Destination Management Organizations Research Articles

Urban tourists' receptivity to ecogamification: A technology, environment, and entertainment-based typology

This research explores the relationship between technology, entertainment, and the environment to understand urban tourists’ receptivity to ecogamified transport and mobility apps. Rather than providing conclusive solutions, this study follows an exploratory approach to establish relevant grounds for tourist clusters regarding their potential receptivity to ecogamification, an area that is still under explored. This study follows a segmentation approach, using a self-administered online questionnaire. The data, stemming from 572 adult respondents who have travelled to urban destinations in the past 3 years, were analysed through a combination of non-hierarchical and hierarchical cluster analyses. The results reveal four clusters of urban tourists with different types of potential receptivity to ecogamification: “Mobi Wholeheartedly”; “Mobi Whatever”; “Mobi Profiter”; and “Mobi Utilitarian”. This study adds to current research by adopting new segmentation approaches and more open assumptions concerning the potential receptivity to (eco)gamification. It also provides fresh evidence regarding tourist receptivity typologies and the existence of differences (and overlaps) among these types of tourists. It explores how that receptivity might occur based on the intersection between technology, entertainment and the environment. It examines the implications of tourist segments in ecogamification strategies, providing overall useful insights to destination management organizations, destination marketers and game designers.

Destination Management Organizations’ Roles in Sustainable Tourism in the Face of Climate Change: An Overview of Prince Edward Island

Globally, destination management organizations (DMOs) are becoming increasingly known for their sustainable practices. Despite the importance of destination management organizations’ sustainability initiatives in the face of climate change, minimal research has been undertaken on the topic in Canada. DMOs on PEI can inform tourists better if they know what other adaptive strategies are taken into consideration around Canada. Our work included host-community interviews and perceptions on DMOs’ roles in improving tourism in the face of climate change. The interviews concluded that tourism officials in Prince Edward Island are becoming more conscious of climate change, but more has to be done to slow down the effects of the phenomenon. This paper also identified challenges facing DMOs in the area of sustainable tourism in the context of climate change. One of the recommendations was that DMOs should have access to techniques for mitigation and adaptation in addition to incentives that are sensitive to local situations. They may successfully advocate for climate change in this way and inform visitors if they are staying in risky places because of the consequences of climate change. The information on the standard operating procedures that DMOs use was intended to be useful to travelers, DMOs, and enterprises involved in the tourism industry. Future implications should discover new approaches for sustainability projects and to achieve a better understanding of how to enhance processes within the tourism industry, and more research on DMOs’ sustainability practices in the face of climate change could help improve this field.

Developing a weighted model to measure knowledge diffusion in a tourism destination network

ABSTRACT Efficient knowledge transfer enhances tourism destination competitiveness. Multiple factors, however, affect knowledge transfer, making it a complex process to quantify. To address this complexity, we developed a quantitative tool by integrating a diffusion model with the major antecedents of knowledge transfer identified in the knowledge management literature. We applied this model in the Western Australian tourism industry and demonstrated its practicality. The proposed model provides a quantitative tool for destination management organizations to monitor, assess and improve the efficiency of knowledge diffusion within their tourism destinations. Such improved knowledge diffusion is critical in strengthening a destination's innovative capabilities and competitiveness.

Environmental Sustainability at Destination Level: The Role of Tourist Citizenship Behavior

Tourist citizenship behavior (TCB) has become a key part of tourist destination management. This study explores how TCB can help tourist destination sustainability. A model is proposed to analyze the relationship between TCB and tourist environmentally responsible behavior. The study also examines which factors are part of this process. Specifically, the influence of the perceived sustainability of a destination on TCB is analyzed, with mediation by destination identification (DI) and perceived value (DPV). According to our findings, perceived sustainability is positively associated with DI and DPV. These two variables are associated with greater TCB. TCB is positively related to environmentally responsible behavior. Accordingly, TCB could encourage tourists to care for the environment by acting as if they were more than just tourists. Implications for destination management organizations are provided to improve destination sustainability and promote both TCB and environmentally responsible behavior among tourists.

Methodology for measuring the potential of a tourism destination in relation to sustainable local tourism product development

Tourism is very strongly associated with the potential of the area, including the society, in which the tourism activities take place. This potential is often fragmented and it depends on the skills of local actors, stakeholders, and tourism management structures to discover and connect it effectively. And it does not matter whether the potential is tangible or intangible, natural or cultural. The potential of each territory is unique and needs to be summarized, measured, evaluated, and categorized for its effective and sustainable use.This article presents the first part of a methodology for the creation of a local tourism product focusing on the measurement of potential. The methods used in this process are based on decision analysis and process management methods. The methodology is addressed to all tourism actors in each destination, in particular managers of destination management organizations, local authorities, or other initiating entities. The Ministry of Regional Development certified the Methodology for the creation of a local tourism product and recommended its use to municipalities and tourism destinations.

