City image, city brand personality and Generation Z residents’ life satisfaction under economic crisis: Predictors of city-related social media engagement

The originality of the present study lies in that it examines generation Z residents’ engagement with the city’s social media during economic crisis in relation to city image, city brand personality and residents’ overall satisfaction. In order to test our hypotheses, 947 usable questionnaires were collected in Thessaloniki, Greece via the mall intercept technique. The findings reveal the significant impact city image and city brand personality have on generation Z residents’ engagement with city’s social media. The results also demonstrate a negative linkage between residents’ overall satisfaction and their engagement with the city’s social media. Lastly, the results support that the relationship between residents' overall satisfaction and their engagement with city's social media accounts is moderated by the effect of economic crisis on residents' personal daily routine. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed

Generation Z consumers' expectations of interactions in smart retailing: a future agenda

Retailing is witnessing a transformation due to rapid technological developments. Retailers are using smart technologies to improve consumer shopping experiences and to stay competitive. The biggest future challenge for marketing and consequently for retailing seems to be generation Z, since members of this generation seem to behave differently as consumers and are more focused on innovation. The aim of this paper is to explore Generation Z consumers’ current perceptions, expectations and recommendations in terms of their future interactions in smart retailing contexts. To do so, we used a qualitative approach by conducting a series of semi-structured in depth interviews with 38 university students-consumers in the UK market. The findings showed that smart technologies have a significant influence on generation Z consumers’ experiences. Moreover, this particular group of consumers expects various new devices and electronic processes to be widely available, thus offering consumers more autonomy and faster transactions. In addition, they expect the technology to enable them to make more informed shopping decisions. Interviewees also stressed the importance of training consumers how to use new smart retailing applications. In addition, some of the participants were sceptical about the effects of further advancing smart retailing on part of the job market. Relevant theoretical and practical implications are also provided

'You will like it!' Using open data to predict tourists' responses to a tourist attraction

The increasing amount of user-generated content spread via social networking services such as reviews, comments, and past experiences, has made a great deal of information available. Tourists can access this information to support their decision making process. This information is freely accessible online and generates so-called “open data”. While many studies have investigated the effect of online reviews on tourists’ decisions, none have directly investigated the extent to which open data analyses might predict tourists’ response to a certain destination. To this end, our study contributes to the process of predicting tourists’ future preferences via MathematicaTM, software that analyzes a large set of the open data (i.e. tourists’ reviews) that is freely available on tripadvisor. This is devised by generating the classification function and the best model for predicting the destination tourists would potentially select. The implications for the tourist industry are discussed in terms of research and practice

Unraveling the diverse nature of service quality in a sharing economy: a social exchange theory perspective of Airbnb accommodation

Purpose - This study investigates customers’ perceptions of the service quality facets of Airbnb accommodation using social exchange theory as a suitable conceptual framework to explain aspects of interactivity between guests and hosts. Design/methodology/approach - A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 25 accommodation- specific service quality attributes, structured according to Akbaba’s (2006) measurement scale and based on the service quality hierarchical conceptualization described by Brady and Cronin (2001) and Cronin and Taylor (1992), was distributed to Airbnb international guests visiting Phuket, Thailand. The sample was chosen through a two-stage sampling process and the PLS-SEM technique was used for data analysis. Findings- The results showed that convenience and assurance are critical contributors to the measurement of service quality in remote Airbnb lodgings. The findings further revealed that Airbnb guests are mainly interested in lodgings which have access to certain tourist sights, and in easily accessible information and efficient resolution of problems during their stay. We also found that guests greatly value the convenience and flexibility offered by Airbnb, and that they particularly appreciate the warm hospitality provided by the hosts. Finally, Airbnb guests have very low expectations of the amenities and services available at the lodgings. Research limitations/implications - Airbnb is one of the most well-known examples of hospitality in the sharing economy and results cannot be generalized to similar accommodation providers in sharing economies. Despite the appropriateness of using the measurement tool provided by Akbaba (2006), it is only one option among others for measuring service quality. Practical implications - The current study can assist hosts in gaining better knowledge of guests’ decision making processes and in designing effective marketing strategies by focusing on guests’ requirements in terms of service quality. The effective use of competitive strengths and the prioritization of business resources would potentially enhance guests’ positive experiences at the accommodation and at the destination. Originality/value - Limited numbers of studies have focused on the sharing economy and hospitality and in particular on Airbnb and this is the first study with a focus on service quality issues in terms of Airbnb accommodation

The effect of sport tourists' travel style, destination and event choices, and motivation on their involvement in small-scale sports events

This exploratory study investigates whether and in which way motivation and destination, travel and event selection criteria influence sport tourists ’ involvement in small-scale events. Thus, a model was developed and tested at a small scale sport event in Sfendami, Greece. To test the six hypotheses of the proposed model a primary research study was conducted, which received responses from 181 participants. Implementation of the partial least square technique showed that changes in sport tourists’ travel style exert a direct and positive effect on involvement, as well as an indirect effect with motivation acting as a mediator; however, perception of destination and events characteristics does not exert a significant influence on participants’ involvement. Additionally, the model's ability to predict the motivational aspects of sport tourists’ participation was demonstrated. Multidimensional scaling was employed to assist with event service design and improve organizers’ capabilities to develop effective promotional strategies

Service quality, satisfaction, and customer loyalty in Airbnb accommodation in Thailand

This paper investigates service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty in Airbnb accommodation. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a non-probability sample of 202 international tourists in Phuket, Thailand, which is one of the top tourist destinations worldwide. The results verify that a positive relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty exists, and that satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between service quality and loyalty. Furthermore, the paper suggests key steps managers could take to enhance customer experience in a way that would benefit the lodgings industry and the destinations

