Cindy Yoonjoung Heo

Progress in Shopping Tourism

ABSTRACT Shopping has become a main tourist activity and accounts for a considerable amount of tourism expenditure. Previous research has found that shopping tourists stay longer at a destination and spend approximately three to four times more than leisure tourists. However, only a few studies have considered the value of shopping as a primary motivation for travel, and those that did have approached the topic with a limited focus. Against this background, the existing body of research should be examined. Therefore, this study assesses the progress in shopping tourism research to identify trends and propose future research directions.

Analysis of satisfiers and dissatisfiers in online hotel reviews on social media

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze online hotel reviews produced by customers to identify and compare factors known as satisfiers and dissatisfiers based on Herzberg’s two-factor theory. This approach was applied to compare full-service and limited-service hotels, which can show different levels of customer expectation. Design/methodology/approach A content analysis of 919 satisfaction- and dissatisfaction-indicating reviews of 100 hotels in both full-service and limited-service hotel segments in New York City on Trip Advisor was conducted. Findings Results show that satisfiers and dissatisfiers in full-service hotels were distinct, with the exception of two common service-related factors, namely, “staff and their attitude” and “service”. On the other hand, “staff and their attitude” and four room facilities-related factors, “room cleanliness/dirtiness”, “bed”, “bathroom” and “room size”, were revealed as common satisfiers and dissatisfiers in limited-service hotels. To fulfill customer satisfaction and resolve dissatisfaction in both full-service and limited-service hotels, satisfiers and dissatisfiers should be highlighted according to the hotel class; the most critical factor is “staff and their attitude”. Practical implications Analysis of online hotel reviews provides understanding of customers’ satisfiers and dissatisfiers, and the results are very useful to hotel management. Therefore, hotel operators should monitor electronic word-of-mouth, recognizing and acting upon previous and current customers’ satisfactory and unsatisfactory reactions. Originality/value As technologies such as social media develop, customers are increasingly sharing their satisfactory and unsatisfactory experiences on consumer-generated online review sites. These have become a major source of information not only for customers deciding on a hotel stay but also for hotel managers trying to understand their customers and competitors.

Revenue Management: Progress, Challenges, and Research Prospects

ABSTRACT This paper evaluates the main developments of revenue management (RM) over the past decade and discusses RM challenges and research prospects. It examines nine notable emerging themes: total hotel RM, big data analytics, distribution, rate integrity, RM and marketing strategies alignment, social media impacts on RM, RM system, applications of RM in non-traditional service sectors, and RM education and training. We argue that these developments have far-reaching implications for real-world RM practice and anticipate that the topic areas will continue to be popular for hospitality and tourism research in the foreseeable future.

Developing a Typology of Chinese Shopping Tourists: An Application of the Schwartz Model of Universal Human Values

ABSTRACT This study aims to develop a typology of Chinese shopping tourists based on the Schwartz values. As a medium for investigating rich segmented markets, values emerge as an alternative variable for personality, lifestyle, and other demographic and socioeconomic segmentation variables. Convenience sampling is adopted in this study, and 511 usable responses in China are obtained. Results of the factor analysis reveal the following five dimensions of personal values among Chinese shopping tourists: self-enhancement, universalism, assurance, self-direction, and benevolence. The cluster analysis, which used the aforementioned five dimensions, identify the following clusters: uncertainty (Cluster 1), passion (Cluster 2), balance (Cluster 3), and conservation (Cluster 4). This study provides insights into the nature of personal value of Chinese shopping tourists by applying the Schwartz values, and identifies the shopping travel characteristics of Chinese shopping tourists. The results of this study are expected to assist destination marketing organizations in creating strategies to provide better shopping environments and services for tourists, and to achieve higher levels of tourist satisfaction.

How do consumers’ perceptions differ across dimensions of corporate social responsibility and hotel types?

ABSTRACT This study develops three hypotheses regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of the hotel industry. First, the study examines a ranking of consumers’ perceived importance of the four CSR dimensions proposed by Carroll’s hierarchy of CSR in 1991, expecting the following orders: philanthropic, ethical, legal, and economic dimensions, from most to least important. Second, the study investigates the relationship between consumers’ perceived importance of and their overall support for CSR. Third, the study introduces the type of hotel (for example, economy, mid-scale, and upscale) as a moderator to provide a better explanation of the relationship between consumers’ perceived importance of the CSR dimensions and support for CSR. Contributions to the CSR literature in general, and also specifically relating to the hotel context, and managerial implications are discussed.

