How does destination crisis event type impact tourist emotion and forgiveness? The moderating role of destination crisis history

Drawing on attribution theory and situational crisis communication theory, this study investigates how destination crisis events impact tourist sympathy, anger, and intentions of forgiveness in four experiments. It also examines the moderating effects of destination crisis history (none vs. similar vs. dissimilar). The results of Study 1 and Study 2 revealed that external crisis events cause more sympathy and tourist forgiveness than internal ones, but less anger. They also indicated that sympathy and anger play a mediating role in destination crisis events and tourist forgiveness. The results of Study 3 and Study 4 revealed that destination crisis history predicts the impact of crisis events on tourist emotion and forgiveness. In particular, when there is no destination crisis history or similar crisis history, an external crisis event will garner more sympathy and forgiveness than an internal crisis event. These findings provide theoretical and practical implications for destination crisis management.     

Impacts of cruise industry corporate social responsibility reputation on customers’ loyalty: Mediating role of trust and identification

Despite the high relevance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in service businesses, investigations of its influence on the cruise sector are scarce. Relying on institutional theory, this study proposes a model with cruise customers’ trust and identification as the key factors between CSR reputation and customers’ loyalty. Using data from 292 cruise customers, results support the impact of customers’ perceived CSR reputation of cruise companies on two relational constructs and loyal behavior. Only customers’ identification mediates the relationships between reputation and brand loyalty. Thus, findings suggest that cruise customers likely form high-level loyal behavior when they perceive companies’ CSR activities and their similarities with such companies. From these significant findings, the authors draw several theoretical and practical implications, including the importance of enhancing the company’s focus on its CSR reputations. This study also provides directions to promote identity strengths for enhancing the impact of CSR reputation on company performance.     

Engage or quit? The moderating role of abusive supervision between resilience,intention to leave and work engagement

This study explores the impact of travel agency employees' resilience on their intention to leave and work engagement, and simultaneously examines whether abusive supervision moderates the aforementioned relationships. There is a clear research gap on this subject in the tourism and hospitality literature regarding the moderating affects of abusive supervision on the relationships between resilience, intention to leave and work engagement. The survey was conducted in 18 travel agencies in Taiwan. Of the returned samples, 459 questionnaires were complete. Multiple regression analyses are used to test the four hypotheses of this study. The results indicate that travel agency employees' resilience can reduce their intention to leave and enhance their work engagement. Also, abusive supervision has a moderating affect on the relationship between resilience and intention to leave. Implications for managers of travel agency, theoretical contribution of the paper and suggestions for future research regarding travel agency employees are discussed.     

How do authenticity and quality perceptions affect dining experiences and recommendations of food trucks? The moderating role of perceived risk

A growing number of food trucks differentiate themselves in the competitive market by serving ethnic foods. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of customers’ authenticity and quality perceptions of ethnic food trucks on their memorable dining experience (MDE) and, consequently, word of mouth (WOM) while considering customers’ perceived risk. Data were collected from 540 customers who had dined at ethnic food trucks in the U.S. Structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression were employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The results indicated that authenticity perceptions influence quality perceptions and dining satisfaction directly, and MDE indirectly through dining satisfaction. Moreover, dining satisfaction affects WOM directly as well as indirectly through MDE. Among the three dimensions of perceived risk, hygienic risk mitigates both of the relationships between authenticity perceptions and dining satisfaction as well as between quality perceptions and dining satisfaction. Implications and suggestions for future research were discussed.     

How does social capital influence the hospitality firm's financial performance? The moderating role of entrepreneurial activities

Although previous studies have examined the relationship between social capital and firm performance under boundary conditions such as firm age, industry characteristics, and institutional conditions, the literature is silent on the types of firm activities linking social capital to financial performance. This study investigates the moderating role of firm-level entrepreneurial activities (service innovation, corporate venturing and strategic renewal) on the relationship between social capital and financial performance in a sample of Chinese hotels. The findings indicate that the interaction of external and internal social capital has a positive effect on financial performance. In addition, innovation and corporate venturing enhance the relationship between financial performance and social capital. To achieve a competitive advantage, hospitality firms should not only accumulate social capital but should also deliberately implement strategies that enhance entrepreneurial activities to fully unleash the potential of social capital.     

