Social media micro-film marketing by Chinese destinations: The case of Shaoxing

Marketing destinations by micro-films via social media is becoming more popular among Chinese destinations. Little has been published about this phenomenon in the tourism literature. Using a netnographic case study from the city of Shaoxing, this research revealed the success factors for micro-film marketing by destinations. The research results showed that during the micro-film diffusion process, destination marketers were continuously and actively engaging with followers and online and offline marketing efforts were well planned and integrated. Attractions without uniqueness were impressive to viewers by being embodied in a romantic theme. Suggestions and implications for destination marketing are given.     

The Indirect Effects of Destination Image on Destination Loyalty Intention Through Tourist Satisfaction and Perceived Value: The Bootstrap Approach

This study proposes a multiple mediation model, in which destination loyalty intention is jointly influenced by the interplay among destination image, tourist satisfaction, and perceived value. Data were collected on Hainan Island, China and a total of 371 observations with 5,000 bootstraps were analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique. The results indicate that all possible single and multiple meditational effects within the model are substantiated. The meditational effects as well as the bootstrap approach employed to detect these effects contribute to the tourism literature significantly. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed in the context of tourism marketing and destination management. This work was jointly supported by The National Natural Science Fund of P. R. China (71262032) and by Hainan University, P. R. China (Kyqd:1230). View all notes     

Tourism on two wheels: Patterns of motorcycle leisure in Wales

The motorcycle leisure sector has evolved from a rebellious culture of the 1950s to a large mainstream market sector today. Motorcycle touring has grown significantly in recent years, with a shift to larger capacity motorcycles and an increase in the average age of motorcyclists. The demographics of this group has meant that, increasingly, motorcycles are used for leisure purposes rather than commuting. Peripheral locations, with a high proportion of the mountain and scenic roads favoured by motorcyclists, have seen a dramatic influx of these recreationists. Despite this significance there has been little academic work on the subject, or concerted efforts to embrace this market sector by destination marketing organisations. This paper discusses the findings of an investigation into the motorcycling leisure and tourism sector in Wales, UK, examining travel patterns of motorcycle tourists, motivations and preferences of this group and the potential economic impact.     

Facebook as a destination marketing tool: Evidence from Italian regional Destination Management Organizations

This work explores how Italian regional Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) strategically employ Facebook to promote and market their destinations, and improves on the current metrics for capturing user engagement. Based on big data analysis from the regional DMOs' Facebook pages, supplemented with semi-structured interviews conducted with DMO managers, the study sheds light on the factors contributing to superior level of social activity. The findings indicate that the way Facebook is tactically and strategically employed varies significantly across Italian regional DMOs. Visual content (namely photos) and moderately long posts have a statistically-significant positive impact on DMOs' Facebook engagement, whereas high post frequency, and early daily timing (in the morning) of posts have a negative impact on engagement. Last but not least, the study shows that most of the regional DMOs (except for Trentino, Tuscany, and Sicily) deploy Facebook with a top-down approach, allowing for little spontaneous user generated content (UGC).     

Tourists' memories,sensory impressions and loyalty: In loco and post-visit study in Southwest Portugal

This study aims to offer some insights on the contribution of sensory diversity as perceived by tourists to memorable destination experiences and to explore the connection between long-term memory of sensory impressions and destination loyalty. The vital role of the sensory dimension of tourist experiences is stressed by current tourism research and supported by a multidisciplinary view on the role of the five external senses in human perception, memory, and behavior. While the marketing management approach highlights the importance of considering multisensory information in the process of facilitating positive and memorable destination experiences, there is a lack of empirical research to validate the theoretical literature. A two-step exploratory study was conducted in loco and six months after tourists' visits to Southwest Portugal. The findings suggest that perceived richer sensory tourist experiences may have a significant role in the long-term memory of individuals’ experiences, encouraging favorable tourist behavior towards destinations.     

Walking through World Heritage Forest in Japan: the Kumano pilgrimage

The purpose of this study is to analyse visitors' experience and likelihood of return to the Italian Museum for Modern and Contemporary Art (MART) based in Rovereto. The empirical data were obtained from a survey undertaken in the months from September to November 2009. A motivation–satisfaction theoretical model is used to analyse the attractiveness factors of the museum based on internal forces (push motivations) and external forces (pull motivation) and the causal relationship to satisfaction and loyalty. A structural equation model is used as a confirmatory tool of the hypothetical model. The findings reveal that tourists visiting the MART are mainly motivated by push factors, such as relaxation, looking for a new experience and learning new things. Loyalty also positively influences the probability of returning to the MART and the likelihood of recommending it to friends and family. Visiting the city or the surrounding region of Trentino had no impact on visitors' satisfaction and loyalty to the MART. Also, loyalty to MART also did not mean that visitors would recommend a visit to the city of Rovereto.     

