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.     

A qualitative pilot study exploring tourists’ pre- and post-trip perceptions on the destination image of Macau

Destination image is never static but is constantly changing under influence from on-site and travel experiences. This qualitative pilot study uses reports gathered during in-depth individual interviews at both the pre- and post-trip stages of travel with 15 independent tourists who visited Macau to compare how destination image can be enhanced in the minds of tourists. The results indicate that tourists’ destination image of Macau became enriched post-trip, after participants encountered the city and its people. The findings suggest that a positive post-trip evaluation of a destination can motivate tourists to revisit the destination, thereby enhancing the destination image.     

Identifying a destination’s optimal tourist market mix: Does a superior portfolio model exist?

Extant tourism research has used various portfolio model types to determine optimal tourist market mixes which simultaneously maximize total tourist expenditure and minimise the instability of international inbound tourism demand. We analyse the three portfolio models that have been applied in the tourism literature: two varieties of a levels model (that use the level of tourist arrivals, or bed nights to quantify tourist activity) and a growth rates model (that deploys the growth in the level of tourist activity). Applying these models using per capita expenditure in four distinctively different destination countries (Australia, Greece, Japan, and USA), we demonstrate that the Levels Model 1 is superior to the Levels Model 2 and the Growth Rates Model. It produces solutions that provide noticeably higher tourist expenditure with less instability of international tourism demand than the status quo. Theoretical contributions and practical implications for tourism policy makers and destination marketers are discussed.     

Communicating sustainability through a destination’s website: a checklist to inform,motivate, and engage stakeholders

This study investigated sustainability communication through destination websites. In particular, it suggested an online sustainability communication checklist (OSC-Checklist) that informs, motivates, and engages stakeholders to contribute towards the development of environmental, sociocultural, and economic sustainability. The OSC-Checklist was applied to the official websites of the top 50 competitive destinations with the aim of evaluating the extent to which each destination communicates sustainability on its website. The results indicated that the sample destinations lack an appropriate online approach to communicate sustainability. The results also revealed that the less developed and competitive destinations scored higher in terms of communicating sustainability than other more competitive developed destinations. Theoretical and practical implications are also provided.     

The impact of four CSR dimensions on a gaming company’s image and customers’ revisit intentions

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives affect casino customers’ corporate image as well as the customers’ behavioral intentions (i.e., revisit intentions), through the lens of Carroll’s corporate social performance model, stakeholder theory, and legitimacy theory. This study also examines the mediating effect of corporate image on the relationship between perceived CSR and behavioral intentions. An onsite survey was conducted with 596 casino customers in South Korea. The results revealed that ethical CSR had the strongest impact on corporate image, followed by economic and philanthropic CSR. Only philanthropic CSR had a significant and direct effect on behavioral intentions. Corporate image mediated the relationship between three types of CSR (ethical, economic, and philanthropic) and behavioral intentions. Companies can benefit from these findings by understanding how specific CSR initiatives can enhance corporate image and increase customer retention. This study advances the emerging field of CSR in the gaming industry.     

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.     

A longitudinal study of Olympic Games’ impact on the image of a host country

This study tracked the change in Brazil’s image due to hosting a mega event. The authors measured perceptions of Brazil before and at three points in time after the 2016 Summer Olympics. The findings revealed some differences in the country image but no significant changes in destination image or Olympics image over time. This may indicate how difficult it is to change people’s perceptions positively in a world filled with negative media coverage, such as what Brazil received leading up to and during the Olympics. For DMOs, controlling the media narrative is more important than ever when forming the destination image.     

Traveling to your match? Assessing the predictive potential of Plog’s travel personality in destination marketing

This study revisits .Plog’s travel personality model in a true experimental setting and tests the model’s predictive power. The specific aim is to examine whether attitudinal and behavioral responses toward a destination vary as a function of the congruity between the tourist’s travel personality and the characteristics of the destination as perceived from an advertising message. The concept of self-congruity serves as a foundation for the theoretical framework. Results indicate message-personality congruity had a significant influence on visit intention via attitudes as mediators. This study provides theoretical implications for the predictive potential of Plog’s model as well as strategic marketing implications for destinations.     

