Establishing a model of low-carbon tour promotion for use by travel agencies from the perspective of shared value theory

Low-carbon tourism represents a new trend in the area of tourism development. This study applies shared value theory to investigate promotional campaigns for low-carbon tourism, while also discussing the effect of such campaigns on the image and operating performance of tourism businesses. 368 samples from Taiwan were examined using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that the promotion of low-carbon tours by travel agencies has a beneficial influence on their image as a “social business,” as well as overall performance. Additionally, employees working in long-standing travel agencies are more likely to believe that promoting low-carbon tourism will benefit their company's social business image, while employees with less seniority are more likely to think that agencies with a positive social image enjoy better business performance. This study confirms that low-carbon tours, public attitudes, and government-certified signs are important factors in promoting low-carbon tourism.     

Tourism strategy development and facilitation of integrative processes among brand equity,marketing and motivation

With the absence of heavy industry and pollution from intense commercial development, Kinmen is a significant source of additional value for tourism in Taiwan. This calls for in-depth studies on tourism marketing, brand equity and travel motivation in Kinmen. This study attempts to identify the important attributes of Kinmen tourism and extend the related literature on marketing strategy, brand equity and travel motivation by employing a combination of the fuzzy Delphi method (FDM), decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and analytic network process (ANP) approaches to demonstrate the interactions and relations among critical criteria. The FDM identified the critical attributes, which were used in DEMATEL analysis to demonstrate that brand equity has direct and indirect influences on marketing strategy and travel motivation. The use of the ANP with global weighting further reveals that travel intention is the most critical element of Kinmen tourism.     

国际乡村旅游发展的政策经验与借鉴

乡村旅游是新世纪我国乡村发展、旅游产业发展的重要组成部分。本文以乡村旅游的国际研究为背景，以澳大利亚酒店业旅游和台湾观光农业发展为案例，以国际乡村旅游发展政策为核心，全面综合研究了国际乡村旅游发展的政策经验，主要政策领域包括政府干预乡村旅游发展、乡村旅游与区域结构调整、乡村旅游与乡村社区变革及发展、乡村旅游统一协调的合作机制、乡村旅游的政策工具。在此基础上，结俣我国实际情况，以乡村旅游可持续发展为指导，提出了我国乡村旅游在替代产业、旅游基地、主题工作组、社区参与、合作组织和法规体系6个领域的政策经验借鉴。     

Deconstructing the internal structure of perceived authenticity for heritage tourism

Abstract

Although modern society is more inclined to view authenticity from a postmodernist perspective, few quantitative studies on heritage tourism explored existential authenticity in detail. This study deconstructs authenticity into three components – object-related, intra-personal, and inter-personal – and then constructs a complete model by exploring each component’s internal structures, asking to what extent travel motivation is an antecedent and loyalty, a consequence. Data were obtained from 1,088 valid survey questionnaires distributed in Pingxi, Taiwan. Study findings confirmed the reliability and validity of the items used to measure the construct of authenticity. Regarding the internal structure of authenticity, intra-personal authenticity plays a mediating role between object-related authenticity and inter-personal authenticity, and this inter-personal authenticity may be the final value that tourists perceive. Compared with recent related studies, this model more comprehensively explains the degree of variation in loyalty, reflecting its importance for heritage tourism management and marketing. If a destination remains authentic, tourists are willing make a return visit. Authenticity may enable tourism managers to strike a balance between preservation and development when achieving the long-term goal of sustainable development.     

The repeat travel market for Taiwan: A multi-stage segmentation approach

Despite the importance of market segmentation, the growth of the travel and tourism industry in Taiwan, and the repeat travel phenomenon in tourism, relatively few studies have examined the behavior of repeat travelers in the East Asia region. The present study was designed to fill this gap. This exploratory study applied multistage segmentation in the context of repeat travel behavior to Taiwan. It examined the socio-demographic profile, trip characteristics and expenditures of Taiwan inbound repeat travelers. The results indicated that nationality, income, type of travel arrangements and information search behavior significantly affected repeat travel behavior. In terms of travel expenditures, males spent significantly more than females. Those travelers between 40 and 60 years old tended to spend the most when they visited Taiwan compared to other groups. Chinese travelers were most likely to have traveled to Taiwan more than once among all nationalities compared in this study. Those from Korea and Japan spent the most money among all nationality groups. This study provided several significant implications for the marketers of tourism in Taiwan.     

