Includes bibliographical references.

Chopsticks Approach to Successful Cultural Tourism Marketing -- Exploring the Continuance Usage Intention of Travel Applications in the Case of Chinese Tourists -- Similarity-Attraction Cluster of Outbound Chinese Tourists: Who Belongs There? -- The Role of Post-Stay Evaluation on Ewom and Hotel Revisit Intention among Gen Y -- Marketing a Destination Brand Image to Muslim Tourists: Does Accessibility to Cultural Needs Matter in Developing Brand Loyalty? -- Understanding Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Access Backpackers' Intention in Self-Service Travel Websites -- Tourist Perceived Value, Tourist Satisfaction, and Life Satisfaction: Evidence from Chinese Buddhist Temple Tours -- Effect of Regulatory Focus on Food Variety-Seeking Behavior of Chinese Tourists -- Why Not Travel to Malaysia? Variations in Inbound Tourists' Perceptions toward Halal-Friendly Destination Attributes -- Effect of Tourist-To-Tourist Encounters: Increased Conflict or Reduced Social Distance? -- Appreciation to and Behavior Intention Regarding Upscale Ethnic Restaurants -- The role of cultural differences in Customer Retention: Evidence from the
High-Contact Service Industry.

[Article Title: Chopsticks Approach to Successful Cultural Tourism Marketing/Kim-Shyan Fam, James E. Richard, and Hiram Ting, p.3-5]

Abstract: People travel for all sort of reasons. Some travel for work. Some travel for holiday. Some travel for meeting their best friends. Irrespective of the reasons for traveling, there are at least two elements involved in the transaction—travelers and destination hosts. Similarly, in a chopsticks dinner environment, there are the eaters and the dishes. To effectively bring the food to the mouth, correct use of chopsticks is highly recommended. Chopsticks are a pair of eating utensils omnipresent in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Held between the thumb and fingers, chopsticks are used either for picking up food from common plates or for scooping rice into the mouth (Fam et al., 2009). No matter how well-crafted and aesthetically pleasing, a chopstick by itself is a meaningless and functionless stick; however, when joined to form a “relationship,’ chopsticks become a well-refined instrument that can show a symbol of love, interaction, and success.
Like the two pieces of sticks coming together, tourism marketers must first understand the values and beliefs embraced by tourists, and then design a suitable localized strategy to address their needs and wants. Chopsticks marketing is an international localized strategy (Fam, 2020). It involves not only understanding the local customs, traditions, and values but also ways of working with different stakeholders and networks such as government officials, religious bodies, suppliers, distributors, and consumers. The chopsticks analogy calls for the narrowing of the gap between the two sticks. The narrower the gap, the more likely that the user can pick the last grain of rice or peanut from the bowl.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480211035174

[Article Title: Exploring the Continuance Usage Intention of Travel Applications in the Case of Chinese Tourists/Yang Liu, Qi Li, Tudor Edu, and Iliuta Costel Negricea, p.6-32]

Abstract: Considering an information system—Confucian user behavior perspective and employing an integrated expectation confirmation model (ECM) and information system success (ISS) model, this study introduces three latent variables: perceived trust, perceived enjoyment and perceived risk, and constructs a travel APP research model on continuance usage intention. By collecting data through questionnaires from Chinese travel APP tourists, the study uses Smart Partial Least Squares to construct the structural equation model. The results show significant positive/negative relationships between information quality(INQ), system quality(SYQ), service quality(SEQ)—expectation confirmation (EC); expectation confirmation (EC)—perceived usefulness (PU), perceived trust(PT), perceived enjoyment (PE)—satisfaction (SAT); perceived usefulness (PU), perceived trust(PT), perceived enjoyment (PE), perceived risk (PR)—satisfaction(SAT); perceived usefulness(PU), satisfaction(SAT)—continuance usage intention. This study expands the travel APP literature by developing and testing the integrated ECM–ISS model, and makes strategical suggestions to travel e-commerce enterprises considering Confucian values. The model can be improved by including Confucian values, expanding the surveyed population and assessing perceptual relationships and the continuance usage intention-actual behavior nexus.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348020962553

[Article Title: Similarity-Attraction Cluster of Outbound Chinese Tourists: Who Belongs There?/ Sheng Wei, Siew Imm Ng, Julie Anne Lee, and Geoffrey N. Soutar, p.33-56]

Abstract: China has become the number one source market for tourists. This article seeks to understand whether cultural/lifestyle similarity is an important pull factor for Chinese tourists when selecting a destination. Specifically, 205 Chinese tourists were surveyed about their destination choices in relation to the seven most visited outbound destinations. The results from a latent class regression analysis found a similarity-driven segment to exist for all seven destinations, with segment sizes ranging from 22% to 62% of the sample. These results suggest that a substantial segment of Chinese tourists are motivated by perceived cultural/lifestyle similarity. Generally, those with high ethnocentrism, high uncertainty avoidance, low novelty seeking or less travel experience are more likely to belong to the similarity-driven segment. Further research is needed to examine the size of this segment in larger, more inclusive cities of the Chinese population, as the current study only concentrated on tourists from three major cities.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348021996441

