ABSTRACT
The economy of the Republic of Croatia is dependent on the tourism industry. The current crisis in the global tourism market, caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, has highlighted the impor-tance of the domestic market for the survival of tourism and the Croatian economy as a whole. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to determine the consumer habits of domestic tourists, fo-cusing on the characteristics of travel, motivation and behavioural intentions and co-creation of the tourist experience to better understand the behaviour of tourists. The paper is based on an empirical study conducted on a sample of domestic tourists. The research results show that the majority of tourists organize their own travel and that the main source of information for them is the Internet. The most common reasons for traveling are rest and relaxation, fun and new experiences. Using cluster analysis, three segments of domestic tourists were identified (Youth, Couples and Families with Children), and differences were found among them in terms of travel characteristics, travel motivation, behavioural intentions, degree of tourists' involvement in travel preparation, and degree of co-creation of the tourist experience. The paper contributes to the understanding of motives and behavioural patterns of domestic tourists. The research findings can be used by marketing manag-ers in travel agencies and tourist destinations to better address the needs of domestic tourists.
ABSTRACT
During the COVID-19 pandemic, urban forest parks are becoming increasingly significant for recreation and relaxation, not just for urban residents but also for tourists. This study empirically examined the structural relationships among first-time visitors' perceptions of destination image, perceived value and destination loyalty through structural equation modeling. Additionally, the mediating influence of perceived value and the moderating effect of gender were investigated as well. The Grand Canal Forest Park in Beijing was selected as the case study. In total, 486 questionnaires that were considered to be legitimate were gathered and afterwards analyzed. The results revealed that first-time visitors' perceptions of destination image can positively and significantly affect their perceived value and destination loyalty. In addition, perceived value partially mediates the relationship between first-time visitors' perceptions of destination image and destination loyalty. Moreover, the findings of the examination of the moderating effects showed that gender has substantial moderating effects on the relationships described above. The theoretical and practical implications, limitations and future research of the current study are also discussed. © 2023 by the authors.
ABSTRACT
Chiang Mai is the most popular destination in Thailand for religious tourism. Religious tourism refers to contemporary travel to religion-themed tourist destinations for religious and/or recreational purposes. The growth of religious tourism is inextricably linked with the worldwide increase in spiritual searching by individuals of all ages, cultures, and religions. Religious destinations are places of development, commitment, and vitality;however, they often attract attention owing to their emotional significance. This research performs partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) as a quantitative method to investigate the destination loyalty of tourists through their emotional connection with a place, emotional solidarity with the locals, and risk perception. Data was collected from 543 Thai tourists who have visited temples in Chiang Mai. Results indicate that place attachment has a direct influence on tourists' emotional solidarity. In addition, the emotional solidarity of the tourists with the locals is a significant predictor of their destination loyalty. Furthermore, this research finds that the emotional solidarity of the tourists mediates the relationship between their place attachment and destination loyalty. Moreover, the risk perception of the tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that the moderating effect of their emotional solidarity and destination loyalty is insignificant. Finally, the implications of the findings recommend that religious destinations should organize local religious events and promote them to tourists. Establishing a sense of solidarity among tourists, religious destinations, and nearby communities, would strengthen destination loyalty among tourists. © 2022, Thammasat University. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Despite much previous research, gaps remain in our understanding of why satisfied tourists with positive destination images do not revisit favoured destinations. Recent research proposes sensory impressions as a complementary determinant of revisit intentions alongside destination image. This study initially compares how these two drivers influence changes in tourist behavioural loyalty over time, especially after the trip. Through a combination of a longitudinal field experiment and a survey, the studies found that a natural decline in willingness to revisit over time was largely associated with a fast fade-out of sensory impressions. Furthermore, we examined the effects on tourists with differing levels of experience, finding that for tourists who have visited several times, only sensory impressions play a significant role in willingness to revisit. Implications for tourism and hospitality industry recovery after the COVID-19 outbreak are outlined.