How does self-construal shape tourists' image perceptions of paradox destinations? The mediating roles of cognitive flexibility and destination involvement

This study proposes the concept of the ‘paradox destination’ as a novel destination positioning strategy for destination marketers. A paradox destination strategy describes the situation where a destination delivers a brand identity with contradictory personalities. Four experiments were conducted to investigate the interactive effects of self-construal (independent vs. interdependent) and destination type (paradox vs. non-paradox) on the image perception of potential tourists. The results revealed that independent potential tourists have a more positive image perception of paradox destinations than do interdependent potential tourists. Moreover, independent potential tourists reported a more positive image perception of paradox destinations than they did for non-paradox destinations. The mediating effects of cognitive flexibility and destination involvement were also tested by this research. In addition to theoretical implications, this paper also provides practical marketing strategies for destination marketers.     

How do consumers’ perceptions differ across dimensions of corporate social responsibility and hotel types?

This study develops three hypotheses regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of the hotel industry. First, the study examines a ranking of consumers’ perceived importance of the four CSR dimensions proposed by Carroll’s hierarchy of CSR in 1991, expecting the following orders: philanthropic, ethical, legal, and economic dimensions, from most to least important. Second, the study investigates the relationship between consumers’ perceived importance of and their overall support for CSR. Third, the study introduces the type of hotel (for example, economy, mid-scale, and upscale) as a moderator to provide a better explanation of the relationship between consumers’ perceived importance of the CSR dimensions and support for CSR. Contributions to the CSR literature in general, and also specifically relating to the hotel context, and managerial implications are discussed.     

How effective are your CSR messages? The moderating role of processing fluency and construal level

This study explores effective ways for hospitality companies to communicate their corporate social responsibility activities with customers. The moderating role of processing fluency and psychological distance has been examined. The findings suggest that when customers are making a decision for the distant future (e.g., three months later), they are more likely to engage in abstract thinking and rely on metacognitive cues such as processing fluency. As such, a CSR message with high processing fluency will be preferred. On contrary, when customers are making a decision for the near future (e.g., next week), their information processing strategies are influenced by their concrete mental representation of the events. Under such circumstance, customers tend to have a more positive attitude and purchase intention after reading a CSR message with low processing fluency. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed as well.     

The impact of local food specialities on the decision to (re)visit a tourist destination: Market-expanding or business-stealing?

This paper studies how local food specialities can affect the attractiveness of tourist destinations, distinguishing between market-expanding and business-stealing effects. We surveyed 1100 Italians in their home about their intention to visit or revisit three popular mountain resorts in Northern Italy (Valtellina, Valle d’Aosta, Trentino), and about their experience, knowledge, and appreciation of five well-known local food products of these places (Pizzoccheri pasta, Bresaola dried beef, Fontina cheese, Melinda apples, Speck smoked ham). We find that product experience positively affects the likelihood of (re)visiting both a product's place of origin and the other mountain destinations (market-expanding effect). Conversely, the correct identification of the product's place of origin may reduce the intention to (re)visit the other destinations (business-stealing effect). Finally, strong appreciation for a local food speciality has a positive effect only on the intention to (re)visit the place of origin.     

