Tourism and Travel Commons^™

Sacral Landscape And Its Influence On The Tourism Space Development In The Region (Based On The Example Of Western Pomerania Region Nw Poland), Tomasz Duda

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Formed through the centuries, cultural landscape of the region includes not only the material realm in the form of numerous historical buildings, monuments and other evidences of local society’s development, but also significant immaterial realm, which manifests itself in the form of spiritual heritage, faith, tradition, customs and language. Interesting, often unique in terms of religious and historical point of view, religious buildings, as well as traditional pilgrimage routes and local shrines are now undeniable qualities, shaping the touristic space of the region. The study of the tourism movement and a detailed valuation analysis of sacred objects showed that the …

A Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Weekend–Trips In Religious Tourism: Insights From Two Cultures, Two Countries (India And Italy), Kiran A. Shinde, Katia Rizello

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper explains peculiarities, significance, and universality of weekend-trips as significant form of religious tourism using a comparative analysis of this phenomenon in two pilgrimage sites from two different cultures (and countries), namely, Vrindavan in India and the Shrine of Santimissi Medici in Italy. The findings derived from a case-study approach and visitors’ survey method confirm that religious tourism falls under the more general category of leisure and that visitors who flock to these places on weekends do not coincide either with general models proposed in the extant literature, nor can they be assimilated to the conventional categories of pilgrims …

The Museumification Of Rumi’S Tomb: Deconstructing Sacred Space At The Mevlana Museum, Rose Aslan

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Tourists and pilgrims from across Turkey and around the world flock to the tomb of Jalal al-Din Rumi (d. 1273), one of the greatest poets and Sufi masters in Islam. Since 1925, the Turkish government has relentlessly struggled to control Islamic influences in society and to channel people’s devotion to the memory of Kemal Ataturk (d. 1938) and his secular ideology. This article argues that by restructuring the layout and presentation of the tomb complex of Rumi, and putting the sacred space through the process of museumification, the Turkish state has attempted to regulate the place in order to control …

Cover And Table Of Contents Vol 2(Ii)

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

The Return On Investment For Undergraduate Degrees In Hospitality And Tourism Management, Asli D. Tasci, Abraham Pizam, Robertico Croes, Po-Ju Chen

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Increasing concerns regarding the value of higher education in the USA have motivated several organizations to calculate the return on investment (ROI) for college education by employing diverse methodologies. This study evaluates these methodologies by using data from a survey of alumni of Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. The results reveal that the highly publicized low ROI for college education might be inaccurate, confusing and misleading for several reasons, among which is the assumption of zero income while studying, causing debt to be the total of a student’s expenses. Data reveal that Rosen College …

The Economic Review Of The Travel Industry In Montana: 2014 Biennial Edition, Kara Grau, Jake Jorgenson, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This review provides current and historical data of nonresident travel and tourism in Montana, and offers the industry's economic contributions to the state.

Searching For Lodging: An Analysis Of Selected Pismo Beach Hotels' Search Engine Marketing Practices, Christopher J. Kumata

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Search engines connect users to websites and became a distribution channel for many products. In the case of hotels, it is essential that the hotel’s website appears among the top results when potential customers search for lodging in a certain area. The purpose of this study was to examine search engine marketing best practices and performance among non-national hotels in Pismo Beach, California. The researcher performed popular keyword searches to evaluate performance and examine strategies of the top performing hotels. The analysis discovered that the top hotels shared website design characteristics, the majority of search engine optimization is performed by …

Nepali Corporate Culture Of Giving: Investigating Practices Of Corporate Social Responsibility, Taylor Knoop

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this research is to explore corporate Nepal’s definition of corporate social responsibility (CSR), how these definitions influence corporations’ activities and the motivation and rationale behind giving. Multiple factors are impacting the practice of CSR, such the historical influence, personality of industry sector, post-conflict recovery efforts, and trust and transparency in giving. However, corporations’ definition of CSR contradicts the type and level of activities they engage in. The rhetoric is often stronger than the action undertaken, although there is slight trend towards a more incorporated social responsible business model, particularly in the financial and tourism industries. The primary …

Preliminary 2014 Montana Nonresident Traveler Expenditures And Economic Contribution, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This report shows the 2014 preliminary economic contributions, expenditures, and average daily spending of nonresident visitors to Montana.

Factors Influencing The Perceived Impacts Of Medical Tourism Development On Quality Of Life, Courtney Suess

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A structural model is proposed and empirically examined that investigates factors influencing how residents perceive medical tourism's impact on quality of life domains and behavioral responses. A model based on social exchange is adapted as the basis of theory that medical tourism in a destination will affect community conditions and living experiences, which in turn influence residents' support for its development and tax paying behavioral intentions. Analyzed factors influencing how residents perceive medical tourism's affect on community conditions and living experiences underlying quality of life include overall community satisfaction, satisfaction with healthcare, attitudes towards medical tourism and economic performance.