ABSTRACT
Crisis communications are vital to business in times of uncertainty because clear messaging inspires confidence, keeps stakeholders updated and will help companies continue to trade successfully. Recently, the COVID-19 crisis has challenged traditional communication practice in the cruise sector, highlighting the limitations of traditional crisis communications approaches. Applying Construal Level Theory, this study aims to consider psychological distance and construal levels in cruise practitioners messaging. The study relies on a qualitative research design. We interviewed 15 experts to understand how the industry communicates with travellers during a time of crisis. The data analysis adopts the Gioia method which uses a sensemaking and sense giving approach. This study's contribution is threefold. First, we extend existing knowledge about crisis marketing communication practice by focusing on cruise practitioners' instead of travellers' perspectives. Second, we identify an additional temporal stage, which has not been previously considered by Construal Level Theory, to communicate with travellers. We label it, 'critical crisis communication mid-point'. Third, we offer a preliminary practitioner-led conceptualization of managing crisis marketing communications for the cruise and other service industries.
ABSTRACT
Innovative endeavours targeting the tourism industry has prevailed as crucial attempts in cultivating tourist satisfaction and restoring destination image, while overcoming severe backlash of the Covid-19 pandemic in recent years through reconstructing destination loyalty. Founded above the established groundwork of Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) Theory, this study aims to examine the influence of service innovation on destination loyalty in the Malaysian tourism industry. A self-administered survey was conducted among 400 international tourists who visited Malaysia. Usable data was collected from 322 international tourists and analysed using the structural equation modelling technique. Obtained findings indicate the significance of interrelationships between service innovation, tourist satisfaction, destination image, and destination loyalty, with destination image being a mediating factor on tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty. Given intense competition of the tourism industry within the Asia Pacific region, current results are useful for tourism practitioners to formulate and implement effective and innovative marketing strategies towards sustainable competitive advantage. Generated knowledge enables tourism practitioners to benchmark service innovation practices in creating positive destination image, tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty. © 2022, Asia Business Research Corporation. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
PurposeMega-sporting events reportedly can offer many tangible and intangible benefits to the host country and regions, such as job creation, image improvement, local pride enhancement, social overhead capital investment and tourism business development. However, a paucity of studies in the literature have developed integrative models or have explored domestic tourist behavior in a general, or the sports tourism, context. To address this gap, the present study investigates the relationships between event quality, personal involvement, destination image and destination loyalty in the context of event sports tourism in order to provide sporting destination managers with valuable information for sustainable sports tourism development.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected information from 365 domestic tourists who attended the 100th National Sports Festival held in Seoul, South Korea, in 2019. Construct validity of the measurement scale was verified by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), factor loadings, average variance (AVE) extracted and construct reliability (CR). Reliability of the measurement scale was verified by Cronbach's alpha analysis. The authors utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) with maximum likelihood estimation to analyze the predicted relationships.FindingsThe findings display the positive impacts of (1) event quality on destination image, (2) personal involvement on destination image, (3) personal involvement on destination loyalty and (4) destination image on destination loyalty. The findings indicate the key roles for event quality and personal involvement in improving destination image and the important roles of personal involvement and destination image in building destination loyalty.Originality/valueThe present study (1) contributes to the recent debate in the sports tourism literature over the relationship between the destination image and destination loyalty and (2) shows that there is no mediating role of the destination image on the relationship between the event quality and destination loyalty, and personal involvement and destination loyalty.
ABSTRACT
The onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a critical impact on the travel and tourism sector. Tourist destinations in developing countries are even more susceptible to negative trends of this sort due to the importance of tourism in emerging economies and the peculiarities of their infrastructures and healthcare systems. In such a context, the research develops a Partial Least Square (PLS) path modeling to analyze the impact of destination image and perceived health safety on perceived destination quality. We also assess the extent to which perceived quality impacts degree of destination loyalty and customer engagement. Results are based on a sample of 250 travelers visiting Lima during December 2020-January 2021. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. on behalf of AEDEM.
ABSTRACT
The onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a critical impact on the travel and tourism sector. Tourist destinations in developing countries are even more susceptible to negative trends of this sort due to the importance of tourism in emerging economies and the peculiarities of their infrastructures and healthcare systems. In such a context, the research develops a Partial Least Square (PLS) path modelling to analyze the impact of destination image and perceived health safety on perceived destination quality. We also assess the extent to which perceived quality impacts degree of destination loyalty and customer engagement. Results are based on a sample of 250 travelers visiting Lima during December 2020-January 2021.