Tourist Groups Research Articles

A Visit to the Exhibition of All Nations: The Chicago World’s Fair and the United States in Vasily Sidorov’s Travel Writing

The Chicago World’s Fair represented a continuity of the World’s Fairs as key international events of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries which were widely covered, including in travelogues for home readership. The Russian Empire showed considerable interest in participating, especially after Americans organized a relief campaign during its famine a year ago. While the Russian government supervised the exhibits and sent specialists to study the American economy and society, many Russians visited the Fair individually, and some published travel accounts. This article explores the account titled America. Travel Notes and Impressions (1895) written by novelist and botanist Vasily Sidorov. Traveling with a group of European tourists, he admires American nature and praises American technological progress, mobility, and freedoms that could be potentially borrowed but shows uncertainty about major cities and excesses of industrialization and technological development, to a degree repeating what was pointed out by earlier Russian visitors. He evaluated the Fair and most of what he saw through the image of Europe which was also employed to emphasize his sense of cultural superiority.

Rural Tourist Attractions Recommendation Model Based on Multi-Feature Fusion Graph Neural Networks

With the rapid growth of the rural tourism industry, traditional tourism recommendation technologies can no longer meet the necessary requirements. To address the issue of rural tourist attraction recommendations, a rural tourist attraction recommendation model is constructed based on a multi-feature fusion graph neural network. First, construct a feature map based on the relationship between tourists’ preferences and tourist attractions, and incorporate the attention mechanism to enhance the model’s learning capabilities. Second, utilize a two-part graph model to extract positive and negative preference features of tourists, and a conversation graph model to extract tourists’ transfer preference features. Finally, various features are utilized to generate suggested content by computing scores for tourists’ travel preferences. To address the problem of recommending tourist groups, suitable features for random group matching are collected and the cosine function is employed to identify users with similar random group features. Finally, the multi-features are merged, and the tourists’ interest preferences are scored to arrive at content recommendations. In the experiment on individualized attraction recommendations, data from the Chengdu area were used to test the proposed model. The accuracy of the model’s recommendations was 0.822 for five recommendations which outperformed the other models. In the experiment for group-based attraction recommendations, this experiment tested the Chengdu dataset. The proposed model achieved the highest accuracy of 0.972 when the group size was 70, outperforming the other two models. Additionally, with regards to different numbers of recommendations, the proposed model’s accuracy was 0.5241, which was the best performance among the three models when the number of recommendations was set to five. The proposed recommendation model performs optimally in suggesting tourist attractions and meets the needs of rural tourism. The research content provides crucial technical references for tourist traveling and rural tourism development.

Comparisons in Limited Mobility: Exploring the Shaping of Travel Experience for Individuals with Physical Disabilities

Tourism emerges as a focal point under the “new mobilities” paradigm. Current research, however, needs to address how groups with limited mobility navigate their travel experiences. This study delves into the tourism patterns of tourists with physical disabilities—a prominent mobility-limited demographic. Utilizing constructivist grounded theory through interviews, participatory observation, and online data collection, we discern that the tourism experience of those with physical disabilities is shaped dynamically by “comparison” across four orientations: time, space, self, and others. This multidimensional comparison transitions from tangible tourism to profound experiential realms, defining their unique travel experiences. “Comparison” is identified as a core microgenetic mechanism, challenging existing psychological theories and potentially reshaping our understanding of the experiential processes for all tourist groups, not just those with mobility limitations. The findings enrich our understanding of mobility-constrained tourism within the “new mobilities” paradigm, offering insights and practical implications for the tourism industry. This article is also available in [Chinese]. See supplemental material for details.

