Whither the Twain Shall Meet

Susan Strange, States and Markets: an Introduction to International Political Economy (London: Pinter, 1988) 263 pp., hardcover £22.00, paperback £8.95.     

A method for reducing information asymmetry in destination–airline relationships

We propose a measure of business risk in air travel demand at the route level that can reduce information asymmetry during route development negotiations between tourism destinations and airlines. Aviation-exposed risk (AER) conveys information about the level of uncertainty with regard to air travel demand from an airline’s perspective. Using AER, tourism destinations and air service development teams can evaluate their risks from the perspective of the airline and its network. From there, an assessment can be made as to the value of air services in certain circumstances, including whether a direct underwrite or risk share between airlines and destinations is viable and necessary. By applying a portfolio analysis to an airline’s network, we find evidence that AER does indeed mimic the actual capacity distribution of the network. This provides support for AER as a useful risk measure to be used in practice.     

Analysis of congress destinations' competitiveness using importance performance competitor analysis

To be competitive and successful in congress tourism, destinations must learn which congress tourism-related attributes are important and how they perform against their main competitors. This study identifies the importance and performance of destination attributes in Antalya, Turkey, and compares the position of these attributes to those of its main rival in congress tourism, ?stanbul. Importance performance competitor analysis results show that, according to domestic participants, Antalya has to focus on “sight-seeing and cultural attractions” and “outside entertainment.” For international participants, “climate,” “choice of meeting and housing properties,” and “suitability of conference facilities” exhibit higher performance in Antalya than ?stanbul.     

Blue Flag or Red Herring: Do beach awards encourage the public to visit beaches?

Surveys of beach visitor motivation in Ireland, Wales, Turkey and the USA indicate that beach awards play an insignificant role in motivation to visit beaches. However, a number of criteria closely identified with awards, notably cleanliness and water quality, are revealed to be very important. Aesthetic and emotional factors such as scenic setting and general ambience, and practical concerns such as proximity and range of activities available are much more important than beach awards in attracting visitors to beaches. The merits of beach awards are critically reviewed and it is concluded that any benefits that might accrue are in areas other than attracting visitors.     

Shoppers' Reactions to Supermarket Price Scanning and Shopper Price Marking

Supermarkets are starting to adopt price scanning checkouts. Other supermarkets, both scanner equipped and non-scanner equipped, are removing individual item prices. Although much has been written, especially in the retail trade press, about the advantages to retailers of scanner check-outs little attention has been paid to shopper reactions. This study sought to determine the attitudes and behavior of shoppers at scanner equiped supermarkets. Some user reactions to self-price marking of purchases was also determined.     

Alternatives for Increasing Media Choice in Concentrated Markets

The nature of market concentration in the mass media industries and its implications for diversity of consumer choice are examined. Criteria for evaluating policy alternatives that might increase consumer choice are developed. The policy alternatives evaluated using these criteria are: breaking up large media corporations; growth of cable television; government assistance in financing alternative media; an excise tax on media “excess profits” for alternative media; regulating to ensure greater content diversity; de-regulation; de-regulation with community control; and, increasing diversity through media labor union contracts.