Stakeholders’ views of travelers’ choice of Airbnb

This study investigated the views of travelers’ choices of informal accommodations, Airbnb in Hong Kong from the perspectives of three stakeholders. A qualitative approach was applied, both interviews and focus group discussions were conducted. A total of 69 participants shared their views on why users choose Airbnb over traditional hotels. The findings highlighted that hoteliers and Airbnb users presented different rankings on the determinants of accommodation choice. The implications of the destination image and the population density were discussed. The findings of this study can serve as a reference for any city/country where has a similar cultural background and population density.     

靓‘甫士’

靓「甫士」是讀者园地栏目,欢迎大家一齐玩考考您的眼光。請您猜猜哪张照片是本月的「最醒神甫士」,下期便可知道您是否独具慧眼。     

‘It’s not something I’m proud of but it’s … just how I feel’: local surfer perspectives of localism

This article focuses on a defining concept of modern surfing: localism. Using a qualitative ethnographic approach, the data for this study were collected using participant observation, field notes and interviews between 2008 and 2009 with a significant population of local surfers in a village location in Cornwall, South West of England, UK. Developing Bennett’s definition of localism, data suggested a benign form of localism and in conveying this, we make a number of associated observations. Our analysis considers how a process of Othering led to the construction of Established Insiders based primarily on location, rather than gender. These Established Insiders saw the need to protect their community and its way of life from Outsiders. The focal point for protection was the liminal space/phase that opened up on ‘their’ local waves, as it was through temporal space that communitas was generated and thus community sustained. We illustrate how benign localism was exacerbated by overcrowding and how local surfers’ experiences of localism made them aware of their becoming Outsiders in other surfing localities, modifying their behaviour accordingly. The paper also suggests that debates about localism need to view the concept as a continuum of attitudes and behaviours ranging from the benign to the heavy, and that attention needs paying to how localism varies between contexts and the ways in which localism may share social antecedents. Lastly, we highlight the utility of viewing the beach and wave as liminal spaces that give rise to communitas for those who surf it together regularly.     

’99珠峰行动始末

在探险活动中,往往会出现一些麻烦——比如1999年10月底到11月初韩国登山队在珠峰遇到的那次。也许那次不能算是“很大的麻烦”,但是他们确实需要援救。援救工作本身不能算是探险活动。它只是一种“义举”——区别于“义务”。援救队员却必须是探险队伍中的精英,他们面临的考验和所承受的压力比探险队员大得多,援救——并非“天降奇兵”的神话。     

迎接’97中国旅游年特稿

1997年像一位新人,远远地正蜗娥地向我们走来。随着她的即将来到,全球的旅游者们都正在认真考虑着自己明年的新去向,旅游业界的同行们也正在精心谋划着自己企业明年的业务业务开展。为了有利于我们的读者朋友,尽管截至本文发稿日止,明年中国旅游年的新闻发布会还未召开但本刊编者还是特意从中国国家旅游局采访到了有关明年“′97中国旅游年”的重要消息。     

’99珠峰援救韩国队日历

1999年9月10日,韩国登山队到达珠峰东坡下面的卡达乡。 1999年9月12日,韩国登山队到达6400米的一号营地。 1999年9月15日,从该日起,珠峰东坡地区开始下雪。545O米前进营地雪深18O厘米,6400米的一号营地雪深300厘米,535O米的大本营雪深12O厘米,因此所有成员返回大本营等待救援。 10月20日,韩国驻华大使接到一个韩国登山队从珠穆朗玛峰大本营地打来的求援电话。与此同时,     

Karaoke’s coming home: Japan’s empty orchestras in the United Kingdom

This paper examines the introduction, adaptation and popularisation of karaoke singing in the UK. Based on ethnographic field research and interviews conducted in both Japan and the UK, the paper traces the various pathways through which karaoke hardware and software were first introduced and marketed in the UK and the social contexts and entertainment venues within which karaoke has been popularised. The ‘domestication’ of karaoke in the UK is treated as a complex and multifaceted process involving both ‘cultural’ factors related to existing traditions of singing and amateur performance, notions of individual public ‘display’ and musical preferences, for example, and the ‘local’ economic and regulatory environment into which karaoke had been adapted. As a contribution to the discourse on the relationship between ‘global’ and ‘local’ forces in cultural flows, it is argued that although Japanese karaoke producers may have been successful in globalising the karaoke concept, its popularisation as a leisure activity in the UK has involved the localisation of the production, distribution and uses of karaoke hardware and software.     

