Tourism and Travel Commons^™

Unveiling The Impact: Religious Destination Image And Its Role In Shaping Sustainable Tourist Behaviors, Sabari Shankar Ravichandran Dr

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Historically pivotal for local economies, religious tourism and pilgrimage tackles contemporary challenges such as overconsumption, climate change, and evolving tourist motivations, necessitating a focused commitment to sustainability. This study, utilising a sample size of 153 visitors to a religious site and Structural Equation Modelling, examines the influential role of religious destination image in shaping tourists’ sustainable behaviours. Significant correlations emerge between attributes of religious destination image—sacred site, spiritual attraction, and more—and sustainable tourist behaviours. Key findings encompass green transport use, regenerative behaviour, responsible cues, and waste consciousness as the most evident sustainable behaviours. Beyond academic realms, the research informs destination …

Bibliometric Analysis Of Tour Guide Performance: Trends, Influential Publications, And Emerging Research Themes, Aybuke Ozsoy, Nese Yilmaz

Journal of Global Business Insights

The quality of tours is significantly influenced by tour guides’ communication skills, regional knowledge, and storytelling abilities. Guide effectiveness depends on factors such as training, skill development, and professionalism in guest care. Given their pivotal role in shaping tour quality and experiences, the literature consistently highlights these effects. The present study aims to make a comprehensive contribution to the existing knowledge in the field by analyzing the academic literature on the performance of tour guides using bibliometric methods. Analysis reveals that the most cited publications on tour guide performance are found in tourism and management journals, such as Tourism Management. …

Discovering Sri Lanka: Examining The Marketing Strategies Behind Successful Tourist Destinations, Victoria Powell

University Honors Theses

Building on the observation that Sri Lanka is emerging as a tourist destination, this thesis compares the national destination marketing campaigns of Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka to identify how their strengths have contributed to their success. Using a comparative analysis, the research examines each destination’s brand positioning, distribution channels, campaign messaging, visual identity, and brand consistency. A deeper analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) is conducted on Sri Lanka's destination marketing campaign to present the study's findings and communicate recommendations. Ultimately, the analysis is used to recommend strategies for Sri Lanka's destination marketing efforts to …

Ontology, Epistemology And Axiology In Halal Research: Empirical Evidence From Hajj Pilgrimage, Mohammad Mominul Islam

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The philosophical contributions of ontology, axiology, and epistemology have not provided a clear understanding of conventional or Halal tourism, including the Hajj pilgrimage. Against this background, this study aims to explore the Halal perspective of knowledge creation, including At-Tawhid, Ijtihad, and philosophies, through a qualitative and grounded theory approach with inductive reasoning and ethnographic approach. The author collected primary data through active observation of the Hajj rituals from June 16th to July 25th, 2022, in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and popular blog posts about the travel experience of pilgrims. Then, the data were analysed using ATLAS.ti to result …

Creative Brief For North Shores Resort & Marina, Shelby B. King

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

In today’s experience-driven travel market, destinations that offer authenticity, affordability, and a sense of community stand out. North Shores Resort and Marina, located on the scenic northeast end of Lake Ouachita, has long been a hidden gem offering a strong sense of family and community, prolonged camper stays, and more economical pricing compared to nearby marinas. Despite consistently high occupancy rates for boat slips and campsites, North Shores has an opportunity to expand its visibility and grow its customer base through improved marketing strategies. As a former employee with direct insight into the day-to-day operations, I identified key areas where …

Exploring The Influence Of Social Media Communication On Destination Branding: A Study Of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Alshehri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Tourists now find social media important in forming their perceptions and decision criteria when traveling. This Research investigates the impact of destination marketing organizations -generated content and tourist-generated content on tourists' inspiration to visit Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the mediating role of destination image dimensions (cognitive, affective, and sensory) and the moderating role of cultural distance. Based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model, Hofstede Cultural Dimension Theory; the research analyzed a dataset of 237 responses using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that destination marketing organizations -generated content and tourist-generated content significantly enhance perceived advertising value, which in …

