Tourism Journals Research Articles

The future of tourism: interview with Ian Yeoman about the Journal of Tourism Futures

PurposeAs the Journal of Tourism Futures celebrates its 10th anniversary, Dr. Albert Postma (NHL Stenden University) interviews Professor Ian Yeoman (NHL Stenden University) as co-editor of the Journal of Tourism Futures and expert on scenario planning in tourism and hospitality.Design/methodology/approachA personal interview.FindingsYeoman shares his expertise on the establishment and evolution of the Journal of Tourism Futures, in the context of the growth of futures thinking in tourism within a science and industry context.Originality/valueThe interview provides insights in the evolution of futures thinking in tourism, reflected in the growth and growing reputation of the Journal of Tourism Futures.

A scoping review of robotic technology in hospitality and tourism

Purpose With the disruptive evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), the roles of robotics in hospitality and tourism are shifting rapidly from automatic to emotional works. Although academics have focused on examining robotic applications in hospitality and tourism, concrete images of the different roles of robots are unclear. Thus, this study aims to systematically aggregate and evaluate existing robotic technology-related studies published in Social Science Citation Index-listed hospitality and tourism journals to link the fragmented knowledge and provide an up-to-date overview of robotic technology in hospitality and tourism. Design/methodology/approach This study retrieved 134 robotic technology-related articles and used descriptive and content analyses to analyze the retrieved papers thoroughly. Findings The top keyword identified was service robot. Robotic technologies are categorized into AI-supplemented, AI-generated, robotic technology anthropomorphism (RTA)-facilitated and RTA-mediated. Research limitations/implications Future studies can consider exploring service robots further from the perspectives of suppliers in tourism. A more comprehensive categorization of robotic technologies is also recommended. Originality/value This study contributes to the robotic research realm by providing a holistic view of robotic applications in hospitality and tourism research. This study also attempts to pin down the potential research directions to guide researchers in expanding future studies.

Leveraging large language models for daily tourist demand forecasting

ABSTRACT Large Language Models have attracted the attention of tourism researchers, and many discussions have been published in leading tourism journals. However, little research has been conducted on how to use Large Language Models in tourism research. In this paper, we propose a new tourist arrival forecasting model based on the Large Language Model. The Large Language Model is used to extract and produce the satisfaction scores from the review comments by the tourists. The generated satisfaction scores are incorporated into the tourist arrival forecasting model to take full advantage of the extracted information from the review comments. We have applied the Large Language Model based forecasting model to predict the tourist arrival in Macao. Experiment results show that the proposed model has produced forecasts with improved forecasting accuracy.

Beyond the Metrics: Call for a Holistic Approach for Evaluating Hospitality and Tourism Journals

ABSTRACT Journal ranking serves as an important reference for research individuals and institutes in various academic activities such as promotion and position application. Currently, there are two major approaches in evaluating journal rankings, namely quantitative and qualitative approaches. However, each approach has pros and cons. In addition, two typical issues of adopting metrics-related journal ranking systems are identified, which are self-citation and incomparability among different areas. The purpose of this paper is not to propose an advanced evaluation method. Instead, this study advocates that researchers should prioritize conducting high-quality studies and look beyond the metrics.

Understanding AI-Generated Experiments in Tourism: Replications Using GPT Simulations

The present work explores whether the generative pre-trained transformers (GPT) can complement empirical research in tourism as the GPT extends beyond commercial applications. In particular, we utilized OpenAI’s Python API to interact with the GPT-3.5-turbo. Using GPT as a special subject, we coined AI-generative study (AGS) to validate key findings of 16 scenario-based experiments published in leading journals of tourism and hospitality in two studies. This research contributes to the literature by delineating a new methodology that opens a forum for discussion on alternative means of conducting tourism research. Future studies could also utilize GPT and the ability of generative AI for tourism research in terms of pilot-/pre-testing and cross-validation. In conclusion, we recommend that GPT-generated results should serve primarily as preliminary findings and must be corroborated by data from actual human participants, thus providing converging evidence to support the corresponding research conclusions.

Visitor attitude to tourism destinations: a critical review and future research agenda

ABSTRACT Visitor attitude is fundamental to destination selection in the tourism literature. Yet, there remains a notable dearth of critical reviews to assess the current status of knowledge on the topic. This study, therefore, seeks to map and critically evaluate the state of visitor attitudinal research to set the agenda for future scholarly enquiry. A review of journal articles on the topic in four leading tourism journals was undertaken. To critically explore the literature and identify research trends, a paradigm funnel approach was used. The findings demonstrate that most studies on the topic are based on empirical research and specific theories, most notably the contact model and theory of planned behaviour. However, few publications apply analytical methods and innovative ontological and epistemological approaches. This paper provides recommendations for future studies to advance visitor attitudinal research, advocating for the use of innovative methods and theoretical approaches in parent sub-disciplines, particularly psychology.

