David S. Martin

MEDTOUR: a scale for measuring medical tourism intentions.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use a theoretical model to create a scale to predict medical tourism (MT) intentions.Design/methodology/approach – The theory of planned behavior (TPB) model was applied to MT by creating a 49‐item questionnaire and collecting data from a convenience sample of 453 undergraduate students enrolled in a university located in the USA. Factor analysis was used to evaluate the results, and yielded a MEDTOUR scale containing 29 items.Findings – A regression of the three variables on an intentions scale of participation in MT had an R‐value of 0.587. The model was able to explain around 35 percent of the variance in intentions. Given the general nature of the model and the first attempt at predicting MT, the results are positive.Research limitations/implications – This research is limited due to the use of a convenience sample of undergraduate students. Further research utilizing additional samples is needed to verify the MEDTOUR scale. In addition, future research can fo...

Target shooting as a serious leisure pursuit - an exploratory study of the motivations driving participant engagement.

The current study is an attempt to better understand the motivations of consumers that engage in target shooting as a serious leisure activity. The instrument design was based on the Leisure Satisfaction Scale and the Leisure Motivation Scale. A total of 5502 usable surveys were collected utilising the Internet and a website related to gun ownership and target shooting. Exploratory in nature, results indicated that three variables in particular, Escapism, Social Interaction and Self-Actualisation, were primary motivators when it comes to engagement in target shooting as a serious leisure pursuit. These findings have important implications to the target-shooting community, and the industries that rely on these consumers to support their businesses. This study is unique in that very little previous research has investigated why target shooters engage in this activity. More detailed implications as well as ideas for future research are also included.

Validation of Eventserv‐Short: A brief measure of customer satisfaction with game day services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to validate a shortened measure of consumers’ satisfaction with the service quality at sporting events. The scales ability to predict both customer satisfaction and future behavioral intentions is also measured.Design/methodology/approach – The measure, entitled Eventserv‐Short, was tested across the five most popular American sports and across two levels (collegiate and professional). An online survey was utilized with a total of 854 respondents.Findings – Results showed that Eventserv‐Short is a reliable and valid measure of satisfaction with service quality that is invariant across various sporting events; also, Eventserv‐Short predicts overall customer satisfaction and future behavioral intentions.Originality/value – The papers importance is demonstrated by the measures consistent performance across the different types of sports and settings. Further, these results show that researchers and managers can now more quickly, reliably, and accurately measure consum...

Resident perceptions on cross-cultural understanding as an outcome of volunteer tourism programs: the Bahamian Family Island perspective

ABSTRACT This paper examines the perceptions toward volunteer tourism from the viewpoint of Bahamian Family Island residents with a specific focus on cross-cultural understanding as an outcome. Cross-cultural understanding reflects the idea that there is a greater opportunity for exchange between tourists and residents as a result of volunteer tourism. Utilizing social exchange theory (SET), this research examines whether residents’ perceived benefits, positive impacts, negative impacts and support for volunteer tourism activities predict their support for cross-cultural understanding. Additionally, this study reveals factors contributing to residents’ motivation to participate in volunteer tourism activities within their community. A mixed-method research design that employed face-to-face interviews and quantitative surveys revealed eight major themes: Community Involvement, Empowerment, Sustainability, Education, Dependency, Neglect of Community Needs, Community Involvement and Communication. Multiple regression analysis results suggest partial support for SET and reveal new predictions for the support for cross-cultural understanding. Implications for volunteer tourism programs, host communities and national tourism organizations are discussed. Future research evaluating the volunteer–host relationship is warranted.

The Determinants of Medical Tourism Intentions: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior

This study introduces the theory of planned behavior to health care marketers by extending and replicating a prior study that predicted students intention to engage in medical tourism. Based on a sample of 164 usable survey responses, our findings suggested that the MEDTOUR scale (developed and introduced a prior study) is robust and works reasonably well with a national sample. Based on these findings, MEDTOUR appears to be worthy of further consideration by health marketing scholars.

Serious leisure: the sport of target shooting and leisure satisfaction

Abstract This study is designed to identify the underlying satisfaction dimensions gained through engagement in target shooting as a serious leisure pastime. The instrument design was based on the Leisure Satisfaction Scale. A total of 5502 useable surveys were collected through the Internet and a website related to target shooting and gun ownership. The results revealed eight dimensions: self-actualization, social interaction, location aesthetic, respite, physical benefit, connection and hedonic pleasure, which supplied the primary satisfiers of engaging in target shooting as a serious leisure activity. The demographic profile and dimensions of satisfaction may serve to dispel commonly held stereotypes of shooting hobbyists and those involved in gun ownership. The findings have important implications for leisure researchers and practitioners, to industry, both leisure and firearm related, and the target shooting community at large. This study adds to the literature of both target shooting and serious leisure.

Do Vacations Really Make Us Happier? Exploring the Relationships between Wellness Tourism, Happiness and Quality of Life

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between tourists’ positive psychological well-being and satisfaction with quality of life (QOL). More specifically, this study examined tourists’ well-being using the PERMA model of well-being developed by Seligman and its capacity to predict QOL. This paper examines the differences between wellness and non-wellness tourists as it relates to well-being and QOL. Additionally, this study examined the importance/performance ratings of well-being experiences while travelling. To capture these relationships, 862 respondents answered questions about their well-being while travelling and satisfaction with quality of life. Confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling and importance performance analysis were employed to answer the research questions. Results suggest that the PERMA model does not contribute to QOL. Wellness travelers experience greater connection between overall health and QOL. Generally, the travel and tourism industry is performing up to the expectations of both wellness and non-wellness tourists. Both theoretical and managerial implications are discussed. Future research evaluating the existence of positive psychological well-being within the tourism context is warranted.

North American Football Fans show Neurofunctional Differences in Response to Violence: Implications for Public Health and Policy

While social and behavioral effects of violence in the media have been studied extensively, much less is known about how sports affect perceptions of violence. The current study examined neurofunctional differences between fans and non-fans of North American football (a contact sport) while viewing violent imagery. Participants viewed images of violence in both football and non-football settings while high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired from their brains. Neurological activation was compared between these violence types and between groups. Fans of football show diminished activation in brain regions involved in pain perception and empathy such as the anterior cingulate cortex, fusiform gyrus, insula, and temporal pole when viewing violence in the context of football compared to more broadly violent images. Non-fans of football showed no such effect for the types of violent imagery and had higher activation levels than fans of football for the specified brain regions. These differences show that fans of football may perceive violence differently when it is in the context of football. These fan attitudes have potential policy implications for addressing the issue of concussions in North American football.