Island Resorts Research Articles

Virtual Word-of-Mouth and Its Influence on Resort Tourists’ Total Guest Experience: The Malaysian Evidence

Over the recent years, customer experience has paved its way into the global tourism industry which is generally viewed as an experience-intensive sector. However, the major forces of customer experience are still unclear and have been continuously debated amongst research scholars and industry practitioners alike. This study attempts to determine the extent to which virtual word-of-mouth (or vWOM) serves as one of the major driving influences on total guest experience, including both dimensions of escapism and aesthetic experiences respectively. Using a quantitative research method, questionnaire surveys were distributed to targeted respondents consisting of tourists who have stayed at any hotel, beach, and island resorts in Malaysia. Data analyses were carried out via a structural equation modelling technique using Smart PLS 3.0 statistical software in examining the hypothesized assumptions. The findings revealed significant hypothesized relationship between vWOM, and escapism experience. However, the hypothesized association between the vWOM and aesthetic experience was not supported. Several managerial contributions were subsequently observed. Keywords: Virtual Word-of-Mouth (vWOM), Total Guest Experience, Resorts, Tourist, Service Marketing

Groundwater, Graves and Golf: Layers of Heritage Tourism on a Fiji Resort Island

While island resorts in the South Pacific are primarily marketed as sun, sea and sand destinations, cultural dimensions value-add to and diversify the product for mixed audiences. Resort developments require, at minimum, the compliance with legally mandated environmental standards and adherence to national employment legislation. Socio-culturally and environmentally sustainable tourism concepts should exceed mandated environmental standards and be characterised by a close involvement with and respect for the expectations of local host communities who may hold land and/or traditional usufruct rights. But do resort developments comply? Using an example of a resort established on free-hold land during the pioneering days of resort development in Fiji, the aim of this paper is to provide a deliberation of the tension between organic resort development and sustainable tourism on private land. It will show that, where cultural and environmental planning controls were absent, development not only could progress unfettered but also that changes to tourism philosophies are not necessarily reflected in changes to a resort. The island of Malolo Lailai (Viti Levu, Fiji) has a rich and multi-layered history and heritage (Fijian, European and Chinese plantations, resort development) that provides an opportunity to value-add to the tourist experience. In reality, however, the ongoing resort development extinguishes past histories in favour of a post-occupation, twentieth-century colonial settler narrative, where heritage sites are merely allowed to co-exist provided they do not impact on resort development objectives. It demonstrates that, in the absence of external regulatory controls, the resort owner’s philosophy dominates and shapes the tourist experience.

FAKTOR PENENTU PENGLIBATAN KOMUNITI DALAM PEMBANGUNAN CHALET DI PINGGIR PANTAI DAERAH MARANG, TERENGGANU

Coastal zone and island resorts are one of the main focuses of the tourism industry especially in the accommodation facilities sector such as beach resorts, chalets, and homestays. With the development of chalets or tourist resorts in line with the passage of time, the number of these resorts increases with the occurrence of high holiday demand from tourists. The objective of the study was to identify the determinant factors of community involvement in chalet enterprises on the coast of Marang district. This study used purposeful sampling techniques which is an interview method for chalet entrepreneurs who are local communities. In addition to it, the observation method of location was also done in this study. The results of the study found that each chalet operator has its own determining factor in getting involved in the chalet industry in Marang. The most dominant factor is a family heritage. The development of this coastal chalet has an impact and brings about changes to the socioeconomic as well as the living standards of the local community. Thus, active and dynamic community involvement is not only as entrepreneurs, but they also play a role in encouraging the involvement of other residents to participate in advancing the development of coastal chalets in this district.

