Tourism and Travel Commons^™

A Design Concept For A Tourism Recommender System For Regional Development, Leyla Gamidullaeva, Alexey Finogeev, Mikhail Kataev, Larisa Bulysheva

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite of tourism infrastructure and software, the development of tourism is hampered due to the lack of information support, which encapsulates various aspects of travel implementation. This paper highlights a demand for integrating various approaches and methods to develop a universal tourism information recommender system when building individual tourist routes. The study objective is proposing a concept of a universal information recommender system for building a personalized tourist route. The developed design concept for such a system involves a procedure for data collection and preparation for tourism product synthesis; a methodology for tourism product formation according to user preferences; the …

Host Perceptions Of Socio-Cultural Impacts Of Volunteer Tourism In Vietnamese Farm Communities, Tuan Nien Tran

Theses, Doctoral

Volunteer tourism has grown significantly, contributing enormous economic, environmental, and socio-cultural impacts to host communities over 20 years (Aquino & Andereck, 2018; Lee & Zhang, 2019; Olsen et al., 2021). There appears to be limited research on the impacts of volunteer tourism on host communities, especially the socio-cultural impacts. The academic literature lacks an agreed framework to understand the socio-cultural impacts (Zamani-Farahani & Musa, 2012). The aim of this study is to provide an in-depth understanding of the socio-cultural impacts of volunteer tourism in Vietnamese farms on the host communities. Drawing on the multiple forms of capital perspectives and theoretical …

Does Covid Have An Effect On Consumer Behavior Towards Vacation Rental Homes?, Whitney Wiley

Honors Theses and Capstones

While Covid has significantly impacted the tourism industry, this research study analyzes the effect of the pandemic on consumers’ behavior towards vacation rental homes. More specifically, it focuses on the three main stages of vacation rental: the choice, booking, and stay. A qualitative research approach was used along with primary data collection. Interviews with individuals in Gen Z were collected in a semi-structured format with open-ended questions. The findings reveal that consumers are now more likely to choose vacation rental homes over other accommodations due to the space and privacy that rental homes provide. As a result of Covid, individuals …

Steep But Not Deep: A Critical Review Of Climate Change Effects On Nh Ski Areas And Their Consumer Population, Stephanie Menard

Honors Theses and Capstones

Climate change presents a significant challenge to the global tourism industry, particularly for sectors reliant on natural resources, such as the New Hampshire ski industry. This thesis investigates how ski resorts across the state are addressing the effects of climate change and adjusting to evolving consumer behavior to strategically position themselves for the future. The study’s research questions are focused on understanding the current tactics being employed by ski resorts and how consumer choices may be affected by climate change effects on the industry. To explore these questions, informational interviews with four industry professionals and a consumer survey were conducted. …

Site, Sight, Swipe, Prada Marfa: A Case Study In Public Art, Cultural Tourism, And Image-Based Social Media Engagement, Ha'ani Joy Hogan

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Through a case study of Prada Marfa, a site-specific public art sculpture located in West Texas, this dissertation examines the connection of public art, cultural tourism, and image-based social media engagement. Little scholarship that combines all three areas of study exists. To fill this gap, this study incorporates five methods of research to determine how one public art sculpture's existence can contribute to its surrounding community by prompting economic activity and influencing the way that community is seen through a public lens. The five methods encompass a historical analysis of news articles about The City of Marfa and Prada …

Validation Of An Operationalized Model Of Iso-Ahola’S Theory Of Tourism Motivation: A Case In Point-To-Point Suborbital Space Travel, Brian T. Musselman, Scott R. Winter

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

The purpose of the study was to validate Snepenger, King, Marshall, and Uysal’s (2006) model of Iso-Ahola’s (1982) theory of tourism motivation for use in point-to-point suborbital space tourism research. No previous research was discovered, which assessed point-to-point suborbital space flight within the theoretical foundation of the theory of tourism motivation. Snepenger et al.’s (2006) model was assessed as published, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) failed to produce data fitting the four dimensions. The researchers modified the item descriptions based on research. Using a second sample, the modified model was assessed. EFA produced four factors with adequate convergent and discriminant …

