Clark Hu

Gaming Customer Satisfaction: An Exploratory Study

With competition in the gaming industry intensifying, customer satisfaction may hold the key to the long-term fi nancial success of a casino. The primary goal of this explora tory study was to develop and test a model for gaming cus tomer satisfaction. The model is based on four constructs: Experiential Affect/Atmosphere, Chance of Winning, Cus tomer Service, and Process. A regression analysis using three of the four constructs as independent variables explained 57% of the variance in slot machine customer satisfaction. There is a need for further research to identify the additional variables that affect gaming customer satisfaction.

Diverse developments in travel and tourism marketing: a thematic approach

Reviews developments in travel and tourism marketing as reflected by articles published in the Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing over a four‐year period from the journal’s inception in 1992‐1995. Identifies five main themes (economic psychology, market segmentation and travel patterns, strategic marketing, technological advances and travel and tourism communications) and related subthemes that portray a pattern of diverse research and development relating to the practice of travel and tourism marketing.

Examining E-Relationship Marketing Features on Hotel Websites

Abstract This study developed and tested a progressive five-level e-Relationship marketing (e-RM) model. The authors examined e-RM web features of the top 127 hotel companies. The results indicate that the hotel companies in the study did not extensively utilize higher-level (Accountable, Proactive, and Partnership) e-RM features on their websites although they employed many lower-level (Basic and Reactive) features. The study also reveals that the extent to which a hotel company employed e-RM website features was positively associated with the size of the hotel company but negatively associated with the number of brands held by the company. This article provides an in-depth e-RM literature review and discusses practical marketing implications as well.

A Framework for Knowledge-Based Crisis Management in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry

Crisis management, disaster recovery, and organizational continuity are critical areas of competence for managers of individual businesses and entire destinations. For large-scale problems, crisis management may be a critical factor that determines the sustainability and success of a destination. In this article, the authors develop a framework that incorporates knowledge management principles to enhance the effectiveness of crisis management and planning for the hospitality and tourism industry. In addition, the authors develop a crisis typology based on the perceptions and knowledge needs of Philadelphia-area lodging operators. Subsequently, the authors apply the framework to envision the design concept of a knowledge-enabled crisis management system that can better support the crisis management and preparedness of a regional hospitality and tourism industry.

Exploring Family Roles in Purchasing Decisions During Vacation Planning: Review and Discussions for Future Research

Abstract Family decision making not only has been an interesting subject to consumer behavior researchers but also has served as a valuable source in shaping marketing strategies adopted by the tourism and hospitality industry. However, little research has been devoted to understanding the roles of family members in the decision-making process during vacation planning. This paper attempts to provide further understanding on the nature and the importance of family roles played in making travel purchase decisions. The authors conceptually reviewed past studies to explore different roles played by the core family members in the decision-making process and developed research propositions along with a conceptual model regarding family vacation planning. Relevant marketing implications were discussed and unique research methods were also recommended for further study.

Exploring the Role of Innovative Technologies in Building a Knowledge-Based Destination

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) have transformed the business and social landscape of tourism industry. Tourism organisations in such a dynamic environment must reinvent their cultures and strategies to survive and create sustainable competitive advantage. In this context, the concept of a ‘knowledge based destination’ is gaining popularity within the domain of policy-making and strategic regional development. The authors elaborate this new perspective and explore its relevance to the tourism industry. The analysis of qualitative data collected through focus groups revealed various social, economic and technical factors that are essential for the evolution of a ‘knowledge based destination’. The authors argue that deploying innovative ICTs and enabling information infrastructures play an important role in this developmental process. This research aims at stimulating a discussion on role of innovative technological applications for the future of a destination along with the resultant policy and research implications.

Where is the love?: Investigating multiple membership and hotel customer loyalty

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore polygamous program loyalty in hotel loyalty programs and the relationship between members’ behavioral loyalty and their perceptions of the program effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach – Descriptive statistics, discriminant analysis, ordinary least square regression and one-way ANOVA methods. Findings – This study suggests that the flexibility to purchase points in a loyalty program is significantly associated with the polygamous program loyalty. Members will stay in only one program if they perceive such flexibility. Although members tend to emphasize purchasing accommodation from the loyalty programs’ hotels, they do not necessarily advocate or pay price premiums for the brand. Compared with basic members, elite members exhibit higher levels of loyalty behaviors in general, but not in terms of paying price premiums. Research limitations/implications – The results suggest that how customers value a loyalty program can differentiate the number of memb...

A Canonical Correlation Analysis of E-Relationship Marketing and Hotel Financial Performance

Hotel companies have used their websites to nurture customer relationships. One question is whether or not relationship marketing (RM) pays. The evidence of this empirical study involving 39 top hotel companies indicated a strong canonical correlation between the level of website development in relationship marketing and financial performance. In the proposed three-level e-relationship marketing ‘financial’ model (Basic, Accountable, and Partnership), a significant canonical variate disclosed that the ‘basic’ level and the ‘partnership’ level were positively correlated to the changes in sales revenue but negatively correlated to net income. This finding may imply that relatively more capital investment is necessary to create basic e-relationships and upgrade online customers to the partnership level than to maintain e-relationships at the ‘accountable’ level.

Forecasting in Short-Term Planning and Management for a Casino Buffet Restaurant

SUMMARY Demand fluctuation accounts for an important consideration in a restaurants daily operational decisions. Good short-term planning and management require accurate forecasts of daily demand. The objective of this study is three-fold: (1) to apply, evaluate, and compare different methods of forecasting customer counts for an on-premises buffet restaurant of a local casino in Las Vegas, (2) to describe and propose a combined forecasting approach for this casino buffet restaurant, and (3) to explore the concept of revenue and capacity management for this buffet restaurant. Eight forecasting models were tested and evaluated by two common error measures. The results suggest that a double moving average model was the most accurate model with the smallest MAPE and RMSPE. Extensive discussions on forecasting and planning/management in buffet operations are provided along with recommended future research.

Benchmarking as a strategic tool for destination management organizations: a proposed framework.

Abstract Benchmarking has been studied as a tool for comparatively evaluating the performance of tourist destinations. However, existing research is limited in that benchmarking is rarely linked with organizational strategy and thus, its potential as a management tool has yet to be fully realized. This paper argues that benchmarking should be considered as a systematic and continuous learning tool that enables destination marketing organizations to develop strategies. It also posits that, due to the unique nature of tourist destinations and the complexity of the industry environment, a set of necessary conditions must be satisfied in order to ensure the success of benchmarking. This paper concludes that under these circumstances the practice of benchmarking has the potential to foster the development of strategy-focused and change-oriented organizations.