How to catch their attention? Taiwanese flashpackers inferring their travel motivation from personal development and travel experience

Backpackers first appeared in the seventeenth century. The twenty-first century has witnessed the rise of a new backpacker subculture given the changing times: one that is closely related to technology use is called flashpackers. The research discussed in this article explores the relationships between travel experience, personal development, and travel motivation of flashpackers. The study uses convenience sampling taken in the lobby of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. A total of 400 questionnaires were issued and 375 valid questionnaires were recovered; the rate of return was 93.8%. The results of this study are the following: (1) there are differences between travel experience and travel motivation for Taiwan’s flashpackers; (2) there is a relationship between personal development and travel experience of Taiwan’s flashpackers; (3) there is a correlation between personal development and travel motivation for Taiwan’s flashpackers; and (4) personal development moderately affects the relationship between travel experience and travel motivation for Taiwan’s flashpackers. This study contributes to the tourism industry by enhancing direct targeting of customers, and it provides hospitality and travel agency managers with the means to determine appropriate marketing strategies for flashpackers.     

中国酒店业能源消耗水平与低碳化经营路径分析

低碳旅游是在低碳经济背景下旅游管理研究的热点问题。旅游业虽然被认为是低碳经济的一个重要组成部分,但关于旅游业的能源消耗水平研究一直缺乏定量研究成果。文章以中国酒店业为例,采用投入产出分析方法,对中国酒店业的能源消耗水平进行了定量分析。研究表明,中国酒店业每万元的总产出需要消耗330.99千克标准煤。通过产业部门间的比较研究,发现中国酒店业整体仍然处于高耗能阶段,酒店业在节能减排以及发展低碳经济方面还不具有比较优势;通过比较研究,发现中国酒店业能源消耗水平与部分发达国家相比,还存在很大差距;通过与本地居民能源消耗水平的比较,发现酒店住客的日常能源消耗量远远高于城市居民日常生活的能源消耗量。最后,针对中国酒店业在能源消耗方面存在的问题,提出了中国酒店业低碳化经营的发展路径。     

基于区块链技术的旅游地低碳发展模式构建

旅游地是推进旅游业低碳化发展的重要实践主体,但长期面临旅游企业、旅游者低碳生产与消费内在动力不足,低碳发展长效落实机制缺乏,监督管理成本过高等问题。提升旅游地低碳发展系统协同效率,推动低碳发展措施高效实施是实现旅游业高质量发展的迫切议题。本研究以区块链技术为支撑,以低碳信息共享为基础,基于供需协同、低碳优先、共同参与、可持续性、系统性5项原则,尝试构建以旅游企业、旅游者、第三方评估机构、政府部门、社区居民五大利益相关者为主体,以低碳信息共享、低碳发展激励、低碳发展规制、低碳发展补偿4项区块链平台运行机制为支持的旅游地低碳发展模式,通过正向激励机制、反向规制机制、补偿机制推动低碳"信息互联网"向"价值互联网"转变,为旅游地低碳发展提供技术支撑。同时,本研究意图突破传统低碳旅游研究局限,拓展可持续旅游分析视角。     

Developing a dual-perspective low-carbon tourism evaluation index system for travel agencies

This paper presents a two-stage development model for low-carbon tourism (LCT). In study I, a qualitative questionnaire was developed using the Delphi and analytic hierarchy process methods, and this was then distributed to 19 experts, whose opinions were used to develop a complete index system for low-carbon tours. In study II, 393 tourists questionnaires administered in the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area were utilized to determine whether the index system would affect visitor purchase intentions. The findings showed that the LCT index system positively influenced tourists' purchase intentions, and their actual purchase behaviors toward low-carbon products. However, this study empirically found that there are significant differences with regard to what these two groups (experts and tourists) view as important in a low-carbon tour system. The contributions of this study include: (1) confirming the importance of the multiple perspectives obtained from the travel industry and tourists to establish the LCT system; (2) using the case study to investigate tourists' opinions to better understand whether the LCT index that was developed based on the industry perspective in stage one was appropriate; and (3) offering practical suggestions to help businesses better understand specific trends and plans for LCT.     

