Deniz Kucukusta

A conceptual model of medical tourism: implications for future research.

ABSTRACT An extensive review of the current literature reveals that no integrated theoretical framework for the holistic study of the medical tourism industry exists. This study, therefore, aims to fill this gap by proposing an integrated model for the investigation of this burgeoning tourism field. It is developed with a view to capturing the current situation of medical tourism in a given country or region from the supply and demand perspectives. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques are suggested as systematic tools to test and validate the model. This study not only has implications for future research, but also provides useful information for practitioners in the medical tourism industry.

Re-examining perceived usefulness and ease of use in online booking The case of Hong Kong online users

Purpose – This paper aims to report the findings of an empirical research focusing on Hong Kong online users’ intention to book online tourism products with latest figures. Focusing on the technology acceptance model (TAM), this case study extends the recent research with providing insight regarding the online users’ perceptions of TAM dimensions and how these dimensions are perceived among different demographic groups and Internet usage characteristics with latest figures in Hong Kong, a major tourism destination in Asia with many world-class hotels. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 213 Hong Kong online users were surveyed in March and April 2013 in Hong Kong business districts. Findings – Findings reveal that most respondents who use the Internet for booking online travel products are young, and people above a certain age are not likely to favor booking tourism products online. They are more likely to stick to traditional personal service. Perceived usefulness of the Internet is found more influ...

Deploying Self-Service Technology in Luxury Hotel Brands: Perceptions of Business Travelers

ABSTRACT Traditional brick-and-mortar companies are embracing the use of self-service technology (SST) to enhance the services they offer and to gain customer loyalty. The objectives of doing so are to stay at the forefront of today’s marketplace and improve service, efficiency, and profitability. However, SST directly eliminates the traditional service encounter from which luxury hotels benefit. With the rising popularity of SST and benefits it brings to both hoteliers and customers contradicting the importance of the personal service encounter to luxury hotel brands, it is critical for hoteliers to learn about the importance of SST and luxury brand identity in order to bring the greatest satisfaction to both parties. This article examines business travelers’ perceptions of SST adoption by luxury hotel brands in Hong Kong. The results emphasize the importance of both personal service and SST in satisfying customer needs and in increasing profitability.

Inbound Travelers' Selection Criteria for Hotel Spas in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT With a growing number of travelers enjoying spa experiences, it is vital that hotels understand their preferences. As Hong Kong has a high visitor inflow and is in the preliminary stages of hotel spa development, an examination of the selection criteria used by inbound travelers when choosing hotel spas should provide Hong Kong hoteliers with the information needed to further develop and refine their facilities. This study examines the selection criteria that inbound travelers use to gain insight into how demographic factors and travel characteristics affect their spa-related decisions. A measuring instrument was developed based on in-depth interviews of spa industry professionals and secondary data. The results reveal that relaxation, pampering, and beautification were the main reasons that people visited hotel spas; with the three most important major selection dimensions being therapists, price, and product and treatment types. Of the 28 selection criteria studied, professional skills, product and service knowledge, sense of privacy, range of facilities, and product branding were the most important attributes. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed here.

The Problems of Developing Wellness Tourism in China: From Supply Perspective

China offers many advantages for the wellness tourism sector. The countrys natural resources and local culture are significant drivers of development in the sector, which is gaining increasing attention from investors and visitors. However, the development process needs to be configured well to overcome the structural and operational challenges it faces. Hence, the study reported here examined the possible challenges faced by the wellness tourism sector in China and gathered potential solutions from wellness tourism experts, including professionals working in the tourism, health, and education industries. The results indicate that a lack of trained personnel, insufficient cooperation between key players, and a lack of facilities and attractions are the major obstacles to sectorial development. The experts surveyed proposed that these obstacles could be overcome by government support, promotional activities, and personnel training. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

How is Corporate Social Responsibility Perceived by Managers with Different Leadership Styles? The Case of Hotel Managers in Hong Kong

The purpose of this study is to investigate how social responsibility is perceived by hotel managers in Hong Kong with different leadership orientations. The majority of the managers surveyed exercised a professional style with a touch of transformational leadership. The third most dominant style was an equal combination of the first two styles. Our findings show that disregard for corporate social responsibility issues is negatively correlated with the professional style with a touch of transformational leadership, and positively correlated with the bureaucratic style with a touch of Machiavellian leadership. Among all of the leadership styles, managers with the professional management style with a touch of the transformational style perceive corporate social responsibility issues to be most important. An important practical implication of this study is that the findings show the industry the type of leaders to choose when firms intend to pursue socially responsible activities.

