Destination Competitiveness Research Articles

Medical Tourism in Malaysia: Community Perspectives on Quality of Life and Healthcare Accessibility

This study explores the intricate relationship between the growth of medical tourism in Malaysia and its impacts on the local community, particularly focusing on residents’ quality of life. Malaysia’s status as a competitive destination for affordable, high-quality healthcare services has led to significant economic growth, including increased healthcare revenue, job creation, and infrastructure improvements. However, the influx of foreign patients has raised concerns regarding healthcare accessibility for locals and the strain on local resources. Data from 361 respondents were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that medical tourism positively affects economic performance, with a significant path coefficient (β = 0.434, p < 0.01), showing a strong correlation between economic benefits and perceived improvement from medical tourism development. Similarly, personal benefits from the industry have a positive influence on quality of life (β = 0.202, p < 0.05). However, this study also reveals that attitudes towards medical tourism do not significantly impact residents’ perceptions of quality of life (β = 0.057, p > 0.05), highlighting social disparities in how different groups experience the effects of this industry. The findings suggest that while medical tourism offers economic advantages, challenges such as reduced healthcare access for locals and the growing commercialization of healthcare must be addressed. This study concludes with recommendations for sustainable policy interventions to balance the economic growth of medical tourism with the well-being of local communities.

Innovative Marketing Strategies for Sustainable Tourism Development: A Literature Review

Integrating innovative marketing strategies in sustainable tourism development is imperative to meet the evolving demands of modern travelers. This research explores the efficacy of experiential marketing and technology integration in promoting sustainability within the tourism industry. Employing a literature review approach, this study critically examines the existing literature on innovative marketing strategies, collaborative initiatives, and methodological advancements in sustainable tourism marketing. The findings underscore the significance of experiential marketing in fostering environmental stewardship, promoting cultural authenticity, and cultivating lasting emotional connections with tourists. Moreover, the study highlights the pivotal role of technology integration, mainly through digital platforms and big data analytics, in enhancing destination competitiveness and disseminating information about eco-friendly tourism offerings. Collaborative initiatives such as destination partnerships and community-based tourism projects are also identified as effective mechanisms for promoting sustainability and equitable tourism development. Furthermore, the research emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaborations, innovative methodologies, and critical engagement with power dynamics and equity issues to advance knowledge and inform evidence-based policies and practices in sustainable tourism marketing. Overall, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between marketing strategies, sustainability practices, and destination outcomes in the tourism industry.

Digital Value-Based Pricing Strategy in Tourism Marketing: A Systematic Literature Review Approach

This research is motivated by the importance of digital value-based pricing strategies in optimizing the competitiveness of tourism destinations in the digital era. This background highlights the need for an approach that integrates technology and a deep understanding of consumer behavior to create perceived value for tourists. The study aims to identify effective, relevant, and competitive pricing strategies in digital value-based tourism marketing. The method used is the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with the PRISMA framework, combined with bibliometric analysis to ensure the validity and relevance of the research data. The results of the study indicate that digital value-based pricing strategies, which utilize data analytics and personalization, can increase tourists' perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty while driving the economic sustainability of tourist destinations. The conclusion of this study confirms that digital value-based strategies are not only relevant but also able to create satisfying tourism experiences, support marketing innovation, and have the potential to become a long-term trend in the tourism industry.

Happiness perception in wine tourism destinations and its impact on tourists' satisfaction and loyalty

This study examines the mediating effect of satisfaction on the relationship between happiness and loyalty in wine tourism destinations. Using structural equation modelling, results indicate that happiness significantly influences satisfaction in wine tourism, subsequently impacting visitor loyalty. However, the direct effect of happiness on loyalty appears to be weaker, which emphasises the crucial role of satisfaction. The unique characteristics of wine tourism, which promote personalised and emotionally engaging experiences, underline its importance in the study of tourist happiness. The findings on happiness in wine destinations emphasise the need for tailored management and marketing strategies. The findings highlight the importance of satisfaction in enhancing loyalty and suggest strategies to optimise visitor experiences, improve destination competitiveness and foster long-term tourist loyalty in the highly competitive wine tourism market.