Searching the Virtually Extinct Tridacna gigas (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Reefs of Palawan, Philippines

Tridacna gigas (Cardiidae: Tridacninae) is the largest extant reef-associated bivalves that occur abundantly in the Indo-West Pacific Region. However, unregulated exploitation had caused localized extinction in many parts of its distribution range. In Palawan, the species was considered virtually extinct in the 1980s, and since then, no study has been done to monitor their status in the wild. In the absence of updated studies about T. gigas, we gathered information through field reports, key informants, and field visits. Within five months of data gathering, we recorded 97 empty shells (14 in pairs and 83 single shells) with 65.86 cm (range: 42-112 cm) average shell length, which were estimated to be from 5 to >76 years old. Most (78.36%) of the empty shells were used for decoration and landscaping. On the other hand, 29 live individuals with 73.69 cm (range: 42-109 cm) average shell length were estimated to be 5 to >76 years old. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and some island resorts harbored the highest number of live T. gigas. The presence of live T. gigas in these areas reflects years of effective management and the resorts’ essential contribution to resource conservation. These remaining live individuals could be used in breeding and restocking programs to restore their lost populations.

Contested surf tourism resources in the Maldives

We analyse contests for control of a newly valuable tourism resource, namely surf breaks in the Maldives. Conflicts are shaped by: the resource, economics, culture, legislation, and politics. There are seven stakeholder groups: island resorts, resort-based surfing tourists, live-aboard charter boats, boat-based surfing tourists, local surf-related enterprises, independent travelling surfers using those enterprises, and local resident surfers. We identify a transition from exogenously to endogenously-controlled political processes and power. These are driven by tourism growth, and accelerated by specific trigger events related to political change, land tenure, and development projects. Tourism destinations have seldom been studied in the context of control over natural resources. The transition model constructed here applies across destinations, adventure activities, tourism subsectors, and other industries.

Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan for an Island Resort

Disasters are inevitable. The island resorts in Malapascua Island, Daan Bantayan, Cebu, Philippines are vulnerable to natural risks such as typhoons and earthquake. In increasing disaster resilience, a model should be based on risk assessment results and be integrated with the strategic planning of the government and communities. It should consider risks and risk treatments across the social, built, economic and natural environments (Councils for Australian Governments, 2009). The study aimed to propose a disaster resiliency model for Malapascua Island, Daan Bantayan, Cebu, Philippines. The output of this study is a guide for the local community in case of natural disasters. The descriptive survey method was utilized using a two survey questionnaires. The data regarding disaster preparedness in hotel resorts are gathered from the 80 respondents consists of the staff and managers of resorts in Malapascua Island, emergency rescue personnel, as well as the village officials of village Logon and municipal officials of Daan Bantayan, Cebu, Philippines. Simple percentage and rank were used in the treatment of the data. Results showed that island is vulnerable to risk and that devised plans for emergency disasters, hazard mitigation, and contingency are needed. The researchers recommended the use of the model. However, further research on its effectiveness should be conducted to confirm the preliminary findings.

Aborigines, Islanders and Hula Girls in Great Barrier Reef Tourism

ABSTRACTThe Great Barrier Reef is one of the world's premier tourist destinations. It is promoted and marketed to tourists as part of an idealised Pacific island paradise. While the gardens and decor of island resorts mimic those of resorts elsewhere in the Pacific, the way in which Indigenous people are represented is markedly different. This paper presents an analysis of historic tourist ephemera to suggest that Australian Aboriginal people are largely invisible at the Great Barrier Reef, despite their role in establishing the tourism industry. It suggests that ambiguities of Aboriginal presence, in labour and performance, are a product of tourism ideals and colonial race relations.

Selective Evidence of Eutrophication in the Great Barrier Reef: Comment on Bell et al. (2014)

Selective Evidence of Eutrophication in the Great Barrier Reef: Comment on Bell et al. (2014)

Human migration is important in the international spread of exoticSalmonellaserovars in animal and human populations

The exposure of indigenous humans and native fauna in Australia and the Wallacea zoogeographical region of Indonesia to exotic Salmonella serovars commenced during the colonial period and has accelerated with urbanization and international travel. In this study, the distribution and prevalence of exotic Salmonella serovars are mapped to assess the extent to which introduced infections are invading native wildlife in areas of high natural biodiversity under threat from expanding human activity. The major exotic Salmonella serovars, Bovismorbificans, Derby, Javiana, Newport, Panama, Saintpaul and Typhimurium, isolated from wildlife on populated coastal islands in southern temperate areas of Western Australia, were mostly absent from reptiles and native mammals in less populated tropical areas of the state. They were also not recorded on the uninhabited Mitchell Plateau or islands of the Bonaparte Archipelago, adjacent to south-eastern Indonesia. Exotic serovars were, however, isolated in wildlife on 14/17 islands sampled in the Wallacea region of Indonesia and several islands off the west coast of Perth. Increases in international tourism, involving islands such as Bali, have resulted in the isolation of a high proportion of exotic serovar infections suggesting that densely populated island resorts in the Asian region are acting as staging posts for the interchange of Salmonella infections between tropical and temperate regions.