About the ice-rock collapse from the northern slope of Mt. Dykhtau on August 12, 2023 and the potential threat of collapse from the slope of Mt. Dzhangitau (Cherek-Bezengiysky River basin, Central Caucasus)

The causes and consequences of the ice-rock fall that occurred in 2023 on the Mount Dykhtau (Side ridge of the Greater Caucasus) are analyzed. This happened in the early morning of August 12, 2023 on the northern slope of Mt. Dykhtau (5.204.7 m a.s.l.) in the upper reaches of the Mizhirgi River valley of the Cherek Bezengiysky River basin at the altitude of about 4.400 m. The analysis of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-7 ETM+ satellite images of different times made possible to reveal the place where a block of ice had fallen from the hanging glacier, and to determine the area affected by this ice-rock block which volume was estimated as close to 0.9-1.0 million m3 and a distance of the runout about 2.3 km. As a result of the collapse, a group of tourists were injured, one of whom died. Investigation of the dynamics of the collapse site for the period 2015–2023 showed that earlier in the period September 3 – November 12, 2015 a crack formed on the same hanging glacier massif, which continued to grow until January 2016. This was followed by several ice-rock falls, the largest of which happened in the period April 10 – June 19, 2016. In total, all collapses of 2016 were comparable in volume to the collapse of 2023. By this time, the hanging glacier had been fully restored and occupied the same position it had in 2015. We next investigated a part of the slope of the Dzhangitau Zapadnaya mountain (5059 m a.s.l.) on the Bezengi Wall massif, on the hanging glacier of which the formation of a crack with a length of about 400 m was revealed in the summer of 2023. By September, the crack width had increased to 40 m. Leyer on, the crack became stable. But in the period of September ‒ December a certain surge of the glacier at the foot of Dzhangitau Zapadnaya mountain was revealed at a speed of about 1 m per day with the formation of a prominent frontal bank overlying the Bezengi Glacier. This research confirmed the activation of the landslide processes in the high-altitude zone and showed the need for continuous monitoring based on the analysis of satellite images for the timely revealing areas with a potential threat of any ice-rock falls and warning about the danger.

Influencer Credibility as A Source of Travel Information for Generation Z to Bali

The development of technology is increasingly rapid, so tourism business managers must keep up with existing technological developments. Social media, especially Instagram, is one of the most widely used platforms in the world, especially for Generation Z. However, some respondents use Instagram for information and entertainment and there is a problem that the information obtained is sometimes not in accordance with reality, especially tourist information. This shows that there is still a lack of credible influencer filtering used in disseminating information about a product or place. This study aims to examine the differences in the interests of Generation Z in assessing the credibility of influencers as a source of tourism information to Bali. In the study, the researcher used a quantitative approach with data analysis used, namely the Multivariate of Variance Test (MANOVA). The number of samples used was 110 respondents per type of tourist. The sampling technique is non-probability sampling with a purposive sampling approach. The results of the study revealed that both domestic and foreign tourist groups judged influencers by their attractiveness to create a feeling of trust in the content disseminated. Meanwhile, for the gender group, they have the same perspective in assessing the credibility of an influencer.

Encountering risk with resilience for experiences: a case study on tourism in a conflicted tourist destination

Purpose This paper aims to unravel how tourists balance their novel experiences with risk perceptions, psychological resilience and behavioral intentions. Additionally, it explores how tourists' personalities moderate the relationship between experiences and travel intentions. Design/methodology/approach A total of 234 self-administered questionnaires were distributed to a diverse group of tourists who recently explored the Srinagar region to capture their perspectives. The data obtained was analyzed using Smart PLS-SEM. Findings This study revealed that the impact of perceived terror risk on behavioral intentions is not statistically significant. Instead, tourists' experiences significantly influence psychological resilience and behavioral intentions. Tourists with higher resilience are inclined to perceive these experiences as aiding in managing negative feelings. Research limitations/implications The study's focus is confined to one conflict zone within the country due to research constraints, excluding other areas. Practical implications This research provides practical insights for destination management authorities and highlights areas for improvement for tourism service providers and the government in the Srinagar region, as well as other conflict regions. Emphasizing mutual respect between locals and tourists can foster community-based tourism, enhancing the region's appeal and promoting positive intentions for all involved parties. Social implications This study examines how local communities in conflict-affected areas adjust to and manage the presence of tourists, with an emphasis on building resilience and support systems. Additionally, it explores how travel decisions and behaviors are influenced by tourists' perceptions of safety and how these perceptions can influence broader societal attitudes toward areas affected by conflict. Evaluating the local population's economic reliance on tourism may result in changed social dynamics, as well as possible exploitation or over-reliance on industry. Promoting mutual understanding and cultural interchange between locals and visitors may have a positive impact on efforts to promote social cohesion and peacebuilding. Originality/value This study broadens the scope of the existing literature on destination attributes in conflict zones, offering a unique perspective on the intrinsic features of this issue. The solutions proposed in this study contribute a novel dimension to the current literature.