How do gastronomic festivals trigger behavioral intentions? The role of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being

PurposeGastronomic festivals are important events to bring people together around food-themed activities. This study aimed at determining the relationships between festival quality, memorable food experience, loyalty, behavioral intention, hedonic well-being, and eudaimonic well-being. In this study, festival quality is the independent variable that affects the memorable food experience, the memorable food experience is the independent variable that affects loyalty, and loyalty is the independent variable that affects behavioral intent. Hedonic well-being and eudaimonic well-being are moderating variables. Behavioral intention is the dependent variable, while memorable food experience and loyalty are both dependent and independent variables.Design/methodology/approachThe population consisted of local tourists visiting Orange Blossom Carnival held in Adana, Turkey. The survey technique and the convenience sampling method were preferred and 545 data were obtained.FindingsThe analysis results showed that all dimensions of the memorable food experience are strongly affected by festival quality. Plus, superior service approach and high value perception dimensions of the memorable food experience have significant effects on loyalty. Furthermore, destination loyalty was found to have a strong effect on behavioral intentions. Moreover, higher levels of Hedonic well-being (HWB) and Eudomenic well-being (EWB) were found to increase the effect of loyalty on behavioral intention; accordingly, the moderator roles of HWB and EWB were determined.Practical implicationsThis article provides information that the memorable dining experiences of festival visitors who attend the Orange Blossom Carnival in Adana affect the quality of the festival and their intentions to loyalty. In addition, in the study, it was found that the well-being of carnival visitors had a moderating role in the effect of their loyalty on their behavioral intentions. Therefore, this article provides information on how the food experiences and well-being of the visitors at the gastronomy festival will affect which factors.Originality/valueAccording to the findings, gastronomy-based events may affect tourists’ experiences, and tourists’ psychological well-being affects loyalty and behavioral intentions. Destination management organizations can learn about gastronomy-based festivals. The results of the study include a number of theoretical and practical findings for destination management organizations, festival managers, policy makers and academics working in the literature.

Sustainable Labels in Tourism Practice: The Effects of Sustainable Hotel Badges on Guests’ Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions

Sustainable practices are becoming increasingly important to tourists and hotel guests. As a result, destinations, hotels, and booking platforms are implementing eco-friendly practices and displaying sustainable badges to communicate their efforts to guests. While the use of sustainable badges increases the visibility of eco-friendly hotels, it is unclear whether they actually influence guests’ choices. This study aimed to explore the effects of the presence of sustainable badges and the awareness of sustainable practices on tourists’ attitudes and behavioral intentions using an experimental design. People who previously used a hotel-booking platform were randomly assigned to four hotel-booking scenarios with the manipulated presence of sustainable badges and awareness about sustainable practices on the website. The data analysis techniques included an analysis of variance, moderation, and a mediation analysis. The study’s results provided empirical evidence that the presence of a sustainable badge could have a positive impact on guests’ attitudes toward a hotel and intentions to book a hotel. These results contributed to the body of knowledge on the impact of sustainable practices, addressed an attitude–behavior gap between tourists’ attitudes and behavioral intentions, and provided valuable insights for destination management organizations, hotel managers, booking platforms, and policymakers interested in promoting sustainable tourism practices.

Save the Day: How the Dissemination of Tourism Crises Can Reinvigorate a Tourism Destination Image after the Seoul Halloween Crowd Crush

For tourism crises, social media present a double-edged sword: while disseminating the damage caused by tourism crises, it also has the potential to enhance the destination’s visibility and serve as a promotional tool. So, we cannot entirely negate the dissemination of tourism crises but rather proactively utilize its positive aspects to promote the sustainable development of the tourism destination image (TDI). Crisis events caused by management mistakes can be particularly damaging to people’s trust in destination management organizations (DMOs), and a crowd crush is a common and highly damaging type of tourism crisis caused by public management mistakes. Thus, the purpose of this study is to summarize the factors that may positively influence TDI in the dissemination of tourism crises such as the Seoul Halloween crowd crush. This study takes the Seoul Halloween crowd crush as an example and constructs a theoretical model based on information ecology theory. The relationships of variables in the model were analyzed through structural equation modeling. The results show that information transparency, subject authority, and social media interactivity positively influence an organic cognitive image. Social connection and social media interactivity positively influence this organic affective image. Finally, this study provides targeted recommendations for DMOs, which is important for the restoration of TDI after crises.

