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PurposeEmployee well-being in a casino work environment is crucial for the quality of work-life and employees' performance. This study examines the dimensions of well-being at a casino in Malaysia to gain deeper insights into employee challenges and motivational factors to arrive at practical mitigation efforts.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a qualitative approach involving 14 semi-structured interviews with casino employees in Malaysia. Interviews lasted 30 min to 2 h at a time when Covid-19 was raging in 2021. Responses were analysed via a data-driven approach and coded using NVivo software to delineate the contents into analytical categories of well-being dimensions.FindingsThe findings suggest that employees at the casino face challenges in achieving work-life balance. Employee's well-being suffers from insufficient break time, irregular working hours affecting family time, managing customer temper tantrums and lack of emotional support systems and remunerations altered by the pandemic. Women employees were particularly vulnerable.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings suggest a need to create better working conditions and address well-being with counselling support for stress management, a balanced approach by employers to the “customer is always right” mantra, creating promising career pathways and supervisors to have better oversight of workaholics. The research focused only on one casino and there was limited access to management departments for an organizational perspective.Originality/valueThis study adds to the body of knowledge on employee well-being in the context of a casino. It suggests hospitality and tourism organizations review their human resource practices that would ease the stresses at the workplace and create support systems to promote employee well-being. Crucially, in a pandemic crisis, well-being dimensions must be accommodating and integrative to employee sentiments, sensitivity and self-actualization.

The position of heritage hotels in place making narratives is not secure, given the challenges of new local developments and larger international forces. This research examines Singapore’s iconic luxury heritage hotel, Raffles Singapore, against the relatively new hotels, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and Marina Bay Sands, to identify the nexus between the island city-state’s historical and contemporary position in the changing hospitality landscape, specifically addressing the concept of place making as a dynamic narrative. Applying sentiment analysis, 454 hotel guest reviews on internationally recognized travel websites were examined. The findings suggest that the dominance of a luxury heritage hotel in the narratives of place making can shift over time, subject to postmodern architectural developments in the hotel landscape and competition from other luxury heritage hotels with iconic and location histories. A key contribution to the hospitality discipline is the measurement of a luxury heritage hotel’s staying power through continuous place making amid glocal challenges. The significance of the findings should alert hospitality practitioners specializing in marketing to potential shifts arising from continuing new competitive narratives in place making.

This study explores two different destination membership card models with the aim of developing a comprehensive framework for understanding this aspect of elite travel. Through a comparative analysis of the different types of destination membership cards, we develop a model that situates tourism knowledge and suggests areas of further research in this under-explored area. Two important destination membership card models are identified: state supported and private sector based. The state-supported agent offers privileged membership, consolidates resources, and creates exclusive experiences. Conversely, the private-sector-based agent tends to amass the resources offered by destination businesses to create exclusive services and provide special access to resources. Both types are significant agents that channel and empower travellers in the high-end segment, thereby creating further differentiation in products and services in the context of market segmentation. Der vorliegende Artikel widmet sich dem bisher wenig betrachteten Bereich von „Destination Membership Cards“ im Segment der Luxusreisenden. Den Kern des Beitrages stellt eine vergleichende Analyse der beiden zentralen Betreibermodelle derartiger Angebote, namlich den staatlich geforderten beziehungsweise den privatwirtschaftlich organisierten Mitgliedsangeboten, dar. Stark verkurzt, lassen sich fur staatlich unterstutzte Initiativen die Ziele einer privilegierten Mitgliedschaft, der Konsolidierung von Ressourcen und die Schaffung exklusiver Erlebnisse konstatieren. Umgekehrt tendieren Initiativen im privaten Sektor dazu, die von den Zielunternehmen angebotenen Ressourcen anzuhaufen, um exklusive Dienste und einen besonderen Zugang zu Ressourcen zu schaffen. Beide Ansatze stellen interessante Instrumente dar, das Segment der High-End-Reisenden zu starken und zukunftig starker zu beeinflussen. Daruber hinaus fuhren sie zu einer zunehmenden Differenzierung von Produkten und Dienstleistungen und damit zu einer starkeren Marktsegmentierung.

