Journal of Tourism and Services

How Could Brand Image, Ethnocentrism, and Brand Attachment Impact Consumer Behaviour in the Service Industry: A Comparative Study

Maha K. Al Balushi, Mohammad Soliman, Rowan Kennedy, Irfan Butt — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Underpinned by self-congruity theory, cognitive appraisal theory, and attachment theory, the current research develops a comprehensive theoretical framework of the key factors determining continuous purchase intention for two coffee brands by incorporating critical factors such as brand image, ethnocentrism, and brand attachment. This paper also investigates the intervening role of brand attachment in such links. The study applied a quantitative approach by gathering data through a self-administered survey from 266 consumers who purchased two coffee brands in Oman: Starbucks Coffee (as an international brand) and Fifty Five Coffee (as a local brand). Using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the empirical findings indicated that brand image significantly influenced brand attachment and continuance intention. Ethnocentrism impacted brand attachment and did not have a significant link with continuance intention for Starbucks. However, it significantly affects both brand attachment and customers’ continuance intention for Fifty Five Coffee. Brand attachment positively affects continuance intention and significantly mediates the links between brand image, ethnocentrism, and continuance intention for Starbucks and Fifty Five Coffee. The current endeavour holds a variety of theoretical and practical implications for concerned scholars and professionals respectively. The limitations and future research avenues are also outlined.

Crafting Local Sustainability: Strategies for Attracting Tourists to Breweries and Related Activities of Beer Tourism

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Beer tourism has become a crucial element of gastrotourism, presenting substantial opportunities for sustainable tourism development. This sector not only bolsters local economies by spending on local businesses but also promotes environmental sustainability by focusing on local brewing traditions and reducing the import of goods. The study aims to explain how different groups (based on gender, age, education, and place of residence) perceive, understand, and engage in beer tourism and thus help to adapt beer tourism offers to these groups' specific interests and improve the sustainability of related activities. The evaluation was carried out based on a questionnaire survey. Based on the variables, we tested through the Chi-square and Fisher-Freeman-Halton tests. Based on the contingency table, Monte Carlo simulation was used for the Fisher-Freeman-Halton test. The questionnaire survey results showed that most Slovak tourists prefer excursions to breweries rather than beer festivals (42.98% of men and 45.45% of women). Visitors get the most information about beer tourism activities through social networks. However, the number of respondents can be seen as a limiting factor of the research, which does not allow for generalizing the conclusions about beer tourism in Slovakia. In this case, it was a pre-test, and the questionnaire was subsequently modified and expanded to include other activities in the field of beer tourism. In the future, the data will be supplemented by personal interviews with brewery owners about their perception of beer tourism.

The Impact of the Characteristics of Self-Service Technologies on Customer Experience Quality: Insights for Airline Companies

Cem Duran, Nimet Uray, Shaymaa Alkilani — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Research on self-service technologies (SSTs) has not been fully developed, and it is still open to debate with many aspects concerning its effect on customer experience and potential outcomes empirically, especially in the airline industry. Studies regarding these technologies and their potential impact are needed in the airline industry as they represent an integral part of the tourism industry. Previous studies on the airline industry have merely focused on SSTs and their impact on customer adoption, tendency to use, and satisfaction. The SSTs have the capacity to influence how customers perceive their experience in the overall process of getting a service. Thus, customer experience quality (CXQ) is influenced by the perceived characteristics of SSTs. The literature on the impact of SSTs on CXQ is considerably limited in general, particularly in the airline industry. More research on this issue is needed, especially following the outbreak of COVID-19; thus, this study aims to investigate a model that integrates the impact of the perceived characteristics of SSTs as antecedents and outcomes of CXQ. The research design of this study is based on a mixed-method approach: a preliminary study consisting of two qualitative investigations and a main study through face-to-face questionnaires with airline passengers. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is applied to the data collected from passengers traveling with the airline company in Turkey (N=501) through questionnaires applied as mall intercepts. The results of this study include extending the CXQ dimensions to add consistency and institutionalism, hence contributing to the service and tourism literature. Furthermore, this research provides actionable insights for managers in airline businesses to invest more in SSTs to improve their CXQ, customer satisfaction, and positive word-of-mouth communication (WOM).