Understanding and Employing Formative Constructs: Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Threats of Misspecification

While tourism researchers devote large efforts to justify and test the theoretical relationships between constructs, the links between items and their respective constructs receive very little deliberate attention. This is because the relationship between construct and item is, often incorrectly, assumed to be reflective, meaning that the measurement items reflect the construct. In contrast to reflective constructs, for formative constructs, measurement items form the construct. In Study 1, we show empirically that 43.7% of the employed measures in the leading tourism journals are misspecified, and thus incorrectly conceptualized and operationalized: Formative constructs are frequently being mistaken for reflective constructs. In Study 2, we empirically demonstrate the threats and consequences of misspecification. In response, this research addresses the neglect of formative constructs, fosters their understanding, and explains how to conceptualize, operationalize, and estimate formative constructs in future research.

Illuminating rural tourism: A bibliometric approach

During the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, rural tourism in developed nations provided an exhilarating and pioneering field to delve into, whether one was a scholarly researcher or a visitor immersing oneself in the countryside environment. This type of tourism emerged as a novel and distinctive option, challenging the traditional and, in some cases, rapidly expanding beach and coastal resorts that dominated the tourism industry after the Second World War. Rural tourism was not a completely new occurrence in advanced countries during that period. It had already been set up, for example, in many distinguished and charming areas throughout Europe and North America since the end of the 19th century. The research examines the responses to the growth and transformation of rural tourism by analyzing articles published in Scopus, specifically exploring the subject categories and geographic distribution of these publications. By identifying patterns and making predictions based on these articles, this study aims to classify and investigate key research advancements and divisions in rural tourism. Additionally, it explores the research gaps in this field and synthesizes the findings to establish a solid framework for future investigations. The study also delves into the marketing research aspect of rural tourism and rural locations, highlighting the value of rural tourism journals for businesses and examining the emerging research trends and future opportunities in tourism organizations, as well as critical indicators for business performance. Finally, the article suggests that the capability framework can be utilized to identify new avenues for marketing research in the area.

Publishing in Hospitality and Tourism Journals

This study aims to identify the criteria reviewers use to determine whether to accept or reject empirical manuscripts and to define which criteria are more significant. In this exploratory study, which utilizes qualitative research methods, 16 members of the Scientific Committee of the National Tourism Congress of Turkiye were asked to identify the primary areas they focus on when reviewing a manuscript. The data was analyzed using content analysis to determine the most significant criteria. The study identifies six criteria for acceptance and seven for rejection. The most important criterion for acceptance is the appropriateness and adequacy of the research method, while the most crucial criterion for rejection is methodological weakness. Other criteria influencing the reviewers' acceptance or rejection decisions focus on similar issues. The critical factor that distinguishes them is how the manuscript meets the requirements established by the reviewers. The study provided recommendations for future researchers.

Value formation in AI-integrated service system: review and implications on hospitality and tourism research

ABSTRACT The ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and other disruptive technologies, has attracted a surge of AI studies. Previous reviews primarily offered a bird’s view of AI research and were somewhat one-sided focusing on AI’s bright sides. Reviews on the networks of resources, process dynamics, and divergent outcomes of this complex system are rare, if any. This review article aims to fill this research gap by deconstructing how value is formed in the AI-integrated service system. Guided by the SPAR-4-SLR protocol and interactive value formation framework, this study reviewed and analyzed state-of-the-art AI studies (i.e. 2019–2023) published in six selected top-tier hospitality and tourism journals. This review makes contributions by outlining the resource orchestration, resource integration practices, and divergent outcomes of value formation in the AI-integrated system in hospitality and tourism. Future research directions and implications were also provided to advance the field.