Stakeholder Responsible Behavior in Tourism: Scale Development and Validation

The stakeholder responsible behavior (SRB) scale is a recently developed measurement scale designed to assess individuals’ responsible behavior. The present study seeks to conceptualize and validate the SRB scale. A number of tourism stakeholders are now working together to develop sustainable tourism practices at the destination. Furthermore, only a few studies have examined stakeholder responsibilities in tourism. Therefore, this study attempts to conceptualize stakeholder responsible behavior in tourism from a multistakeholder perspective using the triple bottom line (TBL) theory. In order to assess the responsible behavior of stakeholders in a comprehensive manner, we developed a measurement scale. In the study, responses were collected from two stakeholder groups, residents and tourists. Following that, statistical techniques were used to evaluate the scale’s reliability and validity. According to the results, assessing the behavior of stakeholders in three dimensions is vital for achieving sustainability status within destinations. Based on the scale validated by this study, destination management organizations (DMOs) will be able to bring multiple stakeholders together to evaluate underlying sustainability issues and develop solutions.

The effect of place personality on resident welcoming tourist through self-congruity and place attachment

Abstract Purpose The aim of this model is to determine the residents’ welcoming attitudes towards tourists through place personality, place attachment and self-congruity amidst Covid-19 Pandemic. Design/methodology/approach A series of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was applied to the variables. Then, First Level Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed, and the reliability and validity of the variables were evaluated. Following CFA, Structural Equation Modeling was performed with the remaining variables Findings Results show that the sincerity (21%) and excitement (32%) affect the residents’ welcoming attitude through self-congruity and place attachment; and the competence (21%) directly affects the welcoming attitude. While place attachment (11%) directly affects the welcoming attitudes, self-congruity (53%) indirectly affects the welcoming attitudes. Also, self- congruity affects the welcoming attitude through place attachment. Another significant result is the strong effect (45%) of self-congruity on place attachment. Originality/value Some studies revealed locals adopted a negative attitude towards tourists during the pandemic while others indicated locals adopted positive attitudes towards tourists. Within this context this study, as addressing this controversial issue contribute to the development of more sustainable plans and policies by destination management organizations.

Communication work for influencing destination resilience – DMOs experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Previous research has identified good communication as one of several key factors essential for destination resilience. However, there has been a lack of research on how communication contributes to this development. To address this gap, this study explores the communication work done by Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) with stakeholders to influence destination resilience. The study examines the interrelationship between the DMO and the destination stakeholders on national, regional, and local levels. The study consists of 39 interviews with the largest DMOs in Sweden. The results suggest that DMOs employed various forms of communication work and roles. The work, such as working in networks and performing business intelligence, is connected to supporting environmental sensitivity and connectivity, which are crucial to destination resilience. The success of DMOs’ communication work in influencing destination resilience depends on their ability to be proactive, adapt to a constantly changing environment, and use established networks. The DMOs learned from and mitigated the consequences of the pandemic while building strength to withstand anticipated future stressors. Thus, the DMOs influenced both planned and adaptive resilience. The study's findings increase our understanding of the communication work and roles employed by DMOs to influence the resilience of a destination.

Illusive Inclusion: Destination-marketing, managing Gay Pride events and the problem with cosmopolitan inclusivity

As macro-level shifts in global capitalism push cities into increasing competition with one another, events play a vital role in tourism development. For locations seeking to differentiate themselves, ‘cosmopolitanism’, indicating a perceived openness towards cultural difference, has become key to contemporary destination marketing. Within this discourse, embracing LGBT+ communities has been successfully used to signal cosmopolitanism. LGBT+ Pride events combine both, providing tangible evidence of cosmopolitanism and consequently, a way to attract visitors, too. This article, however, complicates this relationship through an investigation of Pride within the tourist town of Sitges, in Spain. The findings here show that instead of exemplifying cosmopolitan inclusivity, Sitges Pride ultimately functioned to exclude parts of the same community that it purported to represent. In so doing, the article suggests that Sitges' Destination Management Organisation, the local council, and event organisers need to make sure Pride is inclusive and attempts to appeal to all constituents.

