Tourism Service Providers Research Articles

The Attitude of Tourist Destination Residents towards the Effects of Overtourism—Kraków Case Study

Scientific research into the effect of tourist traffic in a tourist area have shown that the excessive concentration of tourist traffic leads to overcrowding in attractive locations, over-advertising, and aggressive commercialization, which lower the aesthetic quality of tourists’ experiences and result in the degradation of natural and cultural resources. The effect of excessive tourist numbers is an increase in the price of services, rental fees, and real estate. In historical cities, it causes the gentrification of historical districts. One of the social effects of an increase in tourist numbers is a change in attitude amongst residents towards tourists. This change is dependent on how residents perceive the positive and negative effects of tourism. The appearance of a negative attitude among residents towards tourists is a result of exceeding the social carrying capacity limits, that is, the ability to accept changes as they take place. This article assesses the attitudes of residents and tourist service providers in Kraków with regard to increasing tourist traffic and the ongoing process of change in the cityscape leading to the gentrification of districts most often visited by tourists. On the basis of a study of 518 respondents, including 371 city residents and 147 representatives of the tourist industry (hotel owners, restaurateurs, and tourist service providers), an assessment is made of their attitudes towards the specific problems of tourism development in Kraków. The research results indicate a variety of attitudes among interested parties, thus confirming the research hypothesis that actors display varied approaches with regard to the further development of tourism in Kraków. The conclusions drawn could prove useful in shaping the city’s policy on tourism according to the idea of sustainable development, by taking into consideration the current and future needs of all interested parties.

Improvement of Digital Technology in the Tourism Sector

The article deals with the development of approaches to the improvement of digital technology in the tourism sector. It is revealed that the improvement of digital technology in the tourism sector acquires a variety of manifestation forms, which include online purchase of ready-made tours formed by tour operators, as well as the development and implementation of mobile applications, designed, among other things, for tourists, digitalization of self-designed tours through the creation of online schools for novice travelers. It is proved that the digitalization of tourism will be accompanied by a further process of displacement of traditional companies with offline offices from the tourist market, and the development of tours designed according to the parameters individually set by each specific client. Consequently, tourist organizations, which will be able to provide to consumers best customization in the provision of tourist services, will gain competitive advantages.

Tourism experiences, memorability and behavioural intentions: a study of tourists in Sardinia, Italy

