Destination Preferences Research Articles

Innovation management in the hospitality industry

The article examines the state of development, problems, and needs of innovative management in the hospitality industry. Based on research results using the example of EU countries, the dominance of a group of countries with the lowest indicators of workforce employment in the hospitality industry across all types of activities (59.3%) has been identified. The presence of highly developed countries in this group indicates the activation of innovative management activities in the hospitality industry. Accordingly, the directions of modern digital trends in the hospitality industry have been studied and schematically presented. Analyzing consumer behavior in the hospitality industry, changes have been observed due to tourists’ insufficient financial support: an increase in the number of trips during off-peak periods (especially in Slovakia (186.79%), Ireland (102.51%), Austria (79.58%)); a preference for budget-friendly travel destinations (for example, Serbia, Turkey, Bulgaria). The study justifies the need for the development of innovative management in the hospitality industry and schematically presents a possible option for its provision, highlighting the need for ongoing research to identify user needs in hospitality services and explore alternative ideas to meet those needs.

Study destination preference and post-graduation intentions: a push-pull factor theory perspective

PurposeThe choices that international students make regarding abroad study destination selection or leave the host country after graduation are influenced by a variety of factors that are both related to positive and negative aspects of the host country.Design/methodology/approachThis study builds on the push-pull factor theory and examines the factors that influence international students' decision to choose abroad study destination (Finland) or leave the country after their graduations. The data were collected through an online survey of 195 international students currently studying in Finland and were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. This method offers a flexible and robust approach to test relationships, particularly in situations where sample size and the conceptual model are small and complex.FindingsThe results show that international students' choice of study destination (Finland) is influenced by the host country's quality of life, academic excellence and economic factors such as salary and benefits. Unfamiliarity with the culture and language barriers have a negative impact on their decisions to stay in the host country after graduation.Originality/valueBy utilising a comprehensive analysis of both push and pull factors in relation to the host country, this study unveils a novel perspective in the field of international student mobility. The results provide insights to the institutional leaders and policymakers into how to attract and retain international students by focusing on the factors that matter most to international students. To attract more international students, higher education institutions (HEIs) should include career development activities, e.g. job fairs, language training, scholarships and internships in their curriculum. Moreover, it provides recommendations on how to create a welcoming and supportive environment that promotes academic excellence and career development.

The relationships between happiness, wellness tourist motivation, and tourism destination among Finnish wellness travellers: insights from the world’s “happiest nation”

ABSTRACT This paper examines the relationships between happiness, wellness tourist motivation, and tourism destinations among Finnish wellness travellers during crises, “the happiest country in the world”. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from Finnish wellness travellers via a survey (n = 520) in fall 2021. The findings highlighted that Finnish happiness is largely based on eudaimonic-oriented meaning-seeking focusing on long-term happiness rather than hedonic-oriented and short-term pleasure-seeking: relationships, nature, rest and relaxation, and health and well-being. These motivations echo Finnish wellness travellers’ destination preferences: spas, urban destinations, national parks, and outdoor recreation areas. This paper contributes to previous tourism literature by providing the industry with new insights into travel motivations and the sources of happiness, especially in Finland.

Graduate migration, partisanship, and city preferences: An experimental approach to place‐consonant migration decisions

AbstractHow do university students evaluate prospective jobs in different cities after graduation? While the literature has identified drivers of graduate migration, research has yet to account for the role of individual social and political attitudes in shaping destination preferences. Using a conjoint survey experiment, this paper introduces the concept of place‐consonant migration to describe the desire for proximity to like‐minded communities with respect to political partisanship. Building on research that has established the utility of experiments in evaluating complex migration decision‐making, we provided University of North Carolina at Charlotte undergraduate students with hypothetical job packages to consider upon graduation which combined the city names with randomised levels of income and amenity factors. Adapting to rapidly changing social and political dynamics, we conducted the experiment across three cross‐sections of students to capture the potential impact of the Covid‐19 pandemic and other social and political developments on the migration decisions of college graduates. The analysis demonstrates how place characteristics combine with individual partisan attitudes to produce place‐consonant migration preferences among students. Moreover, by conducting multiple waves of our experiment during contemporaneous social and political events, our results show that place‐consonant preferences change over time.