Despite luxury brands’ efforts to incorporate sustainable development into their branding and product design, studies have shown inconclusive evidence about consumers’ reaction towards such efforts. This study investigates how consumption values (i.e. the need for exclusivity, conformity, and hedonism) affect consumers’ acceptance of luxury brands’ sustainable efforts. It adopts a cross-cultural framework by analysing two countries, namely China and the UK, which differ substantially in some of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, namely power distance, individualism, and indulgence. Using the structural equation modelling in analysing 677 survey responses from actual luxury goods’ consumers in the two countries, we suggest that hedonic needs drive consumers’ purchase intentions in China and the UK. We find that the need for exclusivity in sustainable luxury items is negatively related to consumers’ purchase intentions in China, while the need for conformity is positively related. In contrast, these effects are reversed in the UK. Our study implies the need to align the marketing of sustainable luxury with consumption values of consumers to reflect the cultural differences. In theorizing sustainable luxury research, this study provides a deeper understanding of value perceptions pertaining to luxury product consumption and sustainability. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1057/s41262-020-00228-0.

PurposeVernacular architecture is an architectural style of buildings that were constructed by artisanal builders who lacked formal qualifications, used local materials and had a deep understanding of local climatic needs. This approach addressed climatic, energy, materials and construction issues in a low-cost way. Building interiors were often made comfortable by using passive internal climate regulation methods, which could be key to resolving some of the current issues of the modern world.Design/methodology/approachTamil Nadu is a land full of local architecture, with Konearirajapuram settlement a thriving specimen of its vernacular architecture, as one of the original Vathima villages (planned Brahmin villages). Here the authors present an appraisal of this settlement's native architecture with its various passive design elements. A questionnaire survey was also conducted among local residents, living in both vernacular and contemporary residential buildings, to understand the quality of indoor environmental comfort in the different building types (single courtyard, multiple courtyards and multiple story houses with courtyards).FindingsThe results of this study show that energy-efficient bioclimatic design strategies of traditional buildings can be analyzed with the help of climatic data and analysis tools such as Mahoney tables and Olgyay's bioclimatic chart. The study shows that vernacular design techniques and principles conserve more energy than modern buildings. The findings suggest that practical solutions for improving contemporary residential developments can be found in traditional architectural approaches and that these approaches should be incorporated in new developments to achieve energy efficiency and a sustainable future.Research limitations/implicationsA detailed survey and the user preferences are plotted in detail in this paper; similarly, Mahoney table and its requirements are analyzed with respect to context; and the results are elaborated and justified.Originality/valueThis study analyzes an entire settlement of Konearirajapuram with 300 units of vernacular residences high in comfort even at extreme climates. Assessment is carried in both qualitative case and quantitative case. Even though there are no previous studies analyzed to identify the effectiveness of the artisanal builders of bioclimatic architecture. Hence, this study brings out the solution for current energy problems from the traditional settings, because the traditional buildings requires no active systems for indoor comfort except a fan, which is negligible in terms of energy use.

This paper attempts to investigate the potential of courtyards in optimizing natural ventilation and improving comfort levels in the learning spaces of a naturally ventilated educational institution with courtyards in the warm-humid climatic region of Madurai. Field measurements and experimental studies were carried out to predict the indoor and outdoor environmental conditions. The numerical study was carried out using computational fluid dynamics-based simulations using Ansys Fluent as the solver. The main aim of the simulation is to understand the airflow pattern and air velocity fields inside the classrooms surrounding the courtyards for different wind directions. The computational fluid dynamics results were validated by comparing it with the experimental results obtained in the current study and numerical results from other studies. The major findings of the current study suggest that courtyards with an aspect ratio of 1:2, orientations of openings at an angle of 0–20° to the predominant wind directions and the overall percentage of openings between 15 and 30% in buildings in Madurai region can enhance natural ventilation and thus improve thermal comfort of the occupants.Practical application: Naturally ventilated buildings in warm-humid climates have difficulty in providing thermal comfort to the occupants. CFD tools have been used to predict the ventilation performance of a naturally ventilated educational building with courtyards. The CFD results were helpful in identifying the implication of building design on the indoor air flow pattern. The recommendations given in this paper are applicable to any building type which relies on natural ventilation for thermal comfort provided they have similar building configurations, boundary conditions and weather conditions. The study is intended to help architects and building designers in the effective design of naturally ventilated buildings with respect to its climatic conditions.