Does conspicuous decoration style influence customer's intention to purchase? The moderating effect of CSR practices

Using an experimental research design, this study examines the main effect of conspicuous hotel decoration style on consumer purchase intention, and tests the moderating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and the mediating role of image perception on the relationship between conspicuous decoration style and purchase intention with Chinese consumers. The results indicate that decoration style had a critical role in explaining Chinese customers’ purchase intention. Specifically, a low conspicuous decoration style led to stronger customer purchase intention than did a high conspicuous decoration style. The relationship between conspicuous decoration style and customer purchase intention was found to be fully mediated by image perception. The findings emphasize the significance of CSR in influencing Chinese customers’ purchase intention with hotels of a highly-conspicuous decoration style. Externally oriented CSR practices (i.e., corporate philanthropy, environmental protection) were found to be more significant in moderating the relationship between conspicuous decoration style and purchase intention than internally oriented CSR practice (i.e., employee treatment). Hotels engaging in philanthropy and environmental protection, can not only elicit a positive response from consumers, but also help mitigate the risks of a loss of organizational legitimacy as a result of high conspicuous decoration.     

How do tourists respond to meta-stereotypes? Understanding their willingness to interact,self-presentation and the role of power

Research into the stereotypes of tourists by locals and the impacts of these stereotypes on local behaviors is well established. However, how tourists respond to these stereotypes remains underdeveloped. This research offers a thorough understanding of the effects of meta-stereotypes on tourists by revealing whether being stereotyped affects tourist intentions to interact with locals and their self-presentation during these interactions. Two scenario-based experiments and a follow-up survey were conducted. Study 1 demonstrates that meta-stereotypes influence in different ways the willingness of tourists to interact with locals and how they present themselves to locals. Study 2 reveals that these effects are significantly moderated by the degree to which tourists hold power, with powerful tourists being more likely to behave in line with meta-stereotypes. Study 3 draws consistent conclusions with Study 1 and 2 in surveying 313 Mainland Chinese tourists. This research offers insights into tourist responses to meta-stereotypes and has implications for organizations seeking to enhance tourist-host relations.     

Narcissistic CEOs and corporate social responsibility: Does the role of an outside board of directors matter?

During recent years, there has been a growing interest in CEO narcissism across disciplines. Various scholars document that CEO narcissism is an important factor that should not be overlooked when analyzing various organizational outcomes and strategies. Research on CEO narcissism has focused on its negative implications on organization outcomes. However, little attention has been paid to its effect on corporate social responsibility (CSR). This study explores the relationship between CEO narcissism and two distinct facets of CSR (stakeholder management and social issue participation), while taking into account the moderating role of outside board of directors. Using a sample of publicly traded U.S restaurants, the results document that an outside board of directors plays a moderating role on the relationship between CEO narcissism and the two distinct facets of CSR.     

Understanding guests’ behavior to visit green hotels: The role of ethical ideology and religiosity

The main aim of this study is to develop and test a model to understand guests’ behavior to visit green hotel by merging the theory of planed behavior (TPB) with theories of ethics and religiosity in a single model. Furthermore, it examines the moderating role of ethical ideology. This research utilized a quantitative method to assess the suggested conceptual framework. Data were gathered from 871 participants and analyzed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). According to the study results, the suggested model shows a favorable prediction level of guests’ behavior, which confirmed the superiority of the proposed model. Our study indicated that TPB and ethical theory adequately explain guests’ behavior to visit green hotel. Ethical ideology was found to be a key driver of guests’ green decision-making process. Our study makes several contributions to the practice and theory by providing useful insights on drivers of consumers’ behavior to visit green hotels in the Egyptian hospitality environment.     

In-group favoritism or black sheep effect? The moderating role of norm strength on destination residents’ responses towards deviant behaviors

Drawing on social identity theory and focus theory of norms, this study investigated differences in how destination residents respond to deviant behaviors by other residents—members of their in-group—and similar behavior by tourists, who they see as the out-group. We proposed and tested a conceptual model of the transition between in-group favoritism and the black sheep effect under the moderating effect of norm strength. A mixed-method approach, including a secondary data study and three scenario-based experiments, was applied. Findings of this study revealed that focal residents showed in-group favoritism for other residents' deviant behavior compared with tourists. The contagion effect of deviant behavior was stronger among in-groups than out-groups. However, with respect to behaviors about which norms are tight, the black sheep effect comes into play, as focal residents hold a higher desire to punish in-groups’ deviant behavior than the out-group. This study has theoretical and practical implications for destination marketing organizations.     

