Multidimensional model of destination brands: An application of customer -based brand equity

Branding\u27s extension into tourism destination management is expanDing However, most studies to date have focused at the conceptual exploration level or expansion of image-level theory. This study examined empirical information on building the destination brand model through a scale purification process, ensuring its reliability and validity. The customer-based brand equity measurement model from the general marketing literature was applied in a destination context. The proposed model was tested with an online survey sample of Las Vegas and Atlantic City visitors because both destinations are in a similar destination brand category. Findings show that although the proposed model showed a good fit for the total sample, Las Vegas sample, and Atlantic City sample respectively, the relationship among the brand dimensions was inconsistent with theory. However, destination brand image shows a positive effect on both destination brand value and destination brand loyalty across the samples. In addition destination brand image was found to be the most significant predictor for destination brand loyalty across the samples; As a result, an alternative model was developed that has a good fit across the samples. Combining destination brand image with destination brand quality created a new latent construct, destination brand experiences. Interestingly, path relationships among destination brand awareness, destination brand experiences, destination brand value, and destination brand loyalty were similar. However, invariance tests of structural coefficients between the Las Vegas and Atlantic City samples indicated that variances were different across the destination; The findings indicate that the customer-based brand equity measurement model drawn from general marketing can be applied to a destination context. However, specific scale items that are appropriate for each destination should be developed. In addition, a destination brand model is difficult to generalize across destinations because of their unique and complex characteristics. This study showed that a destination brand is a multi-dimensional concept and provided a starting point as to how to empirically measure a destination brand. However, limitations in this study suggest that the issue of how destination brands can be measured is currently difficult to determine, while becoming an increasingly important part of destination management. An extension of this research is needed to validate the findings in the future

Utilizing Consumer-Generated Online Reviews in an Urban Destination to Develop a Comprehensive Hotel Complaint Framework

While negative online reviews can damage a hotel reputation and virally spread negative word of mouth, guest complaints in these reviews can offer lodging executives a valuable and accessible source of market research information. This study investigates the nature of online complaints and responses by content analyzing nearly 2,000 one-star consumer-generated reviews of 86 Washington DC hotels from ten travel electronic distribution channels and social media websites, including TripAdvisor, Priceline and Yelp. A detailed complaint typology was derived, comprised of 47 complaint areas representing hotel, staff and guestroom issues. Destination managers are encouraged to utilize the complaint framework to enhance local accommodation quality by providing its membership with aggregated feedback and structured market intelligence from online review websites

KOREA OUTBOUND TOURISM TO SEVEN COUNTRIES: VAR MODEL AND GRANGER CAUSALITY TEST

This paper investigates the causal relationship among Korean outbound tourism demand for seven countries such as United States, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Since there are no long-run relationships among Korean outbound tourism demand for those international destinations the vector autoregressive (VAR) model is used for testing such causality. From the causality results, we found United States is leading country for Korean outbound tourism demand. When Korean tourism demands for United States increase, those for the other countries get a raise. Also, tourism demand for Thailand is influenced by tourism demands for three countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore and United States. Our results imply that government and managerial implications are recognized based on the empirical findings

Interrelationships Among Korean Outbound Tourism Demand:Granger Causality Analysis

This study investigated Korean outbound tourism demand and its determinants using the Granger causality (GC) analysis. In contrast to previous studies, which dealt only with internal factors, such as exchange rate and income, this study examined the effects of interactions among countries and, therefore, more complete and relevant results were found. Korean outbound tourism to the USA is causally related to Korean outbound tourism to the other six countries in this present study. These results can be applicable for the purpose of tourism marketing and strategies for industries and governments to allocate tourism resources more efficiently.This paper is forthcoming in Tourism Economics

The examination of experience economy at hotel special events: from the locals’ perspective