Exploring The Cosmos From Earth: Terrestrial Space Tourism Destinations, Hilmi A. Atadil, Helena F. Allman, Qiulin Lu, Alison J. Green

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Imagine exploring the wonders of space without leaving Earth. Terrestrial space tourism makes this possible. A place designed to offer travelers unique experiences inspired by space-related activities can be considered a terrestrial space tourism destination. This place can be a city like Merritt Island, a region like Space Coast of Florida or even, if marketed effectively, an entire country. Based on the principles of Social Exchange Theory, the purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to explore the underlying dimensions of the perceived image of a terrestrial space tourism destination, and (2) to evaluate the relationships of these dimensions with …

Exploring The Web And Language Accessibility Of Medical Tourism Providers’ Websites: Implications For Online Marketing And Patient Recruitment Practices, Alicia Mason, Elizabeth Spencer, Kristen Livingston, Treyton Meyers

Faculty Submissions

Background: Web accessibility as an attribute of the digital presence of organizations has been studied across domains and contexts. Our study aims to add to existing lines of research inquiry by examining the web and language accessibility of medical tourism provider (MTP) websites commonly used to market and promote international medical tourism treatments and services globally.

Objective: This study aims to (1) systematically analyze the web and language accessibility of MTP online health messages and (2) discuss challenges and implications for medical tourists’ user experiences when seeking health information online.

Method: We conducted an exploratory quantitative content analysis of web …

Introducing Sustainable Development Goals In College Curricula: A Way Forward, Christy Ashley, Jason D. Oliver, Hillary Leonard

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

The commentary proposes a blueprint to help guide curriculum innovations, partnerships, and teaching interventions that incorporate the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) into the curriculum. It suggests the utilization of AACSB’s Societal Impact Canvas with Ancona et al.’s (2007) Leadership Capabilities (Sensemaking, Relating, Visioning, Inventing) to provide a blueprint for mission-aligned SDG integration at a local level. It provides an illustrative example from the University of Rhode Island (USA), where the focus is on the Blue Economy. It aims to provide practical guidance for how a college or university can efficiently organize to gain stakeholder input that helps enhance …

Confronting Indecision, Lane Allison Murray

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

This course aims to increase students' understanding of indecision and how to confront it. The class provides insight into how the fear of the unknown holds people back from making decisions and about understanding one's values as a means to combat indecision. Students and teachers alike explore instances of indecision and evaluate their own impulses & thought processes by reflecting on the deeper reasons for their choices. Students will increase their comfort level of asking themselves and their peers questions about the values that guide them and, in doing so, strengthen their relationships with themselves and others.

From Virtual To Reality: The Influence Of Digital Engagement And Memorable Experiences On Tourist Revisit Intentions, Tz-Li Wang, Muhammad Azizurrohman

ASEAN Marketing Journal

Research Aims: This study investigates the role of Digital Engagement in mediating the relationship between Marketing Mix, Destination Image, and Revisit Intentions in the tourism industry. It also examines how Technology Adoption and Memorable Tourism Experiences moderate this relationship, providing a deeper understanding of the factors that enhance tourist loyalty in a digitally driven travel environment.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative research design using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to analyze survey data collected from international tourists who visited Taiwan. The study assessed the direct, indirect, and moderating effects of key tourism variables using reliability and validity tests, …

A Comparative Analysis Of Passenger Demand For Two Airport Hubs In The United States, Selcuk Ertekin, Fassil Fanta

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This paper studies the passenger demand for two airport hubs in the United States using econometric time-series modeling. By focusing on the traditional determinants of demand (national income and price), this paper compares the econometric dynamics of passenger demand for a large and a small airport hub. We found that there is a sustained relationship between income, price, and revenue passenger miles over time. We also found that a shock in GDP causes a disruption that has a lasting impact on passenger demand.

