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Publication Food-Elicitation and Photo-Elicitation: Novel approaches to understanding authenticity with gastronomic experiences(2018) Gregorash, BillTrying to differentiate from the competition across the street or across town is one goal of hospitality professionals; another goal of destination marketing organizations is to create a unique taste of place for a region; in short, culinary (food) tourism involves building a brand to sell. Selling food tourism experiences can be a successful marketing tool that creates positive gastronomic memories. To determine how gastronomic memories are created, this study included interviews with participants using auto-driven photo-elicitation, the process of which explored trigger points within the tangible and intangible attributes of the presented experience. A focus group was also held where an avant-garde meal was served to ‘foodies’ (food-elicitation). This chapter is about how authenticity was presented in the narratives of the participants, and how authenticity played a role in their creation of participants’ memorable gastronomic experiences. The findings show that memorable experiences are genuine, but opinions swung widely when asked for definitions of authentic experiences and authentic foods? In addition, a discussion on perceived authenticity in gastronomic experiences is in the “eyes of the beholder” is presented and how globalization and technology affects these perceptions based on involvement. A final argument questions if “foodies” are taking away the mystique from dining-out by over analyzing the product by posting what they eat and therefor creating ‘non-events’.Publication Transformative Tourism & Glocalization(2018) Soulard, Joelle; McGehee, NancyTransformative tourism aims at developing programs which push travelers out of their comfort zones, encourage self-reflection, and trigger attitudinal and behavioral changes. The glocalization concept suggests that global and local forces are not in opposition but could be used by tourism businesses to increase their support in a local community while facilitating the interaction between travelers and residents. The present study explore how glocalization strategies implemented by tourism practitioners could facilitate the transformative experience of the travelers. Key words: transformative, tourism, glocalization, communityPublication The Cultural Experience of International Volunteer Tourists: A Case Study of AID Summer Program in Taiwan(2018) Chen, Li-JuAID summer program is an overseas youth English teaching volunteer service program, an international volunteer tourism, held by Overseas Community Affairs Council, Republic of China (Taiwan). Through the 4 weeks program, the participants live and teach in various remote areas of Taiwan, collaborating and cooperating with other volunteers as well as local teachers and students in English teaching services. The study utilizes qualitative case study method to one of the team in exploring the cultural experience of the six participants of AID summer program. Three stages of interviews (before, during, and three months after the program) and onsite-observations were used for data collection By applying the theory of transformative learning, the findings could provide the newly-developed tourism product more theoretical and practical implications.Publication The search for perfection: Examining surf travelers’ construction of the perfect wave(2018) Usher, Lindsay E; Porter, Brooke AThe search for the perfect wave, brought into the surfing imaginary by the movie, The Endless Summer, is considered the primary motivation for surf travel. Researchers have examined the ways in which the surf media has perpetuated this concept and driven surfers to remote parts of the world seeking perfect surf. However, much of the literature assumes a similar definition of the perfect wave. Research on surf travelers has found that many surfers agree on the perfect wave size, but there are differences among surfers in the type of wave and surf break they prefer. The purpose of this study is to explore surf travelers’ descriptions of the perfect wave. Using an online survey of approximately 144 surf travelers, it revealed a number of differences in the ways surfers define the perfect wave. The results carry important implications for surf tour operators and destination managers.Publication Exploring Millennials’ Experiences Using Virtual Reality for Travel Planning: A Qualitative Study(2018) Bordelon, Bridget M; Jafarnejad, Fatemah; Williams, KimExploring Millennials’ Experiences Using Virtual Reality for Travel Planning: A Qualitative Study In the last decade, researchers have explored the role of Virtual Reality (VR) as a significant technology application within the tourism industry. Previous research relied exclusively on quantitative methods. This research uses qualitative methods to explore how potential millennial travelers accept using VR as a complementary travel-planning tool. The theoretical framework of this study is based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) proposed by Davis (1989; 1992). Data collection consisted of participant observation of an extended VR session, a focus group, and in-depth interviews. Using HTC Vive VR – with (Head Mounted Display) participants viewed selected global destinations using Google Earth VR application. The results provide valuable insights into the behavior, preferences, and perceptions of Millennials using new technology. These findings could be useful for hospitality educators, local tour operators, and DMCs.Publication Quenching the Thirst for Local Knowledge: Hotel Bartenders as Cultural Intermediaries of Place(2018) Lindblom, Jada WUsing a phenomenological, constructivist approach, this study explores the commonly overlooked roles of hotel bartenders in the travel and tourism economy. