Travel Perceptions Research Articles

‘Furnisht with such members as are after a sort burthensome unto them’: White Traveller Perceptions of Black Male Bodies and the Construction of Race, 1450–1730

AbstractThis article explores how European travellers to Africa perceived African masculinity, the male body and sexuality during the period of 1450–1730. It argues that their observations helped Europeans construct early notions of racial difference at a time when skin colour was not the most important marker of difference classifying people. It draws upon a range of European accounts of their voyages and encounters with Africans from 1450 to 1730. It mostly analyses English narratives, but it also examines Portuguese, Dutch and French accounts that were translated into English at the time and read by English audiences.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Travel Behavior and Travel Mode Preferences: The Example of Bosnia and Herzegovina

This study aims to analyze the perception of travel, especially in the context of the pandemic, when the measures are alleviated, as well as the citizens’ intentions and preferences for travel methods during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel behavior and travel mode preferences in the example of the residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Five research questions were defined. A quantitative research approach was applied in this study. The data were collected through a questionnaire (online survey) distributed to respondents via e-mail and the social network Facebook. The convenience sample included 265 respondents. In the study, a descriptive and quantitative comparative analysis was conducted. The results show that the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced a change in travel behavior. The primary purpose of travel during and before the pandemic was social activities. The most significant change in the primary purpose of travel during and before the pandemic is reflected in a decrease in social activities and an increase in recreational sports activities. In contrast, other activities remained proportionally the same before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The average distance traveled for primary outdoor trips before the pandemic is greater than that for primary outdoor trips during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this study could be useful in traffic planning and making various policies during various pandemics based on people’s travel needs. In particular, government bodies could use such knowledge to plan partial and smarter lockdowns. Tourism and transport companies could use this information to better plan their services and operations.

Residents’ Negative Perception of Fellow Countryman’s Travelling During Epidemiological Restrictions

This research explored the creation of negative perception towards returning travellers in response to the threat of spreading the virus and positive travel behaviour during the relaxation of travel restrictions at the time of the COVID-19 health crisis. The data for research was collected from 530 respondents and analysed using hierarchical multiple regression, confirmatory factor analysis, and the Sobel test of significance. The study results revealed that people had a perception of a high risk of catching COVID-19, which has led to a negative perception of travel during a pandemic. Moreover, malicious travel behaviour reinforced discrimination, while positive travel behaviour reduced the negativity in perceptions of returning travellers but did not spare the returnees from discrimination. Implications for both practice and theory, as well as limitations and future directions are further discussed. Based on research findings, resilience of travel should not limit its focus on just the recovery and health control measures of regions that receive travellers, but also pay close attention to the perceptions of travellers returning home after vacations, so as to avoid social distress and stimulate a continuous growth of the demand for travel. In order to stimulate sustainable travel activity with no negative perception of travel and travellers among resident, maintaining local getaways is recommended.

Does Gender Matter in Daily Urban Mobility? Exploring Travel Perceptions, Attitudes, and Behaviours

Does Gender Matter in Daily Urban Mobility? Exploring Travel Perceptions, Attitudes, and Behaviours

Assessing the Traveling Risks Perceived by South African Travelers during Pandemic Outbreaks: The Case of COVID-19

The unprecedented global health crisis caused by COVID-19 is undoubtedly having a major impact on international tourism for two reasons. While the imposed travel restrictions have discouraged people from traveling, travelers are struggling with growing anxiety in coping with the new travel environment. We address the changing risk perceptions of travelers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our primary objective is to identify and weigh significant emerging travel risks and develop a Risk Score Index to measure destination performance and strategic interventions for South African travelers. In this case, we used MACBETH and web-Delphi to construct that index with the help of 32 experts in the field. We found that the risks perceived by tourists are multifaceted and encompass categories, such as additional costs, exchange rates, and reimbursement-related factors. These three criteria are most important to the general perception of travel risk. We applied the developed risk assessment index to five destinations to assess their performance relative to the identified risks. The UK was the best-performing country.