[Article Title: The Role of Post-Stay Evaluation on Ewom and Hotel Revisit Intention among Gen Y/ Mohamad-Noor Salehhuddin Sharipudin, Man Lai Cheung, Mauro Jose De Oliveira, and Andrea Solyom, p.57-83]

Abstract: Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) has become an important source for customers and hoteliers, and likewise, the interactivity of Web 2.0 has allowed customers to write and share online reviews. Our study aims to examine: (1) the influence of post-stay evaluation factors toward eWOM, (2) the relationship between eWOM and hotel revisit intention, and (3) the influence of country differences as a moderating factor. A total of 872 usable responses were collected from three emerging countries. Our results suggest that post-stay evaluation was the key predictor of positive eWOM, and later transferred greater hotel revisit intention among Gen Y. In terms of country level, all countries depicted a positive relationship for all paths, and the influence of the respondents’ country moderated for some relationship in this study. Our findings also shed further light on the understanding of the generational cohort theory across emerging countries, especially in the hospitality context.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480211019847

[Article Title: Marketing a Destination Brand Image to Muslim Tourists: Does Accessibility to Cultural Needs Matter in Developing Brand Loyalty?/ Zazli Lily Wisker, Djavlonbek Kadirov, and Jithin Nizar, p.84-105]

Abstract: Worldwide, Muslim travelers are expected to be worth more than US$450 billion by 2026. Ignoring Muslim tourists would be a missed opportunity for any country’s economy that depends on tourism. This study aims to help non-Muslim tourism providers to understand what Muslim travelers require. Specifically, the study posits that accessibility to cultural needs and brand image affects customer satisfaction, which in turn influences brand loyalty among Muslim tourists. Religiosity plays a role as a moderating variable. Quantitative data was collected from 291 Muslim tourists visiting New Zealand that is predominantly a Christian country through online and mall intercept surveys. The study has adopted Hayes’s PROCESS Model 8 to test the mediated–moderated model. The results indicate strong support for the research model. Finally, the study provides some theoretical discussions and strategic managerial implications on how to offer Muslim tourists the best possible experience.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348020963663

[Article Title: Understanding Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Access Backpackers' Intention in Self-Service Travel Websites/ Shih-Chih Chen, Din Jong, Chia-Shiang Hsu, and Chung-Hsuan Lin, p.105-132]

Abstract: By using Web 2.0, backpackers can easily collect travel information and plan their trips. In this study, the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model were integrated with interpersonal influence, electronic word-of-mouth, flexibility, personal innovativeness, and critical mass to measure their effects on behavioral intentions toward self-service travel. A sample of 284 questionnaires was collected via an online survey. The results indicated that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control had significant effects on backpackers’ behavioral intentions. In addition, the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and flexibility of travel websites had significant effects on attitudes toward a given behavior. Moreover, the effects of electronic word-of-mouth, critical mass, and interpersonal influence on subjective norms, and those of self-efficacy and facilitating conditions on perceived behavioral control were significant. Based on these empirical results, theoretical and practical implications for promoting self-service travel websites are proposed.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348021994166

[Article Title: Tourist Perceived Value, Tourist Satisfaction, and Life Satisfaction: Evidence from Chinese Buddhist Temple Tours/ Yanghang Yu, Mei Lang, Yuanyuan Zhao, Wenjun Liu, and Bixia Hu, p.133-152]

Abstract: Prior research has mainly focused on the effect of tourist perceived value on customer satisfaction and behavior intention; the relationship between tourist perceived value and life satisfaction in religious tourism has been overlooked. This study aims to examine the link between tourist perceived value and life satisfaction and whether tourist satisfaction can play a mediating role in the process, specifically in the context of Chinese religious tourism. Data on Buddhist temple tours in China were collected through surveys, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain the construct of the Buddhist tourist perceived value and regression analyses were used to test the study’s hypotheses. We developed and tested a scale of measurement of Buddhist tourist perceived value through 21 items grouped into seven dimensions: quality, price, emotional value, social value, educational value, physical attributes, and nonphysical attributes. Results from 537 tourists revealed that tourist perceived value is positively related to life satisfaction, and tourist satisfaction plays a mediating role in the relationship between perceived value and life satisfaction. Findings of this study provide a Buddhism-specific perspective for tourist perceived value.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480211015338

[Article Title: Effect of Regulatory Focus on Food Variety-Seeking Behavior of Chinese Tourists/ Hong-jing Cui, Feng Yao, Xiao-tong Jin, Tai-yang Zhao, Wei Xu, and Slawomir Smyczek, p.153-176]

