Browsing by Author "Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 14
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    A reflection on the Great Resignation in the hospitality and tourism industry
    (Emerald Publishing, 2022-08-12) Liu-Lastres, Bingjie; Wen, Han; Huang, Wei-Jue; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    Purpose This paper aims to provide a critical reflection on the Great Resignation in the hospitality and tourism industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this paper reviews the causes and effects of the Great Resignation, addresses the labor shortage in this industry and proposes strategies that can help manage the challenges. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a critical analysis of emerging phenomena, related literature and researchers’ experiences and insights. Findings The Great Resignation has presented unprecedented challenges for the hospitality and tourism industry. A closer examination reveals that the pandemic has served as a catalyst rather than a leading cause of this trend. Workforce issues are becoming increasingly complex under contemporary influences, including internal elements such as new explications at work and external factors like the gig economy and technology implementation. Practical implications This study provides practical implications on how Hospitality and Tourism practitioners can respond to the Great Resignation on micro, meso and macro levels. The practical implications revolve around employees’ changing needs and preferences in the wave of Great Resignation, as well as the necessity for employers’ reflection and improvement. Originality/value This study marks an initial attempt to provide a critical assessment of a contemporary issue involving the Great Resignation. This paper extends its discussion through an advanced analysis of the issue, offers suggestions to manage current obstacles related to labor issues in hospitality and tourism, and illuminates future research directions.
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    Community perceptions of tourism impacts
    (EE, 2022-05-13) Wang, Suosheng; Mirehie, Mona; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    Host communities are major players whose perceptions should be assessed by policy makers when it comes to decision-making about tourism management and the future direction of tourism. In contrast to economic effects, tourism's socio-cultural impacts on host communities are considered more intangible. In turn, these can be more difficult to assess as they require measurement of more subjective or qualitative processes. In this chapter we explore these more intangible effects of tourism by focusing on the community perceptions of the sector's socio-cultural impacts. We discuss the key conceptual frameworks such as Doxey's Irridex, Butlers' tourist area life cycle and social exchange theory for assessing community perceptions of tourism impacts. We also identify the main perceived socio-cultural impacts of tourism and the main drivers behind these perceptions and discuss assessment challenges. Specifically, we underline the importance of understanding community perceptions of tourism impacts if the sector is to be developed holistically.
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    Comparative social impacts of tourism on developing and developed countries
    (Yumpu, 2021) Wang, Suosheng; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    The synthesized major factors influencing tourism impacts on host communities include the type of tourism activities, the features of the host communities, and the nature of the interaction between tourists and host communities. The international tourism flows mainly feature tourism mobilities among the developed countries and from the developed countries to the developing countries. Given the economic and sociocultural differences between the developed and developing countries, it is deemed that the social impacts of tourism in the developing countries will be greater than in the developed countries, and more attention should be given to the host communities in the developing countries. Yet, no comparative social impacts of tourism are reported between the developed and developing countries. This study attempts to address this gap and alert people to the negative social impacts of tourism in developing countries.
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    Diaspora engagement in tourism crisis recovery: The case of Indonesia
    (Emerald Publishing, 2023-02-09) Cahyanto, Ignatius; Liu-Lastres, Bingjie; Gallagher, William; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    Purpose Diasporas represent a unique yet often overlooked stakeholder in tourism crisis management. Their strong bonds with their homeland often result in continued engagement with an extended community, which is valuable to their homeland during unsettling times. This study aims to examine the engagement of the Indonesian diaspora in the USA to revive tourism in Indonesia during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and their motivation behind such efforts. Design/methodology/approach This study is rooted in a social constructivism paradigm and uses a qualitative approach. Four focus groups (n = 25) and ten individual interviews with the Indonesian diaspora in the USA were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to identify major themes. Findings The findings indicate that diaspora engagement stemmed from two broad categories: social activism, such as information liaison, skills and knowledge transfer, and economic activism, including philanthropic activities, investment and remittance and return-home travel. Both altruistic and social exchange motives drive their continuous engagement. The findings exemplify “diaspora diplomacy” that can be harnessed as social capital for homeland tourism recovery post-crisis. Originality/value This study provides an in-depth analysis of diaspora engagement in destination recovery. This study highlights the importance of diasporas as social capital for destinations and offers insights into tourism crisis management by incorporating this overlooked stakeholder group.
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    Exploring the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sport tourism
    (Emerald, 2021-09-29) Mirehie, Mona; Cho, Inje; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    Purpose The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and consequent economic shutdown have had severe impacts on the tourism industry. Acquiring an understanding of the impacts and ongoing response procedures is crucial to recovery planning. The purpose of this study is to explore the management procedures undertaken by sport tourism stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indiana, USA, a state that relies heavily on sport tourism for its economic vibrancy. Design/methodology/approach A constructivist grounded theory approach was adopted. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 high-rank managers in sport tourism organizations. Findings Continued uncertainty, psychological and financial distress were found to be the main challenges. Contingency planning, adaptability and focus on doable tasks were the core elements of the strategic response plan. Resilience management, particularly social and financial, appeared to be key in the recovery process. A stronger return was predicted with technological advancements and new collaborations. Intra-destination collaboration and creative programs were found to be key in the long-term resilience of the destination. Originality/value Findings shed light on the challenges faced, response actions undertaken, and the projected future which helps to understand the stories behind decisions and proposals, identify the gaps, and plan the best possible practices. Recommendations for leveraging sports to revitalize the destinations and help businesses survive the crisis are provided that can guide sport tourism communities on their path to recovery from COVID-19.
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    Family Travel, Positive Psychology and Well-Being
    (Channel View Publications, 2022-12) Mirehie, Mona; Sharayevska, Iryna; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    Research has shown that travel as a form of family leisure results in various benefits for families. Families use travel to improve their relationships, escape from the routine, create memories and improve communication, and to continue family traditions (Durko & Petrick, 2016; Shaw & Dawson, 2001; Zabriskie & McCormick, 2003). Over the last couple of decades, positive psychology and well-being have received increasing attention in assessing the benefits of travel. Studies have documented hedonic and eudaimonic elements of tourism experiences that contribute to an overall sense of well-being (e.g., Moal-Ulvoas, 2017; Neal, Uysal, & Sirgy, 2007). Aiming at bringing these two bodies of literature (i.e., family leisure and tourism well-being), in this chapter we present findings of a qualitative study that explored travel and family well-being from a positive psychological perspective.
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    Hotel crisis communication on social media: Effects of message appeal
    (Taylor & Francis, 2022-08-05) Liu-Lastres, Bingjie; Guo, Yueying; Liu, Hongbo; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    The hotel industry is vulnerable to various external crises, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Social media is one of the primary platforms for hotel crisis communication. Accordingly, this study adopted the perspective of message appeal and tried to develop effective hotel crisis communication messages. An online experiment was conducted where 260 Chinese customers were included. The results showed that emotional-appeal messages are more effective in attracting customers for luxury hotels, while functional-appeal messages are more suitable for economic hotels. The results also showed that perceived safety mediated the relationship between the message appeal and booking intentions and that this mediating relationship is moderated by the hotel type. This study further discussed theoretical and practical implications.
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    Impact of user-generated travel posts on travel decisions: A comparative study on Weibo and Xiaohongshu
    (Elsevier, 2022-11) Wang , Zhuoli; Huang, Wei-Jue; