Tourism Management

Reflexivity and Tourism Research: Telling An (Other) Story

by William Feighery

Tourism studies scholars have, for the most part, sidestepped the issue of subjectivity in their research practice and... more Tourism studies scholars have, for the most part, sidestepped the issue of subjectivity in their research practice and in its reporting. Yet, in the broader social sciences, there is a burgeoning interest in matters of reflexivity which has grown out of a critique of the detached and distant writings which were the result of what has been termed a 'disembodied intellect'. Reflexivity can be regarded as the act of making oneself the object of one's own observation, in an attempt to bring to the fore the assumptions embedded in our perspectives and descriptions of the world. Reflexive approaches to research, and to its reporting, have, through a variety of strategies emphasised the subject-centred nature of all human knowing. For example, some scholars have embraced 'confessional writing' in attempts to produce embodied texts. However, such approaches have been questioned for seeking to produce realist or 'truer' texts - the very goal reflexive practitioners have supposedly abandoned. Thus, while reflexive approaches to research facilitate subject-centred critiques which may be well suited to the kinds of human-human encounters which are often a feature of tourism research, these are also likely to result in a loss of control of knowledge production as a result of the 'reflective turn'.

Security Measures on the International Tourism

by Dr. Jesús Ezequiel Martínez Marín

Chapter of Book, published on the "Visions for Global Tourism Industry - Creating and Sustaining Competitive Strategies",  ISBN: 978-953-51-0520-6 , By | InTechOpen; Indexed by: EBSCO A-TO-Z , BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search , Engine, SCIRUS, OCLC WorldCat, Google Scholar

One of the most important elements of the tourism industry are the cruises. All the vessels and specially the... more One of the most important elements of the tourism industry are the cruises. All the vessels and specially the passenger ships are considered vulnerable to the incidents came from the intentionality of the humans. As of September 11- 2001, important changes have come about in security matters, especially for the Western Hemisphere. Ports and vessels, given their
vulnerability due to internationalization they represent, are the target for all kinds of terrorist attacks.
For years now the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has been establishing measures to prevent act of vandalism, such as piracy and attacks on vessels by insurgents in conflict zones.
However, to consider a port a high-risk location which could be used to perpetrate an attack on society or the port itself is a concept that has gained strength since 9/11.

FACTORS INFLUENCING ARAB HOLIDAY MAKERS TO CHOOSE MALAYSIA AS THEIR CHOICE DESTINATION

by Rohaizat Baharun

Antecedents to forest owner innovativeness: An investigation of the non-timber forest products and services sector

by Erlend Nybakk

Published in Forest Ecology and Management (2009) Volume: 257, Issue: 2, Pages: 608-618

Increased urbanization in many societies is having a negative impact on vitality of rural areas. To maintain the... more Increased urbanization in many societies is having a negative impact on vitality of rural areas. To maintain the vitality of these areas governments have employed a variety of policies, some of which are designed to facilitate innovation and enhance landowner innovativeness. However, little research has investigated the antecedents to landowner innovativeness and whether innovativeness positively impacts economic performance in this setting. The present study investigates these issues in the context of Norwegian forestland owners and their involvement in non-timber forest products and services (a form of ecosystem services). The authors present a conceptual model hypothesizing that social networking, entrepreneurial climate, and a learning orientation each have a direct, positive impact on landowner innovativeness and innovativeness has a direct, positive impact on economic performance. Property size is included as a moderating variable. Data were collected via a mail survey and a total of 683 useable responses were received reaching an adjusted response rate of 35%. Results show that social networking and a learning orientation positively impact innovativeness, but that entrepreneurial climate does not. Innovativeness was found to positively impact economic performance. The authors outline implications of the findings that may be used by policy makers, landowners and research.

