Revisiting the influence of emotion on tourism advertising effectiveness using psychophysiological methods

This study aims to investigate the influence of both higher-order and lower-order emotional responses evoked by destination advertisements on three variables of major interest in tourism advertising: attitude towards the advertisement (Aad), post-exposure destination attitude (Adp) and visitation intention (VI). Lower-order emotions are defined as immediate, unprocessed affective reactions to an external stimulus and higher-order emotions are affective reactions that have been processed and evaluated cognitively. In this study, lower-order emotional responses will be measured using psycho-physiological techniques (i.e., facial EMG and skin conductance) and higher-order emotional responses will be measured using a self-report questionnaire (with both verbal and visual self-report scales). This study will contribute to both tourism and advertising bodies of knowledge by comparing lower-order emotions with higher-order emotions in terms of their ability to predict attitude towards the advertisement, post-exposure destination attitude and visitation intention

Managing experience co-creation practices: Direct and indirect inducement in pop-up food tourism events

Consumers performing the role of value-creators in experience co-creation introduces idiosyncrasies that challenge experiential consistency. Taking ‘pop-up’ dining events as its empirical focus, and drawing on semi-structured interviews with participants, this study examines how organisations and consumers interact to negotiate ambiguity, variability and consistency. The paper questions how organisers try to prescribe normative rules governing events. It considers how consumers invest in preparing for events, and engage in socialised performances to create unique experiences. The data are also used to show how peer surveillance shapes consumer expectations, behaviours and interpretations. Consequently, this study contributes to knowledge on the practical management of co-creation by conceptualising different pathways through which organisations and consumers attempt to orchestrate behaviours. Moreover, in theorising from the data, this paper distinguishes between direct and indirect modes of inducement used to achieve experiential outcomes, identifying how ‘value-signalling’ practices engage event stakeholders and shape their co-creation.

Up close and personal: using high engagement techniques to study Chinese visitors' landscape perceptions

Given the well-documented increase in Chinese outbound tourists, it is no surprise that the Chinese market continues to attract considerable scholarly interest. Previous studies have been primarily quantitative, using methods and instruments administered prior to and/or immediately after visitation. While useful, such approaches may struggle to capture the complex cultural attributes of the Chinese market. Accordingly, this paper proposes the adoption of high-engagement (HE) methods, namely Accompanied Walk and Visitor Employed Photography (VEP), as additional in-situ techniques for studying Chinese visitors. Drawing on fieldwork conducted at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, this paper details the procedures of using HE approaches to collect data. An insider positionality and triangulation of data from multiple techniques are particularly useful for unravelling cultural nuances. The strengths of each method in obtaining quality data from Chinese tourists are discussed, together with strategies for overcoming challenges encountered in the field

Back to nature: Festivalgoer environmental beliefs and camping experience at non-urban festivals

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore festivalgoer/camper perceptions of and responses to the non-urban festival service environment (blended festivalscape). Design/methodology/approach – For this exploratory study a quantitative approach was adopted. A self-administered online survey was administered to recipient members of an Australian non-urban festival e-newsletter database resulting in 398 usable responses from festival campers. Findings – Environmental beliefs held by festival campers’ influenced their perceptions of naturescape, socialscape and overall satisfaction. Festival campers’ who attended more than once were found to have stronger pro-environmental beliefs than those who attended once. Festival camper perception of naturescape has a positive moderating influence leading to greater overall satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat attendance and positive word-of-mouth. Research limitations/implications – It is very important to know how festivalgoers perceive and relate to their festival service environment. Critical to the appeal and success of the non-urban festival is the alignment of festivalgoer environmental beliefs to the natural setting in which they are held. Limitations include use of a single case study context. Originality/value – This paper responds to lack of research on non-urban festivals when compared to urban festivals and the surprisingly little interest shown in the central role of natural settings and the camping experience. A closer understanding of the environmental beliefs of campers at non-urban festivals has the potential to provide beneficial outcomes for people, profit and planet

Current and potential methods for measuring emotion in tourism experiences: a review

This study provides an assessment of methods used in existing tourism research to measure emotion and discusses the potential for use of psychophysiological methods such as electro-dermal analysis, facial muscle activity, heart rate response, eye-tracking system and vascular measures. Psychophysiological measurement techniques have been reported in the marketing, advertising and media literature; however, to the best knowledge of the authors, no studies are reported in the tourism literature. Instead, studies of emotion in the tourism literature invariably employ self-report questionnaire methods which capture only tourists' high-order emotions and are subject to a variety of forms of bias. Unconscious emotional responses that can provide unbiased portrayal of individuals' initial emotional reactions when exposed to a stimulus have been largely ignored. The paper concludes that studies combining both self-report and psychophysiological measures are needed and areas for future research are discussed

International tertiary student experience in Australia: a Singaporean perspective

Over the past decade, the growing market of international students has resulted in changing expectations students have about the products offered by tertiary education providers. This is especially evident in Australia where, due to its geographical proximity, universities are increasingly attracting a large number of students from the Asia-Pacific region. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study that investigated Singaporean student perceptions of and interactions with the Australian culture whilst studying at an Australian based university. The study uses this context to provide a better understanding of the role that host countries and universities play in facilitating the educational experiences of students who choose to study in foreign countries. Analysis of data from four group interviews held with Singaporean students reveals an in-depth understanding of how the interactions between international students and those of the host destination influence the experience of the international students. Practical implications relating to the management of the international student experience are presented for the Australian tertiary education sector