Tourism and Travel Commons^™

The Use Of Consumer-Generated Feedback In The Hotel Industry: Current Practices And Their Effects On Quality, Edwin Torres, Howard Adler, Carl Behnke, Li Miao, Xinran Lehto

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Consumer-generated feedback is hard to ignore these days. Word-of-mouth has expanded beyond a customer’s immediate friends and family; with the help of technology it reaches thousands of current and prospective guests. In light of this, scholars and practitioners are exploring the subject of consumer-generated feedback. Today, most of the research regarding this subject focuses on the use of consumer-generated feedback to make purchase decisions. In contrast, the present study explores the use of such information for the purposes of improving hotel operations. This article examines the amount of value placed on consumer-generated feedback, the relative importance placed on positive and …

The Five E'S In Festival Experience In The Context Of Gen Y: Evidence Form A Small Island Destination, Manuel Rivera, Kelly Semrad, Robertico Croes

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this study is threefold. First, to test the experience economy framework in the context of a small island destination (SID) in order to determine if a music festival may be used as an experiential product to lure a cohort replacement. Second, to examine a music festival's experiential domains that may influence the overall experience of Generation Y (Gen Y) tourists. And, third to determine if the overall experience of Gen Y tourists who attend a music festival may predict their behavioral intentions to return to and recommend a SID. The study investigates whether a music festival may …

Tourism Specialization And Economic Output In Small Islands, Robertico R. Croes

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Purpose– This study aims to investigate growth differentials among small islands and the impact of tourism specialization on the growth and the economic performance of small islands.

Design/methodology/approach– The study is based on trade theory and uses data from a panel of small islands for 1995-2007. It applies panel regression and standard time series methods combined with a qualitative approach.

Findings– Small islands experienced stronger basic patterns of growth than many developed countries, especially where economies of scale are not an issue. The findings further suggest that tourism specialization is not harmful to growth, and, in lieu of technological gaps …

The Relevance Of Cultural Tourism As The Next Frontier For Small Island Destinations, Robertico R. Croes, Kelly J. Semrad

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this study is to apply the cultural tourism typology of McKercher and to estimate the economic relevance of cultural tourism to the context of a small island destination tourist market. Small island destinations may be confronted with environmental constraints that restrain the traditional small island tourism development model, which is based on sun, sand, and sea. The cultural tourism typology is used in order to determine whether the typology may be used to segment tourists thereby allowing researchers to determine the economic impact of different cultural tourist segments. This study draws attention to some of the foundational …

Authenticity In Tourism In Small Island Destinations: The Residents’ Perspective, Robertico Croes, Seung Hyun Lee, Eric D. Olson

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study explored the meaning of authenticity in the context of a small island destination from the residents' perspective, departing from the main stream literature which predominantly focuses on the demand side of the equation. Photo-elicitation was used to investigate the conception of authenticity. The finding from the focus group is that the notions of authenticity are unique, vast, and individualistic and that an encompassing definition of authenticity is difficult to concur. While the focus group provided clarity in terms of authenticity being embedded in the cultural lifestyle, an empirical study was conducted to further understand what cultural resources could …

Assessing Tourism Development From Sen’S Capability Approach, Robertico R. Croes

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this study is to assess tourism development in the context of Sen’s capability approach. The study developed a model to investigate the relationship between tourism development and human development while focusing on two countries, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The study applied a cointegration technique based on the Granger representation theorem. Overall, tourism development and human development reveals a tenuous relationship in both cases, reflecting some threshold effect. The importance of tourism growth is merited in the distribution of its benefits and the extent that tourism receipts are allocated to support human development (public health, education, safety, etc.). …

Does Discounting Work In The Lodging Industry?, Robertico R. Croes, Kelly J. Semrad

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The central intent of this econometric case study analysis is to examine the relationship between discounting room rates and hotel financial performance. The study provides a theoretical framework that investigates the fundamentals of discounting and empirically assesses the efficacy of the discounting process in the lodging industry. The study adopts an error correction model to properly account for the dynamics of the industry. The results indicate that the variables may be modeled as an integrated process and which are linked in the long run and also possess a short-term relationship. The research findings suggest that discounting works both in the …

Measuring And Explaining Competitiveness In The Context Of Small Island Destinations, Robertico R. Croes

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study measures and explains competitiveness among small island destinations. Current measures of competitiveness do not respond to the special needs of small island destinations. An alternative measurement suggests a more suitable Tourism Competitiveness Index (TCI), and through the application of panel regression analysis, tracks the most important factors affecting competitiveness among island destinations. The findings imply likelihood that more expensive destinations obtain a larger share of regional tourism revenues. The study concludes that providing a high-quality product may allow destinations to become and remain competitive.

Ecotourists' Loyalty: Will They Tell About The Destination Or Will They Return?, Manuel Antonio Rivera, Robertico R. Croes

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of price, value, satisfaction, quality, and performance on the ecotourists' loyalty towards the destination. By using an attitudinal approach, loyalty is conceptualised by analysing the post-purchase decision-making of the ecotourists (intent to return or recommend). The analysis is based on 454 on-site surveys collected from ecotourists visiting the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. The results from path analysis indicate that ecotourists are not likely to return but are willing to recommend the destination. The findings suggest that the Galapagos Islands might be perceived as an iconic destination and considered a ‘once …

The Value Of Destination Loyalty: Myth Or Reality?, Robertico R. Croes, Amir Shani, Andrew Walls

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Given the growing appeal of the concept of destination loyalty in tourism marketing, it is highly important to investigate the travel expenditures of loyal vs. non- or less loyal visitors. Adopting the behavioral approach to loyalty, this study examines the spending patterns of visitors to Kissimmee-St. Cloud, while comparing between the different loyalty segments: no previous visit, one previous visit, and multiple visits. The analysis is based on an intercept survey conducted by the Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention and Visitors Bureau∗ (KSCVB, 2006), which yielded a sample of 4,301 visitors. In contrast to the prevalent concept, the results show that first …

Cointegration And Causality Between Tourism And Poverty Reduction, Robertico R. Croes, Manuel Vanegas Sr.

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study, using cointegration and causality tests, investigates the relationship among tourism development, economic expansion, and poverty reduction in Nicaragua. The results indicate a long-run stable relationship among the three. The causality tests suggest a one-way Granger causal relation between tourism development and economic expansion, and between tourism and poverty reduction, and a bidirectional causal relation between economic expansion and poverty. The nexus of tourism, economic expansion, and poverty reduction is established in the Nicaraguan economy. This result is supported by testing the sensitivity of the Granger causality test under different lag selections along the optimal lag. The empirical evidence …