Entrepreneurial attitude, innovation and performance among Norwegian nature-based tourism enterprises

by Erlend Nybakk

Published in Forest Policy and Economics (2008) Volume: 10, Issue: 7, Pages: 473-479

Entrepreneurship and innovativeness have seen considerable attention in the literature. However, little research has... more Entrepreneurship and innovativeness have seen considerable attention in the literature. However, little research has focused on micro-scaled enterprises, especially in the context of nature-based tourism. This work investigates how entrepreneurial attitude influences innovativeness and performance in Norwegian nature-based tourism enterprises. Data collection consisted of an e-mail survey and resulted in 178 usable responses. Respondents that exhibit a stronger entrepreneurial attitude appear more likely to change the way they organize their enterprise and tend to have higher income growth. Results point to potential policy actions that could positively impact rural development as well as individual firm actions that may enhance performance.

Networking, innovation, and performance in Norwegian nature-based tourism

by Erlend Nybakk

Nybakk, E., Vennesland, B., Hansen, E. & Lunnan, A. 2008. Networking, innovation, and performance in Norwegian nature-based tourism. Journal of Forest Products Business Research 5(4): 26 pp.

Rural communities in Norway have been under great economic stress in recent years. There has been an increasing debate... more Rural communities in Norway have been under great economic stress in recent years. There has been an increasing debate about how to utilize the large potential in a growing tourism industry to promote rural employment and income. This study is based on the institutional view of innovation with a focus on institutions that are important for stimulating innovations. The objectives are: 1) to determine if networking is positively related to innovativeness and if innovativeness is positively related to performance in the nature-based tourism industry in Norway and 2) to develop an in-depth understanding of how different actors trigger a member of the industry to change, create, or otherwise innovate. An email survey was conducted of companies across the country followed by a qualitative study in one Norwegian municipality. Results indicate that there is a positive connection between networking and innovativeness, and between innovativeness and performance. A qualitative case example illustrates the interaction among actors and the resulting impacts on the innovation process.

Managing Tourist Space in Pueblo Villages of the American Southwest

by Alan A. Lew

Prepublication version. Published in In Singh, Tej Vir, ed., Tourism Development in Critical Environments, pp. 120-36. Elmsford, NY: Cognizant Communications Corporation.

Keywords: Tourism, Pueblo Indians, Acculturation, Village Design, Tourist Behavior, Environmental Management
more Keywords: Tourism, Pueblo Indians, Acculturation, Village Design, Tourist Behavior, Environmental Management

First paragraph:

Acculturation is defined as the process of culture change that occurs when a society with superior technological sophistication comes into contact with one of inferior technological sophistication.  The latter is most likely to become an acculturated society, experiencing dramatic shifts in social structure and world view.  The North American experience has largely been one in which American Indians have experienced pressure to change under the expanding influence of European settlers (Bodine 1972).  Societies can react in a variety of ways under pressure of this kind (Lew 1989).  In general, these reactions can be classified into two types: innovation diffusion, and cultural adaptation.

Where the World Meets: Regionalism and Globalization in Singapore’s Convention Industry

by Alan A. Lew

Published with T.C. Chang (1999) in Journal of Convention and Exhibition Management 1(4):17-36. (pre-publication version)

Singapores meetings, incentive, convention and exhibition industry (M.I.C.E.) attracts over 4,000 events and over... more Singapores meetings, incentive, convention and exhibition industry (M.I.C.E.) attracts over 4,000 events and over 400,000 foreign participants every year. Since 1982, Singapore has been the top convention destination in Asia and today ranks among the top ten in the world. An assessment of Singapore MICE attractiveness shows that while the country has many strengths, particularly infrastructure and management, it has a number of weaknesses, as well, including limited entertainment and cultural attractions. Further analysis shows that much of Singapores success has been based on regional meetings, rather than truly global events. As regional competition heats up, Singapore will need to better develop the global market. To do this Singapore is attempting to leverage its well developed transportation, hospitality and human resources, along with its role as a
regional and global economic center. Keywords: Singapore, MICE attractions, Market positioning

Public Trust in Tourism Institutions

by Robin Nunkoo

Annals of Tourism Research (Forthcoming)

