Culture and evaluation of service quality — a study of the service quality gaps in a Taiwanese setting

This research is built upon the work of Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985) by exploring the service quality gap within a Taiwanese hospitality setting and reports the findings from 164 interviews among hotel managers, service staff, and hotel guests. One motive for the research was whether concepts derived from an American‐Euro‐centric conceptualisation of service relationships was transferable to another cultural setting. It was found that the influence of national, ethnic culture on perception of service is limited, but the factor of kuan‐hsi (personal relationship) and mien‐tsu (face) had some role to play in guest‐staff relationships. However, it is concluded that the globalisation of hotel corporate modes of operation have more influence in shaping expectations and thus the ServQual model has validity in such settings.     

Integrating means-end chains and the Kano model to understand tourists’ cognitive structure toward leisure and recreational resources of suburban-mountains

This study integrates the means-end chain (MEC) theory and Kano model to better understand tourists’ inner thinking toward the leisure and recreation resources of suburban-mountains, and help in prioritizing decisions on mountain recreational resource management for the government and related managerial officers. A total of 303 valid responses from individuals aged over 50 years with the habit of hiking in this area at least once a week were collected for MEC and Kano analyses. The results of the hybrid hierarchical value map show that one-dimensional attributes (i.e. “water resources, “providing cultural and educational facilities,” “providing hiking trails,” “providing scenic overlook and pavilion,” “providing guardrails,” and “providing resting area”) are the priorities that the government and managers should pay the most attention to for the elderly people hiking the suburban-mountains. By following the same deduction process proposed in this study, the rest of the one-dimensional consequences and values can be depicted. Finally, the theoretical and managerial implications as well as the limitations of this work are also provided. This study can not only enrich the theoretical development of MEC theory, but also provide the government with valuable information to enhance the leisure and recreation resources of suburban-mountain areas for elderly tourists.     

How should I respond to a complaining customer? A model of Cognitive-Emotive-Behavioral from the perspective of restaurant service employees

Many studies on coping have been conducted in diverse industries but within the hospitality industry, studies on how employees cope with customer complaints have only just begun, despite the task being one of the most significant stressors amongst service employees. The aim of this paper was to explore the cognitive appraisals, emotional elicitations, emotional coping behavior and complaint handling behavior of service employees. In-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 26 frontline restaurant employees. The results show that service employees engaged in different cognitive appraisals and emotional reactions in response to different customer complaints. Subsequently, they engaged in different emotional coping behaviors including both positive and negative of avoidance and approach. Theoretically, a model was developed to depict a holistic picture of Cognitive-Emotive-Behavioral in a complaint-handling context. The findings might assist industry practitioners to devise better complaint handling and coping strategies to enhance both customer and employee satisfaction.     

Appraising the Economic Impact of the “Opening up to Mainland Chinese Tourist Arrivals” Policy on Taiwan with a Tourism-CGE Model

The purpose of this study is to establish a tourism-CGE model to appraise the “opening up to Mainland Chinese tourist arrivals” policy on Taiwan. Using the model, this study suggests that the multiplier effect of the Mainland Chinese tourists’ expenditure in Taiwan is 1.378, which is slightly lower than that for tourists from Japan and Korea. With 1,000 (3,000) Mainland Chinese tourist arrivals per day, labour demand for about 48,000 (144,000) people would be created, along with 38,146 (114,463) million New Taiwan dollars volume of product, which would account for about 0.354% (1.063%) of annual GDP growth. The results also reveal that the policy would not necessarily contribute positively to every industry, and industrial restructuring might occur. Finally, some tourism policy recommendations are discussed.     

Toward a model of destination resident–environment relationship: the case of Gulangyu,China

This study tested an integrative model to better understand residents’ environmentally responsible behaviour (RERB) and willingness to sacrifice for the environment (WTS) using a sample of 430 residents on Gulangyu Island in China. Results show that destination environmental quality and eco-friendly reputation directly affected resident environmental identification and environmental commitment. Destination eco-friendly reputation directly influenced RERB and WTS. Both resident environmental identification and commitment directly affected RERB and WTS. Furthermore, environmental identification and environmental commitment fully mediate the effects of environmental quality on RERB and WTS, and partially mediate the effects of destination eco-friendly reputation on RERB and WTS.     

Role of tourism in connecting Taiwan and China: Assessing tourists' perceptions of the Kinmen–Xiamen links

For a broad understanding of tourism across the Taiwan Strait, this paper previously draws on an overview of tourism and the evolutionary process of “Mini Three Links” policy between Kinmen (of Taiwan) and Xiamen (of China). Further, using empirical testing, the paper assesses the perceptions of Kinmen tourists towards China. The results reveal the fact that low-politics activity or people-to-people contacts can be an effective force to reduce tension. The finding of the paper also indicates that as long as tourism across the Taiwan Strait continues to grow, the relationship between Kinmen and Xiamen can therefore be normalized and promoted.     