Doing good to do well? Corporate social responsibility reasons, practices and impacts in small and medium accommodation enterprises

Corporate social responsibility practices have been mostly analyzed in the large manufacturing business context, with little attention paid to the service sector and even less to small and medium-sized accommodation enterprises. This study aims to fill this gap through analyzing how these enterprises take responsibility. A survey of nearly 400 enterprises showed that the main reason for acting responsibly is altruistic, although competitiveness reasons are also important. Aspects of the “resource-based view” of the firm are validated through the positive impact of environmental cost-savings in financial performance, but also because other practices (not always related with economic reasons) are influencing their competitiveness. The article concludes that further implementation of these practices is necessary to achieve the full potential of competitive advantages.     

Does the look matter? The impact of casino servicescape on gaming customer satisfaction,intention to revisit,and desire to stay

Despite huge investment made by casinos on their physical structures, little has been know if physical environment actually affects psychological responses of gaming customers. This paper explores how dimensions of servicescape influence customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the casino environment. Using Bitner's model of physical surroundings, we hypothesized how ambience, navigation, seating comfort, interior decor, and cleanliness affected cognitive and affective satisfaction of gaming customers. We further proposed that gaming customer satisfaction would affect their desire to stay and intention to revisit. Data from 513 gaming customers of Macau offered support to most of our hypotheses. Implications for research and managerial practices were also discussed.     

Too dark to revisit? The role of past experiences and intrapersonal constraints

Laden with assorted emotional factors, dark tourism behaviors are heavily influenced by emotion-related factors, such as intrapersonal constraints. By deploying a survey of tourists visiting the Memorial of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre, which lies on the darkest edges of the dark tourism spectrum, this study probes how well one's intrapersonal constraints and past experiences relate to one's revisit intention. Results indicate that there are four sub-dimensions in intrapersonal constraints, namely culture, emotion, escape, and incuriousness. The cognitive experiences have significantly positive effects on the revisit intention either through direct effects or via the mediating variables of intrapersonal constraints, while intrapersonal constraints play an indirect-only mediating role in the relationship between affective experiences and revisit intentions. Theoretical and practical contributions of the study findings are discussed within the realm of dark tourism.     

How would the contextual features of a destination function together with individual factors to enhance tourists’ intention toward ST in Taiwan?

Abstract

Slow travel (ST), which emphasizes deeper experiences via slower transportation modes, has been promoted as an alternative to current practice and a more sustainable form of tourism. With lower GHG emissions being a national environmental goal in Taiwan, ST concepts have been garnering attention. The relationship between the environments of destinations and pro-environmental behavior of tourists has attracted relatively little academic attention. To remedy this, the current research establishes a fairly complete model for incorporating factors at the contextual level into the individual determinants useful in encouraging ST. The goal of this research is to understand how certain predictors directly and interactively influence the choices of tourists toward ST. This study collected 508 validly filled surveys addressing 13 industrial tourist destinations, and applied Hierarchical Linear and Nonlinear Modeling (HLM) analyses. In addition to the individual-level factors, including perceived benefits of tourism experiences and ages of tourists, the design of onsite tourism programs at the contextual level was one of the most influential drivers to encourage visitors’ ST intentions. Included in this research are the insights into how to promote ST and corresponding suggestions for tourism operations within the context of sustainable tourism and destination management.     

To buy or not to buy? The effect of time scarcity and travel experience on tourists' impulse buying

By its very nature, tourism is a temporary experience. But how time scarcity makes an impact on tourists' impulse buying is still unclear. By looking into the role played by travel experience and overconfidence, this study explores the mechanism behind the influence of time scarcity on tourist impulse buying of local products through an integrated series of experiments together with a post-trip survey. The results show that the interaction between time scarcity and travel experience affects impulse buying. For tourists with rich travel experience, time scarcity increases their impulse buying, while for tourists with less travel experience, time scarcity decreases it. Overconfidence plays a mediating role in the effect of time scarcity and travel experience on tourists' impulse buying.