International Travel Experience Research Articles

Netographic narratives of user-generated travelogues on tourist destination image of Thailand.

The image of a tourist destination is considered a vital aspect of international travel experiences, yet research in this area remains limited. Adopting a combination of netography and qualitative research methodology, this study aims to contribute to the scientific knowledge of destination image development in Thailand by analysing online travelogues to evaluate how Chinese tourists interpret the idea of destination image. To achieve this goal, 146,641 words of Chinese internet comments containing the keyword "Thailand" from four major media sources and Chinese bloggers were gathered and analysed using netography methodology. The findings showed that there was a rise in public interest, in public forums, in the destination image of Thailand among Chinese outbound tourists. The study's results may provide important fundamental theoretical insights and inspire further investigation into the issue of destination image construction.

Students’ motivation to learn English: the importance of external influence on the ideal L2 self

IntroductionThe ideal second/foreign language (L2) self, a concept in second-language acquisition theory, is a learner’s future vision about their language ability. Research on the ideal L2 self is important for finding ways to improve motivation for learning a new language, foreign language teaching strategies, and personalization of instruction for individuals with different backgrounds and aspirations. The present study aimed to better understand the factors that might influence the ideal L2 self among Japanese elementary school students. While there have been numerous studies about the ideal L2 self in English language learning, few have focused on elementary school students’ motivation to learn English.MethodsData were collected from 225 4th- and 6th-grade elementary school students in Japan. The data were analyzed by performing t-tests and a hierarchical linear regression to understand the relationships between the pertinent variables and the ideal L2 self.ResultsThe analysis results revealed three characteristics of the relationship between elementary school students’ English language skills and their ideal L2 selves. First, the results of the t-test suggested that international travel and English cram school experiences were differentiating factors for the ideal L2 self, suggesting that the groups of participants with and without those factors (experiences) had significantly different ideal L2 selves. Second, the experience of living abroad was not a significant differentiating factor for the ideal L2 self. Third, the results of the regression analysis suggested that school, home, and foreign media influences are significant contributors to the formation of the ideal L2 self. These factors may therefore subsume international travel and English cram school experiences.DiscussionBy understanding the factors that contribute to the ideal L2 self, educators and policymakers can strive to establish a more effective environment to improve students’ motivation to learn English.

An innovative approach to passport quality assessment based on the possibility q-rung ortho-pair fuzzy hypersoft set

This research article aims to evaluate the quality of passports issued by different countries. Passport quality assessment is critical in ensuring secure and efficient international travel. By leveraging this novel structure, we address the limitations of existing methods and provide a comprehensive and accurate evaluation of passport quality. Our proposed PQROFHS (possibility q-rung orthopair fuzzy hypersoft set) based structure integrates various attributes related to passport quality, considering the inherent uncertainties and imprecisions associated with each attribute. Through extensive experimentation, we demonstrate the superior performance of our approach, achieving higher accuracy, reliability, and consistency than traditional methods. The flexibility of the PQROFHS framework allows for a nuanced representation of uncertainty, enabling informed decision-making in real-world scenarios. Implementing the presented approach can enhance global travel security, streamline immigration processes, and facilitate seamless international travel experiences. An explanatory example of a real-world problem is shown to demonstrate the suggested method.

Travelling abroad and geopolitical preferences – case of Kharkiv, Dnipro and Mariupol, Ukraine

The paper investigates the relationship between travel abroad experience and individual geopolitical preferences in three geopolitical fault-line cities in the eastern part of Ukraine. Employing binary logistic regression as a principal research method, we show that travel experience to European countries positively correlates with pro-European attitudes and corresponds to weaker pro-Soviet sentiments. On the contrary, travel experience to Russia is associated with somewhat weaker support for European geopolitical and cultural integration but stronger pro-Soviet sentiments. Travel experience to Russia is less important predictor of geopolitical preferences than visiting European countries. Pro-European attitudes, compared with pro-Soviet sentiments, are much more interlinked with international travel experience. The data on bilateral travellers evidences that possible effect of visiting European countries basically neutralises the effect of visiting Russia in terms of impact on geopolitical preferences. Although the relationship between travel abroad experience and geopolitical preferences is similar in all three cities under investigation, certain variations between them may be explained by different economic, socio-cultural and institutional background. The revealed correlations seem to cover both direct causal effect of travel abroad on geopolitical preferences and a reverse causality, namely self-selection of destination country according to personal pre-existing geopolitical views. The importance of discovered relationships for the integration of Ukrainian society into European civilization project is apparent not only considering visa-free regime between Ukraine and the European Union (EU), but also in view of the Russian military invasion in 2022 as a cause of flows of refugees from Ukraine to Europe.

