Browsing by Author "Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
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    Analysis of Young Tourists' Life Satisfaction Domains and Determinants of Overall Life Satisfaction
    (2019) Wang, Suosheng; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    This study explores tourists’ satisfaction outcomes and life satisfaction domains, and examines the domains’ relative importance in influencing tourists’ overall life satisfaction. Seven life satisfaction domains are identified in relation to young Chinese tourists’ leisure travel, among which five domains are found to be significant in affecting the tourists’ overall life satisfaction. These significant domains, in order of importance, are life satisfaction in work, affection/love, social status and recognition, knowledge enhancement, and leisure and relaxation. No difference is detected about the young tourists’ travel-related life satisfaction relating to their demographic variables such as gender, income and marital status. Based on the results, theoretical and managerial implications are recommended.
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    Empirical testing of destination attribute preferences of women snow-sport tourists along a trajectory of participation
    (Taylor & Francis, 2020) Mirehie, Mona; Gibson, H.; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    This study explored women snow-sport tourists’ destination attribute preferences in relation to their participation level (e.g. skill; sport career stage) through a complementary sequential mixed-methods approach. Initially, a model illustrating a trajectory of snow-sport participation, travel behavior and preferences was created through qualitative methods. This paper presents the quantitative testing of this proposed trajectory model and the associated destination attribute preferences. Enduring Involvement was used to quantitatively assess proposed stages of the snow-sport participation trajectory. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed two dimensions in women's enduring involvement in snow-sports: ‘identity/centrality’ and ‘hedonism’. Additionally, three dimensions were found for destination attributes: ‘resort amenities and activities’, ‘snow-sport conditions and quality’, and ‘price’. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance showed that stages of the trajectory could be quantitatively verified. Analysis of Variance indicated that the importance placed on ‘resort amenities and activities’ decreased as women progressed along the trajectory. ‘Snow-sport conditions and quality’ was rated higher by more advanced skiers/snowboarders. ‘Price’ was rated highly along the trajectory stages.
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    Exploring inbound tourists experience in Beijing, China: an online deductive approach
    (Emerald, 2019) Liu, Yu; Liu-Lastres, Bingjie; Wang, Qiuju; Fu, Yao-Yi; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    Purpose Beijing is becoming one of the top global destinations but the number of international tourists to the city has been declining recently. By analyzing inbound tourists experience in Beijing and identifying the relationship between the destination attributes and satisfaction, the purpose of this paper is to provide important insights into city tourism research and city destination development. Design/methodology/approach This study used an online deductive approach and collected 1,254 reviews on TripAdvisor referencing major attractions in Beijing. This study used the Leximancer software to analyze the content of the reviews and to identify the underlying relationships. Findings The results showed that international tourists’ experience in Beijing can be reflected via five aspects: attractions, city, transportation, service and people. The results further indicated that the major concern of international tourists visiting Beijing related to the service quality on site. Originality/value This study explored inbound tourists experience in Beijing using an online deductive approach. Practical implications were provided with respect to improving international tourists experience in Beijing and enhancing their satisfaction and revisiting intentions.
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    How does sport-related mobile apps usage motivation affect consumer perceptions of the sport organizations?
    (2019) Lee, Soonhwan; Kim, Seungmo; Shin, Hongbum; Wang, Suosheng; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    The current study was to examine the relationship how the usage motivation features (i.e., perceived customization, involvement, and liking) of sport related mobile applications(apps) affect users' perception on sport organizations' reputation which were modified from the previous research (Guillory & Sundar, 2014). Results indicate that all the three usage motivation factors of sport related mobile apps positively influenced perceived sport organizations' reputation. Specifically, the results revealed that the higher level of customization of the mobile apps, the more positive apps users' perception of sport organization reputation. The current study could provide the implications that understanding the usage motivation factors of sport related mobile apps is crucial to foster a positive relationship between the public and sport organizations. Thus, understanding what motivation factors drives sport consumers to use of sport related mobile apps is one of the keys to successful mobile apps marketing in sport business and need to be further studied.
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    Innovate With Design Thinking in the Sport Management Capstone Course
    (Human Kinetics, 2019) Pierce, David; Davies, Melissa; Kryder, Bryan; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    This article outlines an opportunity for sport management instructors to integrate design thinking as a pedagogical tool into their classrooms to align with the demands of today’s innovative and evolving sport industry. Design thinking enables students to become designers and to approach problems from an empathetic and creative perspective to promote innovative solutions to a wide range of problems. This article will introduce design-thinking concepts and how they align with the advancing sport management curriculum before outlining the steps required for instructors to incorporate design thinking into a sport management capstone class.