Female solo travels to south Asian destinations and sustaining loneliness

While there has been an increase in the number of tourists travelling solo, there is a steady growth in females travelling alone as tourists around the globe. This phenomenon has led to a growing scholarly interest, yet solo female travel as a research topic is relatively under-researched. Only limited knowledge exists about the psychological issues of female solo travel, such as loneliness. There is a gap in our understanding of interpreting solo travel by females, depending on their country of origin and the type of destinations they have travelled solo. This study examined these aspects by exploring female solo travelling in South Asian destinations with European and Asian participants. The results revealed that the meaning of solo travelling is associated with four themes: freedom pursuit, being with the self, self-enhancement, and connectedness with people. It also disclosed that solo female travellers have different perceptions about ‘loneliness,’ and everyone does not see loneliness as a negative outcome. The results further indicate that the perception of solo travel and loneliness and how to cope with lonely times are likely to be subjective to the type of destinations where solo travelling takes place and the country of origin of the travellers.

Making the right decision for our children's future: Parents' perceptions of active school travel in disadvantaged neighborhoods

BackgroundChildren's possibility to be physically active is linked to their parent's socioeconomic status. The use of active travel has the potential to increase daily physical activity among children. Parents are the gate-keepers to children using active school travel (AST) and their perceptions has shown to impact children's travel mode. Few studies have explored parents' perceptions about AST in disadvantaged neighborhoods and there is a lack of knowledge of their perceptions of the physical and social environment associated with school travel. PurposeTo explore parents’ perceptions towards AST when living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. MethodsTwelve parents participated in semi-structured interviews, and a qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. ResultsThe findings show that parents faced dilemmas, striving to facilitate AST. Parents perceptions are presented as A, B, C categories that are likely to be important when promoting AST in disadvantaged neighborhoods, Acknowledging AST advantages, Balancing barriers, and Creating opportunities to use AST. ConclusionsDespite having a positive attitude towards AST, insecure neighborhoods and social exclusion affect parents'descisions about AST. When promoting AST in disadvantaged neighborhoods, measures to enable AST should include efforts supporting community building, social participation, road safety and ways of promoting bicycling. Engaging children in AST could have a positive influence on their independent mobility, thereby impacting their development and preparing them for the future.

Elite athletes’ and support staffs’ experiences and perceptions of long-haul travel, and the self-management strategies they use

Elite athletes and their support staff are often required to travel for international competitions all over the globe, however little is known about their experiences of long-haul (LH) travel and its perceived effects on performance. The aim of this study was to explore elite athletes’ and support staffs’ perception of symptoms experienced following LH travel and the self-management strategies they used to mitigate these symptoms. Elite athletes and support staff ( n = 88), who had embarked on an LH flight (> 8 hours) in the previous 2 years for training or competition, completed a survey examining their perceptions of LH travel, symptoms experienced following the flight(s) and strategies they implemented to minimise the symptoms. Associations between symptoms experienced and travel strategies used with participant and journey characteristics were examined by Chi-squared tests. LH travel was widely perceived by participants to be disruptive to physical (86.4%) and mental performance (72.7%) and to increase the risk of illness and injury (86.4%). The most common symptoms experienced were related to fatigue and disruption to sleep. All participants implemented strategies to help mitigate the negative consequences of LH travel. Moving and stretching regularly in-flight and simple strategies for aligning the body clock to destination time were most prevalent. The study findings will allow the translation of research to better inform future guidelines that address the unique needs and priorities of elite athletes and support staff as they embark on LH travel for training and competition with a view to optimising performance outcomes.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Nepal and International Travellers' Travel-Health Experiences.

Tourism is one of the main sectors in Nepal, contributing in its economic growth. It is influenced by various factors including the situation of water, sanitation and hygiene and water, sanitation and hygiene practices. For travelers, poor water, sanitation and hygiene provisions are considered risk factors for different food and water-borne diseases. This study aims to describe the perceptions of international travelers regarding their experiences on WASH facilities or practices, and how it influences their health, and travel experiences. This is a cross-sectional pilot study conducted among 150 international travelers in Nepal. The travelers were selected conveniently from the Kathmandu valley. The data on different water, sanitation and hygiene related variables, travelers' health and travel experiences were collected using semi-structured questionnaire. The quantitative data was entered into SPSS for descriptive analysis and qualitative data was transcribed through thematic analysis. Of 150 international travelers, about 2/3rd of the travelers had inadequate perception of water, sanitation and hygiene condition. Nearly 23% of them experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea in the past week during their visit. Among those travelers who experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, 21.4% of them reported of their travel plans being affected. Perception and experience with water, sanitation and hygiene facilities was found inadequate among international travelers visiting Nepal. Such facilities seem to have affected the travelers' health (nearly a quarter of them experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea) and their travel plan. Hence, this pilot study demonstrates that there is an urgent need to improve the water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in the travel and tourism sector of Nepal.