The Urgency of English Language in Tourist Destinations: Enhancing the Comfort and Safety of Foreign Tourists in the Tanjung Bira Beach Area, Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi

English plays a crucial role in the tourism sector, especially in local tourist destinations such as Tanjung Bira Beach. The ability to communicate in English by tourism stakeholders is key to enhancing the comfort and safety of foreign tourists. This article discusses the urgency of English language proficiency in tourist areas, considering the important role of language in conveying information, explaining local culture, and responding to emergency situations. Additionally, English is a vital element in creating positive experiences for foreign tourists, increasing the competitiveness of destinations, and supporting sustainable tourism growth. Through structured English language training, the provision of multilingual informational materials, and the utilization of digital technology, it is hoped that tourism stakeholders in Tanjung Bira Beach can enhance their service quality. With this approach, tourist destinations will not only become more welcoming to foreign tourists but also provide positive contributions to the local economy. This article emphasizes the need for synergy between local governments, tourism stakeholders, and the community to ensure that English language proficiency becomes an integral part of sustainable tourism development.

The impact of Islamic attributes and motivations on visitor satisfaction and word of mouth in halal supply chain management

Halal supply chain management, with its focus on Islamic values in tourism, is increasingly recognized for enhancing destination competitiveness and visitor satisfaction. This study examines how Islamic attributes, motivations, and norms influence visitor satisfaction and word of mouth in Medan City's tourism sector. In the halal tourism industry, supply chain management plays a crucial role in ensuring that every stage from procurement, production, distribution, to service delivery complies with halal standards. The research aims to evaluate the impact of Islamic Physical Attributes, Islamic Non-Physical Attributes, Push Motivation, Pull Motivation, and Islamic Norms on visitor satisfaction and their subsequent effect on word of mouth. By employing a quantitative approach, the study utilizes structured questionnaires based on previous research and applies Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for analysis. Data were collected from 300 tourists in Medan City, including both local and international visitors. The study finds that Islamic Non-Physical Attributes and Pull Motivation significantly enhance visitor satisfaction. Islamic Physical Attributes also positively affect satisfaction, while Push Motivation does not. Satisfaction strongly influences word of mouth, but Islamic Norms negatively moderate this relationship. Islamic attributes and motivations play a crucial role in shaping visitor satisfaction in the tourism context. Islamic norms, however, may complicate the satisfaction-word of mouth link. The implementation of effective halal supply chain management can ensure that all aspects of supply chain management in halal tourism, from products to services, meet the expected halal standards. Practically, destination managers should emphasize Islamic attributes and motivational factors to improve visitor satisfaction. Theoretically, the study contributes to understanding the complex dynamics between satisfaction, norms, and word of mouth in halal tourism.

Analysis of IoT Technology Utilization and Inventory Management System on Operational Efficiency and Visitor Experience at Tourism Destinations in Bandung

This study examines the impact of IoT technology utilization and inventory management systems on operational efficiency and visitor experience at tourism destinations in Bandung City. Employing a quantitative research approach, data were collected from 220 respondents using a structured questionnaire with a Likert scale (1–5). The relationships among variables were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The findings reveal that both IoT technology and inventory management systems significantly enhance operational efficiency, which in turn positively impacts visitor experience. IoT technology showed a stronger direct effect on visitor experience, while inventory management systems had a greater influence on operational efficiency. Operational efficiency also played a mediating role, linking technological and management practices to improved visitor satisfaction. These results highlight the importance of integrating advanced technologies and efficient management systems to enhance the competitiveness and service quality of tourism destinations. The study provides actionable insights for tourism stakeholders to prioritize technology investments and strategic planning for sustainable growth.

Destination information coverage, richness of evaluation content, construction of marketing image and tourism destination impression: mediating role of consumer involvement

This paper takes destination information coverage, richness of evaluation content and construction of marketing image as independent variables, cognitive involvement and behavioral involvement as mediating variables, and tourism destination impression as dependent variables. This paper systematically discusses the multi-dimensional and multi-level relationships among destination information coverage, richness of evaluation content, construction of marketing image, cognitive involvement, behavioral involvement and tourism destination impression. This study provides theoretical support for the marketing strategies of emerging tourist destinations and emphasizes the importance of social image and consumer involvement in shaping the impression of tourist destinations. The research suggests that tourism managers should make full use of social imagery and emotional marketing strategies to enhance consumers' involvement, so as to enhance the market competitiveness and attractiveness of destinations.

