The long and winding roads: Perceived quality of scenic tourism routes

This study aims to understand self-drive tourists’ satisfaction with and loyalty toward scenic roads. Building on previous studies in the context of tourism destinations, satisfaction is hypothesised to be influenced by leisure and holiday motorists’ motivation for driving the routes and the provision of roadside facilities. In turn, satisfaction is assumed to increase motorists’ loyalty toward the route. The study comprises data from two scenic roads in Norway that differ with respect to landscapes formations, settlements, experiences along the routes, and travel distance. Data are analysed using structural equation modelling. Results show that roadside facilities play a crucial role in achieving overall satisfaction and loyalty among motor tourists, and that route managers should improve the quality of these and related infrastructure facilities and services. Moreover, the study indicates that it is important to take into consideration the motorists’ desire to experience attractive sceneries in order to increase overall route satisfaction. Finally, satisfaction is demonstrated to significantly increase route loyalty, although this relationship appears weaker than in conventional destination studies.     

Independent tourist's automobilities in Norway

This paper critically examines the methods of transportation used by independent tourists and how importantly they value mobility throughout their journeys. While independent tourists are frequently identified as being adventurous and highly mobile, relatively few researchers have critically examined the modes of transport they use or the importance they play in enhancing and fulfilling their desired experiences. Indeed, most literature portrays independent tourists as habitual users of public transport as opposed to modes of personal transport. In this paper, the notion of automobility – a combination of autonomous and self-directed movement – is explored from the perspective of independent tourists in Norway. A multi-method qualitative study was undertaken which analysed the views of 38 independent tourists at eight different locations. The findings revealed that personal modes of transport were intrinsic features of the journeys undertaken and that they offered alternative sensory experiences in contrast to public transport. Moreover, for many independent tourists, autonomous journeys were considerably more important than the destinations they visited. Thus, for many independent tourists in Norway, demands for control, flexibility and adventure could only be satisfied by using particular modes of transport.     

The Importance of Cultural Distance in the Perception of Evaluation of Service Quality

ABSTRACT

The paper deals with determinants in the cross-cultural setting of service encounters in tourism. The first part of the paper describes the theoretically expected influence of culture (cultural values) on the perception of expected and received service qualities. Based on a review of the literature cultural values are hypothesized to intervene in the formation of expectations and the perception of received service quality (satisfaction) across specific service quality related choice and/or decision and evaluation processes. Cases in point are particular dimensions of service quality encountered in tourism destinations, events and accommodation settings. The second part of the paper explores the usefulness and also the limitations of alternate cultural constructs found in the literature and used in the analysis of tourist's service quality judgements. Finally in part three the cultural distance is suggested as a useful potential proxy for the influence of cultural values in tourism applications and is discussed alongside other cultural constructs traditionally employed in tourism analyses.     

大陆游客赴台旅游影响的台湾居民感知差异分析

大陆居民赴台旅游对台湾各方面都产生一定的影响。利用因子分析、相关性分析等方法,研究台湾居民对开放大陆居民赴台旅游影响的感知,及感知在不同人口统计要素中的差异。结果表明,大陆游客赴台旅游的居民感知的五个维度在不同人口统计要素的人群中存在一定的差异。其中女性、41岁以上年龄段、高中职教育水平的人群是大陆游客赴台旅游影响感知的高敏感人群。而男性、40岁以下年龄段、硕士及以上人群是大陆游客赴台旅游影响感知的低敏感人群。     

Wine Tourism as an Opportunity for Tourism Development: Examples of Good Practice in Slovenia

The authors discuss wine tourism activities in the context of general tourism development in Slovenia. The country’s winegrowing areas have developed traditionally important viticulture, a relatively intensive production of typical grape varieties and in some cases also a distinct entrepreneurial spirit, which consequently reflects in tourism and regional development, based on diverse cultural heritage and natural values. Three Slovene wine regions are divided into nine wine districts with their own identities and more or less distinct terroirs. Despite a several centuries’ long tradition and a rich wine culture, it is evident that in national tourism strategies and development plans, wine tourism still does not occupy the position that it probably deserves, although most of the documents stress its potential for local or regional development. On the other hand, the authors recognize a significant interest among winemakers and tourism professionals for strategic cooperation and systematic approach to develop wine tourism in the selected destinations. The authors therefore focus on some paradoxes and emphasize examples of good practice at the national, regional, and local levels.     

Consumer Self-Confidence in Wine Consumers: The Role of Knowledge-Based Factors

This study uses the Wine Self-Confidence Scale (WSCS) with a sample of 297 customers of ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, a Florida-based retailer, to examine aspects of self-confidence in wine purchasing. The results indicate that two knowledge-based self-confidence factors (information knowledge and persuasion knowledge) were predominant for these consumers. The study showed strong support for the WSCS, which was developed as a measure of self-confidence in wine buying by Olsen, Thompson, and Clarke (2003) and how these relate to reliance on personal experience.     

荔枝系列产品深加工技术

介绍了糖水荔枝罐头、荔枝汁、荔枝酒、速冻荔枝等产品的加工技术。     

国内游客饮食消费动机满足感及其满意度研究——以南京市为例

本文以南京市为例,运用调查法与统计分析法,探讨了国内游客饮食满意度与饮食消费动机满足感及其在人口学特征和出游方式方面的差异性,并进一步分析了国内游客饮食满意度与消费动机满足感之间的相关关系及结构关系。结果显示,南京市国内游客饮食消费动机满足感及其满意度的评价水平普遍不高,在人口学特征及出游方式方面的差异性不尽相同,国内游客饮食总体满意度与饮食消费动机满足感之间存在着显著的正相关关系,其中,国内游客饮食消费动机满足感对饮食总体满意度的影响程度最大的为求新求异满足感,其次是充饥满足感,再次是文化体验满足感,最小的为营养健康满足感。     

Senior Travelers and Airport Shopping: Deepening Repurchase Decision-making Theory

Despite the importance of the seniors market, little is known about international senior tourists' post-purchasing behaviors in the airport-shopping industry. The aims of this study were to attain a better comprehension of these customers' repurchase decision formation by employing a Theory of Repurchase Decision-making (TRD) and identify differences in the proposed theoretical framework between senior and non-senior travelers. A field survey was conducted to collect data at international airports. Results of a structural model showed that the TRD has an excellent ability to predict seniors' repurchase intentions; some variables in the model were found to have a significant mediating impact. Additionally, satisfaction was determined to play a prominent role in these decisions. Finally, findings from the test for metric invariance revealed that the proposed theoretical framework significantly differed across senior and non-senior tourist groups, verifying the moderating impact of age. Implications for both researchers and practitioners are discussed.     

Profiling Japanese Tourists Visiting Night Markets in Taiwan

Abstract

Night markets have become the most popular tourism attraction for international tourists in Taiwan since 2003. They offer tourists a chance to experience new things and visit different environments when visiting the island. Japan has long been the leading generator of international tourism for Taiwan in terms of numbers and expenditures. Thus, the objective of this research is to profile Japanese tourists based on their novelty-seeking motives in visiting night markets. The 320 Japanese tourists are segmented into three groups: conservative tourists, moderate novelty-seekers and well-planned explorers. Based on the results, implications and recommendations are provided to the tourism authorities, and future research possibilities are also noted.