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Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
Number of Followers: 1  Hybrid journal * Containing 5  Open Access article(s) in this issue *ISSN (Online) 2514-9792 Published by Emerald  [362 journals]
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- Looking at the tourism industry through the lenses of industry 4.0: a
bibliometric review of concerns and challenges-
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Authors: Sofia Gomes, João M. Lopes, Luís Ferreira
Abstract: The technological and digital revolution has introduced important changes in the tourism industry. However, capturing the extent of the new tourism 4.0 paradigm is still difficult. This study aims to assess the dimensions related to the concepts of industry 4.0 in tourism and hospitality, tourism innovation and tourism ecosystem when considered simultaneously, and their role in promoting a new wave of competitiveness in the tourism industry. A bibliometric study was conducted based on tourism 4.0, hotel 4.0, tourism innovation and tourism ecosystem using 120 eligible articles published between 2008 and 2021 from the Web of Science database. This study demonstrated the advances in industry 4.0 in tourism and hospitality publications over 13 years and identified five interconnected dimensions: (1) knowledge transfer in tourism; (2) networking tourism innovation; (3) sources of tourism innovation; (4) smart tourism ecosystem and (5) innovation research in tourism. It was also concluded that tourism development should be a regional competence based on strategic networking and externalisation of regional knowledge flows. This bibliometric review provides important implications and recommendations for several players of industry 4.0 in tourism and hospitality and policymakers. Not only did it make it possible to create a state of art, but also to categorise the existing interconnections between the dimensions of Tourism 4.0, Hotel 4.0, Tourism innovation and Tourism ecosystem to optimise its implementation and generate greater value. In addition, practical implications were inferred that improve the tourism sector’s competitiveness, helping strategic decision-making at the level of policymakers and actors in this sector. Apart from state of the art, this bibliometric review made it possible to categorise the existing interconnections between the dimensions of tourism 4.0, hotel 4.0, tourism innovation and tourism ecosystem to optimise its implementation and generate greater value. Practical implications were inferred that improve the tourism sector’s competitiveness, helping strategic decision-making at the level of policymakers and several players in this sector. This study addresses the existing literature gap in the interconnection of industry 4.0 with tourism and hospitality by describing the most relevant conceptual interconnections and setting practical implications for improving the competitiveness of the tourism industry. Furthermore, it integrates previous studies and outlines future lines of investigation.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-29
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2022-0479
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Leisure time posts on WhatsApp status drive travel and tourism consumption
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Authors: Shiv Ratan Agrawal, Divya Mittal
Abstract: The present study aims to examine whether leisure time posts shared on WhatsApp status drive to travel and tourism consumption among users. In this study, discriminant analysis was employed to test hypotheses and identify essential factors. The study indicated that the eight most contributing factors are expressing happiness, planning leisure time, views and comments, attractiveness, inquiring about places, preferring to post, nice way of expression and relax. These factors came from the latent variables of attitude, motivation and self-expression. Overall, the main influencing factors are internal (attitude and motivation), followed by an external factor i.e. self-expression. Additionally, the findings indicated that these significantly and positively impact travel and tourism consumption. The discriminators identified in the study would guide tour and travel agencies and the agencies' managers on how best to adopt WhatsApp and WhatsApp's status application to influence aspiring travelers. This study enlarges the existing literature by integrating three factors, attitude, motivation and self-expression, into a model to influence the behavioral outcomes of aspirational travelers using WhatsApp status.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-12-2022-0587
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Top quality hotel managers' perspectives on smart technologies: an
exploratory study-
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Authors: Yenal Yağmur, Altan Demirel, Gül Damla Kılıç
Abstract: The main purpose of the study is to reveal the hotel managers' perspectives strategies, and predictions on smart technologies, and their expectations for current staff and potential staff to be employed in the future. A qualitative research approach was used to reveal the internal perspectives of managers to determine their Smart Tourism (ST) perspectives. With the snowball sampling method, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 16 senior hotel managers working in a 5-star hotel in Antalya. The data obtained were carried out with inductive content analysis and descriptive analysis from qualitative research analysis methods. In this study, hotel managers' broad perspectives on ST were discussed in depth and presented comprehensively. Managers' perceptions of smart technologies are classified in terms of aggregate dimensions and themes. Among the most important findings, rapidity/quickness, managing/holistic assessment, standardization, harmony/integration-coordination and experience-memory, defined as the crossroads of total dimensions or the heart of smart technologies, were identified as the most important themes. In addition, Stylos et al. (2021), another important finding is the classification of technologies used in top-quality hotels, based on the conceptual framework for smart technologies presented in the literature. The effective and efficient use of technology, its internalization and openness to technology provides important advantages in hotels such as increasing revisits and satisfaction, providing loyalty and reducing costs. Thus, the perceptions, practices, strategies and prediction of senior managers working in high-level hotels about ST provide valuable data to other hotels that want to survive in the competition. From a theoretical point of view, this study is valuable in that it deals with the ST perceptions of senior managers with an exploratory research approach. Managerially, the research findings offer valuable contribution about the attitudes, trends, forecasts and expectations of senior managers working in high-level hotels towards ST.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-24
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2022-0457
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Mapping tourism strategy patterns on tourism area life cycle
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Authors: Surabhi Gore, Nilesh Borde, Purva Hegde Desai
Abstract: Tourist destinations are constantly changing products, evolving as per the controls exerted by the stakeholders. The study aims to map the pattern of tourism development and identify the strategies formed at the destination over a seven-decade period for a state as a unit of analysis. The paper evaluates tourism development through the tourism area life cycle (TALC) model and uses Mintzberg's strategy analysis process to identify strategies. The study involves time series analysis, pattern matching and explanation-building techniques. The TALC is plotted for the number of tourist arrivals from 1947 to 2019, and strategies are mapped for each stage. The TALC shows a cycle-recycle pattern of tourism development. The research revealed several strategies at different stages. Both the central and state governments and entrepreneurs, distinctively and in conjunction, have formed strategies. The pattern shows the period of piecemeal and global strategic changes contributing to tourism development. The research unearths the strategies that drive the development curves of TALC, emphasising the integration of TALC with other theories. The research also assesses the strategy formed in the pre-tourism stage. The research brings to light the use of TALC as a strategic road-mapping tool. In addition, the study emphasises the significance of global and piecemeal strategic periods and stakeholder's regulatory and operational roles. The research uses a unique methodology that maps the strategies, periods of strategic changes and incremental strategies for each stage of TALC, along with identifying the stakeholders.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-22
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0180
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Place attachment in coffee shops: a customer perspective study in North
Cyprus-
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Authors: Mine Haktanir, Ezgi Gullu
Abstract: This study aims to develop a better understanding of the key determinants of repetitive visits to coffee shops. The paper intends to answer a simple, yet crucial question, “Why do people go to coffee shops repeatedly, and frequently'”. Two coffee shops in North Cyprus are used as case studies in order to provide in-depth information about the perceptions and experiences of coffee shop clients, managers and staff. An inductive methodological structure together with qualitative data collection methods provided a rich, exploratory setting. A social network of customers and employees, communication with familiar people and sharing a homely feel are found to be the key determinants of clients' attachment. Comfort, security, sense of belonging and the convenience of the place also play a pivotal role. The traditional habit of coffee drinking is a prime motivation for people of this area to meet up and socialize. Managers can optimize operational results as it is evident that social and cultural elements are the key drivers for repeat customer visits, while regional planners can set society-driven policies. This study contributes to the literature by using a holistic approach to understand the factors which influence revisit intentions of coffee shop clients in relation to the third place, the place attachment and the service space concepts. The research approach employed is also significant as it enabled the presentation of the real-life dynamics and its relation to the literature.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-21
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0185
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Testing the relationship between employment and tourism: a fresh evidence
from the ARDL bounds test with sharp and smooth breaks-
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Authors: Veli Yılancı, Mustafa Kırca
Abstract: This study aims to investigate the effect of the tourism sector on employment in 13 Mediterranean countries. In addition, the impact of economic growth and inflation rate, which are included in the analysis as control variables, on the employment rate are investigated. For this study, data from 1995 to 2018 and the ratio of the employed population, the number of international tourist arrivals, the annual growth rate of real gross domestic product (GDP) and the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) were used. First, the authors investigated the relationship between variables using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Bounds Test with Sharp and Smooth Breaks. Then, after determining the significant cointegration relationship, the long-term and short-term coefficients were also estimated. The results show a cointegration relationship for Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Malta and Tunisia. Tourism demand has a positive effect on all these countries and economic growth positively affects the employment rate only in Greece, Israel and Tunisia. Besides, the inflation rate has a negative effect in Israel and Tunisia and a positive effect in Malta. Overall, the authors' results provide important policy suggestions, such as the training of the employees in the tourism sector should be improved to keep up with the requirements of the times. The impact of the tourism sector on total employment varies from country to country. In particular, the employment creation policies of the sector need to be changed by taking technological changes into consideration. Since tourism is a labor-intensive sector, tourism's impact on employment is an important research topic. However, whether this effect applies to all countries is debatable. Furthermore, the development of technology can also reduce employment in labor-intensive sectors. Therefore, this research can be regarded as important as this research addresses such a critical current issue and suggests a novel econometric method such as the ARDL Bounds Test with Sharp and Smooth Breaks.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-21
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2022-0509
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Examining the role of personality traits in guestroom technologies
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Authors: Tevfik Demirciftci, Anil Bilgihan, Mehmet Erdem, Seyhmus Baloglu
Abstract: This study aimed to identify distinctive characteristics of hotel guests and understand their perception of guestroom technologies (GRTs) in hotels by utilizing the theory of consumer innovativeness and the social influence theory. The data were collected from 268 hotel guests. The K-means clustering algorithm was employed to identify participants based on their views on the significance of technologies provided in guest rooms. A multivariate analysis of variance was applied to investigate if there were significant differences among clusters regarding social influence on hotel bookings, technology innovativeness and technology expertise and knowledge. Two clusters were identified: technology compassionates and casual users of technology. Findings revealed that technology compassionates are more influenced by their friends when booking a hotel compared to casual users of technology. The ability to link up multiple wireless mobile devices, accessible outlets and mobile websites were the most critical GRTs for technology compassionates. Technology should be considered a crucial part of the hotel guest experience. Hoteliers ought to continue investing in smart technologies to improve their guests' experiences. GRTs can reduce overhead staff costs while giving guests more control over their stay by utilizing everyday items like smartphones and offering them more power over their lodging experience. This study advances the existing literature on GRTs by identifying which GRTs produce the most customer satisfaction. Moreover, this study explores the impact of social influence, innovativeness as a personality trait and having expert knowledge of technologies on preferences for GRTs.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-21
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-11-2022-0529
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- From empowering leadership to proactive work behavior in hospitality: a
study of multiple cross-level mediation processes-
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Authors: Chung-Jen Wang
Abstract: On the basis of the hierarchical organizational structure, this study investigated how empowering leadership influences hotel employees' proactive work behavior through multiple cross-level mediation processes. This study also investigated whether psychological empowerment, positive psychological capital, job characteristics and job embeddedness can activate the linkage of the aforementioned trickle-down effects. This study draws data from 826 international tourist hotel employees at different times with hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analyses. Multiple cross-level mediation analyses indicate that (1) psychological empowerment mediates the cross-level influences of empowering leadership on job characteristics and positive psychological capital; (2) positive psychological capital mediates the cross-level influences of empowering leadership on job embeddedness and proactive work behavior; and (3) job embeddedness mediates the cross-level influences of psychological empowerment and job characteristics on proactive work behavior. In the post-pandemic era, the valuable trickle-down effects of empowering leadership could spill over into employees' positive beliefs of psychological empowerment, which ultimately benefit working responsibility and organizational operations. The results support and suggest that maximizing the benefits of empowering leadership could eventually foster proactivity and performance in the workplace under hospitality and tourism settings.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-21
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-11-2022-0547
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Worker exploitation in the gig economy: the case of dark kitchens
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Authors: Charalampos Giousmpasoglou, Adele Ladkin, Evangelia Marinakou
Abstract: The emergence of dark kitchens in the restaurant industry is a contemporary phenomenon, arising most recently in the context of the so-called gig economy. This new business model flourished during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on a global scale. Despite dark kitchens' popularity, considerable negative publicity exists in the news related to poor working conditions. To highlight this new phenomenon, this paper explores the existing literature on worker exploitation in dark kitchens in the context of the gig economy. A systematic literature review of hospitality and tourism databases generated 1,430 articles, of which 18 met the authors' inclusion criteria for the final analysis, and 1,030 anecdotal sources, of which 47 were included. Thematic analysis was used to identify the key themes and summarise the findings to be used for further studies. The popularity of dark kitchens as a business model is premised on the fact that dark kitchens' dramatically reduces the operational cost and increases productivity. On the other hand, the working conditions and contractual agreements of the gig workers in dark kitchens raise several questions from operational, legal and ethical perspective. These poor working conditions create the conditions for worker exploitation and further damage the sector's image. This study advocates that companies and managers are responsible for implementing and monitoring fair working conditions in dark kitchens. The existence of poor working conditions increases employee turnover and, overall, affects the industry's reputation. This explorative study provides insights into the working conditions and contractual agreements in dark kitchens. Currently, there is no other study (empirical or conceptual) to shed light on the working practices. The authors hope this study will trigger further discussion and empirical research in this field.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-20
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2022-0477
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Vacation vengeance: an interpretive phenomenological analysis of revenge
travel in India-
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Authors: Snigdha Singh, Pallavi Srivastava
Abstract: After each of the COVID-19-induced lockdowns, an unprecedented surge in leisure travel was observed, resulting in tourists flocking to places of tourist interest. This phenomenon was termed revenge travel in popular literature. The purpose of this study is to explore the phenomenon of revenge travel in detail through an academic lens. It examines the psychological and emotional motivations for revenge travel while studying the differences in travel behaviour pre- and post-pandemic. The study applies an interpretive phenomenological approach to explore post-pandemic travel behaviour. Data were collected via personal in-depth semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was conducted to arrive at discussion themes. Drawing on the established theories, the findings of the study indicate that lockdown fatigue coupled with mortality salience induced individuals towards leisure travel. This in turn led to mood alleviation and compensation for the deprivation undergone. The study reveals important insights into post-pandemic preferences of travel destinations (off-beat locations near urban clusters), accommodation options (more travellers choosing home stays and stand-alone properties) and vacation itineraries (a gradual shift towards slow tourism with more focus on immersive experiences). Further, there are indications that hotels may develop “workcations” and “staycations” as a new line of offering. The study adds to the small body of knowledge on revenge travel. It adopts a phenomenological approach, thereby capturing the “lived experiences” of the participants and providing an in-depth look into the psychological and emotional motivations of revenge travel that have not been explored previously. The study provides insights into the travellers' psychology post a period of withdrawal and restraint.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-16
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0356
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Trade-off between future travel avoidance and self-protectiveness
post-COVID-19: the roles of adventurousness and safety-seeking tendency-
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Authors: Kareem M. Selem, Rupa Sinha, Rimsha Khalid, Mohsin Raza, Mohammad Shahidul Islam
Abstract: Underpinned by sensation-seeking theory (SST) and regulatory focus theory (RFT), this paper highlights the crucial role of adventurousness in self-protective behavior and future travel avoidance. Furthermore, this paper investigates safety-seeking tendency as a moderator and travel anxiety post-COVID-19 as a mediator. Data were gathered from 574 potential visitors to St. Catherine post-COVID-19 and analyzed using Smart-PLS approach. Adventurousness negatively and significantly affected travel anxiety, while the latter negatively influenced self-protective behavior and positively influenced future travel avoidance. Besides, the findings proved that travel anxiety partially mediated the adventurousness linkage with self-protective behavior and future travel avoidance. Moreover, safety-seeking tendencies dampened travel anxiety's connection with self-protective behavior and future travel avoidance. This paper provides valuable insights into travel research in theory and practice to revive tourist attractions post-COVID-19 in developing countries via an adventure tourism pattern. The study helps figure out how to deal with the pandemic and restore the monument of heavenly religions, St. Catherine—sacred mountain peaks, mosques, churches and many monasteries—in addition to its charming and picturesque nature. The current paper examines a traveler's adventurous nature and post-COVID-19 behavior when visiting St. Catherine and their behaviors related to future avoidance and self-protection. This paper adds the first investigation of travel anxiety and safety-seeking through the lens of SST and RFT theories in the Egyptian tourism context.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-14
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2022-0432
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Do sustainability motivations drive satisfaction and engagement in the
sharing economy, or is it just price and convenience' Some answers in
a collaborative housing context-
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Authors: María-del-Carmen Alarcón-del-Amo, Carlota Lorenzo-Romero, Miguel-Ángel Gómez-Borja
Abstract: This study aims to understand the motivations behind using Airbnb as a collaborative housing platform brand, their impact on satisfaction and engagement, and how the latter affects brand electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) and brand loyalty. It also analyzes the potential moderating effect of the use intensity of collaborative housing platforms for the proposed causal relationships. An online survey was addressed to active users of Airbnb with a final sample of 405 users. Data were analyzed using a covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the causal model and a multigroup SEM to test the moderator effect of the intensity of use. The results show that convenience affects brand satisfaction and hedonic motivation influences brand engagement, and both affect return intention and eWOM. In contrast, sustainability motivations seem unrelated both with satisfaction and engagement. Furthermore, the mechanism by which people reach loyalty in terms of return intention varies according to their usage intensity. Thus, the engagement–intention way is stronger for more intensive brand users. In contrast, the satisfaction–intention mechanism is significantly stronger for those with more sporadic use. The management of collaborative housing platforms should promote tools and actions that favor enjoyment and fun since they increase engagement. On the other hand, it should be interesting to communicate the idea of the convenience of the applications, such as availability for a great offer, ease of contracting, or saving time, since this type of motivation directly correlates with customer satisfaction. The motivational and behavioral heterogeneity demonstrated in this research can make it easier for people to be reached through different communication strategies and arguments both by the collaborative housing platforms and by public agencies with interests in city tourism management.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-14
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2022-0468
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Activities as the critical link between motivation and destination choice
in cultural tourism
Open Access Article-
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Authors: Anneli Douglas, Gijsbert Hoogendoorn, Greg Richards
Abstract: This study aimed to determine the motivations of a select group of South Africans in terms of their potential engagement with cultural tourism; more specifically, the study set out to show whether these motivations influence the cultural activities that the tourists want to participate in and whether their interest in specific cultural activities determines their destination choices. Furthermore, the mediating role of activities in the relationship between cultural motivations and destination choice was also assessed. An online panel survey collected responses from 1,530 potential cultural tourists across South Africa. Hypotheses were tested, using structural equation modelling. The results show that tourists' motivations for cultural tourism influence their likelihood of participating in specific cultural activities. Cultural tourism is shown to be influenced by more than learning and includes entertainment, relaxation, novelty and escape dimensions. There also seems to be a difference in the activities engaged in by destination type. For example, tourists likely to take part in indigenous cultural tourism activities are more likely to do so at hedonic destinations. This paper contributes to the understanding of cultural tourism activities, aiding destinations in attracting cultural tourists. Destinations need to develop activities that match visitor motivations, increase satisfaction and encourage visitors to return. The paper increases the understanding of cultural tourism in South Africa and underlines the importance of communities in providing distinctive tourism activities. The study also has an important social dimension, highlighting the role of social status in cultural tourism consumption and destination selection.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-13
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2022-0442
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Defining attributes of boutique hotels: a systematic literature review
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Authors: Kristina Buhagiar, Lisa A. Pace, Sandra M. Dingli
Abstract: Boutique hotels reflect a nascent phenomenon in the literature and in the accommodation sector. As a result, they are void of governmental classification and regulation. Concurrently, they lack any form of operational definition. The purpose of this paper is to address these limitations by identifying the core attributes found to define boutique hotels. To fulfil the purpose of this paper, the authors conducted a systematic literature review on Web of Science. This resulted in an analysis of 33 peer-review articles published from 1994 to 2022. The findings of this review revealed that boutique hotels are defined by eight core attributes; these are (1) multiple ownership structures, (2) situatedness in a historic premises, (3) strategic locations, (4) thematized internal décor, (5) experience design, (6) high levels of personalization, (7) novelty in service provisions and (8) niche marketing strategies. For policymakers, this paper may be used as a reference point to establish designated classification systems for boutique hotels. For practitioners, this paper may be used as a source of inspiration and benchmark to establish boutique hotels which align to the criteria highlighted in this paper. For scholars, this paper proposes an operational description of boutique hotels and novel areas for future research. This paper represents one of the initial efforts undertaken by researchers to unify the literature on boutique hotels.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-02
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2022-0435
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Opportunities for the United States hotel industry to recover from
COVID-19: a multi-period DEA analysis of key efficiency determinants-
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Authors: Szilvia Vanessza Schalk-Nador, Ida Rašovská
Abstract: This study examines empirically the development of efficiency levels in the hotel industry and its key drivers, by juxtaposing pre- and post-COVID-19 results in the four most important cities in the United States in terms of international arrivals. A two-step approach was employed by first utilising the data envelopment analysis method to characterise the efficiency of United States hotels. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to compare hotel performance in the two years prior to the COVID-19 outbreak with the first two years after the outbreak. The results indicated the positive effect of size and the economy hotel category on efficiency, while increasing property age, urban location and a lack of brand affiliation showed a negative effect. During the pandemic, size and the economy category remained significant and positive, whereas urban location continued to represent a negative effect. This study assists decision makers regarding prospective investments, supports existing and future portfolio analyses, contributes to observations on competition, and offers a wider perspective of the industry. First, this study investigated the evolution of factors that influenced efficiency before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, the results offer insights into the impact of the pandemic on hotels' efficiency levels. Third, the study proposes directions for the restoration of hotel efficiency to pre-COVID-19 levels.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-03-01
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0364
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Smart tourism technologies for the psychological well-being of tourists: a
Bangladesh perspective-
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Authors: Mohammad Osman Gani, Hiran Roy, Anisur R. Faroque, Muhammad Sabbir Rahman, Maisha Munawara
Abstract: The importance of smart tourism technologies (STTs) has been rising recently, but how STTs are related to tourists' psychological well-being has got little attention. The study intends to show how STTs increase tourists' psychological well-being by capitalizing on the theory of Tourism 4.0. The study investigates the associations between the factors of STTs with the perceived benefit and, subsequently, perceived benefit with the psychological well-being of tourists. Moreover, this study also examines the moderating impact of a growth mindset (GM) between perceived benefits (PB) and tourists' psychological well-being (TPW) in the tourism industry. Using a structured questionnaire, 243 responses were collected through the convenience sampling method. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for the analysis. Findings show that automation, security/privacy concerns, information accuracy, and personalization are significantly related to the PB of tourists. The results also confirm that a GM moderates the relationship between PB and TPW. The results show the social and managerial importance of the perspective of tourism in developing countries. Based on the tourism 4.0 concept, this study presents a theoretical contribution by expanding practical information regarding the link between STTs and psychological well-being. Moreover, the study shows some directions to the tour operator about improving PB and psychological well-being. The notion of tourism 4.0 is a new paradigm that seeks to unlock the psychological well-being of visitors through the hyper-interconnectedness of humans and technologies. This study contributes to prior research on technology-based tourism by exploring the uncharted STT variables, PB, GM and psychological well-being. Moreover, the study makes an empirical effort to conceptualize the tourism 4.0 concept on the proposed relationships. Tourist firms should focus on implementing this theory to develop their business.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0239
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Effect of COVID-19 on hotel performance: role of government
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Authors: Swechchha Subedi, Marketa Kubickova
Abstract: The study has two objectives, first, to examine the effect of COVID-19 deaths and corruption on the government's policy responses, and second, to investigate the effect of COVID-19, corruption and government response on hotel performance, using the developmental system's framework of resilience theory. The study utilizes hotel data from ten countries collected from 1st March 2020 to 28th February 2021. The data are analyzed using the panel regression analysis in E-views. The study confirms that government policies direct impact the hotel performance. Specifically, economic support policies have a positive effect on hotel performance, while COVID-19 deaths and restrictions have a negative impact on hotels. The study also found a strong association between corruption and the level of restrictions that governments choose to implement. Therefore, for effective recovery, governments must be mindful of the context in which businesses operate and the effect of their policies on the hotel industry. The strong correlation between COVID-19 deaths and RevPAR highlights the significance of understanding and addressing customers' risk perception to enhance the resilience of the hotel industry. The findings emphasize the importance of collaboration between the hotel industry and the government for effective crisis management and policymaking. This study empirically examines how various policy responses and crisis levels impact hotel performance. It sheds light on why countries respond to crises differently and the effects of different policy responses on the hotel industry. The study has many implications for the industry stakeholders and policymakers.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0274
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Green HRM and hospitality industry: challenges and barriers in adopting
environmentally friendly practices-
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Authors: Muhammad Imran Tanveer, Mohd Yusoff Yusliza, Olawole Fawehinmi
Abstract: The recent decade has described the role of HR practitioners as more strategic to advance in environmental management (EM), technology and change management competencies. The study aims to identify the HR professionals' changing strategies and challenges and barriers in sustainability performance (SP) through green HRM, which have become an emerging topic. Data collection was conducted through six semi-structured face-to-face interviews with senior HR representatives through purposive sampling. The grounded theory (GT) method was applied, followed by an iterative process for codes and themes. The results indicated the highly significant challenges and barriers (C&B) proposing a 5 × 4 framework in adopting GHRM practices. Examples of the challenges included (1) lack of knowledge, orientation and awareness; (2) corporate social responsibility as an integral part of the organization strategy; (3) environmental concerns internally required from top-bottom and bottom-top approach; (4) budget and cost that remain an issue for the top management, and; (5) HR department's responsibility to build competencies for their entire team. The findings help the top management and policymakers maintain a balance between economic, environmental and social sustainability performance agendas. Furthermore, the environmental goals and values of the hotel are key ingredients in seeking the solution to environmental sustainability, which requires continuous training programs to enhance awareness at all levels. The results are presented as future directions to enrich the literature and make significant contributions to the existing body of knowledge. Moreover, the research benefits the managers from the results intended in accomplishing sustainable development approaches.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0389
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Detection of readers' emotional aspects and thumbs-up empathy reactions
towards reviews of online travel agency apps-
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Authors: Md Shamim Hossain, Mst Farjana Rahman
Abstract: The main goal of this study is to employ unsupervised (lexicon-based) learning approaches to identify readers' emotional dimensions and thumbs-up empathy reactions to reviews of online travel agency apps based on appraisal and stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theories. Using the Google Play Scraper, we gathered a total of 402,431 reviews from the Google Play Store for two travel agency apps, Tripadvisor and Booking.com. Following the filtering and cleaning of user reviews, we used lexicon-based unsupervised machine learning algorithms to investigate the associations between various emotional dimensions of reviews and review readers' thumbs-up reactions. The study's findings reveal that the sentiment of different sorts of reviews has a substantial influence on review readers' emotional experiences, causing them to give the app a thumbs up review. Furthermore, readers' thumbs-up responses to the text reviews differed depending on the eight emotional aspects of the reviews. The results of this research can be applied in the development of online travel agency apps. The findings suggest that app developers can enhance users' emotional experiences by considering the sentiment and emotional aspects of reviews in their design and implementation. Additionally, the results can be used by travel agencies to improve their online reputation and attract more customers by providing a positive user experience. The findings of this research have the potential to have a significant impact on society by providing insights into the emotional experiences of users when they engage with online travel agency apps. The study highlights the importance of considering the emotional aspect of user reviews, which can help app developers to create more user-friendly and empathetic products. The current study is the first to evaluate the impact of users' thumbs-up empathetic reactions on user evaluations of online travel agency applications using unsupervised (lexicon-based) learning methodologies.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2022-0487
