Tourism Information Sources Research Articles

Elements of Gastronomy Tourism Affecting the Behavior of Thai Tourists Traveling in Thailand

The purpose of this research is to study the behavior of Thai tourists on food and to study the civilization and the elements of gastronomy tourism affecting the behavior of Thai tourists. The sample group used in this research is 400 Thai tourists. The variables in the study consists of the independent variables, namely personal factors such as gender, age, status, education level, occupation and average income per month, and the elements of food tourism and the dependent variable is the behavior of Thai tourists. Using statistical methods to find the frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and use Chi-Square Test to analyze data at significance level 0.05. The results of the research were as follows: 1. Most of the sample groups had a convenient season to visit gastronomy tourism, ie November-December. The expected number of days for food tourism were 1-2 days. The source of food tourism information was Facebook. People who were travel buddies on gastronomy tourism for them were lovers / spouses. Travel method for food tourism was by using a personal car. The main purpose of traveling in food tourism was they loved a variety of local ingredients and the average cost of food tourism / people / meals was over 701 baht. 2.Demographic factors on gender, age, status and average income per month affected the behavior of Thai tourists on food. 3.Elements of gastronomy tourism that did not affect the behavior of Thai tourists with statistical significance at the level of 0.05

Online popularity of destinations in Australia: An application of Polya Urn process to search engine data

The online search engine is a key source of tourism information for trip planning. In the internet, experience and feedback shared by previous tourists can be obtained with increasing ease, resulting in a feedback mechanism of interpersonal influence featured in the online peer-to-peer tourism information exchange. Such interpersonal influence may lead to a unique popularity distribution among destinations. The information exchange process is also affected by the destination choice set, which is determined by the geography of the destination countries. This study mathematically characterised the e-word-of-mouth effect in travel and tourism on the pattern formation in online destination. To achieve this, the Polya Urn process is invoked to model the clustering of destination preference and the distribution of destination popularity in an online environment. Google search volume on various destinations in Australia and France from five tourism inbound countries are used. Results show that the theoretical distribution of the Polya Urn process fits the distribution of search volume on Australian destinations, highlighting the geographical uniqueness of Australia as a closed system that possess a unique online popularity growth process and distribution.

Tourists’ Experiences with Smart Tourism Technology at Smart Destinations and Their Behavior Intentions

This study attempts to assess how tourists use smart tourism technologies at destinations and measure the effects of STT usage on overall travel experience and future revisit intention. Although STTs have received growing attention, little research has evaluated tourists’ experience with STTs available at various smart tourism destinations and potential consequences. Building on studies on online tourism information sources, this study develops a conceptual framework to test hypotheses related to STT experiences and consequences. Based on an online survey with travelers to top five US smart cities, this study classifies the most frequently used STTs and examines tourists’ overall experience and satisfaction with STTs as well as their revisit intention. Findings suggest that three attributes of STTs—informativeness, interactivity, and personalization—are the key factors affecting tourists’ experience, satisfaction, and revisit intentions. The level of perceived security/privacy moderates the relationships between three STT attributes and tourists’ memorable experience.

Between Natural Tourism, the Booming of Laskar Pelangi Film, and the Image of Environmental Damage: Measuring the Perception of Regional Tourist on Bangka Belitung Tourism

Image, impression, and tourist information sources are three important things to be explored in tourism development. Bangka Belitung which in the last few years has been trying to promote the economic sector based on post-tin and plantation tourism dealing with preparedness in management. This study wants to find out how tourists perceive Bangka Belitung, related to the tourist destinations, general views of tourists, and what issues are important to be considered by stakeholders. The study was designed to measure the perceptions of tourists from outside the area in looking at Bangka Belitung on the tourist side based on a quantitative design with a survey model. This research found that visitor arrivals to Bangka Belitung are basically planned as holiday trips from the beginning, not incidental trips. Another thing that was found is that the initial negative impression that emerged in general was environmental damage and the impression of a quiet area. The study also found that information sources for tourists in general are still conventionally based, namely relying on information from friends or family, not yet using a social media or technology base. It was also found the fact that culinary and historical visits have not become an important magnet in the planning of tourists’ trips. In the end, this study found the tendency to visit tourist destinations based on natural beauty, but it is somewhat different from Bangka, tourists in Belitung tend to visit more varied places as an implication of the popular Laskar Pelangi Film. The study concluded that at least the issues that were important as weaknesses were still felt by visitors, including limited transportation, facilities at tourist sites visited that were still minimal, local government support that was considered not optimal, and environmental damage that was considered to be potential for disrupting tourism.