Is hotel revenue performance effective for destination competitiveness? An assessment by wavelet coherence analysis

Is hotel revenue performance effective for destination competitiveness? An assessment by wavelet coherence analysis

Research on Assessing Comprehensive Competitiveness of Tourist Destinations Within Cities, Based on Field Theory and Competitiveness Theory

The question of how to assess the comprehensive competitiveness of tourist destinations within cities is an important aspect for determining the potential of a city’s tourism development and its ranking among peers in the field. There are four main parts to the content of this article, which consist of the analysis of competition formation motives based on “Field Theory”, the selection of influencing factors by drawing on Porter’s theory of competitiveness, the construction of an assessment model based on the multi-factors weighted comprehensive evaluation method, and an empirical analysis using Nanjing as the research area. The conclusions are as follows: Firstly, the tourist destination field within a city is composed of three interrelated elements, which are actors, rules, and competition. Under the influence of mainstream social and cultural trends, each tourist destination occupies a certain “position” by relying on the attractiveness formed by various types of capital, and then participates in peer competition within the field. Secondly, the three major influencing aspects of the competitiveness of tourist destinations are element conditions, demand characteristics, and supporting conditions. The key points involved in the three aspects can be summarized into four categories of factors, namely, quality evaluation, popularity level, spatial attractiveness, and emotional cognition, which together constitute the indicator system. Thirdly, there are thirteen tourist destinations in Nanjing that are rated above the average, accounting for about 43% of all the popular destinations. The variation coefficient of competitiveness results is about 35%, indicating a moderate to relatively weak degree of dispersion. Finally, the competitiveness of the thirty hot tourist destinations generally presents a spatial order that gradually weakens in an outward direction from the center zone of the city, forming an overall pattern of cluster groups of well-known tourist destinations in the core of the city, relatively random small clusters in the new main city area, and scattered point distribution in the suburbs.

UNDERSTANDING GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN DESTINATION CHOICE PRIORITIES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF GEN X, Y, AND Z

Destination choice is considered a key component in assessing the competitiveness of tourism destinations. While numerous studies have been conducted on the various factors influencing destination preferences, it has been observed that the impact of generational differences on destination choice requires deeper investigation. This study aims to determine whether there are any differences in the factors influencing destination choice among the X, Y, and Z generations. To this end, a survey was conducted among participants who had traveled for holiday purposes within the past year and were over 18 years old. The analysis of the data revealed significant differences between the generations in terms of factors such as infrastructure facilities, access to information, and the tourist attractions of the destination. Furthermore, differences were found between the participants' education levels and their destination selection behaviors. The findings of this research provide opportunities for destination marketing organizations to develop effective marketing strategies and contribute to a deeper understanding of the purchasing behavior intentions of different generations.

THE EFFECT OF TOURISM MARKETING MIX AND SERVICE QUALITY ON INTEREST IN RETURNING VISITORS THROUGH TOURIST SATISFACTION AS AN INTERVENING VARIABLE

This study aims to analyze the influence of tourism marketing mix and service quality on interest in returning visitors through tourist satisfaction as an intervening variable. The research was conducted in tourist destinations in Luwu Regency using a survey method of 100 respondents. The results of the study show that the marketing mix and service quality have a significant positive influence on tourist satisfaction, which in turn increases the interest of tourists to return. In addition, tourist satisfaction proved to be a strong mediator in the relationship between marketing mix and service quality with interest in returning. These findings indicate the importance of effective marketing strategies and high-quality services in increasing tourist loyalty and the competitiveness of tourist destinations. Based on these findings, it is recommended that tourist destination managers focus on strengthening elements of the marketing mix and improving service quality to achieve higher tourist satisfaction and loyalty.

The effectiveness of conative country image in creating tourists’ memorable experiences through the effect of tourist destination competitiveness and intention to return

It is understood that the tourism sector is a significant and expanding sector that has become the main source of revenue, livelihoods, and prosperity. One of the most important elements in establishing a competitive edge is a conative country image, which also affects visitors' perceptions, attitudes, assessments, and future actions. Thus, this study aims to examine how a conative country image affects tourists' memorable experiences and how this affects their behavior in the future. It also seeks to investigate the practical contributions in producing memorable experiences for visitors by examining the effects of tourists’ destinations' competitiveness and their influence on future behavior. A theoretical concept forms the foundation of the study's approach. Based on the quantitative findings and literature review, a questionnaire is developed, tested, and distributed to international visitors who visit Saudi Arabia. The study's results confirmed the assumption that a conative country image affects tourists' memorable experiences and enhances the competitiveness of tourists’ destinations, affecting travelers' future behavior, including their willingness to return. This study provides a new perspective on how conative country image influences the development of memorable experiences and how that contributes to future behavior.

