing on a netnographic analysis of online discussions of McDonald's, this study explores how tourists perceive these hospitality venues, and how they use them to engage with foreign destinations and negotiate the ‘work of tourism’. The data show how tourists (re)construct their identities through reflections on consuming McDonald's. The data also demonstrate that tourists critically evaluate discourses of authenticity and the (in)authenticity of consuming McDonald's. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for the marketing and management of McDonald's and similar branded commercial hospitality venues, the marketing and management of destinations, and it outlines avenues for further research.     

Typography in destination advertising: An exploratory study and research perspectives

In a tourism context, visual copy is an important element of print advertisements. More specifically, pictures have a significant influence on the destination attraction value and visit intentions. Curiously, typography has never been investigated academically as an execution element, despite suggestions from researchers that typography could influence the evaluation of advertisements. This experiment examines the impact of typography on advertisement evaluation in a tourism context and the impact of attitude toward the advertisement on attitude toward the destination. The impact of advertisement evaluation on destination evaluation is also tested, and results show that typography does influence advertising responses. This study highlights the important role of typography in print media destination advertising and enriches this field with a new variable: attitude toward the typography.     

Residents' support for tourism development: The role of residents' place image and perceived tourism impacts

Drawing on the triple bottom line approach for tourism impacts (economic, socio-cultural and environmental) and adopting a non-forced approach for measuring residents' perception of these impacts, this study explores the role of residents' place image in shaping their support for tourism development. The tested model proposes that residents' place image affects their perceptions of tourism impacts and in turn their support for tourism development. The results stress the need for a more flexible and resident-oriented measurement of tourism impacts, revealing that more favorable perceptions of the economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts lead to greater support. Moreover, while residents' place image has been largely neglected by tourism development studies, the findings of this study reveal its significance in shaping residents' perception of tourism impacts as well as their level of support. The practical implications of the findings for tourism planning and development are also discussed.