Academic Community Perception on the Quality of Nature-based Tourism Promotion Materials in Indonesia

The use of technology in the search and delivery of tourism information is growing, although, on the one hand, the conventional tourism information media in the form of printed materials and audio-visual is still a popular source of information for tourists. The decision to visit a tourist destination can be influenced by various factors, one of which is the influence of stimulus from promotional media. Problems that occur, the study of the role of promotion from a comprehensive and integrated perspective has not been done much. Many promotions are interpreted as an effort to convey information to the stage of carrying out purchasing/travel activities. The purpose of this article is to analyze the perceptions of the academic community regarding the meaning of promotion through printed and audio-visual material for nature-based tourism in a comprehensive and integrated manner, as well as to determine the factors that influence decision-making by the academic community to actually visit nature-based tourism destinations. The distribution of questionnaires was conducted using a sample of academic community consisting of three categories, namely, lecturers, ecotourism students, and communication students with a total of 270 respondents to assess printed and audio-visual material. Data analysis was performed using One Score One Indicator Scoring System, Kruskal Wallis Test, and Dunn test. The results of the study show that tourism promotion can be effective and needs to implement seven phases of comprehensive and integrated promotion meaning. The opinions of the respondents of the academic community are not polar and illustrated the factors that influence the decision to do an actual visit. Factors that influence the form of psychological factors (motivation, the intensity of exposure to information about natural tourism), besides personal factors and demographic characteristics of respondents. The implications of this study regarding the promotion of effective nature-based tourism need to pay attention to tourist segmentation from various perspectives, both psychological, personal, environment and demographic, especially the promotion of nature-based tourism, besides implementing promotion in the context of more comprehensive and integrated meaning to run more effectively. Keywords: material promotion, natural based tourism, perception, promotion

From WOM to aWOM – the evolution of unpaid influence: a perspective article

PurposeAdvances in artificial intelligence (AI) natural language processing may see the emergence of algorithmic word of mouth (aWOM), content created and shared by automated tools. As AI tools improve, aWOM will increase in volume and sophistication, displacing eWOM as an influence on customer decision-making. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the socio technological trends that have encouraged the evolution of informal infulence strategies from WOM to aWOM.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the origins and path of development of influential customer communications from word of mouth (WOM) to electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and the emerging trend of aWOM. The growth of aWOM is theorized as a result of new developments in AI natural language processing tools along with autonomous distribution systems in the form of software robots and virtual assistants.FindingsaWOM may become a dominant source of information for tourists, as it can support multimodal delivery of useful contextual information. Individuals, organizations and social media platforms will have to ensure that aWOM is developed and deployed responsibly and ethically.Practical implicationsaWOM may emerge as the dominant source of information for tourist decision-making, displacing WOM or eWOM. aWOM may also impact online opinion leaders, as they may be challenged by algorithmically generated content. aWOM tools may also generate content using sensors on personal devices, creating privacy and information security concerns if users did not give permission for such activities.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to theorize the emergence of aWOM as autonomous AI communication within the framework of unpaid influence or WOM. As customer engagement will increasingly occur in algorithmic environments that comprise person–machine interactions, aWOM will influence future tourism research and practice.

Evaluating governmental tourism websites in Egypt using Search Engine Optimization tools

Due to the increasing need of organizations to improve their online presence, search engine optimization tools (SEO) have emerged to monitor page hit ratio and hit frequency by users, particularly for governmental tourism organizations which are a target source of information for tourists. Therefore, nine Egyptian governmental tourism websites were chosen for a comparative analysis through SEO tools such as Traffic Estimate, Google trends, Alexa, Similarweb, SEMrush, SEO analyzer, and MOZ (open site explorer). For each SEO tool check, a rank is given, then the average of ranks is calculated to rank the selected websites. Findings revealed that websites face a lot of issues which have a negative impact on its efficiency. Meanwhile, Egyptian Tourism Board website has the highest rank and Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities website is in the second rank1

SOURCES OF TOURIST INFORMATION USED BY WOMEN 50+ WHEN ORGANISING TOURIST AND RECREATIONAL TRIPS

Purpose. Recognition of tourist information sources used by women aged 50+ during the organisation of tourist and recreational trips. Showing the dependence of these sources on socio- professional traits and the material situation of the respondents. Method. Empirical studies on, inter alia, participation of women 50+ in tourist trips. The city of Poznań was the area of research. In total, 146 women aged 50+, students of Third Age Universities and members of Senior Clubs participated in the study. The basic research method was diagnostic survey supported by the auditorium survey and direct interview techniques. For comparative purposes, the secondary material analysis method published by the Central Statistical Office, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, was used. Findings. Research showed the interest of 50+ women in cheaper trip sources, and at the same time,, in forms of tourist information influencing the decision regarding tourist and recreational trips. These included: guides, brochures, tourist guides, oral communication from friends, the press and the Internet. The Internet indicated by the researched category as a source of tourist information may particularly motivate further in-depth research on the promotion of tourist services among seniors. Research and conclusions limitations. Empirical research on women 50+ from a large city was carried out via a case study. The obtained results correspond with similar nationwide surveys. Practical implications. The research results can be used to build tourist and recreational offers for seniors, through tourist offices, for organisers of these trips, such as Senior Clubs, church organisations. They can be used by local government authorities to create programmes for tourist and recreational activity of seniors. Originality. Showing sources of tourist information used by women 50+ depending on their socio-occupational characteristics and financial situation. Type of work. The article presents the results of empirical research and their discussion supported by literature. It is of empirical and theoretical nature.

