Tourism Consumption Research Articles

Neurotourism Insights: Eye Tracking and Galvanic Analysis of Tourism Destination Brand Logos and AI Visuals

This pioneering study explores the intersection between Neurotourism, defined as the integration of neurosciences in tourism, and the perception of tourism Brand Personality (BP) through the advanced use of psychophysiology techniques, specifically Eye-Tracking (ET) and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). It analyses how tourism destination brand logos/combination marks and images generated by artificial intelligence (AI) influence consumer attention and emotional response. Focusing on the five dimensions of BP proposed by Aaker (1997) - sincerity, excitement, sophistication, competence, and ruggedness - this study highlights significant differences in how men and women process and react to brand values associated with specific cities. Employing a rigorous methodological approach and the application of non-parametric statistical analyses, the findings reveal distinct patterns of visual attention and emotional responses across genders, emphasising the importance of considering BP in the marketing and design of tourism destination brand logos/combination marks. This work not only advances theoretical understanding of tourist consumer behaviour but also offers relevant practical implications for tourism marketing and destination management.

The impact of COVID-19 on tourism expenditures: A Quasi-DiD analysis

We investigate the impact of COVID-19 on tourism expenditures by analyzing survey data collected from participants of one of the major amateur cycling races in Italy—the Nove Colli. We gathered information from different types of participants (tourists, residents, day-trippers) about their travel expenses, accommodation, food and beverage, and side goods such as sports equipment. The survey covers three race editions: pre-COVID-19 in 2016, post-lockdown in 2021, and post-COVID-19 in 2022, for a total of 2734 respondents. Using a quasi-difference-in-differences approach, we find a significant increase in total tourism expenditures due to COVID-19, primarily driven by a substantial increase in side goods expenses, which more than doubled the rise in food and beverage expenses. This result can be partly explained through revenge spending as a form of compensatory consumption behavior and inform policy-makers on how individuals’ spending patterns may change in the aftermath of an exogenous shock.

The Influence of Culinary Diversity and Tourism Events on Tourist Expenditures (Study in Central Lombok Regency with Destination Image as Intervening Variable)

This research investigates the interplay between culinary diversity, tourism events, destination image, and tourist expenditures in Central Lombok Regency, Indonesia. A quantitative approach utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze data gathered from domestic and international tourists. Hypothesis testing revealed significant positive relationships between culinary diversity and tourist expenditures, tourism events and tourist expenditures, culinary diversity and destination image, tourism events and destination image, as well as indirect effects through destination image on tourist expenditures. The result highlights the economic importance of diverse culinary experiences and engaging events in driving tourism revenue, shaping destination image perceptions, and influencing tourists' spending behaviors. The study underscores the need for integrated destination management strategies to leverage Central Lombok's cultural and gastronomic assets for sustainable tourism development.

How does network infrastructure construction affect household tourism expenditures? An empirical analysis from rural China

The impact of tourist source region’s network infrastructure in developing countries on household tourism expenditures remains inadequately understood. This study helps fill that gap by using the “Broadband China” strategy as a quasi-natural experiment, exploring the mechanisms by which the construction of network infrastructure impacts rural household tourism expenditures in China. Using the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data from 2014 through 2018, we found that the Broadband China strategy has made a positive contribution to rural household tourism expenditures, especially in the rural areas of central and northeastern China. In addition, we recognized that the broadening of information channels and the provision of convenient transactions are possible mechanisms of influence, with the expansion of information channels through digital networks having an especially pronounced impact. Our research results emphasize the importance of developing network infrastructure and promoting digital literacy in developing regions, in an effort to stimulate tourism demand.

Why I revisit a historic town in Chengdu? Roles of cognitive image, affective image and memorable tourism experiences

PurposeBuilding upon the cognition-affect-behavior (CAB) model and script theory, this research aims to enrich the existing literature on historic town tourism consumption by offering empirical evidence of how the cognitive and affective images of historic towns contributes to tourists' memorable tourism experiences (MTE) and revisit intention, while identifying the cognitive image dimensions that are relevant for evaluating historic towns.Design/methodology/approachAn on-site survey was conducted with 486 local tourists who visited the historic towns in Chengdu. partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to assess both the measurement and structural models.Findings(1) Cognitive image emerged as a significant predictor of affective image; (2) Both cognitive image and affective image had a positive influence on MTE, in which cognitive image played a more dominant role in shaping MTE; (3) MTE was found to strongly predict revisit intention among tourists; (4) MTE and affective image mediated the relationship between cognitive image and revisit intention.Research limitations/implicationsThis research highlights the value of incorporating cognitive and affective constructs in predicting MTE, and the proposed integrated framework of the CAB model and script theory exhibits superior predictive power in understanding tourists' revisit intention.Practical implicationsThis research provides empirical insights about how historic towns improve their marketing strategies as short day-trip destinations.Originality/valueThis research provides a novel insight on the applicability of an integrated model combining the CAB model and script theory in explaining the revisit behavior of local tourists within the context of historic towns.

