Tourism Industry Worldwide Research Articles

Determinants of Destination Knowledge Acquisition in Religious Tourism: Perspective of Umrah Travelers

Religious travel has grown consistently with the growth of the tourism industry worldwide. However, some of the religious based tourism particularly pilgrimage tourism such as Umrah received little attention in the literature although there are 6 million people performing it each year. Thus, this study aims to examine the relationship between the factors influencing information acquisition behavior to gain destination product knowledge in performing Umrah. Survey data from 198 Umrah travelers were analyzed using Partial least squares (PLS) structural equation. The final useful sample consisted of 198 Muslim participants who had travelled to Mecca for Umrah in the last 12 months. Partial least squares (PLS) structural equation was used in data analysis. The results show that the determinants of information search, the purpose of travelling, past experience, quality of information and travel companion affect information acquisition behavior and destination product knowledge. The findings of this study will aid tour operators and travel agents in developing relevant strategies for future business development.

Assessing the feasibility of developing tourism industry for sustainable development of Mokran coasts: A case study of Jaask Zone

Abstract. Tourism industry has gained more and more significance in global economic world and it is considered as one of the most lucrative and competitive industries in the world. Numerous studies have shown that this industry has an important role in creating jobs, improving the environment and sustainable development, etc. In this line, for making use of the potentials and capabilities of different areas within the country, the development of tourism industry becomes highlighted. Hence, coasts are one of the most important tourist attraction spots which attract lots of tourists. Tourism, as one of the most dynamic economic activities in the new era, plays an important role in coastal sustainable development. This industry brings about economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits for geographical locations through simultaneous combination of domestic and foreign resources. Nowadays, the institutions which run tourism industry worldwide admit to the value of nature tourism affairs and the necessity to take care of the environment more than before. The coasts of Mokran are among the coasts which have unique tourism attractions nationwide and within the region. Among the most important attractions which can be a step toward sustainable development of Mokran coasts, the geomorphosites of this region especially the risen coast of Jaask, flower-like formations, wind-like shapes, tidal marshes, gulfs and also natural, historical and cultural attractions. Hence, geomorphological phenamena have led to the formation of diverse shapes through wind, water and coastal processes which are considered as potential capacities for sustainable development of tourism industry in Mokran coasts and Jaask zone. The present research has used descriptive-analytical method due to the theoretical nature of the subject. Therefore, the library method was used for taking note of the data and information resources. The aim of this research is to know the tourism attractions of Jaask zone in order to gain sustainable development for Mokran coast and assess the feasibility of developing tourism industry in order to create jobs, increase income, eliminate poverty from Jaask zone in order to achive sustainable development for Mokran coasts.

The effects of the use of ICT by tourism enterprises

Nowadays tourism economy is driven by information technology (IT) and telecommunications. All tourism oriented companies, such as tour operators, travel agencies, rental agencies, cruisers and hotels experience the growing impact of what is commonly known as information and communication technology (ICT). Tourism sector represents the information-intensive industry characterized by a significantly long value chain influenced, to a great extent, by information. Its creation, collection, storage, retrieval and transfer remain within the core activities of all tourism enterprises. Every single innovation in IT sector can potentially change the strategy followed by tourism companies in running a business. Such transformations are also imposed by tourists’ behaviors which keep altering under the influence of information technology. The process of tourist services purchase is based on information collected through many different channels, e.g. travel agencies, brochures, the word-of-mouth, or web sides offered by tourist service suppliers, which are currently gaining much importance. Consumer decision making process in tourism sector is transformed into an online one, since direct service booking has become possible. Proper understanding of behaviors presented by those searching for travel information online, as well as using innovative information and communication technologies by tourists, remain essential for designing an effective ICT-based business model. Currently it seems to be the crucial challenge for the entire tourism sector. ICT is focused on designing the new scientific paradigm (by innovation, co-opetition, collaboration with customers) of tourism development based on modern e-technologies. The paper discusses the level of information and communication technologies application in the tourism sector. The study covers small and medium-size hotels (SMEs) and travel agencies which dominate the tourism industry worldwide. The article draws experience from the tourism industry in one of the most popular tourist destinations in Poland - Lower Silesia.

