Key drivers of airline loyalty

This study investigates drivers of airline loyalty. It contributes to the body of knowledge in the area by investigating loyalty for a number of a priori market segments identified by airline management and by using a method which accounts for the multi-step nature of the airline choice process. The study is based on responses from 687 passengers. Results indicate that, at aggregate level, frequent flyer membership, price, the status of being a national carrier and the reputation of the airline as perceived by friends are the variables which best discriminate between travellers loyal to the airline and those who are not. Differences in drivers of airline loyalty for a number of segments were identified. For example, loyalty programs play a key role for business travellers whereas airline loyalty of leisure travellers is difficult to trace back to single factors. For none of the calculated models satisfaction emerged as a key driver of airline loyalty.     

“If I was going to die I should at least be having fun”: Travel blogs,meaning and tourist experience

Travel blogs are an under-utilised resource for researchers of tourism experiences. They can provide rich insights on how tourists express the transformational effects of their experiences for the self. This study of travel blogs by nineteen British bloggers reveals how elements of the narrative relating to self-reflection and emotions are central to the process of transforming their travel experiences into personally meaningful experiences. Bloggers implicitly and explicitly express how travel contributes to self-identity, signalling self-development. The study contributes to knowledge about the lasting impact of long term travel on people, adding meaning symbolic of an evolving self.     

我国旅游法之路在何方?

旅游法千呼万唤仍不能出台的根本原因,在于对旅游法的许多根本问题缺乏正确的认识,当然更说不上深入研究.本文从旅游法应当规范的基本法律关系入手,分析了旅游法制定的必要性、迫切性以及它应当规范的对象.介绍了世界旅游立法的现状,提出了我国制定旅游法应该选择模式的建议.     

The Situational Influence of Travel Group Composition

Abstract

A substantial amount of statistics and articles in travel magazines indicated that family vacation travel is one of the major worldwide trends. However, very limited empirical research has been dedicated to this special market segment. This study examined Japanese family travelers to Taiwan by comparing and contrasting them with other travel companionship groups including traveling with friends and traveling alone. The importance of travel group composition segmentation was explained and conceptualized through the understanding of the value of social groups from sociology perspective. The results indicated that Japanese family travelers exhibited unique characteristics when traveling. Family travelers tended to be more motivated by learning oriented themes and participated enthusiastically in activities that facilitated experiential learning as well as total physical relaxation. The “traveling with friends” and “traveling solo” segments tended to be seeking more of activities that had strong entertaining and socializing undertones. The traveling solo group appeared to be the most evasive or the least understood in what their needs and preferences were. Marketing implications were discussed.     

Exploring the formation mechanisms of urban residents’ travel behaviour in China: perceptions of travel benefits and travel constraints

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have examined the perceived benefits (PBs) and percveived constraints (PCs) of travel and/or leisure participation, but it remains somewhat unclear how these perceptions influence travel behaviour. Thus, a conceptual model was constructed aimed at describing the effects of PBs and PCs on urban residents’ travel behaviour. Results from 519 urban residents in Changsha, China, revealed that attitude played a mediating role between perceived travel benefits and travel behaviours (TBs), while attitude-expressive behavior (AEBs) acted as a mediator between attitude and TBs. Additionally, PCs were found to have a direct negative influence on TBs and PBs, and PCs positively influenced TBs through constraint negotiation strategies(CNSs). These findings confirm the mediating effect of CNSs on the relationship between PBs, PCs, and TBs, and indicate that there are several basic patterns underlying urban residents’ TBs. Specific implications for practice and theory are discussed.     

Travel Agents and Their Survival Thomas

Abstract

The travel agency industry depends upon commissions for a majority of its revenue. When these commissions decrease or stop the industry must change the means in which revenue is made. The Internet has caused a significant reduction in airline ticket sales and therefore has caused travel agencies to change. In addition travel agencies have reduced commissions paid to airlines thus causing more changes. There were four categories of travel agencies discussed in the article along with their adaptation styles. These types include (1) the independent operator of a small travel agency with very limited resources (2) the normal agency with 2 or 3 agents which does a substantial business (3) the larger agency that is high-tech and high touch and depends on automation and the Web to some extent (innovators) (4) agencies that are Web based with very little automation otherwise and who were technologically adaptable and saw opportunity in the Web. The study examines how agencies have adapted and prospered through this transitional period.     