Chinese Outbound Tourists Food Consumption In The U.S.: An Extension Of The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Kaiyang Wu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Although Chinese outbound tourists made enormous economic contribution to the U.S. restaurant industry, they seem to have the tendency to consume Chinese cuisine solely during their international trips. This study applies structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate different behavioral beliefs' impact on the intentions of Chinese outbound tourist unfamiliar ethnic food consumption in the U.S. Additionally, this research combines the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and food neophobia, a food-related personality trait to better explain Chinese outbound tourists' food rejection behavior in the U.S.

Results of this study showed safety concern, acceptance of table manners, perceived communication gap and food …

A Study Of Airbnb As A Potential Competitor Of The Hotel Industry, Quynh Nguyen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of the study is to examine Airbnb as a possible competitor of the hotel industry using Peteraf and Bergen’s broad-based competitor identification tool. Unlike existing empirical research on the subject, the study takes a qualitative approach to answer the research question. The results of the study assist hotel operators in determining the competitiveness of Airbnb and the need for a business response to the service.

The Influence Of National Culture On Tipping Behavior, Zina Abraham

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this professional paper is to explore the various factors that contribute to cultural differences in tipping behavior. This meta-analysis of the current research can be applied to understand the tipping habits of international tourists in Las Vegas, a relatively unexplored topic.

An Importance-Performance Analysis Of Multigenerational Preferences In Guestroom Technology, Sidian Lan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study focuses on generational preferences in terms of guestroom technology. The hospitality technology industry has indicated guestroom technology as their highest priority in terms of hospitality technology investment. Previous studies have investigated in-room technology amenities and ranked them in order of importance and performance. However, it is uncertain which guestroom specific technologies should they invest in when it comes to different generations. Each generation is fundamentally different from the others because each generation was born in different eras with different societal changes. These generations have different values, ideas, needs, and communication skills. Hoteliers are investing time and money into …

Creation Of A Professionalism Scale For Hospitality Students: An Exploratory Study, Tammie Kaufman, Peter Ricci

Rosen Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The hospitality industry is dependent on a professional staff to exceed guests’ expectations. Existing research has focused primarily on the various attributes necessary for success in the hospitality industry. The primary focus of this research was professionalism and hospitality students’ self-perception of their professional attributes. Data collected from a focus group of hospitality human resource managers were used to develop a professionalism scale. The scale produced five factors that explained 53.6% of the variance in the responses. Students were more likely to agree in their preparedness for the interview process, but less in agreement of their preparedness for workplace issues. …

Reflective Epilogue: Concerns In Tourism Safety, Peter Tarlow

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Terrorism On The Travel And Tourism Industry, David Mc. A Baker

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The impact of terrorism on the travel and tourism industry can be enormous. It can lead to unemployment, homelessness, deflation, and many other social and economic ills. The contribution of tourism for many countries is so great that any downturn in the industry is a cause of major concern for many governments. The repercussions are left in many other industries associated with tourism like airlines, hotels, restaurants and shops that cater to the tourists and allied services. Terrorism is an enigmatic and compelling phenomenon, and its relationship with tourism is complex and multifaceted. This paper aims to clarify this relationship …

Understanding Perceptions And Attitudes To Risk In The Tourism Industry, Anthony Clayton, Lourdes Cisneros Mustelier, Maximiliano E. Korstanje

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

An increasingly complex and rapidly-evolving array of risks presents one of the greatest challenges for decision-makers in all sectors, including the transport and tourism industry. The prospects of an international destination can be profoundly damaged in minutes as a result of a major outbreak of infectious disease, a natural disaster or a terrorist incident. It is therefore vital to understand the changing nature of risk and the ways that risks are perceived and understood, especially as people tend to respond to the perception of risks rather than actual risks, which means that their responses are not always rational and can …

Security Guards And Counter-Terrorism: Tourism And Gaps In Terrorism Prevention, Luke Howie

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Organisation operating in the tourism industry are high priority targets for terrorists. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks tourism destinations, hotels and modes of public transportation have regularly been targeted by terrorists seeking to convey their violent message. As such, leaders and managers in the tourism industry carefully plan their security and counter-terrorism responses, often involving the hiring of security guards. It is here that I believe a significant gap in counter-terrorism preparedness exists. I argue that protecting tourism destinations is only possible if consideration is given the effectiveness of security guards and understanding that their well-being will impact …

Lessons Learnt From The Westgate Shopping Mall Terrorist Attack In Nairobi, Kenya: Involving The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences And Exhibitions Sector In Crisis Communications, Ashley Schroeder, Lori Pennington-Gray, Kelly Bricker

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The terrorist attacks in Nairobi Kenya have been widely disseminated by the world media, thus, affecting the long-term interests of stakeholders. The tourism industry is made up of a vast number of these stakeholders, with the operating sector alone including the accommodation, tourism services, transportation, entertainment, food services, adventure and outdoor recreation, attractions, meetings, incentive, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE), and travel trade sectors. Within each operating sector, there is also a variety of different stakeholders in various segments and organisations. The purpose of this manuscript is to examine tourism crisis communications surrounding the Westgate Shopping Mall attacks in Kenya. The …