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Satisfaction or delight' A cross-cultural study of loyalty formation
linked to two restaurant types-
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Authors: María Eugenia Rodríguez-López, Juan Miguel Alcántara-Pilar, Salvador Del Barrio-García
Abstract: The aim of this study is to analyse the moderating roles of restaurant type and client long-term orientation (LTO) on the loyalty building process. In addition, this analysis delves into the role of customer satisfaction and delight in the dining experience on the development of loyalty to a restaurant. This study advances a moderator mediation model stemming from self-administered online questionnaires presented to clients subsequent to their gastronomic experiences. The analysis comprised a sample of 250 customers of moderate restaurants and 290 of midscale restaurants. The results reveal that customer satisfaction and delight are two key antecedents to the process of building loyalty towards restaurants and that the responses depended on restaurant type and client LTO. The study advances recommendations to restaurant managers and gastronomic marketing specialists. Moderate restaurants should satisfy the customer without offering additional services while medium-scale establishments should design actions perceived as an extra that surprise the client. Moreover, it is more important to offer delight to short-term oriented clients than to long-term oriented clients. The global character of the hospitality industry implies that achieving customer loyalty requires going further than generating favourable attitudes. This has led the academic world to place more interest on the issue of delight perceived by the client. In this sense, the present study examines exclusively the long-term cultural dimension due to the little attention it has received in hospitality literature. Finally, the advances offered by the PROCESS software in analysing indirect conditional effects renders it possible to identify the different levels of customer LTO towards different types of restaurants.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-20
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0157
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Multidimensional scale development and validation: university service
quality (UNIQUAL)-
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Authors: Raksmey Sann, Pei-Chun Lai, Shu-Yi Liaw, Chi-Ting Chen
Abstract: This study aims to develop an assessment scale for university service quality (university SQ) and examine University Service Quality assessment model (UNIQUAL) of higher education during the pandemic. Two studies applied a mixed-method design to develop and validate the UNIQUAL scale. In-depth interviews and literature reviews were conducted to refine the initial dimensions and items of UNIQUAL in Study 1. Item analysis, EFA and CFA were then conducted to purify item refinement, scale refinement, purification and validation in Study 2. Finally, a confirmed UNIQUAL model was analyzed via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using Smart-PLS 4.0. The research confirms the four-factor structure of UNIQUAL, with a total of 16 items, to be a valid and reliable scale for the assessment of the service quality (SQ) of universities. Having adopted the bias-corrected and accelerated (BCa) bootstrap approach to study 5,000 subsamples from 27 countries, the authors found “responsiveness” and “empathy” to be significantly associated and have positive relationships with students' satisfaction with university SQ. Furthermore, university SQ and satisfaction were mediated by “health and safety” concerns. The newly developed UNIQUAL scale would be of value to educators and authorities of higher education to assess the SQ of their universities to enhance the effectiveness of student learning. The improvement in satisfaction with higher education's SQ ultimately helps in retaining both international and local students amidst concerns about traveling and studying during the pandemic. COVID-19 has affected the private and public sectors worldwide. Millions of students have been affected by schools being shut down and substituted with distance-learning programs. Thus, the assessment of the quality of university services has become an important support mechanism for retaining the sustainability of higher education. The UNIQUAL scale provides a conceptual model and validates an assessment tool. The research hypotheses confirm the relationship between university SQ and satisfaction from the perspective of international students.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-17
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0343
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- What drives senior tourists to travel to islands' The case of the
Azores-
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Authors: Rafael Robina-Ramirez, José Carlos da Silva Mendes, Osvaldo Silva, Maria Medeiros
Abstract: According to the theory of push and pull factors, the current work aims to present two objectives: (1) to detect what attributes drive senior tourists to travel to the Azores islands, the role played by lecturing activities (LA) as push factors and their influence on the island's offer (pull factors) are analysed; and (2) to understand the personal and contextual barriers of tourists to provide information to the agents who form part of the tourism supply process on the island. The data has been processed using the statistical package SmartPLS version 26. Using an exploratory methodology based on SEM structural equations applied to small sample sizes, a tentative model has been generated to define the drivers of tourism for elderly people who visit the islands. The research study reveals that LA are the key factor in completing the offering of tourist destinations in the Azores. Educational packages should be made available to senior tourists. Likewise, several tourism barriers, such as flight times, cost of the trip, concern about the safety of destinations, type of accommodation, language difficulties and medical and health care should also be revised by tourism authorities and flight stakeholders with regard to the Azores Islands. The reduced sample has made the results impossible to show greater predictive power. The role played by push factors, such as lecturing or educational activities, and pull factors, such as the tourism offering by the island, allows us to envisage educational packages based on the preferences of senior tourists, such as attending lectures on the history of the Azores, gastronomy (traditional food), active ageing flora, and interesting facts and legends of the islands. As a push factor, social interaction has become the main motivation among senior tourists. Such tourists have conveyed not only their desire to meet other tourists but also their interest in socialising in tourist activities, relaxing and visiting other new places. Even though LA are relatively common among university students and those with bachelor's degrees, educational packages for senior tourism are now gaining in popularity. Better socio-economic conditions worldwide and easier access to education for mature people have allowed them to expand their knowledge by travelling to exotic destinations such as the Azores. This paper links that interest with barriers to travel as well as to the Azores' rich touristic offering.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-16
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-07-2022-0311
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- The effect of face on consumer responses to socially responsible
hospitality brands: the role of consumption setting-
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Authors: Patrick Poon
Abstract: This study examines the effect of face on consumer responses to socially responsible hospitality brands and the influence of the consumption setting. Based on the literature on face concern, the consumption setting is expected to influence the effect of face on consumer responses to socially responsible brands. An experimental design with face concern (low vs high) under two consumption settings (private vs public) was adopted for a fictitious hotel involved in community service. To test this design, 360 participants were recruited. The results showed that face positively affected consumer responses to socially responsible hospitality brands. Consumers with a high (vs low) level of face concern had higher purchase intention and a greater propensity to spread positive word-of-mouth for hospitality brands with strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) associations. In addition, the favorable effect of face concern on consumer responses was more pronounced in a public consumption setting than in a private consumption setting. Hospitality service managers could strengthen the physical evidence of CSR brands during service encounters. This strategy would be more effective for consumers who have a high level of face concern and lead to an increase in revisit intention. This study highlights the effect of face on consumer responses to CSR brands and the influence of the consumption setting. Managerial implications for hospitality service managers regarding communication and brand management strategies are discussed.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-16
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0340
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- A holistic approach to augmented reality-related research in tourism:
through bibliometric analysis-
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Authors: Shafeeque M. Hanaa, Azees P. Abdul
Abstract: With its potential to significantly improve the tourism sector, augmented reality (AR), an emerging technology, is a growing force in the field. It has attracted significant academic attention and expanded publishing options over the past 20 years. However, so far, no review has provided a comprehensive overview of AR-related research in tourism. This work uses the VOS Viewer and Bibliometrix R-package software to present a bibliometric review of the scientific literature in the area of AR-related tourism research in order to fill this gap. The theme of AR in tourism was searched in the Scopus database. The original search yielded 327 papers in total, which were then filtered based on the parameters. A total of 190 relevant documents were generated by the refining process. For the publications pertaining to AR in tourism, the most cited papers, prominent authors, productive journals and countries, co-authorship among countries, trending topics, thematic map, co-occurrence analysis of keywords and bibliographic coupling of documents were all looked into. This report shows a recent rise in research on AR in the tourism industry. The top 10 studies in the topic had a combined total of 1749 citations, while the authors found three papers with more than 200 Scopus citations. Till the date of extraction, 555 writers have contributed to the field of AR in tourism, with Tom Dieck M.C., Chung N. and Jung T. receiving the most citations. According to co-authorship analysis, the UK collaborates with other countries the most. Thematic map has thrown insight into the niche themes and emerging themes in the field. Coupling analysis has revealed four major research streams in the field of AR in tourism. This study can be considered as a first study to utilize a bibliometric method to address this research gap, identifying the top documents, journals and, most importantly, the future research areas identified through the thematic map analysis of keywords and bibliographic coupling. Historical growth within this discipline was made clear by an in-depth analysis of the studied themes in this area. Hence, the discovery of relatively new subjects offers scholars the chance to plan their research in this area and thereby enhance the literature. The study is also beneficial for practitioners in the tourism industry. This work examined previously published publications on AR in tourism using a bibliometric analytic technique. Additionally, it contributes to the current knowledge accumulation in learning about the applicability of AR in tourism and enlightens tourism scholars on the structure of the field.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-16
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0369
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Re-visiting the causal relationship between tourism and economic growth in
India: specific to general modelling approach-
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Authors: Arif Gulzar Hajam, Shahina Perween, Mushtaq Ahmad Malik
Abstract: Tourism–economy relationship in India has been studied extensively in the past literature using a single equation approach. However, the present paper diverted from this trend and examined the tourism–economy relationship using the specific to general modelling approach over the 1990–2018 time period. The study also accounts for the influence of merchandise trade, capital formation, foreign investment inflows and inflation on economic growth to achieve the robustness of the coefficient estimates. To achieve the objective, the study utilised a specific to general modelling strategy. First, the regression equation includes only three core variables: gross domestic product (GDP), international tourist receipts and international tourist expenditures. Next, the authors include other control variables in the regression equation one by one, leading us to test five model types for investigating the cointegration among the variables. As for the estimation technique, the authors employed autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach. The paper's findings highlight that tourism receipts and expenditures exert a positively significant impact on economic growth. Moreover, including the additional independent variables does not substantially change the tourism and economic growth relationship. The existence of one-way causality from tourism expenditures to economic growth supports the tourism-led growth hypothesis. These findings highlight the rationale for intervention by the government and policymakers to promote tourism potential and facilities to accelerate the overall growth performance of the country. While the existence of one-way causal effect from economic growth to tourism revenues supports the growth-led tourism development hypothesis, implying that economic expansion is necessary for tourism development. This research article tried to present a comprehensive picture of India's tourism–economy relationship. However, the present study is organised as an aggregate economy-level analysis. It assumed that the aggregate tourism sector is homogenous. However, different tourism sectors exert different levels of influence on the economy. The authors expect future research can take the disaggregated analysis of the tourism–economy relationship. This study provides valuable insights into the tourism-led growth hypothesis in India. The study highlights comprehensive intervention by the government and policymakers for accelerating tourism development to invigorate the overall growth performance of the country over the long run. The principal recommendation emerging from the present research is that the tourism growth potential can be depended upon to stimulate the economic performance of the Indian economy. The present study diverted from the previous empirical studies by following a specific to general modelling strategy. First, the regression model includes only three core variables such as economic growth, tourism receipts and tourism expenditure. Next, the authors include other control variables in the regression equation one by one, leading us to test five model types for investigating the cointegrating relationship among the variables. GDP growth rate is used as a dependent variable in all five specifications. The idea is to expand the model to capture every feature of the data generating process.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-15
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2022-0459
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Antecedents and outcomes of memorable volunteer tourism experiences
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Authors: Erose Sthapit, Peter Bjork, Dafnis N. Coudounaris, Jano Jiménez-Barreto, Tan Vo-Thanh
Abstract: This study proposed and tested a new conceptual model of memorable volunteer tourism experiences (MVTEs) by examining the effects of novelty, meaningfulness, experience co-creation and experience intensification on MVTEs. It also examined the relationships among MVTEs, psychological resilience (PR) and behavioural intention (BI), including that between novelty and BI. The study modelled the proposed relationships by analysing data from an online survey using Amazon Mechanical Turk. In total, 241 responses were used in the data analysis. This study extended the MVTE construct and included four key antecedents that influence tourists' MVTEs. The study also documented the predictive capability of MVTEs for PR and BI. Volunteer tourism organisations should offer new and diverse activities for volunteer tourists, such as nature conservation, wildlife protection and construction. This is the first study to examine the antecedents and outcomes of MVTEs using the stimuli–organism–response theory.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-09
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0386
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Restaurants under COVID-19 knife
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Authors: Homayoun Pasha Safavi, Mona Bouzari, Taraneh Foroutan
Abstract: Drawing upon conservation of resources (COR) theory and social exchange theory (SET), this study aims to empirically test a conceptual model in which social loafing (SLof) acts as a mediator in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 (FoC-19) and organizational deviant behaviors (OD). Additionally, the model proposed the moderating effect of servant leadership (SL) in the relation between FoC-19 and SLof. The relationships were examined using structural equation modeling with LISREL (linear structural relations) 8.30 using data from front-line restaurant employees and their supervisors in India using a time-lag design. Results suggest that SLof mediates the effects of FoC-19 on OD. Additionally, the results confirm that SL moderates the relation between FoC-19 and SLof. It would be beneficial to increase the knowledge concerning the other potential outcomes of SLof. Moreover, it would be helpful to examine other probable moderators like trust in supervisor and supervisor support to understand whether they can have an interfering role in mitigating and minimizing SLof among restaurant employees. Based on the findings, restaurant managers should pay sufficient attention to and carefully choose the leadership approach they apply in their workplaces. Restaurant managers would try to establish a bond with their employees by showing them empathy and paying attention to their emotional needs. The authors also suggest leaders who are leading people through crises make their employees understand why their job is important, rejuvenate their sense of attachment to their groups and organizations, and set clear directions for their employees. The current study adds to the existing literature by investigating the effects of FoC-19 on front-line employees using data collected in the Indian restaurant industry. This empirical study will enrich the authors’ knowledge and understanding of the effect of SL to reduce the positive impact of FoC-19 on SLof.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-06
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0202
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Components of tourists' palace cuisine dining experiences: the case of
ottoman-concept restaurants-
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Authors: Mert Öğretmenoğlu, Kartal Doğukan Çıkı, Büşra Kesici, Orhan Akova
Abstract: In the field of tourism, numerous studies have been conducted on tourists' food experiences. However, more studies are needed to comprehend tourists' dining experience in unique cuisines. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to examine the components of tourists' dining experiences related to palace cuisine foods. In this study, a qualitative approach was adopted to capture the components of tourists' dining experiences. The online narratives of tourists (n = 911) who had experienced Ottoman palace cuisine in Istanbul were obtained from an online travel platform (TripAdvisor) and analyzed using content analysis. Seven main components were revealed: perceived authenticity, perceived service quality, knowledge, a sense of royalty, food specialties and attributes, a memorable experience and a sense of awe. By identifying components of the palace cuisine dining experience and their relevant importance, the findings of this study can increase service providers' knowledge and facilitate their jobs. To be able to meet the expectations of tourists experiencing the palace cuisine, service providers can improve their services by considering research results. Results revealed that obtained six dimensions were parallel with previous studies on food experience; however, this study uncovered a previously unexplored dimension named a sense of royalty. This can be shown as the unique contribution of this study to the tourist food experience literature.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-06
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0228
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Dealing with hotel customer stealing practices: a managerial perspective
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Authors: Tahir Sufi, Bindu Ranga, Indu Ranga
Abstract: The incidents of hotel theft constitute a significant cause of concern for the hotel industry. Such incidents result in substantial financial implications, inventory management issues and complications in finding exact replacements. This study, therefore, investigates customer stealing practices in Indian hotel industry. A structured email interview was conducted with twenty-five senior hotel managers. The data were analyzed by adopting a coding technique using inductive content analysis. The results were discussed under seven headings-extent of such stealing incidents, financial consequences of such practices, strategies to prevent such instances and, finally, how to deal with customers when caught stealing. This study highlighted themes related to the profile of customers involved in stealing practices, motives, consequences and strategies required to manage such customers. Future studies can focus on restaurants, airlines, airports and tourist attractions to identify strategies and best practices for preventing such practices. The study's findings have tremendous potential for the hospitality industry. Dealing with customers’ stealing practices is a very sensitive issue. Furthermore, hotels bear lots of expenses if the policy for tackling the problem still needs to be implemented. Furthermore, if not handled professionally, a lack of effective guidelines can cause embarrassment for managers. The study has the potential to raise awareness among the members of society to be more responsible toward hotel property. This study extends to the limited literature on hotel guests' theft. The comprehensive analysis of the themes generated from an interview with the senior managers of the hotel industry provides a unique insight into the nature of the problem. The solutions offered in this study are an original contribution to the literature.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-02-03
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0345
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Investigating the stakeholder influence on environmentally sustainable
practices of Thai restaurant chains in Bangkok-
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Authors: Sruangporn Satchapappichit, Angkana Leerattananugulsiri, Watcharaporn Kayom, Khajornjit Thanasarn, Tanasorn Girum
Abstract: This study investigates the relationship between stakeholders and implementing environmentally sustainable practices (ESPs) by Thai restaurant chains. A survey method using the questionnaire was used to collect data from 400 owners/managers of Thai restaurant chains. The structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to determine the relationship between stakeholders and the implementation of ESPs by Thai restaurant chains. The finding revealed that both primary and secondary stakeholders significantly influence implementing ESPs, with no moderating effect of environmental knowledge on primary stakeholders regarding implementing ESPs. The results can help restaurant chain businesses understand how stakeholder power, in response to their regular interactions and societal expectations, affects the implementation of ESPs. This study is among the first study to investigate the effects of stakeholder pressure on the implementation of ESPs in Thai restaurant chains in Thailand. By looking at restaurant chains, the authors add to the body of knowledge on ESPs in the hospitality sector and offer insights on the role of stakeholders and the moderating role of environmental knowledge.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-01-26
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-07-2022-0305
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Intellectual capital before and during COVID-19 in the hotel industry: the
moderating role of tangible assets-
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Authors: Jasmina Ognjanovic, Vladimir Dzenopoljac, Stefano Cavagnetto
Abstract: The study aims to assess the relative impact of intellectual capital (IC) as opposed to tangible assets on profitability and employee performance in hotels in Serbia before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The current study was undertaken in 2019, the year before COVID-19, and 2020, the year of COVID-19's major impact. This study utilizes the Value-Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAIC) as a measure of efficient use of IC. Financial data were collected from 163 hotels in Serbia. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results revealed that IC was a relevant factor for both profitability and employee performance before and during the COVID-19. However, the study reveals a negative moderating effect of tangible capital efficiency (TCE), meaning that with the increase of TCE, the relationship between IC and performance becomes weaker. The main limitation of the study is rooted in VAIC's ability to fully incorporate all elements of IC, leaving the relational capital out. To achieve better performance, hotel management should direct resources more towards IC and less toward tangible assets, which implies doing more with less. The results indicate the importance of IC in a period of crisis for the industry and economy that are not recognized as knowledge intensive. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no other study has attempted to assess the relative contribution of tangible assets and IC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-01-10
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2022-0488
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Customer experience management in capsule hotels: a content analysis of
guest online review-
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Authors: Victor Oluwafemi Olorunsola, Mehmet Bahri Saydam, Taiwo Temitope Lasisi, Kayode Kolawole Eluwole
Abstract: Capsule hotels are a revolutionary Japanese concept of lodging that dates back over four decades. On the other hand, capsule hotels are a relatively new concept for most travelers outside of Japan. Organizations within this target segment are starting to recognize the critical role that an excellent customer experience management (CEM) strategy offers in improving competitiveness and organizational success. Thus, this research provides scholastic insight into the framework of CEM by evaluating the user-generated content at capsule hotels. This study inspected 1,304 online user-generated content from the top 10 capsule hotels from Booking.com. Leximancer 4.5 was deployed to analyze the data. The analyses revealed nine key themes to CEM of capsule hotels which are “staff,” “hotel,” “area,” “location,” “bed,” “capsule,” “check-in,” “noisy” and “luggage”. This research encourages hospitality and tourism executives to develop specific strategies for capsule hotels. This research differs from previous writings in that it attempts to fill a gap in the research by offering insight into the issue in the low-budget hotel industry and by identifying key indicators that influence customer experience.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2023-01-03
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0113
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2023)
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- Evaluating visitor–therapist relationship in Indian spa and wellness
resorts-
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Authors: Dibya Nandan Mishra, Rajeev Kumar Panda
Abstract: This research examines the role of a therapist’s attributes, namely, expertise, sociability, likability and mind-set similarity, in building trust, satisfaction and commitment amongst visitors in Indian wellness resorts and hotels. The text mining approach was adopted to collect a large corpus of 3,94,373 online reviews from TripAdvisor, Google Reviews and hotels.com. Reviews were taken from 1,677 resorts and hotels that deal in spa and wellness care across India. This study uses unsupervised Naïve Bayes classification and n-gram lexical TF-IDF vectorizer method to classify and find the sentiment of the reviews shared by the visitors of the wellness resorts. Additionally, multiple linear regression is performed to understand the impact of the therapist’s identified attributes on the visitor’s relationship quality. The research found positive sentiment towards the therapist’s likability, and visitors seemed satisfied with the overall wellness service. The sentiment towards trust and commitment is low. The study also found significant links between likability and expertise in building the relationship quality between the therapist and the visitors. The expertise of the therapist enhances visitors’ trust and willingness to return. The therapist’s likability nature helps in increasing visitor satisfaction. This study helps to understand the service personnel's level of relationship with the customer in hospitality services. Further, the study empirically verifies the important factors that build relationship quality in Indian wellness services. The present study argues the need for greater clarity in understanding the customer perception of the services provided by wellness therapists in Indian wellness resorts and hotels. The study guides hotel managers to perform training of wellness therapists to improve customer satisfaction. Using the findings of the current study, managers can prioritize therapists’ attributes and realign their core strategies and provide satisfying wellness services to customers. This study demonstrates the essential qualities a therapist should develop to enhance the relationship with the resort visitors and foster trust, commitment and satisfaction. The study goes a step further by using a vast database of online data for deep insights into the visitor’s view and the use of machine learning for amplifying results.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-29
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0246
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- When will consumers splurge on travel' Effective add-on selling
strategies-
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Authors: Esther L. Kim, Sarah Tanford
Abstract: Cross-selling becomes critical for business success as pent-up travel demand drives travelers to spend more on vacations. The primary purpose of this research is to identify if an unexpected discount leads to consumers' additional purchases online. This research proposes effective cross-selling strategies across hospitality sectors. Two experiments were conducted to investigate factors that influence travelers' add-on spending. Study 1 determined the psychological mechanism of unexpected discounts on hotel customers' additional spending by individual thinking styles. A 2 (discount: none vs surprise) x 2 (thinking style: holistic vs analytic) quasi-experimental design was utilized. Study 2 applied the identified pricing strategy by individual thinking styles to cruise line add-on selling. A 2 (discount: none vs surprise) x 2 (product type: hedonic vs utilitarian) x 2 thinking style (holistic vs analytic) quasi-experiment was used. The findings indicate that an unexpected discount increases holistic thinkers' overall travel spending, regardless of add-on types. Although the unexpected discount effect on analytic thinkers' overall spending was significant, an unexpected discount enhanced their intentions to purchase a hedonic add-on. Hospitality operators can improve cross-selling strategies with a surprise discount offer. Offering add-on items in the same transaction with a cabin booking will increase add-on purchases. Hotels can make add-on purchases more appealing by emphasizing the experiential aspects of a hotel stay. This research broadens knowledge of cross-selling by linking add-on purchases to discount pricing on a primary product. The findings provide new strategies to stimulate add-on purchases and maximize profitability.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-29
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-07-2022-0306
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Consideration of risk in the implementation of probabilistic
prognostications of hotel revenues and expenses-
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Authors: John O'Neill, Barry Bloom, Khoa Tang
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to be the first empirical article to provide necessary standard deviation inputs for adoption in probabilistic prognostications of hotel revenues and expenses, i.e. prognostications that consider risk. Commonly accepted methodologies to develop hotel financial projections resulting in point estimates of upcoming performance have been perceived as egregiously insufficient because they do not consider risk in lodging investments. Previous research has recommended the use of probabilistic methodologies to address this concern, and it has been recommended that analysts use Monte Carlo simulation. This methodology requires the estimation of standard deviations of specific, future hotel revenue and expense items, and this paper provides such inputs based on a large sample of actual, recent data. This study provides actual standard deviations using a sample of recent hotel profit and loss (P&L) statements for over 3,000 hotels (Over 19,000 P&L statements) to provide analysts with empirically-supported standard deviations that may be applied to Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI) hotel revenues and expenses in hotel financial (revenue and expense) prognostications. Findings are presented for standard deviations based on typical line items as defined in the USALI, and these findings may be used by practitioners as inputs for hotel financial projections. Findings also include that hotel revenue items generally have higher standard deviations than expense items. Findings are presented in detail in the manuscript, including overall findings, as well as findings based on hotel class. Rather than practitioners adopting standard deviations of hotel revenue and expense line items based on guesswork or judgment, which is the current “state of the art” in hotel financial projections, this paper provides practitioners with actual standard deviations which may be adopted in probabilistic prognostications of hotel revenues and expenses. This paper may be the first to provide practitioners with actual standard deviations, based on typical USALI line items, for adoption in probabilistic prognostications of hotel revenues and expenses.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-27
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0172
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Revealing the factors of re-patronage intention: true behavioral insights
in hotel customers-
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Authors: Sarah Badar (Imran), Ajmal Waheed
Abstract: The rapid shift in the emerging pedagogies of customer behavior has changed the business preferences in the hotel sector. This study prioritizes the hotel's main task to develop customer re-patronage intention. Keeping in line with these factors, this study investigates the impact of customer empowerment on re-patronage intentions through customer value co-creation in the hotel sector of Pakistan. Furthermore, the study examines the moderating impact of sensation-seeking on customers. A total of 350 potential customers participated in the online survey using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Partial least square structural equation modeling was employed using Smart PLS-3 to test the projected hypotheses. This study reveals that empowered customers improve their behavior and involvement in value co-creation, which, in turn, increases the prospects of re-patronage intention. Moreover, sensation-seeking moderates between consumer empowerment and customer value co-creation. Customer-dominant logic and sense-making theory present interesting insights where customer empowerment and value co-creation have a positively significant impact on customer re-patronage intention. Findings also elaborate on a significant mediating role of customer value co-creation activities, which is an interesting call for hotel managers to add thought-sharing ecosystems. The suggested factors add long-lasting results in terms of revenues, performance and global GDP. It provides guidance for the hotel managers through novel factors that activate the customer to augment an intention to re-patron. Moreover, it provides a direction to add sensation-seeking strategies that strengthen the effects on customer empowerment and value co-creation. This study has its uniqueness in introducing an environment in hotels where customers are empowered to further actively participate in value co-creation initiatives, along with sensation-seeking acting as a stimulus among them. These factors have greatly impacted the hotel's objectives (i.e. re-patronage intention).
