{"title":"Covid-19 impact on future study choices: Will students consider a tourism qualification post the pandemic?","authors":"Washington Makuzva, Gift Muresherwa","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.2039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.2039","url":null,"abstract":"The Covid-19 pandemic devastated various industries, with the tourism sector suffering the most. The tourism industry, which relies mainly on the movement of people, was interrupted for several months as governments instituted restrictions and regulations to prevent further spread of the virus. These restrictions put the industry at a standstill, putting much strain on the economy. With businesses closing, many people became unemployed, and those who remained had their salaries and wages reduced. The high unemployment rate in the country, worsened by Covid-19 and other external forces, presented challenges to exit-level tourism students. The current study investigated the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the future of studying towards a tourism management qualification. A qualitative research approach was adopted where the exit-level tourism students at a university of technology were purposively selected to participate in semi-structured interviews. Thematic and constant comparative analysis methods were used to analyse the emerging themes and compare the responses from the participants. The study revealed mixed feelings about the tourism management course. While others regretted enrolling to the tourism program, some remained optimistic that the industry would reopen and recover and present better opportunities for them. Prospective tourism industry staff, particularly tourism management students, have become uncertain about the likelihood of getting job opportunities in the industry. This raises a question about how the pandemic has influenced the future of studying tourism management in higher learning institutions. The study contributes to the understudied phenomenon of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on influencing future enrolments in tourism courses.","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"28 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140252543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Manuel Sousa Pereira, António Cardoso, Eduarda Graça, Ana Leal, Alvaro Cairrão
{"title":"The Impact of Covid-19 on Consumer Behavior in the Food VS Clothing Sectors","authors":"Manuel Sousa Pereira, António Cardoso, Eduarda Graça, Ana Leal, Alvaro Cairrão","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.2084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.2084","url":null,"abstract":"The global covid-19 pandemic situation has led to significant changes in consumption habits. Thus, the present work has as its main objective to analyze the impact of the pandemic on consumer behavior at the time of purchase, more precisely in the food and clothing sector. In order to carry out this investigation, we used a quantitative approach methodology, which was materialized in a questionnaire survey, having obtained a sample of 212 individuals. Based on the results, it was possible to identify that the changes that occurred due to the pandemic, indirectly or directly, affected the behavior of consumers at the time of purchase.","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"25 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140252677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Implementation of the Circular Economy R-Principles and Strategies: The Portuguese Hotel Industry Perspective","authors":"Susana Rodrigues, Natália Santos, B. Costa","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.2065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.2065","url":null,"abstract":"Circular Economy (CE) is a concept that has been gaining increasing importance in business circles and advocated by European Union, and by several governments worldwide. It is acknowledged that it has the potential to optimise resource efficiency, minimise production and consumption of greenhouse gas emissions, while simultaneously granting competitive advantage business prospects. Although it has been gaining momentum among academia, politicians, and practitioners, it is apparent some struggling when it comes to the design of a framework explaining how companies can embrace circularity and on how to adapt their business model to this new economic system. Despite its importance and applicability by the travel and tourism sector in general and the hotel industry in particular, it is insufficiently studied and examined. This empirical study investigates this concept on the Portuguese hotel industry perspective concerning the adoption of CE practices and CE R-principles through a survey instrument disseminated across the Portuguese hotel industry, with 78 valid responses. This article also introduces a new set of R-principles to the already existing ones, and contributes to the scientific research on the travel and tourism industry, and mainly to the one linked with the Portuguese hotel industry, which has been vaguely examined up to now. The results obtained indicate that these R-principles have been gaining importance, being adopted, and put into practice by the Portuguese hotel industry with special emphasis on the 3R-Principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) along with Repair. Findings also indicate that some initiatives that are in line with a Circular Economy paradigm, namely recycling, reducing water and energy consumption, and cleaning management policies, towel and bed linen programmes, staff and education programmes, green products, certifications, among others, are also being considered.","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"31 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140254077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Leveraging Major Sport Events’ Success Towards Positioning Qatar as a Sport Tourism Destination","authors":"Mohammed Yaqot, Brenno C. Menezes, Kamilla Swart","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.2208","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.2208","url":null,"abstract":"Through substantial investments in the sports sector, Qatar has solidified its position as a prominent global sport events destination. Notably recognised for hosting the monumental 2006 Asian Games, this marked the inception of Qatar's evolution into a hub for sport tourism. Since then, Qatar has successfully hosted several large-scale international sporting events, culminating in the historic hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This trajectory continues with Qatar securing bids for forthcoming events such as the 2027 FIBA Basketball Cup and the 2030 Asian Games. Despite earlier unsuccessful bids for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016 