Personalised Travel Services: an Exploratory Study in Singapore Context

AbstractThe aims of the study were to explore the demand for personalised travel services within the affluent customer segment of the outbound travelers in Singapore. The study uncovers the desired service attributes of same consumer segment. The paper begins with a general and broad overview of the travel and tourism industry worldwide and in the Asia Pacific region specifically in Singapore. The international tourism and hospitality sector has grown rapidly over the last ten years and according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), international tourist arrivals in 2012 grew to 980 million. Similarly, there has been an increase in outbound travels in Singapore. This growth has been fuelled by the economic growth that Singapore has experienced over the years. The study surveys the current literature to provide data to show the growth of outbound travel from Singapore and the increasing number of affluent Singapore travelers. The study considers an email questionnaire survey to gauge the travel patterns and desires of the affluent traveler market in Singapore. The exploratory findings identify a market for personalized travel services in Singapore and consider an inventory of service attributes desired by the affluent customer segment in Singapore. More specifically, the findings indicate that almost 65% of respondents preferred personal travel services (PTS) with 70% who currently book tours through travel agents indicating their preference for PTS. What was particularly interesting was that over 60% of those who currently engage in self-booking found the idea of PTS appealing. The key draws of PTS are convenience, personalization of itinerary and tour package, experience of consultants and trust. Personalised travel services are targeted to the high income market and the potential demand for PTS among travelers who undertake two or more trips a year was about 72%. Travelers today are looking for more value-added services and interesting tour packages rather than the run of the mill mass tours that many travel agents still provide. Growing affluence and the desire for unique and unusual tours is creating a niche market for travel agencies to exploit. The current and common business model of providing mass tours where customers are herded on a standard itinerary does not sit well with the well-heeled and sophisticated traveler of today. Today’s affluent travelers want to be treated not as mere customers but rather as valuable clients, partnering with the tour agency to create unparalleled and enriching tour experiences.

How ecotourism works at the community-level: the case of whale-watching in the Azores

Whale-watching is one of the fastest growing tourism industries worldwide, often viewed as a sustainable, non-consumptive strategy for the benefits of cetacean conservation and the coastal communities, alternative to and incompatible with whaling. Yet, there is paucity of research on how things actually work out at the community-level. Drawing on the research literature and my own ethnographic fieldwork, this article bridges a knowledge gap in this field while examining an Azorean context where tourism has brought a re-commodification of the whale for the community (observing wildlife as opposed to harpooning it) in the last 20 years. The analysis is focused on four main community-level implications: governance of common maritime resources, and tourism's contribution to economic sustainability, cultural identity and social relations. It is shown that whale-watching, as any other form of community-based ecotourism, is not a panacea that always promotes biodiversity conservation and economic and sociocultural sustainability for the host communities. Moreover, expanding on the theorisation of emerging institutional fields by Lawrence and Phillips, the political, historical, economic and sociocultural context of the community involved is a key factor for understanding local agency and the local specific features of new fields.

Personalised Travel Services: an Exploratory Study in Singapore Context

The aims of the study were to explore the demand for personalised travel services within the affluent customer segment of the outbound travelers in Singapore. The study uncovers the desired service attributes of same consumer segment. The paper begins with a general and broad overview of the travel and tourism industry worldwide and in the Asia Pacific region specifically in Singapore. The international tourism and hospitality sector has grown rapidly over the last ten years and according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), international tourist arrivals in 2012 grew to 980 million. Similarly, there has been an increase in outbound travels in Singapore. This growth has been fuelled by the economic growth that Singapore has experienced over the years. The study surveys the current literature to provide data to show the growth of outbound travel from Singapore and the increasing number of affluent Singapore travelers. The study considers an email questionnaire survey to gauge the travel patterns and desires of the affluent traveler market in Singapore. The exploratory findings identify a market for personalized travel services in Singapore and consider an inventory of service attributes desired by the affluent customer segment in Singapore. More specifically, the findings indicate that almost 65% of respondents preferred personal travel services (PTS) with 70% who currently book tours through travel agents indicating their preference for PTS. What was particularly interesting was that over 60% of those who currently engage in self-booking found the idea of PTS appealing. The key draws of PTS are convenience, personalization of itinerary and tour package, experience of consultants and trust.?Personalised travel services are targeted to the high income market and the potential demand for PTS among travelers who undertake two or more trips a year was about 72%. Travelers today are looking for more value-added services and interesting tour packages rather than the run of the mill mass tours that many travel agents still provide. Growing affluence and the desire for unique and unusual tours is creating a niche market for travel agencies to exploit. The current and common business model of providing mass tours where customers are herded on a standard itinerary does not sit well with the well-heeled and sophisticated traveler of today. Today?s affluent travelers want to be treated not as mere customers but rather as valuable clients, partnering with the tour agency to create unparalleled and enriching tour experiences.