The importance of traditional architecture and planning of Kanchipuram is expressed through a set of objective and subjective map based indicators. The analysis is done at the block level. The results brings out values expressing the epitome of the traditional architecture and planning. The paper presents the map based analysis of the traditional core. The map based analysis perceives changes in the tissues of the study area. The paper emphasizes the importance of social activities as a key to good urban life. The importance of social activities in par with physical component holding it is also presented. A subjective note on climatic considerations at the block level is given based on observations. To compliment conservation measures, a feasibility study to revamp vernacular elements in the modern facades of the city is probed. Stated preference survey method was adopted for the feasibility study. Emphasis is given to public participation and professional involvement in the process of planning and implementing conservation measures. The measures shall realize economic development and life processes. Further certain morale ethics involved in the process methods of planning is discussed. Though the changes are high; the city upholds bright quos towards conservation pertaining to acceptance of traditional aspects and the urge for socialization.

The article attempts to investigate the impact of Madurai’s urban expansion on the River Vaigai at the confluence of six channels draining into the river from the urban watershed and at the causeways. Impervious surface cover (ISC) has impacted the river. Water samples were collected during 2017 in 15 stations in the urban stretch and two stations in the peri-urban stretch. Physical characteristics, namely, temperature, colour, odour and taste, and the intensity of chemical parameters, namely, pH, calcium, nitrates, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH) and carbon dioxide demand (COD), were estimated. These estimations show that anomalous concentrations of physiochemical parameters in the river are much higher than the permissible standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The causeway recorded greater variations in TDS levels between the upstream and downstream zone. The study identifies two realities: first, variance in the intensity of physiochemical properties in the urban and peri-urban stretch and second, the impact of causeways on the flow characteristics of the river.

This paper presents two vignettes that might interest tourism scholars in their future research endeavours. Firstly, a journey in multidisciplinary research is described to expound on the successful collaboration between scholars of different background premised on being open to ideas from non-tourism perspectives and learning how to hybridize an explanation or method is helpful to the scientific goals. Secondly, we review sequential exploratory mixed methods and scale development as a contribution to the tourism discipline. Utilizing the qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis in a sequence of phases, the project aimed to develop the scale to measure travel suppliers’ readiness to provide transformational tourism Services. The significance of this work rests on sharing insights to working in a multidisciplinary team and propose a conceptual framework to crafting and validating findings using scaling and sequential phases combined with qualitative methods all with the aid of existing data reading software.

A primary function of a hallmark event is to provide the host community with an opportunity to secure high prominence in the tourism marketplace. There is no lack of research on the impacts of hallmark events on the host cities. However, the impact on the well-being of non-host community is underexplored. Extant tourism literature has suggested examining events and festivals as a fertile area to explore the transformative linkages to well-being and happiness. This transformative mode brings about life altering impacts on these experiences, allowing spectators far and wide to find new meaning and develop a set of expectations. The 2016 Olympic Games were a historic moment for Singaporeans, as the country came to a standstill when Joseph Schooling won the nation’s first ever Olympic gold medal in the 100 metres butterfly swimming event. Using social media analysis through netnography method, this chapter identifies the transformation the 2016 Olympic Games had on the spectators in Singapore. This study advances the knowledge boundary of hallmark events by connecting reverberations on a society and individual well-being beyond the immediate vicinity of the host destination.