Vacation from work: A ‘ticket to creativity’?: The effects of recreational travel on cognitive flexibility and originality

Recreational travel may increase creativity by relieving workers from stress, providing diversifying experiences and increasing positive emotions. Consequently, vacations may boost creativity, apparent in a greater variety (flexibility) and originality of ideas after work resumption.In our longitudinal field study, creativity (measured by Guilford's Alternative Uses Task; independently scored by three raters) was assessed in 46 workers before and after vacation. Potential precursors for creativity changes (i.e. work load, vacation hassles, vacation destination and positive affect) were also explored.Cognitive flexibility increased whereas originality remained the same after vacation. None of the precursors explained variance in creativity changes.Although vacations seem to increase chances on creative insights by raising the amount of available cognitive elements (flexibility), they do not necessarily lead to higher levels of originality (uncommon, remote and clever ideas). Research in larger samples is required to further explore mechanisms that may explain why travel seems to enhance creativity.     

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.     

A picture is worth a thousand words: The role of a cover photograph on a travel agency’s online identity

Online travel agencies (OTAs) allow lodging businesses to select one cover photograph to represent itself on the OTA site. The cover photograph plays a crucial role for attracting customers’ attention from among alternatives, and lure viewers to view the webpage with detailed information. The present study investigates how the content of a business’ cover photograph on OTAs’ sites influences customers’ behavior when searching for information. The content of a cover photograph may fall within five categories according to attributes: façade, type of place, room amenities, scenery, and property amenities. Only façade and property amenities have positive impacts on customers’ viewing times of the webpages with the detailed information of businesses. In contrast, scenery has a negative influence on customers’ viewing times. The results of the study contribute, theoretically and methodologically, to OTAs’ knowledge base and can assist practitioners’ identification of effective cover photographs.     

‘What’s the Story in Balamory?’: The Impacts of a Children’s TV Programme on Small Tourism Enterprises on the Isle of Mull,Scotland

Film- and television-induced tourism effects have been witnessed in a number of locations world-wide, creating a range of positive and negative impacts for host communities and environments. The children’s television programme Balamory, filmed on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, has created a new tourism phenomenon for the island, leading to concern that Mull’s reputation as a green destination for the discerning might be displaced by a less desirable form of tourism. Through a questionnaire survey of tourism businesses on Mull, this paper explores the perceptions of television-induced tourism and the effect of Balamory on business activity during the 2003 season, exploring customer numbers, spending, turnover and profitability, along with attitudes to the new visitors. The research also explores the implications for sustainable tourism development, particularly recognising the limited life-span of film- and television-induced tourism and issues relating to displacement of traditional markets, with an emphasis on sustaining tourism as a means of generating revenue to support a rural island community.     

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.     

Does a leader’s “partiality” affect employees’ proactivity in the hospitality industry? A cross-level analysis

This study examined the impact of leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation on employees’ proactive customer service performance (PCSP). A cross-level model of LMX differentiation, emotional labor, PCSP, and group positive emotional climate was proposed and tested on a sample of 44 groups consisting of 294 individual frontline employees from 6 hotels located in western, central, and eastern China. The results showed that LMX differentiation at the group level is negatively related to employees’ PCSP, while another variable at the same level, positive emotional climate, is positively related to PCSP. Surface acting and deep acting, two major forms of the regulation of emotional labor, were found to mediate the relationship between LMX differentiation and PCSP. The influence of surface acting and deep acting on the employees’ PCSP is moderated by positive emotional climate at the group level. Additionally, the application of these findings to research and future practice is discussed.     