Modelling the heterogeneity of tourist spending in a mature destination: An approach through infinite mixture

Identifying tourists' preferences is essential for stakeholders to provide better products and services. Among the tools to classify such choices, expenditure segmentation is valuable for separating tourist groups with shared interests. The underlying idea of the (infinite) mixture model is that tourists spend on a specific activity depending on their preferences. However, the propensity to consume may be based on or influenced by the group to which the tourist belongs. Thus, such a tendency could increase depending on homogeneity or heterogeneity. This paper uses a compound distribution mixture to model the expenditure heterogeneity. The resulting mixture model derives from a multivariate Pareto (Lomax) distribution that is easy to implement and includes zero value in its support since it is empirically proven that a tourist's expenditure on some activity can be zero. Results show that once the spending on transport has been carried out, tourists prefer to spend more on food than other activities. Conditioned to the expense carried out on food, the mean expenditure on leisure activities is more significant than on transport. Finally, tourists would prefer to spend more on food than on transportation once they decide to spend on other activities.

Comparative Study of Cognitive Differences in Rural Landscapes Based on Eye Movement Experiments

With the booming development of rural tourism, the users of rural environments are gradually becoming more diverse. Both tourists and villagers are the main appreciators of rural landscapes, but the cognitive similarities and differences in rural landscape between the two have not yet been explored. Therefore, taking Wangshang Village, located in Shaanxi Province, China as a case study, this research used a combination of quantitative analysis (eye-tracking technology) and qualitative analysis (semi-structured interviews) to compare and analyze the cognitive similarities and differences of rural landscapes between tourists and villagers. The experimental results showed that the cognitive similarities and differences in rural landscapes between tourists and villagers are mainly reflected in their level of cognition, observation methods, and key elements of focus. The reasons for cognitive differences are due to the different living backgrounds of the two groups of subjects, as well as their varying levels of familiarity, novelty, and personal needs towards rural landscapes. In conclusion, studying the cognitive differences between the two groups of participants, tourists and villagers, can help address the homogenization problem faced by rural landscapes. Meanwhile, the results of this study also provide theoretical guidance and methodological support for rural landscape design.

Using geotagged facial expressions to visualize and characterize different demographic groups’ emotion in theme parks

Tourism is an emotional sphere, and researchers focus on emotions to optimize tourism experiences. Tourism studies on emotions mostly ignore differences in emotions across demographic tourist groups by gender and age, thus limiting the understanding of emotions to the explicit characteristics of tourists’ emotions. On the basis of geotagged facial expressions on social media platforms, this study aims to visualize the emotions of groups in scenic spots and then reveal the variations between groups’ emotions within theme parks. By employing a facial recognition algorithm, an emotion distribution graph was proposed to represent groups’ emotions in detail. Some analytical methods were combined to characterize of the emotion distribution of each group. Through a comprehensive comparison, the results suggest that there are unique characteristics of emotion distribution for each group and considerable variations between them. This study helps researchers achieve a deeper understanding of tourists’ emotional differences and enhances the theorization of emotions. This research also highlights the advantages and significant practical implications of our method framework.

