RFID-Based Tourism Information System

The purpose of this dissertation is to record all relevant activities involving research which focuses on developing tourist information system via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). The RFID system aims to provide an alternative and automate the current method of conveying information to the tourist who came to Malaysia. Currently, the current method to convey information to the tourist is through brochures, maps, the internet, tourist information counter, etc. Personalization is tailoring to a user based on personal detail or characteristic they provide. If the tourist or user is Malaysian, the information display will be in Bahasa Malaysia, and if the tourist is from France, the information will be display in French language. The personalization is based on the language used by the tourists and their nationality. Personalization provides better information as it provides more specific information that is increasingly relevant to a person's interest and increase the reliability of information. It is usually in accordance with individuals' standards, tastes and preferences. The methodology adopted is prototyping-based methodology. In addition, the technology used for the project development is purely RFID using passive RFID tag and passive RFID fixed reader. Based on the author's research, the RFID technology is suitable to be used for this particular system. It is hope that the RFID based Tourist Information System can be used as a tool to convey information, displaying welcome messages, routes or promotions to the Malaysian tourists in the future. This dissertation also includes introduction, project literature review and study, project work and methodology, result and discussion, conclusion and recommendations and last but not least, references and appendices.

RFID-Based Tourism Information System

The purpose of this dissertation is to record all relevant activities involving research which focuses on developing tourist information system via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). The RFID system aims to provide an alternative and automate the current method of conveying information to the tourist who came to Malaysia. Currently, the current method to convey information to the tourist is through brochures, maps, the internet, tourist information counter, etc. Personalization is tailoring to a user based on personal detail or characteristic they provide. If the tourist or user is Malaysian, the information display will be in Bahasa Malaysia, and if the tourist is from France, the information will be display in French language. The personalization is based on the language used by the tourists and their nationality. Personalization provides better information as it provides more specific information that is increasingly relevant to a person's interest and increase the reliability of information. It is usually in accordance with individuals' standards, tastes and preferences. The methodology adopted is prototyping-based methodology. In addition, the technology used for the project development is purely RFID using passive RFID tag and passive RFID fixed reader. Based on the author's research, the RFID technology is suitable to be used for this particular system. It is hope that the RFID based Tourist Information System can be used as a tool to convey information, displaying welcome messages, routes or promotions to the Malaysian tourists in the future. This dissertation also includes introduction, project literature review and study, project work and methodology, result and discussion, conclusion and recommendations and last but not least, references and appendices.

Social Media Usage on Tourists’ Trip Planning Process Among Youth

Purpose: Tourists' reliance on social media has increased in recent years. Tourists favor social media over traditional ones for trip preparation and travel decisions. This study examines social media usage on pre, during, and post-trip planning among domestic visitors. Methods/Design/approach: The results were obtained via self-administered online questionnaires from Malaysian tourists who had previously visited attractions in the state of Pahang. This study quantified social media usage in two areas: trip planning and perceived trust. Findings: The results show that respondents use social media heavily before trips compared to during and after trips, namely Instagram and WhatsApp. The results also suggest that respondents trust and rely on travel information from all the six social media platforms suggested. Implication/Limitations: Future studies may incorporate larger samples from various demographic groups and tourist classifications

Tourists Experience on Islamic Architecture and its Influence on Destination Loyalty

Purpose: This paper investigates tourists' experience from the encounter with Islamic architecture and how it influences the formation of loyalty towards the visited destination, focusing on Islamic architecture in Putrajaya. Methods/Design/approach: This study employed a convenient sampling approach targeting domestic tourists in Malaysia. Self-administered online questionnaires were distributed through social media platforms, including Whatsapp, Telegram, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The distribution of questionnaires on Facebook was done through social groups, such as 'Kaki Cuti', 'Bercuti di Negara sendiri', 'Jom Melancong'. A total of 265 samples were collected and data were analysed through descriptive analysis and statistical tests. Findings: The findings shows that aesthetic experience, emotional experience, and engaging experience are significant predictors of destination loyalty, with aesthetic experience as the strongest predictor. This means tourists experienced strong visual aesthetic stimulation in engaging with Islamic architecture, which resulted in significant influence on destination loyalty. Tourists also experience a significant level of emotional stimulation due to the special connection of religious bonds. Implication/Limitations: This study focused only on the perspective of domestic tourists due to the current scenario of COVID-19 pandemic. Future research is to look into the perspective of international tourists on Islamic architecture in Malaysia