Resilience and Sustainability in the Context of Future Disruption

This literature review is focused on the resilience and sustainability discourse within New Zealand. The aim of the review was to inquire how the Espiner et al (2017) paper had been used in other literature; and also to conduct research to create a library of other relevant articles based on resilience and sustainability specific to New Zealand. As a result of climate change, sustainable futures and understanding resilience has been pushed to the forefront of hazard management. This project therefore aims to condense the research surrounding resilience and sustainability within New Zealand to a singular resource. This has created a comprehensive catalogue of all the research available from a New Zealand context that also highlights the areas that require further research. From a base point COVID and tourism is well researched within New Zealand however the value of relationships and communities doesn’t appear to be as well researched. Overall, this literature review can act as a resource to others researching the ever-pressing realities New Zealand and the world will face due to climate change.
 Espiner, S., Orchiston, C., & Higham, J. (2017). Resilience and sustainability: A complementary relationship? Towards a practical conceptual model for the sustainability–resilience nexus in tourism. Journal of sustainable tourism, 25(10), 1385-1400.
 Supervised by: Research Associate Professor Caroline Orchisten

Consumer animosity in tourism research: a horizon 2050 paper

Purpose A growing body of research suggests the detrimental impact animosity will likely have on destination image and intentions to visit. The purpose of this study is to conduct a state-of-the-art literature review to account for observed mixed findings by putting forth research propositions to be tested in future studies. This paper also aims to develop a future research agenda based on gaps identified in the literature. Design/methodology/approach A systematic quantitative method is adopted to review the consumer animosity literature published in tourism journals. Findings This paper identifies several gaps in the literature and suggests several avenues for future research. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first to conduct a state-of-the-art review of the literature dating back to the seminal consumer animosity research conducted in a tourist setting in 2014.

Decoding the shared pathways of consumer technology experience in hospitality and tourism: A meta-analysis

This research presents a comprehensive analysis of significant factors shaping consumer technology adoption and experiences in the hospitality and tourism sector. Technology-related research papers from top hospitality and tourism journals published from 2000 to 2021 were reviewed and analyzed via both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative thematic analysis offers a synthesized summary of the evolving research themes over the two decades. The quantitative meta-analysis supports our proposed conceptual model of factors influencing consumers' technology adoption and experiences in the hospitality and tourism context. Our findings not only advance the theoretical framework of technology adoption and experiences but also provide valuable managerial guidance for effective technology implementation. Moreover, we propose promising research avenues to enhance user experiences with diverse service technologies, fostering continued theoretical development in this field.

On the importance of precise language use

Imprecise wording in research articles can mislead readers to believe that the findings are more powerful than they are. We empirically investigate how common it is for scholars to include statements in their articles that fail to accurately reflect their research design. The first author coded all experimental studies that measured behaviour or behavioural intentions published in three of the leading tourism journals in 2022. Results indicate that inaccurate statements are made in nearly half (47 %) of all articles reviewed. The sections where such statements occur most frequently are the title, discussion, and abstract. As a result, the risk of misinterpreting and misquoting findings is high, as is the risk of industry adopting ineffective measures to change behaviour.

Hotel BookingIntentions: ALiterature Review

This study aims to review tourism and hospitality management research on online satisfaction, offline satisfaction and booking intentions published in numerous recognised tourism and hospitality journals from 2000 to 2023. This article studied and reviewed 62 published articles that emerged in the past 22 years in selected top 10 tourism, leisure and hospitality journals. Various variables influencing customer satisfaction, that is, online satisfaction and offline satisfaction leading to the intention to book a hotel online, were identified based on the previous studies. A conceptual model is proposed, which can be empirically tested while conducting future studies in the tourism and hospitality sector, specifically with respect to hotel booking intention. This study offers a conceptual framework for the antecedents used to measure online and offline satisfaction while booking a hotel online. The study ascertained information quality, system quality and service quality as independent variables to measure online satisfaction and perceived values like perceived functional value, emotional value, social value, and monetary value as independent variables to measure offline satisfaction. This study provides a detailed literature review on hotel booking intention and variables that influence overall satisfaction, that is, online and offline satisfaction published in specific hospitality and tourism journals over the past 22 years.

Evolution of the Memorable Tourism Experience and Future Research Prospects

Because of their significance, research on memorable tourism experiences (MTEs) has rapidly increased in the last decade. However, few comprehensive studies have traced knowledge creation and dissemination in this important research area. To address this gap, 104 articles focused on MTEs from eight tourism journals were analyzed. This study applied multiple approaches, including a trend analysis of prevailing research themes and keywords, bibliometric analysis, and content analysis, generating suggestions for future research. Among the meaningful results, this study identified three research streams: the experience economy, the nomological network analysis of MTEs, and remembered experience analysis. Additional findings from a content analysis, and nine future research agendas were produced. Thus, by improving the understanding of customers’ MTEs, our findings not only open paths for future research but also have implications for industry.