Smart Tourism, Hospitality, and Destination: A Systematic Review and Future Directions

Ahmed Alsharif, Salmi Mohd Isa, Mohammad N. Alqudah — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

This paper aims to conduct a scientometric and systematic literature analysis on smart tourism, destination, and hospitality, focusing on the utilization of ICT to enhance tourism experiences, improve the quality of life for residents and tourists, and promote sustainable tourism development. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, relevant articles from the Scopus database (2013-November 2023) were selected and analyzed. A total of 321 articles and review articles were included, highlighting the collaborative efforts in enhancing tourism experiences, well-being, and sustainable practices. The analysis revealed China as the most productive country with 88 documents, while the USA emerged as the most influential with 1970 citations. Kyung Hee University in South Korea was identified as the most productive and influential institution, contributing 15 documents and 1328 citations. Frequent authors' keywords included "smart tourism," "smart cities," "smart tourism destination(s)," "tourism," and "smart destination(s)." The integration of smart tourism, IoT, and social media was found to significantly influence consumer behavior, shaping travel experiences and decision-making processes. The study provides valuable insights for future research, emphasizing the need for further exploration in areas such as ecosystem hospitality and smart traveling. Enhanced collaboration among researchers is expected to deepen the understanding and expand the scope of smart tourism research, ultimately leading to more publications and advancements in this field.

Exploring the Role of Tourism Destination Communications in Shaping Tourist E-WOM Intentions

Carmen-Maria Hervas-Cortina, Irene Gil-Saura, Maria-Eugenia Ruiz-Molina — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

The objective of this work was to analyse to what extent communications about the tourist destination (online and offline generated by the destination and the communications of social media users) influence the destination's image and the tourist’s intention to communicate online or generate eWOM. Performing quantitative research on tourists who visit the tourist information offices of the Valencian Community in Spain, 185 valid questionnaires were obtained through a survey. As a result of regression estimates and descriptive statistics techniques, support is found for the influence of online communications generated by destination and by the social media user on the image of the destination and the tourist's intention to communicate online. The influence of communications with tourist information office staff is also significant, while neither the content nor the visual appeal of brochures influence the image or the intention to communicate online about the tourist destination. This evidence can help tourism authorities to develop a more effective marketing strategy to promote the destination. Likewise, the variables included in the developed theoretical model have not been considered together in previous studies in this area, thus contributing to the extant literature. In addition, offline communications (brochures) are broken down into two different variables, which had not been studied together with the rest of the variables within the framework of the S-O-R model.

Empirical Insights into Co-Creation, Satisfaction, and Willingness to Pay in Sustainable Tourism

Paulo Rita, Maria Teresa Borges Tiago, Nuno Sousa — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

The significance of this study lies in its examination of how co-creation impacts tourists' willingness to pay for tourism offerings, providing crucial insights for enhancing the tourist experience and promoting sustainable tourism practices essential for the industry's long-term viability. This research investigates the effect of co-creation engagement on tourists' financial commitments to tourism products or services, aiming to understand better how co-creation enhances the tourist experience. An online survey was conducted in October 2023, targeting tourists who visited São Miguel’s Island in the Azores in recent years (n=220). The survey explored seven key constructs: involvement, customer co-creation, satisfaction, environmental concerns, support for sustainable tourism development, and willingness to pay. The results underscore the positive impact of consumer co-creation on satisfaction, suggesting that investment in co-creative activities can substantially enhance tourists' experiences. The study provides valuable insights for tourism stakeholders, indicating that fostering co-creative activities can significantly boost tourist satisfaction and willingness to pay. Additionally, integrating sustainability principles into tourism services offers a competitive advantage, while targeted marketing strategies based on visitor demographics can maximize financial returns. This research contributes to existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the connections between co-creation, satisfaction, environmental concerns, and willingness to pay in tourism. The findings have practical implications for improving service quality, promoting sustainability, and optimizing marketing strategies in the tourism industry, benefiting both academia and practitioners.

The Impact of Digital Technologies on Tourists’ Travel Choices and Overall Experience

Yuriy Bilan, Gayane Tovmasyan, Svetlana Dallakyan — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Digital technologies have revolutionized the tourism industry, offering tourists unprecedented access to information, bookings, and immersive experiences. The paper's main purpose is to investigate the influence of digital technologies on tourists' decision-making processes and travel experiences in Armenia. The data are based on a survey done among 385 respondents. Findings reveal widespread adoption of digital platforms among tourists in Armenia, contributing positively to their travel experiences. Pearson Chi-square testing reveals a significant relationship among some factors. According to the results, 65.7% plan entertainment in the destination by using the Internet to find out about the main attractions in advance. More than 70% get travel information from Facebook and Instagram. People evaluate digital technologies' impact on their travel experience with an average of 4.28 (1-5 (the best) scale). The Customer satisfaction score is 80.4 %. The main problems are connected with fake information, technical issues, differences in online and offline prices, hotel room pictures, etc. The research underscores the importance of continuous advancements in digital infrastructure and services to further enhance Armenia's tourism sector. The results of this study may be useful for marketing strategies. The study reveals some problems that may be useful for tourism companies and state regulation bodies.

