Visitor management practices and operational sustainability: Expedition cruising in the Kimberley,Australia

The expedition cruise industry along the remote 3000 km Kimberley coast in Australia’s northwest draws on the area’s environmental and cultural assets for its tourism product and provides the main means of access for visitors. Cruises involve frequent on-shore excursions to attractions including rock pools, rock art and historic sites. This study used visitor observations and stakeholder interviews to examine potential impacts on environmental and cultural site assets, and visitor safety and experience. Visitor management practices varied strongly between operators, with vast room for improvement by some operations. Inconsistent visitor management practices contributed to a high level of avoidable risks in terms of visitor safety and negative cultural and environmental impacts. Findings from this study highlight the central role of tour guides and operational procedures for improving visitor management practices.     

The Japanese Vacation Visitor to Alaska: A Preliminary Examination of Peak and Off Season Traveler Demographics,Information Source Utilization,Trip Planning,and Customer Satisfaction

Summary

The current study examines data gathered on the Japanese visitor to Alaska during the summer of 1996 and winter of 1997. The survey focused on several topics: the demographic profile of the visitor, their motivations, the sources of information used, actual trip behaviors, and indices of customer satisfaction. Results indicate that the Japanese visitor to Alaska segment may be further subdivided based on season, winter and summer. Implications are discussed.     

基于Agent的景区游客行为仿真建模与应用——以颐和园为例

我国旅游景区内部客流管理一直以来都没有得到应有的重视。通过对颐和园景区"五一"小长假和"十一"黄金周客流持续2年的实际观测,采用基于Agent的仿真建模方法,构建了游客到达、游客移动、游客停留等景区游客基本行为模型及其仿真运行环境——基于Agent的景区游客行为仿真系统。系统的正确性验证表明,仿真系统的输出数据能够反映景区各停留点游客数量的真实情况;系统的灵敏性验证表明,入口游客数、游客在景点的停留时间以及流向景点方向的客流量3个参数能够引起仿真系统各景点游客数量的灵敏变化。所建系统能够预测景区客流的时空分布,能够通过变换仿真参数值进行各种客流调控措施的仿真实验,并给出具体调控参数以支持景区管理者的客流管理实践。     

National destination pledges: Visitor management through emotional engagement,commitment and interpretation

National destination pledges are a destination and visitor management intervention that seeks to positively influence visitor behaviour. They have been used since 2017, and the earliest and most prominent among these are the Icelandic Pledge, the Palau Pledge, New Zealand's Tiaki Promise, and the Sustainable Finland Pledge. Using semi-structured interviews with 17 destination managers and marketers, covering all aforementioned pledges, this paper demonstrates that national destination pledges are a new and innovative soft visitor management intervention. In comparison to other soft visitor management techniques, national destination pledges strategically connect with the emotions of visitors, require (often public) action from visitors, and engage visitors in a process of interpretation to build their own understanding of their role in destination management. As such, this paper outlines how these pledges offer a unique approach to destination management by engaging with demand side stakeholders (visitors).     

Visitor centre staffing: Involving volunteers

Volunteer involvement in visitor centres has received little attention by tourism researchers despite the critical role staff play in welcoming tourists to a destination and promoting tourism activities. The community function of visitor centres - of which volunteering is part - has also been underplayed in previous research. Using data from a survey and interviews with visitor centre managers in Australia, this paper investigates the rationales for staffing visitor centres with volunteers and/or paid employees and, related to motivations for volunteering, the factors influencing the attractiveness of visitor centre volunteer programmes. The dominant rationales for involving volunteers are need, community involvement, visitor experience, and the personal qualities and motivations of volunteers. Visitor centre volunteering is attractive because of location and local pride, interactions with tourists and social relationships with other volunteers, and the reputation of the visitor centre and its volunteer programme.     

Benefits of visiting a ‘dark tourism’ site: The case of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Park, Korea

This research examines visitor experiences at a contemporary dark tourism site: the April 3rd Peace Park on Jeju Island, South Korea, a site commemorating and memorializing one of the most destructive episodes in modern Korean history. The study employed quantitative and qualitative research methods, with 46 semi-structured interviews forming the basis of a questionnaire, and 407 valid questionnaires obtained for data analysis. The implications of the findings are firstly that ‘obligation’ remains a key motivation for a visit, with a number of subsequent visitor benefits also identified. Secondly, that a benefit-based approach provides an effective framework for comprehending visitor experiences in dark tourism contexts. And thirdly, that a ‘hot interpretation’ of visitor experiences in dark tourism contexts remains particularly valid for comprehending visitor experiences, and in turn, for effectively designing and managing dark tourism sites within Asia and more generally.     