Technology as an Emerging Educational Tool for Tourism Information Sourcing: A Content Analysis 2006 to 2018

Emerging technologies present an increasing assortment of approaches to support and enrich learning environments. The purpose of this study was there-fore to investigate the impact of technology as an educational tool for tourism in-formation. Based on content analysis a total of 22 studies on technology and tourism published over a 12 year period from 2006 and 2018 were examined, systematically presented and discussed. The presented study was qualitative in nature. It highlighted the extent to which travellers have embraced technology for tourism information searches and sources. Recurring trends based on review of literature were identified. Two main themes were observed, first, being technolo-gy in tourism education and second, being the use of user-generated content in tourism. In conclusion it can be established that learning about travel and tourism through social media was not only for travellers who depend on tourism information but also tourism companies who depend on traveller re-views and marketing promotions for their facilities.

Internet kao izvor informacija o lokalnim poljoprivredno – prehrambenim proizvodima

This paper explores usage of the Internet in relationship to local agro - food products of a tourist destination. The goals are 1) to examine availability of information about local agro - food products using different Internet tools and 2) to predict what types of websites are related to tourists’ searches for information about local agro - food products based on responders’ demographic characteristics. Two studies were conducted. The first included tourists who visited nine seaside tourist resorts, while the second focused on the content of different tourism-related websites. Data were processed using univariate (frequencies and percentages) and multivariate (logistic regression) statistics. Travel social networks and social networks were the most important information sources for tourists, while their demographic characteristics were somewhat significant in searching for information. Search engines were not very useful. Websites of tourism companies, tourist boards and local authorities provided some information.

The ordinary – extraordinary dialectics in tourist metropolises

The ordinary – extraordinary dialectics in tourist metropolises

Pelatihan Pemanfaatan Web Pariwisata sebagai Pendukung Pelaksanaan Etourism bagi Entitas Pariwisata di Kabupaten Banyuwangi

The concept of eTourism is a concept that implements information technology into the tourism sector. The key to eTourism is the integration of information that has the information collaboration capabilities and business processes of tourism entities making it possible to share information and business processes. Banyuwangi Regency that has begun to adopt the concept of eTourism is already time to apply the concept of information sharing by using web tourism managed by Disbudpar Banyuwangi as a source of tourism information. Tourism entities in Kabupaten Banyuwangi still have the opportunity to develop this potential and increase the potential for turnover and profit for tourism industry actors and increase local revenue through the tourism sector. The web utilization training provided has been able to provide the insights and skills of these entities, both from government and tourism industry actors.

Tourists, Weather and Climate. Official Tourism Promotion Websites as a Source of Information

On the basis of the establishment and analysis of 29 indicators, this article analyses the quality of the climate and meteorological information that is provided to tourists on the websites of the bodies responsible for promoting Spanish tourist destinations at a state and regional level. Official tourism promotion websites are a prominent source of information for tourists, so it is necessary to control the quality levels of the information contained in them. The objective is to detect weaknesses that can be corrected to achieve the improvement of the public service that is offered by these websites. The results indicate that the weather information provided on the institutional websites does not meet the information needs of tourists in the different phases of the travel experience, and as a result contributes little to tactical and strategic decision-making regarding the various activities for tourists, in which the weather or climate are relevant factors. This could make it more difficult for them to interact and integrate with the destination and worsen the quality of their tourist experience.

Building confidence measures for tourist destination choice

AbstractReviews, social media, web sites and recommendations from trusted inner circle opinions are essential to tourists in the travel planning process, but the large amount of information they now make available can increase the difficulty of choosing a destination. Determining how improvements in data quality and in the variety of tourist information sources will affect the probability of correct situational detection, and help in optimizing the overall decision, is vital. This paper presents a generalized method for estimating levels of individual source reliability and assessing the confidence level in a combined output. Initial reliability levels of tourist information sources are augmented by: (i) combining measures of multiple sources, (ii) incorporating truth reinforcement for related elements and (iii) incorporating the importance of individual elements for determining the truth probability for the whole. The result is a measure of confidence in system output based on establishing links among th...