Propaganda Of Car Ecotourism In Glacier National Park, Hanna Y. Mohammed

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper discusses the promotion of car ecotourism and its impact on Glacier National Park. Coinciding with the creation of the park's flagship Going-to-the-Sun Road from 1921 to 1932, both the state and the private sector presented the image of the newly commodified automobile as a vehicle to explore nature with. Historically, national parks have served the interests of the middle and upper classes, by suppressing marginalized communities, primarily through forced relocation in order to clear the lands for creation of the parks. The public's conception of the “wilderness” drastically changed during the time the car was commodified, as nature …

An Assessment Of "Long-Thin" Airline Routes: Network Structure And Emissions Implications For Environmental Policy, Porter Burns

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to define, map, and quantify the network and environmental implications of “long-thin” routes (LTRs) – a route structure that has been discussed in the aviation industry but not formally studied in literature. LTRs were defined through the use of global OAG scheduling data from 1998 to 2018 to identify trends in air traffic growth and network dynamics. Flights were separated into seven aircraft class sizes (e.g., 75–150 seats, 150–225 seats) to measure LTRs at multiple scales. Routes were considered “long” if the stage length was at or above the 75^th percentile in each …

An Empirical Examination Of The Antecedents Of Residents' Support For Of Future Film Tourism Development, Deborah Castro, Sangkyun Kim, Guy Assaker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aimed to develop and test a conceptual model of the antecedents of residents' attitudinal behavior to support future film tourism in a popular tourism destination. These antecedents include: socio-cultural impacts of existing tourism, place attachment, external perceived realism of media programs, and perceived importance of residents' involvement. A total of 416 survey questionnaires were completed from residents living in the province of Seville, Spain. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to examine the relationship between these factors and the residents' support for future film tourism (RSFFT). The results indicate that place attachment and perceived importance of …

U.S. Travelers’ Perceived Image Of Latin America As Their Future Travel Destination, Maricela I. Montes-Guerra, Natalia Zapata-Cuervo, Miyoung Jeong

Faculty Publications

This study identified U.S. travelers’ perceptions toward Latin America as their future place to visit, based on their perceived destination attributes, activities, and overall affective image. Selecting nine attractive destinations, this study aimed, first, to develop U.S. travelers’ perceptual mapping of countries by using destination image attributes and activities, second, to determine comparative strengths and weaknesses, and third, to propose destination marketing strategies that will derive U.S. travelers' attention to the country. Overall, Americans have favorable affective image toward the nine tourism destinations in Latin America. Costa Rica was respondents’ most preferred country to visit, followed by Peru and Brazil.

Accommodating (Global–Glocal) Paradoxes Across Event Planning, Michael Duignan, Milena M. Parent, David Mcgillivray

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The aim of this research note is threefold: 1) to introduce the concept of paradox and its numerous applications to the study and management challenges associated with the planning and delivery of events, with a specific look at large-scale events like the Olympics to provide an extreme case; 2) to present a new paradox entitled the "Global–Glocal Paradox" that interrogates how inherent global and local stakeholder interests and tensions are managed; and 3) to present a series of conceptual and practical ways events can "accommodate" as opposed to "resolve" this paradox to help balance stakeholder interests instead of pitting one …

What Makes Travelers Choose Japan Over Other Destinations: The Application Of Customer-Based Brand Equity Theory And Tourism Xenophilia, Midori Yamazaki

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Customer-based brand equity (CBBE) has been extensively applied to examine a variety of travelers' behavioral intentions and tourism destination choices. However, from the perspective of competition among destinations, the use of the overall destination brand equity (ODBE) dimension is still in its experimental stage. The objective of this research is to determine the impact of destination brand awareness (DBA), image (DBI), quality (DBQ), and value (DBV) on ODBE. Specifically, this study focuses on the case of Japan tourism from the view of American travelers. Moreover, this study aims to incorporate tourism xenophilia (TXI), which is an emerging concept in tourism …

An Examination Of The Saudi Arabian Citizens’ Perception On Leisure Tourism’S Impact On Culture In Saudi Arabia, Ihsan Bayaa

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to understand the perception of Saudi Arabian citizens on the impact of leisure tourism on culture in the country. Given that Saudi Arabia is the second most popular tourist destination in the Middle East, with more than 16 million visitors in 2017, and that the leisure tourism industry is rapidly expanding, it is important to examine the impact of this growing industry on the local culture.