Does Airbnb have a homogenous impact? Examining Airbnb’s effect on hotels with different organizational structures

Although a number of studies have examined Airbnb’s impact on hotels, previous studies have yielded mixed results and are limited in their geographical scope. Additionally, the impact of Airbnb on hotels with different organizational structures has not been previously analyzed. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is threefold: 1) to add to our understanding of the impact of an increase of Airbnb inventory by clarifying previously inconclusive results; 2) to examine the extent to which Airbnb listings affect hotel performance measures in the overall U.S. hotel market; and 3) to investigate the influence of Airbnb on key hotel metrics by elaborating the effect of Airbnb on hotels operated under different organizational forms- chain-managed, franchised, and independent. Our results show an adverse impact of Airbnb on hotel RevPAR and ADR metrics across different organizational structures. However, interestingly, Airbnb listings did not negatively affect occupancy numbers. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Leading a successful hotel: A look at the general manager’s ability to utilize multiple leadership styles

Using a case study format the researcher examines the leadership styles of three ultra-successful general managers (GMs) in select- and limited-service hotel environments. The study’s findings identify and characterize specific situations in which each GM was able to: 1) effectively utilize their primary leadership style and 2) intuitively shift to a non-prevalent style to accomplish a specific task. Applications of various aspects of leadership styles observed in the field were compared with the results of a formal leadership assessment. The cross-case analysis produced three dominant themes: 1) the GMs under study balanced the needs of their followers and guests; 2) while the GMs took three separate approaches to developing their followers, each built a cohesive management team with loyal employees; and 3) the GMs shifted leadership styles to help employees learn from their mistakes. Each GM utilized all aspects of their primary leadership style while also employing secondary styles when needed.     

Voicing out or switching away? A psychological climate perspective on customers’ intentional responses to service failure

This research explores why customers who experience service failure are willing to complain directly to service providers but unlikely to switch to other service providers. We bring in the concept of psychological climate for communication safety (PCCS) to the service failure context and explore how customers’ perception of the social environment as open and supportive for communication affects their complaint and service switching intentions and behaviors. We further identify customer harmony enhancement as an important personality trait predictor of PCCS. Based on two field studies and one scenario-based experimental study, our findings consistently show that PCCS mediates the positive effect of customer harmony enhancement on customer complaint intentions. Customer harmony enhancement exerts a positive indirect effect on customer complaint behavior serially through PCCS and customer complaint intentions. However, our findings relating to customer service switching intentions are inconsistent across the three studies. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

How geographic,cultural, and institutional distances shape location choices of China’s OFDI in tourism? – an empirical study on B&R countries

This paper examines how bilateral distances shape Chinese enterprises' outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) in tourism in Belt and Road (B&R) countries. The results indicate that while geographic distance is not a key factor explaining the location choice of Chinese tourism OFDI in B&R countries, cultural distance hinders this location choice in a linear and monotonic way. Chinese enterprises prefer B&R countries with a short institutional distance from China for OFDI in tourism to avoid the “outsider disadvantage”. Moreover, market scale is found to be a moderating factor influencing the impacts of various distances on tourism OFDI location choice.     

Is there a case for revising the UNWTO's Global Code of Ethics to include a new article on the ethical treatment of animals by the tourism industry? A response to the opinion piece by David Fennell

This opinion piece reviews and critiques the opinion piece by David Fennell which presents a proposal for a new article about the ethical treatment of animals to be added to the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for the tourism industry. The case presented here rests on a detailed examination of the use of the concepts of speciesism and anthropocentrism in the original opinion piece. It finds that, while speciesism is currently a fashionable way to draw parallels between animals and humans, it is dependent on the evidence around the questions of sentience, cognition and consciousness. While there is increasing evidence for animal sentience and cognition, human consciousness is wholly different from that of even the most advanced animals. And, although anthropocentrism is a dominant idea in many forms of political decision making in general, it cannot be used as a stick with which to beat tourism scholarship: many writers on tourism adopt distinctly ecocentric lines of argument, including the concepts of ecotourism and sustainable tourism. The paper also notes that only ca. 30% of UNWTO's national members had given legal recognition to the existing code of ethics nearly 10 years after its ratification by the UN.