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-20
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0240
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Tourists' intention to visit a destination where child labor is employed:
an application of the theory of planned behavior (TPB)-
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Authors: Çağıl Hale Özel, Eda Çoban
Abstract: This study aims to explain the effect of tourists' attitudes towards child labor, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on their intention to visit a destination with the model created with the help of theory of planned behavior (TPB). The study utilized the convenience sampling technique. Data were collected through social media platforms from individuals over the age of 18 who live in Turkey and have traveled as tourists before. For this purpose, travel and tourism-themed groups were applied. Six hypotheses based on the literature were tested in the study. Data analysis was carried out using the Smart partial least square (PLS) program on data collected from 226 people. Findings showed that the conceptual model explained tourists' intentions well. In detail, subjective norm, PBC and attitude, together with their belief constructs, all had a positive impact on visit intention. Destination managers are recommended to protect children's rights in the destination. Any kind of exploitation of children and child labor can be prevented if stakeholders within the industry do not include any partners that violate children's rights. Destination managers should also guarantee the safety of children by launching codes of conduct and guidelines in coaction with local authorities and NGOs. Many factors that may affect tourists' intention to visit a destination have been studied in the literature so far; however, tourists' perspective on child labor in a destination was not among these factors. It is not known whether the problem of child labor in destinations will affect tourists' intention to visit that destination. In this study, destination visit intention is discussed from this aspect, and this study differs from the previous studies in this respect. Recommendations were provided for practitioners to evolve into a child-friendly destination and highlight the efforts made to prevent child labor in their marketing practices.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-16
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0203
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Assessing the link between market orientation and hotel performance: the
mediating role of value-based marketing innovation-
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Authors: Tria Mei Dian Sari, Farida Indriani
Abstract: This study examines how market orientation (MO) affects hotel performance through the value-based marketing innovation intermediate function. :Structural equation modeling-partial least squares (SEM-PLS) analyses are performed to assess the proposed research model on a sample of 166 three-to-five-star hotels located in six provinces of Java Island, Indonesia. The findings indicate that MO influences value-based marketing innovation and hotel performance. Additionally, it was demonstrated that value-based marketing innovation mediates the indirect link between MO and hotel performance. This research encourages the managers of hotels to adopt MO as the company's culture and to pay close attention to value-based marketing innovation to recognize the potential benefit of MO in hotel performance enhancement. This research focuses on unifying MO and resource-based view into a cohesive approach to better understand the link between MO and value-based marketing innovation and how both aspects affect hotel performance.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-13
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0199
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Influence of social media marketing efforts, e-reputation and destination
image on intention to visit among tourists: application of S-O-R model-
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Authors: Ruturaj Baber, Prerana Baber
Abstract: This paper aims to explore the influence of e-reputation, destination image and social media marketing efforts (SMME) on the intention to visit among tourists. The relationships are examined through the lens of the stimuli-organism-response (S-O-R) theory. The responses were recorded from 209 domestic and international tourists who stayed in five-star hotels at Khajuraho, a UNESCO world heritage site in India. PLS-SEM was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between SMME, e-reputation and destination image. The results also indicated that destination image fully mediated the relationship between e-reputation, destination image, SMME and visit intention. The research would enables tourism organizations to develop strategies and reap benefit from the information posted and shared by tourists on various social media platforms and gain a competitive edge over competitors. Testing the relationship between e-reputation and destination image as a mediator between SMME and intention to visit is a relatively novel idea. Previously, no attempt had been made to measure the influence of e-reputation related to destination image and intention to visit as supported by the S-O-R theory. This study provides empirical information on destination image and e-reputation building and the role of social media. It helps tourism managers create social media marketing strategies.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-13
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0270
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The role of customer orientation in creating customer value in fast-food
restaurants-
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Authors: Mohamed Youssef Ibrahim Helal
Abstract: Scholars and professionals are interested in studying customer value in fast-food restaurants. Previous research on the customer value of fast-food restaurants mainly measured the dimensions and relationships of the customer value. However, the research has not examined a method for identifying sources of customer value in fast-food restaurants. Therefore, this study used customer orientation to find customer needs and generate customer value in fast-food restaurants. This study presents a conceptual framework with six constructs. A questionnaire was used to gather empirical data from fast-food restaurant customers in Greater Cairo, Egypt. The suggested framework was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis, reliability and validity analysis, standardized path coefficients and regression-based moderation analysis. This study found that proactive customer orientation has a substantial direct and positive impact on customer perceived value. Customer perceived value is also positively influenced by responsive and proactive customer orientations, with customer desired value change intensity acting as a moderator. Customer perceived value substantially impacts customer satisfaction, and the latter substantially affects behavioural intention. This study offers several suggestions for managers of fast-food restaurants on how to employ customer orientation to find current, latent and future customer desires to provide customer value. This is the first research in the hospitality industry to demonstrate how responsive and proactive customer orientation may be used to recognize customer needs and provide the desired customer value.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-08
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0394
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Antecedents influence choosing tourism destination post-COVID-19: young
people case-
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Authors: Minh Le, Dat Phung, Mai Quynh Vu, Phung Diep, Yen Tran, Chi Nguyen
Abstract: This study aims to extend the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model with additional factors such as perceived risk, knowledge of COVID-19, social media reviews, destination image and past experience to analyze what influences the travel destination intentions of young people. An online survey of young people was conducted, and SPSS 20.0 and Smart-PLS (Partial Least Squares) 3.0 software were used to evaluate the measurement and structural models. The study uses the extended TPB (Ajzen, 1991) to build on the factors affecting the selection of tourist destinations in relation to the risk perception of COVID-19, past experiences and images of destinations when traveling after the pandemic. This study demonstrates the feasibility of applying the TPB framework and protection motivation theory (PMT) elements to people planning to visit a travel destination in the immediate wake of a public health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It explains the factors influencing tourists' intentions to visit during and after the pandemic. COVID-19 awareness and previous travel experiences influence post-pandemic travel decisions. This research result will help build motivation and confidence for local tourism businesses regarding the rapid recovery of the industry among young people. However, businesses need to vigorously promote safety and adapt tourism services to suit the new post-pandemic situation. The results of this study can help tourism businesses understand why young people may be hesitant to come to their localities for tourism so they can come up with a suitable development strategy to attract tourists. This study expands on the framework of the TPB to explore additional factors that positively influence youth travel, and the barriers that concern them. It also provides data on the novel context of tourism in the post-pandemic era.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-07
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0146
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Antecedents of labor shortage in the rural hospitality industry: a
comparative study of employees and employers
Open Access Article-
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Authors: Johanna Innerhofer, Luigi Nasta, Anita Zehrer
Abstract: Although the role of human capital in the hospitality sector is critical, the industry faces challenges in attracting workers with a poor industry image frequently mentioned regarding labor shortages. This research paper attempts to investigate the factors influencing labor shortages by presenting the perspectives of employees and employers. Precisely 232 rural hospitality industry employees (n = 128) and employers (n = 104) in Northern Italy were surveyed using a written close-ended online survey and a quantitative research design as part of a convenience sampling approach. For hypotheses testing, Spearman's rho was used. A relationship between the shortage of professional workers and a variety of factors was found, including professional, digital, social and green skills, industry-intrinsic characteristics and symbolic image attributes of the industry. The findings show that some factors are more important for employees, while others are more significant for employers. This study demonstrates several practical implications for the hospitality sector by addressing the under-researched stakeholder group of existing hospitality employees, e.g. improving working conditions, reduction of manual operations through digital technologies, realistic career planning, employer branding, identification of skill deficiencies and provision of specialized trainings. Most research on labor shortages in the hospitality industry has focused on the perspective of either employees or employers. This study compares both perspectives, including the industry image, to gain a realistic picture of the relevant factors for a rural tourism destination in Northern Italy.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-05
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0125
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Cognitive-affective-motivation factors influencing international visitors'
destination satisfaction and loyalty-
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Authors: Promise Omo-Obas, Thomas Anning-Dorson
Abstract: This paper seeks to understand the interrelationships between destination attractiveness, satisfaction, attachment and visitors' loyalty and to determine the potential moderating effect of generational cohorts. Using expectancy disconfirmation and generational cohort theories, the paper explains how visitors' cognitive knowledge and motivation factors influence international visitors' attraction and maintenance and their behavioral/attitudinal loyalty. Data were collected from 390 international visitors to South Africa during the Southern Hemisphere's summertime via a quantitative research method. A two-stage approach of structural equation modeling was used to analyze the hypothesized model. There was no relationship between visitors' loyalty and destination image or destination image and destination trust. However, destination image has a significant effect on visitors' satisfaction. Additionally, visitors' experience had a positive effect on satisfaction and loyalty, while destination trust and destination attachment were positively related. The findings show that the tourism sector could reap greater benefits from international tourists if a deeper understanding of different generational cohorts was obtained. There was a varying effect of destination marketing organizations' efforts on different generational cohorts' attraction, trust, satisfaction, feelings and expectations. This study proposes that direct marketing organizations should focus on building brand trust, as it is key to attracting different generational cohorts. Lastly, the study found that generational cohort segmentation accrues many benefits and creates and enhances superior advantages. The paper provides evidence that more than a destination's attractiveness is required to achieve loyalty; segmenting and understanding different generational cohorts' cognitive, affective and motivation aids in generating better response actions to tourists' changing needs and meeting their demands.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-05
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0178
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The destination marketing and media profile – travel motives nexus amid
tourism crisis: the mediating effect of the nation brand
Open Access Article-
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Authors: Tafadzwa Matiza, Elmarie Slabbert
Abstract: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of destination marketing and media profiling to re-engage international tourists. However, potential crisis-induced nation brand (NB) deficits must be addressed to re-ignite tourism demand. The study examines the possible intervening effect of the contemporary NB in the international destination marketing and media-travel motives nexus. A deductive quantitative study was undertaken with an online Amazon Mechanical Turk sample of n = 454 respondents. Hypotheses were tested using PROCESS Macro, Model 4. The results show that the NB [people and negative events] had a practically significant partial mediating effect in the destination marketing – nature-cultural oriented travel motivation nexus. New insights are provided via a practical model which facilitates the measurement of potential nuances in the influence of destination marketing and media profiling on leisure tourists' travel motives amid crises. The intervening effect implies that a better understanding of the NB as an indirect antecedent to travel motivation may result in more effective crisis communications and tourism recovery-oriented marketing. The study is amongst the first to extend marketing and behavioural theory to explore the interplay between the marketing and media profile, a nation's brand and tourists' travel behaviour amid a crisis. The study addresses a discernible dearth of knowledge related to the influence of the NB on tourist behaviour from an emerging market perspective.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-12-01
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0174
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Systematic review of mobile travel apps and their smart features and
challenges-
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Authors: Phoebe Yueng-Hee Sia, Siti Salina Saidin, Yulita Hanum P. Iskandar
Abstract: Mobile travel apps (MTA) smart features were identified based on recent travel application (app) trends and a literature review of MTA smart features. Subsequently, the MTA features that could be prioritised to increase user interest in MTA were determined. The MTA smart feature development challenges that should be mitigated were also identified. The app identification and selection were based on the one-stop solution characteristics containing the common function of travel apps and eight MTA smart features. A total of 193 Apple apps and 250 Google apps were identified, where 36 apps that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart were selected for evaluation. The high user ratings for apps from both app stores revealed the acceptance of smart technology in the tourism industry. Geolocation tracking services, travel itinerary generators, and real-time personalisation and recommendation were the three major features available in the included MTA. The challenges of MTA with smart features were highlighted from the tourism organisation, app developer and user perspectives. The findings can guide tourism organisations and app developers on the smart features that MTA should offer for user engagement. Technological organisations could optimise their technology stack by considering the identified smart features. The findings are valuable for scholars in terms of MTA aesthetics and usability to gain acceptability. The development challenges included significant investment in technology, location accuracy and privacy concerns when implementing MTA smart features. The previous literature mainly focused on evaluating app quality, assessing app functionality, and user ratings using the Mobile Application Rating Scale, and scoping reviews of MTA articles. Contrastingly, this study is among the first in which MTA smart features were examined from a developer-centric perspective. Moreover, it is suggested that MTA includes integrated smart features for better tourism services and market penetration in the tourism industry.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-29
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0087
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Investigating the influences of employer branding attributes on turnover
intentions of hospitality workforce in the COVID-19 in Vietnam-
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Authors: Ananta Kar, Thao Nguyen Thi Phuong
Abstract: This study aims to develop a comprehensive understanding about employer branding dimensions as well as the dimension's possible links with turnover intentions through the lens of existing hospitality employees. A survey was conducted based on a sample of 200 hospitality employees in order to examine relationships between employer branding dimensions and turnover intentions. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for data analysis and hypothesis testing. The findings found that economic, social, development and security values had negative impacts on turnover intentions; however, the impact of application and interest values on turnover intentions were not confirmed. Hospitality managers can prioritize actions and strategies that influence their staff's intentions to quit, subsequently reducing employee turnover. Given the lack of studies on employer branding dimensions from the perspective of current employees, especially the employees’ relationships with employee turnover intentions, this study points out employer branding factors that impact employee turnover intentions in the settings of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The findings add to the literature on employer branding and employee turnover management and provide insights for hospitality managers in the context of the New Normal.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-29
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0211
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Problem-solving abilities of managers: inflated self-efficacy beliefs
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Authors: Erdogan Koc, Senay Yurur, Mehtap Ozsahin
Abstract: This study compared the results of self-report and ability-based tests of problem-solving abilities of 144 hospitality managers working at hotels and restaurants through an online survey. In the first stage of the study, the managers were asked to fill in the self-report problem-solving ability scale by Tesone et al. (2010). In the second stage of the study, the managers were asked to respond to questions in a case-study-based problem-solving test. Problem-solving is a key aspect of business process management. This study aims to investigate and compare hospitality managers' actual and claimed (self-report) problem-solving abilities. A lack of unawareness of the actual level of skills may be an important problem as managers who tend to have inflated self-efficacy beliefs are less likely to allocate resources, e.g. time, money and effort, to develop a particular skill or ability they lack. They are also more likely to take risks regarding that skill or ability. The results of the study showed that there was a major difference between the results of the self-report test and the actual test. This meant that the managers who participated in the study had inflated self-efficacy beliefs regarding their problem-solving abilities, i.e. they operated under the influence of the Dunning–Kruger effect. The study showed that self-report tests that are commonly used in businesses in recruitment and promotion may not provide a correct level of people's abilities. In general, managers who have inflated self-efficacy beliefs are less likely to be interested in developing a particular skill due to the overconfidence arising from their inflated self-efficacy beliefs. The study showed that managers were less likely to allocate resources, e.g. time, money and effort, to develop a particular skill they lack and are more likely to take risks regarding that particular skill. Managers in the hospitality industry appear to lack problem solving-abilities. While the hospitality managers assigned high marks for their problem-solving abilities in a self-report problem-solving scale and appeared to be performing significantly good overall in problem-solving, they performed poorly in an actual problem solving exercise. It is recommended that businesses rather than depending on self-report problem-solving scales, they should resort to ability-based scales or exercises that actually measure managers' problem-solving abilities. Also, as managers who had formal tourism and hospitality education performed poorly, tourism and hospitality programme managers at universities are recommend to review their syllabi and curriculum so as to help support their graduates' problem-solving abilities. The study is original as no previous study compared managers' problem-solving abilities by using self-report and ability-based tests. The study has implications for researchers in terms of developing knowledge, ability and skill-based scales in the future. The study has also significant practical implications for the practitioners.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-07-2022-0294
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Financial sensitivity analysis of small lodging establishments during
COVID-19-
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Authors: Murat Kizildag, Jeffrey Thomas Weinland, Ilhan Demirer
Abstract: The main stance of this paper is to draw an authentic and rigorous outlook in terms of the financial and operational performance of small lodging establishments (SLEs) and put forth achievable and practical economic solutions that demonstrate the relative effectiveness of the adopted measures. This paper also suggests practical solutions to help minimize SLEs' financial vulnerability to long-term crisis and to boost their resilience with relative measures by applying recovery revival strategies for this particular segment of the lodging industry. The authors have picked a locally owned resort hotel in Central Florida area and structured a real-life, case study-based inductive approach that is purposeful and offers rich economic outlook and analysis for the entire lodging industry, especially for the resort-hotel type of accommodation facilities. The main reason for why they only focus on one company is that they can fully understand the financial effects of COVID-19 on resort type of hotels and layout countering strategies. To achieve paper objectives, they have implemented cost–benefit (C–B), break-even (B-E) analyses along with a sensitivity testing approach. The most striking result was that during the state-mandated shutdown period in 2020, overhead and overall operational costs associated with room sales and revenues were very high during this period that shrank the contribution margin ratio for rooms CMRw (room) and eventually yielded high sales volumes to be achieved at the B-E points vs lower sales volumes with almost the same average daily rate (ADR) levels needed for the B-E levels. Future studies should specifically delve further into a portfolio of SLEs in the region or state or nation wise because the units comprising the SLEs might be too small to muster the changes required to bounce forward for the entire lodging industry in the world. The resort's revenue re-optimization focus should center on financial re-benchmarking and business re-viability stress under different levels of shock scenarios. According to the different scenarios and calibrations for the ADRs, room nights, net present values (NPVs) of cash flows and profit margins derived from our main analyses, minimizing expenses and preserving cash would be the best key strategy for financial recovery during an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is obvious that the lodging, hospitality and tourism industry are the hardest-hit industries by the harsh and adverse effects of COVID-19. The effects of pandemic are differently shaped on operations in different industries and subsectors. Therefore, the operational and financial evaluation for the SLEs as the core and a catalyst in the entire lodging industry can shed a light on the strategic financial recovery procedures with broadly applicable real-life and endogenous capabilities and reasoning.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-24
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0176
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Consumers' intention towards the use of smart technologies in tourism and
hospitality (T&H) industry: a deeper insight into the integration of TAM,
TPB and trust-
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Authors: Sujood, Naseem Bano, Samiha Siddiqui
Abstract: This study used an integrated framework that incorporates the technology acceptance model (TAM) (Davis, 1989), the theory of planned behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991) and trust to examine factors that mainly influence consumers' intention towards the use of smart technologies in tourism and hospitality (T&H) industry. The Internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality systems, augmented reality systems, etc. are the Smart 4.0 technologies generally used in T&H industry these days. Convenience sampling approach was employed in this study. Data were collected over the Internet using a survey instrument by posting the questionnaire link on social network web pages of travel agencies from November 10, 2021, to December 30, 2021. In the opening statement of the questionnaire, we have explained about the Smart 4.0 technologies so that every respondent could understand what we mean by Smart 4.0 technologies. The findings show that conjoining the TAM and the TPB with trust resulted in a robust model for explaining customers' intention toward using smart technologies in the T&H industry. Smart technologies have become one of the most profitable e-commerce applications. This study examines and integrates the various advantages of smart technologies for the consumers in T&H industry, as well as providing insight into the intentions of Indian consumers. Hence, this study gives significant information to IT companies, online travel agencies, tour operators, travel agents, T&H planners and other stakeholders on Indian consumers' behavioral intentions (BIs). This study tested the utility of the extended model in predicting consumers' intention towards the use of smart technologies in T&H industry. As far as the authors' knowledge is concerned, this is the first study that predicted intention of Indian consumers towards the use of smart technologies in T&H industry by integrating TAM, TPB and trust.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-22
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0267
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- How dissimilarity attributes at restaurants trigger negative emotions and
associated behavioral intentions: the role of attribute performance-
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Authors: Most. Sharmin Sultana, Xiongying Niu, Md Shamim Hossain
Abstract: Consumers' perceptions of different aspects pertaining to servicescape and social servicescape at restaurants have received little consideration in the hospitality literature. To fill this gap, the authors develop a model that conceptualizes and empirically examines the impact of dissimilar attributes in restaurants on the development of negative emotions and the influence of negative emotions on consumers' dissatisfaction, which in turn determines consumers' behavioral intentions. The authors used the moderating impact of restaurant attribute performance to support the link between negative emotions and dissimilar attributes. To achieve the study's goals, the authors conducted two investigations, Study 1 and Study 2, in Bangladesh and China, respectively. For study 1, 600 data were obtained from local Bangladeshi consumers, while for study 2, 396 foreign customers in China were surveyed. The collected data were examined by using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. The authors utilized IBM Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS), version 24.0. Both studies 1 and 2 found that dissimilar restaurant attributes had significant positive effects on the development of negative emotions, positive effects of negative emotions on consumer dissatisfaction and a positive influence of consumer dissatisfaction on consumers' behavioral intentions. Results of both studies 1 and 2 also showed that restaurant attributes performance positively moderate the relationships between dissimilar attributes and negative emotions. The study's empirical results contribute to the body of knowledge in the domains of tourism, consumer psychology and consumer behavior. The study's findings can assist restaurant managers in better understanding how different features related to the servicescape and social servicescape dimensions cause unpleasant emotions and, as a result, influence consumer behavioral intentions. No preceding research has looked at the link between dissimilar features and negative emotions in the restaurant setting to the authors' knowledge. Also, no previous research has looked at the moderating consequence of restaurant attributes in the association between dissimilar attributes and negative emotions. This research aims to fill those knowledge gap.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-18
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0115
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- A decade of medical tourism research: looking back to moving forward
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Authors: Ediansyah, Mts Arief, Mohammad Hamsal, Sri Bramantoro Abdinagoro
Abstract: This article aims to know the direction of current research based on the previous research in the last ten years (2012–2021). Text mining was integrated with a network and content analysis as part of the mix methodological approach. The scientific articles, on the other hand, were assembled on Litmaps through web scraping. This process selected 86 articles about medical tourism published between 2012 and 2021. This study employed AntConc, RStudio and Gephi tools for data analysis and visualization. A total of 138 articles were identified through Litmaps using web scraping and 86 studies met the criteria. The trend of medical tourism research is a positive sign for tourism and health industries; this is the beginning to recognize the importance of elaborating on these two topics. Several researchers have frequently studied issues of destination, hospital, development, quality, stakeholders, surgery, service, economics and policy. Policymakers must establish a medical tourism ecosystem to accommodate all stakeholders in this industry. This study also recommends focusing on supply and institution for medical tourism future research. This literature review presents research trends on medical tourism in 2012–2021 based solely on articles available on the Litmaps search engine. If the time span is extended and the sources of articles are expanded there will be more literature available for analysis. The articles obtained are also only articles published in English due to the language limitations of the author. Policymakers must establish a medical tourism ecosystem to accommodate all stakeholders in this industry. Stakeholders must work together to provide medical tourism package therefore people can get their health services while visiting available tourist areas. The literary study of medical tourism over 10 years is considered the most recent systematic literature review.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-18
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0250
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Theme park hotel experience, experiential satisfaction and behavioral
intention: examination of visitors' experiences-
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Authors: Gökhan Akel, Engin Cakir
Abstract: This research uses the experience economy theory and tourism experiences to explore how different types of experiences in theme parks influence visitors' experiential satisfaction and behavioral intention. The data were collected from visitors of different nationalities at a theme park hotel. The R program and JASP were used to analyze the data of the multinational sampling. JASP was used for the structural equation modeling (SEM) and the R program for the analysis of the measurement invariance. The results highlight the existence of different visitor behavior in the experience economy, tourism experience and experiential satisfaction among visitors of several nationalities. However, the results highlight the existence of common visitor behavior on behavioral intention among visitors of these nationalities. This study reveals that visitors of different nationalities can have both diverse experiential and cultural motivations. The results show that managers should apply a plan and strategy according to the differences between the nationalities. By examining visitors from different nationalities, the study was allowed to be interpreted from a wider perspective in terms of academia and industry. This study makes a difference in the literature in terms of focusing on cross-national differences by examining the experiences of visitors from different nationalities by using experience economy theory and tourism experience elements in the same research model.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-17
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0325
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Asymmetric volatility spillover between hospitality sub-sectors during
COVID-19: evidence from the USA-
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Authors: Mutaju Isaack Marobhe, Jonathan Mukiza Peter Kansheba