PROCESS STUDIES OF TOURISTS’ DECISION-MAKING

We review tourism decision-making paradigms. We conclude that the literature is dominated by ‘variance’ studies of tourists’ decisions by causal analysis of independent variables explaining choices by tourists. This ‘choice set’ approach is in consonance with the need to understand important issues such as destination attractiveness and marketing. We argue that this approach does not incorporate an ontology of decision-making as a process, a deeper understanding of which may only be generated through studies that involve narrating emergent actions and activities through which individual or collective endeavours unfold. From this base we review the tourism decision-making literature and argue for the development of process studies as an important adjunct to the current body of knowledge.     

‘I can’t be very sad’: constraint and adaptation in the leisure of a ‘learning in retirement’ group

The purpose of this paper is to consider adaptive processes in relation to the constraints that limit leisure in late life. Interview data gathered from a purposive sample of 20 male and female retirees involved in a ‘Learning in Retirement’ programme were used to identify constraints, responses to constraints and the personal meanings of both. Results indicated a variety of emotional and behavioural responses to constraints suggesting five prominent behavioural themes and three emotional themes. Behavioural responses were grouped into: (1) reducing and eliminating; (2) persistence with commitment; (3) constraint as ‘project’; (4) substitution; and (5) exploration and self‐discovery. Emotional reactions ranged from the initial frustration to acceptance and even gratitude for the possibilities that remain. Findings are discussed in terms of the models of constraint negotiation and selective optimisation reported in the literature; but they also indicate that constraints may lead to responses that are not only personally beneficial but are also novel and transformative to some extent.     

’92北京旅游黄金年启示录

利用各种节日庆典与纪念活动举办大型专项旅游活动,广泛开展旅游促销,已成为国际上的一种普遍做法。近年来,不少国家都把举办“观光年”作为自己扩大客源的招徕手段,我国各地举办的节会和大型旅游活动也十分频繁。近来,学术界和旅游工作者都十分注意此一问题,尤其是有的活动如海市蜃楼转瞬即逝,或耗资巨大而收效甚微,更引起了人们对此的深思。这样的活动究竟如何办才对旅游业的发展更有价值呢?笔者曾有幸以记者身份参加过’92北京旅游黄金年的     

Towards an understanding of fathers’ involvement in children’s sporting activities as racial fathering practices

ABSTRACT

This research note puts forward a conceptual framework for leisure research seeking to bring sport, fathering, and race and ethnicity together. It draws on theoretical ideas of practices and racial projects to develop the notion of racial fathering practices. The potential of racial fathering practices as an analytic approach is indicated through three vignettes of fathers’ involvement in their children’s sporting activities drawn from in-depth interview studies of fathers’ understandings of bringing up their mixed-race children in Britain and Aotearoa New Zealand.     

Green Marketing: Hotel Customers’ Perspective

Green marketing should appeal to the needs and desires of environmentally concerned customers. The aim of this study was to investigate hotel customers’ perceptions of hotels’ green marketing strategies. A questionnaire containing 30 statements was used to gauge respondents’ perceptions of different hotel green marketing strategies. Using exploratory factor analysis to identify interpretable orthogonal factors, five factors were identified and interpreted: (1) Green Partnership; (2) Development of Green Products and Services; (3) Genuine Green Products and Services; (4) Higher Price for Green Products and Services; and (5) Credibility of Green Promotion. Independent t-tests and one-way analysis of variance were conducted to examine significant differences between hotel customers’ ratings of the importance of the identified factors according to demographic variables. This is one of the first research studies to examine green marketing in the hotel industry. The discussion of the findings includes some practical implications to help hotel marketers implement more effective green marketing strategies.     

Tourists’ online reviews of convention centers

Investigating both the valence of online reviews and convention centers’ performance is an effective approach towards understanding convention center visitors’ needs, wants, and expectations. Understanding convention center experiences from the customer perspective can improve venue services and event products for both convention centers and event organizers in a business-to-business context. This study examined TripAdvisor online reviews using a combined automated and non-automated content analysis to explore the dynamic experiences of convention centers. The dual analysis of qualitative and quantitative characteristics resulted in the identification of key concepts, satisfaction/dissatisfaction factors, center-and event-related complaint issues, and tips/suggestions.     