Impact Analysis of the Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem to Improve the Tourism Industry and Social Sustainability

Fahimeh Khatami, Alberto Ferraris, Dario Natale Palmucci, Marina Dabić — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Digitalisation is a key enabler of sustainable tourism in an industry that has recently been transformed by new sustainable innovations and digital solutions. In this study, we analysed the effects of the digital entrepreneurial ecosystem (DEE) on the tourism industry and social sustainability of 27 EU countries. The study underlines the key independent indicators representing the impact of the DEE’s elements. Also, a quantitative and comparative approach was considered using the panel data method and clustering analysis for data from 2014 to 2021. Our findings show significant positive impacts of DEE elements that have significantly contributed to tourism and social sustainability growth. Furthermore, hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) revealed that eight countries (cluster A), including Germany, the UK, France, Spain, and Italy, had the highest average digitalisation levels, affecting their tourism growth and social sustainability. Ultimately, we indicate different digital user levels and marketplace, such as networks designed to produce cloud infrastructure, digital platforms, and digital tourist-based devices and applications, as having the capability to enhance tourism and social sustainability.

Utilizing Machine Learning for Analysing Digital Marketing's Influence on Gen-Z Travellers’ Destination Selection

Pattaraporn Warintarawej, Jariya Seksan, Nattaporn Thongsri — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Digital marketing significantly influences travellers’ decision-making processes. This research aims to analyze the specific digital marketing strategies affecting Gen-Z travellers’ decisions. Machine learning techniques were employed to uncover key insights. Data were collected through a survey using a convenience random sampling of 346 university students in Thailand. Correlation analysis and machine learning approaches, such as logistic regression and neural network analysis, were used to explore the relationships between various digital marketing strategies and their impact on Gen-Z travellers’ destination choices. The findings indicate that Online Travel Agency (OTA) websites exert the most significant influence on Gen-Z travellers’ decision-making processes, with an odds ratio of 1.6879. This is followed by the use of social media marketing strategies and businesses having their own websites. To validate these results, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique was also employed, confirming the importance of rankings derived from the logistic regression analysis. This research provides valuable insights into which digital marketing strategies most influence Gen-Z travellers’ decision-making processes. These insights can help tourism businesses make informed investments in digital marketing strategies, prioritizing those that align with the preferences of Gen-Z travellers.

The Interconnections Between CSR, Financial Management, and Sustainability in Service Sector SMEs

Adela Poliakova, Iveta Hamarneh, Abdul Bashiru Jibril, Eva Kicová — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

This study investigates the relationship between financial management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and sustainability within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the service sector across the Visegrad Four (V4) countries: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The research aims to quantify the impact of financial management and CSR on SME sustainability, addressing a critical gap in understanding sustainability dynamics in this sector. The data was collected through a comprehensive survey of 339 SME owners or top managers across the V4 countries, employing a structured questionnaire. The hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to evaluate the causal relationships between the factors. The results reveal that financial management plays a more significant role in determining the level of sustainability in SMEs than CSR. Nevertheless, CSR also positively affects both sustainability and financial management, though the intensity of its impact on financial management is weaker. These findings are crucial for SME owners and managers, as they highlight the importance of integrating both financial discipline and socially responsible practices to achieve long-term sustainability. The study's implications extend to policymakers, educational institutions, and support organizations, providing a framework for developing strategies that promote sustainable business practices. This research offers a valuable contribution to the body of knowledge on sustainability in SMEs, especially in the context of post-pandemic recovery in the V4 region, and provides practical recommendations for enhancing the resilience and competitiveness of SMEs through improved financial management and CSR integration.

