The traditional marketplace : creating memorable, engaging and authentic cultural consumption experience

Creating memorable experiences and offering unique services have become pivotal in the tourism industry in order to enhance competitiveness and sustainable success. The extant literature has recognised the fundamental change in contemporary consumers’ behaviour. Hence, experiences have been increasingly evolving in the tourism industry. In exploring the current developments and future directions in the tourism literature, this thesis offers a theoretically rich and well-validated conceptual model, particularly in a culturally specific field. In doing so, this thesis sheds light on three stages of the cultural consumption experience by integrating the consumer-based model of authenticity with the value creation theory. More broadly, this thesis integrated cultural motivation, sociability, host sincerity, object based and existential authenticity, tourist engagement, perceived value, and memorable tourism experience into the consumer-based model of authenticity and embedded them into the larger perspective of service logic in a Turkish heritage context. In particular, the conceptual model proposed that sincere host-guest interactions, perceived authenticity and tourists’ engagement are influenced by cultural motivation and sociability, impacting upon perceived value and memorable tourism experience. To provide a holistic understanding of interrelationships between three stages of the consumption experience, data was collected in two sequential phases. The first phase consisted of a qualitative research approach that involves semi-structured interviews, personal observations, and field notes. In Phase II, data was collected through a questionnaire to provide a wider perspective and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Qualitative findings contributed to the factors shaping overall heritage experiences. The findings of the data supported the conceptual model in determining the pre/on-site/post phases of the heritage consumption experience. Following this, quantitative results show that the hitherto separate concepts make a substantial contribution to the consumer-based model of authenticity. In particular, the quantitative data demonstrate the interrelationship between these factors, offering complementary ways of understanding the phenomenon within the non-Western service industry. More broadly, this thesis identifies components and issues that are significant for tourists visiting heritage destinations and attractions. The findings of this thesis could have practical implications for planners, destination managers and tourism policy-makers to develop competitive advantage and sustainable success

The traditional marketplace : creating memorable, engaging and authentic cultural consumption experience

Creating memorable experiences and offering unique services have become pivotal in the tourism industry in order to enhance competitiveness and sustainable success. The extant literature has recognised the fundamental change in contemporary consumers’ behaviour. Hence, experiences have been increasingly evolving in the tourism industry. In exploring the current developments and future directions in the tourism literature, this thesis offers a theoretically rich and well-validated conceptual model, particularly in a culturally specific field. In doing so, this thesis sheds light on three stages of the cultural consumption experience by integrating the consumer-based model of authenticity with the value creation theory. More broadly, this thesis integrated cultural motivation, sociability, host sincerity, object-based and existential authenticity, tourist engagement, perceived value, and memorable tourism experience into the consumer-based model of authenticity and embedded them into the larger perspective of service logic in a Turkish heritage context. In particular, the conceptual model proposed that sincere host-guest interactions, perceived authenticity and tourists’ engagement are influenced by cultural motivation and sociability, impacting upon perceived value and memorable tourism experience. To provide a holistic understanding of interrelationships between three stages of the consumption experience, data was collected in two sequential phases. The first phase consisted of a qualitative research approach that involves semi-structured interviews, personal observations, and field notes. In Phase II, data was collected through a questionnaire to provide a wider perspective and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Qualitative findings contributed to the factors shaping overall heritage experiences. The findings of the data supported the conceptual model in determining the pre/on-site/post phases of the heritage consumption experience. Following this, quantitative results show that the hitherto separate concepts make a substantial contribution to the consumer-based model of authenticity. In particular, the quantitative data demonstrate the interrelationship between these factors, offering complementary ways of understanding the phenomenon within the non-Western service industry. More broadly, this thesis identifies components and issues that are significant for tourists visiting heritage destinations and attractions. The findings of this thesis could have practical implications for planners, destination managers and tourism policy-makers to develop competitive advantage and sustainable success

Negotiation, bargaining, and discounts:generating WoM and local tourism development at the Tabriz bazaar, Iran

This paper examines the effects of negotiation intention, bargaining propensity, and discount satisfaction on word-of-mouth (WoM) behaviours for tourists visiting Tabriz bazaar, Iran. Data from 615-survey respondents highlight that tourists are motivated to conduct WoM behaviour when they are experientially satisfied with the opportunity to negotiate and bargain, and when they are satisfied with the discount they receive. This paper makes theoretical contributions to social exchange theory and presents managerial implications for policy-makers to generate tourism development

Travelling for Umrah:destination attributes, destination image, and post-travel intentions