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with bartenders in downtown Phoenix, Arizona provide insight regarding how bartenders might act as “cultural intermediaries” (Bourdieu, 1984) by serving as representatives of (and conduits to) local culture and the experiential product of place within tourism spaces. Findings suggest that hotel bartenders assume roles similar to concierges, and tourists often specifically seek their knowledge because of their distinct perspectives and reputations. Most bartenders interviewed displayed high degrees of sociability and openness with patrons. In their self-perceptions, many considered themselves to be apt representatives of local culture, but others were highly cognizant of the ways in which they may be insufficient in this regard, perhaps still indicative of a heightened understanding of a place’s cultural components.Publication Expanding the Profile of Short Term Vacation Rental (STVR) Hosts in Savannah, GA(2018) Yeager, Emily; Boley, Bynum; Goetcheus, Cari; Welch-Devine, MeredithExpanding the Profile of Short Term Vacation Rental (STVR) Hosts in Savannah, GA Abstract This research explores the complex identities of STVR hosts through their roles as entrepreneurs and residents in the communities that they host and live. Additionally, this research studies how hosts’ fluid identity uniquely positions them as potential sustainable entrepreneurs in their community. A total of 26 in-depth interviews were conducted with hosts or STVR managers that were once hosts. As entrepreneurs, extrinsic motivations are often initial drivers for hosting but intrinsic benefits become integral to the enjoyment of hosting and an important motivator for continued participation. As residents, hosts were mixed in their sense of community but many voiced concerns over STVR impacts on their community. Lastly, many hosts already exhibit elements of sustainable entrepreneurship through listing specific efforts to reduce waste i.e. advertising compost bins to guests or promoting minority-owned businesses to guests.Publication Uncovering the Guest Journey through Mobile Research(2018) Acford, CiaranIn 2017 the author implemented a mobile diary research project in order to establish a closer connection to the guest experience. This is an excellent example of the use of innovative technology in the tourism industry. The challenge for authors organization is that the current quantitative guest satisfaction survey provides an excellent mechanism for evaluating performance, within a defined framework, but it doesn’t successfully paint a picture of what the experience looks like form a guest perspective. Through the application of this mobile diary research project, guests could define what for them were the most important moments of the journey and capture what they looked like through uploads of photos and videos. The project successfully uncovered new insights about the guest experience, articulated through rich media content, whilst also confirming some long-held hypotheses. It has been shared widely across the business, with several future use cases already identified.Publication I didn’t have the time of my life: Qualitative data collection challenges at the 2017 Dirty Dancing Festival(2018) Benjamin, Stefanie; Knollenberg, WhitneyIn August 2017 two brave researchers embarked on a journey to try a novel approach to collect data at the Dirty Dancing Festival at Lake Lure, North Carolina, United States. Our hope was to utilize qualitative data collection methods to empower the attendees at the festival to share their lived experiences of the festival through their lens. We asked them to upload their photos using social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. However, several unforeseen circumstances, including lack of wireless internet, impaired the data collection. Even with a backup of ipads for data collection, our efforts were challenged. In this paper, we will share our challenges with novel approaches to data collection and offer suggestions for future data collection.Publication Don’t Be a Passing Fade: The Sustained Competitive Advantage of Themed Hotels in Chinese Market(2018) lee, wenyinTheming has become the most powerful strategy for hospitality. Hotels have embodied the specific theme become a great upsurge. This study interviewed 10 general managers of themed hotels in China and Taiwan. This research consider not only to the market trends but also to the inner resources of hotels. The findings of research illustrated the sustained competitive advantage (SCA) and strategy of themed hotels’ internal resources.Publication FLOW TO CHINESE MARKET: EXPLORING THE SITE SELECTION DECISION OF INCENTIVE TRAVEL PLANNER FROM INDIA(2018) CHENG, YIOutbound incentive travel from India has become significant trend in these years. This first paper explores how incentive travel destination is selected by in-depth interviewing with incentive planners, companies and staffs in India. The findings suggest that planners base perceptions on what characterizes incentive travels but vary slightly in planning and operational procedures to different customer requirements.Publication Using Eye-Tracking Technology to Segment Tourism Brochure Reading Typologies(2018) Lever, Michael; Shen, Ye; Joppe, MarionTravel brochures have been considered an influential tool in shaping a tourists’ intention to visit and remain an important source for destination information today. This research provides a glimpse into the behaviours of tourism brochure readers, demonstrating several major tourist reading typologies as found through eye-tracking technology and interviews.Publication From Farm-to-Fork to Fork-to-Farmer: advancing Permatourism in North Carolina(2018) Ferreira, Bruno SThe erosion of opportunities afforded by manufacturing and tobacco farming in North Carolina towards the end of the last century has lead politicians to ponder tourism, in lack of other credible economic development plan. Top-down approaches fueled by foreign investment are often preferred, but they have failed to engage locals in the tourism economy. Sometimes, counter-hegemonic grassroots tourism microenterprises strive to co-exist, but structural constraints as well as community heterogeneity impede their success. Permatourism is thus proposed as a new paradigm in tourism development, by standing up for grassroots microentrepreneurship and community voice, while acknowledging the outstanding opportunities afforded by corporate-driven, top-down investment. In addition, I will seek empirical validation of Permatourism in the context of Fork to Farmer, a statewide tourism and community development initiative, featuring celebrated chefs and providers of farm experiences, that follows some of the guidelines and recommendations of this model.Publication Whom to Listen to? Trusted Source and Retweet