Destination image as a mediator between perceived risks and revisit intention: A case of post-disaster Japan

Despite the significance of perceived travel risk and destination image, relatively few studies address the effect of perceived travel risks on the formation of destination image, and the mediating role of destination image. This study draws new insights by examining (1) the effects of perceived risks on destination image, and (2) the mediating role of destination image between perceived risks and revisit intention of repeat tourists to a risky destination. With perceived risk and destination image being empirically distinctive constructs, findings revealed that perceived socio-psychological and financial risks influenced both cognitive and affective destination images. Perceived physical risk did not have a significant influence on destination image, although it directly affected revisit intention. Additionally, destination image significantly mediated the relationships between two risks, namely, perceived socio-psychological and financial risks, and revisit intention. Several managerial implications concerning the management of risk perceptions and the promotion of risky destinations are discussed in this study.     

Customer Satisfaction with Korean Restaurants in Australia and Their Role as Ambassadors for Tourism Marketing

This is the first study to explore the connection between Australian residents’ satisfaction with Korean cuisine, the various characteristics of the restaurant experience, and Australians’ intention to visit Korea. Data was collected from customers of 16 Korean restaurants in the state of Queensland, Australia. While four factors (facility, menu, service, and food) were derived as selection attributes, menu factors had the most positive effect on customer satisfaction. The study found a positive correlation between satisfaction with local Korean food and the propensity of diners to think about visiting Korea. The results of this study can be used to enhance competitiveness and tourist marketing for Korea. The results reported here may have a broader application to provide effective managerial and marketing information to many other ethnic restaurants in Australia and beyond.     

Social holidays as a tourist experience in Finland

The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that affect the formation of the social holiday experience, and the role of specially arranged activities in that experience. It draws on the specific case of Finland. An intrinsic, intensive case study research strategy is applied and an ethnographic approach is taken using observation, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires. The findings indicate that the social holiday experience is clearly linked to everything which took place during the holiday. This supports earlier research on service experiences. Six categories of factors contribute to the social tourism experience: interaction, physical environment, content of the activities, food and mealtime conditions, situational factors and personal factors. Social holiday clients do not expect the holiday to be anything extraordinary.     

Tourism climate insurance: implications and prospects

This paper investigates the intentions of tourists to purchase climate insurance as part of their holiday packages. A research model, based on Bagozzi’s reformulation of attitude theory designed to examine the relationships between climate expectation-disconfirmation and the behavioral intentions of tourists in purchasing tourism climate insurance, with destination loyalty as an outcome. The model hypothesizes and tests whether expectation-disconfirmation can be resolved by insuring the product-climate. A structural equation modeling is utilized. The results reveal that the expectation-disconfirmation of tourists in relation to climate is positively associated with their intentions to purchase insurance and negatively affects loyalty.     

The role of wellness spa tourism performance in building destination loyalty: the case of Thailand

ABSTRACT

Despite the considerable growth of the wellness spa tourism market, little research has examined the intricate procedure involved in travelers’ loyalty toward Thailand as a wellness spa tourism destination. This research aimed to explore such loyalty formation by investigating the relationships among performances of wellness spa tourism in Thailand, affective experiences, and overall satisfaction. A field survey methodology was used for data collection. Findings of the structural analysis revealed that product performances, affective experiences, and satisfaction were in general significantly associated, and that these variables contributed to a satisfactory prediction for destination loyalty. In addition, the adequacy of the second-order structure of the performances of Thai wellness spa tourism was demonstrated. Moreover, the relative effectiveness of satisfaction in building loyalty was identified. Both affective experiences and satisfaction were also found to have a significant mediating impact. Implications for destination researchers and practitioners are discussed.     

The motivations of visiting upscale restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of risk perception and trust in government

Despite the massive impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on hospitality industry, only limited papers empirically examined consumer reactions to current pandemic in the context of restaurants. To fill this gap, the primary aim of this paper is to reveal how individuals’ intentions to visiting upscale restaurants are affected by dining out motivations under the COVID-19 pandemic. The second aim is to investigate the moderating role of risk perceptions of COVID-19 and trust in government in building relationships. The research was conducted in Istanbul, a city deeply affected by the coronavirus. Data gathered from 681 people living Istanbul were analyzed via structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis. Findings indicated that two motivations—namely, sociability and affect regulation—have positive impacts on visit intention toward an upscale restaurant. Consumers’ COVID-19 risk perception and their trust in government moderate the relationship between some motivational factors and visit intention. The study makes a significant contribution to the literature in terms of both managing the risk perceptions of consumers and building trust in government.     

