Hwansuk Chris Choi

Resident attitudes toward sustainable community tourism

This study examined, using social exchange theory, a range of variables involved in determining resident attitudes toward tourism development and the adoption of sustainable tourism. After a comprehensive review of the literature on the role of residents in tourism development, and of the use of social exchange theory, 430 completed questionnaires obtained in a Texas town involved in tourism were analyzed. A structural equation model was utilized to understand the effects of selected components of sustainability on the attitudes of the respondents about future tourism development and to test hypothesized causal relationships among the variables. The findings revealed that three major components of sustainable tourism, namely long-term planning, full community participation and environmental sustainability within tourism, are critically related to support for tourism and to the positive and negative impacts of tourism. The paper uses the findings to suggest critical implications that local governments need to consider when developing tourism.

Food Hygiene Standard Satisfaction of Singaporean Diners

This study examines issues related to food hygiene and non-hygiene attributes of the foodservice industry, food safety knowledge of diners, and their satisfaction with a food hygiene disclosure system. Using data collected at four food courts and four hawker centers in Singapore, the results of this study indicate that food hygiene attributes are a key driver when dining out. Significant relationships were found to exist between food hygiene attributes and food safety knowledge of diners and food hygiene standard satisfaction. Non-hygiene attributes exhibited a significant relationship to food hygiene standards. The study discusses both theoretical and practical implications of the results for foodservice operations and governments.

Understanding US Traveler Behavior to Asian Countries: A Secondary Analysis Approach

Over the last few decades, US travelers have taken an increasing number of trips to Asian countries. Considering the strong growth of the Asian tourism market and the consistent growth in numbers of US travelers to Asian countries, an examination of these travelers to identify meaningful market segments can benefit Asian destination marketers in developing better marketing strategies. This study aims to conduct a distinctive analysis for segmenting the US travelers to Asia market through empirical examination. The study data set, obtained from a Travel Activity and Motivation Survey, identified three lucrative segments: ProTravelers, Safety Conscious Travelers and Traditionalists. The study presents the distinctive characteristics of the three segments and discusses managerial recommendations.

Investigating Tourists’ Fun-Eliciting Process toward Tourism Destination Sites: An Application of Cognitive Appraisal Theory:

Previous studies have shown that destinations must distinguish themselves from competitors and develop experiential offerings that deliver memorable value to consumers. More and more consumers want experiential service during their travel. Despite the gradual increase in research on experiential consumption in tourism, no consensus has yet emerged on what factors of experiential value lead to positive behavioral outcomes in consumer cognitive appraisals. This study used the cognitive appraisal theory (CAT) to investigate the determinants of consumer emotional responses, as well as how evoked emotions affect behavior in tourism. Study findings contribute to the existing body of literature on the ability of CAT to illustrate how the experiential value of “fun” influences on-the-spot behavior. This study also helps tourism destination marketers by providing a clear picture of how to elicit positive emotions among tourists for a tourism destination that leads to positive behavioral outcomes.

Segmenting wine tourists in Niagara, Ontario using motivation and involvement

Abstract Wine tourism is a growing industry in select rural regions within Canada, particularly in the Niagara region of Southern Ontario. This study aims to sharpen that development by providing a detailed profile of the psychographic traits of wine tourists visiting the Niagara region. Specifically, our study examines the motivations, wine purchasing involvement and wine purchasing behaviour of the region’s winery tourists to identify distinct market segments. The study results indicate that the wine visitor market in Ontario can be segmented into three distinct groups: Wine Enthusiast, Wine Interested person and the Wine Novice. This study also shows that the multi-criterion segmentation approach is a viable way to determine distinctive wine market segments, and to provide a solid, evidenced-based foundation for effective marketing strategies and sales practices.