Situational and subjective determinants of satisfaction in marine recreational fishing

Abstract

This paper examines the influence of tangible trip outcomes and subjective evaluations on overall trip satisfaction in marine recreational fishing. The paper proposes a model of fishing satisfaction that integrates subjective and situational factors as well as consumptive and nonconsumptive elements of the experience. A replicated analysis of separate samples of Delaware and Maryland fishermen was used. Findings demonstrate that a significant portion of the variance in satisfaction could be explained by a set of identifiable components of the total experience. Overall satisfaction was influenced most strongly and most directly by subjective evaluations of specific aspects of the experience. Situational outcomes influenced overall satisfaction in a more indirect manner as they were filtered through various subjective evaluations. The proposed fishing model suggests that consumptive outcomes are more important than they appear from the typically weak correlations found between satisfaction and objective harvest measures.     

Story and moral development in tourism education

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this reflective, conceptual, and narrative article is to illuminate the promise of story in nurturing moral development, specifically in relation to nature and cultural difference, in and through tourism education. Representing both a reflection on and extension of Zachary’s experience in a graduate level course on Indigenous Knowledges taught primarily through stories, the paper traces how story enabled Zachary to shift into, or sense, new onto-epistemological perspectives relating to nature and begin to question his assumptions, privilege, and responsibilities. We focus in on the story of Mutandum – a narrative of transformation and connection – written by Zachary, which was constructed to represent his relationship to learning during the graduate course. In telling this story, and situating and reflecting on the narrative contexts within which it was crafted, we show the enabling promise of story as a moral pedagogical and epistemological tool. We argue that learning through story has much to offer tourism curricula, especially those focused on preparing values-engaged students with the competencies to take on the multitude of ethical issues in tourism and effectively navigate the moral encounters that arise in our tourism worlds.     

Learning about the real-world in MICE education: The case of exhibition learning from Thailand

Abstract

The use of experiential learning in tourism and hospitality education is well-documented in literature. Experiential learning studies in this field may include, for example, internship experiences, field trip perceptions, conferences, and social events. However, there is still insufficient literature to understand students’ learning and their real-world experience in MICE education, especially in the exhibition sector. This study, therefore, addresses this gap by reporting the experiential learning of graduate students in an event course with the objectives to investigate student perceptions on academic learning experiences and the development of work-related skills by carrying out the exhibition project. Students are challenged to perform a complicated task as a real exhibition organizer, and to deal with other stakeholders of the exhibition industry (e.g., exhibition venue, exhibitors, contractors, and visitors). The experiential learning method is discussed through the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process. The results indicate that students not only gained in-depth learning about the exhibition industry, but also developed important work skills (e.g., teamwork, planning, and coordinating skills). Moreover, classroom learning, industry visits, and real-world experience are found to be the important factors contributing to exhibition learning. The current study contributes to the limited exhibition learning literature and provides event educators new insights into the teaching and learning of exhibition-based projects in regard to how students plan, learn and carry out the exhibition event through the case of Thailand. Other similar courses may apply the learning processes and results of this study to develop effective experiential learning in MICE education.     

An evaluation of action research as a vehicle for individual and organisational development in the hotel industry

Action research is both a research technique and a vehicle for organisational and professional development. This paper reports upon three action research projects into cross-cultural communication, which were set up in comparable in 4/5 star city centre hotels. Qualitative data gathered from the action research meetings and from interviews with participants and their colleagues were used to evaluate the projects’ success in terms of process and outcomes. The data provided insights into the way cross-cultural communication operates between hotel managers, workers and guests. The action research process proved to be strongly motivating to participants and in some cases produced a learning attitude which persisted more than a year after the project had finished. Senior management understanding and support were found to be key prerequisites for the success of the action research process. From the point of view of organisational development it was important that participants had training roles within either their departments or organisation-wide, so that they could cascade their learning to others. However, organisational benefits were limited, largely due to the restricted view that senior managers took of the project.     

Self-Monitoring as a Key to the Tourist

Abstract

The present paper attempts to develop theoretical explanation for tourist disposition and behavior, employing the hitherto unused self-monitoring construct and it argues that self-monitoring can provide many valuable insights into our understanding of the tourist. It is developed as sequel to a number of case studies undertaken previously, insights from which are weaved together with available literature to extend the scope of the theory. It examines what self-monitoring can inform us about the sources of tourist satisfaction and dissatisfaction, tourists' complaining and complimenting behavior, differences in attribution, innovation orientation, and loyalty. It also provides a number of potential directions for future research.     

Japanese female travelers ‐ a unique outbound market

The rapid growth of Japanese female travelers underscores the importance of understanding the market. Focusing on the differences between the Japanese female and male travelers on their travel attitudes, motivations, trip‐related attributes, and socio‐demographic characteristics, this paper provides empirical evidence that gender is a viable characteristic that can used in marketing activities targeted at the Japanese market. The study findings indicate that the female and male segments of Japanese outbound travelers are significantly differentiated in fifteen out of twenty‐two factors of travel attitudes and motivations. The two segments also differ in a number of trip attributes and socio‐demographic characteristics. Therefore, Japanese female travelers constitute a unique outbound market.     