Understanding Global Street Food Consumer Behavior And Experience: A Narrative Review Of Literature And Development Of Framework, Samit Chakravorti

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This paper explores global street food consumer behavior and consumption experience. The aim of this paper is to gain a holistic comprehension of street food consumption decision making and experience through exploring nature and sources of perceptions, attitude and expectations surrounding street food, the characteristics of the product offering and the domain within which it is served and consumed. To achieve this aim the author engages in a narrative review of academic research on consumer behavior of street food, provides a holistic picture of consumption experience of street food through consolidating and interpreting research findings, and extends the theoretical understanding …

Enhancing Event Reputations: Insights And Recommendations For Secure And Engaging Experiences, Emma Carroll, Catriona Murphy Dr.

ICHRIE Research Reports

This research report presents evidence-based recommendations derived from focus group research to enhance the reputable value of events for practitioners in the industry. The study highlights the increasing pressure on event planners to prioritize attendee safety amidst external threats such as terrorism, pandemics, and ongoing conflicts. The findings emphasize the significant impact of these challenges on attendee behavior and perceptions, necessitating a balance between ensuring safety and delivering enjoyable event experiences. Key recommendations include the development of online reputation management protocols and the integration of semiotic analysis to align event messaging with audience expectations. These interventions seek to equip event …

Optimizing Wine Tourism Advertising: The Impact Of Destination Reputation And Advertising Language, Jungyun Hur, Soocheong (Shawn) Jang

Journal of Tourism Insights

Recognizing the increasing importance of wine tourism for local economies and the industry's need for competitive marketing strategies, this study investigates factors influencing travelers' intentions to visit wineries based on advertising. The findings indicate that winery advertisements featuring well-known destinations exert a positive halo effect, significantly enhancing travelers' visit intentions compared to those featuring lesser-known destinations. Additionally, the study reveals a matching effect between advertising language and destination reputation. Specifically, for lesser-known destinations, cognitive advertising language proves more effective in generating visit intentions than affective advertising language.

An Evaluation Of Female Tourists' Satisfaction In Agritourism Through Importance-Performance Analysis, Ruchika Singh, Nataraj B. Patted

Journal of Tourism Insights

The research paper explores agri-tourism, focusing on the satisfaction levels of female tourists visiting agri-tourism centres in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), India. Women constitute a substantial segment of the global tourism market and possess distinct preferences and expectations when engaging in travel experiences. However, despite their increasing prominence as key stakeholders in the tourism industry, their voices and perspectives often remain underrepresented in academic investigations. The study fills a critical gap in the existing literature by recognizing the significance of understanding and catering to the specific requirements of female tourists. The study uses Importance Performance (IP) Analysis to assess …

Tackling No-Shows In Fine Dining: Insights Into Cancellation Policies And Consumer Awareness Campaigns, Esther Kim, Jason Tang

Department of Hospitality and Tourism Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This research aims to identify how fine dining restaurants can effectively implement reservation cancellation policies to address the issue of no-shows by applying equity theory, the dual entitlement principle, and social cognitive theory. Two experiments identified cancellation policy elements that influence restaurant evaluations and reservation behaviors. Findings revealed that cancellation policies negatively influence restaurant evaluations, and that policy strictness and awareness can attenuate this relationship via perceived fairness while enhancing the likelihood to book reservations and honor reservations. This research suggests that restaurants can benefit from implementing lenient cancellation policies and introducing awareness of the adverse impact of no-shows to …

Enhancing Visitor Experience Through Marketing For The Mayflower Bocawina National Park, Samantha O'Flaherty

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis outlines a summer internship in Dangriga, Belize, where the author worked with Mayflower Bocawina National Park facilitated by Dr. Amy Farmer and Steve Darr. Dangriga faces challenges in the tourism industry due to competition from larger entities who have more resources and infrastructure. The author and their partner developed a marketing strategy for the park's new glamping experience and mountain bike trail, evolving into a comprehensive plan encompassing SEO, website management, and operational optimization. The project aimed to enhance the park's competitiveness, generate sustainable revenue, and support its growth and improvement initiatives.