Abstract: While limited attention has been paid to personality traits that influence tourists’ variety-seeking behavior with respect to food, evidence shows that Chinese people choose less variety than their counterparts in Western countries. We propose that regulatory focus influences consumers’ food variety-seeking behavior. Building on the theoretical alignment between regulatory focus, food neophobia, and food variety-seeking tendency, this research examines the effect of regulatory focus on Chinese consumers’ food variety-seeking behavior through three studies. Study 1 indicates that prevention-focused consumers have lower food variety-seeking intention than promotion-focused consumers. Study 2 shows that the former have higher food neophobia, leading to lower intention to seek food variety. Food neophobia plays the mediating role. Study 3 examines the moderating role of psychological safety, which can decrease food neophobia’s negative influence on seeking food variety. The results and implications of our findings are presented in the discussion section.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348020988893

[Article Title: Why Not Travel to Malaysia? Variations in Inbound Tourists' Perceptions toward Halal-Friendly Destination Attributes/ Mohamed Azali, Norazlyn Kamal Basha, Yee-Shan Chang, Xin-Jean Lim, and Jun-Hwa Cheah, p.177-206]

Abstract: The importance of halal tourism has prompted countries and business operators to place more emphasis on this lucrative sector. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of halal-friendly destination attributes on inbound tourists’ behavioral intention in the context of Malaysia. Furthermore, a comparative analysis was conducted to investigate the similarities and differences between Chinese and Indonesian Muslim tourists. A total of 666 observations were collected using surveys and the data sets were analyzed via partial least squares structural equation modeling. The empirical results show that both countries have indicated variations in terms of preferences for social environment, services, and facilities. We contribute to the knowledge on the constitutive attributes of the halal-friendly destination, while providing theoretical explanations for the differences among Muslim tourists in the Asian markets. Finally, directions for future research are proposed.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348020987634

[Article Title: Effect of Tourist-To-Tourist Encounters: Increased Conflict or Reduced Social Distance?/ Shizhen Bai and Hsuan-Hsuan Chang, p.207-234]

Abstract: This study investigated tourist-to-tourist interactions among those with different nationalities (Japan and Taiwan) and analyzed whether tourists’ nationality significantly affects their perceptions of conflict, including cultural and behavioral conflict. Furthermore, the study also examined whether the tourists’ role typology and nationality could moderate the relationship between encounter level and the resulting conflict or diminished social distance. Results indicated that the Taiwanese tourists experienced more conflict than did their Japanese counterparts, more tourist-to-tourist encounters minimized social distance, and different perceptions of role affected the encounter reactions (either conflict or mutual understanding). In the end, the tourists’ role typology moderated the relationship between encounter level and encounter conflict; and tourist’s nationality has the moderating effect on the relationship between encounter level and social distance. In the end, the key research findings regarding tourist-to-tourist encounters and interactions were also discussed from the perspective of Confucianism.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480211014938

[Article Title: Appreciation to and Behavior Intention Regarding Upscale Ethnic Restaurants/ Fide Liu, Hiram Ting, and Christian Ringle, p.235-256]

Abstract: Appreciation is an ingredient that is essential for enhancing customers’ post consumption service evaluations; nevertheless, few studies have explored its role in the context of ethnic restaurants. This article aims to examine appreciation’s effects on customers’ behavioral intention by first considering the cultural effects. This study develops and empirically tests a research model based on 488 questionnaires collected at an upscale ethnic restaurant in Macau. The result shows that utilitarian value, hedonic value, and cultural motivation affect appreciation positively, which in turn affects behavioral intention positively. Utilitarian value and hedonic value also affect behavioral intention directly and positively. The mediation roles of diners’ utilitarian value, hedonic value, and appreciation are also discussed. This article contributes to hospitality management theory by providing an additional insight into appreciation and suggests that, in practice, using appreciation as a business strategy could change customers’ choice.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480211011544

[Article Title: The role of cultural differences in Customer Retention: Evidence from the High-Contact Service Industry/ Kim-Shyan Fam, Boon Liat Cheng, Tat-Huei Cham, Mandy Tan Chia Yi, and Hiram Ting, p.257-288]

Abstract: Current tourism landscape and dynamism of the business environment have increased market competitiveness in the high-contact service industry. Hotel operators must now pay greater heed to customer retention by exploring ways to improve customer engagement and experience. Toward this end, this study aimed to examine the interplays between relationship marketing, perceived service quality, corporate image, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty, as well as the moderating effect of cultural difference between Asian and Western tourists. Using a questionnaire, data were collected from 400 international tourists and analyzed with the structural equation modeling technique. While the direct relationships pertaining the variables of interest were found to be significant, Asian tourists appeared to hold stricter standards in employee–customer interactions and satisfaction-based loyalty than Western tourists. Discussion and implications are provided to promote the development of fruitful hotel–customer relationships in this industry with a heightened customer orientation.

https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480211014944