Exploring Cruise Experiences,Satisfaction, and Loyalty: The Case of Aruba as a Small-Island Tourism Economy

In light of increasing global competition amongst international cruise destinations; growing demand for cruise tourism; and the lack of empirical studies on the “real” destination experience, satisfaction, and intentions to return and recommend (i.e., cruise destination loyalty), the current study investigates cruise visitor satisfaction, cruise destination experience, and the resulting behavioral intention as it relates to the cruise destination of Aruba, Dutch Caribbean. Because of increased reliance of small island economies on cruise tourism receipts and visitor expenditures, cruise ports throughout the Caribbean are seeking ways to improve the quality of destination services and experiences. Results indicate that cruise visitors are satisfied with their visit to Aruba and that overall destination experience in addition to satisfaction, were found to be significant predictors of cruise visitor loyalty.     

Low versus high intensity approaches to interpretive tourism planning: The case of the Cliffs of Moher,Ireland

In recent decades, investments in tourism capital and the advancement of media technologies have transformed the construction and consumption of tourism destinations. Using the $45 million Cliffs of Moher (CoM) visitor center in the west of Ireland as a case study, this paper investigates a central debate in interpretive planning: how the intensity of multimedia applications and onsite facilities shapes visitor experiences in natural area destinations. Drawing from onsite surveys, semi-structured interviews and participant observations, as well as comparative evaluations of the former and current visitor centers, results indicated that low-intensity interpretation was preferred to high-intensity, technologically driven displays. This paper challenges the dominant producer-oriented development paradigm for visitor centers where the architectural design is often the focus of attention. Instead, the authors argue for greater emphasis to be placed on interpretation that incorporates the perspectives of visitors and residents throughout all phases of the planning process.     

Visitor flows,trajectories and corridors: Planning and designing places from the traveler's point of view

Recent research underlines the importance of understanding the tourist destination as a demand-driven construct. Visitors activate different configurations of supply elements that produce a complex and dynamic fabric referred to as a space of flows. Today, we have the means to understand how these flows shape the evolution and gestalt of tourist places. This article proposes a new framework combining three concepts and related foundational theories: visitor flows, trajectories, and corridors. In tandem, they describe how tourism manifests itself in space and time. Trip decision, trip execution, and tourist performance unfold through social mechanisms generating the totality of visitor flows. Stakeholders must understand how visitor flows in their destinations emerge and evolve in order to decide on specific design interventions.     

Assessment of a Comfort Indicator for Natural Tourist Attractions: The Case of Visitors to Hanging Rock,Victoria

Increasing visitor numbers raise dilemmas for managers of natural tourist attractions. Though biophysical conditions may fall within limits acceptable to attraction managers, high use-levels may create undesirable consequences for visitor experiences. An apparent solution is to set a maximum use-level by determining an attraction's social carrying capacity. However, studies have demonstrated that this determination is problematic when considering the relationships among the multifaceted characteristics of users and the unique elements within specific locations. As an alternative, a comfort indicator is proposed to determine appropriate user experiences within the context of an attraction's management objectives. To test this concept, a study examining visitor perceptions (N = 385) of a popular natural tourist attraction is reported. Significant interrelationships were found among use-level, crowding and waiting (p < 0.05). No relationship was found between visitor use-level preferences and times visited. Applying these findings, a management strategy for the attraction is outlined with future research avenues suggested.     

Monitoring visitors to natural areas in wintertime: issues in counter accuracy

The sustainable management of vulnerable natural areas requires accurate measurement of visitor flows, especially in mountain and protected areas. Pyroelectric sensors that detect the heat radiation emitted by human bodies are now commonly used in many regions, including Scandinavia and the UK, to count pedestrian traffic in both urban and natural areas. We used four different tests to investigate pyroelectric counters’ accuracy in mountain winter conditions. Air temperature, distance to sensor, visitor clothing and visitor volume were all found to affect counter error rates. For tests within moderate winter temperatures (between 0°C and ?18°C) counters reported within manufacturer's claimed accuracy at 5% for 2 m range, but for ?21°C and below visitor numbers were over reported by 10.9%. Counter accuracy was generally unaffected by visitor clothing within 2 m of the sensor, but at a 4 m distance counters frequently failed to detect individuals in insulating down jackets more than fleece jackets. Counter error rates were slightly higher in outdoor than indoor tests, but still accurate within 5%. Error rates increased with increasing visitor traffic. The findings provide methodological implications for researchers and managers using automated visitor counters to estimate wintertime visitor use in mountain areas.     

