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International Journal of Tourism Anthropology

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ISSN (Print) 1759-0442 - ISSN (Online) 1759-0450
Published by Inderscience Publishers

[369 journals]

Towards understanding youth travel experiences in cultural heritage destinations: an integrated framework of youth cultural tourists' behaviour
- Authors: Oumar Sy, Ashraf Al Zaman
  Pages: 3 - 27
  Abstract: This paper explores the travel experiences of youth tourists in cultural heritage destinations, focusing on how their perceptions and motivation affect their travel behaviour. Although, several studies have been conducted to examine the travel experience of youth tourists, the literature that focuses on youth visitors' motivation and perceptions towards cultural heritage and cultural destinations is limited. However, youth cultural travel is of great significance and youth tourists constitute an important segment for cultural destinations. In this context, more emphasis on studying their motivation and perceptions for cultural destinations is needed in order to explore and understand their behaviour. This study based on semi-structured interviews with youth cultural tourists of the archaeological site of Delphi, Greece, identifies the factors such as the individual background, ethnic origin, family/social context, education, and marketing that influence youth cultural tourists. The study demonstrates that, despite the obvious presence of youth people in cultural heritage destinations, not all youth cultural tourists are similar. The paper suggests a framework that analyses youth cultural tourist behaviour according to their shaped motivation and identifies two types of youth cultural tourists: a) general youth cultural tourists; b) specific youth cultural tourists.
  Keywords: youth cultural tourists; tourist motivation; tourist perceptions; tourist behaviour; cultural tourism; cultural heritage; travel experiences; cultural destinations; archaeological sites; Delphi; individual background; ethnicity; family; social contex
  Citation: International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013) pp. 3 - 27
  PubDate: 2013-06-09T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTA.2013.054402
  Issue No: Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013)
Will tourists pay for a healthy environment? Assessing visitors' perceptions and willingness to pay for conservation and preservation in the island of Koh Phi Phi, Thailand
- Authors: Oumar Sy, Ashraf Al Zaman
  Pages: 28 - 42
  Abstract: This paper seeks to profile the views and characteristics of travellers to Koh Phi Phi, an island in southwestern Thailand. The island is facing many issues of environmental and social degradation as a result of tourism related over-development. Using individual surveys, visitors were probed to determine their attitudes towards sustainability in Koh Phi Phi and their potential willingness to pay to preserve its environment. The study concludes that travellers are prepared to take responsibility and to pay to help prevent further degradation of the island. The majority of visitors believe tourists should be a key stakeholder in the preservation and protection and are willing to pay an additional tax for this purpose. It is also noteworthy that visitors' willingness to pay for environmental improvements varied only marginally based on travellers' income levels, although the average amount that travellers were willing to pay increased for those with higher income.
  Keywords: Thailand; tourist motivations; sustainable tourism; Koh Phi Phi; island tourism; tourism development; visitor perceptions; willingness to pay; conservation; environmental preservation; Thailand; sustainability; environmental improvement
  Citation: International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013) pp. 28 - 42
  PubDate: 2013-06-09T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTA.2013.054407
  Issue No: Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013)
Relationship between nationality and tourists' behaviour: case of Middle East tourists in Malaysia from tour guides perspective
- Authors: Banafsheh M. Farahani, Badaruddin Mohamed
  Pages: 43 - 57
  Abstract: Increasing number of Middle Eastern tourist arrivals in Malaysia, makes studying their behaviour to be fundamental for sustainability of this valuable market segment. Concerning nationality as one of the influential factors in tourist behaviour, implies that Middle East cannot be concerned as one unit. Literature includes only Arabs as Middle Eastern and non-Arabs Middle Eastern were totally forgotten, and the result of tourists' behaviour from certain countries in Middle East was over generalised to all tourists. The overall purpose of this paper is to study Middle East tourists' behaviour according to their nationality from tour guides' perspective. The qualitative method was applied by semi-structure snowball interview with nine tour guides. The interview questions were around seven areas; interactions, activities, knowledge, expenditure, time arrangement, respectfulness and facilities preference. The result shows some significant differences although the similarities cannot be ignored. This study would help different marketing campaigns according to different behaviour.