Strengthening Social Work Skills and Competency Through Exposure to Diversity

ABSTRACT One hundred and fourteen (N=114) Master of Social Work students completed an online survey to explore whether demographic characteristics, prior international travel, and learning abroad program experience were associated with levels of CSWE competencies, racial attitudes, and attitudes toward mental health. Results indicate that multilingual students and students with prior international travel experience self-reported lower levels of policy skill development and lower overall competency development. Age and race were associated with students’ attitudes toward those experiencing mental health concerns, with younger or non-Hispanic White students reporting lower stigma toward those with mental health concerns. No association was found between demographic characteristics, learning abroad participation, prior international travel, and racial attitudes. Implications for social work education, practice, and research are offered.

Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC): A Comparison of Thai and International Teachers of English in the Thai Vocational Context

This study aims to investigate English teachers’ levels of ICC within five components, which are knowledge, attitude, skills of interpretation and relating, skills of discovery and interaction, and critical cultural awareness, and to compare the differences between levels of ICC and its components between Thai and international teachers of English. This study also seeks to understand the influences of aspects of intercultural background, consisting of international travel experiences, international seminars/training experiences, and intercultural contact. The participants were 113 Thai and 36 international teachers of English who were chosen using a multi-stage sampling methodology. The research instruments consisted of ICC scales adapted from the Byram ICC model (2020) and an intercultural background survey. Descriptive statistics, a t-test, and a two-way ANOVA analysis were used to analyze the dataset. The results showed that international teachers had greater levels of ICC. Of the five components, the attitude component was found to be at the highest level in both groups. Critical cultural awareness was at the lowest level among Thai teachers, while international teachers’ skills of interpretation and relating were at the lowest level. Regarding international travel experiences, contact with international friends, social media contact, and frequency of co-worker contact were found to affect the ICC score of two groups; however, no effect on ICC score was found in regard to international seminars/training experiences. This study suggests that ICC components could be integrated into vocational education. Moreover, travel experiences and intercultural contact could contribute as extra activities for developing ICC in ELT.

The Relationship between Recreational International Travel Experience, Openness to Experience and Cultural Intelligence in High School Students

The Relationship between Recreational International Travel Experience, Openness to Experience and Cultural Intelligence in High School Students

Factors Influencing Interest in Post-Secondary Agricultural International Travel Experiences

International travel experiences (ITE) are high-impact practices that allow post-secondary agricultural students the opportunity to engage with production processes and commodities in other countries. In addition to adding tremendous value to their technical knowledge base students are also able to learn about new cultures. Prior research has focused on factors influencing students’ decision to participate in ITE programs. This study builds on research using best-worst scaling to quantitatively analyze motivations or obstacles impacting students’ intention to participate in an ITE. This approach provides a preference share which can be directly compared to other motivations or obstacles in a manner that Likert scales cannot. Students majoring in agriculture at two comprehensive regional universities were surveyed on their motivations or hesitancy in participating in an ITE. Use of the best-worst scaling method reveals that the opportunity for personal growth and earning academic credit are the two primary reasons generating interest in an ITE while cost and concerns about not earning academic credit are the primary reasons for students’ hesitancy in participating. The results of this study can be used by university coordinators in utilization of their limited resources to improve ITE and overcome hesitancy of students.

Statistical and Grey Forecasting of the Inbound Tourism to Malawi

Tourism is one of the fastest growing and complex industries in Malawi. This article is aimed at forecasting the future pattern of the tourism industry in Malawi from the year 2018 to 2028. The study has employed grey forecasting model EGM (1, 1, α, θ) to predict the future pattern of tourism based on the initial data sets sourced from the data base of the World Data over Malawi. The findings of this study showed that the grey forecasting model EGM (1, 1, α, θ) performed well in forecasting the future pattern of tourism by comparing with the linear regression and exponential regression. The forecast has revealed that the tourism industry will grow with an average of 20.84% by the year 2028 based on the current conditions. Following the present findings, the tourism industry should therefore continue improving the current conditions in order to attract more tourists. Furthermore, the industry should continue to supply tourism products and services that can satisfy the increasing demand of the international travel experiences as well as the future growing number such as constructing more standard hotels, proper transportation and communication.

