Nigel Hemmington

Forecasting U.K. inbound expenditure by different purposes of visit.

Accurately forecasting U.K. inbound expenditure by purpose of visit plays an important role in tourism planning and policy making. Forecasting U.K. inbound expenditure at the disaggregated level is studied in this article. Disaggregating is done on the basis of purpose of visit: holiday, business, study, visit friends or relatives (VFR), and miscellaneous. The most robust two time series forecasting models, seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and Winterss multiplicative exponential smoothing (WMES), are applied in this article. The Naïve 2 forecasting model is used as a benchmark to compare with the ARIMA and WMES models. The outcomes of the forecasting results show that the ARIMA model outperforms the WMES model, but it is not statistically superior to the WMES model. The ARIMA and WMES models are both statistically superior to the Naïve 2 model for this U.K. inbound expenditure data set. The ARIMA model forecasts a higher increasing trend for expenditure than the WMES model for the business purpose, whereas the WMES model forecasts a higher increasing trend for expenditure than the ARIMA model for miscellaneous purpose. It is recommended that combining the values from the ARIME and the WMES models is used as forecasting values on these business and miscellaneous purposes.

Benchmarking hotel service quality using two-dimensional importance-performance benchmark vectors (IPBV)

Purpose Importance-performance analysis (IPA) is an effective tool for firms to prioritise service quality attributes, but has limitations in evaluating and enhancing service quality within a competitive environment. The purpose of this paper is to present an evolved model of IPA – importance-performance benchmark vectors (IPBV) – as a benchmarking tool and investigate its applicability in the context of hotel service quality. Design/methodology/approach Empirical studies based on self-completion survey data from 150 customers of two full-service hotels in Taiwan were conducted in to examine the practical utility of IPBV. Findings Eight key benchmark typologies were identified and expressed as vectors in the IPBV model which are as follows: “sustainable advantage”, “potential strength”, “false advantage or outstanding advantage”, “cease-fire competition”, “false disadvantage or on-hand disadvantage”, “potential weakness”, “dangerous warning” and “head-on competition”. Research limitations/implications The paper extends the methodology to more cases, and other service industries to test further the discriminatory power of the model and to explore the descriptors in the IPBV vector model. Alternative seven-point or nine-point Likert scales could be explored to test the discriminant validity using means. The alternative IPA diagonal approach focussing on GAP analysis may reveal alternative interpretations for the IPBV vector model. Other extended models of IPA, which include competitor analysis, should be compared in practice using a data set where both quantitative and qualitative data could be generated. Practical implications The paper proposes the two-dimensional IPBV model which retains the advantages of IPA, but also includes competitor or benchmark comparisons which enable organisations to analyse their relative competitive position. The two-part model provides both quantitative information and qualitative interpretation of relativities. The graphical matrix models provide simple quantitative analysis of attributes, whilst the IPBV vector model provides qualitative interpretations of the eight competitive market positions. Vector analysis enables the development of competitive strategies relative to benchmarks, or within a competitive set. Importance is retained and means that organisations can benchmark against a range of competitors prioritising specific attributes for resource allocation. Social implications The interpretive utility of the model should be explored with practitioners and decision makers in the service industries. The model has been designed for practical use in industry to inform operational and strategic decision making, its usefulness in practice should be explored and the attitudes of practitioners to the model should be tested. Originality/value Traditional approaches to benchmarking have adopted a one-dimensional approach that does not include a measure of the relative importance of the service quality dimensions in specific markets. This research develops a two-dimensional advanced model of IPA, called IPBV, which is based on vector relationships between key attributes of service quality. These vectors are explored and described in competitive terms and the model is discussed with regard to its implications for industry, practitioners and researchers.

Creating the luxury accommodation experience: case studies from New Zealand

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the luxury accommodation experience is created by investigating the perceptions of the three main participant groups – managers, employees and guests – using case studies from New Zealand.,An interpretivist case-study methodology was used. Eighty-one participants were interviewed (27 managers, 27 employees and 27 guests) from six luxury properties. Thematic analysis was conducted to inform the results.,The key themes identified in creating the luxury accommodation experience are: setting the stage; the ethos of the property; performances of the actors; and co-creation between the participants. Using the themes identified, a conceptual model of the creation of the luxury accommodation experience has been formulated.,The conceptual model can be used to assist managers to deliver a more positive and memorable experience of their properties. Strategies to enhance the luxury accommodation experience include: training; standards of procedure; staff incentives; and the use of effective communication tools.,This study identified the three alternative perspectives of managers, employees and guests regarding how the luxury accommodation experience is created. The luxury accommodation sector contributes to the economies of a number of nations and therefore it is important to highlight how it can be maintained and improved.

Gastronomy or Food Studies: a Case of Academic Distinction

ABSTRACT This article addresses the complexities in differentiating gastronomy from food studies as an academic topic. We use the case of Auckland University of Technology’s development of a Master of Gastronomy to illustrate the importance of the distinction. The literature review discusses the similarities and differences between these two domains, and the case study explores the processes and problems encountered in establishing the degree as a background to addressing the challenges inherent in naming a qualification. The combination of these topics and their discussion is timely as the academy realizes an increased offering of gastronomy and food studies programs. This article therefore outlines local processes and key decisions to assist others with decision-making processes as they develop similar programs.