Abstract: This article examines dynamic volatility spillovers between stock index returns of four main hospitality sub-sectors in US during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. These are tourism and travel, hotel and lodging, recreational services and food and beverages. Volatility spillovers are explicitly used as accurate and informative proxies for risk contagion between sectors during turbulent times. The authors employ dynamic conditional correlation-generalized autoregression heteroskedasticity (DCC-GARCH) and wavelet coherence analysis (WCA) to analyze the phenomenon. The authors’ timeframe is divided into three main sub-periods, namely the pre-pandemic, the first wave and the second wave periods. This study’s results reveal immense negative shocks in returns of all four sub-sectors on the Black Monday (8th March 2020). Moreover, high volatility persistence was observed during both waves with an exception of tourism and travel which exhibited lower volatility persistence during the second wave. The authors discovered magnified contagion effects between tourism and travel, hotel and lodgment and recreational services during the first wave of the pandemic with tourism and travel being the main volatility transmitter. Lower magnitudes of spillovers were observed between food and beverages and other sub-sectors with a decoupling effect being evident during the second wave. This study’s findings contribute to the contagion theory by providing evidence of disproportional volatility spillover among hospitality sub-sectors despite being exposed to similar turbulent economic conditions. Crucial implications can be drawn from this study’s findings to assist in risk management, asset valuation and portfolio management. The importance of close monitoring, safety measures, international diversification and adequacy of liquid assets during health crises cannot be stresses enough for hospitality firms. Retail investors, speculators and asset managers can take advantage of this study’s findings to design trading strategies and hedge against risk. A body of knowledge pertaining to effects of crises such as COVID-19 on hospitality stocks has been proliferating. Nonetheless, there is still a relative dearth of empirical literature on volatility spillover between hospitality sub-sectors especially during periods of rising economic uncertainties.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-08
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2022-0322
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- COVID-19-based threat vs coping appraisal: effect of psychological risk on
customer engagement and behavioral intentions-
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Authors: Raouf Ahmad Rather, Shakir Hussain Parrey, Rafia Gulzar, Shakeel ul Rehman
Abstract: Drawing upon protection motivation theory and service-dominant-logic, the authors develop a model, which examines the influence of perceived psychological risk and social media involvement (SMI) on customer-brand-engagement (CBE), brand co-creation and behavioral intention during COVID-19 outbreak in the tourism context. The current research also explores the mediating effect of CBE, and moderating role of tourism-based threat/coping appraisal in the proposed associations. To investigate such issues, the authors deploy a sample of 320 tourism consumers by adopting partial least squares-structural equation modeling or (PLS-SEM). PLS-SEM findings revealed that SMI positively impacts tourism-CBE. Secondly, results revealed the customer brand engagement's significant-positive effect on brand co-creation and behavioral intent. Third, results showed the social media's and psychological risk's indirect impact on co-creation and behavioral intent, as mediated through customer brand engagement. Fourth, results exposed a significant/negative moderating effect of threat appraisal and significant/positive moderating role of coping appraisal in projected relationships. Given the study's focus on pandemic-based SMI, CBE and co-creation, the authors contribute to the existing tourism marketing literature, which also generates plentiful avenues for further research, as delineated. This research facilitates tourism brand managers to better understand the drivers of CBE and paves the way for managers to develop CBE and threat/coping strategies during pandemic. Despite the increasing understanding of social media, CBE and co-creation in tourism, limited remains identified regarding the association of these, and associated, factors during pandemic, as thereby explored in the current research.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-11-02
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-01-2022-0010
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Human resource risk challenges in the hotel industry
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Authors: Engin Ari
Abstract: This study aims to identify and classify potential hospitality industry human resource (HR) risks in the luxury hotel context. Data has been collected from five-star hotels in Antalya, one of the most popular tourism destinations in Turkey. The study conducted focus groups to examine how hotel managers and lower-level staff perceive such risks. Using these focus group discussions, the participants' perceptions of HR risks were explored and elicited. Participating hotel managers' and employees' perceptions were utilized to build up an outline for examining the risks associated with human resources management (HRM) practices in hotels. The evaluation shows that HR risk types in luxury hotels vary highly and that each type of risk requires close examination. Recognizing HR risks play a key role for hospitality industry leaders and managers in attaining their organizations' goals and objectives, offering a practical framework in identifying and governing their HR risks, allowing them to make better strategic choices regarding their HR risk management (RM) plans. This study extends the hospitality literature by exploring new ways of identifying and classifying HRM risks in luxury hotels.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-10-31
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0110
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Progress on green technology research in hotels: a literature review
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Authors: Aysegul Gunduz Songur, Gozde Turktarhan, Cihan Cobanoglu
Abstract: The aim of this research, which is based on a literature review and bibliometric analysis, is to reveal the development of green technologies in hotels, based on the articles published in tourism and hospitality journals between 1999 and 2020. Based on five conditions and five databases, 64 journal papers were retrieved and reviewed. Among the surveyed publications pertinent to the eco-friendly/green technology practices at hotels, the majority focus was on the need for eco-friendly/green technology practices at hotels and the schemes implemented to achieve sustainable development. The research findings especially from the last decade report that today's guests generally prefer green hotels based on their increased awareness of environmental degradation and an ever-growing need for conservation and sustainability. The environmental responsibility which is inherent in the hospitality and tourism industry due to the environmental burden generated by the combined effect of both industries on Mother Earth, brings forth a substantial sense of commitment on the part of hotel companies. In that regard, a set of corporate initiatives in the form of green technology practices are implemented by hotels, toward the development of new product and service offerings, management of processes and corporate policy formation. This research focuses on green technologies aimed at sustainability in the field of accommodation and tourism, consisting of a systematic literature search on the subject. It is important in the way that it provides a general overview to researchers in terms of the theoretical implications of green technologies while also offering a road map with respect to green technology applications to the practitioners of the field.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-10-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2021-0280
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Motivations, attitudes and intentions towards luxury dining in airplane
themed restaurants: moderating roles of desire to fly, desire for luxury
and FOMO-
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Authors: Kong Cheen Lau, Sean Lee, Ian Phau
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the motivations, attitudes and intentions towards luxury dining in airplane themed restaurants (ATRs). The moderating roles of desire to fly, desire for luxury and fear of missing out (FOMO) towards attitude and intention to embark on this ATR experience are also investigated. Data are collected through a consumer panel. A total of 315 valid responses were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group moderation. To enhance ecological validity, a stimulus for the Singapore Airlines A380 Restaurant @Changi was created to ensure complete understanding of the product offering by the participants. Three motivation factors were discovered – novelty, escape and supporting reliving. Interestingly, it was also found that the attitude towards ATR partially mediated the relationship between supportive reliving and intention towards ATRs. Disposition towards FOMO was found to moderate the effect of attitude towards ATR on intention towards ATR. Negative effect between escape motivation and attitude towards the ATR from the moderation analysis for desire for luxury and desire to fly shows that people are still hesitant to accept the ATR as a replacement to satisfy their salient needs for luxury travel. Insights of this study demonstrate that local airlines could pivot their business through innovative offerings during the pandemic. The ATR concept can be effectively marketed by appealing to hedonistic and nationalistic needs and to avoid positioning it as an alternative for flying. This is a novel concept introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unprecedentedly, it uncovers the motivations, attitudes and intentions towards luxury dining in ATRs as a means to compensate for the pent-up desire to relive the experience of air travel.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-10-21
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0161
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Airbnb phenomenon: a review of literature and future research directions
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Authors: Garima Negi, Smita Tripathi
Abstract: The paper intends to review academic research on peer to peer (P2P) accommodation sharing, notably Airbnb, for 2010–2022 and to identify the knowledge gaps for future research directions. Numerous databases were searched using keywords. Based on the central theme of the research papers, the papers were divided into eight segments—consumer behavior, host behavior, host–guest relationship (HGR), trust in Airbnb, dominant theories in Airbnb, Airbnb regulation, Airbnb and hotels and macro impacts of Airbnb. In-depth content analysis resulted in the final 101 papers for inclusion. The review advances comprehension of the Airbnb phenomenon by enriching the literature with new and most recent studies. Most existing Airbnb research has been conducted in Europe, USA/Canada, followed by Asian countries like China, Singapore, S. Korea and India. Future studies should include South America, Africa and other developing nations. More cross-cultural studies are required to understand consumer and host behavior in different cultural settings. Numerous proposals to fulfill the research gaps identified by the paper are discussed. The study will give better insights into the spiraling P2P accommodation economy. The study will be useful to researchers, scholars, Airbnb, the hotel industry, vacation rental players and destination marketing organizations by relating the study findings to practical competition analysis. The study provides deeper insights into the decision-making process of both guests and hosts by examining the relevant motivators and constraints. It will also assist the Airbnb platform in identifying its strength over the traditional hotel industry and other vacation rentals. The findings will also assist policymakers in better controlling the Airbnb phenomena by providing a comprehensive view of the micro and macro environment. The paper includes the most recent studies from Asian countries like India, Singapore, China, Korea and Taiwan, not covered by earlier reviews. Prior studies mainly focused on European and American countries. Also, the paper tried to cover the macro impacts of Airbnb in-depth and the effects of COVID-19.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-10-13
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0133
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Comparing older and younger adults' valuation of friendly destination
attributes: a mixed-method empirical study-
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Authors: Chang-Hua Yen, Sheng-Hshiung Tsaur, Chin-Ying Ho
Abstract: The friendliness of a destination is a key factor influencing tourists' destination selection. However, few studies have explored the construct of friendly tourism destinations. The purpose of this study was to establish a typological framework of friendly tourism destinations and compare older and younger adults' valuations of friendly destination attributes. A mixed-method approach was used; in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 tourism stakeholders. Content analysis of the collected data was performed to construct a friendly tourism destination framework. The framework consisted of 37 categories, which were classified into six themes: transportation and infrastructure, friendly tourism environments, government policies and tourism promotion measures, tourism products and activities, tourism information services and friendly residents. Furthermore, survey data from 1,153 respondents in Taiwan revealed that older adults valued friendly tourism environments and friendly residents more highly than younger adults did. The participants were all from Taiwan; therefore, the results might not be applicable to tourists in other countries or regions. Furthermore, this study only compared the valuations of older and younger adults for the attributes of friendly tourism destinations. Friendly tourism destination categories can provide a reference for tourists when making travel decisions. The framework provides destination marketers with a new tool for managing friendly tourism destinations. The findings can act as a reference for travel suppliers seeking to improve tourism-friendly services. This study introduced a multifaceted framework for developing friendly tourism destinations from a holistic perspective. The results contribute to the tourism literature, revealing that younger and older adults have different valuations for the attributes of friendly tourism destinations.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-10-13
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0149
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Examining proactive pro-environmental behaviour through green inclusive
leadership and green human resource management: an empirical investigation
among Malaysian hotel employees-
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Authors: Ataul Karim Patwary, Mohd Fadil Mohd Yusof, Derweanna Bah Simpong, Siti Fatimah Ab Ghaffar, Muhammad Khalilur Rahman
Abstract: Despite the significant economic contributions of the tourism and hospitality industry, it is also considered an emerging concern for its negative impact on the environment. This study investigated the association between green inclusive leadership (GIL), green human resource management (GHRM), and employee proactive pro-environmental behaviour (PEB). The study also investigated the mediating effect of GHRM between GIL and proactive PEB. Hotel employees in Malaysia were the respondents in this study. The researchers used a cross-sectional approach and partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the data. Results found a significant relationship between GIL, GHRM and proactive PEB. Findings of the study revealed that GHRM significantly meditates the relations between GIL and proactive PEB. This study presents practical implications for the hotel industry by encouraging employees' environmentally responsible behaviour. Enlightening the role of environmentally open and accepting ways to promote positive employee behaviour is of considerable practical use not solely for the organisations but additionally for culture as a whole. Theoretical contributions are made by constructing a new structural model supported by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the induction of GIL, GHRM, and proactive PEB and measuring the factors simultaneously. The study further established the mediating role of GHRM between GIL and proactive PEB.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-10-12
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0213
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The impact of utilitarian, social and hedonic values on hotel booking
mobile app engagement and loyalty: a comparison of generational cohorts-
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Authors: Saeed Vayghan, Dennis Baloglu, Seyhmus Baloglu
Abstract: The primary purpose of this study was to examine the underlying consumer values that drive hotel booking mobile app users to engage more with the app and use the app continuously for hotel booking purposes. By conducting confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) on the data collected through the Qualtrics online survey platform from 506 respondents in the United States, the proposed measurements and structural models were tested. The findings for both Generation Xers and Millennials revealed that hedonic and social values influenced mobile app engagement, which strongly influenced mobile app loyalty. Thus, to enhance customer engagement and indirectly influence mobile app loyalty, the app value delivery should appeal to social and hedonic values. Although the utilitarian values for using apps had a potential direct impact on mobile app loyalty, the mediation analysis showed that mobile app engagement, when connecting consumption values to mobile app loyalty, served as a full mediator for Generation Xers and a partial mediator for Millennials. This study provides insights into how hotels and online travel agent (OTA) marketing managers may consider augmenting user engagement with hotel booking mobile apps. This study suggests that hoteliers and OTAs should further develop their user experience efforts to enhance the utilitarian features of their mobile app to increase revenue from repeat purchases. Additionally, this study provides implications for enhancing the hedonic and social features of hotel booking mobile apps to appeal to Millennials and Gen Xers. This study developed and assessed an integrated model to investigate the relationships between consumption values, engagement and loyalty in hotel booking mobile apps. Furthermore, it examined generational cohorts' role in the relationships between these constructs.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-10-10
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0229
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- A bibliometric analysis of work engagement in the hospitality and tourism
industry-
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Authors: Yao Han, Ying Yang, Rosmah Mohamed
Abstract: For the past two decades, researchers have been exploring knowledge of work engagement in the hospitality and tourism industry (HTI). This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of global research trends in the field through a bibliometric analysis. A total of 335 papers from 2005 to 2021 were searched using the Scopus database. The analysis focused on the temporal distribution, most productive journals, countries/territories, institutions, authors, international and authors' collaboration, the most cited publications and author keywords. The VOS viewer and R software were used to visualise the scientific landscapes. The results indicated a rapidly increasing trend of studies on work engagement in the HTI. The journal with the most published articles was the International Journal of Hospitality Management. The USA ranked first in production, and Karatepe, O.M., from Turkey was the leading author. The first and most cited article was from Salanova et al. (2005). Other themes were identified, mainly related to job resources and outcomes associated with work engagement. The study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the progress of work engagement in HTI studies and offers clues for further investigation in this field. This is the first paper to explore work engagement in the HTI using quantitative and visualised bibliometric analysis.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-10-06
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0235
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Factors influencing resistance to hospitality information system change
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Authors: Jungsun (Sunny) Kim, Andrew Hardin, Samuel Lee
Abstract: When organizations implement a new information system (IS), they often experience users' resistance behaviors. This study explored the effects of IS self-efficacy, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and anxiety on resistance to IS change within the hospitality domain. It also compared these relationships before and after completing e-learning courses for a new IS. Survey responses were gathered from current and future hospitality employees. All hypotheses were tested via confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results demonstrated that (1) IS self-efficacy had significant effects on both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of IS; and (2) IS anxiety had a significant impact on resistance to IS change, both before and after completing the e-learning courses. The results also showed that self-efficacy had a significant effect on anxiety and, in turn, resistance to change, after completing the e-learning courses, but not prior to the training. This study addressed the lack of theory-driven empirical research on predictors of user resistance to IS change, based on social cognitive theory, technology acceptance models, and user resistance research. Based on the findings, hospitality operators and vendors can focus on improving factors influencing user adoption of a new IS when they design and implement it. Operators can design better change management strategies to reduce resistance to IS change. Few investigations have been conducted to explain the relationships among the aforementioned factors, before and after completing e-learning for a hospitality IS.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-10-05
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0129
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Relational leadership and employee creativity: the role of
knowledge-sharing behaviour and leader–follower dyadic tenure-
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Authors: Abraham Ansong, Ethel Esi Ennin, Moses Ahomka Yeboah
Abstract: The study investigated the effects of relational leadership on hotel employees' creativity, using knowledge-sharing behaviour and leader–follower dyadic tenure as intervening variables. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 355 employees of authorized hotels from the conurbation of Cape Coast and Elmina in Ghana. To evaluate the study's research hypotheses, the authors used WarpPLS and PLS-SEM. The findings demonstrated that while knowledge-sharing behaviour did not directly affect employee creativity, it did have a significant mediating effect on the link between relational leadership and the creativity of employees. The study also revealed that the ability of relational leaders to drive knowledge-sharing behaviour was not contingent on leader–follower dyadic tenure. The results of this study have practical relevance for human resource practitioners in the hospitality industry. Given that relational leadership has a positive relationship with employee creativity, the authors recommend that hotel supervisors relate well with employees by sharing valuable information and respecting their opinions in decision-making. Studies on the role of relational leadership and employee creativity are scanty. This study develops a model to explain how relational leadership could influence employee creativity by incorporating knowledge-sharing behaviour and leader–follower dyadic tenure.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-06-2022-0218
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Meaning in life and the quest for authenticity in touristic experiences
among Turkish tourists-
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Authors: Burhan Cinar, Derya Toksoz, A. Celil Cakici
Abstract: Discussions of authenticity in touristic experiences indicate that it is a significant area in the search for meaning. This study aims to demonstrate that the quest for authenticity in a tourist experience begins in the pre-travel period by associating it with meaning in life. Data were collected via survey from 356 people planning to participate in tourism activities. The survey included demographic questions, the meaning in life scale and the quest for authenticity (QfA) scale, designed by previous researchers. The analysis revealed that meaning in life levels significantly explained the quest for subjective authenticity (R2 = 0.303) and objective authenticity (R2 = 0.131) in tourist experiences. The search for objective authenticity in a tourist experience significantly mediated the relationship between meaning in life and subjective authenticity. The research has several limitations. Primarily, the sampling group of the research consists of Turkish tourists who are planning to participate in tourism mobilities, and mostly females volunteered to respond in the data collection process. Hence it is necessary to study potential tourists from other countries for a more generalized conclusion. Second, the authors did not specifically ask the sample group which forms of tourism they are planning to participate in, heritage and culture, fair, etc. Subsequent studies may address this distinction and the explanatory power of the independent variable may differ according to plan to participate in different forms of tourism. Tourism has an important place in individuals' search for meaning in life and authenticity. Because it offers an environment/setting where individuals can find answers to these searches. As a result of modernism, individuals become alienated from themselves, and their environment and the meanings they attribute to life are sometimes blurred. Some individuals experiencing this tend towards tourist mobility. This process individuals go through also includes the need for authenticity. Thus, such tourist behaviors cause the emergence of different authentic products that can meet the expectations and wishes of individuals. One of the main elements that encourages people to travel is quest for authenticity, which they feel is lacking in modern life. Thus, tourists are more likely to experience meaning in life based on subjective experiences than viewed objects. The study offers three novel findings: individuals seek authenticity in tourist experiences in order to find meaning in life; quest for authenticity begins in the pre-travel process; and objective authenticity is necessary to seek subjective authenticity through meaning in life. While a few studies have investigated these variables, the authenticity literature has neglected the pre-travel phase. However, this needs attention to better understand authenticity in tourism.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-27
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-01-2022-0033
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Sustainable recovery for people and the planet through
spirituality-induced connectedness in the hospitality and tourism industry
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Authors: Hamed Rezapouraghdam, Osman M. Karatepe, Constanta Enea
Abstract: This paper aims to propose a conceptual model which can be used in tourism and hospitality organizations to nurture human behavior change in favor of people and the planet's well-being. A detailed review of the relevant theories and previous studies was conducted in this study. Eight propositions have emerged in this research illustrating the mechanisms through which spiritual leadership within organizations can lead to a sustainable recovery of people and the planet during and post-pandemic era. In line with the United Nation's agenda for sustainable development goals, this paper provides important insights for managers, policymakers, and practitioners on a soft transition toward sustainable business practices as an attempt toward the social, environmental, and economic prosperity for people and the planet. This research is one of the few studies exploring the contribution of spiritual leadership in tourism and hospitality organizations to the well-being of people and the planet.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-27
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0103
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Value co-creation and destination brand equity: understanding the role of
social commerce information sharing-
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Authors: Long Hong Pham, Erisher Woyo, Trang Huong Pham, Dao Thi Xuan Truong
Abstract: Widespread technology adoption in tourism enables tourists to be active content creators, thus, influencing destination brands through co-creation. This study examines value co-creation, social commerce information sharing, and destination brand equity. A quantitative approach was applied to analyse data collected from a global online survey. Hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM analysis. Results show that destination brand equity is positively influenced by value co-creation. Additionally, social commerce information sharing mediates the relationship between value co-creation and destination brand equity. The article adds new insights to tourism marketing by investigating value co-creation, social commerce information sharing and destination brand equity. It also offers interesting implications for destination managers to improve Vietnam as a destination brand. This paper is among the first to test the mediating role of social commerce on value co-creation and destination brand equity.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-27
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0123
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Wellness tourism scholarship: a research agenda
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Authors: Eray Polat, Mehmet Ali Koseoglu
Abstract: The study aims to explore the intellectual structure of wellness tourism (WT) research by performing a two-phase methodological approach. Citation and co-citation analysis were performed on 209 articles published up to October 2021 in Scopus, and the results were visualised with the VOSviewer software. Furthermore, to assess clusters in-depth, qualitative thematic content analysis was used. The findings indicate that the main articles of WT research examine the demand side of WT. Five clusters were explored by co-citation analysis. Each cluster is discussed by presenting the main theme, key theoretical framework, and characteristic methodological perspective. Accordingly, no dominant theory stands out in research on wellness tourism. Most of the study has been done through cross-sectional surveys. The authors anticipate that by the recommendations outlined in this study, WT research will progress and provide significant insights to WT practitioners in the coming years to meet tourist expectations. Via this research, which shows the discovery of the intellectual structure of WT and its holistic picture, the deficiencies in the picture will be seen, and practitioners will be provided information based on evidence.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-27
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0186
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Do transformational leadership and work engagement matter for job
performance in luxury hotels' Exploring the role of leaders'
managerial skills-
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Authors: Junaid Aftab, Huma Sarwar, Alina Kiran, Nabila Abid, Suraya Binti Ahmad
Abstract: The paper aimed to explore the underlying work engagement role in transformational leadership and employees' job performance relationships. Moreover, this study also looked at the moderation of leaders' managerial skills in the transformational leadership and work engagement nexus. The time-lagged data of 360 followers — leader dyads nested in 71 teams were collected from star-rated hotels in Italy and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was executed. Based on social learning theory and idiosyncrasy credit theory, the SEM results demonstrate that transformational leadership is significantly and positively linked with job performance and work engagement mediated this relationship. The results also confirmed that leaders' managerial skills strengthen the transformational leadership and work engagement nexus. Hotel managers should consider hiring individuals with transformational leadership skills and provide training to Polish their managerial skills in order to enhance employee engagement at work, which may result in job performance. With this study, the researchers emphasize the significance of transformational leadership and work engagement for better job performance in the Italian hospitality industry. Our analysis also provides new evidence that leaders' managerial skills strengthen the transformative leadership and work engagement nexus. The study is one of the first to investigate the boundary conditions of leaders' managerial skills in the transformational leadership and work engagement relationship. Based on the findings, the practical and theoretical contributions are also discussed.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-27
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0208
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- An examination of value co-creation drivers in Ghana's hotel setting: a
micro-level approach-
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Authors: Dora Yeboah, Masud Ibrahim, Kingsley Agyapong
Abstract: This study aims to investigate the drivers that motivate employees and guests' hotel service participation to understand how that can influence the implementation of Value Co-Creation (VCC) in sub-Saharan African context. Using an interpretive paradigm, the study draws on 32 in-depth interviews, 6 focus group discussions involving 32 participants and participant observation field notes. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study unravels nine motives that drive employee–guest VCC participation: passion, relationship, belongingness, shared and enhanced experiences, satisfaction, reputation development, openness, communication and rewards. This exploratory, cross-sectional study was undertaken in hotels within sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, findings cannot be generalised. However, it provides an opportunity for future quantitative approaches within different contexts involving other stakeholders. Considering the numerous challenges from COVID-19 pandemic on the service industry, hotel managers might want to use the findings to not only formulate policies that support employee–guest co-creation for service improvement and survival but also introduce enhanced innovative service practices that deliver on employee and guest service expectations for retention. The findings encourage hotel managers to identify employee and guest context-specific motivations to be able to match with value-driven service activities, aimed at attracting positive behaviours to better respond to the numerous COVID-19-related challenges. This work adds to the VCC literature by investigating the collective and individual drivers at the employee and guest dyadic level within sub-Saharan African hotel context. The authors propose a comprehensive model to guide the successful implementation of employee–guest VCC.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-26
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0041
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Determining food attributes for measuring and evaluating a gastronomic
destination's appeal to visitors-
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Authors: Nimit Soonsan, Panuwat Phakdee-auksorn, Pornchai Suksirisopon