The impact of social media influencers on destination preferences: A cross-generation comparison

Social media has gradually transformed into a tool for tourism marketing because of its widespread use and its sales-oriented reflections on purchasing decisions. Hence, almost all tourism businesses and destination management organizations (DMOs) have initiated to attract potential tourists via social media or social media influencers (SMIs). Though more and more publications have emerged to draw attention to the significance of SMI on purchase decisions, the number of research focusing on SMIs effect on destination choice still needs to be furthered. From this point of view, this study aims to evaluate how social media influencers affect travellers’ preference for destinations across generations. The data was gathered from 137 followers who follow social media influencers and are over 18. In the study, percentage, frequency, mean, and standard deviation values were employed in the descriptive data analysis, while correlation analysis was used in the relationship measurement tests, and regression analysis was conducted in the hypothesis tests. As a result, it has been inferred that the perception levels of participants towards social media influencers vary across generations and that social media influencers are an essential determinant for destination preference. It has also been concluded that the effect of social media influencers on destination preference differs in the context of X, Y, and Z generations. Thus, this study makes considerably advances the literature by revealing the importance of generation-based social media marketing and emphasizing how SMIs could impact destination preferences.

On the Perceptions of Russia as an Educational Destination by the Students at German University

Purpose. The purpose of the article was to explore how Russia is perceived as an educational destination among undergraduate (B. A.) and postgraduate (M. A.) students at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (Kleve, Germany) during the summer semester 2022.Methods. The research was conceived as a reflective study based on the case-oriented research design and with a single case examined: the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (Kleve, Germany) and its undergraduate (B. A.) and postgraduate (M. A.) students. To address the research question: “How is Russia being perceived as an educational destination by undergraduate (B.A) and postgraduate (M.A) students at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences in Germany?”, a mixed method was selected with archival and document-based research which was paired with a survey as a data collection technique; and a content analysis as a strategy for data analysis.results. Results of this survey have showed that 79% of respondents would like to visit Russia, but only 18% of respondents may consider Russia as a place to go studying (results are based on 33 replies out of 7390 students in total — the justification of small sampling is explained in the Methods part). Strikingly low interest to study in Russia was explained by 1) other educational destination preferences; 2) language barrier, and 3) lack of information on the Russian study programs and 4) insufficient financial support of studying in Russia. In addition, the survey results indicated that the negative perceptions of Russia as an educational destination could be related to the different values held by the students at the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, and those held by general population in Russia (as perceived by the students), but this would require further investigation.Conclusions. There are three major findings resulting from this study. Firstly, there is an inadequate attention in International Relations’ literature on the influence of international student mobility and change in students’ worldview and values. Secondly, higher education and international student mobility are considered as one of the instruments for value promotion and factors contributing to the soft power of the states. Thirdly, the results of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences case seem to confirm Sylvie Lomer’s hypothesis that students are already positively predisposed to the country where they intend to go studying.

Intention to Emigrate Again and Destination Preference: A Study of Indian Nurses Returning from Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

This article empirically investigates the migration patterns of Indian nurses who have returned from Gulf countries, where obtaining long-term visas and citizenship is difficult, to determine whether their return should be considered a temporary or permanent settlement. The study addresses the likelihood of future migration and explores migration trajectories among these individuals. Our analysis reveals that returned nurses are more inclined to migrate again if currently employed in India’s private sector, which offers lower financial rewards compared to the public sector. On the other hand, those in contract-based public sector jobs express a willingness to relocate to Western countries but not back to Gulf countries. The limited occurrence of circular migrations to Gulf countries among nurses highlights their lower position in the hierarchy of destination countries. This study illustrates the complexities of nurse migration decisions, demonstrating that migration trajectories do not always follow a linear path towards perceived ‘better’ destinations.

Profile of German senior tourists travelling on river cruise ships in the post-COVID period

The German sending market has always been a major priority for domestic tourism in Hungary. For example, before the COVID-19 epidemic, Germany was ranked first among the outbound markets in terms of guest nights spent in commercial accommodation in 2019, with a share of 12.9%. The expenditure of German visitors traveling by Danube River cruise ships is also a determinant factor concerning destinations in Hungary. Due to their prominent role, we aimed to identify the main characteristics and preferences of German senior travellers arriving in Hungary, therefore, following the lifting of the pandemic-related travel restrictions, we conducted a personal survey of German visitors arriving from river cruise ships. Our findings revealed that interpreting 55+-year-old travellers as a homogeneous segment is a misconception, as they are highly heterogeneous. Therefore, we used factor analysis and cluster analysis to identify traveller groups within the segment and also included Barak and Schiffman's (1981) cognitive age scale to partly explain the difference in consumer preferences between self-reported age and chronological age. Linear regression modelling was also used to identify the extent to which differences in sending area location, destination preferences, and travel modes can shape spending. The study provides innovative results, both in theoretical and practical terms. Furthermore, the value of the research is enhanced by the inclusion of the guests of the most prominent German travel agencies in river cruising.