PropósitoEl propósito de este estudio es probar la escala MTE de Kim et al. (2012) y sus siete dimensiones, en un nuevo contexto y con una nueva muestra. Además, el objetivo del estudio es evaluar las causas o las relaciones entre, satisfacción, dimensiones MTE, experiencias co-creativas de turismo y la memorabilidad, así como el efecto mediador de la memorabilidad, en la intención de comportamiento de los turistas.Diseño/metodología/enfoqueEste estudio emplea un diseño de encuesta transversal y utiliza un cuestionario para recopilar los datos. Tres entrevistadores interrogaron a viajeros internacionales en el área de embarque en el aeropuerto Olbia-Costa Smeralda, mientras esperaban en el embarque de sus vuelos de retorno. Los entrevistadores también distribuyeron y administraron los cuestionarios. El cuestionario estaba en inglés. La recolección de datos se realizó de agosto a octubre de 2017.ResultadosEn términos de implicaciones teóricas del estudio, los resultados desprenden una construcción MTE diferente a la del estudio de Kim et al. (2012). Si bien, discuten los siete factores del turismo experiencial, que probablemente afecten a lo memorable de la experiencia de una persona. Lo que surge de la presente investigación es que, la satisfacción, la novedad, el refrigerio, la participación y el conocimiento influyen significativamente en en todo lo memorable de la experiencia de un turista.Limitaciones/implicaciones de la investigaciónEste estudio tiene algunas limitaciones. Primero, es altamente específico del sitio y se basa en una muestra de conveniencia, lo que hace que los hallazgos no sean generalizables, ni para el destino, bajo investigación, ni para ningún otro destino turístico. Se deben realizar más estudios en otras ciudades mediterráneas para poder generalizar la importancia de estos resultados. Aunque el inglés puede considerarse el principal idioma internacional, el hecho de que la encuesta se haya escrito solo en inglés podría haber excluido a los que no hablan inglés a la hora de participar en el estudio. Además, no se ha considerado a los turistas nacionales. En el futuro, podría ser útil traducir la encuesta a diferentes idiomas y entrevistar a los turistas nacionales que visitan la isla.Implicaciones prácticasLos proveedores de servicios turísticos podrían recopilar formularios de comentarios de los turistas para medir y mejorar su satisfacción. Además, la multiplicidad de actores involucrados en el sector turístico debe coordinarse y cooperar entre sí para crear experiencias turísticas que resulten para una alta satisfacción de los visitantes. Los proveedores de servicios turísticos también podrían ofrecer nuevos y diversos encuentros; por ejemplo, la oportunidad de asistir a festivales locales para despertar curiosidad, ya que los estudios sugieren que actividades novedosas hacen que las experiencias sean particularmente memorables. Los funcionarios públicos también deberían centrarse en el rejuvenecimiento del sitio para atraer a los buscadores de novedades que hayan visitado anteriormente.Originalidad/valorEn general, el estudio destaca las discrepancias entre los efectos de la satisfacción, las dimensiones de MTE y la experiencia turística co-creativa en la memorabilidad de una experiencia de viaje en relación con estudios anteriores. Los resultados del análisis refutan la suposición de que las siete dimensiones MTE son representativas en una variedad de experiencias turísticas específicas del destino. Además de las cinco dimensiones identificadas, abrir la discusión sobre otros factores que podrían influir en la memorabilidad de las experiencias de los turistas presenta una agenda actualizada.

Controversial types of travel and the position of Polish tourism service providers: Experience tourism

The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of the Polish market for the development of the supply-side of controversial forms of tourism, based on the opinions and products offered by tour operators and retail travel agents. Analytical data were collected using desk research and CATI (N=107) methods. The most common controversial types of tourism include drug and sex tourism, followed by disaster tourism, medical tourism, slum tourism, fan tourism and poverty tourism. The expectations of customers regarding tourism offers usually focus on party tourism and extreme travel, and the providers highlight that this market segment will continue to develop.

Tourism and Terrorism: Economic impact of terrorist attacks on the tourism industry. The example of the destination of Paris

Abstract Cities are popular destinations for international tourism that in recent years have increasingly become the target of terrorist attacks affecting the tourism industry. In this study, the economic damage caused by the terror attacks is calculated for the destination Paris, differentiated by sectors and source markets. For this purpose, the revenue shortfalls caused by the terrorist attacks of 2015 for the tourism industry in Paris are calculated. Taking into account the decreasing number of visitors, discounts granted by the accommodation sector as well as additional expenditures for marketing or loss of revenue by tourism service providers (e. g. in the transport sector), the shortfall of revenues in the tourism sector amounts to at least € 2 bn in the period 2015 to 2017.

Online selling mode choice and pricing in an O2O tourism supply chain considering corporate social responsibility

Abstract This paper considers an online-to-offline (O2O) tourism supply chain (TSC) consisting of an offline tourism service provider (TSP) and an online travel agency (OTA) who has a corporate social responsibility (CSR). We investigate three possible online selling modes: (1) the OTA purchases products from the TSP and sells them to end tourists (Mode R); (2) the OTA charges the TSP a profit-sharing rate (Mode M); (3) the TSP sells products through both the reselling and marketplace channels (Mode D). Based on these three modes, we establish three game-theoretic models to explore the optimal online selling mode and pricing decisions for the TSC and its members. Our analyses and results show that when Mode D is unavailable: if OTA’s cost advantage is relatively low, the TSC members should set a moderate profit-sharing rate and choose Mode M; Conversely, Mode R is better for them under a moderate or not too high profit-sharing rate. When Mode D is also available: Mode M is always worse than Mode D, while Mode R may be better than Mode D under some conditions. Furthermore, we conduct numerical studies and sensitivity analyses, which demonstrate that in Mode D, the TSC should pay more attention to CSR and improve consumers’ channel acceptance for the reselling channel to create more total utility.