Spa market segmentation according to customer preference

Purpose – This paper aims to segment spa customers based on their preferences for a set of spa attributes. With the considerable growth rate of the spa market, it is vital for spa professionals to understand spa-goers’ preferences. However, academics and industry professionals have not devised a structured method by which to manage spa customers. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted using a face-to-face survey with visitors to Hong Kong who had visited a spa. By applying conjoint and cluster analysis, customers could be categorized into distinct segments. Findings – Four customer segments were identified: spa enthusiasts, high spenders, value seekers and price-sensitive spa-goers. Spa enthusiasts were the largest segment among the four, followed by value seekers, price-sensitive spa-goers and high spenders. Research limitations/implications – Given the limited academic interest in the area, this study contributes to the literature by providing insights into spa-goers’ preferences and how those preferences can be used to segment spa-goers. Practical implications – Based on the different needs, preferences and socio-demographic characteristics of the four segments – spa enthusiasts, high spenders, value seekers and price-sensitive spa-goers – spa industry managers could customize their strategies and design different spa services and packages to meet the needs of the four segments. Originality/value – The combined use of conjoint and cluster analysis provides a new method of market segmentation in the spa industry. This study could help spa professionals to design customized spa products for the distinct segments, and thus retain and attract more spa visitors.

Lifestyle Segmentation of Spa Users: A Study of Inbound Travelers to Hong Kong

Based on the increasing popularity of the wellness/spa trend and the growing numbers of inbound tourists to Hong Kong, it is crucial for spa industry experts to understand the ever-changing desires of consumers. The study aims to identify the lifestyle dimensions of international spa visitors to Hong Kong and to profile each segment based on their sociodemographic and travel characteristics. The study adopts a quantitative approach to segmenting international spa visitors in Hong Kong by lifestyle. The results of the lifestyle segmentation revealed five clusters of spa visitors. The segments are “health conscious and intellectual”, “average”, “family focused”, “pleasure oriented”, and “carefree”. It is found that the majority of travelers who visit spas in Hong Kong are health conscious and intellectual. In general, visitors prefer day spas, to visit with their partner or friends, and to enjoy body massage treatments.

An Examination of Social Media Marketing in China: How do the Top 133 Hotel Brands Perform on the Top Four Chinese Social Media Sites?

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to evaluate hotel companies’ social media marketing efforts using the “6Is” social media monitoring framework. More specifically, in this study we set out to understand how hotels disseminate information, engage with consumers, and distribute products through social media. We investigate the presence of the top 133 hotel brands in China on the top domestic Chinese social media sites in order to identify to what extent the hotel industry in China recognizes the potential of this marketing tool. The findings indicate that the majority of the hotels actively and consistently use the Sina Weibo and Wechat platforms for their social media marketing.

Online travel agents - hotels' foe or friend? A case study of mainland China.

The emerging Chinese hotel market offers clear opportunities for online travel agents (OTAs). The distribution landscape has been reshaped as a result of recent technological advancements and new emerging players. This study examines how OTAs operate in the Chinese market and their relationship with hotels from an agency theory perspective. Data were collected from secondary sources using keyword searches from January 2013 to May 2014. The findings indicate that hotels have little negotiating power with OTAs, and consequently the OTAs play a dominant role in their relationship with hotels. Meanwhile, the competition between OTAs is more intense than the competition between OTAs and hotels due to recent technological advancements and the intervention of Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent in the Chinese OTA market.