Behavior of the NYC Marathon and Hawaii False Alarm(2018) XU, YUHUA; Pennington-Gray, LoriTerror attacks disturb social order, and impact the communications between stakeholders. Responsible organizations seek to learn the rules of public information dissemination, thus better manage the crisis communication during terror attack. Guided by social capital theory, this study took the 2017 NYC marathon attack and Hawaii false missile alarm as examples and examined which sources the public trusts most during varying phases of terror threats. The study also explored the content of the most retweeted crisis communication information, in an aim to facilitate better communications between emergency responders and the public, which would help the organizations actively accumulate social capital in the long term. Keywords: Terrorism Attack, Crisis Communication, Social Capital, Social Network, Social MediaPublication Is the Tourism Industry Using YouTube to Reduce Travel Risks and Inform Visitors How to Stay Safe?(2018) Amir, Ahmad Fitri; Pennington-Gray, Dr. LoriThe primary goal of this study is to explore the use of social media, specifically YouTube, which is created by DMOs to inform the tourist about their safety and security while in the destination. Risk research in the health behavior literature suggests that informing people about risks and providing ways to reduce their risks may result in higher self-efficacy beliefs and thus a greater engagement in behaviors that will increase their safety. Based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), this study proposed model incorporates the traditional risk communication models with messaging on social media as a new media channel. A sample of 164 countries serves as the basis for searching for safety and security videos by DMOs. A content analysis approach will be performed to describe and understand the videos contents, to evaluate its effectiveness and to examine the intention to engage in the recommended behavior.Publication A Content Analysis of The Messaging by the Governor Surrounding Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma(2018) London, Brian; Pennignton-Gray, LoriA Content Analysis of The Messaging by the Governor Surrounding Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma Abstract Natural disasters are a growing concern in the United States as their impacts have the potential to affect millions of Americans. This paper evaluates the video messaging of the incident commanders during Hurricane Harvey and Irma based on four criteria: (1) message appeals, (2) information cues, (3) safety claims and (4) communication of risk reduction behaviors. This is important as the role of the Governor as the Incident Commander was greater this past hurricane season than ever before in the past. This provides a great opportunity to explore this new role in more depth and examine what was being communicated and when and to whom. Using YouTube as a medium to obtain old statements provided by the Governors, this study will examine the timeframe and content of the messages and compare them against one another.Publication Post-Disaster Tourism Recovery: From A Collaborative Resilience Perspective(2018) Liu, Tingxi; Pennington-Gray, Lori; Li, ChengPublication Defining factors of destination loyalty that are unrelated to tourist satisfaction: A review of preceding studies(2018) Kawada, Hiroaki; Naoi, TaketoDrawing from preceding studies on factors influencing destination loyalty, the factors are classified according to whether satisfaction is an influence, factors that influence via satisfaction (satisfaction-mediated factors), and factors that influence without being mediated by satisfaction (satisfaction-unmediated factors). Satisfaction-unmediated factors include pre-visit image and motivation about the destination; the discovery of a new attraction during the visit, experiencing positive emotions, and individual attributes. Nevertheless, the preceding studies have limitations, including the absence of context, such as unique attributes of the destination and research subjects, and the absence of standardization in measuring satisfaction. It is necessary to extract factors that influence destination loyalty by drawing from these observations.Publication The Power of Positivity: How Images Affect Intention to Purchase Green Hotel Accommodation(2018) Nimri, RawanDeveloping persuasive advertising messages is crucial in ensuring the success of the hotel’s green practices. With the objective of getting further insights into marketing tactics that promote pro-environmental behaviour in Australia, this research aims to examine the pictorial representations impact on consumers’ purchase intention in the green hotel setting. By using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the study employed an online survey to collect data from Australian lodging customers. Moreover, the study used contrasting advertising images focusing on either the positive or negative environmental impacts of green hotels. The results indicated that positively framed images related to the hotels’ environmental preservation actions induced consumers’ purchase intention, rather than negatively framed images that reflect the environmental pollution of these hotels. Additionally, the TPB could well predict Australians’ purchase intentions. The research broadens the knowledge about consumer behaviour in the green hotel context, which may possibly benefit hotel management in planning and practice.Publication The Effect of Different Detailed Level Negative Electronic Word of Mouth on Tourist’s Destination Choice(2018) Zhao, EnkiThis study is aimed to analysis how negative electronic word of mouth(eWOM) impact tourists' destination chioce, especially from different detailed level of eWOM content angle. Based on different length negative eWOM, the comparison focus on destination interest, trust and destination choice. Shanghai Tianzifang was selected as destination meanwhile the respondents are Macau residents. Quantitative method is used and 98 questionnaires were collected in Macau city. Extracted data was tested by Partial Least Squares (PLS). Result is negative eWOM do have impact to tourists’ destination choice. And brief content of negative eWOM is value more and have larger influence than more detailed negative eWOM. Limitation and further research have been proposed.