Implications For Tourism Marketing Research Articles

Examined The Relationship Between Travel Anxiety and Destination Choice: Implications for Tourism Marketing: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative study examined the relationship between travel anxiety and destination choice, specifically focusing on its implications for tourism marketing. Through in-depth interviews with individuals who have experienced travel anxiety, the study explored their past experiences and decision-making processes when selecting destinations. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, ensuring diverse travel anxiety levels and demographic backgrounds. Data analysis followed a thematic approach, using past tense verbs to capture participants' retrospective perspectives on their travel anxiety experiences. The findings revealed that travel anxiety significantly influenced destination choices, with various factors contributing to decision-making processes. Past tense verbs were employed to describe participants' experiences, emotions, and coping mechanisms during their previous travel experiences. These verbs highlighted the nuanced nature of travel anxiety and provided valuable insights into the specific triggers and manifestations of anxiety in different travel contexts. The implications for tourism marketing were identified through the lens of the findings. Strategies were proposed to address and alleviate travel anxiety, targeting specific stages of the decision-making process. Tourism marketers can tailor their marketing efforts to better accommodate and support individuals with travel anxiety, ultimately enhancing their overall travel experiences by comprehending the complex relationship between destination selection and travel anxiety. This study adds to the growing body of research on travel anxiety by shedding light on people's individual experiences and providing tourism marketers with practical implications. The long-term effects of marketing interventions on reducing travel anxiety and increasing destination satisfaction should be the subject of additional research.

Chi nese Middle-class Travelers’ Characteristics and Their Perceptions of Japan's National Image

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the largest source country in Japan’s inbound tourism market. The middle class, with its high consumption desire, was the main contributor of Chinese tourists to Japan, an important force driving the Japanese economy and influencing the spread of Japan’s national image in China through the Internet. For this study, I collected 4,785 text data from Japan travelogues on two major Chinese travel websites between January 2016 and March 2022, conducted data mining and content analysis, and combined the texts to reveal the basic characteristics of Chinese middle-class tourists to Japan, as well as their perceptions and evaluations of Japan’s national image. The results show a change in the travel needs of the Chinese middle class from shopping, etc., to diverse, specific, and individual travel experiences and an obvious willingness to revisit. Regarding their perceptions and evaluations of Japan's macro national image, Japan’s national capacity is mainly reflected in its culture and economic technology, while its national characteristics are mainly reflected in hospitability. Although most impressed with Japan’s environmental management, mainly its infrastructure and natural resources, the macro sentiment of the tourists is influenced by historical Sino-Japanese relations and reveals reservations about Japan. Japan’s micro national image, as perceived by the tourists through tourist attractions, mainly relates to activities, while their perceptions of the tourist environment are the richest, focusing on popular attractions and landscapes. Their perceptions of tourism facilities cover various aspects such as catering, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, and services. Furthermore, their micro-emotions are mainly reflected in their satisfaction and praise of the destination environment. These results have several implications for tourism marketing and national image promotion in the post-pandemic era, when outbound tourism has fully recovered.

Multimedia Electronic Word-of-Mouth and Sense of Place: Tourism Marketing for Macau in the Post-Pandemic Era

It is a crucial question for local governments and managers of tourism destinations to strategically restore tourism in the post-pandemic era. Taking Macau, a famous tourism city as a case study, this paper explored the underlying mechanism of visitors’ visit intention. We utilized multimedia electronic word-of-mouth (MeWOM) as a strategic marketing tool for the hospitality and tourism industry and established a theoretical framework. We proposed a sense of place as a mechanism to explain the effect of MeWOM on visit intention. In addition, we examined tourists’ perceptions in the post-pandemic context, including perceived sudden lockdown, psychological resilience, and state boredom as moderators. The present research provides implications for tourism marketing and managerial practices.

Alienation and authenticity in intangible cultural heritage tourism production

AbstractThis study investigates the dialectical relationship between authenticity and alienation in intangible cultural heritage (ICH) tourism studies, based on an evaluation of the role cultural values play in the provision of tourism in China. Data were obtained via a multi‐phase, mixed‐method project derived from specific respondents. An examination of chorus tourism performances in the Zhaoxing Dong Villages allows for insight into the subjective authenticity of the practitioners of ICH performances. The study has implications for tourism marketing that seeks to understand the authenticity issues on the supply side of ICH tourism.

Serious games and the gamification of tourism

Gamification has become a focus of attention in an increasing number of fields including business, education, and health care. Through a wide range of applications and support functions, its potential for the tourism industry is significant. Gamification of tourism can contribute to a more rewarding interactions and higher level of satisfaction, as well as increase brand awareness and loyalty to the destination. As one of the first attempts to conceptualize gamification of tourism, this paper examines gaming in general terms and the application of it in specific tourism fields. It identifies game design elements that can contribute to a meaningful gamification. A few cases of best practices are presented to show how this innovative concept can benefit tourism marketing. Implications for tourism marketing and management are discussed as well as future research recommendations.