Political trust is important for good governance.  However, there is a paucity of research on this topic in the... more Political trust is important for good governance.  However, there is a paucity of research on this topic in the tourism literature.  This paper tests a model of public trust in tourism institutions based on the institutional and cultural theories of political trust.  Results from the structural equation modeling analysis suggest that the perceived economic and political performance of institutions, residents’ power in tourism, and interpersonal trust are good determinants of political trust in tourism institutions.  A significant relationship is also noted between public trust and political support for tourism.  The theoretical and practical implications of the findings, the study’s limitations and some directions for future research are discussed.

Parc Naturel Régional des Préalpes d'Azur : Le potentiel du tourisme durable.

by David Ward-Perkins

November 2010. Study undertaken for the Syndicat Mixte du Parc Naturel Régional des Préalpes d'Azur.

Activités rurales et tourisme durable dans le haut Var

by David Ward-Perkins

February 2012. Study funded by the Fondation d'Entreprise du Crédit Agricole Provence Côte d'Azur.

Towards the Development of an Evaluation Questionnaire for Academic Conferences

by Clifford Lewis

Lewis, C & Kerr, G (2012), ‘Towards the Development of an Evaluation Questionnaire for Academic Conferences’, Event Management, 16(1), 11-23

Each year, academic conferences are held at destinations throughout the world. These conferences provide benefits to... more Each year, academic conferences are held at destinations throughout the world. These conferences provide benefits to the host destination's economy as well as to the conference participants. Involving travel and accommodation, academic conferences can be classified as business tourism. Academics often have a range of conferences from which to choose. The conference experience therefore may be important in the decision to reattend or recommend a conference to other potential attendees. While many conference organizers distribute a “conference evaluation sheet“ at the end of a conference, there is no evidence of a standardized questionnaire that evaluates the entire conference experience. The objective of this work is to make such a contribution by identifying the attributes that are deemed to be important to the academic conference attendee and assigning a measurement scale for each attribute. The attributes are identified by way of a review of the services and tourism literature, and through semistructured interviews with academics. In addition to evaluating the entire conference experience, the questionnaire can be used to make longitudinal comparisons of a conference, and comparisons between conferences.

Customer Satisfaction In the Hotel Industry: A Case Study From Sicily

by Gandolfo Dominici

Dominici G. Guzzo R. 2010.Customer Satisfaction In the Hotel Industry: A Case Study From Sicily. International Journal of Marketing Studies, Vol 2, No 2, pp-3-12

In order to be successful in the market it is not sufficient to attract new customers managers must concentrate on... more In order to be successful in the market it is not sufficient to attract new customers managers must concentrate on retaining existing customers implementing effective policies of customer satisfaction and loyalty. In hotel industry customer satisfaction is largely hooked upon quality of service. A management approach focused on customer satisfaction can improve customer loyalty, thus increasing the positive image of the touristic destination. Hence, exploring the importance for customers of hotel attributes in hotel selection is indispensable.
Research on the topic of guest satisfaction, which translates into the consideration of whether or not customers will return to a hotel or advise it to other tourists, is pivotal to the success of the hospitality business. Neglecting to pay attention to those hotel attributes considered most important by guests, may lead to negative evaluation of the hotel, thus restricting the chance of repeat patronage. We perform a qualitative analysis of a large hotel in Sicily (IT), the Sporting Club Hotel in the town Cefalù, using the Critical Incident Approach (Hayes, 2008).
Through the analysis of this case we evaluate the overall customer satisfaction level for the hotel and for each service supplied. We conclude discussing the result and proposing improvement in customer satisfaction
management of the hotel.

Matloka, J., Buhalis, D., 2010, Tourism Destination Marketing through User Personalised Content (UPC)

by Professor Dimitrios Buhalis

Matloka, J., Buhalis, D., 2010, Destination Marketing through User Personalised Content (UPC), in Gretzel, U., Law, R., Fuchs, M., (eds), ENTER 2010 Proceedings, Lugano, Springer-Verlag, Wien, ISBN: 9783211994061, pp.519-530.