Cultured Meat Consumer Acceptance: Addressing Issues of Eco-Emotions

Béré Benjamin Kouarfaté, Fabien Durif, Gaëlle Pantin-Sohier — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

Meat substitutes, in particular cultured meat, appear to be an effective way of combating climate change, ensuring human and animal welfare, and meeting the challenges of food security. In the face of the climate emergency, we need to speed up the decarbonization of local and national economies and curb populations’ negative emotional responses. Eco-emotions (such as fear) can indeed go so far as to cause disengagement from the environmental transition and hamper action. The aim of this article is to understand and predict, from the perspective of the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB), (i) consumer intentions and (ii) the determinants of the adoption of cultured meat by introducing two important variables drawn from the literature on eco-emotions, i.e. eco-anger and eco-depression. The results show that, in addition to the traditional TPB variables (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control), eco-depression has a significant effect on consumer intentions and the acceptability of cultured meat. This research can help to improve decision-making processes and to effectively predict intentions, acceptability, and purchasing behaviour with regard to cultured meat. Organizations will be able to use this model to propose differentiated marketing techniques, optimize marketing campaigns, and improve citizen engagement.

Navigating Uncertainty Through Resilience, Absorptive Capacity and Adaptive Performance in Shaping SME Exit Intentions in the Tourism Industry

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

This research examines how absorptive capacity and adaptive performance address the connection between entrepreneurs' resilience and their desire to leave their businesses among Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism industry. Specifically, this study focuses on tourism SMEs in Terengganu, Malaysia, a region heavily dependent on tourism as a key economic driver. The study integrates multiple constructs within the tourism entrepreneurship domain, including resilience, absorptive capacity, adaptive performance, and business exit intentions. A survey was conducted using self-administered questionnaires between October 2023 and December 2023, with valid responses from 205 tourism SMEs. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results demonstrated a significant relationship between entrepreneurial resilience and the intention to exit the business, with absorptive capacity and adaptive performance acting as key mediators. The findings provide insights into how resilience helps entrepreneurs navigate challenges, sustaining their businesses amid uncertainties. The study offers strategic implications for tourism entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry stakeholders by emphasising the importance of resilience and adaptive strategies in reducing business exit intentions. These insights contribute to a broader understanding of how entrepreneurial resilience, absorptive capacity, and adaptive performance interplay to influence critical business decisions, which can inform policies and interventions aimed at enhancing SME sustainability, particularly in emerging tourism markets.

The Effect of Social Media Marketing on Tourist Loyalty: a Mediation - Moderation Analysis in the Tourism Sector under the Stimulus-Organism-Response Model

Le Duc Tam, Ho Huy Tuu, Le Chi Cong — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

This study investigates the impact of social media marketing (SMM) activities on destination loyalty, emphasizing the mediating roles of tourist satisfaction and engagement, and the moderating role of destination trust in an extended Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model in the context of an emerging country (Vietnam). Data from 514 domestic tourists collected in Vietnam's coastal destinations were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal significant direct effects of SMM on tourist satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty. Satisfaction and engagement mediate the relationship between SMM and loyalty, while destination trust strengthens these effects. This study offers significant theoretical contributions to the field of tourism marketing by extending the application of the S-O-R framework. It demonstrates how SMM influences destination loyalty not only through direct pathways but also through indirect mechanisms involving tourist satisfaction and tourist engagement. By examining these mediating and moderating roles, the study expands our understanding of how emotional and behavioral responses to SMM drive destination loyalty. The findings suggest that destination marketing organizations (DMOs) should develop SMM strategies that not only enhance engagement and satisfaction but also incorporate trust mechanisms to foster long-term loyalty, particularly in emerging tourism markets.

Sustainability in Business Events: How Hybrid Formats Shape Attendee Decision-Making

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0100

This study explores how the availability of hybrid business event formats influences attendees' decision-making concerning sustainable practices, addressing a gap in understanding how hybrid formats impact participation choices in the context of sustainability. The research specifically aims to examine how sustainability practices in accommodation, transportation, catering, and venue selection affect the likelihood of on-site attendance and how the option of hybrid participation shifts preferences toward virtual engagement. Data was collected from 533 international business event attendees, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used for analysis. The findings reveal that hybrid events, while promoting inclusivity and reducing environmental impacts, often lead to increased online participation, particularly among attendees with strong environmental concerns. Even when sustainable practices are implemented on-site, many participants prefer virtual options to minimise their carbon footprint further. This poses a challenge for event organisers striving to balance sustainability goals with the need to maintain physical attendance to keep the business industry running. The study offers practical recommendations for organising more sustainable and inclusive events, emphasising the importance of integrating green practices while leveraging hybrid formats to meet evolving participant preferences. These insights are crucial for guiding the future of sustainable event planning in the business events industry.