Perceptions of crowding and resource quality by early and more recent visitors

Abstract

Previous literature suggests that a recreationist's current evaluations of a natural setting are influenced by the conditions that existed during the individual's initial exposure to the environment. Given the rapid growth in backcountry use and the ecological impairments associated with this use, it follows that each new generation of visitors will experience a different set of initial conditions. This paper explores the relationship between the year boaters made their first trip to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and their current evaluations of the resource. Results indicate that those who made their first trip prior to the area's national designation, when use levels were lower, perceived significantly greater levels of environmental damage to the islands and evaluated perceived increases in visitor numbers more negatively than the more recent boaters. The implications of these findings for managing the recreational experience are discussed.     

Information Search Behavior and Tourist Characteristics

SUMMARY

The Internet as a new form of media is impacting tourist information provision and acquisition. A better understanding of the use of the Internet and other information sources by tourists will benefit the marketing efforts of destination organizations. Based on a general consumer behavior theory by Berkman and Gilson (1986), this study examined the relationships between tourists' use of the Internet vs. other information sources and their characteristics. It was found that demographic characteristics of gender and household income and situational factors of trip purpose and travel party type were significantly related to tourists' choices of information sources; and such behavior was associated with their trip outcomes of accommodation types and expenditure. The study's implications were discussed in the context of destination marketing.     

National Capital Branding

Abstract

This study examines the destination branding strategies of two national capitals, Canberra and Wellington. Literature on both destination branding and national capital tourism suggests that national capital status may be both beneficial and unfavourable for destination marketing. The results from personal interviews and documentary analysis point to differences between the two national capitals brands where Canberra uses national stories and symbolic concepts heavily while Wellington uses broader city/urban elements. This indicates that national stories, although an important aspect of tourism in national capitals, may also present a number of challenges, including a negative image and low consumer demand, creating practical implications for branding national capitals. The paper suggests further research is necessary to determine how national stories can be utilised in branding to develop a unique selling proposition.     

An Educational Game for Tourism and Hospitality Education

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an educational game where players act as travel agents to learn how a travel agency functions. They are provided with an uncertain environment in which they make strategic decisions aimed at maximizing their agency's wealth. Players are expected to make managerial decisions while experiencing how market structures and strategic decision-making can affect commerce within a simulated tourism and hospitality industry. The auction game offers students hands-on experience that assists them in understanding the functioning of markets in all aspects of business. Students are also given an opportunity to interact with team-players, to compete against other students, and to develop an appreciation of the pressures facing travel agencies.     

Between Authenticity and Ethnicity: Heritage Tourism and Re-ethnification Among Diaspora Jewish Youth

Heritage tourism takes on a new meaning when conceived and implemented in the framework of a diaspora – homeland context. Trip organisers utilise heritage tourism that identifies the signifiers of national collective identity or Peoplehood and construct an experience of authenticity that supports a newly reconstructed narrative of personal and collective identity that bridges the diaspora and homeland identities. This paper examines into the differential consequences of heritage tourism on the ethnic identity of diaspora travellers from North America and the former Soviet Union to their homeland, specifically contrasting Jewish tourists from different diaspora localities making an otherwise almost identical birthright Israel trip. For both groups, Jewish ethnic identity was strengthened, particularly their emotional attachment to Israel. However, the difference between the two groups was found in the actual factors that explain this post trip attachment to Israel. The experiential component was more prominent among participants from the former Soviet Union, while among North American student participants, Jewish background as well as their higher pre-trip motivations provide an explanation for their high post-trip scores of attachment to Israel. Israel thus serves as the liminal domain of diaspora tourists, where existential authenticity and pre-trip ethnicity as latent as the latter may be, intertwine experientially to generate an expansion of the frame of individual identity of diaspora tourists in their homeland.     

Tourism Crisis Management and Organizational Learning

SUMMARY

To date limited attention has been provided on the review stage of the crisis management framework, despite the importance of organizational learning for developing effective tourism crisis strategies. Using the concepts of double loop learning (Argyris and Schon, 1996), doubting (Blackman and Henderson, 2004) and Preskill and Torres (1999) core processes of evaluative enquiry, the paper discusses the possible application of critical evaluative inquiry and managed reflection by DMOs. The paper recommends that DMOs question their existing knowledge, assumptions and beliefs through reflection and dialogue with stakeholders and collect and analyse information, not just related to confirming the success of crisis strategies, but to assesses the likely impact of alternatives. Challenging existing mental models and capturing this emergent knowledge should enable DMOs to develop even better tourism crisis communication strategies in the future.     