Investigating the impact of relationship quality during an internship on millennials’ career decisions and gender differences

ABSTRACT The hospitality industry has been struggling to attract and retain quality employees. Labor force demographics in the hospitality industry are changing. The first wave of Millennials has started to enter the workforce, and Millennials are the fastest growing segment of said workforce. In addition, the rate of participation of females in today’s hospitality workforce is growing. Even though several researchers have studied Millennials as hospitality employees, limited research has explored the importance of the quality of relationships Millennials have with colleagues and customers; in addition, gender differences among Millennials have not been extensively examined. The Commitment-Trust (CT) theory suggests that relationship commitment and trust encourage cooperative behaviors that sustain long-term relationships. This study attempted to investigate whether the relationship quality encountered by Millennials during their internships has an impact on their job satisfaction or career decisions based on commitment-trust theory; in addition, gender differences in relationship quality were examined.

Luxurious or economical? An identification of tourists’ preferred hotel attributes using best–worst scaling (BWS):

This article explores consumer tendencies to opt for luxury or economy hotels by identifying their most and least important selection attributes. The researchers investigate how sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics influence traveler assessments of hotel attributes. In explaining consumer hotel selection preferences, the researchers used an unconditional method—best–worst scaling (BWS). Based on an analysis of responses from 397 luxury hotel customers and 351 economy hotel customers in the United States, it was found that the two groups perceive hotel attributes differently. Differentials were also identified on the basis of gender, income, and frequency of purchase. While acknowledging that the task is complex, there is an urgent need to identify the factors influencing hotel selection, because hoteliers need to attract new markets and also balance this by retaining existing patrons. The findings extend existing literature by applying BWS to the identification of hotel selection attributes.

An Investigation of the Perceived Value of Shopping Tourism

Managing shopping risk is a prerequisite to ensuring business prosperity in shopping destinations, as risk is likely to influence perceived value and the choice of future shopping destinations. Previous studies have shown that enhancing trust is a means of avoiding or minimizing perceived (shopping) risk. Increased trust is expected to reduce shopping risk and ultimately foster the impression of a shopping destination as reliable. Despite its important role, trust has received limited, if any, attention in shopping- and tourism-related research. As shopping behavior while traveling abroad differs from ordinary shopping in one’s home country, tourists’ shopping activities require in-depth research grounded in psychological theory. This study aimed to examine the influence of trust in a shopping destination on the value of that destination as perceived by tourist shoppers. The findings suggest that trust in a shopping destination positively influences perceptions of the destination’s value in every value category.

Consequences of Customer Dissatisfaction in Upscale and Budget Hotels: Focusing on Dissatisfied Customers’ Attitude Toward a Hotel

ABSTRACT It is important to understand customer dissatisfaction in order to maintain a sustainable business, given that the negative effects of customer dissatisfaction in service businesses may be even greater than the positive effects of satisfaction. This study investigates customer dissatisfaction and its consequences by focusing on the mediating role of attitude toward a hotel according to different hotel classes related to customer expectation level. The results show a mediating role for attitude in the relationship between customer dissatisfaction and specific negative behavioral intentions. This study broadens our knowledge of customer dissatisfaction and the role of attitude toward a hotel in the relevant literature. The empirical findings demonstrate that regardless of hotel type, customer dissatisfaction significantly affects their attitude and their consequent negative behavioral intention.

Special Issue: Revenue management for tourism and hospitality.

The tourism and hospitality industry started to adopt Revenue Management (RM) practices in the 1980s, with academics fully participating in the process. Various disciplines have since contributed to the development of RM concepts, models, and methods. They include diverse areas such as management science, economics, marketing, information technology, human resource, finance, and computer science to name but a few. As RM practices extend from transportation and hospitality to other retail sectors such as restaurants, cruises, golf, spa, and camp grounds, academic research on the topic has increased significantly, addressing new concerns and emerging issues. Recognizing the growing importance of RM, the Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing (JTTM) published its first special issue on the topic (referred to as “yield management” at that time) in the early 1990 s. A decade later, RM remains a central issue of interest to industry and academia, and a dynamic and fast growing area of activity, innovation, and prospects. Key new foci areas include the move from a “specific” pricing and inventory management orientation to a more global marketing and strategic management approach, the consideration of the consumer’s total and long-term contribution, the shift from revenue to profit management optimization, and the inclusion of big data analytics. A considerable amount of RM research has been published in the past decade. The objective of this second special issue of JTTM is to reflect on traditional and new issues, and to highlight new research perspectives and progress in RM practices. The first paper, authored by the co-guest editors of this special issue, with a contribution from industry executives, is an overview of recent emerging “hot” RM topics. It discusses the RM areas of total hotel RM, modeling forecasting and big data analytics, distribution channels, revenue integrity, information systems, social media, financial issues, human resources, and non-traditional areas of application. The second and third articles deal with strategy and segmentation. Sigala suggests a market approach for developing RM strategies, while Guillet, Law, and Guo demonstrate the