Tracing emotional responses to nature-based tourism commercials and tagging individual sequences

ABSTRACT Most tourism campaigns rely heavily on emotional appeals. Therefore, it is crucial to understand which video sequences elicit certain emotions to determine whether they are consistent with the targeted marketing objectives. In this study, we employ facial expression analysis to trace the emotional responses of participants watching a tourism destination commercial. Since previous studies did not process raw data on a moment-to-moment basis, and thus could not assess individual scenes, the present study highlights the importance of linking emotional responses with specific sequences of the ad, and most importantly, the composition of elements like structure, content, music, and images of nature-based tourism commercials. The presented methodology provides insights that help destination management organisations to adjust the content of commercials promoting nature-based tourism to achieve the desired emotional reactions with their marketing campaigns.

The Role of Influencer Marketing for Tourism Destinations in Improving Brand Awareness through Instagram

This abstract delves into a comprehensive examination of the impact of Influencer Marketing on elevating brand awareness for tourism destinations, specifically leveraging Instagram as a pivotal social media platform. Situated in Nglanggeran Tourism Village, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the study investigates the symbiotic relationship between influencer collaboration and the promotion of tourism destinations, with a focal point on measuring brand awareness as a primary outcome. Employing a quantitative methodology that integrates content analysis, surveys, Focus Group Discussion, and In-depth interviews; the study aims to assess the efficacy of Influencer Marketing campaigns. It further aims to identify the key factors of influencing brand awareness and delve into the perceptions and experiences of the influencers. The research question is how does influencer marketing on Instagram contribute to enhancing brand awareness for tourism destinations and what factors influence the effectiveness of such campaigns in the context of evolving consumer behaviour and preference. The findings reveal a positive correlation between influencer marketing and brand awareness, underscoring Instagram's potential as a potent tool for destination promotion. This study offers valuable insights for tourism marketers and destination management organizations seeking to strategically utilize influencer collaborations to enhance brand visibility and attract a greater influx of tourists.

How can virtual and augmented reality facilitate international business?

AbstractWhile extensive research has explored the internet's role in internationalization, there is limited understanding of how augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) contribute. Our objective is to address and fill this gap by investigating the roles of AR and VR in international expansion of services and cultural products. The paper addresses facilitators and barriers for the use of these technologies in international business. It argues that advancements in information and communication technologies have played a pivotal role in fostering the integration of AR and VR into global business operations. The study examines the role of these technologies in inward internationalization, particularly in the tourism sector The article also delves into the disintermediation effects of AR and VR compared to Internet‐based platforms, emphasizing their potential to outperform traditional e‐commerce websites. Additionally, the research explores how AR and VR stimulate the internationalization of cultural products, such as concerts and visual art, overcoming geographical constraints. AR and VR technologies are currently in use by a variety of entities, including national tourism authorities, destination management organizations (DMOs), and service providers in the travel and hospitality industries, such as airlines and hotels. They are also employed by producers of cultural products, such as concerts and visual art. The ongoing advancements in these technologies are expected to broaden their existing applications.

Examining Cross-Industry Clusters among Airline and Tourism Industries

Cross-industry clusters are essential for the economic prosperity of a region. However, studies do not address competitive clusters among the airline and tourism industries. Thus, this paper considers the case of both industries in terms of the clusters and synergies formed. This research aim is to provide an understanding of both industries’ protagonists’ involvement in contributing to insights into the establishment of synergies or clusters among the two industries. Cyprus is highly dependent on tourism and airlines because they facilitate connectivity. The research comprises semi-structured interviews with the leading players and organizations of the airline and tourism industries (government bodies, airports, airlines, tour operators and hotels). The results indicate that in a small geographical context, the notion of clusters involves a synergetic relationship among tourism stakeholders. The airlines’ role is essential and affects all stakeholders involved in tourism. Additionally, the research provides new insights into the role of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) in providing applicable tourism policies that can positively impact effective cooperation among industry partners.

Collaborative Synergies for Elevated Destination Experiences: A Model of Cooperation between Hotel Companies, DMOs, and Local Stakeholders