Issues Arising from the Rapid Growth of Mainland Chinese Visitors to Hong Kong: Implications for Tourism Marketing

ABSTRACTThe rapid growth of mainland Chinese visitors to Hong Kong has made economic contributions but also created various concerns and conflicts within the destination. As Hong Kong is at the forefront of mainland Chinese visitors’ destinations, what happens in the city could serve as good reference for other destinations that would like to welcome more Chinese visitors. This study used a quantitative survey method to analyze the local community’s attitude toward mainland Chinese visitors. A telephone survey was carried out to gauge Hong Kong residents’ view towards visitors in general and mainland Chinese visitors in particular. Implications for travel and tourism marketing are drawn.

Reflections on Judgment: an Analysis of Tourists' Contributions to Guest Books

This article analyses 17 years of entries in tourist guest books to gain detailed insight into perceptions of experience. The study site is an Outback region of South Australia admired for a number of contrasting aesthetic qualities. The words and phrases offer more than standard comments to hosts; they represent emotional outpourings and reflections that double as public displays of touristic experience and judgment. The judgments made on place and experience reveal an appreciation of an immersion in a natural environment aesthetic, distinct from the built environment. The research explores the benefits tourists gain through contact with nature as it reflects on a social construction of the natural world. The article also suggests how, in engaging in the process of reading other tourists' entries and individually writing one's own entry for an expected audience of hosts and future tourists, the tourists themselves become part of a larger discourse about place and the meaning of the nature-based experience at that place. The method provides a flexible tool for investigation to complement other research methods used in studies of the tourist experience and provides for an analysis of the tourists' environmental awareness and engagement. The implications for tourism marketing and management are discussed.

Tourists as Mobile Gamers: Gamification for Tourism Marketing

ABSTRACTGaming as a cutting-edge concept has recently been used by some innovative tourism sectors as a marketing tool and as a method of deeper engagement with visitors. This research aims to explore the gamification trend and its potential for experience development and tourism marketing. Using a focus group, this paper discusses gaming and tourism, and explores what drives tourists to play games. The results suggest tourists’ game playing motivation is multidimensional. Players tend to start with purposive information seeking, then move on to an intrinsic stimulation. Socialization is also an important dimension. The research demonstrates several implications for tourism marketing.

체면민감성이 과시소비성향에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of social-face sensitivity on conspicuous consumption. It particularly tested the comparative study of Korea and China tourists on those relationships. By doing so, this study provides implication regarding effective tourism marketing. For empirical survey, total 400 customers, each 200 customers of each Korean and Chinese nationality, were selected as a target, and total 354 questionnaire sheet were used for the survey after deleting 10 insincere or defected sheet from total 344 questionnaire sheet collected. The results were summarized as follows. First it showed that other consciousness and shame consciousness of social-face sensitivity had positive effects on conspicuous consumption. Second Formality consciousness had negative effects on conspicuous consumption. Third, nationality(comparative of Korea and China tourists) played moderating roles in the relationship between all aspects of social-face sensitivity excepting formality consciousness, and conspicuous consumption. Overall findings provide new insights into consumers' psychology behavior and suggest several implications for tourism marketing.

The Role of Inbound Tourism in the Singaporean Economy: A Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Assessment

ABSTRACTThis study has employed recently published input–output (I–O) tables and tourism survey data and built a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model, to assess the role of inbound tourism in the Singaporean economy and thus to reveal its implications for tourism marketing. Compared with the I–O analysis, the CGE modeling takes into account the feedback effect in the economy and thus produces more reliable results. The modeling results show that inbound tourism contributes significantly to the Singaporean economy, but it competes mildly with non-tourism sectors for resources. Although tourism shopping accounts for about half of total tourism expenditure, its economic contribution is much less than that of the tourism service in terms of GDP, employment, household income, and tax revenue. This suggests that, in developing and marketing Singapore as a tourist destination, more efforts are needed to encourage tourism services demand.

Psychoneurobiochemistry of tourism marketing

This study offers a unique approach to consumer/tourist behaviour called psychoneurobiochemistry and aims to explore the possible and potential influences of psychoneurobiochemical factors on tourism marketing. The study with a multidisciplinary approach analyzes and syntheses the psychological, neurological, biological and chemical research findings in terms of their implications for tourism marketing. The study particularly looks at neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine; melatonin hormone; photoperiod and circadian rhythm and emotions.

The Impact of Social Media on the Consumer Decision Process: Implications for Tourism Marketing

ABSTRACT Social media have fundamentally changed the consumer decision process, and in the last decade a more sophisticated view of how consumers engage with brands has emerged. This research note describes this new consumer decision journey with examples from all sectors of the travel industry, and describes how savvy tourism marketers are benefiting from social media engagement. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed along with suggestions for further research in this rapidly changing digital environment.