Outcome-focused national park experience management: transforming participants,promoting social well-being,and fostering place attachment

Understanding visitor experiences is essential if park managers are to facilitate beneficial outcomes for both individuals and society. We investigated visitor experiences in a special model of thematically connected guided walking, biking, and 4WD tours in Australian national parks. Outcomes attained by first-time and repeat participants were assessed by questionnaires with more detailed insights from semi-structured interviews with repeat participants. Participants developed strong social ties with community members and experienced significant improvements in health, well-being, and competence, gaining a sense of achievement from mastering a challenge with positive implications for their lives beyond the tours. The tour series performed well in achieving visitor satisfaction, repeat participation, and word-of-mouth recommendation. The experience increased participants’ attachment to national parks, reinforcing their sense of environmental stewardship. The findings are especially relevant to efforts in parks and elsewhere to better integrate senior citizens into the community and provide opportunities to increase their physical, mental, and social well-being. Such opportunities become limited, for example, when people retire from work or suffer health impairment. The tour series proved an effective tool for outcome-focused park management, providing significant personal benefits to participants with positive implications for larger societal benefits, plus political and financial advantages for park managements.     

Examining Relationships among Expo Experiences,Service Quality,Satisfaction, and the Effect of the Expo: The Case of the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea

The enduring legacy of a mega-event can be the unique opportunities it provides for visitors. Thus, focusing on the visitors’ experiences should be a priority for the tourism industry. Festivals and mega-events are typical experiential products that provide high-quality experiences in the field of tourism. This study examines Pine and Gilmore's concept of the experience economy in the context of a mega-event. Specifically, the relationships among Expo experience, quality, satisfaction, and the effect of the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea are examined. This study empirically tests whether the Expo experience and Expo quality influence visitor satisfaction. It also investigates whether visitor satisfaction influences the effect of the Expo. A self-administered survey was conducted for visitors (N?=?377) of the Expo. The results of testing Pine and Gilmore's concept of the experience economy reveal that among four dimensions, esthetic experience followed by entertainment experience were the most important experiences influencing visitor satisfaction. The results also show that the effect of the Yeosu Expo was determined by Expo satisfaction. However, the findings indicate that educational and escape experiences were not closely related to satisfaction for Expo visitors.     

Visitors’ satisfaction at managed tourist attractions in Northern Norway: Do on-site factors matter?

A plethora of research has studied the antecedents of visitor experience in destinations and tourist attractions. Few studies have systematically analyzed the discriminating effects of different types of on-site factors (presentation platform and support services) on tourist satisfaction at different attraction sites. To fill the gap, the current study examines whether and to what extent it is possible to identify some distinct sub-categories of on-site factors with discriminating effects on visitors’ perceptions and evaluations of the site, while taking into consideration the impact of attraction type and visitor type. The findings of a paper-and-pencil survey among 632 visitors at four attraction sites in Northern Norway suggest that visitor perceptions of presentation platform and support services differ significantly by attraction site and type of visit. Also, technological and oral/traditional presentation platforms have discriminating effects on visitor satisfaction among the four sites. The results offer some new research insights into the role of different presentation tools at visitor attractions. Several important practical implications for attraction managers and marketers to drive visitor satisfaction are also provided.     

Rules of engagement: The role of emotional display rules in delivering conservation interpretation in a zoo-based tourism context

The shifting strategic focus of zoos from sites of recreation and entertainment to predominantly visitor conservation education entails a change in the design and delivery of conservation interpretation strategies. As the primary conveyers of conservation messages, zoo guides are expected to display appropriate emotional expression (emotional labour) to establish a connection between the object of interpretation, the conservation message and the visitor. The emotional display responses of guides to role demands may not be consistent with zoo conservation-based objectives beyond delivering a service-based positive visitor experience. We examine organisational expectations for emotional display in directing the delivery of conservation-based visitor outcomes. Findings from 21 semi-structured interviews with managers and guides at an open-range zoo indicate that sources and types of display rules for visitor entertainment remain more clearly communicated than those related to conservation. Theoretical and managerial implications for the delivery of conservation messages are discussed.     