Cultural heritage tourism at film-related tourism sites: staged and existential authenticity at Hengdian World Studios

ABSTRACT The trend of incorporating culture and heritage into various aspects of tourism, such as film-related tourism, is gaining momentum. In addition to the film-related attractions, film-related tourism can encourage tourists’ engagement with cultural heritage tourism and consumption of heritage products at the destination. Examining the case of Hengdian World Studios (China), the world’s largest outdoor film studio and film shooting base, this paper discusses how cultural heritage tourism is induced at a film-related tourism destination as well as how the tourism destination represents authenticity and how tourists perceive such representations. Hengdian World Studios simulates several real heritage sites in different areas of China for screen media productions as well as for tourist consumption. This paper examines the concepts of ‘staged authenticity’ (MacCannell [1973]. Staged authenticity: Arrangements of social space in tourist settings. American Journal of Sociology, 79(3), 589–603. https://doi.org/10.1086/225585) and ‘existential authenticity’ (Wang [1999]. Rethinking authenticity in tourism experience. Annals of Tourism Research, 26(2), 349–370. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0160-7383(98)00103-0) in the context of tourism studies to understand cultural heritage tourism at film-related tourism sites. The discussion is based on research undertaken at Hengdian World Studios between 2018 and 2023 drawing on ethnographic methods and online interviews with 50 tourists. This paper contributes to the understanding of authenticity issues in tourism studies from different perspectives and the interconnections between film-related tourism and cultural heritage tourism.

Towards Efforts to Equalize Income in Africa: The Role of Tourism Development

ABSTRACT A vast literature has investigated the nexus between tourism and income inequality in developing and developed countries. Unfortunately, the literature on the impact of tourism on income inequality in Africa is sparse. Hence, this study examines the influence of tourism on income inequality in 30 African countries over the period 1996–2020. In addition to international tourism arrivals and international tourism receipts which have been widely used by previous studies, this study uses a plethora of tourism indicators, namely business tourism spending, leisure tourism spending, internal travel and tourism consumption, domestic tourism spending, and visitor exports. Moreover, unlike previous studies that have extensively used the Gini index with its inadequacy as a measurement of income inequality; this study uses the Atkinson index and Palma ratio to capture extreme points of the inequality distribution. The empirical evidence is based on the panel-corrected standard error (PCSE) estimation technique. The results reveal that tourism contributes to the equalization of income in Africa, contingent on the type of tourism. Policy implications are discussed.

The Economic Impact of Climbing in the Lander Area of Wyoming

The popular climbing destination of Lander, Wyoming receives nearly 37,000 climbing visits every year, with 78% of those visits coming from persons living outside of this area. Climbing tourism expenditures result in an estimated $4.5 million in visitor spending each year. Climber demographics indicate these visitors are well-educated with 98% choosing to stay overnight on their visits. The average visit also lasts nearly a week. Climbing tourism expenditures support $1.7 million in wages for local workers, highlighting an opportunity to increase regional tourism and its economic impact amid a rural, transitional economy.

Demand for International Tourism in Sri Lanka: Almost Ideal Demand System

The paper analyses the tourism demand and its economic determinants for effective management within the tourism sector. Utilising the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS), the study aims to estimate tourism expenditure and price responsiveness elasticities. The model employs data from 1995 to 2019, focusing on total share, total expenditure share, and total expenditure share per item. The findings reveal that Sri Lanka emerges as a destination with typical demand characteristics, showcasing a notably higher demand for tourism. Analysis of spending elasticities, both in terms of own and cross prices, underscores the country's favourable position within the tourism market. Specifically, the results indicate that the demand for tourism in Sri Lanka is sensitive to pricing dynamics, with elasticity values suggesting a significant response of tourist demand to price fluctuations. Understanding Sri Lanka's competitive position relative to other destinations underscores the importance of tailoring management strategies to suit the unique demand characteristics of each country. Given the price sensitivity observed within Sri Lanka's tourism demand, careful attention to pricing mechanisms is imperative for sustaining and enhancing the country's tourism sector.