Travel and Tourism as a Driver of Economic Recovery

Nowadays countries are trying to overcome the adverse effects of this crisis but have failed to recover their positions due to severe recession and worsening economic conditions. Tourism can be one of the pillars that should be supported by governments around the world as part of the solution to stimulate economic growth.The paper examines the economic impact of tourism industry worldwide and with a focus to Romania. It also advances some solutions for the design of a more effective and efficient policy framework in order to take a proactive stance in tailoring policies and development of the tourism sector.

Tourists’ Evaluations of Destination Image and Future Behavioural Intention: The Case of Malaysia

The competitive situation and greater challenges within the tourism industry worldwide entail a better understanding of destination image and destination loyalty (future behavioural intention) to achieve Malaysia’s apiration to retain its international reputation as one of the most desirable destinations in Asia and become a developed country in year 2020. The objectives of this study are to ascertain the perception of foreign tourists of Malaysia as a travel destination and determine the predicting factors that influence the formation of tourists’ future behavioural intention. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between destination image and future behavioural intentions of foreign tourists to Malaysia. A quantitative methodology, using responses given by 1007 foreign tourists, was employed in the analysis. A multiple regression analysis was carried out in order to examine the relationship among the variables. The findings indicate that perceptions of Malaysia’s attractions, accessibility and available package, heritage attraction and natural attraction are significant predictors of foreign tourists’ intentions to revisit and their willingness to recommend the destination. The marketing implications of the study findings are discussed.

Estimating the impact of whaling on global whale-watching

After the commercial whaling moratorium was enacted in 1986, whale-watching became one of the fastest growing tourism industries worldwide. As whaling was regarded as an activity that is incompatible with whale-watching, the possible resumption of commercial whaling caused an urgent need to investigate the potential negative effects of whaling on the whale-watching industry. We examine the potential impacts of whaling on the global whale-watching tourism industry using an unbalanced panel data model. The empirical results indicate that the resumption of commercial whaling has the potential for a negative effect on the global whale-watching industry, especially for nations that are engaged in commercial whaling.

Estimating the Impact of Whaling on Global Whale Watching

After the commercial whaling moratorium was enacted in 1986, whale watching became one of the fastest growing tourism industries worldwide. As whaling was regarded as an activity incompatible with whale watching, the possible resumption of commercial whaling caused an urgent need to investigate the potential negative effects of whaling on the whale-watching industry. We examine the potential impacts of whaling on the global whale-watching tourism industry using unbalanced panel data model. The empirical results indicate that the resumption of commercial whaling has the potential for a negative effect on the global whale-watching industry, especially for nations that are engaged in whaling.

Short-haul city travel is truly environmentally sustainable

With rising interest in and concern about climate change and environmental sustainability, and the significance of the tourism industry worldwide, the impact of tourism-related activities and behaviors on the environment has become a key area of research. In particular, transport related to tourism has come under scrutiny for its contribution to the ecological footprint of tourism of a destination, mostly accounted for by the dominance of air travel. This study contributes to research in this area by identifying the types of travel situations in which tourists make environmentally friendly choices about travel modes and, consequently, which types of tourism destinations should seek to develop and promote in order to minimize the environmental impact of the tourist sector on both an individual destination and global scale.

Seasonality in Crete: Problem or a Way of Life?