The interplay of personality traits and motivation in leisure travel decision-making during the pandemic

COVID-19 has negatively affected the travel and tourism industry and may continue to do so in the future. Therefore, hospitality businesses need to pay attention to consumer reactions, concerns, and motives for travelling in this era. This study leverages the stimulus-organism-behaviour-consequence (SOBC) model to examine psychological factors that influence Japanese travellers' intention to travel and willingness to pay premiums for safe travel by analysing data from 790 respondents. The findings of the study reveal that extraversion positively associates with introjected motivation and negatively with amotivation. Neuroticism personality type positively associates with amotivation and negatively associates with introjected motivation. Introjected motivation positively associates with perception of safe travel during COVID-19, whereas amotivation has a non-significant association with perception of safe travel during COVID-19. Perception of safe travel positively associates with intention to travel and willingness to pay premiums for safe travel. Finally, intention to travel has no effect on willingness to pay premiums for safe travel. These findings provide valuable theoretical and managerial implications.

How do soft factors influence take-up of gamified travel demand management schemes in public transport: An investigation in Gold Coast, Australia

There are various factors that have impact on the effects of the Travel Demand Management (TDM) schemes. This paper investigates the role of soft factors (e.g., participants' perceptions and attitudes) in travellers' intentions to participate in a public transport orientated TDM scheme. A multinominal logit model is analysed giving a key result suggesting that successful implementation of gamified and incentive based TDM schemes must pay attention to satisfy a traveller's perceptions of enjoyment and usefulness. While the findings reinforce the role of ‘practical’ decision making (i.e., ease-of-use and usefulness) for the traveller in participating in a gamified TDM scheme, they also reveal that ‘fun’ or ‘exciting’ (i.e., enjoyment) also play an important role to make the scheme more attractive, particularly for public transport users. Model results also reveal that how easy the game is remains critical to the participant's intention to join and play. In particular, an easy game increases the intention to join for educational users. In concluding, the results show that participants' perceptions and attitudes are critical not only in the design of an effective gamified scheme but also in identifying the target groups (e.g., students or commuters) for the proposed schemes.

What happens next? Exploring women's transport motility through the story completion method

This paper explores the three elements of motility (access, competence, appropriation) through women's perceptions of travel using the metro rail in Delhi, India. Studies on metro rails are a recent phenomenon in developing countries where this is a relatively new transport mode. The concept of motility to explore gendered use of metro is useful in context of this South Asian city where women's movements (potential and actual) are contingent upon their ability to travel safely.Data was collected using story completion methods. Participants were asked to complete an online semi-structured form that presented five fictional story stems/openings. Data in this paper is based on stories finished by 84 female participants across Delhi with varying demographic profiles. This paper advances qualitative research on women's mobility and transport use by highlighting situation-specific metro access; necessary skills to optimize access; and how women actually use the metro system.Feelings of un/safety related to fear of sexual harassment, getting lost, and risk of contracting diseases in unhygienic conditions results in specific access of the metro to feel safe. Diverse skills to manage the access include: coping (e.g., adapting to delay in services), performative (e.g., mannerisms to feel safe from threat of violence), spatial (e.g., location of coach), cultural (e.g., awareness of norms), and sanitary skills (e.g., bodily modifications to feel safe from unhygienic conditions). Based on travel priorities and past mobility experiences (personal/shared), the skills and access shape how women travel and what they decide to do to travel safely.This paper advocates for gender inclusive guidelines and collecting disaggregate data in transport, especially for newer metro systems being planned or constructed. It presents an opportunity to consider the barriers to women's potential mobility; how/where transport systems can play a part; and the use of qualitative research methods to appreciate the diversity of women's travel experiences across different segments of their journeys.