The Dolphins: poetry in studying ethical tourism and sustainability

This study explores the inclusion of poetry in the realm of consumer research in tourism, consumption, and sustainability, with a study of the poem “The Dolphins” by Carol Ann Duffy. It reflects on the analysis of poetry in advancing our understanding of tourism consumption, and deliberates that poetry could provide insight into complex, emotional, painful, and cruel consumption facets. The study crafts a reference point for the use of poetry as a data source and a methodological tool in tourism and sustainability research and highlights how poetry could help in advancing our understanding of ethical consumption and its confluence with animal welfare in tourism and raising ethical awareness and sensitivity. The study also reflects on the themes of expanding our consciousness as part of being better humans and tourists, and raising the social consciousness of organizations to work towards animal welfare.

China cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone and urban residents' tourism consumption: empirical study based on CHFS data

In this study, we examine the impact of China's cross-border e-commerce pilot zones on urban residents' tourism consumption. It also examines the underlying mechanism of this impact using data from the China Household Finance Survey. The research indicates that creating China cross-border e-commerce pilot zones substantially impacts increasing tourism consumption among urban inhabitants. Furthermore, using cash payment methods and risk preferences is beneficial in influencing this effect. This research employs an econometric model and performs endogeneity analysis to confirm the reliability of the findings and explore the mechanism of influence. This study enhances the existing theory on cross-border e-commerce and consumer behavior, offering valuable insights for supporting the sustainable growth of cross-border e-commerce and optimizing the structure of tourism consumption.

Volcanic eruptions and tourism prosocial consumption

This paper exploits a recent natural experiment to analyze the effect of volcanic eruptions on tourism expenditure. Using a Difference-in-Differences methodology, we find that volcanic eruptions have a positive impact on tourism expenditure, both aggregate expenditure and expenditure by category, and both during the eruption and the post-eruption period. We investigate the mechanisms behind the increase in expenditure and obtain strong support for the empathy mechanism, prevailing over other mechanisms such as changes in prices, the profile of tourists, or simply curiosity. Our results suggest that tourist empathy with the affected community manifests through consumption, finding that prosocial consumption increases in the cultural identification of the tourist with the affected area.

Consuming communist heritage in China: user-generated image of red tourism via photographs

Purpose As a distinctive form of communist heritage tourism, the ideology and government-led form of red tourism warrants an in-depth examination of how tourists consume and perceive it. This study aims to reveal tourists’ perception of red tourism through the lens of destination image. Design/methodology/approach This study collected 9,819 user-generated photographs within four types of red tourism destinations (RTDs) and used a computer visual and semiotic analysis approach to conduct photograph-based cognitive and affective attributes extraction. Network analysis further visualized the co-relations between cognitive images and affective images. ANOVA analysis compared the differences of the four types of destination images. Findings Ten dimensions of cognitive image and eight categories of affective image of red tourism were identified. It found that monuments, statues, memorial symbols were the distinctive cognitive features, and admiration was the most dominant emotion. Heterogeneity of destination images was identified among the four types of RTDs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the study is one of the first to explore tourists’ consumption of red tourism through the lens of destination image, which reveals the inconsistencies between the officially projected images and tourists’ perceived images of red tourism. Using Plutchik’s model, it validates a series of positive and negative emotions contributing to the affective images of red tourism, which expands the findings of emotions within the extant red tourism research. Through combined applications of computer visual and semiotic analysis, ANOVA, network analysis and model visualization, the study provides an important methodological triangulation for photograph-based destination image studies.