Divers or Divas? A Market Analysis of the Mature Aged Female Diver: An Australian Perspective

If you ask the average person to describe a scuba diver, you would probably receive comments such as strong, young, athletic, male, and a bit of a daredevil. However, recent research into the highest growth sector of diver training reveals women over 40 are signing on for dive training in unprecedented numbers. Dive service providers and tourist destination promoters may be missing opportunities to market effectively to attract this dynamic group, using a "one size fits all" approach and potentially losing sales opportunities for equipment, courses, dive travel, and more. This study examines the mature aged female diver, revealing new demographic data, information about their dive travel preferences, how much they spend on diving holidays, and other information useful to dive and tourism industry stakeholders. A web-based survey was used to study 111 female divers over age 40. The average age of participants was 51 to 55, and most had logged over 100 dives. The results depicted participants as a vibrant part of the diving community, with money to spend and the desire to travel. Safety in dive operations was identified as a priority as was small-group travel. Spending over $500 a day on international diving trips, they represent an untapped and lucrative market segment. This study aims to contribute new insight into this dynamic and motivated market segment. Findings will assist dive tourism service providers and destination marketers to better understand this segment, to create attractive products and services to tap into this lucrative market.

The meanings of solo travel for Asian women

PurposeThis study aims to explore the meanings of solo travel for Asian women, focussing on how Asian women construct and negotiate their identities in the heteronormalised, gendered and Western-centric tourism space.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews were conducted with 35 Asian solo female travellers from ten Asian countries/societies and analysed using constructivist grounded theory. The interpretation was guided by a critical stance and intersectionality lens.FindingsThe findings show that solo travel provides a means for self-discovery but the path was different for Asian women, for whom the self is constructed by challenging the social expectations of Asian women. Western-centric discourse was identified in the participants’ interactions with other (Western) travellers and tourism service providers, as well as in the ways these Asian women perceive themselves in relation to Western travellers. In addition to gendered constraints and risks, the findings also reveal the positive meaning of being Asian women in the gendered tourism space.Research limitations/implicationsBy labelling Asian women, the study risks adopting an essentialised view and overlooking the differences within the group. However, this strategic essentialism is necessary to draw attention to the inequalities that persist in contemporary tourism spaces and practices.Originality/valueThis study investigated Asian solo female travellers, an emerging but under-researched segment. It provides a critical examination of the intersectional effect of gender and race on identity construction for Asian solo female travellers. This study shows the need for a more inclusive tourism space.

Al Kazemi Group

The study is about the Al kazemi Group in Kuwait. It is a large group and well knowned in service sector of the Kuwait. They are currently involved in the businesses related to shipping and logistics, travel and tourism, real estate, hospitality and FMCG (Fast moving consumer goods). N travel and tourism business they are working as the sales agents for many transportation companies like Royal Air Maroc, Aegean Airline and Egypt Air. In hospitality business they have established two hotels named as New Park Hotel and Latif Hotels. These hotels are considered among very top rated hotels in Kuwait. In the project the discussion is about the launch of bus service for the tourist in Kuwait. They could offer this service to the guests that stay in their hotels. They can make this service popular among the guests and the local citizens by providing it free of cost initially. The Al Kazemi group is already very famous in Kuwait and have very strong market position. They can bear the cost or expenditures incurred on the startup of this bus service. In this study, there is a complete discussion about the target market for this new idea in the business and there will be a complete analysis of economic, social, political and environmental effects of this new business idea. According to the analysis of external factors, it has been analyzed that these all are favorable in this business to accept the new idea as there is capacity for starting this unique service to enhance the productivity and the profitability of the recent business. According to the technological environment, it is analyzed in this study that these are also favorable as the transport industry of Kuwait is outstanding. There are some risks to start this new idea in the business which includes the threat for failure and the low acceptability from the customer side. With the failure of idea, there is a risk for losing the huge amount of capital which is a great loss to the company. This idea is sensible as it is the demand of the customers of this organization as it has been providing tourism services to the customers and with the introduction of transport facilities to its customers, there will be increasing attraction as the customers do not have need to go for finding another company to get the transport services for the tour in Kuwait and in its popular places. As the concluded remarks, it has been analyze that this business idea is sensible and most suitable for this organization as it has the positive results for organization.