The Dial-a-Tour Problem

This article delves into the Dial-a-Tour Problem (DATP) frequently encountered in local travel agencies, known for their personalized and hands-on customer service. In the DATP, multiple tourist groups are efficiently matched with different vehicles using vanpooling, maximizing vehicle occupancy while ensuring seamless transfers to the local attractions included in their booked tours. Each tourist group is picked up from and returned to their respective hotels after their journey. The predetermined locations and the sequence of visits for each tour are known in advance. Therefore, the primary objective is to minimize the number of vehicles required to fulfill all requests and maintain the desired level of service.To tackle this challenge, the article presents a comprehensive approach. It introduces a mixed-integer linear model, two constraint programming formulations, and a novel operator called the k-buffer insertion operator. This operator serves as the centerpiece of a descent heuristic proposed in the study.Extensive evaluation across a diverse range of randomly generated instances underscores the superiority of the proposed constraint programming formulations over the mixed integer linear programming model. However, it is noteworthy that the proposed heuristic surpasses even the most effective constraint programming formulation. This highlights its remarkable efficiency in solving real-size instances within notably brief computation times. Such prowess underscores the practical utility of this heuristic in effectively tackling the complexities inherent in the Dial-a-Tour Problem.

Exploring the Activities of the Academic Lecture Tour Group of Hyŏndae P"yŏngnon in 1927

Exploring the Activities of the Academic Lecture Tour Group of Hyŏndae P"yŏngnon in 1927

Evacuation planning for tourists: Lessons from cyclone Fani (2019), India

The evacuation of tourists before hurricanes or cyclones is grossly understudied compared to the evacuation of residents, especially in developing countries. To address this gap, the challenges encountered while evacuating tourists from Puri in India before Cyclone Fani in 2019 were studied. Key informant interviews were conducted with stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the evacuation operation and their individual roles in it. The major administrative issues identified were: a) inefficiencies in risk communication and b) reactive approach to transportation supply management. Delayed actions led to confusion, insufficient transport supply and delayed the evacuation operation. Tourists were reported to show resistance against evacuation, when the authorities were enforcing the evacuation order. Their resistance stemmed from regret for their unfinished holiday, faith in Lord Jagannath as the savior of Puri, and eagerness to experience the cyclone for its thrill. According to the hoteliers' observations, the presence of elderly and child members in tourist groups motivated evacuation, while higher leftover stay duration deterred them from evacuating. To improve the timeliness of evacuation operations and manage behavioral issues, three categories of interventions are advocated.

중국 Z세대 여성 개별관광객의 특성

The impact of COVID-19 has led to shifts in the tourism patterns of Chinese visitors to Jeju. Traditional group tours, commonly associated with package tourism, are rapidly giving way to individual or small-group tourism involving solo travelers, friends, or families. Notably, there is a relatively higher proportion of young female tourists compared to males. This study aims to comprehensively grasp the tourism preferences and behaviors of individual female tourists from China's Generation Z through extensive Indepth interviews. The goal is to draw implications for Jeju's tourism infrastructure to adapt to the increasing demand from Chinese individual young female travelers. Participants in the study are individual female tourists in their twenties from China, and their psychological and behavioral characteristics related to tourism preferences are thoroughly analyzed. The subjects of the in-depth interviews were individual Chinese female tourists in their twenties. The study meticulously described their psychological characteristics and behavioural traits related to tourism demand. It is hoped that the results of this research will serve as useful foundational data for developing marketing strategies aimed at attracting more individual Chinese female tourists to Jeju Island in the future.

