The University of South Carolina\u27s Institute for Tourism Research: An Overview

USC\u27s Institute for Tourism Research was created in November 1985, due to the direct growth of the state and region\u27s tourism industry and the demand the industry created for research and service. The lack of sufficient numbers of nearby programs offering Master\u27s and Doctoral degrees further enhanced the concept of USC\u27s Institute for Tourism Research. By networking with private and public sector leaders, the Institute for Tourism Research establishes realistic goals, objectives, and programs to meet ongoing needs of today\u27s tourism industry. The Institute is self-supporting, with Economic Impact Studies, Visitor Satisfaction Surveys, and Longitudinal Occupancy Studies for area hotels and motels the main thrust of the Institute\u27s funding to date. Job training and educational development services are future areas of emphasis that will be met through networking with professional organizations and other university tourism centers

To Look or Book: An Examination of Consumers’ Apprehensiveness toward Internet Use

In a series of three studies, a two-factor measure of apprehension toward Internet use was developed and tested among three independent samples of consumers. The relationship between general Internet apprehensiveness (GIA) and transactional Internet apprehensiveness (TIA) was examined in concert with the relationship between consumers’ online information seeking, purchasing intentions, and behaviors. Results indicated that (1) a two-factor measure of GIA and TIA demonstrated construct validity across three independent samples of potential Internet users, (2) GIA is more strongly related to perceptions of Internet use for information seeking compared to online purchasing, and (3) TIA is more strongly related to perceptions of online purchasing activities and reported online purchasing behavior compared with perceptions of online information-seeking behavior. Implications for management practice and further research are presented

Economic Growth and Recession Time Periods: Their Effect Upon Pleasure Travelers Visiting Florida Theme Parks

Two tourism-oriented travel samples were drawn from recent time periods that represented economic growth (expansion) and recession cycles in the O: S. economy. Analysis suggests that during the recession period, a greater percentage of theme park visitors chose to travel by air. Second, theme park travelers were more likely to visit friends or fami4 during the recession period. Third, recession theme park travelers were 10 years older, on the average, than their rapid growth counterparts. The average age difference of theme park visitors was found to be significantly different during cyclical economic periods. Research findings support the need for additional studies that segment using generational market

Disaggregating Seasonal Demand of a Coastal Resort

Recent national studies document the fact that the lackluster performance in the lodging industry\u27s occupancy rates are directly attributable to the steady growth in the supply of available rooms at a rate that consistently outpaced the demand. Resort area managers who are facing this decade-long reduction in occupancy rates are especially cognizant of the need to revise current market strategies to shield their properties from additional economic fallout that are often triggered by external events. One purpose of the Hilton Head Island Study to determine if a chase demand strategy, where resort capacities are varied with changes in the level of demand, was the proper strategy for the Hilton Head Island destination resort area. Results indicated that visitors utilized timeshare, campgrounds and rental properties more often during the winter season because of their longer average stay. This study also documented the fact that winter season visitors differed significantly from peak season visitors with respect to the level of importance they placed upon many of the hospitality and travel-related amenities in the area. The Hilton Head Island resort should take a chase demand strategy as the basic strategic marketing approach for the winter-season development

Business Traveler Behavior after the Great Recession

The recent “Great Recession” prompted traditional business travelers to alter typical travel spending habits. One apparent behavioral change for travelers, highlighted in the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer expenditure data, identified travelers’ tendency to buy significantly more groceries after the recession. This multiyear, longitudinal study revealed that business travelers doubled the consumption of grocery items after the recession as a possible means for alleviating non-subsidized food and beverage expenses. The employed business person, whose travel expenditures are wholly or partially subsidized by an employer, also appeared to drastically reduce personal travel expenditures for traditionally non-subsidized purchases. This study suggests that business travelers’ food consumption, tourism expenditures, length of stay and shopping behavior were affected by the recent recession. In addition, the responsible agents for the travelers in this study appeared to apply a conventional strategy for reducing the recession’s impact on the profit margin by reducing the length of the trips

The Impact of the Recent Recession Upon Tourism Behavior

The Labor Department’s 2012 report on consumer spending confirmed the recent recession forced consumers to alter the typical lifestyle spending habits. It’s apparent from the available consumer expenditure data that changes in the spending behavior for travelers dining choices continued beyond several years into the recovery period. In fact, the recorded decrease in food expenditures, from December 2007 to June 2009, was the largest inflation-adjusted amount ever recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) since 1984. The increase in unemployment to 9.3% in 2009 was another important attribute of the consumers’ reduced spending levels during this recessionary period. According to the Food Expenditure Tables and the consumer Expenditure Survey U.S. household spending on food declined 5% between 2006 and 2009

Buying Power and Buying Characteristics of Local Park and Recreation Departments in Texas.

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Economic Growth and Recessionary Periods: Their Effect Upon Pleasure Travelers

Two tourism-oriented travel samples were drawn from recent time periods that represented economic growth (expansion) and recession cycles in the O: S. economy. Analysis suggests that during the recession period, a greater percentage of theme park visitors chose to travel by air. Second, theme park travelers were more likely to visit friends or family during the recession period. Third, recession theme park travelers were 10 years older, on the average, than their rapid growth counterparts. The average age difference of theme park visitors was found to be significantly different during cyclical economic periods. Research findings support the need for additional studies that segment using generational markets

Using the Internet as a Pleasure Travel Planning Tool: An Examination of the Sociodemographic and Behavioral Characteristics among Internet Users and Nonusers

A critical prerequisite for the formulation of effective travel marketing strategies in the next decade must include an understanding of the influence exerted through the Internet. The increasing presence of the Internet as an instrument for advertising travel destinations and travel-related services highlights its importance as a factor in travelers’ decision-making processes. This exploratory investigation examined travelers who requested on-line information about a potential vacation destination using the Internet. Results of this investigation suggest that Internet “users, when compared with “nonusers,” are more educated, have higher household incomes, use commercial lodging accommodations while traveling, tend to travel by air, and spend more money on travel-related expenses on a per diem basis. Implications for target marketing strategies designed for travel destination areas, services, and facilities are discussed