Corporate social responsibility practices in four and five-star hotels: Perspectives from Hong Kong visitors

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of visitors to Hong Kong (HK) toward the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices of its four-and five-star hotels. Adopting a quantitative approach, a questionnaire was developed based on the current CSR practices of nine four-and five-star HK hotels as identified from the Forbes Travel Guide (2012). A sample of 150 HK visitors was surveyed at the Victoria Peak, Avenue of Stars, and Ladies’ Market, respectively. Factor analysis was used to identify the CSR factors perceived by the respondents and a regression analysis performed to evaluate the specific relationship between them and HK visitors’ attitudes toward hotels adopting such practices. The results show that respondents identified five CSR factors (community, policy, mission and vision, workforce, and environment). Among these factors, environment and mission and vision had the strongest predictive power in explaining HK visitors’ preference to stay, willingness to pay, perception of service quality, and brand image. It is suggested that hotels should therefore emphasize these two areas in their CSR programs.     

Perceptual content analysis for city image: a case study of Hong Kong

This paper presents a case study investigating the most salient impressions and unique attractions of Hong Kong, perceived by government officials, inbound visitors and local residents. The study utilizes neural network analytical content analysis as a tool to understand the shared and disparate images and perceptions of the uniqueness of Hong Kong by quantifying the occurrence of open-ended self-reported textual answers by the respondents. The clustering of the answers and perceptual mapping confirms that the stakeholder groups think of Hong Kong as a conventional tourist destination and as a cosmopolitan metropolis. This strong stereotype, which displays an obvious knowledge gap between visitors and residents, as well as inter-group discrepancies, has created obstacles to innovating Hong Kong's image and branding.     

产品外部属性对跨境购物意愿的影响

最近几年, 中国人跨境购物的热情持续高涨, 但国内却鲜有学者关注跨境购物这一现象。文章采用情景实验的方法, 以广东消费者为研究对象, 探讨在粤港两地不同购买地市场环境下, 产品外部属性对购买意愿的影响。研究结果表明, 购买地这一因素对于消费者购买搜索和体验产品的决策影响十分有限, 消费者并没有对粤港两地市场产生明显偏好。对于体验产品而言, 消费者对西方外国品牌的购买意愿高于国内品牌, 且这种偏好不会受到价格和购买地的影响。对于搜索产品而言, 价格与品牌原产国会对消费者的购买意愿产生交互作用。     

World Heritage as a placebo brand: a comparative analysis of three sites and marketing implications

The UNESCO World Heritage (WH) List is often regarded as a successful tourism brand that motivates site nominations. However, there is relatively little research dealing specifically with WH brand attraction effects, and what does exist shows conflicting results. There is a significant research gap in terms of awareness of the WH brand and its potential impact on visitation, which this study seeks to fill through a comparative analysis of three diverse case studies: Independence Hall, USA; Studenica Monastery, Serbia; and the Archaeological Site of Volubilis, Morocco. Survey data (n = 771) from these three sites were collected and analyzed resulting in three distinct clusters of visitors. One of the clusters does exhibit higher levels of awareness of the WH brand, but members of this group were not motivated by this knowledge when planning their site visit. It is concluded that the WH brand may function as a placebo, and that its importance may be tied more to political interests than economic advancement. Thus, dependency on the WH List for tourism development may potentially be detrimental for locations in the long term. The WH brand's placebo effect could result in long-term problems for both the site and those whose livelihoods depend on tourism.     

User preferences for web site attributes: A study of the Hong Kong Disneyland

The Hong Kong Disneyland will be open in 2005 and the theme park is very likely to have an official web site. In order to determine the nature of a model/ideal official web site that would serve the promotional purpose, this study is conducted with two objectives. First, the study makes an attempt to understand the information types that the target markets, namely local Hong Kong residents, Western visitors and Chinese visitors, would like to have on the future Hong Kong Disney web site. Secondly, this research examines whether e‐ticketing is feasible for the web site. Using a questionnaire and a convenience sampling method, 198 responses were received. Empirical results indicate that the respondents all agreed that the suggested attributes should be listed in the web site. In addition, no significant difference was found among different groups of respondents on homepage information. However, significant differences were found among the interviewees’ views regarding products/services information, and ticketing information. To communicate effectively, the adoption of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is recommended in a value‐chain system for achieving successful e‐commerce.     

Effect of cultural distance on tourism: A study of pleasure visitors in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT

This article investigates the effect of cultural distance on pleasure visitors, mainly vacation overnight visitors, in Hong Kong. Secondary data on 10 source markets are extracted from the annual report of visitor profile 2014 published by Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). The data are compared to recognize the influence cultural distance can have on visitor profiles and trip characteristics, including travel patterns, expenditure, and satisfaction levels. Deteriorating effects ascribed to cultural distance are clearly observed in the following three important aspects: repeated visit, length of stay, and expenditure; however, these effects do not extend to all aspects. Therefore, cultural distance may be used to complement physical distance in order to explain the tourist flow, and it should be further studied.     

