Motivation Factors of Ecotourists in Ecolodge Accommodation: The Push and Pull Factors

Tourist motivations are important factors in understanding tourist behaviour in relation to destination choice; and motivation relates to the needs, goals and preference of the tourists. Extensive research work on tourist motivation factors has been documented in the tourism literature. However, there seems to be a lack of empirical study on the accommodation sector, in particular ecolodge accommodation. Attention to tourists' motivational factors in the ecolodge accommodation is essential for determining the tourists' choices or needs and tourist behaviour in terms of choosing ecolodge accommodation. Previous studies determine that tourist motivations are influenced by both push and pull forces; and these forces describe how an individual is pushed by motivating variables into making travel decisions and how they are pulled or attracted by destination attributes. This paper reports an exploratory qualitative study on ecotourists' motivation factors in the ecolodge accommodation by adopting pull and push motivation theory. In-depth interviews were conducted with 29 ecotourists who stayed in the two ecolodges in Sukau. The findings reveal that ecotourists are primarily attracted by the destination attributes (natural attractions, wildlife, local lifestyle and eco-activities) where ecolodges are located, which we term pull factors. At the same time, they are also pushed by their social–psychological desire to escape from their routine of normal life (push factors) by visiting ecolodges. This suggests that there are two different motivational forces among the ecotourists; and that ecotourists' motivational factors can be explained by employing “seeking” and “escaping” as motivational dimensions of leisure behaviour (Ross & Iso-Ahola, 1991 Ross, E. L. D. and Iso-Ahola, S. E. 1991. Sightseeing tourists' motivation and satisfaction. Annals of Tourism Research, 18(2): 226–237. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], Annals of Tourism Research, 18(2) 226–237). The findings seem to inform that ecotourists' choices to stay in the ecolodges in Sukau are strongly influenced by the destination attributes or attractions around the ecolodges and not ecolodge accommodation attributes. The identification of motivational factors in this study provides a clearer account of what actually attracts the ecotourists to stay at ecolodges. It suggests that the marketing strategies for ecolodges should focus more on the destination attractions around the ecolodge accommodation. The ecolodge operators should position their ecolodges based on the unique destination attributes – wildlife and pristine environment – rather than the ecolodge attributes. Similarly, it is important for the ecolodge operators to conserve and protect their surrounding natural resources since these are the main motivational factors for tourists to patronize their ecolodges.     

葛兰西的文化领导权理论及其对思想政治教育的启示

葛兰西的文化领导权理论认为知识分子是夺取文化领导权的主体,争取市民社会的同意是文化领导权的基础,无产阶级应通过阵地战来夺取领导权,这启示我们在思想政治教育中要加强马克思主义的一元主导性,建设一支有机的思想政治教育队伍,同时积极占领网络等新思想政治教育阵地。     

"罂粟包装"健康安全的隐形杀手

近年来,重大食品安全事故屡见报端:大米追求外观效果用矿物油抛光,面粉中放入有害健康的添加剂,水果使用膨大剂催熟,蔬菜里农药含量严重超标……“苏丹红”事件虽然拉响了我国食品安全的“红色警报”,但在“没完没了”的“十面埋伏”里,又冒出了精美包装袋暗藏“隐形杀手”的事端。“民以食为天”,老百姓对“进口”的东西丧失了起码的安全感,人们突然感到,即便是再优质的名牌产品,吃起来也不一定保险了。究其原因,其中“罂粟包装”惹的祸,难辞其咎,罪责难逃!人们不禁要问:为什么美丽的包装也会成为健康安全的“隐形杀手”?     

对我国国民税权问题的思考

我国目前存在的居民消费和民间投资不足等问题,与税权配置的不均衡不无关系。本文先从市场经济环境及委托—代理理论角度提出国民税权问题,再从效用论等角度探求国民税权配置的经济学标准,最后从国民整体税权和国民个体税权两方面探索完善我国国民税权配置的实现机制。财政是市场与政府妥协的产物,税收制度是解决市场主体与政府之间财产关系的制度。明确国民税权,探讨税权在国民和政府两主体间的均衡配置,将有助于当前的税制改革。     

论发展生产性服务企业的急迫性和思路

大力发展生产性服务企业，是我国“十一五”期间产业结构调整的重点，是我们走向服务经济时代的契机。实践证明，服务在产品中的价值开始超过物质生产，这大大降低了总成本，增加了社会财富。发展生产性服务企业是当今形势所需。陈旧的传统观念和对工业化的狭隘理解，是我国生产性服务企业发展落后的主要原因。因此，要摆正生产性服务企业在社会生产过程中的位置，改善管理体制，完善服务业运行机制，才能使其得到快速发展。     

中国管理咨询公司发展现状与战略构想

本文对管理咨询进行了界定,并通过调查研究结果深入分析了中国管理咨询公司的现状,最后,在调查分析的基础上提出了我国管理咨询公司未来发展的战略构想。     

Forecasting Value-at-Risk using high frequency data: The realized range model

Current studies on financial market risk measures usually use daily returns based on GARCH type models. This paper models realized range using intraday high frequency data based on CARR framework and apply it to VaR forecasting. Kupiec LR test and dynamic quantile test are used to compare the performance of VaR forecasting of realized range model with another intraday realized volatility model and daily GARCH type models. Empirical results of Chinese Stock Indices show that realized range model performs the same with realized volatility model, which performs much better than daily models.     

论数字图书馆时代图书馆员的素质培养

文章论述了数字图书馆时代对图书馆员的素质要求,以及培养和提高其素质过程中应该注意的几个问题。     

关注经济快速增长下的隐忧

中国当前的经济增长具有坚实基础,未来几年仍将继续保持高速增长的势头。但在经济繁荣的背后,更应关注存在的问题与风险。目前经济运行中存在资产价格大幅度波动和通货膨胀较快发展两大隐忧,其主要原因是经济中的结构性失衡问题。如果结构失衡不消除,未来的经济增长就会受到很大威胁。因此,在当前宏观政策的选择上,应该采取长短结合,标本兼治的办法,既解近忧,也消远虑。     

企业安全文化的对策研究

企业安全文化是企业员工安全价值观、思维方式和行为规范的总和.企业安全文化可划分为四个层次,即环境文化、物质文化、行为文化和意识文化,四个层次互相联系,相互作用.企业安全文化建设应遵循以下原则:安全第一,预防为主;实事求是,注重实效;全员参与,通力协作.企业还应采取措施完善企业安全文化系统运行的循环机制和保障机制.