Getting Around in a College Town: A Case Study of Transportation Barriers Faced by International Students at the University of Alabama

University students' day-to-day lives largely depend on transportation. Public transit alternatives are not widely available in small-town, rural, and suburban collegiate environments in the United States (U.S.). In this study, an online survey was conducted among international students studying at The University of Alabama (UA) campus located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The objective of this research was to investigate and analyze international student travel experiences in a city with a significant college-affiliated population, as well as to highlight, in particular, some of the transportation issues in the area. The survey results show that international students face various challenges in transportation in and around the campus, finding it difficult to travel within Tuscaloosa without a personal vehicle, as other modes of transportation including walking, biking, and using public transportation are not always convenient or reliable. The study findings may be of interest to transportation experts, city planners, university administrators, and college students who want to better understand travel-related challenges experienced by international students.

Is travelling currently a risk? The impact of COVID-19 and war in Ukraine

The aim of the study is to examine how regular travellers’ behaviour and views regarding international travel have changed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemics and the war in Ukraine. The study includes three research questions 1) how much is travel missed and how do pandemics affect international travel behaviour? 2) how do regular travellers view the danger associated with pandemics and the war in Ukraine? 3) to what extent are future travels perceived as risky? The research is based on statistical data on outgoing tourism and domestic visitor monitoring data analysis, and interviews with 33 regular Latvian travellers. The interviews were conducted during the first quarter of 2022. According to the findings, regular travellers currently feel a lack of excitement about planning trips or international travel experiences. Those who frequently travel for business report a lower level of longing for this experience. The habit of travelling locally has increased due to the lack of international alternatives during the pandemic with restrictions on global mobility. Regular travellers accept the inconveniences caused by the Covid-19 restrictions, but they were afraid and applied self-protection strategies, or even refused to travel entirely, during the first month of the war in Ukraine. Finally, regular travellers are not going to refrain from taking multiple journeys overseas or to Western European countries in the next six months but will avoid travels to zones of military conflict.

해외관광경험이 포스트 코로나 시대의 인종차별에 대한 위험지각과 관광 의도에 미치는 영향

The purpose of current study was to investigate the effect of the international travel experiences on risk perception of racial discrimination and international travel intention in the post-corona era. The online survey data was collected from 380 respondents. The data was analysed using frequency analysis, factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. The results showed that the effect of the international travel experiences was partially significant on risk perception of racial discrimination of the respondents. And the result confirmed that the international travel experiences had statistically significant effects on international travel intention. In addition, risk perception of racial discrimination had a significant effect on international travel intention. The current study showed that the racial discrimination can be a concern for travelling in the post-corona era more than ever before. The present study suggests the further studies to find out more details about the cases that travellers are concerned and anxious about the racial discrimination in the post-corona era for the recovery of tourism industry.

Development of a Tax-Free Shopping Environment in Japan: An Analysis of Its Representations in a Financial Newspaper

ABSTRACT Tax-free shopping is recognised as an important component of international travel experience, but the investigation of this topic remains limited. This study aims to extend the understanding of the tax-free shopping phenomenon, especially its historical development in Japan through investigating how the topic of tax-free shopping has been viewed and discussed in Japan. To achieve this aims, 549 newspaper articles containing the term menzei (Japanese for “tax exemption”) from a major financial newspaper were collected and analysed. The results revealed that the term menzei was differently represented in a financial newspaper before and after the national government introduced major inbound tourism development strategies in the early 2000s, indicating that the public interest in the tax-free shopping phenomenon increased as inbound tourism developed. The findings of this study are expected to serve as important foundational knowledge and to encourage future research on this topic.

The Effect of COVID-19 on potential tourist's consumption behavior: Evidence from GCC countries

Little information about the effect of COVID-19 on tourism exists. To fulfil the gap two theories are used, that is Fear Appeal and Means-end Chain Theories. The current study aims to get first-hand information regarding people's travel inclination, tourist attitudes and preferences, and hygiene and safety following COVID-19 pandemic, and to study the impacts of people's gender on the same dimensions. With a sample of 596 of Gulf Cooperation Council citizne with domestic and international travel experience via an online survey, the data were analysed using factor analyses, Cronbach's alpha, comparative means, standard deviation, and ANOVA tests. The findings revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic influences travel inclination, tourist attitudes and preferences, as well as hygiene and safety needs. Moreover, both genders have significant impacts on these findings. Finally, this paper provided some practical implications for reopening the tourism and hospitality business by the end of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Influence of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreaks on Tourists Destination Choice

Little information about the impact of pandemic/epidemic on tourist's choice of destination. The current study aims to investigate the impact of six factors following the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on a sample of 504 Saudis who had a domestic /international travel experience was utilized to collect the data throughout the online survey. While respondents of the research display a high self-efficacy on travel, they demonstrate a moderate perception of tourism services, perception of susceptibility, perception of travel risk, a panic of crisis in destination, and perception of tourism activities in the destination. The finding of the study shows some significant differences between genders on perception of these six dimensions. The results express that even after the ban is lifted, Saudi tourists perceive domestic travel as risky as international travel. Females appear to be more travel avoidance than males because of the outbreak of (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition, females appear to have a higher panic of dying because of having coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during international and domestic travel.

