Omid Oshriyeh, Mohammad Ghaffari and Mohammad Nematpour
This study is aims to identify and categorize the perceived risks of Chinese tourists (from mainland China) traveling to Tehran. In addition, this study investigates the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study is aims to identify and categorize the perceived risks of Chinese tourists (from mainland China) traveling to Tehran. In addition, this study investigates the relationship between these risks tourists’ information seeking behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
This study investigates the relationship between these risks tourists’ information seeking behavior. The research also tries to model the relationship between the explored perceived risks and tourists’ information-seeking behavior. To collect data, a researcher-developed questionnaire containing 24 questions was designed based on a literature review. Before collecting the data, the validity and reliability of the questionnaire were reviewed and confirmed. To do study procedure, one essential question and two hypotheses, including exploratory factor analysis, stepwise regression and independent samples T-test, are used.
Findings
The results showed that Chinese tourists perceived health, physical, political, cultural, social and economic risks before their trip (with political risk being the most prominent). Also, the results indicate that the tourists have used different ways to collect information about Iran in general and Tehran in particular. Those travelers who perceived a higher risk were more likely to use the information sources that provide them with detailed and accurate information before traveling to Tehran.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides valuable insights for destination managers and tourism marketers to attract Chinese tourists by considering their perceived risks and information-seeking behavior. It should be noted that this study is not without its own limitations. These limitations include (but are not limited to) the timeframe in which the data was collected (prior to the outbreak of COVID-19) and the destination (Tehran, Iran). Therefore, it is advised that future researchers study the perceived risks and information sources in other parts of the world.
Originality/value
The concept of perceived risk was used in Chinese tourists’ behavioral seeking to predict their future behavior following their perceptions. Thus, the findings of this study will be necessary to local governments and other destination organizations when building successful strategies.
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Mohammad (Amir) Nematpour, Zahed Ghaderi, Mohammad Ghaffari, Hamid Zare and Reza Mohammadkazemi
This study explores the formation process of cognitive destination image among first-time Chinese millennial tourists visiting Iran.
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the formation process of cognitive destination image among first-time Chinese millennial tourists visiting Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing a comprehensive mixed-method exploratory approach, blending qualitative and quantitative methodologies, we aim to construct a conceptual model explaining the complex process of tourists’ cognitive destination image development. In the qualitative phase, interviews with 15 Chinese millennials unveiled key factors such as perceived behavioral control, perceived product quality, on-site involvement, engagement, and prior destination image as fundamental influencers of tourists’ cognitive destination image. Subsequently, in the quantitative phase, involving a questionnaire survey with 229 first-time Chinese travelers, we proposed a conceptual model to validate our primary findings.
Findings
The results highlight the emergence of on-travel cognitive image as a developmental concept originating from tourists' on-site participation and pre-existing perceptions of the destination. Moreover, we identified perceived behavioral control as the primary antecedent of millennials’ image formation, directly affecting the destination’s image development. Furthermore, increased involvement and engagement were found to diminish perceived behavioral control. Additionally, perceived product quality prompted millennials to engage more with cultural attractions and activities, enriching their in-situ image.
Practical implications
The findings offer valuable insights for destination managers, enabling them to construct tailored strategies to augment the cognitive destination image.
Originality/value
This study provides a novel understanding of the cognitive destination image formation process among Chinese millennial tourists, highlighting the crucial role of perceived behavioral control, involvement, engagement, and perceived product quality. These insights can guide destination managers in enhancing the overall tourist experience and destination appeal.
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Mohammad Nematpour, Masood Khodadadi, Nasser Rezaei and Sarasadat Makian
As tourism development is an unquestionable part of every national growth policy, this study aims to introduce an integrated method employing MICMAC analysis for understanding the…
Abstract
Purpose
As tourism development is an unquestionable part of every national growth policy, this study aims to introduce an integrated method employing MICMAC analysis for understanding the key strategic variables of Iran's tourism development system.
Design/methodology/approach
The structural analysis with MICMAC method was used to determine the classification of variables, aimed at structuring ideas to deal with complex decision-making and help planners and policymakers formulate future-based strategies.
Findings
The cross-impact matrix was used to identify the development variables having the greatest impact on the development of Southeast Asian tourism to Iran. The results showed that among 43 variables, 10 have great potential as key variables in the future of Iran's tourism development.
Research limitations/implications
MICMAC, as a structural analysis technique, is regarded as being the most appropriate to identify the key variables in the development of the Iranian tourism system. The limitation was that the other tourism markets, apart from ASEAN tourists, and the tourism demand-side were excluded from this study.
Practical implications
The present study indicates that identifying key factors that influence the supply side of Iran's tourism system is worthwhile. Consequently, the findings show how these key factors can play a vital role in long-range economic sustainability and lead to the development of Iran's tourism market to enhance globally its competitiveness as a destination to attract international ASEAN tourists.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first papers to focus on the development of Iran's tourism market from a supply-side through structural analysis. Its findings are valuable as they can be used by the tourism authorities in the process of developing future tourism scenarios for Iran.