Abstract: The research aims to determine local food attributes for measuring and evaluating that appeal tourists to the gastronomic city of Phuket, Thailand. The first step is, the item generation, which includes an in-depth interview. Secondly, scale purification includes the exploratory factor analysis, which generates a preliminary factor structure. In the final step, scale validation, confirmatory component analysis is used to test the items and dimensions. The 33 items organized into eight dimensions: food quality, authenticity, hygiene, interpersonal, novelty, service provider, foodservice place and value added for a creative city of gastronomy were demonstrated to be valid and reliable after a thorough development process. The findings assist practitioners in recognizing the many aspects of local food attributes, as well as how destination managers can employ these factors to promote a destination. This research contributes to the theoretical literature on a gastronomic creative city, with more research into the links between destination management and other important concepts. In terms of the outcomes of a creative city of gastronomy management, this study might serve as a reference for destination managers and travel suppliers.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-22
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0048
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Ghost production: applying the Servuction model to establish a typology
and propose a research agenda for on-demand restaurant food delivery-
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Authors: Mark Ashton, Aarni Tuomi, Peter Backman
Abstract: The rapid growth in volume and value of on-demand restaurant food delivery, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is causing a paradigm shift in the food service sector. However, there is a lack of hospitality management research into this emerging phenomenon. To address this gap, this paper defines and develops a novel conceptual model and typology and proposes a research agenda for ghost production in the context of food service. This paper uses the Servuction model to explore, define and model the radical separation between food service production sites, points of sale and consumer interaction from the perspective of on-demand restaurant food delivery. A novel typology is developed and illustrated with eight industry examples from the UK and an accompanying cost benefit analysis. Future research priorities are identified. In the hospitality literature, little attention has been paid to changes on-demand restaurant food delivery brings to production and business models of food service organisations, resulting in significant gaps between food service practice and theory. The knock-on effects to stakeholders include increased convenience for customers, uncertain employment status of riders and, for restaurants, striking a balance between capturing new markets and losing control of the customer. Additionally, for aggregators, there is a lack of profitability in existing models, despite holding the balance of power (and data). The concept of “ghost production” and its associated typology is novel and offers a contribution to hospitality management literature by defining the term, scope and scale of this new phenomenon. Practical implications are proposed.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-22
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0134
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The impact of halal tourism on Muslim diaspora intention to recommend: an
application of the theory of planned behaviour-
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Authors: Iddrisu Mohammed, Mahmoud Abdulai Mahmoud, Alexander Preko, Robert Hinson, Joseph G. Yeboah
Abstract: This paper sought to examine the factors that influence intention to recommend, focussing on the extension of the theory of planned behaviour in halal tourism, with additional instruments such as halal safety and security, and trustworthiness of halal information. Guided by a quantitative approach, cross-sectional data were collected using 394 Muslim diaspora tourists. The analysis technique used in this study is the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results suggest that halal planned behaviour may account for the intention to recommend. Halal attitude, subjective norm, halal image, halal value, halal safety and security, and trustworthiness of halal information positively and significantly affect intention to recommend. Muslim diaspora tourists are identified to have halal planned behaviour on intention to recommend. Hence, destination managers and practitioners are suggested to develop proactive halal products and services that appeal to tourists' intention to recommend. This study has developed two new constructs: halal safety and security, and the trustworthiness of halal information grounded on the theory of planned behaviour in halal tourism. Specifically, the focus is on Muslim diasporic tourists' perspective in a non-Islamic context.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-09-06
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2021-0297
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The adoption of smart industry 4.0 app technology and harnessing e-WOM in
the wine industry caused by a global pandemic: a case study of the Yarra
Valley in Australia-
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Authors: Paul Strickland, Kim M. Williams
Abstract: This exploratory study aims to examine how wine stakeholders' are adopting innovative advancements in smart industry 4.0 application technology (SI4.0AT) coupled with electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) techniques to increase winery visitation and wine sales, prior to and during a global pandemic in the Yarra Valley in Victoria, Australia. A qualitative interpretivist geographical bounded case study approach was used to collect data from fifteen Victorian wine stakeholder's prior to and during the global pandemic COVID-19. A thematic analysis was applied to interpret participant responses and how they viewed, reacted to and harnessed S14.0AT and e-WOM to continue and increase wine sales. The findings suggest few wine stakeholders' were actively implementing SI4.0AT prior to the global pandemic, COVID -19. With the forced closure of wineries to visitors across Australia, most small to medium-sized wineries immediately changed their business models to concentrate on domestic e-commerce wine sales and home delivery. To support these new business models, e-WOM techniques were quickly adopted or increased whereas other S14.0AT technologies were not, due to financial restraints. The number of participants used in this study is a limitation, however, this can be overcome by replicating this study in other wine regions. This research focused on the wine stakeholders' viewpoint only and may not be easily generalised. Future studies may examine the “what” aspect of SI4.0AT is being used and e-WOM content such as investigating what consumers are saying about these wineries, the method of communication and the motivations for consumers to engage with a winery. The implications for the wine industry and overall results offer insight into the wine stakeholders' perceptions of SI4.0AT and e-WOM and consequent marketing strategy of wineries in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, both pre- and during forced face-to-face winery closures due to a global pandemic. Wineries need to continue to harness and leverage the benefits of e-WOM wine marketing in their marketing strategies and continue to explore the affordability of 4.0 app technology and Tourism 4.0 options. This study is the first attempt at investigating how wine stakeholders' view; react to and harness SI4.0AT and e-WOM through formalised online marketing strategies which should continue to be investigated in the future.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-08-31
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0175
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The effect of deepfake video advertisements on the hotel booking intention
of tourists-
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Authors: Brijesh Sivathanu, Rajasshrie Pillai
Abstract: This study aims to investigate the effect of deepfake video advertisements on hotel booking intention by applying the media richness theory (MRT) and information manipulation theory (IMT). A quantitative survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire to understand the effect of deepfake hotel video advertisements on booking intention. A large cross-section of 1,240 tourists was surveyed and data were analyzed with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The outcome of this research provides the factors affecting the booking intention due to deepfake hotel video advertisements. These factors are media richness (MR), information manipulation (IM) tactics, perceived value (PV) and perceived trust (PT). Cognitive load and perceived deception (DC) negatively influence the hotel booking intention. The distinctive model that emerged is insightful for senior executives and managers in the hospitality sector to understand the influence of deepfake video advertisements. This research provides the factors of hotel booking intention due to deepfake video advertisements, which are helpful for designers, developers, marketing managers and other stakeholders in the hotel industry. MR and IMT are integrated with variables such as PT and PV to explore the tourists' hotel booking intention after watching deepfake video advertisements. It is the first step toward deepfake video advertisements and hotel booking intentions for tourists. It provides an empirically tested and validated robust theoretical model to understand the effect of deepfake video advertisements on hotel booking intention.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-08-29
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0094
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Ecotourism a solution or deception for conservation: a case of
Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India-
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Authors: Madhumita Das, Bani Chatterjee
Abstract: The quest for alternative approaches to tourism has introduced ecotourism. However, in many instances, ecotourism becomes “green washing” process where revenue generation becomes prominent and protection of environmental assets is kept aside. The present article attempts to examine the impact of ecotourism policy on conservation in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary (BKWS), Odisha, India. Using social exchange theory (SET), the article examines whether ecotourism reduces the dependency of the local communities on natural resources and also the impact of ecotourism on conservation of biodiversity in BKWS. The study using a mixed method approach finds that ecotourism in BKWS is able to provide economic benefits to the villagers. The economic benefits from diversified employment opportunities are able to motivate locals to conserve biodiversity. However, the socio-cultural impact is hardly experienced by the villagers. By examining the linkage of conservation with community development in a diverse society like India, the paper finds the linkage of conservation with development. The paper has also widened the existing ecotourism literature of India and Odisha. The study adopted SET so as to get a comprehensive understanding at the ground level, forming the basis for future research and further conceptual development. The results of the study will help policy makers to develop an effective conservation strategy by integrating tourism, conservation and sustainable development of the locals so as to make ecotourism a successful approach in BKWS. For a growing ecotourism site like BKWS, the current study is the first to assess impact of ecotourism on conservation and local people.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-08-25
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-12-2021-0336
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Assessing the relationship of perceived risks with destination image and
destination loyalty: a tourist's perspective visiting volatile
destinations-
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Authors: Ashaq Hussain Najar, Ab Hamid Rather
Abstract: This research analyses the simultaneous relationship between perceived risks, destination image and destination loyalty as well as the mediating role of two components of destination image (cognitive and affective) in the relationship between perceived risks and destination loyalty. The current study used a convenience sampling method for collecting data from 413 respondents using a self-administered questionnaire. Furthermore, the two-step approach for structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to assess the model's psychometric properties and test the proposed structural model. The results revealed that only socio-psychological and political risks negatively affected destination loyalty. In contrast, performance risk, physical risk and financial risk did not show a significant direct effect on tourists' destination loyalty. Each type of perceived risk significantly contributed to cognitive and affective image formation. However, the financial risk did not significantly affect the affective image. Moreover, the affective component of the image was found to have a higher impact on establishing destination loyalty than the cognitive component of the image. Finally, cognitive and affective facets of the image were found to act as significant mediators between perceived risks and destination loyalty. The study provides a better understanding of how perceived risks and destination image, if properly managed, exert a better influence on destination loyalty. Moreover, the affective dimension of destination image must be actively used to position Kashmir in the domestic tourism market and connect with individuals, especially those who have negative feelings regarding risky destinations. This is likely to be the first study to investigate the relationships between various dimensions of perceived risk, destination image and destination loyalty in the context of a volatile destination, i.e. Kashmir Valley (India). Furthermore, the role of two facets of destination image (cognitive and affective) in mediating the relationship between perceived risks and destination loyalty extends and contributes to the theoretical foundation for the destination perception concept.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-08-23
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0100
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Understanding consumers’ preferences for green hotels – the roles of
perceived green benefits and environmental knowledge-
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Authors: Ling Ling Tan
Abstract: This study aims to examine the influence of environmental knowledge on perceived green benefits and green hotel patronage intention. It also aims to investigate the influence of perceived green benefits on attitude towards green hotel stay and patronage intention. The purposive sampling method was used in this study. A total of 262 respondents completed the survey questionnaire. For data testing, the partial least squares approach was used. Environmental knowledge positively influenced the intention to patronise a green hotel and all the perceived green benefits – functional, emotional, social and epistemic benefits. Perceived green benefits did not influence green hotel patronage intention directly, but all the benefits promoted a favourable attitude towards green hotel stay. Future studies can replicate this study to examine whether consumers in other cities or countries perceive green benefits similarly or differently. The current model can also be used to explore other hospitality and tourism settings. Green hoteliers should highlight all the four perceived green benefits in their marketing communication materials, especially functional and epistemic benefits that have greater effect on attitude. Green hoteliers can also collaborate with local government, educational institutions and travel agencies to develop pro-environmental materials to increase environmental knowledge of consumers. Few studies have examined the relationships among environmental knowledge, perceived green benefits with the inclusion of epistemic benefit, attitude and green hotel patronage intention in a single framework.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-08-15
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-01-2022-0038
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The dark side of competitive psychological climate: exploring the role of
workplace envy-
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Authors: Muhammad Hamid Murtza, Muhammad Imran Rasheed
Abstract: Employees compete for organizational resources as scarcity of resources has always been a critical issue in organizations. Since every employee cannot get equal pay raises, promotions and other incentives, therefore, they start feeling competition in the workplace which may further lead to negative outcomes such as envy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the negative consequences of the competitive psychological climate in the hospitality industry. The authors further intend to familiarize with the envy reducing mechanism. Drawing on social comparison theory our study intends to explain the role of competitive psychological climate in workplaces. The authors utilized an exploratory qualitative research approach and surveyed through semi-structured interviews of the hospitality professionals working in the star hotels in Pakistan. The authors’ findings reveal that there is a huge psychological competitive climate in the hotel industry in Pakistan. The psychological competitive climate leads to workplace envy among workers which further results in poor employee performance. The authors further found the role of personality traits in affecting employees' envious feelings. Despite the fact that this study only examined the star-category hotels in Pakistan and its findings may not be representative of the whole hospitality industry, it offers a clear illustration of the effect that competitive climate can have on individuals in the form of workplace envy. The authors examined the dark side of the competitive climate in the hospitality industry which was overlooked in the literature. The study highlights key research implications and sets the future agenda for research in the hospitality industry.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-08-12
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0097
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The local food supply, willingness to pay and the sustainability of an
island destination
Open Access Article-
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Authors: Cathrine Linnes, Jeffrey Thomas Weinland, Giulio Ronzoni, Joseph Lema, Jerome Agrusa
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the trend toward purchasing locally grown food and evaluate if tourists visiting Hawai'i are willing to pay more for locally produced foods that are more ecologically sustainable. A research questionnaire was developed in order to investigate the attitudes and behaviors of tourists from the continental United States visiting Hawai'i in purchasing locally grown food in Hawai'i. The final sample includes 454 valid survey responses collected via Momentive, a market research services company. According to the findings of this study, there are economic prospects to expand the use of locally cultivated food into the tourists' experience, as well as a willingness for tourists to support these activities financially. The Contingent Valuation study revealed that tourists from the continental United States were ready to pay a higher price to purchase food that is locally grown, signifying that tourists to Hawai'i are willing to aid the local agriculture business by increasing their restaurant/hotel meal bill, which will help Hawai'i become a more sustainable tourist destination. While tourists from the United States mainland, which is the “an islands” top tourist market, have agreed with paying extra or an additional fee for locally grown food products, this study might not accurately represent the attitudes and behaviors of international tourists visiting Hawai'i. Future research should focus on the international tourist markets which may have different social norms or cultural differences thus could provide a broader spectrum of the current study's findings. The results of this study provided quantitative evidence that tourists from the United States are interested in purchasing locally grown food items in Hawaii in addition to their willingness to pay an additional fee for these locally grown food products at a restaurant or a hotel dining room, thus addressing a gap in the tourism research.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-08-08
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-01-2022-0031
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Destination stereotypes: a phenomenon of destination image
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Authors: Venkata Rohan Sharma Karri, Jeet Dogra
Abstract: Despite years of research on destination image (DI), studies have surprisingly failed to investigate how tourists perceive and approach destinations that they are not cognizant about. While prodigious amount of information is available on the dimensionality and nature of DI, little is known about the construct with reference to cognizance, geographical proximity and units. Understanding such an aspect would help destination management organizations (DMOs) in refining their marketing strategies and in improving their destination's competitiveness. Through an extensive review of literature in areas pertinent to the phenomenon being investigated, this article puts forward a series of propositions, which are then used in the framework entailing the proposed construct of destination stereotypes (DS). While identifying an overlap in concepts pertaining to the fields of marketing and tourism, this study postulates that DS facilitate the extension of a destination's dominant impressions to that of another based on various parameters. It further discusses several courses through which impressions of a particular destination are extended to that of another, thereby putting forward DS as a missing link in tourists' reception of destinations. DS as a construct helps in identifying the source of an impression which may not be the destination in question but instead another destination. Upon construct validity, the proposed framework would yield insights into other competing destinations and thereby effectively help in altering the extant DI. While there have been many studies on tourist stereotypes and DI, it is amongst the first few studies to have discussed stereotypes in the context of destinations and their image, especially with an emphasis on cognizance, geographical proximity and units. Therefore, it acts as a meaningful piece of work towards the progression of the DI literature.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-07-21
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0111
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- How can destination competitiveness play an essential role in small island
sports tourism development' Integrated ISM-MICMAC modelling of key
factors-
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Authors: Erfan Moradi, Mohammad Ehsani, Marjan Saffari, Rasool Norouzi Seyed Hosseini
Abstract: This paper aims to identify factors that affect the sports tourism destination's competitiveness on a small island. Hence, this study looks at and evaluates these factors. The study then comes up with a model that clarifies the interrelationships between these factors. The authors broke down the data analysis process into three steps. The first step was to conduct a literature review and use industry and academia experts' help to determine the essential aspects (fuzzy Delphi method). Then, a hierarchical model was developed, and the factors were categorised using the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach. Factors' driving and dependency power were also determined using MICMAC analysis. This work has identified 13 key factors related to the sports tourism destination's competitiveness on a small island. For a small island like Kish Island, the two independent variables (government support and destination political stability) that define the institutional framework for the destination are most important. Building corresponding competitive and support strategies to address these two independent variables is thus beneficial. The research's results provide decision-makers, practitioners, and researchers with new insights into the hierarchical model of determinants. The study will fill the existing gap between theory and practice. Sports tourism destination managers on small islands may benefit from the proposed model since the model will enable them to organise the managers' priorities better to enhance the managers' destinations' competitiveness and provide tourists with a more accurate depiction of the destination. According to the authors' knowledge, the research design presented in this article has provided the first attempt to hierarchical analyse these factors and develop a model for sports tourism destination competitiveness on small islands and destinations with less-developed economies. This study fills the gap in the destination competitiveness and sports tourism literature by not only identifying the key influencing factors but also examining the interactions between these factors and providing empirical evidence supporting their relationships.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-07-19
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0118
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Revisiting the terrorism–tourism nexus in Nigeria: the moderating
role of military spending-
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Authors: Isiaka Akande Raifu, Joshua Adeyemi Afolabi, Olusegun Joseph Oguntimehin Jr
Abstract: Tourism development is critical for economic transformation, particularly in emerging economies. However, the growing spate of terrorism dissuades international tourists, reduces tourism receipts and ultimately hampers the tourism sector's performance. Thus, the government intervenes by altering its military spending to curtail terrorism. Against this backdrop, this study examines the moderating role of military spending in the terrorism–tourism nexus in Nigeria. The study employs the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) to investigate the moderating role of military spending in the terrorism–tourism nexus in Nigeria. The authors employ the data that cover the period 1995Q1–2019Q4. The results reveal that terrorism has a catastrophic effect on tourism arrivals in Nigeria while military spending has a positive impact on tourism arrivals. The results further show the moderating role of military spending in the terrorism–tourism nexus is positive and statistically significant. However, the findings are subject to the measures of military spending, terrorism and tourism. The practical implication of the findings is the need for deliberate and strategic budgeting for the Ministry of Defence to combat terrorism, which should not only focus on the procurement of arms and ammunition but also cover the welfare of the military personnel. Nigeria also needs to formulate and implement necessary tourism policies aimed at countering terrorism in a bid to create and maintain a positive image on the global tourist map. Many studies, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria, had examined the effect of terrorism on tourism but none has examined the moderating role of military spending in the terrorism–tourism nexus. Hence, this study examines the moderating role of military spending in the relationship between terrorism and tourism in Nigeria, a terrorism-prone country with several tourist sites.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-07-19
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0164
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Tourism seasonality management strategies – what can we learn from
payment data-
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Authors: Luis Moura Ramos, Fátima Sol Murta
Abstract: A convenient payment system is increasingly recognized as an asset of tourism destinations. By using data on payments with cards issued in foreign countries, together with other monthly tourism flow variables, the authors assess the importance of card payments to identify seasonality in inbound tourism in Portugal. The authors compute seasonality measures using Portuguese data on card payments from 2003 to 2019, together with data on nights spent and the Balance of Payments travel credit. The authors also assess seasonal behaviour in the timespan of the different tourism strategic plans in place during this period. Card payments grew at a faster pace than the other inbound tourism variables and show a seasonal pattern similar to the other variables. Seasonality decreases when variables measured in quantities are considered (nights spent and number of card transactions). However, when the authors use value variables (Balance of Payments travel credit and value of card transactions), seasonality in 2019 is higher than in 2003. The widespread use of digital payments makes card payment information an even better proxy of tourism activity and since it is available in a short time-span it has informational potential for tourism stakeholders and for researchers in this field. The authors study the seasonal behaviour of foreign card payments along with other international tourism flow variables. The authors’ results highlight the informational potential of card payment data and the importance of electronic payment infrastructure for tourist activity.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-07-18
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-12-2021-0337
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Predicting sentiment and rating of tourist reviews using machine learning
Open Access Article-
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Authors: Karlo Puh, Marina Bagić Babac
Abstract: As the tourism industry becomes more vital for the success of many economies around the world, the importance of technology in tourism grows daily. Alongside increasing tourism importance and popularity, the amount of significant data grows, too. On daily basis, millions of people write their opinions, suggestions and views about accommodation, services, and much more on various websites. Well-processed and filtered data can provide a lot of useful information that can be used for making tourists' experiences much better and help us decide when selecting a hotel or a restaurant. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore machine and deep learning models for predicting sentiment and rating from tourist reviews. This paper used machine learning models such as Naïve Bayes, support vector machines (SVM), convolutional neural network (CNN), long short-term memory (LSTM) and bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) for extracting sentiment and ratings from tourist reviews. These models were trained to classify reviews into positive, negative, or neutral sentiment, and into one to five grades or stars. Data used for training the models were gathered from TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel platform. The models based on multinomial Naïve Bayes (MNB) and SVM were trained using the term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) for word representations while deep learning models were trained using global vectors (GloVe) for word representation. The results from testing these models are presented, compared and discussed. The performance of machine and learning models achieved high accuracy in predicting positive, negative, or neutral sentiments and ratings from tourist reviews. The optimal model architecture for both classification tasks was a deep learning model based on BiLSTM. The study’s results confirmed that deep learning models are more efficient and accurate than machine learning algorithms. The proposed models allow for forecasting the number of tourist arrivals and expenditure, gaining insights into the tourists' profiles, improving overall customer experience, and upgrading marketing strategies. Different service sectors can use the implemented models to get insights into customer satisfaction with the products and services as well as to predict the opinions given a particular context. This study developed and compared different machine learning models for classifying customer reviews as positive, negative, or neutral, as well as predicting ratings with one to five stars based on a TripAdvisor hotel reviews dataset that contains 20,491 unique hotel reviews.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-07-14
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0078
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- How leadership competences foster innovation and high performance:
evidence from tourism industry in Vietnam-
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Authors: Ngoc Khuong Mai, Thanh Tung Do, Phuong Mai Tran
Abstract: This study investigates how to foster innovation and high performance through leadership competences (result-oriented, cognitive, interpersonal) in the context of tourism firms in Vietnam during COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative approach and survey questionnaire were applied to collect data from managerial executives working at different tourism establishments in Vietnam. A total of 638 responses were analyzed using partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings revealed that all three leadership competencies affected almost all factors of business innovation. However, leaders' interpersonal competence was not related to process innovation and leaders' result-oriented competence was not associated with organizational innovation. Furthermore, leaders' result-oriented competence, product innovation, and process innovation were found to directly enhance organizational performance. This study proposed some suggestions for tourism leaders in exhibiting appropriate leadership competences and fostering business innovation to drive their firms towards superior performance. Achieving high performance is always a priority goal of many firms; therefore, several attempted have been made to address several factors affecting organizational performance. This study provides a more nuanced picture of the relationships between the leadership competences, business innovation, and high performance of tourism firms.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-07-12
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0083
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Consumer confusion and decision postponement in the online tourism domain:
the moderating role of self-efficacy-
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Authors: Anuradha Sharma, Jagwinder Singh Pandher, Gyan Prakash
Abstract: Internet emergence has evolved the business of tourism companies, and every tourism company is available online and provides abundant choices, which causes consumers' confusion. The current study aims to investigate the interaction effect of demographic variables on confusion, decision postponement as a negative consequence of confusion and self-efficacy as a moderator in light of the stimulus organism response (SOR) model. Also, an attempt has been made to integrate the smart technology-based solution to deal with consumers' confusion. Three-way ANOVA, Andrew Hayes process, structural equation modelling and random forest algorithm were used to assess the 507 self-filled questionnaire responses for examining consumers' confusion. The results reveal that confusion decreases with increased education levels for each gender and age group. Also, for every gender and education level, consumer confusion increases and then decreases. Further, it was observed that self-efficacy effectively moderates the influence of different confusions on decision postponement. An artificial intelligence-enabled predictive model with an accuracy of 71.49% was established, which forecasts the possibility of consumers' decision postponement. This study offers the comprehension of how the travel site administrators and stakeholders have used artificial intelligence-enabled solution for consumers' confusion and to reduce decision postponement. To the best of the authors' awareness, this is one of the first studies to unveil the interaction effect of demographic factors on confusion, assess the role of self-efficacy as a moderator and provide artificial intelligence-enabled solutions for consumers' confusion.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-07-05