‘Intelligent investment’? Welsh sport policy and the (in)visibility of ‘race’

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we draw on research conducted in Wales to consider reasons for participation and non-participation in sport and physical activity among Black and minoritised ethnic (BME) groups. This study exposes the challenge at the heart of sports policy in relation to ‘race’ and ethnicity in Wales that, if not addressed, may lead to the marginalisation of attempts to increase BME participation in sport and physical activity despite good intent. It points to a disjuncture between supply and demand and leads us to question the extent to which such policies resonate with the interests, needs and lived experiences of people from different BME communities in Wales. We draw on testimonies of policy-makers and implementers, as well as individuals from various BME communities in five regions of Wales, to consider the extent to which national sports policy encourages strategies to increase participation among different ethnic groups. We suggest that increasing participation among BME communities and other ‘hard-to-reach’ groups must go beyond accounting for the supply aspects of sport and physical activity to consider more critically the plethora of barriers and exclusions facing many BME communities. We conclude by arguing that for racial inequalities to be reduced, and promises such as ‘sport for all’ to be realised, the analysis of policy needs to be related to broader relations of power in the culture of both sport and society.     

The impact of the ‘Girls on the Move’ Leadership Programme on young female leaders’ self-esteem

Using findings obtained from an evaluation of the ‘Girls on the Move’ Leadership Programme in Scotland, this paper assesses the impact physical activity leadership courses and leading physical activities had on young women’s global self-esteem. While research has shown that engagement in youth development activities can contribute to an individual’s self-esteem, less is known about the impact of youth leadership on young people’s self-esteem. Based on pre-course and six-month follow-up surveys and using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, it was found that increases in global self-esteem scores were highest in those that maintained an involvement in leading activities. The self-esteem of those attending training but not taking on leadership responsibilities remained largely unchanged. The findings indicate that youth leadership development has the power to make important contributions to the development of young people and youth development professionals should seek to provide meaningful leadership experiences for young people.     

Dress for success: the effect of exhibitors’ dress conformity and self-construal on attendees’ approach behavior

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the current study is to investigate how attendees’ approach behavior is influenced by exhibitors’ dress conformity. A 2 × 2 between-subjects quasi-experimental design was utilized for this study. Our results showed that conforming dress for exhibitors can lead to a higher level of approach behavior of trade show attendees as compared with nonconforming dress, and the effect of exhibitors’ dress styles on approach behavior is moderated by attendees’ self-construal. Findings of this study provide significant insights for trade show exhibitors and attendees.     

It’s so hot: predicting climate change effects on urban tourists’ time–space experience

Abstract

Progressive changes in mean annual temperatures are arguably the strongest evidence of ongoing climate change. In destinations with a Mediterranean climate, in contrast to the colder months, during summer, rising air temperatures are believed to inhibit tourist movements and activities, and consequently affect tourists’ evaluation of and satisfaction with their experiences. To the best of our knowledge, no previous study has investigated the potential impact of climate change on tourists’ time–space activity using actual behavioural tracking-based information. Data collected via GPS technology and a post-visit survey of tourists (n = 404) visiting Lisbon during the summer were analysed via structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results report empirical evidence of the present impact of (summer) weather on urban tourists’ time–space activity and on their intra-destination experience evaluation. Specifically, maximum air temperature is found to have a significant negative effect on overall satisfaction, while the meteorological conditions of the entire day reveal a significant impact on tourists’ activities and movements. The results are particularly useful for the sustainable adaptive management of urban attractions and destinations that are especially vulnerable to climate change, as well as in managing its adverse impact on tourists’ experiences.     

’92中国友好观光年的启示

1992年是中国旅游业发生卓著变化的一年。在各级党委和政府的领导和有关方面的支持下,通过旅游战线广大员工的奋发努力,成功地举办了观光年活动,推动旅游事业更加繁荣兴旺。1992年来华旅游入境总人数达3811.61万人,比上年增长14.3％,其中外国人达400.65万人,增长47.8％;全国有组织接待的海外旅游者达632.64万人,比上年增长28％;全国旅游外汇收入达     

Mental mapping and heritage visitors’ spatial perceptions

Visitors’ activities tend to be spatially oriented in destinations. Mental mapping is a useful method for revealing how visitors spatially perceive tourism destinations. However, studies of this kind are under-researched in the tourism field. Therefore, this study investigates the ways in which visitors spatially perceive the World Heritage Sites (WHSs) of Macau through the use of mental maps drawn by a sample of 400 respondents. Comparisons of the mental maps revealed that respondents possessed a relatively limited spatial knowledge of the WHSs, and this recognition varied according to the gender, place of origin, travel mode, type of trip, social interaction with local people and length of stay. While the real-life world of visitors was identified by the mental mapping approach, some suggestions for formulating strategies are provided.