and 2020, Qatar remains committed to upholding its exceptional hosting legacy. This study seeks to discern the critical dimensions contributing to successful hosting and their broader impact on the host country. Drawing insights from a critical review of past events, including comparative analyses with FIFA World Cups from 2022, 2018, and 2014, this research aims to identify common key indicators and their influence on local communities. By discerning these elements, the study endeavours to craft a roadmap for hosting major sporting events, addressing challenges, and leveraging supporting factors. The outcomes will offer prospective agendas and recommendations intended to bolster Qatar's strategic positioning as a competitive international sport tourism destination. For aspiring nations like Qatar, these large-scale sporting events serve as catalysts for sustainable impacts that transcend the event itself.","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"52 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140253253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Improving environmental sustainability in Hospitality and Tourism: the key strategies","authors":"Mónica Oliveira, Susana Silva, Cândida Silva","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.2129","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.2129","url":null,"abstract":"The Hotel and Tourism Industry has experienced profound changes in recent years and has been one of the sectors most affected by COVID-19. With the return of tourist activity, many companies went back to their normal routines, but the sector has changed dramatically. Tourists have new expectations, needs, and priorities, and sustainability is the one that is most emphasised, particularly when it comes to excessive water consumption, misuse of energy, and poorly utilised waste. The industry has a unique opportunity to recognise the importance of sustainability and define strategies to guarantee customer satisfaction, in symbiosis with environmental concerns and the preservation of the planet for future generations. \u0000This study aims to characterise the good strategies and practices for environmental sustainability in Hospitality and Tourism, namely in terms of energy, water, and waste. The purpose is to present the procedures and processes that lead to greater sustainability performance and to accomplish this a focus group was organised, with 2 hospitality stakeholders, 2 environmental groups stakeholders, and 2 VET (Vocational Education and Training) stakeholders, to discuss and identify the main factors directly related to the excessive use of water and energy and the poor treatment of waste and ranked by the participants. The meeting was done face-to-face, lasted 3 hours, and was based on their expertise and good practices. The Hospitality and Tourism Industry is conscious of its ecological footprint, namely in terms of energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste management. Considering energy, some examples were given such as electricity-saving practices, using LED bulbs, occupancy sensors, and automatic light controls. With respect to water, it is mandatory to install low-slip faucets and shower heads, reduce laundry and cleaning, and recycle water that can be reused for irrigation or toilet flushing, reducing the use of fresh water. \u0000The research presented contributions to the growing Knowledge on this topic, and the findings propose a straightforward guide for managers in the Hospitality and Tourism industry. Further research is endorsed to reinforce the value of environmental sustainability and to involve a greater range of stakeholders with different profiles in the sector. ","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"10 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140253661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bridging the Gap Between Legitimacy and Neutralisation Strategies in Sustainability Reporting","authors":"Eljas Johansson","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.2075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.2075","url":null,"abstract":"Amid global sustainability challenges, such as climate change, companies operating in different industries face increasing demands for accountability and transparency. To meet these demands, sustainability reporting (SR) has become a mainstream business practice in communicating companies’ positive and negative sustainability impacts. This short paper aims to increase our understanding of how companies may release negative information while seeking to maintain their legitimacy. For this purpose, the paper bridges the gap between legitimacy strategies, impression management and neutralisation techniques by reviewing their associated literature. The nature of neutralisation techniques and how organisations use them in the SR context is underexplored by scholars. Finally, the paper presents prospective discussions of an ongoing study that examines negative sustainability disclosure in the tourism transportation context, namely the airlines.","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"131 21","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140251426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Voluntourism in the Context of Community-Based Tourism, and Regenerative Tourism: A Theoretical Exploration Focusing on Responsibility","authors":"Rositsa Röntynen, Minna Tunkkari-Eskelinen","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.2019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.2019","url":null,"abstract":"The paper examines the theoretical interconnection between the concepts of voluntourism, community-based tourism, and regenerative tourism. Voluntourism, widely criticized for its implementations unethical towards local environment and community, is re-evaluated in the light of community-based and regenerative tourism principles including unequal power dynamics and questionable long-term benefits to host communities. This paper claims that re-imagining voluntourism within the framework of regenerative tourism offers a new perspective. Regenerative tourism, characterized by its commitment to restoring, revitalizing, and enhancing the wellbeing of both natural environments and local communities, can serve as a guiding principle for voluntourism programs. Community-based tourism is integral to this theoretical exploration, as it emphasizes local participation, cultural and natural preservation, and economic empowerment. When voluntourism aligns with community-based tourism principles, it shifts its focus from short-term, self-serving actions to responsible community-driven initiatives. By channelling the motivation and resources of volunteers towards community-led regenerative initiatives, voluntourism can contribute to positive, lasting impacts. Ethical reflection is done within the actors