Beyond Factors: IGSCA-SEM’s Application in The Context of Cannabis Tourism

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is a statistical technique that is used to model the relationships among hypothetical constructs investigated by researchers. SEM can be broadly classified into two main approaches: factor-based (or covariance-based) SEM and component-based (or variance-based) SEM. Factor-based SEM is particularly well-suited for analyzing constructs that resemble factors, while component-based SEM is designed for composites or components. Historically, in the field of tourism research, there has been a tendency to treat factor models as a statistical proxy for all types of hypothetical constructs. However, when the hypothetical construct is incorrectly modeled as a factor instead of a composite, which is its appropriate representation, it can result in bias in parameter estimates. The information presented in this study highlights that this practice has persisted even in top-tier tourism journals, including articles published in the ABAC journal. Contemporary practices that align with the current research landscape in tourism are synthesized. These practices acknowledge that hypothetical constructs can either be factors or components. To illustrate this, a hypothetical example related to cannabis tourism is used, modelling it using mixed constructs based on IGSCA-SEM. Researchers are consequently encouraged to employ SEM, particularly when aiming to publish in the ABAC journal, to enhance their methodological rigor by adopting the recommended practices outlined.

Bibliometric Analysis of Articles on Tourism and Disability Published in TR Index Journals

As a disadvantaged group, people with disabilities are affected by almost all activities of the societies they live in. It is known that they do not have the same opportunities as people without disabilities to access services such as maintaining their daily lives in society, meeting their educational and health needs. The issue that all humanity should know and remember is that everyone is a potential disabled person. UNESCO Sustainable Development Commission has set many targets for people with disabilities until 2030. In this direction, it is a known fact that the importance and role of tourism activities in human life is increasing day by day. Scientific fields related to tourism phenomenon, especially disability, attract the attention of academicians and all researchers. Especially in recent years, there has been an increase in the number of publications in various scientific fields related to the concepts of tourism and disability. Analysing the scientific research conducted in the field of tourism and disability within the framework of different standards is a guide for scientists conducting different scientific studies in this field. In line with this goal, the aim of this study is to present a bibliometric analysis of scientific articles on disability and tourism between 2005-2023 in journals indexed in TR Index. For this purpose, 56 articles were found in the TR Index database with the words disability and tourism in the subject content, keywords, or title. In order to reveal the evolution of the articles published in the field of disability and tourism over time, 56 articles included in our research were bibliographically analysed within the framework of 10 different criteria listed as the name of the journal, scientific fields of the articles, publication years, research topics, publication languages, types, countries and cities where the research was conducted, types of research methods, keywords used in the articles and the frequency of these keywords. As a result, it is noteworthy that the number of studies on tourism and disability published in the TR Index has increased rapidly over the last 5 years and that most of the articles are published in the social sciences, especially in tourism journals. In addition, some of the findings are that most of the articles included in the study were prepared as research articles, qualitative research methods were often preferred, and almost all the studies were written in Turkish.

Sustainable rural tourism from the perspective of triple bottom line scientific framework

ABSTRACT This review examines sustainable rural tourism's impact on economic, social, and environmental development pillars. The study analysed 250 high-ranking journals across disciplines such as economics, business, anthropology, sociology, and ecology, apart from tourism journals, from 2019 to February 2023. Few contributions were found in economics and sociology journals, while anthropology and ecology had more. A cross-disciplinary theoretical framework was proposed based on the reviewed articles. It includes value propositions, local context, goals, managerial actions, supporting activities, and desired outcomes of sustainable rural tourism from non-tourism perspectives. It was found that the essential roles of pluriactivity as a concept that departs from social anthropology in explaining rural tourism, the importance of delineating tourism goals on the three pillars based on time dimensions, and the use of power parity as the ultimate goal for rural tourism development.

Has the outbreak of tourism research involving COVID-19 been cured by 2022?

Expanding on the recommendation of Assaf et al. (2022), this research note provides insights and recommendations for the post-COVID-19 future of tourism research. We reviewed 56 recent papers related to COVID-19 published in the top three high quality tourism journals. Whilst there was a glut of relatively descriptive research on the pandemic, especially involving the economic impacts as a result of the virus, the results indicate that inadequate attention has been given to technology adoption and tourists’ well-being. Recent discussions of post-COVID-19 tourism have emphasised crisis management, which remains an important direction for future research. We recommend tourism recovery and resilience as one of the major focuses for tourism research and for greater importance to be attached to crisis planning and preparation so that lessons can be learned from COVID-19. Rather than a single country, cross-sectional studies, the adoption of cross-cultural, cross-contextual, and longitudinal study approaches is also recommended. Keywords COVID-19; Tourism; Future; Post-COVID-19 tourism research