Port of Spain Commuter Patterns and Satisfaction Levels

Port of Spain (POS) functions as the administrative, political, and commercial capital of Trinidad and Tobago, attracting many commuters daily. This paper reports the first part of a two-stage process of developing a quantitative measure of the performance of the Port of Spain public transportation network. It provides insight into the key stakeholders and the needs, preferences, and satisfaction of users of the Port of Spain transportation network. The key stakeholders in the transportation network were identified and classified in a stakeholder matrix on the basis of their interest and influence. A survey was undertaken to understand the public’s perception of the transport network and the travel patterns and characteristics. The results suggest that while most trips to and within Port of Spain are completed for employment, a significant percentage is for personal business and shopping/leisure. Moreover, while the largest number of trips ended in the central business district (CBD) of Port of Spain’s most destinations are outside the CBD. Survey participants were broadly dissatisfied with the transport system, indicating strong dissatisfaction with congestion, lack of accessibility and lack of information experienced in the capital city. Indeed, a minimum of forty-four percent and a maximum of seventy-eight of respondents were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with some aspects of the transport system. No more than twenty-five percent, and in the case of congestion only three percent, of respondents were either satisfied or very satisfied. Although transport safety received the least negative response among the transport indicators, approximately forty-six percent of respondents were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with it. In general, females reported more dissatisfaction with transport safety compared to men. The findings also highlighted how disadvantaged users of public transportation are with respect to ease of travel to and within the city. This paper reports on the mapping of the network and the development of a performance index. Keywords: Commuter surveys, Stakeholder engagement, Traveller perceptions, Port of Spain; Trinidad and Tobago

Environmental perceptions of global business travel by Swiss companies in the Zurich airport region

Background: This article presents findings from research conducted before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on companies located in the Zurich airport region of Switzerland, regarding the needs for global business travel and its impacts. Methods: The study involved a mixed methods approach. Five hypotheses were tested using inferential statistics on data obtained from pre-tested closed questions in a web-based survey. Deeper context was explored through an interview-based case-study conducted at a Swiss pharma company. Results: Supporting alternative hypothesis 3 (Ha(3)), a significant positive relationship was found between travel frequency and business growth, F(1, 100) = 11.31, p = 0.0011. Supporting Ha(4), corporate culture had a significant positive relationship with business travel frequency (F(1, 100) = 15.50, p = 0.0002) and average trip length (F(1, 100) = 6.39, p = 0.01). And thirdly supporting Ha(5), corporate social responsibility had a significant relationship with global business travel (91%). Ho(2) and Ho(3) were accepted. The case study found that smart corporate travel policies and regulations should be instantiated to enhance our environment, which would also benefit employee wellbeing. Travel can be reduced significantly despite being demonstrated that physical co-presence is important for building trust. The case study suggests tools to support the monitoring and management of global business travel by organizations. Conclusions: COVID-19 has impacted travel for business significantly, and future research will be necessary to assess its impact. The article explores the ongoing research in this area, and several relevant implications are proposed for future leaders. The case study found willingness to pay both corporate and individual green taxes, and a deficiency in corporate communication around the environment. Business travel is needed to build trust; however, it can be reduced.

Perceptions of space and time of public transport travel associated with human brain activities: A case study of bus travel in Beijing

Understanding human perceptions of public transport (PT) travel is essential for improving PT provision/operation and the travel experiences of PT users, as well as for encouraging more people to use green and sustainable travel to reduce the congestion, air pollution, and energy costs that many urban systems are facing. Based on behavioral experiments and surveys, existing research has revealed that the spatial and temporal characteristics of PT travel greatly influence human perceptions; however, neuroimaging evidence confirming these findings remains lacking. In this study, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging- (fMRI-) based PT travel and recall experiment with 9 participants and collected 651 unique bus travel trajectories in Beijing City over 21 days. We extracted 22 spatial and temporal characteristics and derived brain activity patterns for each PT travel route. A representational similarity analysis (RSA) was performed to quantify the relationship between these spatial and temporal characteristics and brain activity patterns. Verbal descriptions were collected to cross-check the brain imaging results. We show that the participants' brain activity patterns were significantly correlated with seven spatial (i.e., circuity, turn, angular deviation, slope, point of interest (POI), and land use) and two temporal (i.e., travel time and waiting time) features, although individuals' perceptions of PT travel differed substantially. These findings are in line with the participants' verbal reports. Our findings offer new neuroimaging evidence from an interdisciplinary perspective on the perception of the spatial and temporal characteristics of PT travel, which not only lays an empirical basis but also provides a “neurourbanism” approach to improve travelers' subjective well-being during PT travel.