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0096
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Does a highly standardized international advertising campaign contribute
to the enhancement of destination image' Evidence from Turkey-
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Authors: M. Mithat Uner, Osman M. Karatepe, S. Tamer Cavusgil, Kemal Gurkan Kucukergin
Abstract: Does a highly standardized international advertising campaign enhance destination image' Drawing evidence from Turkey's Home Global Image Campaign, the authors investigate this fundamental question. This would help the authors to understand whether there are significant differences in cognitive and affective image among tourist groups in Europe in a destination where there is a highly standardized international advertising campaign. Data collected from British, German, French and Italian tourists through the official Twitter account of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (TMCT) were used to carry out the quantitative analysis. Analysis of variance test was performed to assess the differences in nationalities. The Scheffe test was also applied as a post hoc comparison. Cognitive image attributes such as “good value for money,” “good climate,” “interesting and friendly people,” “beautiful scenery and natural attractions,” “interesting cultural attractions,” “appealing local food (cuisine)” and “hygiene and cleanliness” are found to be less favorable in the perceptions of French tourists than those of British, German and Italian tourists. British, German and Italian tourists perceive Turkey as a more pleasant destination than French tourists. Overall, the findings suggest that a highly standardized international advertising campaign fails to boost the destination image for all nationalities. The TMCT officials should use the adaptation strategy in international advertising campaigns since the findings denote that the “one-size-fits all” approach is problematic. The TMCT should support and promote environmental sustainability efforts and green hotel practices to attract more tourists and use them in different communication channels. Assessment of affective and cognitive destination images (differences) is still an unresolved issue in the destination management and marketing literature. It seems that there is no empirical study investigating the cognitive and affective image attributes of a destination based on standardization versus adaptation approaches. This paper makes a contribution to the current literature by demonstrating that using the same image campaign in different markets is a practice that fails to achieve the intended goals.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-07-05
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-04-2022-0141
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Examining the influential components of tourists' intention to use travel
apps: the importance–performance map analysis-
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Authors: Pipatpong Fakfare, Noppadol Manosuthi
Abstract: The main objectives of this study are to (1) explore underlying components and attributes of travel applications that influence traveler usage intention and (2) investigate which contents should be prioritized to increase the efficiency of travel apps. This study uses importance–performance map analysis (IPMA) with an innovative approach (i.e. generalized structured component analysis [GSCA]) to identify components and attributes that have relatively high and low significance for the target construct (i.e. travel app's usage intention). An integrated model influenced by three components (i.e. entertainment, travel review and medical and emergency information is proposed to have an impact on travelers' intention to use travel apps). The IPMA results indicate that restaurant and shopping receive the utmost emphasis from Thai domestic tourists who use travel apps, and sports and attraction are regarded as less critical attributes. The app content scales identified in this study can be used as a basic framework for app developers, service providers and tourism authorities to design a travel app. The IPMA results also help concerned practitioners to make decisions on which contents/attributes should be incorporated and improved. This study implements IPMA using a GSCA estimator to present the standard results reporting on the path coefficients of each of the attributes of travel app services. The results not only contribute to the improvement of app features and services, but also suggest an innovative approach for generating pertinent IPMA results with GSCA, thus contributing to the theoretical and methodological advancement in hospitality and tourism areas.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-30
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0079
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Using relational leadership theory to magnify actors’ dynamic
participation: the implementation of corporate social responsibility
practices in the hospitality sector-
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Authors: Ofelia Palermo, Huma Sarwar, Simona Franzoni
Abstract: This study aims to propose the application of relational leadership theory (RLT) for magnifying the dynamics involving the individual who participates in the implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in the hospitality sector. Dominant theories in this field fail to show what drivers affect such dynamics. The key preoccupation of those frameworks is the extent to which CSR can attract, motivate and retain employees. This study uses both qualitative and quantitative methods. Through a quantitative survey involving circa 1,300 hotels, and qualitative semi-structured interviews, this study seeks to unpick what actors identify as sustainable practice driving motives, which, in turn, influence the implementation of CSR initiatives. In this perspective, actors drift away from being mere receivers, or executors of sustainable practices, acquiring a more active role. The qualitative data of this study are collected through semi-structured interviews in hotels in Italy, the UK and Pakistan and run the quantitative survey across the same three countries. The quantitative data showed a significant positive correlation between economic incentive and teamwork in CSR practices. This aligned with the qualitative data that showed two main drivers – responsibility and convenience – displaying characteristics of collectivity and collaboration, which tie to the principles of RLT. This study posits the relevance of relatedness at multiple levels to spot how CSR initiatives can produce varying “hospitality work” outcomes. By focusing on actors and identifying the driving motives of sustainable initiatives, this paper suggests that leaderful practice stands at the core of CSR implementation.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-29
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0086
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Working together or separately' The role of different review arguments
in consumers' home-sharing service purchasing: evidence from China-
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Authors: Yanya Ruan, Ni Liang
Abstract: This study aims to distinguish between service arguments and communication arguments within a home-sharing review and to investigate their roles in consumer purchase decision-making. Based on the setting of Airbnb, a 3 (service argument valence: positive, neutral, and negative) × 3 (communication argument valence: positive, neutral, and negative) online experiment was conducted. Data collected from 379 participants were used to test the hypotheses. The three main determinants of purchase intention: perceived host service quality, perceived facility service quality, and perceived social value, are affected by both service arguments and communication arguments. Service arguments positively influence perceived host service quality and perceived facility service quality, while communication arguments contribute significantly to perceived host service quality and perceived social value. However, perceived facility service quality is affected by the combination of service arguments and communication arguments rather than by the service arguments only, because service argument trustworthiness, a factor influencing the effect of service arguments, varies across the combination of two types of arguments. This research helps home-sharing platform managers to understand how to facilitate transaction success through displaying different review arguments needed by consumers. Additionally, the dual role of communication arguments emphasizes a necessity for hosts to encourage positive communication arguments and provide additional cues on the facility service quality. The service arguments and communication arguments in home-sharing reviews are distinguished, and their distinct roles in consumers' purchase intention have been uncovered.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-01-2022-0036
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- A theoretical reflection on thermalism and communication: future
perspectives in times of crisis-
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Authors: Vera Antunes, Gisela Gonçalves, Cristina Estevão
Abstract: The purpose of this article is through a systematic literature review (SLR) to present a conceptual approach to the importance of communication for thermalism. An in-depth analysis of scientific publications provides a conceptual understanding about the definition of thermalism and the importance of communication in the thermal sector. The intention is also to identify the major challenges for communication in thermalism in times of crisis. The literature on conceptual approaches in the field of thermalism is almost non-existent, and this is an important contribution of the research presented. To achieve the objectives, an SLR was carried out, through the Preferred Reporting Items Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Statement method, using the Web of Science and Scopus databases. A total of 139 articles were found, of which only 26 were used for the qualitative analysis. EndNote 20 and Nvivo software were used to identify the articles for the study, their analysis and systematization of the collected information. The results, among others, through an in-depth analysis of scientific publications, clarified the definition of thermalism and provided relevant results for better understanding of the importance of the dimensions of communication for thermalism. The research addresses the current scarcity of academic work on the importance of communication applied to a thermal destination and the lack of relevant strategic models for the diffusion/promotion of a destination. Finally, a limitation was the fact that only 2 databases were considered and only journal articles were included. As a future line of research the authors propose extending the theme to thermal tourism experiences. In addition, scientific studies focusing on water-based experiences connected with thermalism are almost non-existent and very relevant for the future of the sector, as well as studies in the area of communication with the following research questions: where do tourists consult information when choosing a travel destination' and what are the appropriate communication channels to reach the thermal market'; We close this reflection by concluding that the thermal tradition, through the know-how of the medical class, the properties of thermal waters and the cultural history associated with its early days, stimulated more recently by implementing innovations, will regain its role in preserving health and well-being through thermal water and the exploitation of territories' endogenous resources. These factors are the basis through which communication sciences can create strategies adapted to each country to promote a thermal destination brand. Research in tourism destination management has provided solutions, through communication, to problems that are faced daily by countries, and the authors hope this research also contributes to the recovery of thermal tourism destinations in times of crisis. It is also from this perspective that based on the main themes and dimensions of communication identified in the SLR that the authors propose the Corporate, Organisational, Skills, Management and Online (COSMO) model to help promote resilient thermal destinations prepared for future crises. The diversity and originality of this research model will be useful for destination promoters, spa managers and communication professionals. This study contributes to the literature by providing a theoretical framework of excellence in thermalism. One possible way to solve the ambiguity of terms related to thermalism is to consider another more comprehensive term as a combination of different approaches. The aim is not to create an academic division, but rather to contribute to better conceptual understanding, from a theoretical and paradigmatic perspective, of what thermalism is. Here, a new targeted and more comprehensive concept emerges, which from the academic perspective of communication sciences will lead to prevention for a new way of feeling good with life, contributing to promoting thermal destinations in the world with a greater understanding. For better understanding of the concepts, this study proposes a new definition of thermalism. As research related to thermal destinations, through communication management contributes to attract tourists, promote experiences, provide the human capital of the sector with skills and create authentic and resilient place brands. It is from this perspective that the model was proposed, based on the dimensions of communication related to the main themes obtained through the SLR. This model supports a plurality of communication strategies, with different characteristics and objectives but which meet a collective purpose: to disseminate information about thermalism, in order to build collective knowledge to promote thermal destinations. The analysis highlights the need for further research into thermalism, with special focus on communication.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0231
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The bright and dark sides of hotel kiosks: an empirical study
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Authors: Jungsun (Sunny) Kim, SungJun Joe, Mehmet Erdem
Abstract: This study examined the antecedents of technostressors as well as how customers' perceived convenience and technostressors of using a check-in/out kiosk influence their behavioral intention in a full-service hotel setting. Using survey data collected from 630 hotel customers, hypotheses were tested via structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis. The results showed that perceived usefulness of a check-in/out kiosk had direct effects on both technostressors (i.e. work overload and role ambiguity), and that perceived ease-of-use had indirect effects on the technostressors, via perceived usefulness. The findings showed that both role ambiguity and perceived convenience significantly influenced intention to use a check-in/out kiosk. Intention to use was positively associated with intention to revisit a hotel providing the kiosk. These findings were equivalent across the younger and older groups. Based on the findings, hotels can implement effective strategies to reduce technostressors associated with a check-in/out kiosk and focus on enhancing the factors that influence customer acceptance of the system. This is especially important given the increased emphasis on self-service technology since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research contributed to the relevant literature by developing a check-in/out kiosk acceptance model using a multi-theoretical approach, and empirically testing it within the full-service hotel domain. It fills the knowledge gap regarding the antecedents and outcomes of technostressors in the hospitality research literature by providing empirical evidence.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-23
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0054
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Modeling self-identification, memorable tourism experience, overall
satisfaction and destination loyalty: empirical evidence from small island
destinations-
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Authors: Onur Cuneyt Kahraman, Ibrahim Cifci
Abstract: Although many studies addressed destination marketing concepts, the relationship between self-identification, memorable tourism experiences, overall satisfaction, and destination loyalty in small island destinations remains unknown. To address this issue, the authors established a model based on social identity theory to investigate the effects of self-identification on overall satisfaction and loyalty, taking into account the mediating role of memorable tourism experiences. Drawing on 335 useable questionnaires from the visitors of Princes' Islands in Turkey, a quantitative study approach was administrated to empirically analyze a partial least squares path model in PLS-SEM. The findings revealed that self-identification positively affects memorable tourism experiences, overall satisfaction, and destination loyalty. The findings also confirm the indirect effects of self-identification on overall satisfaction and destination loyalty through mediating the role of memorable tourism experiences. The findings of the study will be useful both theoretically and practically. Theoretically, this research will be important to determine tourist behavior through the viewpoint of self-identification in the context of a small island destination. Practically, the findings of this study will assist small island destinations' policymakers and practitioners to develop strategies and make effective future actions. This is the first study that uses a complete structural model linking self-identification, memorable tourism experiences, overall satisfaction, and destination loyalty.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-21
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0090
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Switching to peer-to-peer accommodation (P2PA): an extended
push-pull-mooring model perspective from emerging economy-
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Authors: Anil Gupta, Honeyka Mahajan, Nikita Dogra, Ravinder Dogra
Abstract: Drawing on the Push-Pull-Mooring model, this study sheds light on the factors that drive tourists to switch from traditional hotels to peer-to-peer accommodation (P2PA) in light of the global spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Data have been collected from 380 participants through an online pan India survey. The data were mainly analyzed by adopting structural equation modeling. All the three categories of push, pull and mooring factors are crucial in explaining tourists' switching intentions from hotels to P2PA. Out of all the factors, subjective norm came out to be the most significant factor while satiation (push factor) and authentic experiences (pull factor) also came out to be important indicators. The findings of this study carry implications for hoteliers as well as P2PA platform hosts. Hotels need to re-conceptualize their standard services, décor and amenities while P2PA hosts need to continue providing authentic experiences and also comply with all the Covid-19 norms. The study offers a comprehensive PPM model to determine tourists' intentions to switch from hotels to P2PA. Moreover, this paper is one of the early studies to provide insights into tourists' switching intentions amidst Covid-19.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-17
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-01-2022-0008
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Tourists' engagement and willingness to pay behavior during COVID-19: an
assessment of antecedents, consequences and intermediate relationships-
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Authors: Navin Kumar, Rajeev Kumar Panda, Kishalay Adhikari
Abstract: This study identifies antecedents and consequences of destination brand engagement (DBE) that have redefined the tourists' behavior during the COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically, it assesses the impact of social media interaction and destination authenticity on DBE and DBE's effect on tourists' willingness to pay (WTP). Further, it examines the mediating role of affective attitude and the moderating role of perceived risk between the associations of DBE and WTP. Survey data were collected from 436 respondents through a structured questionnaire from selected tourism destinations in India. Structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) is employed to empirically examine the formulated hypotheses. Besides, hierarchical second-order confirmatory factor analysis is also deployed to analyze certain constructs as higher-order factors. Social media interaction and destination authenticity elevate DBE, and DBE enhances affective attitude and WTP. Affective attitude mediates the relationship between DBE and WTP. Hence, the association between tourists' engagement and spending behavior becomes crucial under elevated affective attitude conditions. Finally, perceived risk during the pandemic dampens the association between DBE and WTP. The findings may provide newer insights to the tourism companies, marketers and policymakers to create targeted strategies to minimize the risk perception and improve engagement levels of the tourists, which can yield economic returns in the long run. Based on the cues from protection motivation theory (PMT), this study develops a DBE framework and identifies the factors affecting its sustenance in the pandemic hit tourism sector. Further, suggesting implications to ensure safety measures in the tourism industry that may assist in establishing economic resilience.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-16
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0050
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Destination marketing through film-induced tourism: a case study of Otaru,
Japan-
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Authors: Chihiro Nakayama
Abstract: This study aims to test the utility of Pearce et al.'s (2003) framework on film tourism in Otaru, Japan. This framework involves marketing the attraction according to five stages: resource identification, marketing emphasis, interpretation, sales and merchandising and broader community use. The existing studies have failed to adapt this framework to films. Subsequently, this study uncovers the necessity of an additional stage involving sustainability aspects. A case study method was adopted, and Otaru, Japan – a popular film location – was chosen. Semi-structured interviews with the major stakeholders of film tourism, such as film commissions, representatives of the film and the tourism industries, tourists and the community, were conducted, and the participants were observed. Data were collected using the snowball sampling technique. The study reveals that Pearce et al.'s (2003) model is applicable to film tourism by adding a sixth stage to address sustainability, such as the issue of overtourism. The transferability of the framework to different film tourism cases is plausible. It is also critical for governments and tourism practitioners to consider the community's perspective for sustainability and maximize the use of films as promotional tools for destinations. This study is the first to apply Pearce et al.'s (2003) model to film tourism, adding value to the literature by extending the framework to include an additional sixth stage to address sustainability.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-14
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0047
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Endings, freezing, and new beginnings: the return of customer comfort to
Massachusetts restaurants following the pandemic-
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Authors: John Umit Palabiyik, Brendan Cronin, Suzanne D. Markham Bagnera, Mark P. Legg
Abstract: This study investigates restaurant patrons' comfort level with the sudden shift in the dining-in climate within the state of Massachusetts during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. An exploratory study utilized learning algorithms via gradient boosting techniques on surveyed restaurant patrons to identify which restaurant operational attributes and patron demographics predict in-dining comfort levels. Past consumers' eating habits determine how much their behavior will change during a pandemic. However, their dining-in frequency is not a predictor of their post-pandemic dining-in outlook. The individuals who were more comfortable dining in prior to the pandemic dined in more often during the COVID pandemic. However, they had a poorer outlook on when dining in would return to normal. Although there are no clear indicators of when and how customers will embrace the new norm (a combination of pre-, peri-, and post-pandemic), the results show that some innovative approaches, such as limiting service offerings, are not well accepted by customers. The study offers several managerial implications for foodservice providers (i.e. restaurants, delivery services, pick-up) and investors. In particular, the study provides insights into the cognitive factors that determine diners' behavioral change in response to a pandemic and their comfort level. Operators must pay attention to these factors and consider different offering strategies when preparing to operate their business amid a pandemic. This is a study of a specific location and period. It was conducted in Massachusetts before a vaccine was available. The restaurant industry was beset with uncertainty. It fills a gap in the current literature focused on the COVID-19 pandemic in customers' transition from pre-COVID-19 dining-in behaviors to customers' refreshed COVID-19 outlook and industry compliance with newly established hygiene and safety standards.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-14
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0249
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and career anxiety of hospitality and
tourism students in the UK-
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Authors: Roya Rahimi, Yilmaz Akgunduz, Anil Bilgihan
Abstract: The current study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and career perspectives of the future workforce of the tourism and hospitality industry in the UK. The paper is based on theories of emotion and focuses on the interplay role of three factors of fear of COVID-19, depression, and future career anxiety. The current research uses a mixed-method approach in two studies to answer the research questions. First, an online questionnaire was distributed among 197 current tourism and hospitality students in the UK. In the second phase through a qualitative approach and 17 semi-structured interviews, a more in-depth approach was taken to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the future career perspectives of the respondents. Findings reveal a high level of mental health disorders among respondents. The majority of respondents suffer from some sort of mental health conditions/disorders that affect their moods, thinking, and behaviors. The results further show that the fear of COVID-19 causes depression which results in career anxiety. The findings suggest that the future tourism workforce in the UK is likely to suffer from some sort of mental health disorder that can influence their performances in the workplace. Companies are advised to make adjustments that help to protect the well-being and psychological health of their staff. Previous studies used a snapshot in time only with a focus on the immediate and short-term effects of the pandemic. In the current study, by taking a long-term impact approach, the authors attempted to understand the psychological impact of the COVID-19 on the future workforce of the tourism industry in the UK and offered practical implications for stakeholders.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-09
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-05-2021-0129
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The effect of COVID-19 on tourists' attitudes and travel intentions: an
empirical study on camping/glamping tourism in Turkey during COVID-19-
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Authors: Kuttusi Zorlu, Mehmet Tuncer, Grant Altay Taşkın
Abstract: In this study, visitors' attitudes and behavioural intentions towards camping/glamping tourism in Turkey during the pandemic were investigated using the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The model has been extended to include constructs such as risk perception and risk aversion attitudes that stem from COVID-19 to predict visitors' attitudes and behavioural intentions. The data were collected through an online questionnaire from 432 participants who have experience and interest in camping/glamping tourism in Turkey. The responses were analysed using the structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings show that besides the basic TPB structures, other added variables also significantly affect visitors' attitudes and intentions. Moreover, it has been observed that the risk perception and risk aversion attitude derived from COVID-19 increase negative emotions in visitors and decreased behavioural intentions. The results of the study are discussed for future research as well as its academic and practical implications. This theoretical expansion is thought to increase the theory's predictive power in predicting visitors' behaviour during the pandemic.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-07
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0069
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Precedence analysis of customer engagement dimensions for tourism
destinations: an evidence-based modeling using RIDIT-GRA approach-
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Authors: Navin Kumar, Rajeev Kumar Panda, K.C. Prakash
Abstract: The current research prioritizes the dimensions of a higher-order customer engagement construct in the tourism destination context in order of their relative importance as perceived by tourists to provide meaningful insights to the tourism industry player. Data was collected from 429 tourists' from selected tourist destinations. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used for data analysis using SPSS. The scale items were prioritized through hybrid evidence-based modeling using the RIDIT-GRA (Relative to an Identified Distribution and Grey Relational Analysis, respectively) approach. The prioritization of customer engagement scale items is done through RIDIT analysis and is verified through GRA. The rankings of two independent methodologies show a 93% correlation, thereby ensuring the ranking's robustness. Prioritizing customer engagement scale items may assist destination managers in strategy formulation to ensure tourists' high-level loyalty transcending purchase. The findings help develop key response areas (KRA's) for effective destination brand management. Such precedence analysis of customer engagement scale items has not been done in the tourism studies yet. Also, the present study verified the results by incorporating two independent methodologies, thus providing more valid results.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-06-02
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-12-2021-0340
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Multidimensional value of customers' mobile service experiences in the
food service context-
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Authors: Jookyung Kwon, Hoyeol Yu, Jiseon Ahn
Abstract: Despite the importance of mobile experiences in the food service industry, extant studies do not empirically examine customers' behavior. Thus, the authors examine this issue by using utility theory to understand the role of multidimensional customers' perceived value in the formation of a positive attitude. Customers' perceived service, process, and relationship values are hypothesized to affect satisfaction, which in turn affects attitudinal loyalty to food delivery applications. Also, the authors explore whether attitudinal loyalty influences customers' behavioral loyalty. Hypotheses are examined using data from US customers of food delivery applications. Partial least squared structural equation modeling is used. Results show that customers' perceived service, process, and relationship valuation of mobile experiences influence satisfaction, whereas only the process value influences satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty. Moreover, customers' behavioral loyalty is positively affected by satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty. Service, process, and relationship values have been shown as an important indicator of customers' positive attitude toward food delivery service providers. Thus, this study provides a better understanding of the relationship between customers' mobile service experience and their behavior will allow service providers to design better mobile services. The study extends utility theory to mobile the food delivery context. Specifically, this research demonstrates why and how customers decide to use mobile food delivery application.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-05-31
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-03-2022-0108
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Conceptual framework of strategic leadership and organizational resilience
for the hospitality and tourism industry for coping with environmental
uncertainty-
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Authors: Grace K.S. Ho, Carmen Lam, Rob Law
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to develop a holistic resilience framework and its contributing factors for organizations in the hospitality and tourism industry for coping with uncertain environments, such as those brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. This conceptual paper is based on a broad review of the literature on organizational resilience and strategic leadership. A conceptual framework is developed and discussed. This study develops a holistic “strategic leadership-enhanced organizational resilience framework” that addresses the actions and mindsets required by hospitality and tourism organizations to attain organizational resilience and health. This study fills the research gap in corporate resilience frameworks for hospitality and tourism. This study has practical implications for the industry by suggesting specific actions that companies can take to enhance their organizational health and resiliency under environmental uncertainty. Previous studies suggested only partial strategic resilience responses. This study constructs a holistic “strategic leadership-enhanced organizational resilience framework” in the hospitality and tourism context.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-05-12
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0242
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Understanding tourists' policing attitudes and travel intentions towards a
destination during an ongoing social movement-
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Authors: Michael T.H. Lai, Emmy Yeung, Rosanna Leung
Abstract: Policing activities aim to provide a safe environment for tourists. With the recent major protests that have erupted around the world, and the novel use of excessive police force against protestors, people may wonder if the policing deployment is for destination safety or to deter tourists from visiting. This paper aims to investigate anti-police and pro-police attitudes and tourists' behavioural responses towards a popular destination experiencing an ongoing social movement. Data were collected between December 2019 and January 2020 (during the social movement). An online survey with a snowball sampling method was adopted to reach international tourists who were aware of the social movement in Hong Kong. The results revealed that an individual with an anti-police attitude was found to be related to cognitive and affective destination images and perceived risks while those holding a pro-police attitude were more concerned with destination images only. No significant correlation was found between attitudes towards policing and travel intention. This research presents a first attempt to investigate the relationship between tourists' policing attitudes and their behavioural responses during an ongoing social movement in a popular destination city.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-05-11