A critique of the issues and theoretical assumptions in service quality measurement in the lodging industry: Time to move the goal-posts?

The article critically reviews the conceptual issues which surrounds the measurement of service quality. Methodological issues are not addressed. The critique centres upon the gap model and its associated instrument SERVQUAL and argues that, despite progress, all the original problems remain in place. A conclusion which leads firstly, to the suggestion that the dimensions of the model might be re-tested using different scaling techniques and secondly, to the advocacy of the adoption of a wider psychological perspective and one which goes back to the fundamentals of evaluative processes.     

Urban residents’ place-based perceptions and attitudes toward tourism development: a comparison between the United States and China

This study aims to examine whether any cultural difference exists on the influence of residents’ place-based perceptions on perceived tourism impacts and support for tourism. A survey was distributed to urban residents in China and the United States. Structural equation modeling results show that self-esteem and self-efficacy were two important factors that influence residents’ attitude to tourism impacts in both contexts. Distinctiveness was only observed as influential in the China study, while continuity was not evident in either culture. Results imply the need for destination marketers to use various strategies to reach the target market.     

How the introduction of concepts of energy saving and carbon reduction (ESCR) can affect festival visitors’ behavioural intentions: an investigation using a structural model

This study investigates the relationships across a behaviour model of festival visitors based on a major festival encouraging energy saving and carbon reduction (ESCR). Using the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition (Taiwan) as a case study, 275 visitors completed a questionnaire, the answers to which were assessed using a structural equation model to test the behaviour model and its six hypotheses. The results showed that behaviour intentions are the best predictors of “value orientation”, “motivation for visiting”, “visitor experience” and “attitude towards behaviour”. Specifically, a highly positive correlation between visitors’ motivations and their experiences was found, suggesting that the presentation of festival activities influences visitors’ perceptions. The ESCR curriculum design and pedagogy, especially the inclusion of reflective learning, was found to be very important for the successful planning of future events, as was green transportation using advanced, energy-saving vehicles and effective waste processing and disposal at the site. Prior studies have explored links between festival tourism and behavioural change, but have often focused on Western contexts; this study provides an Asian cultural setting. Suggestions are made for future research.     

Exploring sub-dimensions of intrapersonal constraints to visiting “dark tourism” sites: a comparison of participants and non-participants

Previous studies have focused on exploring why people seek out sites of death, whereas little is known about why they do not visit or revisit such sites. This paper aims to fill this gap by exploring the inner constraints on visiting the darkest edge of the dark tourism spectrum among both participants (N?=?460) and non-participants (N?=?275). By identifying four sub-dimensions of intrapersonal constraints in the context of dark tourism (i.e., traumatic memory, emotions of fear and depression, taboos and cultural ideas and lack of interest), an extension of a leisure constraints framework was created. The findings move beyond the prior studies on tourism constraints, which solely measure intrapersonal constraints as an overall construct, and thus explain the non-homogeneity of this construct. This study also contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how non-participants differ from dark tourists on the psychological constraints of visiting sites of death.     

Tourist experience of slow tourism: from authenticity to place attachment – a mixed-method study based on the case of slow city in China

ABSTRACT

This study connected slow tourism with the concept of authenticity and place attachment using a mixed-method approach. Different factors were seen as likely to influence the behavioral intention. Yaxi town (the first international slow city in China) was chosen as the research site. Results show that authenticity in the context of slow tourism include objective authenticity, constructivism authenticity and existential authenticity. Authenticity partly influence place attachment and behavioral intention; two dimensions of place attachment have significant effect on behavioral intention. Findings of this study can be applied to slow tourism marketing and slow destination management.     

‘It’s not that we like death or anything’: exploring the motivations and experiences of visitors to a lighter dark tourism attraction

This paper explores motives for visiting a lightest dark (heritage) tourism attraction. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 24 visitors to the London Dungeon. Few visitors reported an interest in death, suffering or the macabre as important in their decision to visit, a finding which accords with research at a range of other types of darker places. Instead, most people visited from general or incidental reasons that were unrelated to the attraction’s theme. However, while few visitors stated that an interest in learning was important in their reason for visiting, many reported that an element of informal education and discovery was an important part of the visit experience. As such, lighter dark tourism is about more than entertainment and the London Dungeon offers opportunities for visitors to engage with the themes and stories in a deeper way. Overall, these findings suggest that lightest dark tourism has more in common with heritage tourism than at first appears.     