Destination Marketing through User Personalised
Content (UPC)

Joanna Matloka and Dimitrios Buhalismore Destination Marketing through User Personalised
Content (UPC)

Joanna Matloka and Dimitrios Buhalis
Bournemouth University, England

Abstract
The emergence of Social Media has already started revolutionising the tourism industry. User Personalised Content (UPC) appears as a new Web 2.0 form of customised information access and streaming, based on content aggregators and widgets. This study explores emerging opportunities originating from the development of UPC tools for destination marketing and the need for its leveraging. It investigates the range and value of widgets and assesses the potential of UPC for marketing destinations. The findings demonstrate that there is a great opportunity to deliver customised information that addresses personal needs and preferences to travellers. They also imply that in order to advance destination marketing through UPC, destination database should be created and a more systematic and efficient technique of widget search, selection and download shall be developed. Joining these two innovations together allows
creation of an Open Global Destination Marketing System (OGDMS) which is suggested as solution to destination marketing challenges.

Keywords: widgets, user personalised content, destination marketing, information search

Social media as a destination marketing tool: its use by national tourism organisations, Current Issues in Tourism

by Professor Dimitrios Buhalis

Stephanie Hays, Stephen Page, Dimitrios Buhalis, 2012, Social media as a destination marketing tool: its use by national tourism organisations, Current Issues in Tourism, To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2012.662215

Social media as a destination marketing tool: its use by national tourism organisations, Current Issues in Tourismmore Social media as a destination marketing tool: its use by national tourism organisations, Current Issues in Tourism

Stephanie Hays, Stephen Page, Dimitrios Buhalis, 2012, Social media as a destination marketing tool: its use by national tourism organisations, Current Issues in Tourism, To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2012.662215

Social media are gaining prominence as an element of destination marketing organisation (DMO) marketing strategy at a time when public sector cuts in their funding are requiring them to seek greater value in the way marketing budgets are spent. Social media offers DMOs with a tool to reach a global audience with limited resources. The aim of this study is to explore the usage of social media among the DMOs of the top 10 most visited countries by international tourists. The study uses content analysis and semi-structured interviews to examine the usage and impact of social media marketing strategies and identifies a framework of best practice for other national tourism organizations (NTOs) to learn from. The study argues that social media usage among top DMOs is still largely experimental and that strategies vary significantly.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2012.662215

Social media as a destination marketing tool: its use by national tourism organisations, Current Issues in Tourism

by Professor Dimitrios Buhalis

Stephanie Hays, Stephen Page, Dimitrios Buhalis, 2012, Social media as a destination marketing tool: its use by national tourism organisations, Current Issues in Tourism, To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2012.662215

Social media are gaining prominence as an element of destination marketing organisation (DMO) marketing strategy at a... more Social media are gaining prominence as an element of destination marketing organisation (DMO) marketing strategy at a time when public sector cuts in their funding are requiring them to seek greater value in the way marketing budgets are spent. Social media offers DMOs with a tool to reach a global audience with limited resources. The aim of this study is to explore the usage of social media among the DMOs of the top 10 most visited countries by international tourists. The study uses content analysis and semi-structured interviews to examine the usage and impact of social media marketing strategies and identifies a framework of best practice for other national tourism organizations (NTOs) to learn from. The study argues that social media usage among top DMOs is still largely experimental and that strategies vary significantly.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2012.662215

The Concept of Competitiveness in the Area of Tourism Destinations

by Sadegh Rast

Preliminary geosite assessment model (gam) and its application on Fruška gora mountain, potential geotourism destination of Serbia

by Djordjije Vasiljevic

Loess towards (geo) tourism – proposed application on loess in Vojvodina region (north Serbia)

by Djordjije Vasiljevic

" Last out of the plane": Air travel for people with disabilities

by Simon Darcy