SATISFACTION OF INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TOURISTS IN MALAYSIA’S OLDEST NATIONAL PARK: TAMAN NEGARA PAHANG

This study evaluates the satisfaction of both international and domestic tourists within Malaysia’s oldest national park, Taman Negara Pahang, employing a quantitative methodology through a survey comprising eight distinct dimensions: amenities, service quality, natural allure, accommodation, food services, transport, recreational offerings, and expense. The researchers garnered a sample of 387 respondents via convenience sampling and analysed using frequency distribution and independent sample t-tests. Findings indicate a general satisfaction among tourists with their park visitation experience. However, the researchers identified that service quality, transport, and cost require substantial enhancements to elevate the tourist experience. While both tourist groups displayed similar satisfaction levels, international tourists reported marginally higher satisfaction across most dimensions except for recreational activities. Varying motivations, influenced by geographical origins, attribute this discrepancy to the criteria for satisfaction evaluation. The study underscores the importance of continual tourism demand for sustaining national park conservation efforts through revenue generation. The researchers anticipate that the insights derived from this research will guide enhancements in the performance of tourism products and services through diversified feedback. Marketing strategies tailored to cater to the distinct preferences of domestic and international tourists are recommended, especially for Taman Negara Pahang, which enjoys popularity among both visitor segments.

Instagram public and private images as an element for the spatial monitoring of tourist behaviour in cities

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse whether publicly shared images on Instagram are representative of tourist behaviour in a destination. This aspect is crucial for destination image management, as it can influence the way tourists perceive the destination.Design/methodology/approachThe research compares three different factors: the route followed by a group of tourists, the whole set of photographs taken by them and the images that they made publicly available on Instagram. It relies on a field work done by a group of 122 tourists in Turin (Italy). At a qualitative level, the answers given by tourists to the motivations that led them to share some of the image are analysed.FindingsThe results showed how the spatial distribution of the images shared publicly on Instagram only partially coincides with the whole set of images taken by tourists.Practical implicationsIt is important to avoid basing marketing and management policies on just the places featured in publicly shared images. If not, there is a risk of taking decisions based on the behaviour of some, rather than all, tourists.Originality/valueMany papers claim to be based on the Instagram image as elements to study tourism. However, most of these papers only analyse public images. This fact can affect the results as there may be, for example, areas visited by tourists where photos are not taken. This paper therefore contributes to a better understanding of Instagram as a tool for the study of urban tourism.

Tourists’ preferences for managing invasive species in national parks: a choice experiment study in Taiwan

ABSTRACT This research study utilises the choice experiment methodology to examine tourists’ preferences regarding the adverse effects of managing invasive species in national parks. The study estimates the willingness of tourists to pay for mitigating various negative externalities associated with invasive species management. By understanding these willingness to pay estimates, national park management authorities can develop invasive species management strategies that have minimal impact on tourists. The study focuses on tourists visiting Yushan National Park and Taroko National Park in Taiwan. The findings indicate that tourists recognise the significant impact of negative externalities resulting from invasive species management, yet they still exhibit a preference for management over non-management. Among the negative externalities, tourists prioritise avoiding ecological disturbances and health risks over reducing recreational areas. National parks that are more easily accessible tend to have lower travel costs, making them more attractive to tourists visiting other destinations, particularly those on group tours. However, these characteristics result in stronger reactions from tourists towards management measures or lesser impacts from not managing invasive species, leading to reduced support for management initiatives. Furthermore, the study’s questionnaire format and sampling method are deemed consistent and reliable, effectively addressing potential biases associated with on-site visitor sampling.