全球气候变化背景下低碳旅游研究进展及可视化分析

低碳旅游研究是气候变化背景下旅游研究的前沿问题和关键领域。以Web of Science核心合集、CSSCI及CSCD数据库中关于低碳旅游的文献为基础,利用CiteSpace软件、Alluvial Generator程序、Excel统计功能进行国内外低碳旅游研究的可视化分析。结果表明：国外低碳旅游研究起步时间早,始于系统外部与旅游业相互作用视角,以生态环境和工程技术学科为基础,主要为了解决“碳中和”等现实问题,已形成固定的区域性合作网络;国外研究以定量研究为基本范式,其关键文献全部围绕旅游碳排放的测算,且已经形成了较完善的减碳体系。而国内低碳旅游研究与国外的快速发展时期相吻合,是从旅游业可持续发展角度开展研究,依附于旅游及经管类学科,尚未形成固定的合作网络;国内研究在概念理论的定性研究方面优于国外,但整体研究视角较为单一且未形成完整体系,其关键文献包含基础概念、理论体系、碳排放测算、影响因素分析等诸多方面。     

Move fast,travel slow: the influence of high-speed rail on tourism in Taiwan

High-speed rail (HSR) and tourism are closely related economic activities because improved mobility is perceived to facilitate tourist behavioral changes. This study examines the influence of HSR on the travel patterns of individual tourists in Taiwan in relation to time, space and carbon emissions. A framework is first provided to discuss how changes in the speed of intercity transportation will affect visitors’ choice of the journey, behavior at destinations and trip quality. In addition, HSR is expected to influence five general aspects of travel decisions relating to mobility and trip emissions, including mode selection, travel distance, length of stay per trip, annual travel frequency and total travel days. In the example of Taiwan, information by onsite sampling of 400 domestic travelers found that HSR had a weak influence on travel distance and length of stay per trip, but was observed to facilitate extended time at each stop, a deeper engagement with the locality, and an approximate 10% reduction in transport carbon emissions through intermodal substitution. These phenomena are in line with the slow travel concept of sustainable tourism consumption.     

基于“手段—目的”链的旅游者满意因素分析——以辽宁赴台旅游者为例

随着大陆居民赴台旅游人数的日益增多,如何令赴台旅游者满意成为台湾旅游业发展中面临的新挑战。文章将＂手段—目的＂链模型引入旅游者满意因素的研究中,以辽宁访台旅游者为例,基于阶梯式访谈调查数据构建了辽宁赴台旅游者满意因素的判断矩阵和价值层次图,并聚类得出五大最具主导地位的＂手段—目的＂意义链。在此基础上,从价格策略、游览主题、产品设计和推广、旅游环境、基础设施和服务水平等角度提出了台湾在今后旅游产品深度开发方面的对策建议。     

大国优势与中国旅游业的高速持续增长

本文从四个方面分析了大国优势与中国旅游业的持续高速增长,分别是:国土面积辽阔、邻国众多,具有发展国际旅游得天独厚的地缘环境;历史悠久、地域辽阔,高品位旅游资源景点丰富,为发展入境旅游提供了丰富而多样的旅游资源;人口众多、分布广泛,港澳台胞是稳定的客源市场;经济高速增长、规模巨大,日益增长的国际贸易促进了入境旅游的发展.作者认为,上述四大优势为我国旅游业的持续高速增长提供了增长潜力和发展后劲,同时,要将这种潜能和优势变成现实,还需在制度设计、景点开发、设施建设、服务质量提高等方面下大工夫.     

Understanding the impact of culinary brand equity and destination familiarity on travel intentions

This paper explores determinants of brand equity and the role of destination familiarity for travel intentions in culinary tourism from the perspective of foreign tourists. This analysis advocates four elements for brand equity (brand loyalty, brand image, perceived quality and brand awareness) for culinary travel intentions in Taiwan. Building on extensive literature, this study developed and empirically tested a model of the relationship using survey data collected from 407 foreign tourists from ten regions. The results indicate that there is a direct positive relationship between brand equity and travel intentions in culinary tourism. Moreover, the study recognizes the moderating role of destination familiarity, which positively moderates the effect of brand loyalty and perceived quality on travel intentions.     