Analyzing channel choice: Direct and indirect e-Tourism distribution

ABSTRACTAn increasing number of tourism service providers are involved in multichannel operations, combining online direct and indirect channels. Service providers and intermediaries need to know what drivers lead consumers to purchase on both channels in order to discover their own potential for differentiation and develop appropriate strategies. This research presents and tests a distribution channel choice model applied to data obtained by a survey aimed at online tourism purchasers. Not surprisingly, the results find that the Internet mitigates the differences between direct and indirect online channels from the demand perspective. Only one variable, information provided, has a positive effect on the choice of the direct channel, while two variables, assortment and basket size, have a positive effect on the choice of the indirect channel.

Strategies for Development of Yoga, Ayurveda, and Meditation-based Health Tourism in Nepal: Using SWOT Analysis

Now health tourism based on yoga, Ayurveda and meditation is growing sector in Nepalese Tourism. Health tourism as one of the most important forms of tourism is not an exception and preparing strategies for its development will not be possible without considering its specific and extraordinary environment. The objective of preparing and is writing this research paper is to formulate suitable strategies for health tourism development in Nepal. This study uses a qualitative approach. We conduct 38 semi structured interviews with related stakeholder’s of health tourism in Nepal, including health service providers, tourism service providers (as enterprise), and government officials. It was carried out in 2017 in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, and Pokhara. For strategy formulation, we employ the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis method to examine the internal and external factors comprehensively, in terms of health tourism development in Nepal. The strategy to the health tourism development will be considered in terms of four relations: strengths-opportunities (S-O), weaknesses-opportunities (W-O), strengths-threats (S-T), weakness-threats (W-T). The results of this study show that the strategy in health tourism development in Nepal, it is necessary to work on policy and regulation, promotion and branding, introducing the quality standards for health products and service as well as to establish the institutional support in order to successful implementation for the strategy of the health tourism development in Nepal.

Luxury tourism service provision - Lessons from the industry

This study explores service providers' perceptions of luxury tourism service provision and increases the understanding of luxury tourism services. The research was conducted in Finland, which does not have a strong luxury culture and does not represent a traditional luxury tourism destination. Rather, it is an unexplored and promising destination for tourists who seek unique and untraditional luxury experiences. To examine luxury, eleven narrative interviews were analyzed. The study suggests that Finnish luxury is a new form of luxury, and to understand the core of a luxury tourism offering service providers need to have had their own experiences of luxury, know the context they are operating in and what the customers' expectations of luxury are. Additionally, the level of privacy of the experience affects the service. The goal of service providers in the Finnish context is to offer the customer favorable prerequisites for experiencing a hedonic or eudaimonic well-being experience.

Wind farms in the Icelandic highlands: Attitudes of local residents and tourism service providers

Over the last decades the harnessing of wind power has gained increasing popularity and is currently believed to be one of world’s best environmental options in seeking to meet the international target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least half by the year 2050. There is undeniably an abundance of wind resources in Iceland. But what impact would the harnessing of this power have on the country’s growing tourism industry? This paper focuses on the dynamics existing between wind farming, residents and tourism. Its overall aim is to evaluate the attitudes of local residents and tourism service providers in Southern Iceland towards the country’s first proposed wind farm, which is to be located at the edge of Iceland’s Southern highlands, and to critically discuss the causal relationship between the landscape and these attitudes. An on-site questionnaire was distributed to residents in the municipalities adjacent to the proposed wind farm. Interviews were also conducted with residents and tourist service providers. The results indicate that the relationship between residents and the landscape of the proposed site is based on its use as highland pasture and the residents’ romantic conception of the landscape, which for centuries has been characterized by wildness and remoteness. This conception seems to linger on despite gradually increasing hydropower production in the area. The associations made by tourist service providers with the area differ since they are selling a certain image, that of unspoilt nature and wilderness. Wind turbines would be a new and prominent presence in the Icelandic landscape likely to transform the area from its previous perceived wild and natural state. As such, social acceptance of the location of wind farms in the Icelandic highlands is more critical than in the case of more traditional ways of harnessing renewable energy.