Determinants of Domestic Travel Expenditure in South Korea

Summary

This study examines factors affecting domestic Korean tourist expenditure per person. Independent variables include family size, Per Capita Gross National Product (GNP), number of cars, number of working hours, number of years of education, previous year's domestic travel expenditure, and exchange rate. A 21-year historical data were used in the study. Two estimation methods, principal components regression and ridge regression, were employed in this study to eliminate the problems of multicollinearity caused by Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method. The empirical results show that number of working hours, family size, and number of years of education turned out to be important factors affecting domestic travel expenditure.     

To go or not to go: travel constraints and attractiveness of travel affecting outbound Chinese tourists to Japan

The fast growth of the Chinese economy has transformed Chinese outbound tourism into one of the major players in the tourism industry worldwide. However, Chinese outbound tourists may still encounter travel constraints in some countries, such as Japan, which has had a close and complicated relationship in history with China. This study adopted the qualitative approach by applying focus group and in-depth interviews to investigate and triangulate the travel barriers affecting Chinese outbound travel to Japan. The findings indicated that domestic nationalist sentiment played a key constraining role in influencing Chinese outbound travel decision-making, followed by current political factors, while quality products and service, as well as social environment encouraged tourists to travel. This research also found that visitors and non-visitors have perception differences in terms of travel barriers and attractiveness of travel.     

What do customers expect of travel agent–customer interactions? Measuring and improving customer experience in interactions with travel agents

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to explore what customers expect of travel agent–customer interactions by developing a scale of customer service experience; further, a framework to demonstrate how to improve customer service experience derived from interactions with travel agents is proposed. The results indicate that the indirect effect of travel agent interpersonal competencies on word-of-mouth is not through cognitive customer service experience but rather through affective customer service experience. Also, the indirect effect of travel agent professional competencies on word-of-mouth is not through affective customer service experience but rather through cognitive customer service experience.     

How does family influence the travel constraints of solo travelers? Construct specification and scale development

ABSTRACT

Attracting the solo travel market is increasingly important for destination marketing organizations. Despite the wealth of literature on travel motivations of solo travelers, a related domain of research that deserves more attention are the travel constraints that could hinder solo traveling. More specifically, although solo travelers may wish to embark on a journey alone, they must nevertheless address a number of constraints that oftentimes stem from their family’s concerns for them as family represents a critical influencer that could impact their travel decision. Yet, research measuring the influence of family remains under-studied. In order to address this gap, this study connects knowledge on travel constraints with literature on family dynamics to develop a valid and reliable measurement scale for assessing family pressures on solo travelers. Destination marketers can apply this scale to evaluate the effectiveness of their marketing strategies at easing the concerns of solo travelers as a result of family pressures.     

Present whilst absent: Home and the business tourist gaze

This paper reflects on business travel as a contemporary form of mobility and how it relates to family life. Through qualitative research with business travellers, insights are gained into the role digital technology plays in enabling connections to home and family. The paper argues that technology affords a ‘business tourist gaze’, characterised by a focus on ‘home’ rather than ‘away’ as might be the case for leisure tourists. The paper discusses how, through the business tourist gaze, the boundaries between the everyday and the exotic are dissolved and the business traveller is disconnected from the destination, simultaneously absent whilst present both at the destination and at home. Theoretical understandings of the business tourist experience are offered.     

Do perceptions of time affect outbound-travel motivations and intention? An investigation among Chinese seniors

How people conceptualise time can play a critical role in their travel intention. However, relatively little research attention has been directed to the links between time perspective, outbound-travel motivation and outbound-travel intention. In this study, survey data from a sample of Chinese seniors were analysed to test hypotheses regarding these links. The results showed that present-time perspective and future-time perspective were directly related to travel motivation, and that the associations between present and future perspectives and travel intention were fully mediated by travel motivation. These findings not only highlight the relevance of time-perspective styles to travel research, but also have specific implications for tourism-destination marketers with senior audiences.     

Modeling International Travel Arrangements for Taiwanese Travelers: Potential Fits

Abstract

This paper presents a choice model of international travel arrangements for potential Taiwanese FIT (Foreign Independent Travel) travelers. Previous studies were based mostly on package vacations, with little attention given to FIT travelers. Recent years have indicated a transition toward FIT. Since this transition is likely to continue, it is important for travel and tourism organizations and for marketers to understand FIT individuals. This study distinguishes potential FIT travelers from non-FIT travelers, identifies variables useful in making this prediction, and provides recommendations to travel and tourism organizations of host countries. The findings indicate that Taiwanese FIT travelers are likely to be younger, male, highly educated, budget conscious, travel with a larger party size for purposes of meeting interesting and friendly local people, stay for longer periods of time, and have taken many trips in the last three years that in volved spending at least four nights away from home.