The dynamic impact of low-cost carriers on full-service carriers and the tourism industry of South Korea: a competitive analysis using the Lotka–Volterra model

The emergence of low-cost carriers (LCC) in the aviation industry has dramatically decreased the cost of short-to-medium distance air travel, alongside the growth of the tourism industry. LCC has also changed the competitive dynamics within the aviation industry, challenging the traditional market dominated by conventional full-service carriers. Past studies have demonstrated the scale of impact of LCC on the aviation market, but have yet to explore the intricate dynamics of competition in greater detail. This paper utilizes the Lotka–Volterra model to assess the changing impact of the entrance of LCC on South Korean tourism and airline industries. Our results offer insights to industry players on developing sustainable strategic plans for future routes and tourism destinations in Asia and beyond.     

Littering in protected areas: a conservation and management challenge – a case study from the Autonomous Region of Madrid,Spain

This paper examines issues surrounding littering in protected areas (PAs), one of the most ubiquitous and conspicuous impacts of tourism activity. In addition to obvious visual, landscape-affecting impacts, litter may have hazardous consequences for biodiversity and humans. In order to precisely assess littering in a densely populated region with high levels of visitation to natural and protected areas, we counted, measured and classified all types of non-organic litter covering an area of 1 cm² or more found on the ground in zones intensively used by visitors (picnic areas and paths) within the 10 PAs of the Autonomous Region of Madrid. On average, 11.65 m²/ha of litter were recorded in those zones. Strict visitor management measures greatly reduced that figure. Over 75% of all litter was paper and cardboard, and plastic; 88% of litter coverage was by large pieces over 25 cm² in size. We tested the hypothesis that the amount of waste found on paths is correlated with the distance to the entrance to a PA, but no general model fitted actual litter distribution patterns, although empirical results backed the hypothesis for most cases. A range of waste management strategies are explored and litter management measures suggested for problematic PAs.     

Effects of the event and its destination image on sport tourists’ attachment and loyalty to a destination: the cases of the Chinese and U.S. Formula One Grand Prix

ABSTRACT

We aim to determine the antecedents of sport tourists’ loyalty toward both the event and destination. Data were collected from both the 2017 Chinese Grand Prix (n?=?361) and the 2017 U.S. Grand Prix (n?=?351). Then, the data were analyzed by using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results showed the image associated with the hosting destination and the event is positively related to the sport tourists’ attachment and loyalty. The outcome may be utilized in planning a recurring sport event that achieves higher sport tourist destination loyalty.     

Introducing the concept of environmental policy integration into the discourse on sustainable tourism: a way to improve policy-making and implementation?

Many studies have explored how the tourism sector and tourism policies understand and relate to the concept of sustainable development. A common conclusion is that tourism concentrates on economic and social viability at the expense of environmental sustainable development. This paper considers if and how the concept of environmental policy integration (EPI) could improve sustainable tourism policy implementation. It defines EPI, and explores both the three-level (co-ordination, harmonization and prioritization) and four-level (inclusion, consistency, priorities and reporting) EPI approaches. It notes that there is both strong and weak EPI, and both political systems and policy analysis approaches. The paper then describes Norway's post-2007 adoption of sustainable tourism as a central part of its national tourism development strategy, with 10 defined principles, and suggested defined development standards, and assesses the implementation of the national strategy through the lens of the EPI concept. While there are now 18 pilot sustainable tourism destinations, with 44 criteria and 108 indicators, there remain many difficult issues to address. A series of suggestions are made, the chief of which is the need for a politically strong central authority that has been entrusted with having environmental concerns within the tourism sector as its key mandate.     

Leveraging human-robot interaction in hospitality services: Incorporating the role of perceived value,empathy, and information sharing into visitors’ intentions to use social robots

Social robots have become pervasive in the tourism and hospitality service environments. The empirical understanding of the drivers of visitors' intentions to use robots in such services has become an urgent necessity for their sustainable deployment. Certainly, using social androids within hospitality services requires organisations' attentive commitment to value creation and fulfilling service quality expectations. In this paper, via structural equation modelling (SEM) and semi-structured interviews with managers, we conceptualise and empirically test visitors' intentions to use social robots in hospitality services. With data collected in Singapore's hospitality settings, we found visitors' intentions to use social robots stem from the effects of technology acceptance variables, service quality dimensions leading to perceived value, and two further dimensions from human robot interaction (HRI): empathy and information sharing. Analysis of these dimensions' importance provides a deeper understanding of novel opportunities managers may take advantage of to position social robot-delivered services in tourism and hospitality strategies.