The economic downturn has inspired hotels to turn their attention to local residents to seek new revenue sources, and they are offering more of own special events to attract nearby residents to their venues. This study examines locals’ experiences at hotel special events, and evaluates their intention to purchase special event packages that include room nights. By employing Pine and Gilmore’s dimensions of experience economy, this study found that escapism experience and positive memory have strong impacts on locals’ purchase intention of hotel room nights in association with hotels’ special events. Based on the findings, this paper reports the potential of local customers to serve as revenue generators and concludes with practical implications for developing special event packages

The impact of prior knowledge and educational experiences on event planners’ green intention

Environmental sustainability has become a matter of primary concern in the event and meeting industry; this paper, therefore, investigates whether prior knowledge and educational experiences related to environmental sustainability are influential motivators in causing event planners to commit to engaging in ecologically-friendly behavior. The regression analysis showed that the intention to implement green event practices is positively influenced by both knowledge of green practices and educational experience in green practices. Particularly, educational experience was found to be a strong influential factor contributing to intention to engage in green or sustainable practices for event planners. This study not only highlights academic discussion on sustainability and green education, but also derives managerial implications for the event and meeting industry based on the findings

An examination of green intention: the effect of environmental knowledge and educational experiences on meeting planners’ implementation of green meeting practices

Environmental sustainability has become an important concern in staging meetings and events. This paper introduces the Convention Industry Council's Green Meetings Report and goes on to investigate whether prior knowledge and educational experiences related to environmental sustainability are influential factors in planners’ commitment to engaging in ecologically friendly behavior. Using a nine-point questionnaire, 278 delegates at North America's largest one-day event for meeting planners were sampled. Regression analysis showed that the intention to implement green meeting practices is positively influenced by both prior knowledge of and educational experience with greening practices. In particular, educational experiences were found to be a strong influential factor contributing to meeting planners’ intention to implement green meeting practices. By providing operational definitions of knowledge and education, it proves that knowledge gained by an unstructured format was less effective than the impact of education on green intention. Accordingly, this study not only highlights academic discussions on environmental knowledge-building through formal education but also derives managerial implications for the meeting and event industry by outlining ways to incorporate continuing professional education in sustainable meetings and events. A range of ideas for the content of that professional education is presented, along with the possibilities for e-learning

The examination of experience economy at hotel special events: from the locals’ perspective

The economic downturn has inspired hotels to turn their attention to local residents to seek new revenue sources, and they are offering more of own special events to attract nearby residents to their venues. This study examines locals’ experiences at hotel special events, and evaluates their intention to purchase special event packages that include room nights. By employing Pine and Gilmore’s dimensions of experience economy, this study found that escapism experience and positive memory have strong impacts on locals’ purchase intention of hotel room nights in association with hotels’ special events. Based on the findings, this paper reports the potential of local customers to serve as revenue generators and concludes with practical implications for developing special event packages.</p

The impact of prior knowledge and educational experiences on event planners’ green intention

Environmental sustainability has become a matter of primary concern in the event andmeeting industry; this paper, therefore, investigates whether prior knowledge and educationalexperiences related to environmental sustainability are influential motivators in causing eventplanners to commit to engaging in ecologically-friendly behavior. The regression analysisshowed that the intention to implement green event practices is positively influenced by bothknowledge of green practices and educational experience in green practices. Particularly,educational experience was found to be a strong influential factor contributing to intention toengage in green or sustainable practices for event planners. This study not only highlightsacademic discussion on sustainability and green education, but also derives managerialimplications for the event and meeting industry based on the findings.</p

The influence of customer-contact service on hotel experience: guest satisfaction with front office experience in Washington, D.C. hotels

This study focuses on the services provided by the front office in hotels and guest satisfaction with these services. The role of front line employees in the hospitality environment, who have the most direct contact with hotel guests, is the subject of this research. The most heavily identified demanding, personalized services of the front office are analyzed by looking at higher satisfaction levels, and also higher service quality as a result of staff performance. Satisfaction levels at the front office are further discussed as the significant service experiences influence customers’ future behavioral intention