The tropics are home to nearly half the world’s population, have rapid population growth forecast and have significant economic and social inequality challenges. Significant urbanisation is underway in Southeast Asia. By 2030, an additional 90 million people are forecast to move to ASEAN cities. These urban populations are expected to triple by 2050. Issues like poverty, inequality, unsustainable energy consumption and declining infrastructure will shape government and business decisions for years to come. While our tropical environment is urbanising faster and faster, we are often unable to cope with—and adapt to—the challenges brought by these changes. What processes can be used to reduce inequities and injustices in the tropical built environment? This book has clustered the various topics under several tropes addressing resources, local frameworks and urban design and planning. The works though are in variety, we admit that there is more work needed to explain and explore to further advance our understanding of the dynamics of the tropics.

Today, customer satisfaction alone is not enough anymore in the tourism and hospitality industry in order to win the loyalty of guests. Instead, the industry need to achieve service excellence by delighting their guests with a set of drivers of excellence. Despite the relevance of the topic to the Asian tourism industry, the extant literature is scarce and fragmented. The 12 chapters in this book derive from a call for papers as well as from a study tour of Singapore and Malaysia. Papers went through a double-blind peer review procedure. They comprise both conceptual and—in most cases—empirical papers, drawing on recent research in the Asian tourism and hospitality industry. This edited book sets out to examine what and how companies in the tourism and hospitality industry do to deliver a high level of service excellence. They span aspects including the design of services, managing customer-oriented operations, leveraging digital technology and managing resources.

Over the last three decades, developing countries in Asia have directed their economies to focus on increasing their foreign direct investment opportunities as a means of invigorating development and employment opportunities for their citizens. During this time, Sri Lanka has emerged from a destructive civil war while communist Vietnam has embraced market reforms. This paper attempts to record and analyze the foreign direct investment flow outlining the different strategies adopted under various political regimes. The significant contribution of this chapter lies in the identification of adaptive strategies for the two countries that seek to implement new domestic frameworks and international relations.

This paper reviews the potential benefits of Lean Six Sigma for service providers in the tourism and hospitality industry. The fact that Lean Six Sigma was designed and mainly used by the manufacturing industry makes it seem unattractive for service providers. The goal is to provide scientific information on the advantages and difficulties associated with implementing Lean Six Sigma in a tourism and hospitality operation, with a focus on Asia. In order to gather information for this paper, a literature review and field research were conducted in several South East Asian touristic attractions. The discussion entails the extent to which two selected attractions can employ Lean Six Sigma, and what benefits could result from using them. Overall, Lean Six Sigma has high potential in the tourism and hospitality industry, but has yet to be more frequently used by businesses operating in this sector.

The spate of natural disasters in recent years has spawned a great deal of research on various challenges in disaster preparation, response, and recovery. Not much attention has been given to scholarly analyses of policies adapting to post–disaster management that have implications for key sectors of a country’s economy. The strong inverse relationship between tourism and natural disasters underscores the vulnerability of tourism determined by the extent of direct and indirect impact from natural disasters, hence a need to evaluate post–disaster management. This study examines the 2018 Kerala flood and its impact on tourism through a critical assessment of the responses of government agencies and organizations. Understanding the extent of policy adaptations during and after the 2018 Kerala flood in India allows us to develop a framework for policymakers and other stakeholders to consider impact-limiting measures and construct built-in resilience in the tourism industry.

This book investigates resource-constrained environments in the tropics and subtropics where people's lives and businesses are affected, and adaptations occur periodically. Constrained environments are unique territories characterised by challenging circumstances, limited land and natural resources. They can be places with a small municipal boundary or cities in which parts around them may be consumed by ocean, bay or mountains. Those places face hard physical boundaries like coastlines and mountains, which in addition to policy decisions that may limit height or density, can also serve to limit capacity for expansion. Successful communities and businesses tend to survive in a changing environment given their strong intuitive and forward-looking adaptations. This book delves into the role of urban planning and design in the promotion of business and adaptations of people and communities. Additionally, the focus takes into account impact analysis and the effects of an expanding populations, including growing migrant flows, and business needs on the built environment of land-constrained territories.

