Journal of Travel Research current issue

Measuring Guest Satisfaction and Competitive Position in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry: An Application of Stance-Shift Analysis to Travel Blog Narratives

Crotts, J. C., Mason, P. R., Davis, B. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:20 PDT

The measurement of guest satisfaction and delight is the focus of this article. An application of a quantitative methodology known as stance-shift analysis is proposed and demonstrated on data composed of Internet blog narratives. The authors argue that the method provides both an efficient and effective means to determine a firm’s competitive position in producing satisfied guests who will not only come back but also recommend the firm to others. Specifically, the method produces relatively detailed evaluations to determine the following: How satisfied are my guests? What are they telling others about their experiences? How is my property performing in creating satisfying guest experiences when compared with the competition? What are my property’s strengths and weaknesses in its competitive environment?

A Comparative Study of the Use of "Iconic" versus "Generic" Advertising Images for Destination Marketing

Litvin, S. W., Mouri, N. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:20 PDT

This research reports the results of an empirical study that compared the effectiveness of two advertising approaches, "generic" versus "iconic," in affecting a destination image. While politics may dictate that a state (as studied herein) or national tourism office may feel the need to spread advertising funds across a range of destinations, the experiment conducted for this study suggests that a focus on well-known iconic sites may well represent the more effective approach.

The Quality of Guest Comment Cards: An Empirical Study of U.S. Lodging Chains

Bartkus, K. R., Howell, R. D., Barlow Hills, S., Blackham, J. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:20 PDT

This study examines the quality of guest comment cards used by major U.S. lodging chains. To accomplish this objective, guidelines for comment card design were developed through a review of the relevant literature. The guidelines focus on eight issues: (1) return methods, (2) introductory statements, (3) contact information, (4) number of questions, (5) space for open comments, (6) number of response categories for closed-ended questions, (7) balanced versus unbalanced response categories for closed-ended questions, and (8) question wording. Using a sample of 63 lodging chains, the most common deviations from guidelines include a lack of secure return methods, the use of positively biased response categories, and insufficient writing space for open comments. To improve the quality of comment card feedback, these and other limitations should be corrected. Managerial implications and directions for future research are included.

The Dependence of Tourism SMEs on NTOs: The Case of Finland

Seppala-Esser, R., Airey, D., Szivas, E. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:20 PDT

This article reports on a study to explore the level of dependence of small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMEs) in Finland on the resources of the Finnish Tourist Board (FTB). A tool to measure resource dependence was developed. The overall importance of specified resources, the level of exchange of these resources acquired from the FTB, the existence of alternative sources for similar resources, and access to them were assessed. The level of dependence of Finnish tourism SMEs on the FTB was reported to be moderate. Differences were, however, identified among different types of enterprises. The size of enterprises, their proportion of foreign guests, their marketing planning, and their cooperation with others affected the level of resource dependence. The FTB resources on which tourism SMEs were most dependent were destination marketing and marketing knowledge. Results contribute to an understanding of the role of national tourism organizations.

Images of the Other: Selling Study Abroad in a Postcolonial World

Caton, K., Santos, C. A. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:20 PDT

Representation of cultural Others in tourism texts is an important concern. Thus far, analyses of mass-mediated tourism representations have focused on promotional materials produced by for-profit agencies or by governments charged with encouraging development through tourism. Lacking have been assessments of materials produced by non-profit brokers with humanitarian missions. This study interrogates the promotional literature of one such agency, Semester at Sea (SAS), to determine whether its representational practices differ from the mainstream. Grounded in postcolonial theory and employing content, semiotic, and discourse analysis, it argues that although SAS embraces a mission of promoting cross-cultural interaction and global citizenship, the program nevertheless continues to (re)produce hegemonic depictions of non-Westerners, asserting a Western superiority ideology by polarizing the West and the Rest into binaries of modern-traditional, technologically advanced-backward, and master -servant and decomplexifying the globalization process by presenting the non-West as exotic, culturally pristine, and filled with happy natives.

Applying Systems Thinking to Sustainable Golf Tourism

Woodside, A. G. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:21 PDT

This article examines the issues and criticisms concerning golf, tourism, and the environment and considers how golf—tourism—environment relationships might achieve economic well-being for a region while avoiding vicious cycles of destruction to local environments and the quality of life of local residents. The examination proposes the use of systems thinking, cause mapping, and system dynamics modeling and simulations of golf, tourism, and environmental relationships to help achieve workable solutions agreeable to all stakeholders. Sustainable relationships that include golf, tourism, and environmental objectives require crafting government policies via stakeholder participation of all parties that such relationships affect—recognizing and enabling this requirement needs to be done explicitly—to reduce conflicts among stakeholders and avoid system failures.

Segmentation of Visitors to a Heritage Site Using High-resolution Time-space Data

Tchetchik, A., Fleischer, A., Shoval, N. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:21 PDT

A novel method of data collection based on high-resolution time-space data recorded by global positioning system units was used to segment visitors to the Old City of Acre heritage site in Israel. This technique of accurately tracking the temporal and spatial behavior of visitors carrying the global positioning system units overcomes the well-known limitations of traditional data collection methods. Discrete-choice methods and a system of censored regressions were used to identify the decision-making process at each stage of the visit. The segmentation of the visitors was based on these decisions. It was found that different attributes associate the visitors with different segments at each level. Although the findings might be site specific, the data collection and the segmentation method could be used by tourism planners and decision makers at other sites.

Predicting Travelers' Choice of Information Sources and Information Channels

Gronflaten, O. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:21 PDT

Disintermediation is often portrayed as a choice between travel agents and the Internet. This simplification ignores the facts that many Web sites marketing travel services are run by travel agents and many businesses offering travel services online also offer these services through other channels. This article considers disintermediation from an information search perspective and explores the issue both as a choice between two information sources (travel agents vs. service providers) and as a choice between two information channels (face to face vs. the Internet). Using binomial logistical regression, sets of variables are identified that seem particularly relevant for predicting the outcome of these choices. Travel style, age, and nationality were found to be particularly good predictors of travelers’ predisposition to search for information from a travel agent face to face rather than consulting a tourism service provider directly online.

Exploring the Theoretical Framework of Emotional Solidarity between Residents and Tourists

Woosnam, K. M., Norman, W. C., Ying, T. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:21 PDT

Residents and tourists within destinations are often portrayed as being separate from each other, possessing little in common. Such an approach can undermine the potential for a dynamic, intimate relationship to exist between residents and tourists. This research offers the theory of emotional solidarity, put forth by Emile Durkheim, as a theoretical framework to examine the relationship between residents and tourists. In addition, a series of focus groups with residents of a coastal South Carolina county was conducted to ascertain residents’ feelings about tourists and commonalities with tourists (i.e., shared beliefs, shared behavior, and interaction). Themes corresponding to constructs from Durkheim’s model were generated from the qualitative data analysis. Findings are discussed, along with practical implications and future research options.

Birding Festivals, Sustainability, and Ecotourism: An Ambiguous Relationship

Lawton, L. J. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:01:21 PDT

A survey of 108 U.S.-based birding festivals reveals overall basic adherence to ecotourism criteria, although cluster analysis reveals four distinct subgroups whose members are labeled as normatives (47%), minimalists (30%), recruiters (15%), and fund-raisers (8%). Formal identification with ecotourism through promotion or membership was low and did not predict cluster membership or increase in visitor numbers. Hence, while ecotourism organizations could benefit from an influx of birding festival memberships, the reciprocal benefits for birding festivals with regard to performance and sustainability outcomes are unclear.