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Amin Faraji, Masood Khodadadi, Mohammad Nematpour, Shirin Abidizadegan and Hamid Reza Yazdani
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that unsustainable revenues in municipalities are short term and may have an adverse effect on urban systems. Focusing on stable…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that unsustainable revenues in municipalities are short term and may have an adverse effect on urban systems. Focusing on stable financial resources can reduce such adverse effects. According to the legal obligations of municipalities in the creation of sustainable revenue, developing tourism-based activities in municipalities can play a significant role in providing a sustainable income.
Design/methodology/approach
This study aims to assess the positive effects of economic opportunities related to tourism for the municipalities in Iran’s large-scale cities and to identify the hidden opportunities of tourism. Also, from interviews and analysis of themes based on the situation, task, action, result model, tourism opportunities have been extracted and classified.
Findings
As a result of this research, hidden income-generating opportunities of urban tourism have been identified for municipalities, including those depending on situation, tasks, actions and results. For each of these categories, strategies for the realization of tourism opportunities are presented. Tourism’s hidden opportunities include those relating to organizational aspects, tourism planning, tourism diplomacy, handicrafts, health tourism, event tourism and urban tourism marketing.
Originality/value
By taking advantage of these opportunities, income generation, employment and urban management will be improved in the municipalities.
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Mohammad Nematpour and Amin Faraji
The purpose of this paper is to identify and prioritize the positive and negative impacts of tourism on the process of tourism growth at a national scale in Iran, by taking into…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and prioritize the positive and negative impacts of tourism on the process of tourism growth at a national scale in Iran, by taking into account the reviews of previous studies, views of experts and structural analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
In this investigation, structural analysis technique has been used to identify the correlation between variables by using mix method data analysis. By using cross-impact analysis (N × N integer matrix) in the form of the Micmac method, the economic, sociocultural and environmental factors have been evaluated.
Findings
The results of the distribution of factors in the coordinate axes and the graphs between them indicate their features, and for reaching a sustainable system of tourism development, at first, priority should be given to the negative influential factors, especially the environmental fields, and then the focus should be on the decrease of the dual and risk variables as they cannot be anticipated.
Originality/value
For the rapid growth of tourism in many countries, governments ensure that policies have been heeded in designing and preparing general plans of the country to understand how the development trend is moving on. In this respect, arisen impacts of tourism system are one of the important issues during the development path and in the field of tourism future. Because of the complexity and broadness of tourism activities, these impacts have also many interconnected dimensions that should also be considered while studying tourism impacts.
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Mohd Hairul Mohd Salleh, Yuzine Esa and Rozihan Mohamed
Most Asians are directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, and most live in rural areas. Since Asia is primarily an agricultural economy, rural tourism and agrotourism are…
Abstract
Most Asians are directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, and most live in rural areas. Since Asia is primarily an agricultural economy, rural tourism and agrotourism are critical in enabling growth. Agrotourism is a term that refers to the fusion of tourism and agriculture. The freshwater turtles (Batagur sp.) are a group of six turtles that once roamed southern Asia's great rivers and estuaries from the Indian Subcontinent to the Indonesian islands. Therefore, this review is to investigate the current state of agrotourism in Batagur sp. conservation and assess the associated challenges and opportunities. This review paper recognized the impacts and benefits for the rural site as an agrotourism industry. Moreover, three initiatives in Batagur sp. conservation programs were also discussed. Agrotourism, with a focus on the conservation of Batagur sp., is a vital driver of economic growth in rural Asian regions. It diversifies rural communities' income sources, enhancing economic stability and resilience.
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Ernest Emeka Izogo and Mercy Mpinganjira
Despite wide acknowledgment in research of the benefits of customer engagement to firms, the customer engagement process and how it leads to positive marketing outcomes remains…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite wide acknowledgment in research of the benefits of customer engagement to firms, the customer engagement process and how it leads to positive marketing outcomes remains underexplored. Extending existing research, this paper aims to develop and test a conceptual model that outlines the effect of passive and active customer behavioral engagement on customer loyalty and the role of customer involvement in the process, as both an antecedent and a moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
Data collected from 362 millennials in Johannesburg, South Africa through a scenario-based experiment was submitted to a partial least square structural equation modeling and moderated-mediation analyses after examining the manipulation effectiveness of the experimental scenarios. The unit of analyses is hotel patrons.
Findings
The findings include customer involvement is a significant predictor of passive and active customer behavioral engagement both of which consequently influence customer loyalty; customer involvement moderates the effect of passive engagement on active engagement; and not only is passive engagement indirectly related to customer loyalty through active engagement, the indirect relationship is the strongest at the highest level of customer involvement.
Research limitations/implications
The current study provides notable insights into the relationship between customer involvement, customer behavioral engagement and customer loyalty. However, there is need for further studies to validate our model across different brand categories and different social media platforms as well as in offline settings with a more diverse sample because the scope of this study is limited to millennials that use Facebook brand communities.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the customer engagement literature by rationalizing and demonstrating the importance of customer involvement as a precursor of the behavioral engagement process (comprising the passive and the active components) and loyalty among hotel patrons.