Guidebook use by Japanese tourists: a qualitative study of Australia inbound travellers

This qualitative investigation into guidebook use reports on in-depth interviews conducted with 26 Japanese individuals and one couple who had visited Australia during the five previous years. Focussing on the stages before, during and after travel the research framework was based on Vogt and Fesenmaier’s model of information needs (1998). It was found that functional needs were the dominant influences during the prior to travel phase, with some non-functional needs, (hedonic, aesthetic, and innovation) also being influential. During the travel phase, only functional needs were evident. Some respondents were identified as being deliberate non-users of guidebooks. The variable “tourist type” was found to be helpful for distinguishing between users and non-users and for identifying those with functional needs. The use of guidebooks by those whose needs are both functional and non-functional may be unaffected by this variable. When the attitudes of those who actively dislike guidebooks and those who hesitate to use them are aggregated, a view emerges of guidebooks as a symbol of standardised tourism

The use and perceived usefulness of information sources among Japanese overseas tourists

This investigation into the use and perceived usefulness of information among Japanese outbound travellers reports on the findings of a survey conducted with over 1,200 Japanese travellers. The research examines information use by travellers about a range of travel components including restaurants, attractionsand accommodation at both the before and during travel phases. It was found that travel guidebooks were the most heavily used source of information and their usefulness was evaluated as one of the highest during both phases. Using correspondence analysis, it is shown that while travel guidebooks were used heavily for finding out about most travel components, the only component that did not show significant reliance on information from travel guidebooks at either the prior to or during travel phases was accommodatio

Customer satisfaction, training and TQM: a comparative study of Western and Thai hotels

Managers within the hospitality industry make frequent reference to TQM principles. The extent to which these principles are applied effectively within the human resource management area of hospitality however remains under-researched. By applying TQM principles, this paper focusses on the relationship between customer service and training drawing upon comparative data from Western and Thai hotels. The paper also examines the perceptions of staff towards of hotels' guest-orientation and the provision of quality guest services. The researchers found that guest assessments of the performance of hotel frontline staff depend on their services function (e.g., front-office, housekeeping). The service quality skills needed by frontline staff were also found to differ in the case of Western and Thai hotels. Such differences merit proper consideration on the part of managers within the major hotel chains. The various findings may assist hospitality managers to determine appropriate strategies for the enhancement of guest services particularly in cross-cultural settings

Customer satisfaction, training and TQM: a comparative study of Western and Thai hotels

Managers within the hospitality industry make frequent reference to TQM principles. The extent to which these principles are applied effectively within the human resource management area of hospitality however remains under-researched. By applying TQM principles, this paper focusses on the relationship between customer service and training drawing upon comparative data from Western and Thai hotels. The paper also examines the perceptions of staff towards of hotels' guest-orientation and the provision of quality guest services. The researchers found that guest assessments of the performance of hotel frontline staff depend on their services function (e.g., front-office, housekeeping). The service quality skills needed by frontline staff were also found to differ in the case of Western and Thai hotels. Such differences merit proper consideration on the part of managers within the major hotel chains. The various findings may assist hospitality managers to determine appropriate strategies for the enhancement of guest services particularly in cross-cultural settings

The Use of Travel Guide Books by Packaged and Non Packaged Japanese Travellers: a Comparative Study

This article attempts to ascertain whether tourist type (based on the degree of freedom exercised during travel) influences the use of travel information sources for decision-making, particularly in the case of guidebooks. A model is proposed incorporating the travel decision-making process and the selection of information sources. Four hypotheses are tested and the results indicate that tourist type has a considerable influence over the choice of travel information source. It was found that the greater the degree of freedom exercised by respondents during travel, the more that they used guidebooks both prior to and during travel. Guidebook usage was found to be widespread among all three segments of the Japanese market, though different patterns are evident at the various stages of the trip - before and after departure

The Use of Guidebooks by Japanese Overseas Tourists: a Quantitative Approach

This study investigates the incidence of guidebook use by Japanese tourists. The research framework is based on Vogt and Fesenmaier’s model of information needs with some modifications, as reported in an earlier qualitative study undertaken by Nishimura, Waryzsak, and King. The results indicate that tourists use guidebooks for a range of purposes. A factor analysis of the 20 survey items has concluded that respondents exhibit the following needs: forward-looking needs, learning needs, enjoyment needs, guidebook enthusiast needs, and functional needs. The tourists most likely to use guidebooks were found to be female flexible package tour participants or independent travelers visiting the destination region for holiday purposes for the first time. The proposition that "type of tourist" is an influence over the decision to use a guidebook or not was supported. Overall, the less freedom exercised by the tourist over the travel itinerary, the less likelihood that a guidebook will be used

The Use of Guidebooks by Japanese Overseas Tourists: a Quantitative Approach

This study investigates the incidence of guidebook use by Japanese tourists. The research framework is based on Vogt and Fesenmaier’s model of information needs with some modifications, as reported in an earlier qualitative study undertaken by Nishimura, Waryzsak, and King. The results indicate that tourists use guidebooks for a range of purposes. A factor analysis of the 20 survey items has concluded that respondents exhibit the following needs: forward-looking needs, learning needs, enjoyment needs, guidebook enthusiast needs, and functional needs. The tourists most likely to use guidebooks were found to be female flexible package tour participants or independent travelers visiting the destination region for holiday purposes for the first time. The proposition that "type of tourist" is an influence over the decision to use a guidebook or not was supported. Overall, the less freedom exercised by the tourist over the travel itinerary, the less likelihood that a guidebook will be used