Howard L. Hughes

HISTOQUAL: The development of a historic houses assessment scale

Abstract Since the success of heritage attractions is dependent upon the quality of the visitors experience, it is imperative for attractions providers to understand how the elements of their service delivery are evaluated by visitors. The services marketing literature has established that service quality is a pivotal factor in company success and repeat purchases. However, service quality issues appear to have received limited attention in the heritage field. The present paper sustains that heritage sites need to develop instruments to measure service quality in order to provide managers with a tool allowing them to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their service provision. The research identifies that the SERVQUAL scale can be a useful tool to measure service quality but recognises that it needs to be adapted in order to suit better new services’ contexts and identifies a new scale, namely HISTOQUAL, which evaluates service quality provided in historic houses.

Holidays and homosexual identity

Abstract The sexuality dimension to tourism studies is under-explored. This paper seeks to contribute to the development of such a dimension by examining the significance of holidays for homosexual men. The evident targeting of holidays specifically at homosexuals reflects the strength of the ‘pink pound’ and such holidays are ostensibly sex-focused. As, however, the construction of sexual identity involves a societal input it is argued that holidays facilitate the construction of a homosexual identity. Much of the search for a homosexual identity necessarily involves travel and is analogous to tourism (travel to the ‘resort’ of the homosexual world) even though not involving holiday-taking. In addition, however, the taking of holidays by homosexuals serves a role in constructing identity; social censure of homosexuality makes the holiday a particularly necessary and significant agent for identity-construction.

Culture and tourism: a framework for further analysis

It is argued that the current state of studies of the relationship between culture and tourism is unsatisfactory. Cultural tourism is considered as an entity, though, in practice, it covers a diverse range of activities. In addition, tourists are not often segmented according to the importance of culture in their decision to visit a destination. The paper develops a four-part classification of cultural tourist according to cultural interest and examines this in the context of one element of culture only: the performing arts. Data from a range of existing audience and tourism studies are examined and it is concluded that the current structure of surveys does yet not enable the identification of the classification developed except in the broadest terms. The implications for tourism studies and for marketing of the performing arts are discussed.

Disadvantaged families and the meaning of the holiday

Holiday participation, although widespread, is not universal. This paper summarises a study of the meaning and significance of the holiday for families who are rarely able to go on holiday because of personal economic and social circumstances: a subgroup of Haukelands category C non-travellers. Holidays are likely to have particular significance for them. Studies of women’s holiday experiences are examined in order to contribute to the context of this study. Informants were interviewed in their own homes and a number of meanings emerged including the significance of ‘change’ and establishing relationships. The study confirms the diversity of holiday experiences and meanings and the particular significance for this study group in conferring the ‘excitement and spectacle’ that are particularly limited in their every-day lives. Copyright

People and partnerships: marketing urban retailing

This article investigates the interaction between urban place marketing actors with specific reference to marketing urban areas as shopping destinations – town centre managers, shopping centre managers, local authority economic development managers and marketing managers and tourism promotion managers. It reports the results of a survey of these actors in the top 173 urban shopping destinations in the UK. It identifies those actors with prime responsibility for marketing urban retail provision (i.e. town centre managers and shopping centre managers), the nature of their collaboration (via formal, informal, and initiative‐specific interaction), and the factors impelling interaction (i.e. recognition of the linkages between the activities of different organisations, ensuring wider representation of organisational interests and the financial imperative). With the recent publication of Draft PPS6 and its increased focus on the strategic development of smaller centres, the implications for the marketing/promotion of such centres are addressed in detail.

Culture as a tourist resource — a theoretical consideration

Abstract This article considers the potential of opera as a tourist attraction. Existing work is reviewed and the case stated for deriving a model of opera tourism from a consideration of motivation. Data on those who attend opera and those who become tourists are examined, together with existing literature explaining why people attend opera and become tourists, in order to determine common characteristics. The two activities may theoretically be consumed in a combined product. A number of routes to opera tourism are proposed as a framework for further analysis of the phenomenon. These routes are derived from a consideration of the definition of ‘holiday’.

Theatre in London and the inter-relationship with tourism

Abstract The influence of tourism on ‘culture’ is often explored in the context of less-developed societies and their institutions and traditions. In this paper the influence of tourism on theatre in London is examined. Theatre would appear to be a significant factor in the choice of the city as a tourist destination and the paper initially explores the evidence for this contention. In particular, the view that tourism has had an unfavourable effect on theatre is considered. There is an undoubted dominance of the West End by musicals and it is argued that the net effect of tourism and concentrated ownership and production has resulted in such a profile. This may well inhibit the stimulation and survival of a more diverse, adventurous and innovative theatrical scene and of creative artistic talent.

Holidays of the Irish diaspora: the pull of the 'homeland'?

Tourism of ethnic minorities in the UK is characterised by prioritised visits to the ‘homeland’. This is to maintain contact with friends and relatives but also a desire to reinforce cultural identity for self and descendants. It has particular relevance in view of disapproval and discrimination in UK. This study seeks to determine the significance of Ireland in the tourism profile of Irish people living in an English city. There is a sizeable population of first-generation migrants and descendants who might be considered Irish. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 Irish people (first, second and third generation). Nearly all felt a connection with Ireland and it featured in their tourism (not exclusively), to greater and lesser extents, especially for first generation. Visits were generated more by a pull of Ireland than by a push from experiences in Britain. While visit frequency and priority diminished with age and with generational progression, there was an emotional tie influencing visits which was maintained for a number of second and third generations. Visits did have the effect of reinforcing a sense of Irishness.

Holidays and the economically disadvantaged.

Abstract About 40% of the UK adult population does not take an annual holiday — many because they simply cannot afford to do so. Although low income is a problem beyond the control of the tourist industry, certain strategies could be adopted to gain access to this market, eg enabling low income consumers to pay current ‘market’ prices or reducing prices. Limited schemes for reducing the financial barrier to holiday participation are available in the UK and are generally run by charitable organizations. Holidays play an important role in alleviating the stresses of modern life and ways of making them available to all should be investigated.

Tourism multiplier studies: a more judicious approach

Abstract The concept of the multiplier is widely known and its use in the measurement of tourisms economic impact is routine. This article argues that greater caution should be exercised, however. There is confusion over different approaches to multiplier analysis, there are problems with the data used and attribution of tourist expenditure within a multiplier calculation is often either too wide or too narrow. Moreover using multiplier analysis encourages a narrow perspective on impact studies by obscuring real relationships with mathematical precision.