COVID-19 AND FUTURE TRAVEL PERSPECTIVES: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON TRAVEL HISTORY AND TRAVEL DECISION CHOICES

 COVID-19 has heavily influenced people all around the world and forced us to acclimatise to a New Normal. Post-COVID-19 scenarios are predicted that impose specific criteria on travel choices that could change the present tourism equilibrium. Addressing these impulses is crucial for travel destinations for their resilience and recovery. This paper presents preliminary insights into present travel decisions and speculates about potential future, post-COVID-19 choices. An online survey of 449 participants used to investigate the underlying dimensions of destination selection motivations, and to explore the significant differences between the characteristics of travellers in destination-choice-based motivators (DCBMs) for destination selections post-COVID-19. Three motivators for the choice of destinations were derived: accessibility and discounting, health and hygiene, and the history of low incidences of COVID-19. Results also identified interrelationships between travel history and destination selection motivators: participants who had undergone a prolonged quarantine period were highly motivated by ‘accessibility and discounting’ and ‘health and hygiene’ factors. In contrast, people with no international travel experience were more concerned with low COVID-19 incidences in the destination(s).

Comparison of pre-intervention IDI results from STEM and non-STEM undergraduate students

The emphasis on intercultural competence is more prevalent in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) majors as the world shifts towards a more globalized economy. When entering higher education, students have differing levels of cultural interaction due to varying peer interaction, family experiences, international travel, and social media experiences. The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) has been used to develop an understanding of how students view others and the level of skills they have to interact and adapt to other cultures. Using published data focused on pre-intervention assessment, researchers compared it to data obtained from STEM students preparing for an international experience and studies that already exist to learn more about both student populations and to gain an appreciation of their cultural competencies. As institutions look to prepare their students for jobs in a global workplace, an understanding of where STEM students place according to the IDI in comparison to their non-STEM peers may aid educators wishing to focus on developing these skills in their students. The results of the comparison between Purdue STEM students and other non-STEM students showed STEM students fell into more ethnocentric levels of intercultural competence. This may be explained by the traditionally male-dominated nature of STEM majors, as males have been shown to fall in more ethnocentric orientations.

Assessing Cultural Intelligence and Study Abroad Experiences of Dietetics Students and Professionals

ObjectiveTo assess the relationship between study abroad participation and levels of cultural intelligence (CQ) of dietetics students and professionals. MethodsParticipants were recruited via e-mail to complete an online survey, which included the Cultural Intelligence Scale and an additional 21 items developed and partially validated by the researchers. A mixed-method analysis was used to examine relationships between CQ levels, study abroad program participation, and international travel experiences. ResultsParticipation in study abroad programs and international travel experiences were related to higher levels of CQ in metacognitive (P = 0.003; P < 0.001), cognitive (P = 0.001; P = 0.001), motivational (P < 0.001; P < 0.001), and behavioral (P = 0.02; P < 0.001) dimensions. Conclusions and ImplicationsResults suggest that participation in study abroad programs and international travel experiences may result in high CQ levels and may equip students and practicing dietitians with skills, knowledge, and resources for practicing in culturally diverse communities. Future experimental research implementing study abroad programs and international travel opportunities for this population may help determine how these experiences impact dietetics practice in the long term.

International travel and political views

AbstractThis research note considers the relationship between international travel experience and one's political views. The findings reveal that those who travel internationally have strongly differentiated views from those who do not, but that these are neither necessarily more liberal nor conservative than those who have not traveled abroad.

Mass Education, International Travel, and Ideal Ages at Marriage.

Opportunities to document associations between macro-level changes in social organization and the spread of new individual attitudes are relatively rare. Moreover, of the factors generally understood to be influential, little is known about the potential mechanisms that make them so powerful. Here we use longitudinal measures from the Chitwan Valley Family Study (CVFS) to describe the processes of ideational change across 12 years among a representative sample from a rural agrarian setting in South Asia. Findings from lagged dependent variable models show that (1) two key dimensions of social organization--education and international travel--are strongly associated with change in attitudes, net of prior attitudes; (2) reorganization of education and travel are associated with attitudes toward ideal age at marriage; and (3) this association varies by gender. Using the study's prospective design, we document not only these important associations but also potential mechanisms of education and travel--exposure to the English language and friends' international travel experience--as potentially powerful social influences on individuals' attitudes, independent of their own experiences.