Rec Needs a New Rhythm Cuz Rap Is Where We're Livin'

This research presents an autoethnographic strategy for self-reflection by sharing stories consistent with Indigenous methodologies and establishing a frame for re-mixing leisure theory. As an autoethnographic study, we reflect on how we have been engaged, changed, and challenged to rethink understandings of leisure and ourselves as leisure scholar-practitioners as a result of listening to rap music, especially composed by Aboriginal young people. We pause on questions related to how Aboriginal young people challenge leisure theory and its relevance to their lives through their rap and hip hop performances.     

Understanding Differences in Nonmarket Valuation by Angler Specialization Level

Using the concept of recreation specialization, we would expect willingness-to-pay (WTP) differences among participant sub-groups as an expression of increasing commitment to their activity. To expand understanding of predictable angler sub-group differences in economic valuation, a two-stage process was used to investigate WTP differences among heterogeneous sub-groups. Cluster analysis was used with a three dimensional specialization model. A zero truncated binomial regression model was applied to estimate anglers' consumer surplus values per trip. Results supported the expectation that anglers in each group placed a different value on the social benefits associated with fishing and their concerns for possible resource loss.     

Understanding why: Push-factors that drive rural tourism amongst senior travellers

This research examined the push-motives driving domestic rural tourism amongst senior travellers. An understanding of this is essential to stimulate rural tourism and to redistribute visitors from high volume destinations to other locations. Applying the push-pull framework, an online survey of Australians aged over 50 was conducted. Participants were asked where they went and what motivated their trip. Based on the trip pattern followed, two rural trip segments were identified - those who preferred the east-coast (Eastern Staters), and those who did not have a geographic preference but travelled to remote destinations (Aussie Roundabouts). Rural travel was found to be driven by three motives, however, their influence differed based on the trip pattern. Eastern Staters were pushed to relax and escape, and experience novelty and adventure. Aussie Roundabouts travelled for a romantic getaway.     

Autonomy in trip planning and overall satisfaction

ABSTRACT

Tourists increasingly rely on Internet-based, autonomous resources to gather information, book, and pay for their trips; this increasing autonomy may affect their overall satisfaction. Using data about how Spanish tourists search for information and complete their bookings, this study analyzes the influence of tourist autonomy on overall satisfaction with the trip, as well as the effects of moderating characteristics related to both tourists and their trips. The results indicate a direct relationship between tourists’ autonomy and their overall satisfaction, as well as positive moderating effects of tourists’ previous travel experience and education, but negative moderating effects of trip complexity.     

Understanding the tourist experience of cities

Economic, environmental and social forces have changed the way we are developing our cities. A range of theoretical constructs have been explored to provide direction for contemporary analyses of urban tourism experience. This paper engages with a feminist perspective in our understanding of the way tourists explore and experience cities. It achieves this by expanding current sociological frameworks that assume the tourist is simply a wanderer in the urban environment. Drawing on interactionist and post-structural critique and Wearing and Wearing’s (1996) theoretical framework of the flâneur and choraster, this paper demonstrates how a more feminized conceptualisation of the tourist experience as a creative and interactive process could have a transformative effect on our understanding of tourists’ experiences of cities.     

Learning orientation and self-initiated expatriates’ work performance: a moderated-mediation model

The hospitality industry is looking for talent beyond national boundaries. Self-initiated expatriation is a widespread phenomenon that has gained limited attention. This study investigates if learning orientation and cultural distance affect the work performance of self-initiated expatriates. The study also tests the moderated-mediation effect of prior international experience on work performance when mediated through cross-cultural adjustment. The authors collected data from 311 self-initiated expatriates from the Malaysian hotel industry. The results confirm that learning orientation was positively related to work performance when mediated through cross-cultural adjustment. The greater the distance between home and host country culture, the higher the cross-cultural adjustment, thus supporting the cultural distance paradox. Prior international experience moderated the relationship between learning outcome and work performance when mediated through cross-cultural adjustment, thus supporting the moderated-mediation model. This study includes the theoretical and practical implications of the findings. It also outlines the limitations and avenues for further research.     

Jogging not running: A narrative approach to exploring ‘exercise as leisure’ after a life in elite football

ABSTRACT

As research has shown, former elite athletes often struggle to adapt to aspects of their post-sport lives. This can include the management of their identities, dealing with the uncertainty of their new roles, and negotiating the changes that occur to their bodies. In this paper we discuss an under-reported challenge facing retired athletes: how to manage their ongoing relationship with exercise. To address this issue we adopted a narrative approach, based on the first author’s experiences as a former football player, to provide a socio-cultural reading of the various challenges involved in the transition from exercise as a vocation to a leisure activity. We suggest that these stories demonstrate that in retirement, former athletes’ docility, while seemingly advantageous, can also be a significant obstacle to developing alternative meanings for exercise, including as a potential re-creative or leisure activity that can become meaningful and important in its own right.     

Transferring Tourism Knowledge

SUMMARY

Knowledge sharing and quality assurance in hospitality and tourism is a very broad topic to cover. This paper focuses mainly on the role of higher education in transferring knowledge into practice. Knowledge can be defined as “an understanding of something and the ability to use that understanding through study and experience.”¹