Industrial tourists' behavioral intention toward slow travel in Taiwan

Taiwan has experienced rapid growth in the last decade, especially in the number of international tourists and domestic leisure travelers it receives. In response to pressures to minimize the negative environmental impacts of such visits (i.e. greenhouse gas emissions) and reshape the notion of sustainable destinations, since 2010 the concept of slow travel has been promoted by governments and the tourism industry. Consequently, calls to expand programs connecting various destinations (e.g. the establishment of industrial tourism) using slower modes of transportation have begun to emerge. In an effort to elucidate the key factors that motivate a traveler's intention to engage in slow travel, this study has constructed a research model that incorporates slow travel's three core elements: the mode of slow travel, tourism experience and environmental consciousness. Particularly, this study has focused on industrial tourists who typically rely on cars to reach destinations that have become new tourism hotspots. The quality of the transportation mode (i.e. a shuttle bus) and the tourism experience were found to be the most powerful determinants of their intentions. This study provides important information to practitioners seeking to market slow travel as a form of sustainable tourism and an alternative to conventional leisure.     

The Image of Taiwan as a Travel Destination: Perspectives from Mainland China

This study presents the perceived and projected image of Taiwan as a travel destination from perspectives from Mainland China. The perceived image of Taiwan was examined by interviewing 28 Mainland Chinese; the projected image of Taiwan was investigated by analyzing articles in China's most popular travel magazines. The different types of images of Taiwan among visitors, nonvisitors, and travel magazines were compared. The projected image changed notably after the opening of Taiwan's tourism to travelers from Mainland China. The results of this study could help destination marketing organizations to assess their marketing strategies for the Mainland Chinese travel market.     

Destination Image of Taiwan From the Perspective of Hong Kong Residents: Revisiting Structural Relationships Between Destination Image Attributes and Behavioral Intention

Destination image plays an important role in how tourists make their travel and purchase decisions. This study examines the perceived image of Taiwan as a travel destination from the perspective of Hong Kong residents. The Hong Kong outbound tourism market is important for Taiwan. Using a self-completed questionnaire, this research examines the destination image of Taiwan among 213 Hong Kong residents. The results indicate that affective image is a stronger predictor of travel intention than cognitive image. Affective image also plays a mediating role in the relationship between cognitive image and behavioral intention. Hence, affective image is an important intangible quality for today’s destinations.     

Examination of Taiwan's travel and tourism market cycle through a two-period Markov regime-switching model

This study analyzes the Taiwan travel and tourism (T&T) market cycle. According to data of the weighted Taiwan tourism stock index from January 1997 to August 2015, the two-period Markov regime-switching model identifies two distinct regimes of the T&T cycle and incorporates a specific set of mean and variance parameters for each period to control for the structural changes in Taiwan's T&T market. The effect of China visitor arrivals to Taiwan on the T&T market is also verified. The empirical findings offer essential information and policy implications for Taiwan's government tourism policymakers and business managers.     

Analysis of tour values to develop enablers using an interpretive hierarchy-based model in Taiwan

Tourism experiences in natural landscapes are considered an integral component of tourism value. Tourism experiences can also create a link between an individual and his or her spiritual needs. Thus, this study aims to utilize an effective approach to interpret individual, subjective human experiences in natural environments using interpretive structural modeling. This technique is used to build a hierarchy-based model and determine the mutual relationships among the enablers of tour value. In addition, this study uses the Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification (MICMAC) analysis to analyze the degree of influence of these factors and their degree of dependence on each other. To collect the empirical data, questionnaires were distributed to visitors at Grand Gangshan, a tourist destination in northeastern Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The results show that particular enablers (Internet marketing, the establishment of sales locations and planning for travel information services) have a high degree of influence and exhibit low dependence. These enablers require a great deal of attention because of their strategic importance to tourism development. The approach employed in this study provides a very useful tool for travel authorities to use to differentiate between the independent and dependent variables affecting tour value and to identify the relationships among those variables. Using this approach will allow the actors in this industry to focus on the most important variables for promoting the visitor experience in natural settings.     

互联网传播的台湾旅游目的地形象——基于两岸相关网站的内容分析

通过对两岸综合旅游网站、旅行社网站及台湾旅游官方网站的内容分析,提炼出互联网传播的台湾旅游目的地形象主题:自然生态、度假、乡村、文化、城市.进一步的相关分析发现,各类网站构建并传播的台湾旅游目的地形象不同.研究结果为大陆居民赴台旅游市场的开发和台湾旅游目的地形象的提升提供借鉴.