Are tourists afraid of the unknown? Examining the role of travel constraints and tourist xenophobia with symmetric and asymmetric perspectives

This study aims to investigate the role of tourists’ xenophobia and travel constraints in terms of affecting image and choice of a given destination within the framework of generations. Although many existing studies have examined destination preference from different perspectives, the lack of analyses with specific references to generations and tourist xenophobia is striking. Therefore, it is believed that studying these structures on the basis of the complexity perspective paves the way for providing specific suggestions to researchers and destination management organizations. To this end and specifically, this study endeavors to reveal the importance of elements influencing the intention of potential Turkish tourists to visit France as a target destination using symmetric and asymmetric models.

Analyzing changes in travel patterns due to Covid-19 using Twitter data in India

Advancements in technology have enabled researchers to gather large-scale mobility information cost-effectively. In fact, with millions of active users, location-based social media (LBSM) platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, etc., have become potential big data sources to measure individual behaviour. Despite such passive data collection techniques primarily not providing individual-level information, the sheer volume of such data facilitates a better understanding of aggregate patterns. Besides, conducting the conventional transportation survey during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic was nearly impossible due to social- distancing and lockdown rules. In such context, the present research showcases a method for extracting the mobility traces and identifying the travel patterns of visitors and residents in Delhi from geo-labelled posts on Twitter.Initially, a heuristic classification strategy has been developed based on a few spatiotemporal assumptions to identify and differentiate visitors and residents based on user coordinates. Also, three supervised machine learning techniques, i.e., support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbours (kNN) and decision tree, were used to classify users based on their historical coordinates. Afterwards, the spatial variation of their destination preferences was studied using K-Means, DBSCAN, and Means-Shift clustering techniques, out of which the K- Means clustering method performed best. Lastly, the travel patterns from tweets during pre and during pandemic (COVID-19) were compared using respective clusters.We observed that the performance of the proposed heuristic classifier is comparable with the supervised machine learning (ML) technique used for classification. Furthermore, the results indicate that the proposed model can successfully identify the cluster coordinates for visitors' spots as well as the locations of residents. During the pandemic situation, the mean distance travelled by users is significantly reduced. The study also shows that the number of long-distance trips has also decreased. Also, during COVID, tweets were done from very few unique tourist spots. This suggests lower tendencies of people to travel for tourism purposes. The proposed methods for classification and clustering in the present study will be crucial to obtain individual travel patterns from LBSM data.

The Impact of Affective Destination Image on Domestic Tourist Preferences: A Study of Gaborone City, Botswana

Visitor preferences is a personal choice of a destination for a defined purpose of travel. In most times it is influenced by value for money, intention to re-visit and the intention to recommend the destination to others. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence destinations affective image on visitor preferences in destination Gaborone City, Botswana. Descriptive survey design was used for describing the study population and their characteristics. The target population was 3750 and a sample size of 360 domestic tourists who visited Gaborone departing through SSKIA Structured questionnaires was used to collect quantitative data, and interview schedules was used to collect qualitative data. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results were presented in tables. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The study findings revealed R coefficient of 0.638, implying that destinations affective image as the independent factor had a correlation of 63.8 percent with visitor preferences in Gaborone City. This was supported by coefficient of determination (R-square) of 0.408. This meant that destinations affective image explained 40.8 percent of the variations in tourist preferences in Gaborone City. The study concludes that improving destination affective image has the likelihood of enhancing visitor preferences of destination in Gaborone City, Botswana. Gaborone city has a rich cultural heritage that can be showcased through cultural tourism, including cultural festivals, traditional dance performances, and visits to local museums and historical sites. By promoting cultural tourism, Gaborone can attract a niche market of travelers interested in experiencing local cultures and traditions. The study thus recommends that tourism destinations in Gaborone city needs to have a strong marketing strategy that promotes the city's unique features and attractions, including social media campaigns, collaborations with travel bloggers and influencers, and attending travel shows and exhibitions. Keywords: Affective, Destination image, Domestic tourist, Destination preferences, Gaborone City

The influence of perceived destination social responsibility on residents’ pro-tourism behaviors: A study in Da Lat

Based on the SOR (Stimulus – Organism – Response) framework, this study proposes a model on the influence of perceived destination social responsibility on residents’ pro-tourism behaviors in Dalat City. The study was conducted based on survey data from 357 residents in Dalat, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the proposed relationships among variables in the model. The findings indicate that perceived destination social responsibility positively impacts residents’ pro-tourism behaviors through two mediators: destination preference and destination attachment. In which perceived destination social responsibility has a positive and direct impact on destination attachment and destination preference. Both destination attachment and destination preference have positive and direct influences on residents’ pro-tourism behaviors. In addition, the analysis results show that destination social responsibility does not have a direct influence on residents’ pro-tourism behaviors but only has an indirect influence through two mediators (i.e., destination attachment and destination preference). This study contributes to both theory and practice with regard to destination social responsibility.