Whilst the Asian region is experiencing a growth in tourist arrivals, it becomes increasingly important for businesses in its tourism and hospitality industry to find ways to sustain the growth momentum into the future. This edited book posits that going beyond just customer satisfaction to achieve customer delight may be the solution. For long-term competitiveness, with a better understanding of customer needs, businesses can develop their operational capabilities and competencies in meeting these needs, not only to satisfy, but also to delight their customers. Some key takeaways from the broad array of practices and challenges discussed in the 12 chapters in this book include the influence of cultures on how and what businesses in the Asian tourism and hospitality industry do in their quest for service excellence, as well as how adding a personal touch can make a key difference on the whole customer experience.

The topic on constrained environments and sustainable adaptations was drawn from an idea that the tropics faced significant and unique challenges shaped by geo-climatic conditions converging with the way communities have adapted. Most studies embrace multidisciplinary approaches to adopt a more compartmentalized and yet rich epistemological understanding of a phenomenon to a closely related discipline. Very few journal articles and books in the area of business and societies in the tropics focus on the different types of constraints and their sustainability strategies. Hence, this book is meant to drive the agenda to address issues that emanate from different parts of the tropics and enhance our understanding of the challenges and mitigation efforts made by business organizations and leaders as well as ordinary people and as a nation.

Bhutan and Maldives have limited tourist arrivals primarily targeting quality tourists. This policy of targeting quality tourism is driven by geophysical and cultural realities undergirded by domestic frameworks. This chapter examines the literature related to constrained environments in tourist destinations that play a big role in determining the outcome of policy approaches and its implementation. Addressing the gap in tourism literature, the research locates the constraints in the two countries and how those limitations have steered the creation and implementation of policy approaches. Based on field observations and extensive library research, the two destinations are profiled as case studies combined with a synthesis of the literature.

The present study was undertaken to identify the microRNAs (miRNAs) expressed in the mammary tissue of a bubaline heifer. Small RNAs were isolated from the mammary gland tissue and enriched for miRNA fraction. The linker-ligated small RNAs were reverse transcribed to synthesize cDNA and amplified by PCR. The PCR products were ligated to the pGEM-T Easy vector; cloned into DH5 alpha cells and sequenced. Sequencing of 40 clones, randomly chosen from this library, produced 115 concatemerized short sequences. The short sequences were checked for their matches with the help of refseq_rna database, EST database (NCBI) and Ensembl. The analysis was performed for more than 90% identity with miRNAs across different species in miRBase. Alignment of putative small RNA sequences with the bovine genome was attempted in GenBank (NCBI) and Ensembl using BLAST. The small RNA sequences with a partial matches within the bovine genome and/or with flanking sequences (upstream or downstream) were analyzed for hairpin structures using the Mfold web server. Reverse complements were also assessed for the homology search. miRNA sequences showing only a partial match with already reported sequences were considered as a putative bubaline miRNAs. Six developmentally important putative miRNA precursors were identified from this study using cloning and sequencing followed by the Bioinformatics approach. This study will help in the elucidation of pathways involving miRNAs in bubaline species at the heifer stage.

Thermal comfort levels in the classrooms of a naturally ventilated (NV) educational building in Madurai have been evaluated by qualitative and quantitative analysis and the thermal discomfort zones have been identified. Considering shading of building envelope as one of the best passive cooling techniques, this study has explored the possibility of designing a shading device using solar charts and shadow angle protractor for the classrooms in the case study building, to reduce the heat gain from the windows and external walls. Hand tools and manual presentation techniques in architectural design are always preferred to the complicated, skilled based computer drawings for low height buildings. Now-a-days there are lots of simulation tools for designing buildings, but they are dependent on the weather files in a particular format for that region, which makes it a challenge to arrive at proper solutions for all regions. Hence, this paper is focused to give an insight to budding architects and engineers to use simple methods to design low energy buildings in a better way for any particular region using the local climatic data alone.