This study is significant as it provides valuable insights into the perceptions of Saudi Arabian citizens on the impact of leisure tourism on their culture and ways it may shape their …

‘We And Our Stories’: Constructing Food Experiences In A Unesco Gastronomy City, Eerang Park, Kaewta Muangasame, Sangkyun Kim

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The experiential elements of food tourism can be transformed into meaningful experiences of local food heritage and identity in the context of a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. From a local stakeholder perspective, six key drivers at three phases of the food experience are identified, and each driver involves several local elements that are coordinated and staged in various modes to create and develop four sequential food experiences. The pre-travel stage should focus on enhancing potential tourist’s awareness of the UNESCO designation. The on-site food experience is found to be twofold: exposure to the local food environment and the actual …

Resilient Leadership In Hospitality And Tourism Enterprises: Conceptualization And Scale Development, Jiangchi Zhang, Chaowu Xie, Songshan (Sam) Huang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: This study aims to conceptualize the dimensions of resilient leadership and develop the resilient leadership scale (RLS) through three studies. Design/methodology/approach: In Study 1, based on interviews with 77 leaders and 8 junior employees, a seven-factor resilient leadership model was constructed. In Study 2, exploratory factor analysis (n = 237) was conducted to refine the initial items. In Study 3, confirmatory factor analysis (n = 610) was performed to validate the dimensional structure identified in Study 2, and different types of validity of the RLS were assessed. Findings: The validated RLS composed of seven dimensions: contingency planning, improvisation, adaptive …

Tourism And Final Wish Making: The Discourse Of Terminal Illness And Travel, Gregory Willson, A. J. Mcintosh, C. Cockburn-Wootten

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper identifies a new discourse about tourism, that of final wish making. The website communications of charitable foundations whose dedicated purpose is to grant final wishes for adults with a terminal illness and their families were examined using critical discourse analysis. Specifically, the aim of this study was to understand how these charitable organisations construct, communicate and mediate meanings around terminal illness and travel for these individuals. Our study found that, promoted as a final wish in one’s life, tourism is framed as a transformational concept that is beneficial in the imminent time before death, as a legacy for …

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome And Pet Tourism, Jun Wen, Fangli Hu, Joshua Aston

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Highlights:

• Introduces canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome into the tourism literature

• Describes the nexus between canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome and pet tourism

• Highlights travel-related benefits for aging pets

• Discusses the need to consider travel a non-pharmacological intervention for pets

• Presents an interdisciplinary discussion to develop this niche market

Gen Z And The Flight Shame Movement: Examining The Intersection Of Emotions, Biospheric Values, And Environmental Travel Behaviour In An Eastern Society, Ante Mandić, Sandeep K. Walia, S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Using the norm activation model (NAM), our research delves into the impact of environmental concerns, and environmental self-assets on environmentally responsible travel behaviour (ENVRB), and the role of affective constructs (love for nature [LNA], respect for nature and flight shame) on travelling behaviour among Generation Z in India. Through a prediction-oriented and exploratory approach using partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), our study reveals strong effects of environmental concerns and self-assets on responsible travel behaviour, and the mediating role of LNA in these relationships; the mediating role of respect for nature was insignificant. Furthermore, flight shame emerges as a strong …

Perceived Destination Image Cohesion: A Comparison Study Of Attractions On The Grand Canal, China, Shan Jiang, Noel Scott, Li Tao, Shiqi Xiong, Yuan Qin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The Grand Canal is located in the north-eastern and central-eastern plains of China, running from Beijing in the north to Zhejiang province in the south, and is the longest canal in the world (1800 km) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From a tourism perspective, the Grand Canal can be considered as a linear heritage attraction linking many individual heritage sites. This research was conducted with a mixed qualitative–quantitative method in the 2021–2022 period. First, in-depth interviews with an unstructured methodology of image measurements were conducted to determine attributes of the perceived destination image (PDI) of the Grand Canal as …

Solidarity Tourism: A Pathway To Revitalising The Health Of Vulnerable War-Affected Populations?, Jun Wen, Fangli Hu, Danni Zheng, Ian Phau, Metin Kozak, Haifeng Hou, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The struggles of war are felt by all who occupy an affected region (and beyond), irrespective of whether they are in active combat. This experience has physical effects (e.g. injury, illness, malnutrition, disability, sexual violence, and/or death) and emotional impacts (e.g. posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety) [1-3]. The terror associated with war disrupts lives and relationships, leaving individuals, families, and communities distressed. Due to such immediate and long-term adverse outcomes, war represents a highly destructive and enduring public health emergency [4]. . . .