Developing And Modernizing Small Businesses In Dangriga, Belize, Abby Teague

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis evaluates the effectiveness of the Small Business Development project located in Dangriga, Belize, and includes research on the challenges of entrepreneurship in developing countries. The project consisted of research and the implementation of marketing workshops to teach businesses how to manage their online and social media presence through the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) Dangriga. The impact of the project was significantly important because many Belizeans struggle to survive and succeed within their businesses. Belize contains multiple microenterprises that cannot meet their potential because of a lack of knowledge and communication. Overall, the project aims to give BTIA …

Juggling Expectations And Certification Standards: Journey Of A Norwegian Destination Towards Acquiring The Sustainable Destination Label, Per Strömberg, Ajay Kumar

GSTC Academic Symposium - In conjunction with the GSTC Global Conference

Juggling expectations and certification standards: Journey of a Norwegian destination towards acquiring the sustainable destination label.

Authors: Ajay Kumar & Per Strömberg, University of South-Eastern Norway

Short abstract: External third-party audits are crucial for ensuring the quality of sustainability in tourism, utilizing tools like certifications and accreditations. Certification is widely employed as a means of assessing quality in sustainable tourism practices, enhancing credibility and overall quality standards. In 2018, Innovation Norway's Sustainable Destination Standard achieved the esteemed status of being recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). This standard, consisting of 45 criteria and 108 indicators, undergoes thorough assessment, …

A Review Of River And Small Ship Cruising In The Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, And Eastern Canadian Markets, Mark Mitchell, Michael Dowd, Paul Clark

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Currently, there is a lack of cruise industry related articles in the tourism, business, and marketing literature. This manuscript provides an overview of river and small ship cruise activity in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada in three geographic clusters and waterways: (1) Mid-Atlantic Coast; (2) New England Coast and Canadian Maritimes; and (3) Eastern Canada & the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The existing cruise options in each market are identified. The operating characteristics of this region that aid and challenge cruise operators are then explored. Finally, the Product-Market Growth Matrix is used to present growth strategies available to …

An Exploratory Study On The Use Of Artificial Intelligence For Tourism Marketing In The Midwest, Callyn Anderson, Marisol Banda, Katie Hale

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Rural tourism plays a significant role in fostering economic development, preserving cultural heritage and promoting sustainable practices. It creates employment opportunities for local residents, both directly in the tourism sector and indirectly in supporting industries. Marketing tourism in rural communities requires a strategic approach that highlights the unique aspects of the area, promotes sustainable practices, and engages potential visitors. A strong understanding of marketing tools and techniques are critical in the usage of marketing ("); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; background-size: 5px; font-size: 18pt; font-family: "Book Antiqua", "Book Antiqua_EmbeddedFont", "Book Antiqua_MSFontService", "Book Antiqua_MSFontService", Calibri, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px; font-kerning: normal; line-height: 6px; …

Medical Tourism In The Post-Covid Era: Cultural Differences In Attitude Formation, Helena F. Allman, Anton P. Fenik, Hilmi A. Atadil

AMTP Proceedings 2024

Rising health care costs in the United States have been historically shown to increase the U.S. consumers’ interest in medical tourism. The number of uninsured people in the United States is still astronomically high compared to other advanced economies around the world. As a result, medical tourism was on the rise for decades prior to Covid. The pandemic introduced certain stressors and higher levels of risk associated with both the travel and medical treatment services. While the majority of the U.S. population now has some kind of Covid immunity, the long term mental effects of Covid stress in everyday decision …

Using Dark Triad Personality To Understand And Moderate Jay Customer Behavior In Hospitality, Scott M. Widmier, Prachi Gala, Iason Koufodontis

AMTP Proceedings 2024

Jay Customers are customers who act in a thoughtless or abusive way, causing problems for the firm, its employees, and other customers. Currently, the only way to identify Jay Customers is by their actions when it is already too late to prevent the negative consequences. This research tested and confirmed the use of Dark Triad personality (Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy) to identify individuals prone to Jay Customer behavior prior to its manifestation. Dark Triad personalities have distinctive characteristics that can be used to identify them along with a growing body of research on prescriptive actions to dissuade their disruptive behaviors. …