Best Practice of Green Island Resorts

Hospitality industry development is the core facilities in the tourism industry. The issues sustainability and green are discussed when looking at the effort by the resorts operators at practicing green approaches. The objective of this study was to find out the best practice and the factors influence the best practice of the resort operators. The research method employed was structured observation, documents analysis and in depth interview. The findings show that, green initiatives help to cut down the running cost and each resorts adopts different best practice that suit their operation and environment.

Optimal green energy management for island resorts in Malaysia

This paper proposes optimum green energy systems for electricity generation of island resorts in Malaysia. A combination of solar energy and wind energy as intermittent renewable energy sources with a fuel cell (FC) system and a battery storage energy system as a backup to the green energy system is introduced for this study. This system is eco-friendly, economical over the long-term, highly sustainable and reliable. In addition, a diesel-based energy system as a non-green system is compared with the proposed green system. National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) HOMER software is used to determine and compare the optimal configuration green energy system with the diesel-based energy system in terms of net present cost, sensitivity analysis and pollutant gas emission. The feasibility and assessment of the proposed system is evaluated by utilizing the load profile and considering the geographical condition of a village (Juara village in Tioman Island) with approximately 30 chalets located in southern Malaysia. HOMER uses two types of load profiles for each given year. The first load profile is used during the presence of tourists, and the second profile is used when the locals are the main inhabitants of the island. The optimization management for the green energy system is performed through unit sizing to find the optimum power management analysis and to perform cost analysis of the system.The potential of renewable energy as well as a diesel-based energy system to meet the power demand for such a stand-alone system is considered. Technically feasible and economically viable green energy systems as prospective plans are explored in this study.

Transportation Choice and Tourists' Behaviour

Transportation is an important topic in tourism research, since the tourist's journey to and from the destination is a fundamental component of the holiday. In island resorts, this issue assumes greater relevance as modes of transportation are limited. This paper analyses the travel behaviour of tourists holidaying on the island of Madeira, based on their type of air transport (scheduled airline flight, low-cost flight or charter flight). A trivariate probit model is used, taking into account the correlation between alternative transport types. The policy implications of the research findings, particularly those related to the management of tourist-based transportation modes, are discussed.

External Costs from Increased Island Visitation: Results from the Southern Thai Islands

Recreational development on islands is often subject to open-access conditions. In the absence of control over aggregate visitation levels, external effects among visitors would lead to visitation rates that were too high, relative to efficient rates. Information on the extent of these externalities would be invaluable in developing visitation management plans. In this study the authors surveyed 1,625 visitors to southern Thai Island resorts and estimated the extent of these external effects using a revealed preference analysis of visits to beaches with different characteristics. Our results show that externalities and resource degradation are substantial in this setting and that welfare losses from open access are relatively large.

Creating island resorts, by Brian E.M. King. Advances in Tourism, Routledge, London, Reprinted 1999

Creating island resorts, by Brian E.M. King. Advances in Tourism, Routledge, London, Reprinted 1999

Do Politics Have Artefacts?

In social studies of technology, as in many other scientific disciplines, highly persuasive similes are at work: pious stories, seemingly reaped from research, suggesting certain general theoretical insights. Variously adapted, they are handed down: in the process, they acquire almost doctrinal unassailability. One such parable, which has been retold in technology and urban studies for a long time, is the story of Robert Moses' low bridges, preventing the poor and the black of New York from gaining access to Long Island resorts and beaches. The story turns out to be counterfactual, but even if a small myth is disenchanted, it serves a purpose: to resituate positions in the old debate about the control of social processes via buildings and other technical artefacts - or, more generally, about material form and social content.

Creating Island Resorts.

