Do tourists seek the same information at destinations? Analysis of digital tourist information searches according to different types of tourists

The study analyses the searches for digital tourist information that different types of tourists, with different characteristics and connectivity preferences, make at destinations on the main topics they may require, allowing to know which digital sources they use, but also at what moment and in what situation. The study was based on an online survey that asked users about searches for tourist information they made at the destination during their last trip. The results show that tourists increasingly seek more tourist information at the destination, and search differently depending on the topic and their connectivity preferences in the different digital channels and locations. The results will allow Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) to provide tourists with suitable information, at the time and place they so require.

Post-COVID-19 Tourists' Preferences, Attitudes and Travel Expectations: A Study in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Expectations about a destination influence the tourist experience during the travel process stages. In the post-COVID-19 normalcy, people are adjusting their priorities and social values. Therefore, it becomes crucial to identify tourists' expectations before traveling. The objectives of this research were: (a) identify the preferences of tourists; (b) establish the attitudes of tourists; and (c) determine the expectations of tourists for post-COVID-19 destination selection. The study analyzed a sample of 491 people during pandemic lockdowns in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Statistical techniques such as exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used in data analysis. The results show that after the pandemic, tourists prefer urban tourism, followed by cultural tourism and traveling with relatives. It also shows a more responsible and supportive attitude when traveling. Likewise, the results support the dimensional structure that explains a set of post-pandemic tourist expectations. Five factors were identified: Smart Care, pricing strategy, safety, comfort, and social distancing. Finally, the theoretical and managerial implications of the results that will guide for tourism destination managers were discussed.

Crisis communication management by the national tourist organizations of Spain and Italy in the face of Covid-19

This study analyzes how the national tourism organizations (NTOs) of Spain and Italy managed their crisis communication to deal with Covid-19. The study examines the messages published by the beginning or the detection of the first patient until one month after the official declaration of the pandemic by the World Health Organization. The results reveal two different ways of managing crisis communications in the face of Covid-19, both in the treatment of the topics and in the timing of publication, at the same time generating different reactions and engagement among users. The Agenzia Nazionale Italiana del Turismo was faster and more active in the first moments of the health crisis compared with the Oficina de Turismo de España. This study can contribute to the development of communication strategies on social media by NTOs during different periods of such crises as well as communication actions to enhance the touristic image of their destinations.