Delighted or Satisfied? Positive Emotional Responses Derived from Theme Park Experiences

This study uses cognitive appraisal theory (CAT) to explain why some visitors may be delighted and others satisfied having had similar experiences, as well as the respective effects of these two outcomes on revisit intentions. A survey (n = 645) of visitors to a theme parks showed that tourists’ different evaluations of their experience on certain appraisal dimensions proposed by CAT, such as the degree of goal realization, goal relevance, and novelty, led to either delight or satisfaction. Tourists’ level of loyalty intentions also varied systematically with their particular emotional response. These findings provide practitioners with an understanding of how to design favorable experiences for their customers.     

香港赴澳门游客特征研究——与内地游客比较

本研究通过在澳门返回香港的轮船上以随机抽样调查的方式调查了香港到澳门旅游的游客348人.通过SPSS软件分析,揭示了香港赴澳游客的基本特征、行为模式和对澳门旅游设施的满意度.通过对比到澳门旅游的内地自由行游客和团客,本研究发现,香港游客同内地自由行游客的消费模式比较接近,同团客差距较大.本研究对预测内地游客未来的消费模式有较大的意义.     

Antecedents of novelty seeking: international visitors’ propensity to experiment across Hong Kong's culinary traditions

The factors that influence the scope and range of visitors’ culinary choices were the focus of this study. Responses to a survey composed of 968 departing visitors from Hong Kong who reside in one of 18 countries revealed that culinary experimentation is influenced by four factors. They are in order of importance: national culture; length of stay; age; and repeat visitation. Specifically, respondents from low uncertainty avoidance countries patronized a greater number and diversity of culinary offers when compared to respondents from high uncertainty avoidance countries. In addition, repeat visitors and length of stay were positively correlated with both the number and range of culinary explorations, while first-time visitors and age were negatively correlated. The implications for managers is that visitors of different nationalities travel to destinations with different thresholds of tastes and uncertainty avoidance thresholds, and differences should be anticipated in terms of dining preferences and ranges of culinary experiences.     

The Effect of Cultural Distance on Tourism: A Study of International Visitors to Hong Kong

This study focuses on the impact of cultural distance on the behavior of international pleasure tourists who visited Hong Kong. It analyzes data drawn from the Hong Kong Tourism Board's Visitor Profile Report, and tests whether cultural distance has a similar impact on behavior as noted in previous studies examining physical distance. The study concludes that cultural distance exerts a modest impact on such attributes as demand, travel party composition, trip profile, behaviors, expenditure and satisfaction.     

Differences in the city branding of European capitals based on online vs. offline sources of information

This study analyzes city branding in five European capitals and compares the brand equity generated through online and offline media. Specifically, this study is intended to fill this gap by proposing a multi-group analysis that presents the differences in brand generation and destination preference. The study focuses on divergences in the backgrounds, components, and consequences of brand equity based on the use of online or offline media. The empirical application is performed on the basis of a sample of 225 visitors who have traveled to the following five European capitals: London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, and Madrid. To evaluate the measurement model and contrast the hypotheses, we use partial least squares regression. The results of the study reveal relevant recommendations for tourism managers regarding city brand recognition, loyalty, and the equilibrium between offline and online tools to maximize brand equity.     

How Various Segments of Visitors Perceive l’Accueil in the Places Where They Eat,Sleep, and Play

‘Accueil’ is a French word that means feeling welcome somewhere and being introduced into a process that takes the visitor from being an outsider (a stranger) to being an insider (one of us). Accueil also means feeling the host’s genuine pleasure in welcoming his or her guests through words, attitudes, and actions. Based on a survey (n = 1,003) done for the Quebec Department of Tourism¹, we look at how different segments of visitors perceived the ‘accueil’ they received while traveling in the province of Quebec. The results are analysed for lodging, restaurants and attractions. We found that accueil is perceived differently depending on the age of the visitor, the group size and its composition. To a lesser extend, it is also influenced by gender and social status. The characteristics of the trip (distance, purpose and length) have little impact on accueil.     

Branding the destination versus the place: The effects of brand complexity and identification for residents and visitors

This article contributes to a broader understanding of how the branding of places affects both residents and tourists. While branding often relies on simplified messages, the effectiveness of such strategies for complex brands remains questionable. Residents in particular possess a confounded knowledge of the place and could disagree with simplified destination brands. To test the role of brand complexity for residents and tourists, we conducted two empirical studies (N = 765; N = 385), showing that, for residents, positive place attitude (i.e., place satisfaction, identification, and attachment) and place behaviour (i.e., positive word-of-mouth) increase with a higher brand complexity. The second study shows that the positive relationship of brand complexity is stronger for residents than for tourists, supporting the conclusion that brand complexity is relevant for place brands, but that the place brand for residents requires more complexity than a destination brand, while it imperative that both are integrative parts of an overall brand.     

