Songshan (Sam) Huang

Tour guide performance and tourist satisfaction: a study of the package tours in Shanghai.

This study examines tour guide performance and its relationship with tourist satisfaction in the context of package tours in Shanghai. A multilayer framework of tourist satisfaction in the package tour context is proposed. Tourist satisfaction was conceptualized to include three aspects/layers: satisfaction with guiding service, satisfaction with tour services, and satisfaction with the overall tour experience. Tour guide performance was found to have a significant direct effect on tourist satisfaction with guiding service and an indirect effect on satisfaction with tour services and with tour experience. Satisfaction with guiding service positively affected satisfaction with tour services but showed no direct effect on satisfaction with the overall tour experience. However, indirect effect of satisfaction with guiding service on satisfaction with tour experience mediated by satisfaction with tour services was significant. Implications for tour operators and government agencies are discussed.

An extension of the theory of planned behavior model for tourists.

The sufficiency of theory of planned behavior (TPB) is still being questioned although the model was validated in predicting a wide range of intentions and behaviors. Based on a comprehensive literature review, an extended TPB model of tourists was proposed to investigate relations among constructs of the model with the addition of motivation and actual behavior. An instrument was developed based on previous tourism and marketing studies as well as focus groups. A two-wave data collection was implemented, with data collected from 1,524 Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou residents in Stage 1 and 311 respondents from the same cohort in Stage 2. Results of the study demonstrated that the extended TPB model with tourist motivation fit the data relatively well, explaining 5% more of the variation in behavioral intention in comparison with a base model without motivation. However, the model with both tourist motivation and actual behavior was not tenable, despite a marginal relationship found between behavioral intention and actual tourist behavior using regression analysis. The findings warrant further research examining the predictive power of behavioral intention on actual behavior.

Recent Tourism and Hospitality Research in China

ABSTRACT Although Chinas tourism has become a vital part in the world tourism market, little is known internationally about tourism and hospitality research in China. This study reviewed 500 articles published from 2000 to 2005 in Chinas leading tourism research journal, Tourism Tribune, and provided an overview of Chinas recent tourism and hospitality research. Content analysis results showed that tourism research themes in China primarily focused on tourism attraction/resources development and management, tourism planning, and tourism industry development issues. Most research under review used a qualitative approach, while 15% of the articles employed some quantitative methods. Articles using advanced statistical techniques were scarce.

China hotel research: A systematic review of the English language academic literature

Abstract This paper presents the findings of a systematic review performed on 115 academic papers published over a 26-year period from 1984 to 2009 and provides a content analysis of research themes and trends in China hotel research. The findings reveal that hotel management and performance is the theme most frequently examined by researchers, followed by hotel development strategies, and hotel business environment analysis. The analysis also indicates shifts in research methods, trends of publication, journal outlets and authorship information.

A review and evaluation of China's quality assurance system for tour guiding

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of Chinas tour guiding quality assurance system as an instrument for sustainable tourism. It notes the importance of Chinas 131,000 tour guides for inbound, outbound and domestic tourism. Chinas tour guiding quality assurance and regulatory mechanisms are then reviewed, including qualification examination, licensing, professional certification, training, awards for excellence, professional associations and codes of conduct. Structurally, Chinas comprehensive and comparatively regulated system may be recommendable to other countries, particularly its certification and licensing systems. However, the findings suggest that tour guide quality assurance in China may be constrained by an over-reliance on government and the absence of industry-driven mechanisms for some elements such as monitoring, enforcement and rewarding excellence. Most importantly, the focus of Chinas quality assurance system is on a limited number of tour guiding roles and tends to overlook those most critical to harnessing the guide as a vehicle for sustainable tourism. Key future development areas could extend recognition and reward for the guides performance as a role model, advocate, mentor, interpreter, cultural broker and environmental monitor.

AUSTRALIA'S DESTINATION IMAGE AMONG MAINLAND CHINESE TRAVELERS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

This study employed a multi‐faceted image assessment (MIA) framework in exploring Australias destination image among mainland Chinese travelers. In addition to cognitive and affective image features, multi‐sensory image features were also examined. Data were collected in Beijing using focus groups comprising both past visitors and nonvisitors to Australia. No significant differences were found between the past visitor and non‐visitor groups with regard to cognitive and affective image features. However, past visitors seemed to hold more multi‐sensory image clues than their non‐visitor counterparts based on previous visit experiences. Salient cognitive image features identified included kangaroos and koalas, Australias natural environment, iconic attractions like the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, vastness of the land, comfortable living conditions, and lack of cultural atmosphere and historical heritage. Affectively, participants viewed Australia as a “relaxing” holiday destination. Marketing implications were discussed based on the study findings.

Developing a Scale to Measure Backpackers’ Personal Development

Backpacking travel has become a global trend among young people. Despite the importance of personal development among the youth, research has rarely probed the construct of backpackers’ personal development (BPD). The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure backpackers’ personal development. The study developed 30 measurement items to construct a survey instrument. The instrument was then administered to collect data from a sample of 397 Chinese backpackers. Following a rigorous process of scale development, a five-dimension (Capability, Emotion, Worldview, Skill, and Self-consciousness) personal development model was identified. A refined scale consisting of 16 measurement items was finally derived meeting both reliability and validity requirements.

Effects of Interpretive Guiding Outcomes on Tourist Satisfaction and Behavioral Intention

This study examined the effects of both cognitive and affective tour guide interpretation outcomes on tourist satisfaction and behavioral intention in a heritage tourism context. Data were collected via a survey of 282 inbound mainland Chinese tourists to Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, a heritage tourism site in Victoria, Australia. A hierarchical structural model was constructed based on a comprehensive literature review of tour guiding, interpretation, and tourist satisfaction and was tested applying partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results show that cognitive interpretation outcome has a greater impact on tourist satisfaction and sustaining visitor arrivals than affective interpretation outcome, whereas satisfaction with the guided tour experience directly affects behavioral intention and largely mediates the effect of cognitive interpretation outcome on behavioral intention. The study offers both theoretical insights in relation to interpretation and tourist satisfaction and practical implications for interpretive tour guiding.

Managerial ties in economy hotel chains in China: Comparison of different ownership types during entrepreneurial processes

Purpose – This study aims to discover how the patterns and effects of managerial ties differ among state‐owned, domestic private, and foreign firms.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through in‐depth interviews with 15 top executives of economy hotel chains headquartered in five cities in China. The typical qualitative data analysis procedures, such as voice‐recording, transcribing, coding, and pattern‐matching, were strictly followed.Findings – Results indicate that managers in firms of different ownership types use different network tie combinations and differ in the extent to which they can benefit from managerial ties. For example, entrepreneurs in state‐owned enterprises thought strong ties were more important than weak ties and political ties were more important than business ties, while those in domestic private firms and firms founded by Chinese using foreign funding benefited more from business ties.Originality/value – The study contributes to both entrepreneurship and social netwo...

A systematic review of the Chinese outbound tourism literature: 1983–2012

ABSTRACT This study follows the evolution of Chinese outbound tourism literature over a 30-year period, from 1983 to 2012. A systematic review is undertaken of articles published in the three leading tourism journals to identify research trends. The review uses an evolutionary metaphor to chronicle the main contributions over three distinct stages: crawling out (1983–1992), scurrying about (1993–2002), and walking erect (2003–2012). The article concludes with a discussion of the key findings and suggestions for future research. Walking erect is appropriate and suggests this body of knowledge is still developing and has a considerable way to go. It also denotes that Chinese outbound tourism is likely to impact on Western research and will increasingly make its own contributions to generating new theory within the broader international tourism domain.