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-11-2021-0312
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Emerging trends in wellness tourism: a scoping review
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Authors: Salman Majeed, Woo Gon Kim
Abstract: Wellness tourism is complex due to the varied expectations and perceptions of tourists. This study attempts to explore components that shape tourist expectations of health treatments and tourist attractions, which have not been deeply explored in the extant literature. A scoping review of the literature published between 2000 and 2021 was conducted to reach the conclusions of this study. Out of 303 literature sources, a total of 105 literature sources were retained for the final analysis. Findings show that tourists expect a mix of health treatments, such as conventional medical treatments and alternative health treatments and tourist attractions, as part of wellness tourism to improve their health and well-being (HWB). A favorable trade-off between tourist expectations and their perception of wellness tourism impacts tourist HWB and behavioral intention. The proposed wellness tourism conceptual model and wellness tourism matrix may help wellness tourism service providers to understand tourist expectations for health treatments and tourist attractions in a recent context. Wellness tourism service providers may follow the guidelines outlined in this study to offer health treatments and tourist attractions according to tourist expectations, which may result in the favorable behavioral intentions of wellness tourists. This study unravels the previously under-explored role of conventional medical treatments, which arguably fall under the category of allopathic medical treatment, in wellness tourism. Destination marketing organizations may focus on the wellness philosophies of health treatments and tourist attractions to meet the growing expectations of wellness tourists for HWB, as outlined in the literature review. This study provides insights into the different components of contemporary wellness tourism those impact wellness tourists' cognitive responses, HWB and behavioral intention.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-05-10
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0046
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The effect of inclusive leadership on employee engagement, mediated by
psychological safety in the hospitality industry-
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Authors: Elton Vakira, Ngoni Courage Shereni, Chantelle Masiko Ncube, Njabulo Ndlovu
Abstract: This paper assesses the inclusive leadership and employee engagement nexus in the hospitality industry, using psychological safety as a mediator. The study conveniently sampled 247 employees from the hospitality industry in Zimbabwe. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire with the aid of trained research assistants. Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Regression analysis was used. The findings of this study indicate that the predictor variable (inclusive leadership) directly affects the outcome variable (employee engagement) in the presence of the mediator. In addition, these findings depict that the indirect coefficient was partially significant, which shows that psychological safety partially affects employee engagement in the presence of inclusive leadership. The study came up with essential conclusions on the link between inclusive leadership and employee engagement in the hospitality industry. However, there is a need to exercise caution when generalising the findings to a different setting. The results represent the opinions of a sample drawn from Zimbabwe, a developing country in Southern Africa. Future research can carry out a comparative study on the same variables in the context of developed and developing countries. Further, future research can execute a longitudinal analysis to better understand if inclusive leadership directly affects employee engagement in the presence of psychological safety. This would help hospitality management to employ relevant leadership strategies that enhance employee engagement. This research has pertinent implications for both academics and human resource practitioners. The study results revealed that there is a direct effect on inclusive leadership and employee engagement. Practically, if leaders avail themselves to work with employees and discuss business operations and social issues affecting them, employees will be committed to exerting more energy towards their work and productivity will be improved. Moreover, it is understandable that mistakes always happen, but errors will be minimised and controlled in such an environment. The results also revealed that the connection between inclusive leadership on employee engagement is partly enhanced by the moderator. This may be taken as a good strategy that can be employed by human resources practitioners in the hospitality industry. The study significantly contributes to researchers and practitioners because it develops strategies for enhancing employee engagement in the hospitality sector. In addition, there is scant research that explores the mediating relationship of psychological safety between inclusive leadership and employee engagement in developing countries, particularly in the hospitality sector.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-05-06
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0261
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Bibliometric analysis of bibliometric studies in the field of tourism and
hospitality-
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Authors: Pembe Ülker, Mustafa Ülker, Kurtuluş Karamustafa
Abstract: This study aims to contribute to the relevant body of knowledge by examining the bibliometric studies related to tourism and hospitality indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) database from a bibliometric perspective (evaluative and relational techniques). The WoS database was used to obtain studies to be reviewed. A total of 136 studies were analyzed and visualized in terms of evaluative and relational techniques, and a subject categorization was made. “Tourism management” and “tourism and hospitality” are the two fields of research where bibliometric studies are carried out more frequently. Evaluative techniques were used in most studies while relational techniques, such as co-word, co-author, co-citation analysis and bibliographic coupling, were performed less. Relational techniques indicate that the words “bibliometric analysis” and “tourism” are frequently used together in the studies examined; the most common authorship cooperation is between China and USA. This study provides an overview of bibliometric studies in tourism and hospitality literature. It expands the previous literature and shows study topics that are more focused by examining the abstracts and contents of articles published in journals in different WoS categories. Findings related to evaluative and relational techniques can serve as useful information for researchers, who are new to the field. This study contributes to the current knowledge accumulation by its lack of year, country, region and language limits.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-05-04
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2021-0291
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Digital tourism experience for tourist site revisit: an empirical view
from Ghana-
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Authors: Alexander Preko, George Kofi Amoako, Robert Kwame Dzogbenuku, John Kosiba
Abstract: Digital tourism has drawn the attention of researchers around the globe. This study aims to assess the digital tourism experience for tourist site revisit from an emerging market perspective. Anchored on the social cognitive theory, the study employed a quantitative method, using the convenience sampling to select 328 participants who responded to tourism and technology sharing items through an online questionnaire. The study's hypotheses were tested utilizing structural equation modelling. The results suggest a significant influence of technology-based service innovativeness on service value, tourist site revisits and experience sharing through technology. Further, the findings also revealed the significant influence of service value on tourist site revisit and experience-sharing through technology. This study was conducted with only clients or tourists, and this limits generalization of the study's findings. The study offers the understanding of how tourist site operators and all stakeholders have to deploy new ways of technology-based service innovation to get maximum return on their investment in the hospitality industry. The outcome of this research advanced the linkage between technology and tourism in context, which is important to policymakers and practitioners in the sector.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-04-28
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2021-0294
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Understanding tourist behaviour towards destination selection based on
social media information: an evaluation using unsupervised clustering
algorithms-
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Authors: Prosenjit Ghosh, Sabyasachi Mukherjee
Abstract: The study aims to cluster the travellers based on their social media interactions as well as to find the different segments with similar and dissimilar categories according to traveller's choice. The study also aims to understand the behaviour of clusters of the travellers towards destination selection and accordingly make the tour packages in order to improve tourists' satisfaction and gain viable benefits. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering with Ward's minimum variance linkage algorithm and model-based clustering with parameterized finite Gaussian mixture models has been implemented to achieve the respective goals. The dimension reduction (DR) technique was introduced for better visualizing clustering structure obtained from a finite mixture of Gaussian densities. A total of 980 travellers have been clustered into 8 different interest groups according to their tourism destinations selection across East Asia based on individual social media feedback. For selecting the optimal number of clusters as well as the behaviour of the interested travellers groups, both these proposed methods have shown remarkable similarities. DR technique ensures the reduction in dimensionality with seven directions, of which the first two directions explained 95% of total variability. Tourism organizations focus on marketing efforts to promote the most attractive benefits to the clusters of travellers. By segmenting travellers of East Asia into homogeneous groups, it is feasible to choose a similar area to test different marketing techniques. Finally, it can be identified to which segments, new respondents or potential clients belong; consequently, the tourism organizations can design the tour packages. The study has uniqueness in two aspects. Firstly, the study empirically revealed tourists' experience and behavioural intention to select tourism destinations and secondly, it finds quantifiable insights into the tourism phenomenon in East Asia, which helps tourism organizations to understand the buying behaviours of tourists' segments. Finally, the application of clustering algorithms to achieve the purpose of this study and the findings are very new in the literature on tourism, to understand the tourist behaviour towards destination selection based on social media reviews.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-04-19
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-11-2021-0317
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Coronavirus: choking global and Indian tourism economy and leaving
industry on the ventilator-
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Authors: Sujood, Sheeba Hamid, Naseem Bano
Abstract: This study examines the economic crisis caused by coronavirus on the global tourism industry in general and the Indian tourism industry in particular. This paper highlights the strategies that tourism companies should implement in times of crisis to reduce the negative impact. It also discovers the business opportunities which can be offered amid this deadly pandemic. The study is based on a systematic literature review. The literature has been explored by utilizing the keywords “economic crises,” “coronavirus,” “Indian tourism industry,” “Global tourism industry” on the three most popular databases namely Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. In this study, statistics, current events, published research papers and a synthesis of news transmitted by various media sources were used to assess the economic crisis caused by coronavirus. The obtained findings demonstrate that coronavirus severely affected the economy of the world and India. The pandemic has hit the economies that are dependent on tourism the worst. These countries are expected to bear the brunt of the crisis's consequences for longer than other economies. This coronavirus outbreak indicates that the tourism industry was unprepared to deal with such a pandemic, which affected and crippled the economy. This study demonstrates economic crisis, management strategies and business opportunities during any crisis, chaos and disaster, in addition to its academic contribution to the existing body of the literature. Policymakers and industry practitioners might be offered suggestions based on the findings of current study to design futuristic strategies for better economic crisis management. The data given in this study is timely because taking an exact idea of tourism losses through the data is difficult, as the data changes as quickly as the virus spreads. This paper forms its originality by concentrating on the aspects of economic crisis, strategies to mitigate the negative impact of coronavirus on the tourism economy and detailing the business opportunities which these crises can offer. This paper provides an evaluation of the current status of the tourism economy of the world and India as well.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-04-18
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0237
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Tourism industry at times of crisis: a bibliometric approach and research
agenda-
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Authors: Carlos Sampaio, Luís Farinha, João Renato Sebastião, António Fernandes
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented global turmoil and a halt on international tourism. This study aims to evaluate the scientific literature about tourism crisis and disasters and depicts how this research stream evolved in the face of economic, security, health, environmental or trust crises, further providing insights about a research agenda on this stream. This study uses bibliometric methods and topic models, specifically latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) methods to evaluate the nature and course of the tourism crises and disasters scientific literature. Data from 2,810 documents were retrieved from the Web of Science database and were used to perform the analysis. The results show an increase of tourism crises and disasters scientific literature departing from 2010, and a surge in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, themes such as tourism competitiveness, tourism demand, crisis management, perceived risk, natural disasters and destination recovery are among the most relevant themes in the research line, showing that the effect of economic and financial crises on tourism industry, sustainable tourism and tourism demand are set to be among the most relevant in the upcoming years. This study fills a void in the tourism literature by providing a roadmap to understand the past, present and future of the tourism crises and disasters research line and the avenues for future research in this field, including methods, in the period post-COVID-19. Previous studies on tourism crises and disasters were focused on literature review and on the relationship between crises and disasters and the tourism industry. This study uses a set of methods unused before in the research stream, namely, a combination of bibliometric methods and LDA methods, to provide a road map for the present state-of-the-art of tourism crises and disasters research and promising future research lines.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-04-15
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0223
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- A bibliometric and visual analysis of hospitality and tourism marketing
research from 2000–2020-
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Authors: Juan Liu, Wei Wei, Meiying Zhong, Yaqi Cui, Shuang Yang, Haiyan Li
Abstract: This study aimed to bibliometrically and visually analyze and review hospitality and tourism marketing studies published from 2000–2020. A total of 3,942 articles collected from the databases of Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) and Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) in the Web of Science (WoS) along with their references were used for analyses. The bibliometric software HistCiteTM and literature measurement visualization tools, VOSviewer and CiteSpace, were employed to analyze the selected articles. The results of the study demonstrated top influential scholars and institutions, intellectual structure and emerging trends of the study topics, and future research opportunities in the field of hospitality and tourism marketing. First, academic influence of a scholar was evaluated by citations of his/her publications, which did not take the order of authorship into consideration. Second, this study was restricted to the English language journals. Third, other types of published documents related to the studied field such as review papers were not considered by this research. In comparison to traditional qualitative analysis such as content analysis, bibliometric analysis is a more objective approach to vividly demonstrate trends and performance of a research field, offers unique insights for its advancement with wider inclusiveness of a larger amount of data.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-04-15
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2021-0277
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Business strategies for small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises during
COVID-19: a developing country case-
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Authors: Eyup Kahveci
Abstract: In this paper, the authors set out to explore how small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) in a developing country (Turkey) are coping with economic and financial consequences of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is also crucial to understand what kind of policymaking solutions will help them to successfully overcome it. To gather data, the authors interviewed SMTEs in the Bodrum area – one of the most elite and exciting destinations for foreign travelers in Turkey. Semi-structured interview method was used, and questions for data collection focused on three key areas: (1) impact of COVID-19 on SMTEs, especially in terms of cash flow and other problems, (2) government incentives and (3) business strategies to cope with the crisis. (1) Even a year and a half into the pandemic, despite government relief efforts, vaccination programs, the easing of lockdown and travel restrictions, survival is still the main concern for SMTEs. (2) Although they do not have enough resources, these entrepreneurs have energy and motivation, are optimistic about the future and are investigating new opportunities by capitalizing on their “strategic flexibility”, an intrinsic strength of SMEs. (3) Recovery is going to take a long time, and government support, however crucial in the interim, cannot replace the pre-crisis conditions that are anxiously awaited by these businesses. One of the main limitations of this study is that the gathered research data are localized to one destination in Turkey, the Bodrum area. In that respect, it is difficult to hypothesize the degree to which the resulting data can be generalized to other areas of Turkey and the rest of the world. Future work is required to provide greater insight into how to be prepared effectively for this type of crisis. Therefore, further research should be undertaken to investigate tourism and hospitality industry in the whole country and to compare findings to those of other cities and regions. An especially important issue for future research that would yield insight and practical implications worldwide is comparison of findings across countries. The impact of COVID-19 is challenging all SMTEs’ conventional business models. Each business needs to evaluate its own internal and external conditions, secure required financial resources necessary for survival and sustainable business strategies for post-COVID-19 era. Besides short-term survival thinking, they also look for long-term business strategies both saving, investing, innovation and diversification. They are also on the look-out to seize any new opportunities presenting themselves as well as for any additional governmental support. This paper offers a systematic approach toward understanding the realities of SMTEs in the midst of crisis by focusing on their short-term survival and long-term sustainability responses against COVID-19. It also brings practical experiences of industry participants and opinions of industry experts to academicians, practitioners and policymakers, shedding light on challenges faced by SMTEs.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-04-08
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0232
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The crisis management strategies of Indonesian event organizers in the
face of COVID-19-
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Authors: Cosmas Gatot Haryono, Cindy Wijaya
Abstract: The goal of this study is to learn about of the strategic framework used by event organizers in Indonesia to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. This effort is also used to see how crisis management is implemented in the organization, particularly in relation to the company's efforts to maximize technology in this COVID-19 crisis situation. This is a qualitative study that employs the case study method with a single intrinsic case. Researchers chose six sources based on the range of responsibilities and authorities they have. To remain viable faced with COVID-19 pandemic, event organizers must adopt an open communication strategy, be ready to adapt to changing conditions and take bold steps in crisis management. In general, Garuda Organizer's crisis management strategy consists of five stages: crisis research, forming a crisis team, planning crisis management steps, implementing a new work system and adapting to the new system's culture. The focus of this research is on how to deal with crisis strategies in the world of event organizer from the standpoint of innovation diffusion. This study cannot be generalized because it is limited to efforts to formulate a strategic framework carried out by event organizer companies in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, not seeing the effectiveness of the strategy. This research, in addition to its theoretical implications, provides practical contributions to the event organizer industry. The pandemic encourages every event organizer company to always be prepared to adapt to changing conditions. There is no such thing as a static condition; rather, it can change abruptly at any time. As a result, the most important requirement is a quick and precise response. Responsive leadership will ensure that the adaptation process goes smoothly. With uncertain conditions, businesses must be prepared to respond to any changes that occur at any time. Sometimes desperate action is required because it must be done quickly. Aside from that, do not overlook openness management. It will be easier to manage a crisis if all available communication channels are opened. Opening all communication channels allows all components of the company to participate in overcoming the crisis. The participation of all parties will make it easier to deal with any crisis that arises. This transparency is carried out not only within the company, but also with parties outside the company, such as the government as a regulator, company partners and community members who use our services. Aside from that, a willingness to change and step outside of one's comfort zone is required both within the company and for each individual employee. The company's willingness to try new things and learn quickly becomes critical for businesses in the midst of a crisis. As in the case of Garuda Organizer, a willingness to constantly learn and develop a new culture that is more in line with current conditions will make the company more adaptable in dealing with crises. Thus, effective crisis-response strategies can be developed quickly. When we are at ease in certain circumstances, as employees, we are often hesitant to change, even if the times or circumstances have changed dramatically. It is necessary to avoid the comfort of the status quo. It takes self-will to change in a crisis like this. What does not change will be forgotten by time. To maintain the continuity of the company's activities, all employees must be willing to give up their comfort and possibly make a small sacrifice (including time and effort). If companies can unite the interests of companies and individuals who work as employees (As the management and employees of Garuda Organizer have done by devoting more time to the company's future and delving deeper into one's own potential), they will undoubtedly survive the current crisis. This study discovered that even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is fraught with restrictions, there still are event organizer companies striving to provide the best service. The Garuda Organizer company strives to provide good service to its customers by disseminating innovations. Despite the limited circumstances, the public continues to enjoy events in a novel format, namely through virtual spaces. This study identifies the use of technology as a means to overcome the problem of organizing events in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and maps the complexity of the innovation adoption process in Indonesian event organizer firms.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-03-25
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0227
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The young tourist's co-creation nexus: market mavens and existential
authenticity as driving forces of intentions to revisit and recommend-
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Authors: Maria Javed, Tahir Mumtaz Awan
Abstract: This study explored the role of market mavens for young tourists and existential authenticity for young tourist co-creation experience. It determines intentions to revisit and intentions to recommend tourism service providers. The theoretical foundation of this study is based upon the macro-micro theory approach of service-dominant (S-D) logic and customer engagement, which explains the idea of tourist co-creation interactivity and value creation between the service provider and tourist. The positivist deductive approach, survey-based methodology was followed for this study. Data was collected from 349 young tourists who have traveled and contributed to travel services through collaboration and interaction with the service provider. The data were analyzed in SmartPLS, and structured equation modeling technique was used for hypothesis testing. It was found that market mavens have a positive impact on young tourist's co-creation process, hence depicting intention to revisit and recommend the tourism service provider. Existential authenticity was also found having positive impact on tourist co-creation and intention to revisit and recommend the service provider. The results show that young tourists plan domestic trips in Pakistan and co-create with service providers. This study theoretically and practically contributed in the literature and enhanced the literature concerning mainly the young tourists co-creation. It has also enhanced the knowledge about intentions to revisit and recommend with special focus on market mavens. Also, existential authenticity of the tourist spots was keenly considered in the underlying research. This study highlights value-creation phenomenon in tourism for younger tourists. Their input is important in the form of creativity and innovation and by incorporating these young tourists in decision-making process. They ensure their ability to participate and design, resulting in loyalty towards service provider.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-03-15
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-12-2020-0240
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Expanding the experiential value scale to predict independent restaurant
dining intent-
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Authors: Cortney L. Norris, Michelle Russen, Scott Taylor Jr
Abstract: The experiential value scale (EVS) has been widely applied in hospitality literature in a postconsumption manner to predict organizational outcomes; however, it lacks a key component that captures the inherently social nature of the restaurant industry: social value. This study had two goals: to validate the inclusion of social value with the EVS and apply the new scale to predict intent to dine in an independently owned restaurant. Using cross-sectional survey design and factor analysis, the pilot study tests the experiential value scale with the addition of social value. In the main study, the validated scale is used to predict intent to dine in an independent restaurant using structural equation modeling. Respondents for both studies were recruited from the survey panel site Prolific, generating 266 usable samples for the pilot and 259 for the main study. The findings suggest a high correlation between social value and the other experiential values, creating the EVS + SV scale. Using the new scale to predict dining intent, service quality was a positive predictor in selecting an independent restaurant. However, limitations, such as sample origin and time, are further discussed, and future research to alleviate these is recommended. Social value has been shown as an additional part of the EVS. Restauranteurs and hospitality researchers alike may use the new EVS + SV scale to determine the values that most influence customers' restaurant selection and make recommendations on how to use limited capital. The current study added social value to the EVS, creating what has been referred to as the EVS + SV scale in this study. Additionally, unlike others, the EVS + SV scale was used as an antecedent to restaurant choice, meaning customers will assess certain aspects of a restaurant before deciding where to dine out, allowing restaurant operators to leverage their strengths and attract customers.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-03-01
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0252
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The impact of anxiety levels on destination visit intention in the context
of COVID-19: the mediating role of travel intention-
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Authors: Ümit Şengel, Gökhan Genç, Merve Işkın, Mustafa Çevrimkaya, Burhanettin Zengin, Mehmet Sarıışık
Abstract: This study aims to investigate the effect of tourists' anxiety levels regarding pandemic on their intention to travel and intention to destination visit as a reflection of risk perception. This study employed a quantitative research design. Multivariate statistical methods were used because they predict cause and effect relationships. The data collection process was completed in 32 days between March 20 and April 20, 2020. Smart-PLS software was used for data analysis. According to the study results, the level of concern tourists have about the COVID-19 outbreak directly affected their intention to travel and indirectly affected their intention to visit destinations. According to the results of the study, people's anxiety levels about COVID-19 will negatively affect their travel behavior after the pandemic. Such results suggest that when potential travelers' pandemic-induced anxiety levels increase, their travel intention after the pandemic will decrease. In addition, there is a positive relationship between people's intention to travel and post-COVID-19 touristic visit intentions. Therefore, as people's travel intentions increase, so do their destination visit intentions. Another important theoretical implication of this research is that people's pandemic-induced anxiety levels have been shown to negatively affect their destination visit intention through the mediating variable of travel intention. A multidimensional and stakeholder engagement process needs to be followed to decrease the influences of the pandemic on destinations. Destination management organizations (DMOs) can take an active role in crisis periods to encourage stakeholder participation while attracting tourism demand in the post-COVID-19 era. This study is important for its topical relevance and for providing specific theoretical and practical implications concerning tourists' travel behavior.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-24
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2021-0295
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Citizenship fatigue and psychological ownership among employees in family
hotels: moderating effect of family management-
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Authors: Edem Maxwell Azila-Gbettor
Abstract: This paper examines the relationships between citizenship fatigue, organisational- and job-based psychological ownership and family management among family hotel employees in Ghana. A total of 479 workers took part in the study by completing either a self-reported questionnaire or an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The hotels and respondents were selected using purposive and convenience sampling techniques, respectively. IBM SPSS version 21 and partial least squares structural equation model were used to process and analyse the data. Citizenship fatigue was found to be a negative predictor of organisational- and job-based psychological ownership. Additionally, job- and organisational-based psychological ownership were positively predicted by family management. Furthermore, family management positively moderates the relation between citizenship fatigue and organisational- and job-based psychological ownership. This study appears to be one of the first to have investigated a model linking family management, citizenship fatigue and psychological ownership in the family hotel context.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-23
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0258
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Impact of sentiment and monetary policy on Mexican tourism stock returns:
the domestic and US role-
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Authors: Farid Irani, Abobaker Al.Al. Hadood, Salih Katircioglu, Setareh Katircioglu
Abstract: This paper focuses on the role of sentiment and monetary policy (both domestic and the United States (US)) in explaining the changes in the Mexican tourism firms' stock returns for the period 1998M03–2019M12. The authors conducted the ordinary least square regression estimations using various models to investigate the impact of sentiment and monetary policy changes on tourism firms' stock returns. Furthermore, to provide a robust check, the authors run all regression models based on the capital asset pricing model by regressing the excess returns of tourism firms' stocks on all independent variables. Empirical findings reveal that the changes in Mexican consumer sentiment have a stronger positive effect on tourism firms' stock returns than Mexican business sentiment changes. However, the US consumer and business sentiment are irrelevant to tourism firms' stock returns. Moreover, this study’s results indicate that changes in the US interest rates positively influence tourism firms' stock returns. This study’s findings show that as the monetary divergence between Mexico and the US (differential real interest rates) widens, the lower is the tourism firms' stock returns. This study is the first to extend the prior studies by examining the effects of sentiment and monetary policy (both domestic and US role) on Mexican tourism stock return.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-22
