Anja Pabel

Social media use in pre-trip planning by tourists visiting a small regional leisure destination

The aim of this study is to develop a better understanding of the use of social media in tourism pre-trip information search patterns for small regional leisure destinations. Only limited research has previously focused on how small regional destinations use and adopt social media strategies. This study addresses this gap in the literature by developing a better understanding of the challenges faced by small regional destinations. The results based on a visitor survey of 986 tourists found that social media was important for 27.9% of respondents when searching for information about their upcoming trip. Surprisingly, only a small number of respondents (15.6%) reported using apps to assist them make travel decisions. The growth in the use of social media allied with increasing ownership levels of smartphones indicates that destination marketing organizations of small regional destinations need to pay greater attention to social media and its delivery systems including smartphones. Implications are discussed for managers and stakeholders of small regional destinations, who may find this study valuable in guiding their future social media marketing efforts.

Dive market segments and destination competitiveness: a case study of the Great Barrier Reef in view of changing reef ecosystem health.

Understanding certified divers perceptions of their Great Barrier Reef (GBR) experience is important to ensure a high-quality dive tourism product. The study examined what dive trip attributes were important to divers and how different dive markets perceived the GBRs environmental quality. The study borrows elements from the recreational specialization literature to explore differences in perceptions of the GBR between dive market segments. Results reveal that the more experienced enthusiast divers compared the GBR less favorably with regards to its environmental attributes, while learners were more favorable in their comparisons but also more concerned with the cost of their trip. The results suggest we consider marketing implications of changes in reef quality in light of a highly heterogeneous dive market.

The cassowary as a tourism icon: opportunities and limitations

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to explore the potential use of the cassowary, a large colourful but threatened bird as a flagship for tourism and conservation in the Far North Queensland (FNQ) region of Australia. Demand side (push factors) and supply side (pull factors) perspectives are investigated as is the potential to transform the bird from having a comparative advantage to a competitive marketing advantage. The research reports on the results of a survey of 540 tourists that investigated the level of interest in viewing threatened animals in general, including cassowaries. The study also considers stakeholders’ perspectives based on semi-structured interviews with key industry personnel. The findings show that viewing wildlife is an important motive for visiting the FNQ region. Moreover, the findings also highlight the potential for the cassowary to act as a flagship for conservation of biodiversity in general.

Friends and Relatives as a Destination Information Source

This research looks at the significance of friends and relatives as an information source for consumers planning holidays. Recent research has largely ignored friends and relatives as destination information sources and has focused instead on the Internet. Two categories of friends and relatives are identified, friends and relatives who live in a destination and friends and relatives who have visited a destination of interest. An exit survey of 1,203 tourists departing a major international destination in Australia found that while the Internet was an important source of information, friends and relatives were as important, if not more, regardless of country of origin and age. These findings indicate that information from friends and relatives and the Internet are complementary rather than exclusive in the minds of consumers.

Education Tourism - Linking Pleasure Travel with Tertiary Education in the Youth Market

This paper explores opportunities for regional universities to develop specific short courses that young travellers could undertake as part of a holiday experience. The Cairns campus of James Cook University was chosen as a representative of a regional university since the campus is located in a destination that attracts a large number of international and domestic youth travellers. Research objectives include investigating the potential demand for diverse short courses; to identify which factors influence respondents decisions to undertake further studies and to evaluate factors that may encourage or discourage respondents from studying in Cairns. Results indicate that 35% of respondents would possibly consider undertaking a short course in Cairns in the future with a preference for shorter courses for either academic credit or personal interest.