The Uniqueness Of The Hungarian Rural Tourism Supply

In an increasingly competitive market for tourism service providers, it is possible to improve or preserve positions by providing a special, high-experience content assortment. Uniqueness should also be emphasized in order to increase the attractiveness of rural tourism in Hungary. From a professional point of view, the necessity of supplying basic service items (ubiquity) and the special elements (uniqueness) are unquestionable in national rural tourism, but their actual optimal proportion is undetermined. The aim of the research is to investigate the uniqueness of rural tourism products, to identify which ones are the general and the specific elements of supply. The questions of the exploratory research will be answered by analysing a database of registered service providers of FATOSZ (Hungarian National Association of Rural and Agrotourism) based on a set of criteria designed to measure uniqueness. Data from the primary observation were analysed using descriptive statistical methods and contextual analysis. The main findings of the research were related to the experience content, which are closely related to the accommodation, environment and tourists’ activity during the stay.

COMMUNICATIONS IN SERVICE PROCESSES IN TOURISM

The article deals with the essence of communication and the formation of trust with clients of tourist services. An overview of the theoretical basis of communication shows the relevance of a more detailed study of this problem. Communication with customers and building confidence in the process of providing tourist services today is one of the key tools for ensuring the effective operation of travel companies on the market, including international ones. It is noted that communication is considered as an integrated approach to managing tourism activities, aimed at effectively meeting the needs of clients and society through the targeted use of marketing tools such as: the use of material incentives; moral stimulation; creation of structural connections that would facilitate interaction with the buyer. The ways of improvement of communication with clients and increase of trust in the process of providing tourist services are grounded: improvement of quality of services, application of Internet marketing, correction of the system of motivation of the personnel.Trust in the tourism sector is the basis for the stable development of companies, which is formed on the mutual respect of the interested parties both in the short-term, and in the long-term relations.The customer loyalty model Dick and Bass model adapted for the tourist sector is presented. Depending on the level of trust and the frequency of receiving tourist services, there are four types of loyalty: true, latent, fictitious, and lack of loyalty.Trust in the tourism sector is proven to be a prerequisite for the provision of tourist services and is formed on a bilateral basis between the parties concerned. It is proposed to apply the concept of social responsibility of business not only to clients but also other stakeholders (staff, partners, mass media, society, etc.), which will attract potential clients, partners and investors, as well as increase trust and loyalty to the tourism sector.

Tourist expectations and perception of service providers: a Brazilian perspective

This research studies the formation of tourist expectations around a tourist destination and the existence of a knowledge gap between this group and perceptions of tourism service providers. We propose a five-construct theoretical model: tourism expectations, destination image, social media, word-of-mouth communication and past experiences. We thus implemented two questionnaires, with tourists (n = 373) and with tourism service providers (n = 460). Structural equation modelling results identify social media and destination image as influencing visitors’ expectations, and that this image arises out of word-of-mouth communication and tourists’ past experiences. The results also indicate that local actors may be neglecting the influence of word-of-mouth destination recommendations and the relationship between the destination image and the prevailing expectations.