Abstract Background and Purpose As outlined in the National Tourism Development Strategy until 2030, Croatia aims to provide higher value, innovative, sustainable, and authentic tourist experiences. There is a need to examine how the main tourism stakeholders can contribute to the transformation of traditional and commodified tourism products into premium-class offerings that add value throughout the entire value chain. It is important for premium-class hotels to take additional steps in improving their offerings to positively impact the entire destination and enhance service quality. This paper aims to: explore initiatives for promoting innovation in premium-class experiences within destinations focusing the cooperation between on hotel companies and DMOs; identify anticipated trends influencing the future of the tourism industry, and assess the future prospects of premium-class hotels in Croatia. Design/Methodology/Approach The methodology incorporated both quantitative and qualitative approaches, driven by the structured nature of the questions in the online survey that target sales and/or marketing directors of hotel companies that have premium-class hotels in their portfolio. Suitable statistical methods were employed to conduct the analysis for the quantitative portion of the data. Content analysis was utilized to analyze the open-ended questions. For this purpose, the MAXQDA software for coding, categorizing, and exploring patterns within the data. Originality/value This study represents one of the pioneering investigations into the essential initiatives that hotel companies need to undertake in order to orchestrate the development of a destination that relies on its premium-class experiences. Furthermore, the study examines the role of supporting institutions such as destination management organizations (DMOs) in facilitating this process. A conceptual model to improve the development of the premium hotel segment and destination at the same time, pursued by the responsible practices and initiatives of the hotel companies and strong partnerships with DMO and the local community, is proposed.

Tourism ecosystem management: The role of trust and procedural justice

Ecosystem theory is becoming more prevalent in tourism as a powerful concept to explain value creation at tourism destinations, especially in developing countries. However, for well-established destinations collective action, which is a prerequisite for successful ecosystem operation, is difficult to ignite. This phenomenon can especially be observed at community-based destinations in structurally well-developed countries like Switzerland that consist of a large number of independent actors whose offerings are complementary. Together, these independent actors (henceforth called complementors) form the tourism product which is greater than the sum of its parts provided that the complementors collaborate. This study investigates if the active integration of ecosystem complementors by the destination management organization (DMO) fosters complementors’ trust towards the DMO. This is important as trust is the functional prerequisite for effective collaboration. Further, we analyze whether this effect is amplified by high levels of procedural fairness. The results show that the systematic integration of complementors positively influences complementors’ trust towards the DMO. Also, if integration processes are executed in the context of high procedural justice trust levels are further enhanced. Thus, systematic complementor integration can be a crucial and efficient step towards a functioning ecosystem at community-based destinations. The results inform DMO practitioners as well as scholars about the dynamics of successful ecosystem operation at tourism destination management.

Crossroads of dedication: assessing the synergy between organizational and destination commitment

ABSTRACT While the commitment of hotel and restaurant employees has been widely discussed, employees in destination management organizations (DMOs) have received limited attention from existing studies. This study explores employees’ organizational commitment (OC) and destination commitment (DC) in DMOs. By applying a target-free commitment approach, this study sheds light on understanding employee retention in an organization and a region. Following a quantitative research design, 330 employees of several DMOs in Tirol, Austria, were interviewed. For hypothesis testing, structural equation modelling was applied. The results confirm OC as a predictor for DC. Social exchange is positively linked to OC; however, no relationship was confirmed between time and flexibility and OC. Positive relationships were confirmed between leisure opportunities, hometown proximity and DC. Both, OC and DC, result in positive word-of-mouth behaviour. The findings contribute to several practical implications for enhancing OC and DC. This study expands the field of commitment studies to DC for the first time and identifies DC as a significant contributor to employee retention in the hospitality industry. Further, this study emphasizes the role of social relationships in the organizational context and in the destination.

Exploring digital innovation in smart tourism destinations: insights from 31 premier tourist cities in digital China

Purpose This study aims to unveil the pivotal components and implementation pathways in the digital innovation of smart tourism destinations, while constructing a theoretical framework from a holistic perspective. Design/methodology/approach The research focuses on 31 significant urban smart tourism destinations in China. Secondary data was collected through manual search supplemented by big data scraping, whereas primary data was obtained from interviews with municipal tourism authorities. Grounded theory was used to theoretically construct the phenomenon of digital innovation in smart tourism destinations. Findings This research has formulated a data-driven knowledge framework for digital innovation in smart tourism destinations. Core components include digital organizational innovation, smart data platforms, multi-stakeholder digital collaborative ecosystem and smart tourism scenario systems. Destinations can achieve smart tourism scene innovation through closed innovation driven by smart data platforms or open innovation propelled by a multi-stakeholder digital collaborative ecosystem. Practical implications Based on insights from digital innovation practices, this study proposes a series of concrete recommendations aimed at assisting Destination Management Organizations in formulating and implementing more effective digital innovation strategies to enhance the sustainable digital competitiveness of destinations. Originality/value This study advances smart tourism destination innovation research from localized thinking to systemic thinking; extends digital innovation theory into the realm of smart tourism destination innovation; repositions the significance of knowledge in smart tourism destination innovation; and constructs a comprehensive framework for digital innovation in smart tourism destinations.