This paper examines the links between cosmopolitanism, self-identity, and a desire for social interaction perceived destination image and behavioural intentions. A model tested using a sample of 538 Iranian visitors to Mecca for the purpose of Umrah. The result from the structural model suggests that destination attributes influence perceived destination image. Further, such tourists are likely to revisit or recommend Islamic destinations if their experience matches their perceived image of the destination. This implies that, while the religious characteristics of the destination remain important, destination managers cannot disregard the tangential, non-religious attributes of a destination which are crucial in order to satisfy more conventional tourist desires. As such, this study suggests that those managing religious travel destinations should endeavour to foster a welcoming image, where experience, interaction and tolerance are at the forefront of the destination’s offering

The use of clinical scales and PROMs in headache disorders and migraine, summarizing their dissemination and operationalization

Measurements are an essential aspect of scientific research. This review will present clinical scales and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for headache disorders and migraine that have been endorsed by the International Headache Society (IHS) and are intended for use by both physicians and researchers. A clinical scale is a tool to assess a patient’s condition or symptoms in a standardized and quantifiable way. Clinical scales are often used in research settings and can be used to track a patient’s progress over time, monitor the effectiveness of treatment, and make decisions. They can be self-administered or completed by a healthcare professional. PROMs are tools used to evaluate a patient’s health status, symptoms, and quality of life. These measures are completed by the patient and provide valuable information about the patient’s perspective and experience of their condition. PROMs are increasingly used in clinical practice and research to improve patient-centered care, patient engagement, and shared decision-making.This review also briefly covers the creation process, testing for reliability and validity, and interpreting the results of the use of clinical scales and PROMs in clinical and research settings in headache disorders. The first step in creating a clinical scale or PROM is to define the purpose of the scale and the population it is intended to assess. The next step is to identify the domains or areas that the scale will assess. Then, the items or questions that will be included in the scale need to be developed. These items should be relevant to the defined purpose and population of the scale and should be worded clearly and concisely. After the items have been developed, the scale or PROM can be administered to a sample of individuals in the target population. This allows researchers to assess the reliability and validity of the scale or PROM, as well as to make any necessary revisions

Self-expression and play: can religious tourism be hedonistic?

Using data collected from 538 Iranian tourists undertaking the religious pilgrimage of Umrah (i.e., voluntary travel to the holy city of Mecca at any time throughout the year), this study investigates the concept of play and its relationship with self-expression and hedonism in an Islamic tourism context. By testing a theoretically derived structural model, the findings suggest that self-expression strongly influences tourists' sense of play. Here, play is realised when tourists feel that they can express themselves freely and augment their self-image while travelling, irrespective of the religious context. Nonetheless, the pilgrimage environment is characterised by religious congregation – with tourists engaging in communal experiences that reflect themselves and their faith. Therefore, the ideal experience, where tourists feel a sense of escapism from the pressures of everyday life, is a product of their ability to project, develop, and ratify their self-concept. Finally, the study suggests that pilgrimage managers and marketers should focus on the importance of play, enabling their destinations to heighten the intensity of the 'enjoyable' elements of religious travel (e.g., group camaraderie, escapism and positive emotional reactions) alongside their inherent religious benefits

The traditional marketplace: serious leisure and recommending authentic travel

Services reliant on revenue generated from tourism are often beholden to how authentic visitors perceive their offering to be. From a managerial perspective, this is exacerbated when they serve a dual-purpose, as both actively ingrained in local culture and as showcased international tourist attractions. As such, this study contributes to Kolar and Žabkar's (2010) consumer-based model of authenticity by assessing the relationships between serious leisure, object-based and existential authenticity, and visitor word-of-mouth recommendations in Iranian cultural tourism. Utilising PLS-SEM, and drawing upon responses from 615 visitors to the Tabriz Grand Bazaar, it thus extends the model's applicability to the developing Middle-Eastern context. The results extend extant research by emphasizing the importance of object-based authenticity, as opposed to existential authenticity, in stimulating positive visitor word-of-mouth recommendations. Consequently, this study advances the prevailing understanding of the role of authenticity in stimulating positive behavioural intentions by highlighting how destinations can stimulate visitor recommendations

Servicescape and shopping value: the role of negotiation intention, social orientation, and recreational identity at the Istanbul Grand Bazaar, Turkey

This paper examines the influence of negotiation intention, recreational shopper identity, and social shopping orientation on both servicescape and visitors’ overall shopping value in the Istanbul Grand Bazaar. We developed and tested a conceptual model using a sample of 300 international visitors to the Bazaar. The results demonstrate that bargaining intention, recreational functions, and social interactions influence servicescape. This implies that, when tourists are motivated by bargain hunting, recreation, and socialisation, their attitude towards the shopping environment is more positive, which subsequently results in increased overall shopping value. Implications for managerial practice are also presented alongside suggestions for future research