Scandinavian Erratics in the Cultural Heritage Sites of Western Poland

In north-western Poland, cultural and historical structures were erected using erratic boulders of Scandinavian origin. These structures have yet to be subjected to detailed analysis with the aim of determining their origin, type of erratic boulders and rock abundance of a given petrographic type. This topic has not been addressed by art historians in previous studies of similar structures. The objective of this paper is to present five illustrative examples of stone structures that are closely related to cultural heritage in north-western Poland. A comprehensive inventory of the stone material is presented, categorised according to petrographic types. This is accompanied by a guide to the erratics. Furthermore, this article addresses the principles of geoethics and the concept of sense of place, with the objective of fostering a sense of pride in cultural heritage among residents and viewers. The objective was to identify the current and potential future geosystem services that erratic boulders can provide at the aforementioned locations. The survey methods were non-intrusive and included a comprehensive analysis of the stone material at eye level. Furthermore, in addition to graphic and photographic archiving, the petrographic type of rock and the type of indicative erratics were identified in carefully designed test fields. The results were subjected to basic statistical calculations. The results obtained represent a new corpus of knowledge that can be employed in the sustainable development of the five regions through the utilisation of a tool such as geotourism. It is anticipated that the implementation of innovative initiatives aimed at fostering geoenvironmental awareness and providing educational benefits, such as disseminating knowledge about the petrography and history of the sites (including the evolution of stone workshops and techniques), the role of historic buildings in strengthening attachment to roots, and their promotion in the media and on the internet, will result in the attraction of a more diverse group of tourists with interests beyond the current tourist and recreational offerings.

How foodstagramming posts influence restaurant visit intention: the mediating role of goal relevance and mimicking desire

PurposeThis study aims to explore the role of social media visual posts (known as foodstagramming) on restaurant visit intention. Drawing on the heuristic–systematic model and normative focus theory, this research introduces a framework that assesses the effects of key foodstagramming attributes – vicarious expression, aesthetic appeal and post popularity – and the mediating roles of goal relevance and mimicking desire, in the process.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modelling was performed to test the proposed model using a sample of tourists (n = 377) and residents (n = 341). Multi-group analysis was performed to compare the differences between these groups.FindingsResults reveal that mimicking desire and goal relevance influence restaurant visit intention; however, mimicking desire has a stronger influence than goal relevance. Little difference was found between the tourist and the resident groups in the proposed relationships, except that vicarious expression positively influences mimicking desire in the tourist group but not in the resident group.Practical implicationsThis study guides restauranteurs and social media influencers (foodstagrammers). It shows that consumers value the textual content and aesthetic appeal of photos over the popularity of a post. It also indicates that vicarious expression is more important for tourists than for residents.Originality/valueThis research advances social media marketing literature by proposing a new information processing framework. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first studies to explore the impact of visual post attributes on individual decision-making behaviours through socially acceptable norms.

Emergency Medical Retrieval Services in Remote Indigenous Islands: Experiences in Lanyu, Taiwan

Abstract: Emergency medical retrieval services (EMRS) in remote Indigenous islands is rarely investigated. We analyzed the characteristics of patients who underwent EMRS in Lanyu, an offshore island of Taiwan, from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2021. The need for EMRS for Lanyu Indigenous residents (N=132, 3.83‰) was almost 1.5-fold and 100-fold for non-Indigenous residents (N=16, 2.64‰) and tourists (N=40, 0.04‰), respectively. The resident group had a longer hospitalization (12.0 ± 12.9 vs. 5.9 ± 11.7 days, p=.007). The tourist group had more near-drowning or decompression sickness (44.0% vs. 3.0%, p<.001) and secondary transfers (20.0% vs. 5.4%, p=.003). All the patients (N=12) that required multiple retrievals were Lanyu Indigenous residents. The Lanyu Indigenous residents, compared with the non-Indigenous residents, had fewer admissions to intensive care units (47.7% vs. 80.0%) and more in-hospital mortalities (10.6% vs. 0.0%). Multifaceted approaches should be initiated to improve the health care system in remote Indigenous islands.

The effects of thematic tour groups and wanderlust on travel risk perceptions

Providing consumers with safe travel and tourism offerings is of the utmost importance to marketers of travel/vacation destinations. Thus, understanding and finding new ways to entice consumers to take the plunge and book a trip is essential, especially for marketers looking to attract consumers with unique interests. This research examines an intersection between two travel and tourism offerings: packaged tours and special interest tourism. Specifically, this research looks at the effect of thematic tour group offerings on consumers’ travel intentions. It explores whether giving consumers the option of a thematic tour group might lower risk perceptions, enticing them to travel. This research also proposes that thematic tour groups reduce risk perceptions by stimulating an individual’s wanderlust.