  Keywords: tourist behaviour; Middle East tourists; nationality; tour guides; Malaysia
  Citation: International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013) pp. 43 - 57
  PubDate: 2013-06-09T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTA.2013.054409
  Issue No: Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013)
Linking island tourist activity participation and satisfaction - evidence from Fiji
- Authors: Xiaoxiao Fu, Xinran Y. Lehto, Liping A. Cai, Alastair M. Morrison
  Pages: 58 - 73
  Abstract: Island destinations enable distinctive vacation experience due to special geological features. This study explores the dimensions and contribution of different components of island experience to the overall tourist satisfaction. It reveals a typology of six island vacation activities. They are adventure and exploring, culture appreciation, water's caress, wedding events, relaxation and indulgence, and sociable sports. It also examines the contribution of activity satisfaction (the core aspect) to the overall satisfaction, in relation to satisfaction with other aspects of the island experience (the peripheral aspects). Results show that in comparison to the core aspect, the peripheral aspects exert a greater influence in generating satisfaction of the island experience. However, the strengths of the relationships vary across first time and repeat tourists. Such findings bear relevance for destination marketing planning and management. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed.
  Keywords: tourist activity; island experience; core aspects; peripheral aspects; Fiji; island tourism; tourist participation; toutist satisfaction; island destinations; destination marketing; islands
  Citation: International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013) pp. 58 - 73
  PubDate: 2013-06-09T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTA.2013.054410
  Issue No: Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013)
"Tao follows its own way" and tourists' behaviour ecologicalisation: philosophical enlightenment from Chinese Taoism
- Authors: Wujia Zeng, Li Cheng, Liqun Ouyang
  Pages: 74 - 89
  Abstract: As a new tourism mode, ecotourism has been widely practiced and researched. However, in practice, it is difficult for ecotourists to realise their original intention and promote sustainable development of the scenery in strict accordance with their fundamental principles and ways. This paper argues that the key cause of this phenomenon is that the value of tourists' behaviour has not completely become ecological. The Taoists who pursue joining Tao shall inevitably perform the ideal ecotourism behaviour. In attempting to incorporate some concepts of Taoism, which developed in China and has a long history of traditional religion, the paper points out that the Taoist thoughts on values and practices arising from "Tao follows its own way" provide a possible conscious approach to the strict ecological transformation of tourists' behaviour and also offer a new philosophical view for ecotourism development.
  Keywords: tourist behaviour; ecotourism; philosophical enlightenment; Chinese Taoism; tourists; ecological behaviour; sustainable development; sustainability; tourism; Tao; China; Taoist values; Taoist practices
  Citation: International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013) pp. 74 - 89
  PubDate: 2013-06-09T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTA.2013.054412
  Issue No: Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013)
Factors influencing self-drive vacation travellers' length of stay
- Authors: Sangchoul Yi, Jonathon Day, Liping A. Cai
  Pages: 90 - 106
  Abstract: The current research investigated the self-drive vacation travel market, examining determinants for demand for accommodations and the effects of external economic changes (e.g., fuel price fluctuation) on tourism. The study analysed data from two government data sources, a special survey module in the National Household Travel Survey which examined long distance trips, and the gas price index from the US Energy Information Administration. The present study compared two mainstream segments of the self-drive vacation market, which are self-drive vacation staying at commercial lodging facilities (SDV-lodging) and self-drive vacation staying at a friend or relative's accommodations (SDV-FR). Using the 2SLS model, the effects of the socio-demographic variables and travel-related variables were tested statistically. Statistical results showed that an endogeneity issue occurred in the SDV-lodging segment, revealing that 2SLS is better than the OLS estimation.
  Keywords: 2SLS model; drive tourism; gas price; length of stay; vacation travel; self-drive travellers; accommodation demand; economic change; fuel price fluctuation; endogeneity
  Citation: International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013) pp. 90 - 106
  PubDate: 2013-06-09T23:20:50-05:00
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTA.2013.054414
  Issue No: Vol. 3, No. 1 (2013)