Medical tourism in central Java: Influences of image and promotion

Medical tourism has emerged as a globally competitive industry, with regions such as Central Java striving to position themselves as leading destinations. This study examines the roles of destination image, promotion, and product quality in influencing customer satisfaction and revisit intentions among medical tourists in Central Java. A quantitative research approach was employed, utilizing structured questionnaires to collect data from 190 respondents. The relationships among the variables were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The analysis revealed that destination image and promotion significantly enhance customer satisfaction, which, in turn, strongly predicts revisit intentions. Notably, product quality exhibited a less direct impact on revisit intentions, suggesting that medical tourists place greater value on holistic experiences that integrate cultural and healthcare attributes. These findings underscore the importance of integrated marketing strategies and service improvements in fostering loyalty within the medical tourism sector. This research contributes to the understanding of medical tourism dynamics by emphasizing the mediating role of customer satisfaction in shaping revisit intentions. It provides practical recommendations for policymakers and practitioners to enhance destination competitiveness through targeted promotional efforts and superior healthcare experiences.

Tourism destination competitiveness from definitions to empirical evidence: A narrative review

Competitiveness is a key concept studied across various disciplines and has become increasingly important in today's dynamic environment. Indeed, the term "competitiveness" first emerged in economics in the late 1970s, and its relevance to tourism began in the early 1990s. Since then, tourism destination competitiveness has become a vital research topic. Currently, the tourism industry faces significant challenges in enhancing destination competitiveness in the post-pandemic realm. Therefore, improving destination competitiveness, with its assurance of prosperity for people, is a major focus of tourism policy discussions.This paper aims to improve the understanding of tourism destination competitiveness (TDC) by reviewing published literature and identifying gaps, debates, and areas of further research. The study adopted a qualitative research design and a narrative review approach by incorporating elements of systematic review methodology. This study extends the review to measuring TDC and the link between TDC, tourism performance, and quality of life. The key findings of this review reveal that there needs to be more consensus about TDC measurement approaches, and no universal list of TDC determinants applies to all destinations. Besides, most studies focus on developed countries, and the link between tourism performance and quality of life is scarce, especially in low-income and middle-income (developing) countries. Indeed, this review uncovers gaps, and addressing these gaps in future research will contribute new knowledge to the evolving phase of TDC theory. Therefore, the findings are of particular value to tourism researchers and policymakers, where achieving TDC with its promise of prosperity for residents is a concern.

Does Community Support in Moderating Roles Mitigate Short Comings in Rural Tourism Development?

Background: Rural tourism offers unique experiences and the potential to revitalize local economies. Objectives: This study explores the connection between tourism destination competitiveness, hard services (e.g., infrastructure), soft services (e.g., hospitality), and the moderating role of community support within the Sundarbans National Park, rural destination in West Bengal, India. Methodology: A quantitative approach was used to measure and analyse numerical data, identifying relationships and drawing conclusions. This study employed this approach to examine how community support influences rural tourism development. The primary data for this study was gathered through a survey conducted among domestic tourists who had visited the Sundarbans. This survey offered direct insights into the experiences and opinions of these tourists. SEM is used as it handles complex relationships between variables, i.e., community support and rural tourism development. Path analysis was conducted using PLS-4 to examine how various forms of community support, such as hospitality, cooperations, etc. influence the development of tourism in Sundarbans. Results: Results underscores the importance of hard and soft services combined key drivers of rural tourism destination competitiveness setting. Moreover, strong community support significantly amplifies the positive effect of these services on the competitiveness of the destination. Conclusion: The study offers valuable insights for rural tourism development, emphasizing the significance of community connection in enhancing destination attractiveness and competitiveness.

Building a Sustainable Future: Challenges, Opportunities, and Innovative Strategies for Destination Branding in Tourism

The current sustainability concerns affect visitors’ behavior and competitiveness of destinations. For these reasons, the destinations need sustainable and innovative branding to address sustainability concerns, stand out in a competitive market, meet changing visitor preferences, and ensure long-term competitiveness in a dynamic global environment. In this regard, identifying and understanding challenges, opportunities, and innovative strategies are critically important. An integrative literature review method was employed using the Scopus database. The study identified major challenges, such as growing environmental concerns, the dynamic advancement of new technologies and artificial intelligence, health and safety concerns, diversity and inclusion, economic and geopolitical uncertainties, local community engagement, and competitive markets. Conversely, responsible tourism, the digital landscape, wellness and health, cultural festivals and events, accessibility and inclusivity, creative industries, and authenticity have been identified as future tourism branding opportunities. Based on the literature insights, the paper provides readers with essential information and advances the field of tourism and hospitality as it identifies challenges, opportunities, and innovative branding strategies in the industry. Furthermore, this work contributes to existing literature and proposes future research agendas.

