Search

Purpose This study aims to explore antecedents of supporting local food branded by a sustainable state-operated agricultural marketing program (SOAMP). Cultural values and pro-environmental attitudes were examined as well as their effect on purchase and word-of-mouth intent. Design/methodology/approach The values, attitudes and behavior model served as the framework for testing the measurement and structural models and mediation effects. A total of 259 individuals participated in the online survey. Findings Structural model was a good fit to the data. The values of collectivism and long-term orientation were the strongest predictors of intent to purchase and spread word of mouth about SOAMP branded products. Green consumption attitudes mediate the relationship from collectivism value to intent to support products branded by a sustainability marketing program. Originality/value This study is original in that it challenges the notion that local food consumption is primarily driven by pro-green attitudes. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is also the first of its kind to approach local food and pro-green consumption from a cultural perspective by using Hofstede’s cultural values scale to explore how individuals’ values affect their support of products branded by a sustainability marketing program.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the relationships between older travelers’ self-determined motivations, memorable travel experiences and overall satisfaction with educational holidays. This study also examined the mediating effects of memorable travel experiences on the relationships between motivations and overall satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach An integrative model using a pre-post travel approach was used as the framework for this study. A total of 361 valid pre- and post-travel surveys were gathered from Australians 50 years or older who participated in educational tour packages. Findings Results found “personal development” and “learning” dimensions of intrinsic self-determined motivations were the main decision making factors for older adults to engage in educational tourism. “Learning” was the main driver to influence memorable experiences and overall satisfaction. Findings also revealed “local culture” and “excitement” dimensions of memorable experiences were found to influence their overall satisfaction with the trip. These two dimensions were found to be significant factors that partially mediated the relationship between intrinsic motivation (“learning”) and overall satisfaction. Originality/value This study contributed to developing a theoretical framework that assessed antecedents and outcomes of older adults’ motivations and travel-related behaviors.

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the experiences of international volunteer tourists, or voluntourists, to Botswana. Wildlife conservation, health education and orphanage voluntourists are examined specifically. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data were collected through interviews with tourists who had completed or were in the midst of volunteer experiences. Findings – Findings revealed that international voluntourism opportunities in Botswana are challenging to locate and leave volunteers questioning their impact. Some of the difficulties associated with voluntourism in Botswana included the need for volunteers to pay to participate, the concern regarding whether volunteers were depriving locals of employment opportunities, hesitation about the authenticity of the experience and the lack of community ownership. Practical implications – This paper will be beneficial to industry practitioners as it details the challenges associated with international voluntourism and provides suggestions for ways to attract volunteers, engage them in the process and ensure both the organization and tourist have a positive and useful experience. Originality/value – The increased interest in international voluntourism is a trend which is unlikely to decelerate in the coming years. This paper advances the knowledge on voluntourism operations in Botswana which may be valuable to tourists, students, academicians, government policymakers and industry practitioners alike.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify whether travel and tourism related web sites derive a certain personality type.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed the ten‐item personality inventory (TIPI) measure to assess personality dimensions of 188 tourism web sites including airlines, hotels, cruise lines, casinos, restaurants, and government funded travel web sites. Data analysis of 413 cases was conducted through mean comparisons and ANOVA.FindingsData identified web sites representing different segments of the hospitality and tourism industries do vary in relation to online personalities. More specifically, web sites for venues such as casinos were represented as extraverted while lodging web sites were deemed more conscientious.Research limitations/implicationsWhile this study aimed to identify web site personalities of businesses within the tourism segment, not all categories were represented. Furthermore, response choices were limited only 20 of the personality objectives from the TIPI personality scale were examined.Practical implicationsThis study demonstrated different personality characteristics are represented through tourism web sites, indicating providers may need to focus their web presence in a manner which engages potential travellers based on such features.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the body of scholarly research related to TIPI and further demonstrates consumer awareness and preference for web sites which augment their personality.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how effectively hotels are using Facebook as a marketing tool and how consumers are interacting with the property by measuring the number of fans, customer comments, and accuracy of information provided. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based upon a content analysis, inquiring into 100 hotels' Facebook pages. Findings – Findings demonstrate that the use of Facebook features by hotels varied widely. Some hotels utilize Facebook solely as a means for posting property information, whereas others focus on facilitating customer engagement. Research limitations/implications – Literature related to the effectiveness of social media as a marketing tool within the hospitality industry is severely limited, thus this research highlights the challenges some hotels are experiencing with maximizing the reach of their Facebook pages, suggests possible approaches for improvement and makes recommendations for structuring social networking strategies. Practical i...

PurposeThis study aims to examine web site heuristics and their influence on the likelihood to purchase.Design/methodology/approachA convenience sample of 28 participants was assigned a list of 30 hotel web sites to evaluate according to predetermined criteria and open‐ended questions.FindingsResults indicated that booking decisions are positively related to a web site's aesthetic appeal. The study found the presence of photographs on a hotel web site was the most significant factor impacting site appeal and influencing the booking decision. Other features affecting purchase decisions included ease of use, color, link availability, lack of web site clutter, and sites unique in appearance.Research limitations/implicationsResearch limitations included the size and composition of the sample. Respondents were college students, thus they represented a younger demographic and one which may be more tech‐savvy than other age groups. Also, the hotel web sites which were evaluated were located in one popular US tourist destination, meaning generalization to a larger population or to another industry may be limited.Practical implicationsResults showed four variables; pictures, ease of use, neat/uncluttered and plain/boring; were most significant on both site appeal and site influence. Practitioners would be well served to improve these web site elements to better accommodate customers and realize the greatest return on investment.Originality/valueThe paper investigates heuristics of hotel web sites. Findings identified areas for improvement by practitioners as well as areas for future research.