only. This paper is theoretical; however, its purpose is in the pragmatism of tourism concept development. It concludes to enhance the understanding of voluntourism's potential to transition from a problematic form of tourism to an ethical and responsible force for change. By reconciling voluntourism with the principles of regenerative tourism and community-based tourism, this paper aims to provide a theoretical foundation for the development of more responsible and sustainable tourism practices. In doing so, it strives to contribute to the theoretical knowledge surrounding alternative and socially sustainable tourism concepts.","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"4 1‐2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140252730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of the Pandemic on Event Tourism: The Resilience of Japanese Pop Culture Events","authors":"F. Severino, Francisco Silva","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.2029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.2029","url":null,"abstract":"Using a theoretical framework that recognises the pervasive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global tourism and events, this study examines the unique complexities of Japanese pop culture events. These events, characterised by their ability to attract large audiences, especially enthusiastic youth, have traditionally flourished through interpersonal interactions. This discrepancy between the interactive nature of events and pandemic-induced measures has necessitated fundamental changes in event management strategies. However, pandemic responses and restrictions contrasted sharply with the nature of these events, posing significant challenges for event organisers. This study analyses qualitative data from seven semi-structured interviews with Japanese theme researchers, journalists, and representatives of the main events on the theme in four countries. The pandemic crisis clearly affected Japanese pop culture events, which were among the most frequently suspended. The interviewees believe that it is easy to return to the normalcy of face-to-face events because the audience for these events is predominantly young and enthusiastic, but this requires adaptations and the care that each country demands. This research sheds light on both the difficulties and setbacks that Japanese pop culture events face, as well as their ability to endure and adjust in response to difficult circumstances. By shedding insight into the complex dynamics and demographic characteristics of these events, it also enables event organisers and policymakers to develop strategies to facilitate the safe and successful recovery of similar events in the future. In addition to connecting with other studies in the event sector, this research contributes to the body of knowledge needed to develop effective responses to unforeseen obstacles by shedding light on exceptional events and their potential resilience pathways.","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"42 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140253601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sónia Nogueira, Marília Durão, L. Pacheco, Makhabbat Ramazanova, João Carvalho
{"title":"Experiential marketing and purchase intention of ecotourism experiences - Z-Generation case","authors":"Sónia Nogueira, Marília Durão, L. Pacheco, Makhabbat Ramazanova, João Carvalho","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.2042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.2042","url":null,"abstract":"Consumers are more willing to invest in experiences with relaxation and stress reduction. Tourism, a pivotal driver of the economy, and its associated activities hold significant potential for experiential marketing. It is particularly evident in the growing interest of tourists in natural settings and experiences related to nature, fostering an environment conducive to the expansion of ecotourism. Consequently, an exploratory study was conducted with the following research question: How does experiential marketing relate to consumer satisfaction, loyalty, word-of-mouth, and intention to purchase ecotourism experiences, explicitly focusing on Generation Z? - The results indicate positive correlations between experiential marketing and satisfaction constructs, consequently establishing a link between satisfaction, loyalty, word-of-mouth promotion, and purchase intention. Thus, the findings provide valuable insights into the behaviors of ecotourism consumers and how experiential marketing can facilitate the development of more effective marketing strategies to enhance tourist satisfaction.","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"14 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140253649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Aspects of Ecosystem Approach in Governing a Tourism Destination","authors":"Rositsa Röntynen","doi":"10.34190/ictr.7.1.1991","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.34190/ictr.7.1.1991","url":null,"abstract":"This theoretical study offers an extensive exploration of the ecosystem approach to tourism destination management. Ecosystems have gained prominence in contemporary discourse across various domains, including business and the academic world. The study examines tourism destinations through the lens of a business ecosystem, shedding light on the intricate interplay of elements within such ecosystems. For this purpose, first, the concept of a business ecosystem is defined and delimitated, laying the foundation for its application to the unique context of tourism destinations. Ecosystems, both in biology and in business, are complex and spontaneous structures, which raises profound questions about the feasibility of managing an ecosystem, the responsible entities, and the methods entailed. This paper argues that rather than a traditional management approach, it is plausible to adopt a governance perspective when dealing with the tourism destination ecosystem. By synthesizing existing bibliographical data on the characteristics of the ecosystem, the roles and functions of actors in it, as well as unique attributes of tourism enriching the understanding of the ecosystem approach, the research concludes on the important aspects that could be used for successful governance. This study serves as the initial phase of a broader research endeavor, which overarching goal is to contribute to the socio-economic understanding of tourism management, casting it through the prism of business ecosystems by expanding on these foundational insights and conducting further empirical investigations on particular types of tourism.","PeriodicalId":413105,"journal":{"name":"International Conference on Tourism Research","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140252487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}