Factors affecting sustainable tourism development in Vietnam

With a rapid growth rate, in just a short time, the tourism industry has become a type of industry that attracts a lot of labor, contributes a high proportion to GDP, and has a great influence on the economy. To ensure sustainable tourism development, identifying influencing factors is an urgent matter today. Therefore, this article presents a number of factors affecting sustainable development in tourism activities from a personal research perspective. In Vietnam, tourism has long been of interest to the Government, creating favorable conditions for development, and considering it a key industry compared to other economic sectors of the country. From the important reality of the tourism industry, many localities across the country pay great attention to tourism development with the desire to generate large revenues from this field. However, strong tourism development in localities can lead to many consequences. Therefore, studying the relationship between factors to sustainable tourism development is necessary. The requirement for countries and economies around the world is to conduct research to be able to move towards sustainable tourism development, achieving efficiency in all three aspects: economy, society and resource and environmental protection. Therefore, sustainable tourism development is the right direction for the tourism industry in Vietnam as well as all countries in the world. The study "Factors Affecting Sustainable Tourism Development: Survey in Quang Ninh province" by Bui Thi Quyen, Nguyen Thi Mai Huong and Phuong Huu was published in the International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education Vol. 14, Iss. 1 (2022) to support the planning and development of sustainable tourism to provide high quality services, improve the competitiveness of destinations, and ensure simultaneous development of the environment and society in Quang Ninh. Currently, Vietnam is having many positive economic changes. Agriculture is considered the main economic sector, with the second largest export turnover in the world, but has not yet brought high income to the people; The industrial sector requires a large amount of scientific and technical investment capital and a long payback period; meanwhile, the tourism sector is considered a smokeless industry, does not require too much investment and has a quick return period, and is gradually becoming one of the important economic sectors of Vietnam. From there, propose some solutions to promote sustainable tourism development for localities. Keywords: Tourism, Sustainable Development.

The Key Success Factor for Sustainable Rural Tourism Development in Madura Using Integration of the IPA-Kano Model

The momentum for the rise of global tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic has become an opportunity for developing local tourism and Indonesia's creative economy. One of the promising tourism regions in Indonesia is Madura. The tourism potentials on the island of Madura are historical, religious, natural, and cultural. Unfortunately, Madura's tourism potential has not been fully utilized, and as a result, the benefits have not emerged to strengthen the Madurese community's economy. In addition, tourism development directions are also partial without looking at environmental sustainability, community welfare, and other social aspects. Therefore, this research was conducted to determine the key success factors of sustainable tourism by integrating the Important-Performance Analysis method with the Kano model. This study was conducted in Sampang, Madura, specifically in a tourist village called Bira Tengah. The result of the study is that the tourist village should adopt key success factors such as leading to maintaining the destination environment, improving the contribution of tourists and local communities in area conservation, increasing the competitiveness of tourist destinations, conducting more intensive tourism promotions, creating fun tourism activities, increasing participation of the community and stakeholders of tourist villages, using local and environmentally friendly materials, improving the cleanliness of destinations, disseminating local cultural information and increasing employment opportunities. The cultural factors are a highlight in improving sustainable tourism performance. In addition, to enhance tourism performance, it needs to benchmark with developed and autonomous tourist villages that have demonstrated success in sustainable tourism.

A novel framework for the quantitative analysis of the projected image of Accessible Tourist Destinations

This study addresses a research gap by introducing a pioneering theoretical framework for analyzing the projected image of Accessible Tourist Destinations (ATDs). Building on existing approaches to evaluating destination competitiveness and destination images, this framework was developed systematically codifying relevant literature, semi-structured interviews with people with disabilities, and expert panel consultations. The ATD model was tested by comparing analysis of official tourism websites from Spain and Portugal. The results show that ATDs combine functional attributes, such as technology, with key psychological characteristics, like an inclusive society and a tourism sector committed to accessibility. The findings suggest that a country’s tourism management structure may influence the competitive performance of local destinations. This study advances theories of competitiveness and destination image by incorporating the perspectives of tourists with disabilities. It provides practical insights for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) to attract a more diverse market.