The effects of information, interaction and design qualities of travel and tour websites on Malaysian tourists’ usage satisfaction

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships and effects of information, interaction and design qualities of travel and tour websites on Malaysian tourists’ usage satisfaction. This study adopted a convenience sampling method, employing self‐administered online questionnaire approach targeting Malaysian tourists who have used any travel and tour websites. The 200 samples obtained were analyzed using multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 26. Information and interaction qualities of travel and tour websites were found to be significant factors to tourists’ usage satisfaction. Future studies could investigate the rural population in Malaysia as access and coverage to technology may be limited

The Effects of Service Quality on Tourist Loyalty Towards Malaysian Budget Hotels

The hotel industry plays a vital role in tourism development by providing visitor accommodation facilities. This paper focuses on the effects of service quality on the budget hotel industry in Malaysia. Despite the increasing number of tourists opting for budget hotels in recent years, issues related to service quality have affected tourist satisfaction and loyalty, posing significant challenges for the budget hotel sector to maintain its business. The study analyzed the effects of service quality on tourist loyalty towards budget hotels and identified the most influential factor in service quality that affects tourist loyalty. A quantitative approach was employed in this study, and the findings indicate that the responsiveness quality dimension has the most significant effect on tourist loyalty. In contrast, assurance and reliability have no significant effects. Budget hotels must improve their service quality, specifically responsiveness, to enhance tourist loyalty and maintain their business in the highly competitive hotel industry

The Effects of Service Quality on Tourist Loyalty Towards Malaysian Budget Hotels

The hotel industry plays a vital role in tourism development by providing visitor accommodation facilities. This paper focuses on the effects of service quality on the budget hotel industry in Malaysia. Despite the increasing number of tourists opting for budget hotels in recent years, issues related to service quality have affected tourist satisfaction and loyalty, posing significant challenges for the budget hotel sector to maintain its business. The study analyzed the effects of service quality on tourist loyalty towards budget hotels and identified the most influential factor in service quality that affects tourist loyalty. A quantitative approach was employed in this study, and the findings indicate that the responsiveness quality dimension has the most significant effect on tourist loyalty. In contrast, assurance and reliability have no significant effects. Budget hotels must improve their service quality, specifically responsiveness, to enhance tourist loyalty and maintain their business in the highly competitive hotel industry

Exploring the Factors Influencing the Selection of Traditional Travel Agencies: A Case of Banjarmasin, Indonesia

Highly developed online facilities by travel agents have grown drastically over the past years. Internet is taking over the businesses of traditional travel agents in their existing as well as emerging markets. Due to the dynamic and diverse nature of technology, the travellers are seeking to optimize their travel attitude in an effective manner while implicating several threats. Amidst all changes, this study investigated the attitude of Indonesian travellers visiting traditional travel agents. A self-administrated online survey was used to collect the data from local travellers of Banjarmasin, Indonesia. A sample of 277 respondents showed a significant relationship between the expertise of travel agents, handling capacity, technological adoption towards visiting traditional travel agents. Interestingly, the social interaction factor has no significant influence. Further, the analysis identified that secure transaction shows a partial mediating effect between travellers visiting traditional travel agents and their habitual selection behaviour. The results of the study indicate that Indonesian travellers have an overall positive attitude towards traditional travel agencies due to their expertise and handling capacity of travel services. An important finding reveals transactional security as a vital factor in habitual selection behaviour of Indonesian travellers. In future, there is a necessity for a holistic approach towards the understanding of both demand and supply perspectives of travel services

INTENTION TO USE VIRTUAL REALITY IN SARAWAK TOURISM DESTINATIONS: A TEST OF STIMULUS-ORGANISM-RESPONSE (S-O-R) MODEL

The industry of tourism in Malaysia is highly recognized for its contribution to the national economy and employment opportunities. However, following the strike of global epidemic due to COVID-19, the number of visitations by tourists has plunged and Malaysia is currently in its stage of revitalizing the industry post-COVID-19. To rejuvenate the tourism industry of Sarawak, Malaysia, the understanding of motivators to boost favourable tourists’ behaviours is crucial, given the ever-changing situation in the tourism market. This study explored the relationship between dimensions of Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-OR) model, particularly in tourism destinations of Sarawak with the adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) technology. The survey was participated by 250 tourists and the proposed model was evaluated using WarpPLS 8.0. The statistical findings revealed the significant positive relationships between all tested constructs (i.e., media richness, presence, utilitarian and hedonic value, behavioural and visit intention). The implications of these findings are further discussed