Consumption Behaviours of Park Visitors and the Implications for Tourism Marketing: A Case in China

A survey of tourists to the protected areas in the Taibai Mountain (太白山) Region of China reveals a local domestic market, dominated by students and company employees. The market is attracted by the natural beauty of the Region, but not yet focused on nature based activities in the many protected areas. Given the Region’s assured tourism future based on its natural and cultural characteristics, the survey data are used to discuss strategies for development. The fundamental issue is how to design tourism products targeting different tourist market segments which have different consumption preferences and behaviours and provide sustainable economic benefits to the local community while protecting the natural and cultural assets of this region.

Individual Tourists from the Chinese Mainland to Hong Kong: Implications for Tourism Marketing in Fashion

Since the implementation of the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), the number of tourists from the Chinese Mainland (CM) to Hong Kong (HK) has increased dramatically. These IVS tourists have huge consumption power and account for 50–70% of the total sales revenue of many HK fashion retailers. In this context, the authors explore the consumer attitudes and preferences of the IVS tourists. Based on a random sampling method involving over 2,000 CM tourists, a questionnaire survey was conducted. The findings show that IVS tourists have complex attitudes towards higher-end brands and their extended products. Moreover, statistically significant results are found in relation to: the comparison of HK consumers with IVS tourists; the analysis of gender attitudes; and the regional analysis. Company interviews have been conducted and specific managerial insights are presented.

Gender, Personality, and Benefits Sought: Examining Chinese Leisure Travelers

This paper reports on a study that tested empirically the extent to which tourists' leisure benefits sought is explained by tourists travel personality and their gender. 348 Chinese potential leisure travelers (convenient sample) participated and successfully finished the on-line survey. Based on the information provided by the respondents, 7 main benefits sought were identified and the respondents were grouped into 4 personality groups based on the psychocentric-allocentric continuum. Furthermore, this study examined the differences of benefits sought among personality groups and gender groups. The study found that there were significant association between the respondents' tourist personality types, their gender, and their leisure benefits sought, for some benefits factors. The implications for tourism marketing are discussed.

Monumentality in ‘Capital’ Cities and Its Implications for Tourism Marketing

Monuments and monumental architecture are established vehicles for communicating capital city status. The need to reduce complex cities into simplified images also means they can be very effective destination marketing tools. This paper assesses the relationship between monuments, capital city status and tourism marketing. Monumental developments in Barcelona during two periods, 1888–1929 and 1982-present, are used to explore this relationship. Barcelona provides an interesting example, because of the city's attempts to reassert its historic status as the capital of Catalunya and of the SW Mediterranean. Despite some noted variances in the scope of, and rationale for, monumentality, the paper concludes that in both eras, attempts to monumentalise the city has assisted political and tourism ambitions. Operational implications are also identified.

State Park Names: Implications for Tourism Marketing

A random selection of state park names were classified by their origins: from nature, culture, or people. The purpose of this study was to determine if park names were consistent with some of the attractions sought by tourists. Although it may seem trivial, names can be powerful links between people and places. Names can heighten visitor expectations, increase subjects' willingness to pay, or result in nonattendance if perceived needs are not met. Many people rely on cues to make decisions about recreation opportunities, instead of using information-based strategies. Names are dominant cues. Nearly 75% of the state park names contained a natural and/or cultural feature (although some of these included people). Only 4% of the parks were named after a person or group having no connection to the site. Overall, the findings were consistent with the literature. Park names were discussed in relation to marketing, visitor behavior, and place attachment, with implications for recreation policy.

The emergence of the mainland Chinese outbound travel market and its implications for tourism marketing

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the current trends of the mainland Chinese outbound travellers to Hong Kong. According to the World Tourism Organisation’s forecasted figures, China will be the fourth largest generator of outbound tourists in the world. In 2000, China generated about 29 per cent of the total tourists to Hong Kong, and was the biggest market for Hong Kong. Given the importance of this market, this study attempts to find out how the trend of outbound travel and market performance has been developed; what the main social, economic and political factors are affecting the emergence of the China outbound market; and what the policy implications are for the tourism industry in Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific region.

Defining the virtual tourist community: implications for tourism marketing

The notion of community has been a central element of the Internet since its inception. Though research on virtual communities have been extensive the concept appears to be ill defined and the understanding of members’ needs remains fragmented. The purpose of this article is to identify a theoretical foundation of the concept of a virtual tourist community based upon the core characteristics of a virtual communities and the fundamental needs of community members. Perspectives of how one can define and interpret virtual communities within the tourism industry are discussed and issues related to the functions of virtual communities are explored from the member's viewpoint. Implications are made regarding virtual communities in the travel industry from marketing and design perspectives.

The relationship between personality, gender, and tourism behavior

This paper reports on a study that tested empirically the extent to which Holland’s (1985a, Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Vocational Personalities and Work Environments (2nd ed.), Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.) theory of personality types effectively explains individuals’ visitation of, and likelihood of visiting, tourist attractions. A random sample of 500 adults were interviewed personally at their residences. They completed Holland’s Self-Directed Search, and provided data on their past visitation of specific attractions, their interest in visiting such attractions, and their planned visitation in the future. The study found that there were significant associations between the respondents’ Holland personality types, their gender, and their tourism behavior, for some attractions and some measures of behavior. The implications for tourism marketing are discussed.