Tables and Plates acronyms 1 Introduction' The myth of the Tropical Island as an'Earthly Paradise' Why a comparative otudy? The choice of study regions Studying resorts Methodology and limitations SECTION 1 THE ISLANDS 2 The Setting The Two Regions Compared Geography The Whitsundays The Mamanucas Land Tenure and Management The Whitsundays The Mamanucas Environment and Culture Heritage The Whitsundays The Mamanucas 3 Tourism Development - Island-Style History - Growth and Redevelopment The Whitsundays The Mamanucas Entrepreneurs and their Visions The Whitsundays The Mamanucas The Institutional Framework The Whitsundays The Mamanucas SECTION 2 THE INDUSTRY 4 Getting Business for the Pleasure Periphery The Scale and Nature of Island Resort Operations Integration in the Air-Inclusive Holiday Sector Regulation and the Air-Inclusive Holiday Sector Market Size and Main Destinations Domestic and International Air-Inclusive Tours: a Comparison Emerging Structures and Industry Trends Assessing the Attributes of Island Resorts Awareness and Visitation Positioning Target Marketing and Market Segmentation The Marketing Mix Future Marketing Priorities SECTION 3 THE RAW AND THE COOKED 6 Fitting the Image? The Mythical South Pacific - Imaginary since the Time of the Cook Voyages The Triumph of the Visual - Advertising as the Language of Consumption Tropical Islands as the Ultimate 'Gratification' What the Holidaymakers Think 7 Social Engineering? The Social Impact of Tourism Island Resorts as the Realization of an Ideal Community To What Extent Can the Resort Experience be Described as Authentic? Social Interactions at Resorts The Style and Quality of Service The Rise and Rise of the Family 8 Resort Landscapes Resort-goers as Consumers of Landscape Historic and Spatial Dimensions Postmodernism-Island Style Resort Landscapes and Consumption Places a System Approach Consumer and Industry Perspectives 9 Opportunities for Further Research Bibliography and Interviewees

Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal for Coastal Resort Businesses

Onshore commercial or institutional services for the New Jersey barrier island resorts frequently dispose of wastewater onsite, by percolating septic system effluent to the underlying aquifers. However, to protect the groundwater supplying potable water and brackish wetlands, larger onsite systems must now include advanced treatment to remove nitrates. Effluent produced by a mechanical treatment plant at a new nursing home was improved by percolation through a zoned sand mound disposal bed, but operation of the small but complex plant is expensive. Therefore, another system to remove organics and nitrogen was developed for a shopping center, which was expected to have severe seasonal variations in wastewater quality and quantity. Treatment in a series of in-ground and mounded aerobic and anoxic units provides operational economy and flexibility appropriate to resort area commercial establishments.

Environmental Management of the Proposed Floating Hotel at John Brewer Reef

Tourism in the Great Barrier Reef Region has traditionally been dominated by three sectors – island resorts, charter boats and day trip operations. In recent years, these sectors have responded to increasing demands for Reef-based recreational opportunities by introducing new services and facilities such as semi-submersible coral viewing vessels. The advent of high speed catamarans, capable of carrying large numbers of people quickly and comparatively cheaply has been a catalyst for much of this subsequent development.Proposals have now emerged for the development of major accommodation facilities stationed on the Reef proper. The largest of these proposals to date is the Four Seasons Great Barrier Reef floating hotel which is a hybrid structure, adapted from the Consafe ‘Coastel’ design. It is proposed that the floating hotel will be moored in the lagoon of John Brewer Reef, offshore from Townsville, and will be capable of accommodating some 450 persons overnight (including 100 staff), and up to 200 day ...

Free port fallout: Gender, employment, and migration on Margarita Island

Life on Margarita Island (Venezuela) has been transformed by the development of the free port that attracts a stream of shoppers from mainland Venezuela. The traditional agricultural, fishing, and craft economy has almost disappeared. Rural men and women have been differently affected. Men are employed in transportation and construction, but women have not taken the new jobs in free-port stores or hotels. The pattern of predominantly male emigration has reversed; men have returned to the island and women, particularly from the middle class, migrate. Lower-class women have higher unemployment rates than men. The study implies that the effects of this domestic tourism development are comparable with those of international tourism in that outsiders appear to be significant beneficiaries. Changes in opportunities on the basis of gender contrast with findings of other research on tourism in island resorts.