Authors:Suman Lata Pages: 167 – - 167 – Abstract: In the emerging market, the usage of smartphone apps is playing an imperative role and supporting travelers in their online hotel bookings. This study aims to examine the various determinants that affect travelers’ behavioral intention regarding hotel booking through smartphone apps. Data was collected from 379 hotel guests who used smartphone apps for hotel bookings. The respondents for this study are taken from Delhi. Further, the hypotheses of this study were validated with the help of structural equation modeling (SEM) using partial least squares (PLS). The results of this study found all dimensions significant except for effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, and habits. A newly added dimension, perceived trust was also found a significant predictor of consumers’ behavioral intentions for hotel booking through smartphone apps. The study provides implications for hotel managers that the information provided on apps must be accurate, up-to-date, and reliable regarding hotel services. By incorporating relevant information in the system, travelers’ will feel the hotels are trustworthy and thus their tendency to use smartphone apps for hotel bookings will increase. As well as hotel apps must be easy to operate which reduces travelers' extra efforts and time while using them. PubDate: 2022-01-18 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.01 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2022)
Authors:Grace Ho, Rob Law Pages: 185 – - 185 – Abstract: This study looks at the decision-making in selecting a higher education programme from a consumer behaviour perspective and examines who influence students when making the decision on which hospitality and tourism Bachelor’s degree to pursue. Qualitative focus group interviews with current undergraduate students were conducted. The findings show that the most significant influencers are ‘friends and classmates’ followed by ‘family’ then ‘teachers’, while the cultural influence of Confucianism and collectivism might be the underlying basis for the decision process. Thus, higher education institutions can act accordingly based on these influences to achieve higher enrolment for their programmes. PubDate: 2022-01-18 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.02 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2022)
Authors:Remya Kumar, Manoj Edwar, Babu George Pages: 200 – - 200 – Abstract: This research was framed as an attempt to empirically retest the assumed relationship between political empowerment and resident support for ecotourism, with perceived benefits and perceived costs as mediating variables. The study is analytical-descriptive in nature and followed a cross-sectional survey design. The survey participants included the local inhabitants of the ecotourism zones of three protected areas in India. On the basis of a review of the literature pertaining to community-based tourism, an initial research instrument was developed. This questionnaire included items to measure political empowerment, perceived benefits of ecotourism, perceived costs of ecotourism, and support for sustainable tourism development, that were adopted from previous studies. The results derived from the Structural Equation Modeling of the data gathered by us, quite contrary to indications in the literature, suggest that political empowerment critically diminishes destination local community support for ecotourism development. Even though the extant literature generally indicates that empowerment is central to community-based tourism, it appears that, under certain conditions, empowered community members might skip tourism and pursue alternate economic opportunities. PubDate: 2022-01-18 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.03 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2022)
Authors:Anantha Raj A. Arokiasamy, Jayaraman Krishnaswamy, Philip Michael Ross Smith Pages: 217 – - 217 – Abstract: In the hospitality industry, staff turnover is a big problem. The aim of this paper is to explain how, using career construction theory (CCT), turnover intentions are linked to work engagement. An analysis of 36 independent star-rated hotels in Peninsular Malaysia finds that the root cause is orientation to happiness (OTH). OTH found a negative association between work engagement and employee attrition intentions in the report. Furthermore, perceived organizational support (POS) was established as a major boundary condition, with lower levels of POS resulting in a poorer mediated relationship. This study’s theoretical and practical results would benefit the hospitality industry. PubDate: 2022-01-18 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.04 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2022)
Authors:Arceli Romasanta Pages: 232 – - 232 – Abstract: Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation was employed in this study to analyze elements linked with job satisfaction and performance among employees in the accommodation sector. The researcher employed the descriptive-correlational methods of research, through questionnaires. The survey tool was validated by experts in the field of education, statistics and research and is highly accepted in terms of a Cronbach α of 0.988 which indicated an excellent index of reliability. Weighted Mean and Goodman and Kruskal’s Gamma Correlation determined the relationships between variables. The results revealed that employee satisfaction among employees was an important aspect that affected job performance and organizational success. Based on the findings, a Human Resource Plan is necessary to help increase satisfaction and improve job performance resulting in increased efficacy, self-esteem, and commitment in the accommodation sector. This paper would be extremely useful to human resource professionals, managers, owners, employees, and future researchers. PubDate: 2022-01-18 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.05 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2022)