The tourism industry worldwide faces seasonal fluctuations of demand. These fluctuations are attributed to diverse factors – mainly climatic conditions, human decisions, inertia or tradition and supply restrictions – and result in various problems for tourist-receiving destinations, such as seasonal environmental congestion, low return on investment for tourist enterprises, overuse of facilities and off-season unemployment. Most of the strategies adopted by both private and public sectors to overcome seasonality fall into one of three main categories: diversification of the product mix, change of the customer mix and aggressive pricing. This paper reviews these issues taking the case of the island of Crete, and examines whether seasonality poses a problem for the island and the islanders or whether it is simply a way of life.

Family hotel businesses: strategic planning and the need for education and training

Small businesses dominate the tourism and hospitality industry worldwide and are of critical importance for the competitiveness of destinations. Small/family hotel businesses are characterised by a number of specific business processes which generate particular training and educational needs. It is increasingly clear that small businesses are not miniature versions of larger ones, but they have different structures, priorities and strategic objectives. This paper investigates a number of management areas, such as: planning, strategy development and behaviour in these enterprises, to determine skill and competency gaps. A survey of small family hotel businesses in Austria was carried out in 2003. Performance, growth and internal management procedures were assessed to analyse problem areas and to identify the lacking skills in the tourism industry. The results demonstrate areas of tourism training and education for family hotel businesses.

A Review of Whale-Watching and Whaling with Applications for the Caribbean

Whale-watching is a significant and growing tourism industry worldwide. Whaling has a long history and, although largely curtailed today, still occurs in a few countries around the world and in the Caribbean. Whaling has been labeled an incompatible activity with whale-watching because, in some cases, it reduces the number of whales available for use and changes whale behavior. Moreover, in some situations, whale-watching generates greater revenue than whaling, and whaling may detrimentally affect the larger tourism industry because of negative attitudes toward whaling by whale-watchers, other tourists, and host communities. This article examines the potential impacts of whaling on the whale-watching and tourism industries, and places these impacts in the Caribbean context. In doing so, the article outlines the history and current status of whale-watching in the Caribbean, outlines other potential constraints, and highlights the need for research about the impacts and roles of these industries. In the highly competitive global tourism industry, maintaining and nurturing a country's tourism image is critically important.

A Importância do Direito para o Turismo sob a Ótica Francesa

The second half of the XX century represented a relevant step in the tourism industry worldwide. The social and political importance of the development of tourism was observed as well as its contribution to the world's economic development. Within this context, the first Law studies concerning the Tourism industry arose in Europe. Tourism has multiple social functions and promises to become an essential part of our everyday lives. France, in responding to needs of society, was the first country in the world to standardize the tourism industry, attempting to give legal support to those who saw leisure and culture in tourism. Therefore, in its Constitution, dating from 1958, leisure was decreed part of the fundamental Human Rights and tourism was considered an instrument supporting leisure. The transcendental, Droit du tourisme was born, based on the principles of alterity and tolerance. The Law of tourism in France, attempted to name all the activities related to tourism, their relationships and to organize all the legislation, once scattered, in a single document of specific tourist legislation, The Tourism Code. Thus, the Law of Tourism came into effect, a transcendental branch of Law, flexible, complex, heterogeneous and of great importance to the healthy development of the world tourist industry, able to assure harmony among those parts related to tourism.

Tourism and Terrorism: A Quantitative Analysis of Major Terrorist Acts and Their Impact on Tourism Destinations

Since before the end of the Cold War, terrorism acts have had major effects on tourism destinations. As a result, the ‘shadowy, mobile, and unpredictable’ forces of terrorism are becoming an unfortunate part of the travel and tourism landscape. Few can forget the explosion that killed three in Paris in 1986, the home-made pipe bomb in Tel Aviv in 1990, the November 1997 massacre of 58 tourists at Luxor's Temple of Hatshepsut in Egypt, and the Kenyan and Tanzanian US Embassy truck bombings killing 263 in August 1998. This paper provides a quantitative analysis of major terrorism events around the world during 1985–98, classified by date, location, victims, weapons used, severity of damage, motive, effect on tourism demand, and length of effect. The analysis is followed by a summary and conclusions about the magnitude of the impact of these events on host destinations and the tourism industry worldwide.