The influence of practicing spiritual tourism on the environment in Chau Doc – An Giang – Viet Nam

Chau Doc is a city of An Giang province in Mekong delta of Vietnam. This city has Sam Mountain with cultural and spiritual values. One of the highlights of the local spiritual culture is Ba Chua Xu (Lady Territory) shrine. Every year, this spot attracts between 3 and 5 million visitors. With a great number of tourists, the practicing of spiritual tourism has had an impact on the natural and cultural-social environment. The influence of stakeholders on the environment (nature and humanity) through the enjoyment and provision of tourism services. Stakeholders have involved in tourism activities in Chau Doc include: local authorities, service providers (food and beverage, accommodation, transportation, ...) and tourists. The practice of spiritual tourism is different from other types of tourism. Spiritual need has overwhelmed need to enjoy tourist services. With the expectation of improving economic benefits for the locality, tourism services are increasingly invested and supplemented. When economic interests are concerned, the issues of preserving natural values and cultural-social are limited, creating threat that could hurt the environment in Chau Doc. Therefore, the exploitation and development of spiritual tourism creates certain influence on the local environment. The study of the effects of spiritual tourism practice is necessary in the present context. Through field surveys, in-depth interviews with stakeholders and observations in local spiritual culture festivals from September 2016 to June 2018, this article describes and analyzes characteristics of practicing spiritual tourism in Chau Doc. Since then, the authors find out the influence of practicing spiritual tourism on natural and cultural - social environment of locality. At the same time, the authors provide some suggestions for exploiting spiritual tourism in Chau Doc.

The tourist capacity in the performance of a destination

The purpose of the research was to analyze the dimensions of Tourism Capacity as an element of the Performance of the Tourist Destination through a case study in Guaymas, Sonora. The methodological process was based on the documentary review to define the indicators of tourism capacity; likewise, the probabilistic and random sample formed by the various tourism service providers in the region was determined and the Multivariate Analysis technique was used to accept the research hypothesis. It is concluded that the Tourist Capacity can be formed by: tourist attractions, accessibility to the site, a tourist influx, public safety, tourist equipment, diversity of the tourist offer, urban planning and tourism regulations to achieve the performance of the Tourist Destination.

Investigating the intentions of tourism providers and trade exhibition visitors to use technology: A technology acceptance model approach

Orientation: This article considered the use of technological tools by tourism trade exhibition visitors from a marketing perspective. Research purpose: The main aim of this article was to investigate the adoption and use of technology by tourism providers within the context of business events and exhibitions. Motivation for the study: To inform the tourism business practitioners about the efficient and appropriate uses of technological platforms in connecting and interacting with potential stakeholders at tourism events or exhibitions. Research design, approach and method: A conceptual model was suggested and four hypotheses were advanced and empirically tested for the prediction of a business tourist’s intention to accept technology (BTIAT) model. The target population was professional exhibition visitors – consisting of six groups: hunters, sport shooters, gun collectors, game farmers, professional hunters and anglers – who attended HuntEx 2015 (sample size = 403). A quantitative, inductive research approach was adapted, while general linear modelling (GLM) was applied to analyse the data. Main findings: The study’s findings indicate that business tourists’ intention to use online technology was explained when the interaction between business tourists’ perceived usefulness of online technology and business tourists’ perceived ease of use of online technology are entered into the equation. Practical/managerial implications: The providers of business tourism services (owners and managers) should consider the development of mobile applications to enhance the overall experience of business tourists when attending an event or exhibition, on condition that the application is relevant to the event and easy to use. Contribution/value-add: The study suggested the adequate adoption and efficient uses of mobile applications by business tourism providers as a tool in improving and rendering more attractive the tourists’ experience.

Wisata Minat Khusus sebagai Alternatif Pengembangan Pariwisata di Kabupaten Bangli

<p><em>The special interest tourism has become the current tourism trend where special interest tourism is done to avoid mass tourism in other words special interest tourism is one of an alternative tourism. Special interest tourism that became a new phenomenon in the world of tourism became one of the demands for the providers of tourist services. The motivation of tourists in finding something new and having a quality tourist experience leads to increased demand for special interest tourists. Bangli regency is one of the areas in Bali that has a diverse range of potential tourist attractions of special interest, such as: Bali Woso Camp Agro and Culture, The Ayodya Oemah Strawberry, Anjungan Tukad Melangit (ATM) <strong>Antugan, N’jung Bali Camp Songan, </strong>Tukad Cepung Waterfall, and Twin Hill Bunutin.</em></p>