Authors:Dr Parul Sinha, Dr Rajkumari Mittal Pages: 246 – - 246 – Abstract: Post-Covid-19 pandemic, the supply chains of all the trades faced a setback, but the tourism sector faced an extended jolt of this disaster. Religious tourism, which has been adding a sizeable revenue to Indian GDP, came to a downfall. This manuscript aims to identify and model the enablers of the religious tourism supply chain for reviving the economy in the post-Covid era. The research paper elucidates that post-shock of Covid-19, understanding religious tourism enablers will provide opportunities to all the stakeholders of this chain. Eleven enablers for the religious tourism supply chain were identified. The modelling of these enablers using ISM (Interpretive Structural Modelling), provides insight into their hierarchy and interdependence upon each other. The ISM model also illustrates that the enabler Pilgrims belief and value, a mandatory obligation is the most crucial enabler and influence all other enablers. Religious tourism supply chain stakeholders can employ this model to formulate strategies to overcome the post-pandemic challenges. Subsequently focusing upon the key enablers essential in reviving the tourism sector economy. PubDate: 2021-12-31 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.06 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2021)
Authors:Herlambang Eka Persada, Khusnul Bayu Aji Pages: 264 – - 264 – Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine how social capital affected the resilience strategy in a tourist destination during the COVID-19 pandemic by visiting Nglanggeran Tourism Village case. Nglanggeran has become one of tourist destinations in DIY, or even in Indonesia, that was formally reoperated earliest whilst a pandemic is still underway. On the other hand, they are regarded as one of the best tourism villages in Indonesia and South-East Asia that are entirely run by locals, with many representatives from other tourism villages frequently visiting Nglanggeran for benchmarking purposes. This is a descriptive study that employs a qualitative research approach. The data for this study was compiled through observation and semi-structured interviews to obtain primary data, while secondary data was collected through literature reviews related to the scope and focus of the study. The findings of the study show that, in the context of Nglanggeran’s tourism management at the time of the crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, social capital influenced resilience strategy, which would have been closely associated with: a) practicing new norms in the making; b) consolidating trust; and c) bridging partnerships among stakeholders. PubDate: 2021-12-31 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.07 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2021)
Authors:Anom Hery Suasapha, Ni Made Eka Mahadewi, Ida Bagus Gede Agung Widana, Diah Cynthia Putri Pages: 279 – - 279 – Abstract: This article aims to understand factors that influence the acceptance of tourism academia toward the implementation of a new-normal policy for the tourism industry in Bali. Data were collected from an online survey. The population from which the sample was derived was the tourism lecturers of Bali Tourism Polytechnic. The sample size was 88, representing a population of 151 lecturers. It corresponds to the statistical power of 0,90. Statistical descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to analysis the data. The result of the research shows that acceptance of tourism academia toward implementation of the new-normal policy was simultaneously influenced by their perception of the impact caused by the pandemic to the industry as well as their perception about the dangerous disease itself, even though partially, the impact of the pandemic seems to be the stronger influencing factor compared to their perception about the dangerous disease. The article concludes that tourism academia accepted the opening of the tourism industry while stressing that the opening should be accompanied by strict implementation of the new-normal protocol, to prevent the second wave of the pandemic COVID-19 as well as to prevent future irreversible damages to the tourism industry in term of its safety and security image. PubDate: 2021-12-31 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.08 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2021)
Authors:Claire Ng, Isaac Henderson Pages: 291 – - 291 – Abstract: The aviation industry has evolved rapidly in recent years, and so have consumer expectations with regard to air travel. This study examines how air travellers conceptualise in-flight experience. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study is divided into two phases. First, semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 32 members of the flying public and analysed using thematic analysis. Second, based upon the key themes identified in the first phase, a questionnaire (with both quantitative and qualitative questions) was developed and administered to 151 participants. The first phase identified the different ways air travellers conceptualise in-flight experience, with the most important elements being food and drinks, flight attendants, entertainment, seat comfort, and leg room. In the second phase these important elements are shown to have statistically significant effects upon in-flight experience (using a t-test and chi-squared goodness of fit test), however, the size of their effects varied. A Friedman test (with post-hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank test) demonstrates that air travellers rank the contribution of each of these elements towards in-flight experience differently. The findings allow airline managers to prioritise different aspects of in-flight experience based upon their relative importance to air travellers. PubDate: 2021-12-31 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.09 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2021)
Authors:Richard Metters, James Stanworth Pages: 305 – - 305 – Abstract: Potential cultural differences between China and Taiwan are explored using Hofstede’s Values Survey Module (VSM94). The focus is on workers in hotels that cater to Western visitors. Hofstede’s VSM was administered to hotel workers in Tainan, Taiwan, and Shanghai, China. A comparison shows worker attitudes to be, in general, highly similar. Differences, however, on some scales, especially Power Distance, indicate that different managerial styles will be successful in the two countries. Qualitative data from industry stakeholders corroborate and elaborate on our findings. PubDate: 2021-12-31 DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2021.19.3.10 Issue No:Vol. 19, No. 3 (2021)
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