The Effect of e-Word of Mouth on Social Media on Destination Preference

The Effect of e-Word of Mouth on Social Media on Destination Preference

DENTAL TOURISM POTENTIAL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF DENTISTS: THE CASE OF ANTALYA PROVINCE

Dental tourism is one of the fastest-growing and developing sub-branches of medicaltourism. However, academic research in this field is quite limited. Moreover, the verylimited studies in T�rkiye, where the research was conducted, mainly focus on themotivations and destination preferences of dental tourists. This study is a survey-basedstudy conducted with dentists. The cross-sectional study population includes 310 dentistsat private health institutions in Antalya province, and the data were collected face-to-facebetween 2022-2023. According to the results obtained in the study, it was determined thatdental tourists mostly have implanted veneers, crowns, dental bridges and teeth whiteningprocedures. The study also determined that the dental tourism knowledge of dentists is ata reasonable level.

The Utility of Yoga and Buddhist Practices in Sri Lanka’s Wellness and Spiritual Tourism

The Yoga and Buddhist meditation practices utilized in the Sri Lankan wellness and meditation retreats majorly affect the destination preference. Consequently, utilization of the new and demanding wellness practices is essential for the sustainability of wellness and spiritual tourism in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this study has explored the spectrum of the Yoga and Buddhist practices utilized in Sri Lanka’s wellness and spiritual tourism. Sri Lanka wellness retreats utilize Yoga and Buddhist meditation practices as alternative interventions. Meditation retreats exposure to the Buddhist practices in narrow. However, a vast variety of yoga practices are offered by foreign yoga teachers. Therefore, developing the capabilities of local yoga teachers and promoting a variety of Buddhist meditation practices is essential for the sustainability of Sri Lanka's wellness spiritual and meditation tourism industry.

Geo-Homestay Potential of Jeneponto Regency as a Preference for Destinations for Japanese Tourists

This study aims to determine the Tourism Potential through Mapping the Geohomestay Potential of Japanese tourist preferences as an innovation in the new normal period in Jeneponto Regency, South Sulawesi as an Innovation in the Covid-19 Pandemic Period. The approach taken is descriptive qualitative with data collection methods through interviews and tourist attraction surveys. Data analysis by triangulation on key informants. Informants include the head of the destination, tourist village managers, village heads and the community in Jeneponto Regency. Meanwhile, to determine the location of geo-homestays, it is done by overlaying data consisting of the distribution of tourist villages, natural, cultural and historical potential using the Arcgis 10.5 mapping application. The conclusions of this study include the tourist attractions of Jeneponto Regency including beaches, caves, seas, islands, panoramas, agro, traditional-cultural history and industrial tourism. The Tourism component of Jeneponto Regency includes Attractions, Amenities, Accommodations and Accessibility. The development of geo-homestays in Jenoponto Regency follows the natural potential of the surroundings spread over 11 (eleven) villages/kelurahan, including: Je'ne Tallasa Village, Rumbia Village, Tompo Bulu Village, Ujung Bulu Village, Paitana Village, Je'ne Tallasa Village, Tonro Kassi Barat, Arungkeke Village, Ex. Pabiringa, Tarowang Village and Kampala Village. This study recommends the community, actors, and the government to package promotional products and homestay branding based on the existing geographic potential in accordance with the preferences of Japanese tourists.