Big data empowered agility for dynamic, volatile, and time-sensitive service industries: the case of tourism sector

Purpose: Dynamic, volatile, and time-sensitive industries, such as tourism, travel and hospitality require agility and market intelligence to create value and achieve competitive advantage. The aim of the current study is to examine the influence of big data (BD) on the performance of service organizations and to probe for a deeper understanding of implementing BD, based on available technologies. Design/methodology/approach: An ethnographic study was conducted following an abductive approach. A primary qualitative research scheme was used with 35 information technology and database professionals participating in five online focus groups of seven participants each. Analytical themes were developed simultaneously with the literature being revisited throughout the study to ultimately create sets of common themes and dimensions. Findings: BD can help organizations build agility, especially within dynamic industries, to better predict customer behavioral patterns and make tailor-made propositions from the BD. An integrated BD-specific framework is proposed to address value according to the dimensions of need, value, time and utility. Research limitations/implications: Little research exists on the key drivers of BD use for dynamic, real-time and agile businesses. This research adds to the developing literature on BD applications to support organizational decision-making and business performance in the tourism industry. Originality/value: This study responds to scholars’ recent calls for more empirical research with contextual understanding of the use of BD to add value in marketing intelligence within business ecosystems. It delineates factors contributing to BD value creation and explores the impacts on the respective service encounters

Unraveling the diverse nature of service quality in a sharing economy: a social exchange theory perspective of Airbnb accommodation

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Emerald in International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management on 11/09/2017, available online: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-08-2016-0420 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Purpose- This study investigates customers’ perceptions of the service quality facets of Airbnb accommodation using social exchange theory as a suitable conceptual framework to explain aspects of interactivity between guests and hosts. Design/methodology/approach- A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 25 accommodation- specific service quality attributes, structured according to Akbaba’s (2006) measurement scale and based on the service quality hierarchical conceptualization described by Brady and Cronin (2001) and Cronin and Taylor (1992), was distributed to Airbnb international guests visiting Phuket, Thailand. The sample was chosen through a two-stage sampling process and the PLS-SEM technique was used for data analysis. Findings- The results showed that convenience and assurance are critical contributors to the measurement of service quality in remote Airbnb lodgings. The findings further revealed that Airbnb guests are mainly interested in lodgings which have access to certain tourist sights, and in easily accessible information and efficient resolution of problems during their stay. We also found that guests greatly value the convenience and flexibility offered by Airbnb, and that they particularly appreciate the warm hospitality provided by the hosts. Finally, Airbnb guests have very low expectations of the amenities and services available at the lodgings. Research limitations/implications-Airbnb is one of the most well-known examples of hospitality in the sharing economy and results cannot be generalized to similar accommodation providers in sharing economies. Despite the appropriateness of using the measurement tool provided by Akbaba (2006), it is only one option among others for measuring service quality. Practical implications- The current study can assist hosts in gaining better knowledge of guests’ decision making processes and in designing effective marketing strategies by focusing on guests’ requirements in terms of service quality. The effective use of competitive strengths and the prioritization of business resources would potentially enhance guests’ positive experiences at the accommodation and at the destination. Originality/value-Limited numbers of studies have focused on the sharing economy and hospitality and in particular on Airbnb and this is the first study with a focus on service quality issues in terms of Airbnb accommodation

Qualitative findings on marketing management practices from Greek ski centers

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to discover the extent to which the marketing practices of Greek ski centers take into consideration visitors' preferences and the interests of other stakeholders in order to improve their tourism product. The existing ski centers and destinations are crucial for the ongoing development of winter tourism in Greece. Design/methodology/approach – The study is exploratory in nature and data were collected by carrying out semi-structured in-depth interviews with key managers in 14 ski centers in Greece. Findings – The results revealed that the majority of ski centers do not have a marketing department and only a few receive consultation from consultants. Additionally many ski centers do not use specific planning or strategic tools, and about 20 percent of their directors are not in a position to identify and measure customer segments. Individuals who pursue recreation, skiers, and various associations are ski centers' most frequent customers. Finally, respondents have defined customer satisfaction to be of a high level in those ski centers that conduct customer research. Research limitations/implications – This is a limited exploratory study restricted to one country. Suggestions are presented for future studies and especially for generalization of the findings. Practical implications – Today's business environment requires the application of a robust, enterprise-wide plan at Greek ski centers and particular management practices should be explored as possible causes of the inadequate advancement of the tourism product at Greek ski centers. Originality/value – This study offers empirical findings from ski centers in Greece, where studies are limited. It also broadly creates the need for future research about this particular area and in areas with similar tourism characteristics in the Mediterranean

Investigating Tourists’ Revisit Proxies: The Key Role of Destination Loyalty and Its Dimensions

Literature in tourism marketing has focused on understanding tourists’ revisit patterns, mostly through its proxies (i.e., destination loyalty, past visitation, intention to revisit). Interestingly, however, consensus has not been reached yet, regarding not only the distinctiveness of these proxies but also their interrelationships. This study hypothesizes the impact of past visitation, along with holistic image and subjective norms, on tourists’ intention to revisit directly, and via destination loyalty, expecting place attachment to serve as key moderator. Additionally, since research remains quite vague in terms of the destination loyalty components and their operationalization, this study tests other than the baseline model, a competing one, in which we replace destination loyalty construct with two of its main components, namely, destination commitment and intention to recommend. Evidence coming from 1,292 British tourists visiting Crete, Greece, verifies the distinctiveness of the three proxies and identifies the superior explanatory power of the competing model. © The Author(s) 2018