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-07-2021-0178
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Knowledge spillover, knowledge management and innovation of the Portuguese
hotel industry in times of crisis-
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Authors: Pedro Mota Veiga, Cristina Fernandes, Filipe Ambrósio
Abstract: The aim of the study is to analyze how knowledge spillovers and knowledge management capabilities affect the innovation capabilities of hospitality sector companies in crisis environments. A survey was completed by 63 hotel directors based in Portugal, gathering data on knowledge spillover, knowledge management capabilities and innovation capabilities. Two multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the impact of knowledge spillovers and knowledge management capabilities on innovative capability. It has been concluded that knowledge spillovers work as external benefits of knowledge creation, increasing the innovation activities of companies in the hospitality sector, which reinforces that knowledge spillovers help to enhance innovation capabilities. The study's results show that it is essential for companies to manage knowledge. It also concludes that effective knowledge management facilitates the exchange of knowledge required in the innovation process. Knowledge spillovers improve the performance of innovation in companies through the development of new insights and innovation capabilities. This research was carried out in a period of crisis. As expected in a troubled period, the results are extremely volatile. This study's sample is composed of Portuguese hospitality companies. This research provides valuable insights into the overflow of explicit and tacit knowledge in the hotel industry. Moreover, this study offers new insights into the mediating role of knowledge management capability in the relationship between a hotel's knowledge overflow and its innovation performance.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-22
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0222
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Happiness, job stress, job dedication and perceived organizational
support: a mediating model-
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Authors: Yilmaz Akgunduz, Ovunc Bardakoglu, Gaye Kizilcalioglu
Abstract: Based on The Conservation of Resources Theory (COR), Spillover Theory and Social Exchange Theory (SET), this study investigates the mediating role of job dedication in the relationships between job stress, happiness and perceived organizational support (POS). Data were collected from 5-star resort hotel employees in Turkey. 362 valid questionnaires were collected. The research hypotheses were tested using Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM). The analysis results show that POS is positively related to employee happiness and job dedication. Job stress is negatively related to employee happiness but positively related to job dedication. Job dedication partially mediates the relationships between job stress and happiness, and POS and happiness. The study's findings could be used by hotel managers to improve employees' job dedication, which will lead to increased employee happiness. Together with qualitative and quantitative research methods, future research could be conducted on the predecessors of job dedication and comparatively on employee happiness for different country samples. In order to increase employee happiness, Turkish hotel managers may want to increase POS and decrease perceived job stress of their employees. Although it was found out in this study that job stress increases job dedication, it is also accepted that this unexpected situation arises due to special conditions. Therefore, by reducing job stress, hotel managers may prefer to increase the job dedication of their employees and their happiness indirectly. The current study contributes to the hospitality management literature by investigating the organizational factors behind employee happiness. In addition, it also explored in depth the mediating effect of job dedication on the relationships between POS, job stress and happiness.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-15
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-07-2021-0189
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Resources, capabilities and competencies: a review of empirical
hospitality and tourism research founded on the resource-based view of the
firm-
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Authors: Michael Alexander Kruesi, Luka Bazelmans
Abstract: This paper reviews the past 20 years of empirical research, based on the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, in hospitality and tourism literature. There has been a significant increase in empirical RBV-grounded management research throughout the 2000s. However, to date, there has been no systematic assessment of the RBV in both qualitative and quantitative empirical hospitality and tourism literature. The purpose of the present paper, therefore, is to review and analyse the approaches employed in empirical hospitality and tourism research founded on the RBV, provide an overview and suggest how to further advance the RBV as a framework for future research. The present study systematically reviews empirical RBV-based hospitality and tourism studies, published between 2000 and 2019. Through a well-defined and replicable inclusion/exclusion criterion, a sample of 122 studies was identified and reviewed. It was found that while the RBV has received support in both quantitative and qualitative studies, the way in which researchers have utilised it in quantitative and qualitative research varies considerably in terms of the types of resource examined, the measurement variables used and the terminology/theoretical sub-stream employed. To increase the effectiveness of the RBV as a theoretical foundation in future research, its application needs to become more consistent across different studies, allowing for the development of a unified theory. Several shortcomings of the extant literature are identified, including the practical utility of the RBV; the tautology inherent in RBV-based research; the limited amount of qualitative research and the limited focus on industry contexts other than hotels, not to mention the current abundance of research with a Western perspective. These shortcomings lead to the suggestions for future research. The implications raised in the present study are, firstly, the current body of hospitality and tourism literature founded on the RBV is lacking in certain areas, which highlights the need for further research. Secondly, the confusion arising from its tautologies have negatively impacted the usefulness of the RBV for researchers and practitioners alike. Finally, focusing on lower than firm-level competitive advantage will allow researchers to provide more meaningful recommendation to practitioners. This is the first systematic review of both qualitative and quantitative hospitality and tourism research founded on the RBV. It provides an overview of this theory, with the aim of highlighting what has already been explored while aiding the further development of the theory in hospitality and tourism research.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-11
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2021-0270
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Impact of socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) on hotel
employee outcomes using the role theory-
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Authors: Danping Shao, Yun Peng
Abstract: Based on the role theory and prosocial motivation literature, this research aims to explore the bright and dark side of socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) on hotel employees' outcomes through the mediation of role conflict. Besides, this study examines the moderating effect of prosocial motivation between role conflict and volunteering and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). The authors collected 326 employee-supervisor dyads data in two waves from 12 hotels in the province of Wuhan, China. Besides, structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was adopted to test the hypothesized model. As expected, the result shows that SRHRM can increase employees' volunteering and decrease their OCB through the mediation of the role conflict. Further, prosocial motivation strengthens the linkage between role conflict and volunteering, but not the relationship between role conflict and OCB. This result enables hotel managers to adopt SRHRM as a useful tool of carrying out suitable corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Additionally, this study highlights the vital role of employee in successful CSR implementation. Although the hotel industry contributes a lot to global economic development, CSR research specifically focused on hotel industry has been unexplored. Therefore, this research brings SRHRM into hotel industry and establishes a model specifying both the bright side and dark side effect of SRHRM in the hotel industry.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-08
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0224
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Sharing economy in the new hospitality: consumer perspective
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Authors: Jorge Julião, Marcelo Gaspar, Luis Farinha, Maria A.M. Trindade
Abstract: The aim of the paper is to assist hospitality business, operating in a sharing economy model and responding to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) crisis. It is argued that the creation of a strategy to face COVID-19 crisis should be focussed on what the guests valued most. The paper focusses on the Airbnb service, which is the leading platform in accommodation inside the sharing economy, to explore the consumer profile and analyse its motivations to use hospitality service, based on socio-demographic characteristics and user experience. The research uses a questionnaire survey targeting tourists who have experience using the Airbnb service. A total of 380 valid responses were analysed with statistical package programme for the social sciences (SPSS), performing a multivariate variance analyses (MANOVA) and univariate analysis (UNIANOVA), which corresponds to five of the main motivations regarding Airbnb booking. The results show a motivation increase towards the sharing economy and benefits of the sharing economy for customers between 41 and 60 years of age. It was also observed that consumers with a monthly income below the average salary level are less keen to prefer the sharing economy philosophy. Controversially, the results also show that more than 80% of the guests do not want to share the room with people they are not related to. The paper contributes to the understanding of consumers' behaviour by discussing the potential of the accommodation sharing model for the post-COVID recovery of the hospitality sector.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-04
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0198
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The effect of tourists' gastronomic experience on emotional and cognitive
evaluation: an application of S-O-R paradigm-
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Authors: Ayşe Şahin, Arzu Kılıçlar
Abstract: The main aim of this study is to determine the effect of tourists' gastronomic experiences on food consumption emotions and experiential value. This research also examines the effect of emotions and experiential value on behavioral intention. A questionnaire survey was distributed to foreign tourists visiting Istanbul, Turkey. Using survey responses from 491 tourists, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. In the current study, the results showed that tourists' gastronomic experiences positively and substantially influenced their experiential value and food consumption emotions. In this study, the model created by Quan and Wang (2004) about the role of food in touristic experience is supported by empirical results. In the current study, the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) paradigm was adopted as the theoretical underpinning and was used to develop a holistic research framework. The findings of the research provide certain practical implications for how destinations can design, market and offer gastronomic experiences. The research on tourists' gastronomic experience and food consumption emotions is limited although numerous studies on tourists' emotions have been conducted. This study is also one of the first to empirically evaluate the tourists' gastronomic experience with the emotional (food consumption emotions), cognitive (experiential value) and behavioral dimensions via S-O-R paradigm.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-04
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0253
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Importance of the sustainability tourism marketing practices: an insight
from rural community-based homestays in Malaysia-
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Authors: Zain ul Abedin Janjua, Gengeswari Krishnapillai, Mobashar Rehman
Abstract: This study explored the antecedent and consequent relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) competency, sustainability tourism marketing and brand equity in rural community-based homestays in Malaysia. This study also examined how the political support by local authorities benefitted this sustainable rural tourism product development. Homestays operators from three states in Malaysia–Kuala Lumpur/Selangor, Pahang and Pulau Pinang–participated in the study. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect responses and to test research hypotheses. The study's model empirically demonstrated ICT competency, sustainability tourism marketing practices and political support by local authorities' construct which are essential explanatory variables of homestay brand equity. The model shows high levels of consistency between the theoretical design and the empirical results of its constructs, contributing as a new step in the tourism sustainability literature. This study enables us to explain the “triple bottom line” theory when applied in combination with ICT competency, brand equity and newly introduced construct “political support by local authorities”. The study results in evidence of crucial implications for policymakers. Policymakers should enhance cost-effectiveness, policy integration (integration of economic, environmental and social goals), and transparency and accountability to achieve United Nations' and Malaysia's sustainable tourism goals. This study is an early attempt to highlight the importance of sustainable tourism marketing and brand equity in rural community-based homestays in Malaysia. This study also emphasizes that the local political authorities are the most crucial rural tourism stakeholders, and they play a key role in sustainable rural tourism transformation.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-02
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-10-2021-0274
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- A Markov regime-switching (MS) approach to modeling the effects of fiscal
policies and COVID-19 pandemic on tourism destination competitiveness in
Kenya-
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Authors: Isaac Kimunio, Shem Wambugu Maingi
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on the tourist activity in Kenya. Global lockdown has limited travel resulting to losses in the tourism sector. This paper discusses the specific role that fiscal policy plays to improve tourism competitiveness in Kenya. Specifically, the study examines how Kenyan government can revive the tourism economy to improve its competitiveness. A tourism demand model to explore relationship between fiscal policies and inbound tourism in Kenya is developed. This study uses a Markov regime-switching (MS) regression model to establish the relationships that exist between COVID-19 pandemic, fiscal policies and tourism revenue in Kenya. The estimation results of the Markov-switching dynamic regression showed that the coefficients of international tourists arrivals, domestic bed occupancy and international bed occupancy are positive and significant with p-values of 0.000 during the pandemic period. The findings show that the transitioning periods during the fiscal policy shifts had an effect on the international arrivals. Therefore, fiscal incentives were key in influencing tourism arrivals and bednights occupancies. The theoretical implications show that to promote the state of high international and domestic tourist arrivals, the government should encourage more fiscal spending initiatives that encourage the increase in tourist arrivals and occupancies such as vaccinations against COVID-19 and promoting safe spaces for visitors within the destination is key towards reviving the sector. In order to curb the hysteresis effects of COVID-19 related depression and resultant impacts on GDP, there is a need to review the national fiscal policies and target fiscal policies on the cyclical effects of the COVID-19 impacts on international tourism market. This research develops an economic model that builds accurate relationships between fiscal policies, pandemics and tourism destination competitiveness as a means of informing competitive tourism management strategies and governance.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-02-01
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0245
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Fiscal and monetary policies supporting the tourism industry during
COVID-19-
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Authors: Ümit Şengel, Merve Işkın, Mustafa Çevrimkaya, Gökhan Genç
Abstract: Since the first moment of the pandemic, national and international travel restrictions are in place to reduce human mobility. This actual situation makes the tourism industry one of the areas most affected by the pandemic. Many microeconomic factors (households and firms) were adversely affected by the pandemic, and this situation brought about macroeconomic contraction. Naturally, governments seek to sustain production and employment by offering financial packages to reduce the negative economic effects of the pandemic. Given such information, the study aims to examine the financial policies implemented by countries to support the tourism industry during the pandemic period. Content analysis, which is a technique of qualitative research method, was applied in the analysis process of the data. Assessments were made based on data published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on the financial and monetary policies implemented by countries to support the tourism industry. The data were analyzed using the MAXQDA qualitative analysis program. According to the results of the study, countries support the tourism industry financially in terms of credit and liquidity. Also, tourism investments are encouraged by tax breaks and low interest rates. It is aimed to determine what issues the financial and monetary policies published by the UNWTO focus on to solve the problems in the tourism sector. In this way, it is thought that the study will reveal the problems experienced by tourism enterprises during the pandemic period with a holistic perspective.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-01-31
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0209
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- The effect of perceived authenticity in cultural heritage sites on tourist
satisfaction: the moderating role of aesthetic experience-
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Authors: Volkan Genc, Seray Gulertekin Genc
Abstract: This paper aims to investigate the moderating role of aesthetic experience in the effect of authenticity on satisfaction in cultural heritage sites. At the same time, this study guides the perception of authenticity in cultural heritage sites. Using structural equation modelling for quantitative data analysis, empirical data were collected from tourists in a cultural heritage site. As a result of the findings, it was determined that the objective and constructive authenticity of the tourists did not affect satisfaction, while the existential authenticity affected satisfaction. The moderating role of aesthetic experience between existential authenticity and overall satisfaction has been determined. The study suggests that aesthetic experience can be used by destination managers in tourists' perceptions of existential authenticity. This study is the first to use aesthetic experience in tourists' perception of authenticity in cultural heritage sites. The findings show the importance of aesthetic experience in existential authenticity.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-01-25
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0218
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Local food consumption values and attitude formation: the moderating
effect of food neophilia and neophobia-
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Authors: Khalil Hussain, Amir Zaib Abbasi, S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh, Carsten D. Schultz, Ding Hooi Ting, Faizan Ali
Abstract: The local food tourism in Pakistan is increasing rapidly, and it attracts scholars to determine the factors affecting local food tourists' buying choices. Particularly, the authors aim to investigate the role of food consumption values on predicting domestic tourists' attitude toward local food and its effect on the intention to try local food with the moderating effect of personality traits (neophobia and neophilia). The authors tested the study model on 250 completed responses from local food tourists. They collected the data from three tourism locations (Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar) in Pakistan. Their study utilizes the consumption value theory within the limits of Pakistan's local food tourism. The empirical findings show that consumption values, such as price, emotion, interaction, epistemic value, location value and variety value, effectively explain the domestic tourists' attitude toward local food. The authors further report that food neophilia strengthens the local tourists' positive reception toward the local food. However, food neophobia weakens the direction between local tourists' attitude toward local food and the intention to try local food. This study provides insights pertaining to tourists' local food consumption values (LFCVs) to a local destination owner and marketing manager to strategically work on LFCVs that are crucial for domestic tourists to derive their intention to try local food. Practitioners should work on domestic tourists who possess food neophobia trait and enquire them for their rejection or avoidance of a particular local destination. This will enable practitioners to bring innovation and development in the local destination, which ultimately promote local food tourism. This study is the first to incorporate the variety and local value in tourists' LFCVs to predict local tourists' attitude toward local food. Additionally, the authors contribute to local food tourism by empirically studying the moderating role of personality traits (food neophilia and food neophobia) to examine the direction between local tourists' attitude and intention to local food.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-01-13
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0214
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Research trends in tourism and hospitality from 1991 to 2020: an
integrated approach of corpus linguistics and bibliometrics-
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Authors: Gui Wang, Hui Wang, Li Wang
Abstract: This study aims to track the historical development in tourism and hospitality research over the past 30 years by applying a novel interdisciplinary approach, combining both corpus linguistics and bibliometric analysis. Most frequently discussed topics and newly emerging topics were identified by investigating 18,266 abstracts from 18 leading tourism and hospitality journals with corpus linguistics toolkit AntConc and natural language processing (NLP) tool spaCy. Trend analysis and bibliometric methods were used to determine the longitudinal changes of research topics, most highly-cited publications and authors' production. This study revealed the evolution patterns of the identified 576 most frequently discussed topics across the four subperiods (1991–2000, 2001–2010, 2011–2015 and 2016–2020). Specifically, results showed that information technology-related topics account for the largest proportion of the identified 38 newly emerging topics from 2011. Besides, researchers are increasingly focusing on the use of more sophisticated and advanced statistical methodologies. This study helps researchers make sensible decisions on what research topics to explore; it also helps practitioners and stakeholders make the shift and track opportunities in the field. No other studies have employed the novel interdisciplinary approach, combining corpus linguistic tools in linguistics, NLP techniques in computer science and bibliometric analysis in library and information science, for exploring research trends in tourism and hospitality.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-01-13
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0260
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Supplier selection criteria in the Greek hotel food and beverage divisions
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Authors: Konstantinos Vasilakakis, Despoina Sdrali
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting supplier selection in food and beverage divisions in the Greek hotel industry. This research aimed to (1) examine the factors affecting supplier selection in food and beverage divisions of the Greek hotel industry, as these were perceived by the Greek purchasing managers themselves; (2) investigate the underlying factors when changing a supplier. A survey was conducted using a closed-ended type questionnaire. Data collection met the following three criteria: hotels with a fully operational food and beverage division could participate in the research, the research population comprised all the hotels located in 13 regions of Greece, the sample represented over 10% of the total hotels in each region. Finally, 653 valid questionnaires were collected. Exploratory factor analysis showed that six broad sets of factors affect supplier selection in the food and beverage divisions: those related to raw materials, financing, environment, services, origin-nutrients and people. Regarding the factors considered in changing a supplier, three factors were found: service and product quality, economic policy change, food quality and safety management systems. Greek hotel managers could use the findings of the study to effectively create a supply chain management strategy that will lead to improved firm performance. Understanding the importance of the selection criteria for the supply chain performance and the need to build strong relationships with stakeholders, suppliers could also create a proper supply chain. The study adds to the knowledge regarding the perspectives of the Greek purchasing managers in food and beverage divisions in hotel industry and the body of much-needed research. Using exploratory factor analysis, a sort of grouping of the variables seems beneficial for simplifying how to present and understand the factors affecting supplier selection in food and beverage divisions within the Greek context.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-01-10
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-07-2021-0169
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) research – a comparative bibliometric
analysis and future research insight-
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Authors: Sandip Mukhopadhyay, Ritesh Pandey, Bikramjit Rishi
Abstract: In recent times, the growing use of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) has attracted consumers, organizations and marketers alike. The objective of this study is to summarize and compare the current mass of eWOM research published in leading hospitality and tourism journals with research published in the other fields of both business and management. This study uses multiple bibliometric analysis methods, including citation, co-citation, keyword and co-word analysis. It compares various assessments of eWOM research published in 399 selected business publications and 398 selected hospitality/tourism publications (ABDC A and above and ABS 3 and above) between 2003 and 2021. The co-citation analysis identified three thematic areas under each of the domains, i.e. in the hospitality/tourism field, the three themes included eWOM and behavior; eWOM and social media; and eWOM as a marketing tool. Similarly, under the business field (encompasses remaining business and management subdisciplines), the three themes are eWOM and sales, eWOM quality and attributes; and eWOM, information and consumer. Additionally, the word and co-word analysis mapped the comparative evolution of research in these two fields. The study advocates more research focusing on less researched platforms using diverse data, recommender systems adoption and application of eWOM in the business to business (B2B) context. This study summarizes the overall theoretical and conceptual structure of eWOM research in both business and hospitality/tourism fields; based upon which, several recommendations for future research are proposed. By comparing the developments in the specialized hospitality/tourism sector with broader management literature using multiple, complementary techniques, this study brings out important insights for hospitality/tourism researchers.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-01-10
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-07-2021-0174
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- How leader–member exchange affects job embeddedness and job dedication
through employee advocacy-
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Authors: Yilmaz Akgunduz, Selcen Seda Turksoy, Mehmet Alper Nisari
Abstract: Compatible with the principles of leader–member exchange (LMX) theory and social exchange theory (SET), the study explores the effect of LMX on job embeddedness and job dedication and the mediating role of employee advocacy. The data were gathered via a survey at four hotels in Izmir. To test the reliability and validity, 194 valid questionnaires were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The results show that high quality LMX and employee advocacy increase the hotel employees' job embeddedness and job dedication. In addition, the results show that employee advocacy has a partial mediating effect on the relationships between LMX and job embeddedness, and between LMX and job dedication. Although past researches have examined both various determinants of employee job embeddedness and job dedication, and consequences of high-quality LMX, they have ignored a critical factor, which is employee advocacy. This current study addresses this research gap by investigating the interrelations between LMX and job embeddedness, and job advocacy through employee advocacy in hotels. Moreover, this research is the first empirical study that analyzes the relationships between LMX, job embeddedness, job dedication and employee advocacy in the same model. Therefore, this research contributes to hospitality literature by filling this gap.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-01-10
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0230
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Leadership challenges for Indian hospitality industry during COVID-19
pandemic-
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Authors: Balvinder Shukla, Tahir Sufi, Manoj Joshi, R. Sujatha
Abstract: The COVID-19 crisis has affected almost all the global sectors. The hotel industry, however, was hit hardest challenging the leadership. This study, therefore, attempts to explore the challenges hospitality leadership in India face to navigate the crisis. The study additionally addresses how leaders manage the expectations of key stakeholders; communicate hard decisions with employees, pursue strategies for revival and explores the role of technology to survive the crisis. The study adopts a qualitative approach involving structured interviews with 16 senior hospitality leaders consisting of CEO, vice president, general managers, directors, entrepreneur and general managers from various organisations like hotels, restaurant chains, food services and facilities management services. Data were content analysed involving coding techniques. The leadership challenges included making customers and employees feel safe, optimising operations, agility and resilience of leaders, maintaining a balance between stakeholders, managing employee stress and ensuring cash reserves. The study found that leaders manage the expectation of various stakeholders by maintaining balance, demonstrating empathy and agility. The hard decisions are communicated with the employees through involvement, empathy and alleviating stress. The study contributes by identifying twelve themes from the participants' responses under five major themes-labelled as leadership challenges, managing stakeholders, communicating with the employees, the role of technology and best practices of surviving the crisis. Future research can be conducted on such sub-themes in different countries. As the tourism industry in India is recovering after the second wave, the governments along with all stakeholders, must launch special events for promoting the tourism sector. Safety measures like making vaccination certificates for all tourists and employees of the tourism sector should be made mandatory. Further, special certification following the COVID-19 protocol needs to be introduced for hotels and catering establishments. A fund generated from the sector's direct tax contribution needs to be established to support the employees. The study has several social implications. The study results can unite all industry stakeholders to shape the post-pandemic era through collaboration. Empathetic leadership can take the industry out of chaos by balancing the interests of the various stakeholders of society. The pandemic has proven that we all are vulnerable to risks and challenges; leaders have a vital role in taking proactive steps to ensure that such uncertainties do not cause unprecedented damage. This study expanded the research on the hospitality leadership challenges in managing crises in the backdrop of the crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic. The conceptual model, variables, themes and sub-themes utilised are original contributions to the hospitality literature.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-01-07
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0217
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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- Linking leadership styles to communication competency and work engagement:
evidence from the hotel industry-
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Authors: Md Karim Rabiul, Faridahwati Mohd Shamsudin, Tan Fee Yean, Ataul Karim Patwary
Abstract: This study examines the mediation effects of leaders' communication competency in the link between leadership styles (i.e. servant and transactional leadership) and employees' work engagement. Cross-sectional survey data from 392 employees in 33 hotels in Bangladesh were collected. To analyze the data, structural equation modeling was adopted, and partial least squares (PLS) analysis was used. Results of PLS analysis revealed that servant leaders and leaders' communication competency positively influence employees' work engagement. In boosting employees' work engagement, communication competency is an important tool for servant leadership but not for transactional leadership. Hoteliers and managers may want to adopt a servant leadership style and develop effective leadership communication skills to increase employees' engagement at work. This study introduces communication competency as a mediating mechanism between leadership styles and work engagement in the hospitality industry.
Citation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
PubDate: 2022-01-03
DOI: 10.1108/JHTI-09-2021-0247
Issue No: Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print (2022)
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