Tourism Propaganda: A Comparative Analysis of Cross-Regional Study

This research aims to employ Heritage’s geographic demarcation as a criterion to identify specific tourist information sources and media favorableness differences of 326 international tourists who come from 48 countries. The classification of countries was according to a published book by Heritage. The results support Huertas’s proposed that the public relations practitioners as a certain role maintaining the relationships between the communicative targeting and tourism destinations to meet the needs of audiences. Tourism promotion institution gives priority to satisfy international tourist’ public information needs for the cross-regional ongoing development extends beyond a single country.

The Role of Electronic Marketing Practices in Improving Performance in Hurghada Hotels in Egypt

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between applying electronic marketing practices and achieving high performance rates in Hurghada City in Egypt, as it is considered as one of major tourism destinations in Egypt. The research was conducted using a survey method. Questionnaire forms were distributed to hotel executives in addition to pre-planned interviews with hotel managers. Data were analyzed by using Statistical Packages for Social Science - SPSS software version 22. The research results show that five-star shain hotels use electronic marketing practices more effectively than independent hotels. Moreover, the e-marketing practices help the firms to achieve better business performance. The findings of this study states that the major benefits of applying e-marketing practices include: maintaining a relationship with hotel guests, growth of total revenues, and achieving hotel goals. In addition, there is a growing interest among Hurghada hotel guests in using the internet services as a source of tourism information.

An exploratory study of the differences in prior travel experience and tourist information sources

The information search of potential travelers is an important component of tourism. Essentially, it is how travelers learn about tourism destinations, which affects their decision whether or not to visit. The primary purpose of this visitor inquiry study is to group inquirers based on their prior travel to the study destination and total travel. Then, the study examines differences across the different groups of travelers based on prior travel experience and the usefulness of various information sources. Results reveal differences between prior travel experience groups and the importance of previous trips to the study destination, relatives, and official visitors guide as sources of information. Implications for convention and visitor bureaus are discussed.

Residents, their use of a tourist facility and contribution to tourist ambience: Narratives from a film tourism site in Beijing

Any tourist site open to local residents represents a point where residents and tourists become a back drop for the experiences of the other. This paper examines a specific Beijing film tourism attraction, Grand View Gardens, and the manner in which the site is used by local residents, the meanings attributed to it, and residents' role in creating an ambience for tourists. Residents have a daily connection with the site, and form audiences for events held at the Gardens. They often interact with tourists, becoming a source of information for tourists. The paper examines residents' motives for using such attractions, their attitudes towards tourists and suggests they possess a role in the creation of a sense of place that is valued by tourists. The paper fills a gap in an under-researched area, where, in the Chinese context, both residents and visitors form backdrops to each other's experience of place.

Comparing the attributes of online tourism information sources

Ongoing developments in information technology (IT), particularly with respect to the Internet, have led to changes in the way tourism-related information is distributed. These changes have affected the planning and consumption patterns of tourists before and during their trips. Since the majority of tourists retrieve information from multiple information sources on the web, it is essential to define the differences in these sources and identify the distinct characteristics or properties of each source in order to understand the needs and tendencies of tourists. This study classifies online tourism information sources into four types: blogs, public websites, company websites, and social media websites. Five website attributes are identified: accessibility, security, information–trust, interaction, and personalization. This study uses data from 61 participants. Each participant answered all of the questions for four different information sources. This study then conducts an analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and a multiple comparison Scheffé test to verify differences between groups. Based on these five attributes, the results of this multiple comparison show that the overall mean values are relatively high in personal blogs, while security is the dominant attribute for public websites. The mean values of all five attributes were relatively lower in SNSes compared to the other sources.

Representations of a Destination Brand in Online Tourism Information Sources: The Case of Slovenia

In the highly competitive global tourism industry, place branding has become a widely used tool in the promotion of tourism destinations. The creation and communication of a unique, positive, and recognizable identity is considered key for destinations to remain competitive and vital for relatively unknown destinations to raise awareness among international audiences. However, the brand-building process has become more challenging than ever, as destinations around the world seek to promote themselves in much the same way. Consequently, destinations have begun to move away from traditional marketing strategies towards experiential marketing that seeks to engage potential tourists by not only communicating the characteristics of the place but also appealing to their senses and emotions. The Internet has become the key medium for the communication of destination brands, typically through national tourism websites. However, in the modern information search process, tourists have a multitude of resources available to them that do not always correspond with the internally created brand identity. This article considers the case of Slovenia. Tourism stakeholders have engaged in the process of building and communicating a rich and coherent experiential brand. Yet, Slovenia as a tourism destination is subject to the representations of external sources that have not adopted or successfully incorporated the essence of Brand Slovenia. In this article, tourism information websites are examined through the use of content analysis to investigate the differences in representations of the destination between the internally and externally produced sources.