Pandemic and Economy: An Econometric Analysis Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 on the Global Tourism Market

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global tourism market has become one of the most affected sectors of the economy. In this research, the literature on the economic effects created by COVID-19 on a global level is first studied and the measures and restrictions that governments are obliged to take in order to suppress and prevent the spread of the coronavirus are analyzed. Next, there is an attempt to empirically estimate a system of equations regarding the two channels of influence of COVID-19 on tourism, making use of cross-sectional data, and specifically for a sample of 38 countries that launched vaccination up until the end of 2020. The explained results confirm that tourism is directly affected by the spread of COVID-19, due to the effort of travelers to avoid illness, but also due to the measures taken by governments to limit it. Tourism is also indirectly affected, due to the negative impact on income. Using 3SLS, an equation was developed to calculate the direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 on tourism. Notably, the dependent variable (tourism expenditure) exhibited a positive correlation with the independent variable (GDP) and a negative correlation with the total COVID-19 cases. Consequently, it was determined that a unit increase in the COVID-19 variable led to a reduction in international tourism expenditure by USD 859,237. Finally, there is a concern, and further investigation is needed, regarding the effect of vaccination against COVID-19 on tourism, which, while it is expected to be negative, is not confirmed by the results.

How Do Information Sources Influence the Purchases of Tourism, Culture, and Entertainment? An Analysis of China Family Panel Studies Data

Information sources affect people’s tourism, culture, and entertainment buying. It is therefore important to study the apportionment effects by information source type and comprehensively analyze how information sources positively or negatively impact the consumption of tourism, culture, and entertainment. This research analyzed the influence of four information sources on such buying based on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2014 to 2018. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationships among variables. The findings were that: (1) information sources (Internet, broadcast, print, and word of mouth) had a significant positive impact on tourism, culture, and entertainment buying; (2) the effects of information were significantly different based on age, education level, and place of residence (urban vs. rural); and (3) information source digitalization increased the share of TCE consumption in overall household consumption through improving social interactions and convenience of transactions. The findings contribute to alleviating the information asymmetry in tourism consumption, helping tourism enterprises develop targeted marketing measures, and promoting the improvement of residents’ tourism consumption.

Will Ecotourists Pay Premium Prices? An Explanatory Study on Motivations, Ecotourism Intention and Willingness to Pay Premium for Ecotourism

Purpose: Recent literature emphasizes that there is an ambiguity on ecotourism consumption as actual environmentally friendly behaviors deviate from the intentions. Further, it is identified that ecotourism offerings are higher in price and discourage consumption. Hence, this study examined ecotourism consumer behaviors focusing on motivation, ecotourism intention, and willingness to pay premium for ecotourism. It also aims to investigate the mediating effect of ecotourism intention between motivations and willingness to pay premium.
 Design/methodology/approach: The study undertook a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design. Self-administrated questionnaires (online) were distributed employing purposive sampling technique to young domestic travelers who had purchased green travel products in the last six months in Sri Lanka. A total of 212 responses were analyzed by PLS-SEM approach using SmartPLS 4.0 software.
 Findings: The findings revealed that intrinsic motivation significantly influenced the willingness to pay premium whereas the impact of extrinsic motivation on willingness to pay premium was insignificant. Additionally, this study proved that ecotourism intention partially mediated the relationship between intrinsic motivation and willingness to pay premium while ecotourism intention fully mediated the relationship between extrinsic motivation and willingness to pay premium.
 Originality: This research contributes to extending knowledge of tourism consumer behaviour in the context of ecotourism. Moreover, this study examined how an individual is motivated towards ecotourism consumption and their willingness to pay premium for such consumptions. Thus, the present study integrates the actual behavior, willingness to pay premium to further explain the self-determination theory. Thus, it empirically contributes to broadening the understanding of comprehensive ecotourism consumer behaviour that has been paid little attention.
 Implications: The findings offer important practical implications for ecotourism providers, marketers, policymakers, and other decision-makers for planning and developing ecotourism offerings, effective marketing and promotion to encourage and ensure sustainable tourism consumption.
 Keywords: Ecotourism, Ecotourism Intention, Extrinsic Motivation, Intrinsic Motivation, Willingness to Pay Premium

Research on the Present Situation and Strategy of Night Tourism Resources Under the Background of Global Tourism

China's tourism industry is changing from "scenic spot tourism" to "global tourism". As an international tourism island, Hainan has long been well known. With the acceleration of the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port, Hainan tourism has developed rapidly. At present, the tourism industry of Haikou is entering a critical period of transformation and upgrading, and it is urgent to enhance the development concept, innovate the development model and seek new breakthroughs. In recent years, the academic research on tourism consumption is mainly based on the development direction of daytime tourism, but less attention is paid to nighttime tourism consumption. With the rapid development of night tourism and the gradual upgrading of tourism consumption, more and more tourists and local residents participate in night tourism activities. Based on the research of China's night economy development, this paper studies the development status of night tourism in Haikou City, Hainan Province, analyzes the bottleneck of night tourism development in Haikou city, and puts forward corresponding opinions and suggestions, in order to give full play to the promotion role of night tourism in urban tourism economy and promote the overall development of tourism in Haikou city.

