Distant local-guided tour perceptions and experiences of online travellers

This paper investigated travellers’ perceptions and experiences of using distant local guided tours during the COVID-19 pandemic utilising a qualitative methodology. The reviews’ content of online travellers regarding distant local-guided tours offered by a sharing economy platform – Withlocals – in different destinations was analysed. The results demonstrated that travellers’ distant local-guided tour experiences include celebration, togetherness and socialising, escape and relaxation, memorable, educational, and hedonic components. Additionally, travellers perceived distant local-guided tours as an alternative travel type, preparation for an actual visit, and inspiration for face-to-face experiences. Therefore, distant local-guided tours can be defined as engaging alternative travel types that provide multidimensional experiences and help explore a destination before the in-person visit. Apart from playing a guidance role for scholars and practitioners, this research fills the gap of research on distant local-guided tours in the literature. However, future attempts could shed more light on the subject

Discovering cities with peer-to-peer local-guided bike tours: tourists’ experiences and perceptions

This study explores tourists’ experiences and perceptions of peer-to-peer (P2P) local-guided bike tours using a netnography approach. The content of reviews of tourists regarding P2P local-guided bike tours offered by a sharing economy platform – Withlocals – in different destinations was analysed. The results show that tourists’ experiences of P2P local-guided bike tours include discovery, hedonic, safety and comfort, edutainment, local interaction, and memorable aspects. In addition, tourists perceive P2P local-guided bike tours in various ways. Our findings illustrate that P2P local-guided bike tours can be defined as engaging activities that provide multidimensional and rich experiences and help explore a destination. Due to the lack of research on P2P local-guided bike tours and the increasing demand by tourists for these tours, this study fills the gap by exploring tourists’ P2P local-guided bike tour experiences and perceptions. Furthermore, although this research will guide scholars and practitioners, future studies could shed more light on the subject

Independent or chain-affiliated hotel? The dilemma of hotel employees

Purpose – This study examines the relationships between hospitality work experience factors and employees’ preference to work in a chain or independent hotel. Methodology/Design/Approach – Quantitative data were collected from hotel employees in Bulgaria who worked in independent and chain hotels. A total of 150 valid responses were used to conduct factor and regression analyses. Findings – The results illustrate that chain hotels provide a better set of operational standards and guidelines, more and better training than independent ones. They also give more opportunities to their employees for career development, better job security and work experience, but competition among employees in chain hotels is higher than in independent properties, and their employees’ salaries are not always more competitive. The factor analysis showed the existence of five factors. Additionally, ‘Communication and decision-making’ and ‘Resources and planning’ were more important than ‘Remuneration and working conditions’ and ‘Training and development’ in shaping employees’ preferences. However, ‘Workload and stress’ was not an important driver of respondents’ choice. Finally, demographic variables had no role in shaping respondents’ preferences. Originality of the research – This paper is one of the first to examine the factors that influence hotel employees’ preferences for working in chains or independent hotels

Independent or chain-affiliated hotel? the dilemma of hotel employees

Purpose – This study examines the relationships between hospitality work experience factors and employees’ preference to work in a chain or independent hotel. Methodology/Design/Approach – Quantitative data were collected from hotel employees in Bulgaria who worked in independent and chain hotels. A total of 150 valid responses were used to conduct factor and regression analyses. Findings – The results illustrate that chain hotels provide a better set of operational standards and guidelines, more and better training than independent ones. They also give more opportunities to their employees for career development, better job security and work experience, but competition among employees in chain hotels is higher than in independent properties, and their employees’ salaries are not always more competitive. The factor analysis showed the existence of five factors. Additionally, ‘Communication and decision-making’ and ‘Resources and planning’ were more important than ‘Remuneration and working conditions’ and ‘Training and development’ in shaping employees’ preferences. However, ‘Workload and stress’ was not an important driver of respondents’ choice. Finally, demographic variables had no role in shaping respondents’ preferences. Originality of the research – This paper is one of the first to examine the factors that influence hotel employees’ preferences for working in chains or independent hotels

Robots as restaurant employees-A double-barrelled detective story

The paper evaluates the perceptions of Turkish restaurant managers and customers towards service robots. The sample includes 26 managers and 32 customers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that robots are suitable for dirty, dull, dangerous and repetitive tasks. Customers have mostly positive attitudes towards robots while managers – mostly negative. However, respondents agree that robots improve service quality. A mixed service delivery system based on human-robot collaboration is perceived as the most appropriate. Customers are willing to pay more for the robotic service experience. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed as well