From branded exports to traveler imports: Building destination image on the factory floor in South Korea

In international marketing, it is believed that a positive image of an exporting country positively influences consumer behavior toward products from that country. An emerging notion is that a reverse effect may exist in which positive evaluations of products lead to equally positive image of the origin country. Based on a sample of 500 American purchasers of South Korean products the relationship between product purchasing and intention to visit is explored using SEM in a model that links product evaluation with an intention to visit. The study confirmed that consumers' willingness to interact with South Korea based on past product purchasing was a significant indicator of their intentions to visit the country.     

Engagement-Based Loyalty: The Effects of Social Media Engagement on Customer Loyalty in the Travel Industry

In this article, we investigate the relation between customer loyalty and social media engagement. Two dimensions of customer loyalty are considered: affective and conative loyalty. We distinguish two forms of social media engagement: consuming of social media (passive engagement) and contribution to social media (active engagement). In a survey among 1,050 customers of a travel agency, the level of engagement of customers with the company’s social media activities is measured in relation to their degree of loyalty. Results show a partial positive relationship between social media engagement and customer loyalty: only consuming social media is directly related to affective loyalty.     

Perceptions of Chinese restaurants in the U.S.: What affects customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions?

This study investigates American customers’ perceptions of Chinese restaurants in the U.S., using the Importance–Performance Analysis (IPA) approach. This study also examines which attributes of Chinese restaurants influence American customers’ satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The IPA shows that environmental cleanliness and attentive service are two important areas where Chinese restaurateurs can make improvements. In addition, food taste and service reliability appear to be key attributes for Chinese restaurants’ success. Overall, this study indicates that food quality, service reliability and environmental cleanliness are three pivotal attributes to create satisfied customers and positive post-dining behavioral intentions. Chinese restaurant managers should reasonably allocate their limited resources to restaurant attributes based on their contributions to customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions.     

Perceptions of determinants of job selection in the hospitality and tourism industry: The case of Korean university students

ABSTRACT

This study explores the key factors influencing potential employees in the hospitality and tourism industry and examines whether causal relationships between behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence students' job selection. The study suggests that the career decision-making process is related to job selection. A total of 307 responses were analyzed. The results explain individual students' attitudes toward a behavior and perceived behavioral control in the context of their job selection. Attitudes toward a behavior and job selection had significant effects on career decisions. On the other hand, opinions of significant others had no significant effect. Perceived behaviors required to decide on jobs had a significant effect on job selection intentions. Students with internship experience were likely to form positive attitudes toward the hospitality and tourism industry, suggesting internships to be a useful source of a stronger relationship between the industry and job aptitudes of students in hospitality and tourism programs. The results have important implications.     

Social exchanges as motivators of hotel employees’ organizational citizenship behavior: The proposition and application of a new three-dimensional framework

This study developed and empirically tested a three-dimensional framework of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in the hotel industry. Using a social exchange perspective, the study expanded social exchange theory's emphasis on leader–member exchange to include coworker exchange and customer–employee exchange. The three types of social exchanges were tested as motivators for three types of OCB; organizational, interpersonal and customer. The findings support the distinctiveness of the three types of OCB and the importance of social exchanges as motivators for OCBs. This study contributes to the literature on OCB dimensionality in service organizations, as well as social exchange theory's application to discretionary performance in the hotel industry.     

Perceived hygiene attributes in the hotel industry: customer retention amid the COVID-19 crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a crisis in the hotel industry worldwide, but few studies have suggested methods to retain customers. This study proposes hygiene management as a means to minimize the indirect damage from COVID-19 to the hotel industry. It identifies perceived hygiene attributes and explores their influence on hotel image, word of mouth, and revisit intentions. This study identifies and validates three types of perceived hygiene attributes through qualitative and quantitative methods. It uses structural equation modeling to validate hypotheses and concludes that there are significant relationships of influence between the proposed variables. This study provides important and meaningful insights into hotel image and customer behavior through perceived hygiene attributes.     

Unraveling public support for casino gaming: The case of a casino referendum in Penghu

By integrating the social exchange theory (SET) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study unravels the factors associated with residents’ intention to support casino gaming development in Penghu in future referenda. Residents’ attitudes toward casino gaming development in their community were examined in the SET framework while their intention to support such development was investigated in the TPB framework. Despite that partisan difference did not have a significant interaction with TPB variables, past behavior exerted moderating effects determining residents’ intention to support casino gaming development through two TPB variables: subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. Implications are provided.

Abbreviations: ATTU: attitude; DPP: Democratic Progress Party; ECOI: perceived economic impact; ENVI: perceived environmental impact; INT: intention to support casino gaming development in future referenda; KMT: Kuomingtang; PBC: perceived behavioral control; PPB: perceived personal benefit; SET: social exchange theory; SN: subjective norms; SOCI: perceived social impact; TPB: theory of planned behavior