Lifestyle Segmentation of Spa Users: A Study of Inbound Travelers to Hong Kong

Based on the increasing popularity of the wellness/spa trend and the growing numbers of inbound tourists to Hong Kong, it is crucial for spa industry experts to understand the ever-changing desires of consumers. The study aims to identify the lifestyle dimensions of international spa visitors to Hong Kong and to profile each segment based on their sociodemographic and travel characteristics. The study adopts a quantitative approach to segmenting international spa visitors in Hong Kong by lifestyle. The results of the lifestyle segmentation revealed five clusters of spa visitors. The segments are “health conscious and intellectual”, “average”, “family focused”, “pleasure oriented”, and “carefree”. It is found that the majority of travelers who visit spas in Hong Kong are health conscious and intellectual. In general, visitors prefer day spas, to visit with their partner or friends, and to enjoy body massage treatments.     

Do Blue Flag promotions influence tourists’ willingness to pay a price premium for coastal destinations?

The Blue Flag is a popular eco-label in tourism. This study aims at examining the effectiveness of Blue Flag promotion on tourists' willingness to pay a price premium to coastal destinations via two online experiments. Study 1 shows (n = 152) that the Blue Flag stimulates higher willingness to pay a price premium for coastal destinations directly as well as indirectly through self-congruity and destination brand identification. Study 2 (n = 160) used a new sample to enhance external validity and generalizability of the Study 1 findings. Study 2 shows that destination brand quality and destination brand identification serially mediate the effect of Blue Flag promotions on the tourist's willingness to pay a price premium. The findings suggest that destination managers should deploy the Blue Flag Logo in destination promotions to enhance self-congruence, destination brand identification, perceived destination quality, and the tourist's willingness to pay a price premium.     

Evaluating museum visitor experiences based on user-generated travel photos

ABSTRACT

This research introduces online travel photos published on social media platforms as a complementary data resource to examine the behavior and experience of museum visitors. The practical value of online travel photos is demonstrated through a case study of popular Hong Kong museums, particularly by using the photo content and metadata available from the Flickr platform. The proposed approach is a generic method for understanding museum visitor behavior and preferences, and supports museum practitioners in developing improved products for visitors. The case study findings are particularly beneficial for tourism managers, especially those in Hong Kong, in promoting and attracting tourists to visit local museums.     

A typology of memorable experience at Nelson Mandela heritage sites

This study examines cultural heritage tourism by identifying and segmenting heritage site visitors according to the aspects they define as necessary for a memorable heritage site experience. The research focusses on visitors to Nelson Mandela Heritage Sites and emphasises that the links between the attributes of a site and the visitors themselves are essential to understanding tourists’ willingness to pay to visit the mentioned sites. A typology of visitors that the authors labelled ‘auxiliary experience seekers, convenience experience seekers and comprehensive experience seekers’ (ACC) was used. The results revealed comprehensive experience seekers as the most critical market segment regarding the much significantly higher amount they are willing to pay when visiting Nelson Mandela Heritage Sites. This leads to a better understanding of aspects contributing towards a memorable heritage site experience as well as to visitors’ willingness to pay for such experiences. This study also provides further insight into cultural heritage tourism in general. Moreover, such segmentation was found as a useful research tool for producing a distinct visitor profile as well as how a memorable experiencing can be generated by suggesting diversified pricing at such sites.     

Exploring city branding strategies and their impacts on local tourism success,the case study of Kumamoto Prefecture,Japan

City branding is a managerial procedure which offers any given city a distinct identity; providing cities with a chance to present as different, positive and distinguishable from other competitors. In Japan, the use of mascots for city branding is often part of urban planning strategy. Kumamon is the most successful regional mascot in Japan and offers an opportunity to explore the nature of mascot city branding strategies. Employing a large number of promotional strategies, the local prefecture created a unique Kumamon city brand and enhanced the local image, resulting in significant economic benefits. The paper argues that five main factors contributed to the success of Kumamon: government support, power of emotional attachment and anthropomorphism, efficient public transport and tourism services, the mascot branding, and social media. Understanding how Kumamon mascot branding succeeded can assist makers to decide whether to replicate the use of mascot branding in other cities and regions.     

Is there stability underneath health risk resilience in Hong Kong inbound tourism?

The impacts of health crises on tourism demand vary according to the crises’ magnitude, causes, and recoverability. In some cases, the effects of these unexpected incidents have been severe. This study investigates the underlying stability of Hong Kong’s inbound tourism during three phases of health events. Data on 14 market sources for Hong Kong tourism are compared and the results discussed. Specific examinations suggest that travel from India, the U.S., the U.K., Indonesia, and the Philippines are, somewhat, less influenced by health crises in Hong Kong. Men, unmarried travelers, non-working vacationers, and repeat visitors display resilient tendencies. Expenditure tends to decrease during crises, although lengths of stay tend to increase. The inclusion of three types and phases of health crisis events and their effects on inbound travel markets suggest that the impacts of health crisis events differ according to the profile of health crisis. Implications and suggestions for future studies are discussed.