The 2005 - 2007 Bala (Ankara, central Turkey) earthquakes: a case study for strike-slip fault terminations

An intense seismic activity has been observed after the Bala (Ankara, NW central Turkey) earthquakes (30 July 2005: Mw=5.3, 20 December 2007: Mw=5.4, and 26 December 2007: Mw=5.3), continuing up to the present. The epicenters and the focal mechanism solutions of the earthquakes indicate that the right lateral strike-slip Afşar fault, trending N55-60°W, is responsible for the main shocks. The Afşar fault is thought to be the NW continuation of the Tuzgölü fault zone, which is one of the main neotectonic elements in central Anatolia. On the other hand, the aftershock distributions of the 2005 event have a NNE trend, and those of the 2007 event show a NW trending. Some focal mechanism solutions of the 2005 Bala earthquake aftershocks indicate normal and oblique normal faulting that corresponds to the NNE-trending Karakeçili fault. It seems that seismic activation of the NNE-trending Karakeçili fault was triggered by the 2005 main shock (Mw=5.3) that occurred on the NW trending right lateral strike-slip Afşar fault. The overall neotectonic framework is that the northwestern edge of the Tuzgölü fault zone, represented by the Afşar fault in Bala, terminates in an extensional system represented by the oblique-slip Karakeçili fault

The Elements, Lawrence University Flute Ensemble, January 30, 2017

Harper Hal

High-K volcanism in the Afyon region, western Turkey: from Si-oversaturated to Si-undersaturated volcanism

Volcanic rocks of the Afyon province (eastern part of western Anatolia) make up a multistage potassic and ultrapotassic alkaline series dated from 14 to 12 Ma. The early-stage Si-oversaturated volcanic rocks around the Afyon city and further southward are trachyandesitic volcanic activity (14.23 ± 0.09 Ma). Late-stage Si-undersaturated volcanism in the southernmost part of the Afyon volcanic province took place in three episodes inferred from their stratigraphic relationships and ages. Melilite– leucitites (11.50 ± 0.03 Ma), spotted rachyandesites, tephryphonolites and lamproites (11.91 ± 0.13 Ma) formed in the first episode; trachyandesites in the second episode and finally phonotephrites, phonolite, basaltic trachyandesites and nosean-bearing trachyandesites during the last episode. The parameter Q [normative q-(ne + lc + kls + ol)] of western Anatolia volcanism clearly decreased southward with time becoming zero in the time interval 10–15 Ma. The magmatism experienced a sudden change in the extent of Si saturation after 14 Ma, during late-stage volcanic activity of Afyon volcanic province at around 12 Ma, though there was some coexistence of Si-oversaturated and Si-undersaturated magmas during the whole life of Afyon volcanic province

Quantifying the competing influences of lithology and throw rate on bedrock river incision.

No embargo required

Neogene Uplift and Magmatism of Anatolia: Insights from Drainage Analysis and Basaltic Geochemistry

It is generally agreed that mantle dynamics have played a significant role in generating and maintaining the elevated topography of Anatolia during Neogene times. However, there is much debate about the relative importance of subduction zone and asthenospheric processes. Key issues concern onset and cause of regional uplift, thickness of the lithospheric plate, and the presence or absence of temperature and/or compositional anomalies within the convecting mantle. Here, we tackle these interlinked issues by analyzing and modeling two disparate suites of observations. First, a drainage inventory of 1,844 longitudinal river profiles is assembled. This geomorphic database is inverted to calculate the variation of Neogene regional uplift through time and space by minimizing the misfit between observed and calculated river profiles subject to independent calibration. Our results suggest that regional uplift commenced in the east at 20 Ma and propagated westward. Secondly, we have assembled a database of geochemical analyses of basaltic rocks. Two different approaches have been used to quantitatively model this database with a view to determining the depth and degree of asthenospheric melting across Anatolia. Our results suggest that melting occurs at depths as shallow as 60 km in the presence of mantle potential temperatures as high as 1400°C. There is evidence that potential temperatures are higher in the east, consistent with the pattern of sub-plate shear wave velocity anomalies. Our combined results are consistent with isostatic and admittance analyses and suggest that elevated asthenospheric temperatures beneath thinned Anatolian lithosphere have played a first order role in generating and maintaining regional dynamic topography and basaltic magmatism