Consumer-Brand Heuristics In Luxury Hotel Reviews, Maria Petrescu, John Gironda, Kathleen Bay O'Leary

Publications

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate and structure the basic heuristics consumers use in evaluating word-of-mouth (WOM) about luxury hotel brands while analyzing the impact of deception in online consumer reviews.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used a two-study mixed-methods approach, using interpersonal deception theory and social proof theory as lenses to conduct our analysis. For the first study, a qualitative conceptual mapping analysis was conducted, examining online consumer reviews to identify key concepts and their relationships in the context of luxury hotel brands. In the second study, the themes were further examined using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to analyze their …

Effects Of Uncertainty Avoidance On Film-Motivated Tourists' Perceptions Of Destination Image, Place Attachment, And Intentions, Patrick Tyson, Wei Wang

AMTP Proceedings 2024

In an attempt to increase understanding of such film-motivated traveler bases, this study will apply self-congruence, film, and culture factors within a touristic background. This background, coming from a cross-cultural analysis between the Brazilian and Japanese episodes from the Netflix docuseries Street Food, will allow for exploration and analysis of the following research question: How does uncertainty avoidance affect the relationship between film-motivated tourists’ perceptions of destination image, place attachment, and travel intentions?

Study purposes include 1) examining mediation effects of place attachment in relationship between self-congruity theory and travel behavioral intentions and 2) evaluating moderation effects of film …

Service Robots Effect On Branding And Consumers' Intentions Through Online Reviews, Haeden Overby, Wei Wang Ph.D, Banu Elmadag Ph.D.

AMTP Proceedings 2024

With an increase in technology, a number of consumers are having new interactions with technology they experience when staying in hotels. A social media content analysis was conducted of Google Reviews of a number of hotels with service robots deployed. Hotels from the United States and Japan were analyzed. Reviews were scraped using online software and analyzed. The first round was a sentiment analysis to see the perceptions of online reviews containing information about the service robots. The majority of online reviews featuring robots were positive, with an overwhelmingly positive response from online reviewers in the U.S. After the sentiment …

Meaningful Work And Job Burnout Among Frontline Employees Of Classified Hotels In Nairobi City County, Kenya: Does Gender Identity Matter?, John Kahuthu Gitau, Rosemarie Ayuma Khayiya, Vincent Nyamari Maranga

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

This study investigates the impact of meaningful work on job burnout (JBO) among frontline employees in Nairobi City County. Data was collected from 309 employees in various hotel categories ranging from two- to five-star-rated hotels. The present study applied the conservation of resources (COR) theory to develop a framework. It found that positive meaning in work had inverse relationships with all aspects of JBO. The negative influence of meaning-making through work significantly affected emotional exhaustion (EE) but not depersonalization (DP) and reduced personal accomplishment (RPA). The study recommends that operators and managers of classified hotels recognize the importance of boosting …

Leveraging Chatgpt For Writing In Scholarly Publications-Guidelines And Recommendations For Hospitality And Tourism Researchers, Faizan Ali

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

In the ever-evolving landscape of global hospitality and tourism, the first issue of volume third of the Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism embarks on an intellectual journey to explore pressing matters at the intersection of travel, management, culture, and inclusivity. This issue, encompassing a rich array of research papers and viewpoints, delves into multifaceted themes that resonate with the multifarious dimensions of our industry.

The Impact Of Sharing Economy Platforms On Tourism: Opportunities, Challenges, And Future Directions, Mehmet Bahar

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

The sharing economy is a socio-economic phenomenon where surplus goods and services, aided by technology, are shared mutually among those in need and providers, coming together to exchange these goods and services. Economic crises, environmental issues, changes in social life, and technological advancements have led to the emergence of the sharing economy as an alternative model to existing goods and services. In this regard, the tourism sector has also been affected by this change, offering new travel and holiday alternatives, competitive advantages to stakeholders, the creation of new income sources, and the establishment of a more sustainable approach. Consequently, this …