Pay to Play in Parks: An Australian Policy Perspective on Visitor Fees in Public Protected Areas

Many public protected areas worldwide charge fees for entrance, overnight camping, and commercial tour permits. These visitor or user fees raise revenue and may also influence visitor behaviour. Many protected areas are forced to charge fees because government funding is inadequate for conservation and visitor management in the face of rapidly rising visitor numbers and demands. Acceptance and effects of fees, however, depend on the historical, political, legal, economic and social context. Two issues are particularly significant: (a) equity between various social groups; and (b) control and use of funds raised.     

Visitor (im)mobility,leisure consumption and mega-event impact: the territorialisation of Greenwich and small business exclusion at the London 2012 Olympics

Focusing on the London 2012 Olympics, we investigate the impact of mega-sport events’ spatial transformations on visitor mobility, local leisure consumption and resulting small business trade. Our case study draws on 43 in-depth interviews with local authorities, governmental and non-governmental project actors, and small-local leisure and visitor economy businesses (retail and hospitality) located at the heart of a ‘Host Event Zone’ in Greenwich, London. We supplement subjective accounts with a documentary analysis of policy reports, media, and archival material as the basis for our empirical analysis. Our findings reveal a major dichotomy between the ‘rhetoric’ of inclusion and local ‘realities’ of exclusion as security planning and spatial controls served to close off public spaces and local attractions: diverting visitor flows and leisure consumption towards official event sites, away from local businesses. We illustrate how such urban processes effectively render a vibrant business community invisible and visitors immobile to explore local community spaces during the live staging periods. We close with implications for event organisers, managers and policymakers focused on re-configuring the socio-spatial elements of Olympic organisation and re-direct and mobilise visitor economy flows towards more open civic and leisure spaces in the hope of better (re)distributing consumption into host communities.     

Environmental Interpretation in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park: An Assessment of Programme Effectiveness

This study sought to determine how visitor environmental interpretation programmes in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park could be assessed to determine their effectiveness in educating visitors about the reef environment and conservation issues. A self-administered visitor questionnaire was designed to identify changes in visitor knowledge and understanding of the reef's basic ecology, human impacts, health and tourism. The study used an independent sample design in which visitors aboard a large reef-trip vessel were surveyed over one week before exposure to the operation's interpretive programme. A second set of visitors was then surveyed following completion of the interpretive programme. The survey identified significant changes in visitors' self-reported knowledge of the reef environment as a result of the trip. Additionally, visitors' self-reported knowledge and understanding of basic reef ecology and human impacts on the reef environment differed significantly in relation to the number of interpretive activities in which they participated. These findings suggest that (1) reef-based visitor interpretation programmes can effectively change visitor understanding of key reef topics and issues, and (2) methods of evaluating reef-based interpretive programmes can be undertaken through self-administered questionnaires.     

Tour guides and heritage interpretation: guides’ interpretation of the past at the archaeological site of Jarash,Jordan

Tour guides play a key role in the archaeological site visitor experience by providing interpretation and information. The archaeological site of Jarash, Jordan, is an important heritage destination for a diverse tourist market. It is located in a cultural landscape setting where many archaeological and historical monuments are well preserved. However, at present, this heritage rich seems far from being completely interpreted and valorized by not only local people but also by visitors. This paper reflects on the information and stories provided by tour guides about sites where heritage tourism experiences take place. Within this context, interpretation by tour guides is analyzed. A mixed-methods approach is used to accomplish this and includes qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, participant observations and desk research. The analysis is helpful in confirming that the way tour guides interpret a site influences site valorization and visitor experiences directly. From a practical perspective, the findings provide important insights for understanding how to develop an interpretative model that utilizes site values and the potential for providing better visitor experiences. The findings of this study provide a better understanding of guided package tours and provide suggestions for tour guides and heritage site managers in Jordan.     

Ecotourism Visitor Experiences in Aotearoa/New Zealand: Challenging the Environmental Values of Visitors in Pursuit of Pro-environmental Behaviour

This paper reports on a research project that examined ecotourism visitor experiences in Aotearoa/New Zealand and whether or not those experiences challenged visitors to consider environmental issues. Twelve study sites in three nationwide geographical clusters were drawn from a comprehensive database of 479 eco/nature tourism operations based on each operation fulfilling 14 selection criteria. The operations offer maximum variation in the ecotourism experiences that they provide. The qualitative research methods implemented at these sites are described. Observational and interview data were employed to critically assess the visitor experiences reported at the study sites. Five important aspects of the visitor experience emerged from data analysis. These were considered to be effective in drawing visitor attention to environmental issues of relevance. The results indicate that ecotourism visitor experiences may be an effective medium via which environmental values may be influenced.