Ady Milman

The Role of Awareness and Familiarity with a Destination: The Central Florida Case

This study is based on the theoretical background of the consumers buying process incorporating product awareness, familiarity, interest, and purchase. Using a sample of 750 U.S. households, a series of hypotheses were tested to analyze whether consumer aware ness and familiarity with Central Florida as a vacation destination had an impact on the consumers destination image and on the interest and likelihood to visit it. The results indicate that those who were familiar with Central Florida (i.e., had previously visited it) had a more positive image of the destination and were more interested in and likely to revisit it than those who were only aware of the destination. However, contrary to our expectations, interest or likelihood to visit Central Florida was not significantly higher among those who were aware of Central Florida as a tourist destination than those who were not aware of it. For this case, it is possible to conclude that as consumers move from the awareness stage to the familiarity stage their interest and likelihood to visit increase, although the same may not be true when consumers move from the nonawareness to the awareness stage.

Social impacts of tourism: host perceptions

Abstract This study investigates the pergeptions of the residents of Nadi, Fiji, towards the impacts of tourism. A survey of 199 households revealed that residents (most of whom were dependent on the industry for their livelihood) supported the current magnitude of tourism and favored its expansion. Despite this very clear and generally positive view, the respondents identified specific negative and positive impacts that, in their view, affected the community. The results suggest that residents of communities dependent on tourism can clearly differentiate between its economic benefits and the social costs, and that awareness of certain negative consequences does not lead to opposition towards further tourism development.

Rural tourism in Israel: service quality and orientation.

Abstract Rural tourism in Israel is a growing trend, augmented by declining agricultural income. The concept of service quality and service orientation in rural tourism establishments (B&Bs) in Israel is investigated. Utilizing Gronrooss model of perceived service quality, an exploratory empirical study of 206 guests and 23 entrepreneurs revealed gaps between expected and experienced service dimensions. Based on these findings, management and marketing implications for service quality improvements are discussed along with the acute need for appropriate training.

Influence of tourism on attitudes: US students visiting USSR

Abstract The aim of this research was to determine whether the touristic experience of US students visiting the USSR affected their opinions and attitudes towards the Soviet people and their institutions. Both before and after the visit a sample of students travelling to the USSR for the first time was asked to complete a structured questionnaire that measured attitudes towards the Soviet people, their political beliefs, and their institutions. The results, compared with those of a control group, showed that in general the touristic experience did not change the attitudes and opinions of US students towards the USSR and the Soviet people.

The Future of the Theme Park and Attraction Industry: A Management Perspective

The study solicited opinions from 122 general managers representing North American theme parks and attractions regarding the future of the industry. The findings revealed that economic forces, employees, and changing demographic forces were perceived to have the greatest impact on the future operation of the industry. General managers also thought that consumers would most likely seek interactive adventure, fantasy and mystery, movies and television shows, and science fiction/futuristic themes. The future health of the industry was associated with the impact of economic forces and the quality of service provided. Other dimensions such as the franchising of the industry, the impact of the senior market, and the ability of small attractions to invest were perceived to have a negative impact on the future health of the theme park and attraction industry.

A customer-based approach to hospitality education

Abstract Hospitality management curriculum, the faculty at the sta? Florida consulted the customer—the hospitality ?ing what topics are absolutely essential. Among their operations-related skills were not high on the list.

The Impact Of Tourism On Ethnic Attitudes: The Israeli- Egyptian Case

This study evaluated the role of tourism as an agent of change between two countries that have been traditionally unfriendly or hostile to each other, namely Israel and Egypt. A sample of 82 Jewish-Israeli tourists who traveled to Egypt for the first time was asked to complete a structured questionnaire that measured attitudes toward Egyptian people, their political beliefs, and their institutions. Each tourist was asked to complete the question naire before leaving for Egypt (pre-test) and after returning home (post-test). A control group of Israeli citizens who did notgo to Egypt was also asked to complete the question naire twice. The results showed that for most attitudes the touristic experience did not change the attitudes and opinions of Israelis towards Egypt and the Egyptian people. It is suggested thatfor this to occur certain conditions must be met, the most important being a balanced touristic experience that would emphasize all aspects ofthe host society as well as ! the opportunity to come in close and intimate contact with the destinations residents.

Hourly employee retention in small and medium attractions: the Central Florida example.

Abstract The major objective of this study was to explore the reasons behind hourly employee turnover in the amusement park and attraction industry. Data were collected from 172 hourly employees in 13 Central Florida small and medium-size facilities. The results empirically confirmed that hourly employees’ retention was predicted by self-fulfillment and working conditions rather than monetary rewards. More specifically, employees who had positive experience with regard to consistent working hours, sense of fulfillment with their job, positive experience with performance reviews, longer tenure with their current employer, higher level of satisfaction with the job, and previous work experience were more likely to stay with their current employer.

The Impact of Security Devices on Tourists’ Perceived Safety: The Central Florida Example

This article describes an empirical study of central Florida’s tourists regarding their overall sense of perceived safety and the impact of various safety devices on their overall feelings of safety while on vacation. Although the 166 tourists sampled generally reported a sense of safety, previous exposure to crime had an impact on the perception of safety. Certain physical and behavioral devices such as deadbolt locks, closed-circuit TV cameras, door view ports, caller screening by telephone operators, locked side entrances into the hotel, and routine visits to the hotel by police provided tourists with a greater sense of safety and security. A regression model indicated that tourists’ overall perceptions of safety in central Florida were dependent on their perceptions of the safety of theme parks, certain hotel physical security devices, their level of education, and the routine visibility of law enforcement officers at hotels.

The Social Impacts of Tourism

Tourism is not exclusively an economic phenomenon, it also involves social, cultural, political and environmental aspects. It is therefore, important to realize that any assessment of tourism impacts should not only be concerned with the tangible economic effects such as revenue and foreign exchange earnings, but also with non-economic and intangible effects, such as social and cultural ones.Social and cultural impacts of tourism are the ways in which tourism is contributing to changes in value systems, individual behaviour, family relationships, collective life styles, moral conduct, creative e expressions, traditional ceremonies and community organization. In other words they are the effects on the people of host communities of their direct and indirect associations with tourists.The socio-cultural effects of tourism are difficult to measure, and to a large extent are indirect, or even unknown. The majority of the studies undertaken until now in this area, were mainly concerned with understanding the so...