Segmentation of gastronomic consumers following Instagram influencers based on destination preferences and the effect of Covid-19 on their consumption

THE AIM OF THE PAPER
 The aim of the study is to explore the impact of gastronomic influencers on Instagram on consumer decision before choosing a restaurant. It also examines the role of the characteristics of destination in consumer decision-making process. The article also highlights the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic and its impact on consumers’ decision process in that context.
 METHODOLOGY
 In order to analyze the main research questions, a quantative survey with 329 valid responses was implemented and descriptive statistics, relationship analysis methods and linear regression were used to answer the research questions. The research question also required the use of a subsample (n=185) in which respondents who are willing to travel for gastronomic purposes were examined during the Pandemic.
 MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS
 According to the results, the collection of information from gastronomic influencers on the Instagram interface is popular among the respondents, and the influencers’ activity has a positive effect on the number of visitors to the destinations. Thus, it can be said that the relationship between the influencer and the destination is characterized by a significant, medium strength relationship. Furthermore, the results also revealed that the Pandemic has led to an increase in consumers’ intentions to consume in restaurants.
 RECOMMENDATIONS
 As social media plays an increasingly important role in the decision-making process, it is important that professionals, service providers and researchers explore the views of consumers in the context under study. The results are highlighted in terms of destination development and in terms of consumer behavior.

Understanding forced internal displacement in Ukraine: insights and lessons for today’s crises

Abstract The contribution of this paper is threefold: first, it accounts for the problem of Ukraine’s forced internal displacement, following the Russian occupation of the Crimea and Donbas regions in 2014; second, this study applies a number of quantitative research methods to provide new insights into the way that individual and destination characteristics of the internally displaced people (IDPs) impact upon their destination preferences; finally, it draws four key policy lessons for dealing with today’s worst humanitarian catastrophe in Europe since 1945. These lessons focus on the individual characteristics of forced migrants for understanding displacement patterns; and the need for full restoration of legitimate democratic government at home as the necessary condition for return. They also highlight that in the extraordinary circumstances of large-scale warfare, life-saving action takes precedence over any other motivations; and the host communities’ perceived sympathy towards the forced migrants’ home nation ultimately determines the choice of settlement.

Mega shopping malls technology-enabled facilities, destination image, tourists’ behavior and revisit intentions: Implications of the SOR theory

Mega shopping malls technology-enabled services influence tourists shopping behavior as Jumbo malls offer a broader range of products and services with innovative features that impacts revisit intentions. This study’s novelty is the research on mega shopping malls as literature lacs it. Travel, leisure, and tourism sectors have gained balanced attention, and scholars have contributed with academic research perspectives. Mega malls in modern cities attract tourists that help foster economic development with revisit intentions. Technology-enabled products influence sustainable tourists’ experiences. Despite broad investigative studies on tourists’ experiences, literature shows little regarding tourists’ shopping experiences in mega shopping malls that lead to reviewing tourist destination choices. This narrative research explores how shopping malls attributes influence tourists’ behavioral intentions in mega malls’ shopping environments that satisfy them for revisiting intentions in the future. Doha city is an economic hub that plays a crucial role in the economic and social development of the region. The city lies on the sea and has many mega shopping malls that offer technology-enabled products and services to attract regional and global tourists. It boosts sustainable economic activities, climate change, and environmental protection concerns. The city of Doha oscillates widespread beaches, and its mega shopping malls are famous as tourist attractions for domestic, regional, and global travelers. As an independent and economically affluent country, it has its take on attracting tourists. The study aimed to examine the revisiting behavior of Doha tourists with destination revisit intentions. A pleasant shopping experience in sizeable technology-enabled shopping malls is critical for tourist satisfaction. The trust, perceived value, and environmental effects affect tourists’ revisit intentions. Other factors include high spirits, excitement, new tourist destinations, and visiting friends. External factors include a preference for natural and historical destinations, technology-enabled facilities, infrastructure, safety, affordability, comfort, budget range, and sociocultural factors. The study recommends future inquiries based on factors that empirically test mega malls’ technology-enabled product effects on tourists’ behaviors. The findings not only contribute to tourists’ experiences in mega shopping malls and revisit intention literature but also provide implications’ for officials and policymakers to articulate policies that promote tourists’ mega-mall shopping experiences and destinations.

A Behavioral Approach to the Tourism Consumer Decisions of Generation Z

The main objective of our research is to identify the impact of recycling and waste reduction behavior on the sustainable tourism decisions of Romanian youngsters (18–25 years old). We used the PLS-SEM method and introduced four variables in the model: sustainable tourism decisions, the interest in recycling, the interest in waste reduction, and the interest in natural and less polluted touristic destinations. The main results emphasize the direct influence of recycling and waste reduction behaviors on the decisions made by Generation Z regarding sustainable tourism and on their preference for destinations that are better preserved and less touched by human intervention. The novelty of our research consists of the fact that we introduced variables such as waste reduction from the perspective of tourists because most studies address it as a management approach of the companies in the tourism sector. The findings are useful for managers in the tourism sector to create better strategies for attracting the younger generation who are preoccupied by environmental issues and sustainability in general.