Presence of Tourism-Led-Growth Hypothesis in Pakistan: Empirical Evidence with ARDL Model

Tourism has become the world’s third-largest export earning industry. According to the World Bank, in recent times international tourism has attracted a great attention and 7% of world’s total trade involves tourism. Tourism is considered one of the endogenous factors to boost the economic growth and development of any nation. It has versatile impacts on country growth and contributes directly and indirectly to GDP. The paper aims to bring forth confirmation of the tourism-led-growth hypothesis (TLGH) for Pakistan using time series data from 1995-2020 by incorporating inflation, international tourism, and tourism expenditure as regressors. For checking the stationarity of time series data, unit root tests Augmented Dickey-Fuller test (ADF) and Phillip Perron test indicate that Economic Growth and inflation are stationary at their first difference while tourism expenditure and number of international arrivals are stationary at level. ARDL approach has been utilized to establish the link to how tourism affects the economic growth of Pakistan and the Cumulative Sum of Recursive Residual (CUSUM) and CUSUM of square has been used to check the stability of the model. The result depicts that a long-run relation exists among the variables. Inflation has a negative and significant impact on economic growth while international arrival and tourism expenditure have a positive and significant impact on economic growth. Furthermore, to enhance tourism activities and attract foreign tourists, the government must focus on macroeconomic stability because such factors have a direct effect on tourism and thus multifaceted impact on economic growth.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TOURIST CONSUMPTION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ORGANIZING MUSIC FESTIVALS

This paper explores the importance of tourist expenditure in the context of organizing music festivals. Music festivals have become crucial elements of cultural and tourist experiences worldwide, attracting a large number of visitors from different parts of the globe. This paper analyzes the impact of tourist spending on the economy and local communities, with a specific focus on the organization of music events. A particular emphasis is placed on the organizational aspects of music events, from the meticulous planning and execution to the intricate interdependence with economic variables. By zeroing in on the organizational intricacies, we aim to uncover the holistic impact of music festivals on both the local and global stage. This exploration extends beyond the mere numerical evaluation of economic contributions; it encompasses the indirect effects on local businesses, the socio-cultural dynamics of communities, and the long-term sustainability of these cultural celebrations. In essence, this topic aspires to provide a comprehensive understanding of how the synergy between tourist expenditure and the organization of music festivals shapes not only the economic landscape but also the intricate tapestry of local communities. It is important to know the transformative potential of music festivals, offering insights that extend beyond the realm of entertainment to inform strategic decisions for organizers, policy makers and stakeholders. The economic impact of music festivals goes beyond the revenue generated by ticket sales. Tourist expenditure injects funds directly into the local economy, benefiting various sectors. Accommodation establishments thrive during festival periods, local vendors experience heightened sales, and transportation services witness increased demand. Additionally, festivals may stimulate the creation of temporary employment opportunities, fostering a short-term economic boost. However, to maximize the positive impact, organizers and local authorities must strategically plan for the influx of visitors.

Transforming urban industrial landscapes through art tourism – a gentrification aesthetics model from Abu Dhabi’s case

Purpose This paper aims to explore the opinions of business owners in an industrial area of Abu Dhabi that could be potentially turned into an art tourism destination. Design/methodology/approach By mobilizing the concept of “gentrification aesthetics,” the authors use a recall technique to explore support toward art from business owners, regression analyses to understand how the type and content of art predicts gentrification support and chi-square to research the differences between respondents who support the area to become a creative place and those who do not. Findings A model that explains the connection between gentrification aesthetics and art tourism is presented. Research limitations/implications The authors’ proposed model results from testing the possibilities for expanding art tourism specifically and may not apply to other types of tourism. Future research is needed to understand whether and how the model can be applied to other forms of tourist consumption. Practical implications The current research presents a case study on how tourism can be strategically expanded into more rural places in a city. Social implications The authors found significant differences between respondents who would like to see Mussafah becoming a creative place in five years and those who believe Mussafah needs to be(come) something else. Originality/value While work on tourism gentrification has been conducted, the nexus between gentrification aesthetics and art tourism cannot be found. Their relation can help to expend (art) tourism from busy cultural attractions to industrial areas. The present research fills this gap.