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    Learning from past crises: Evaluating hotels’ online crisis responses to health crises
    (Sage, 2020-07) Liu-Lastres, Bingjie; Kim, Hany; Ying, Tianyu; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    Organizational learning is an important function of tourism crisis management. By examining and evaluating hotels’ responses to the 2010 bed bug crisis on social media, the purpose of this study was to provide insights into how to establish effective crisis responses. Situational crisis communication theory was used as the theoretical framework and a total of 136 management responses were included in the sample. Content analysis and co-occurrence analysis were conducted. The results revealed a learning curve of crisis management for hotels. Enhancing and Bolstering were the most commonly used strategies within the sample. Further analysis showed the inconsistencies between hotels’ crisis response strategies and the situational crisis communication theory guidelines, where instructing information were seldom included. Based on the findings, this study discussed the importance of creating effective crisis responses and future research directions.
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    Parental Insights from Three Elite-level Youth Sports: Implications for Family Life
    (Taylor & Francis, 2019) Mirehie, Mona; Gibson, H.; Kang, S.; Bell, H.; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    The purpose of this study was to examine parental values associated with children’s participation in organized sports, how these values are shaped by social class, race and age, and the influence of elite-level involvement in youth sport on family life. Data were collected by questionnaire in person from parents who were attending three youth sport events (Athletics (track and field) n = 102, Swimming n = 193, Synchronized Swimming n = 139). ANOVA, multiple regression, and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data. Values associated with the child/youth’s sport participation included fun, health, self-discipline, and competition. Multiple regression analysis showed that values differed by social class, age, and race, and child/youth’s age. For example, fun and self-discipline were rated higher for younger children while competition was valued more highly for older children. In particular, African-American parents rated self-discipline and competition as significantly higher. Parents across all sports reported the need to organize family activities around sport schedules with swimming and synchronized swimming cited as the most influential. Suggestions as to how Leisure Studies’ research foci on youth, family life, gender and time are well positioned to make valuable contributions to the study of youth sport in the context of family life are discussed.
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    Participation Versus Nonparticipation in a Charity Running Event
    (Cognizant, 2017) Mirehie, Mona; Buning, Richard J.; Gibson, Heather J.; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    Hosting sport events to raise money for charitable causes has become pervasive, yet we know little about why individuals choose to participate or not. This study examined the differences between participants and nonparticipants of a hallmark small-scale charity running event. Data were collected via an online survey containing measures of charity event participation frequency, enduring involvement, negotiation efficacy, family support, running participation patterns, and demographics. Nonparticipants were also asked about event-related participation constraints. The sample was comprised of N = 322 event participants and N = 112 nonparticipants (committed runners). A one-way ANOVA demonstrated no statistically significant differences between the two independent samples with respect to the variables of interest. Nonparticipants indicated relatively low constraints to event participation. The most commonly reported constraints solicited in an open-ended question format were injuries and participation in an alternative event. Findings revealed that event participants and nonparticipants are very similar in terms of their running participation patterns. However, definite nonnegotiable constraints or preplanned involvement with other events inhibited participation in the studied event. Over time, this can result in either the expansion or contraction of their involvement in the running event. By illuminating nonnegotiable constraints, this study may help event organizers improve planning and management towards event sustainability.
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    Resident Attitudes toward Dark Tourism, a Perspective of Place-based Identity Motives
    (Taylor & Francis, 2017) Wang, Suosheng; Chen, Shengrong; Xu, Honggang; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    Place-based identity theories prove to be valid in better understanding resident attitudes towards support for tourism. Yet, its effectiveness is not verified in the context of dark tourism and resident attitudes towards dark tourism remains unknown. Based on a survey of 526 local residents in China’s Yingxiu, the epicentre of the Great Wenchuan Earthquake, the authors examined the relationships between the local residents’ place-based identity motives and their attitudes towards support for dark tourism development. Results show that the motive of ‘belonging/meaning’ is one of the most important determinants; residents’ involvement in dark tourism and bereavement affect their identity motives and attitudes towards support for dark tourism. The theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed.
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    Women’s experiences of participation in mass participation sport events
    (Frontiers, 2022-10) Mirehie, Mona; Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
    Mass participation sport events (MPSEs) have become a popular form of recreational sport participation. Understanding experiences of participants is pivotal to designing and implementing socially just and sustainable events. Applying constructivist grounded theory methodology, this inquiry explored experiences of participation in MPSEs, with particular attention to the impact of gender on participation experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 women who participated in MPSEs. Fear and power were two core themes in interviewees’ experiences. Fear of sexual assault, injury, and “something bad” was a significant element in women’s experiences which related to perceptions of place and time. The second theme, power, was generated from strong sport identities, camaraderie among female runners, all-women races, and finishing mixed-gender races. The findings provide some guidelines for practitioners to enhance experiences of female participants and encourage repeated participation that is key to sustainability of the events.