The influence of YouTube content on travelers’ intentions to use Hyperloop trains: Using trust transfer theory

Although Hyperloop rail, a revolutionary mode of intercity passenger transport, has received considerable attention on YouTube, little is known about the extent to which potential travelers trust both YouTube content and the proposed Hyperloop transit service. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of YouTube coverage on trust in, attitude toward, and risk perception of Hyperloop travel. Guided by the trust transfer theory, the study explores how trust transference leads to travel intention. With a total of 760 respondents taking part in a video experiment, the results show that trust successfully transfers from YouTube coverage to Hyperloop transit systems and subsequently influences the intentions of viewers to use Hyperloop trains. Although attitude is also reported to affect intention directly and positively, perceived risk has no such direct effect on intention. The study’s findings reveal that attitude mediates the affiliation between YouTube coverage, Trust in YouTube content, perceived risk, and intention. This research has theoretical and practical implications for academics and practitioners involved in the development of Hyperloop transit systems.

Perception and development of rural tourism in Vâlcea county

The research provides an overview of rural tourism current situation in Vâlcea county, focusing on the existing natural and man-made tourism resources and also on the perception of travellers on this type of tourism, as well as a quantitative analysis of tourism in the area. An online survey underlined the benefits of this type of tourism on rural communities and development, such as employment and income growth, social and economic improvement and revitalization of crafts and traditions. Moreover, rural tourism can be an experience in the countryside, encompassing a wide range of attractions and activities that take place in the northern non-urban areas of the county. The rural tourist activities can be very well associated with ecotourism, cultural and heritage tourism and adventure and sport tourism. Thus, rural tourism can have major implications for the economic, social and cultural development of the traditional villages in the studied county.

시니어 여행교육 프로그램 개발과 효과 분석

The number of free independent travelers has recently increased. Although seniors want to travel completely independently, it appears that only a small number of seniors do so. There have been various types of travel education programs designed to assist seniors in traveling, but those programs lacked a theoretical framework and comprehensive discussion. A study on establishing a senior travel education model (Lee & Park, 2020) was conducted based on the Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) and leisure education model. This paper is a continuation of the research on developing a travel education model for seniors. The first study will use the expert Delphi technique to develop a senior travel education program based on self-determination theory, and the second will use the control group pre-post experimental design to assess the program's effectiveness. The survey and consultation results of 10 expert panelists were used to design an 8-week education program in Study 1. A 6-week online education program was implemented in Study 2 after 13 seniors were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. As a result, the group that participated in the educational program outperformed the control group in all factors (travel perception, travel skills, traveler confidence, and behavioral travel attitude). The effectiveness of the senior travel education program was confirmed. There were both academic and practical implications presented.

Race and the Politics of Pilgrimage for African American Christians in Palestine and Israel

African American Christian travel to Israel and Palestine demonstrates the role of overlapping racial and religious identities in shaping how travelers understand their experiences in the Holy Land variously as traditional religious pilgrimage, tourism, and political engagement. While traditional accounts of pilgrimage frame it as an experience set apart from mundane realities and social hierarchies, new perspectives in the study of pilgrimage show how the social identities of travelers may shape religiously inspired travel. Four case studies of African American Christian travel to Palestine and Israel—including Christian Zionist and Palestinian solidarity tours—show how participant experiences and interpretations of sites are shaped by overlapping religious and racial collective identities, which affect the religious, economic, and political perceptions of travelers. The relevance of race to pilgrimage varies depending on past experiences of racial and religious histories, perceptions of racial injustice, race-specific theologies, and religious ethics. Solidarities with resident Israelis and Palestinians are encouraged or rejected depending on participant interpretations of overlapping racial and religious identities.

Valuation of man-made incident risk perception in public transport: The case of the Athens metro

This paper models and investigates risk and security perception of metro travelers, in cases of malevolent, man-made incidents. Data is collected through an extensive survey in Athens, Greece; the survey includes an image-based stated-preference experiment, depicting different risk and security conditions. Econometric models are developed for estimating willingness to pay for mitigating perceived risk and for improving security in the Athens metro system. Results highlight the value that travelers attribute to improving security and avoiding threatening conditions in the Athens metro system, which is estimated to a 25%–30% of the system’s fare level. The paper provides useful insights on acceptable fare changes for improving security and risk perception in the Athens metro system.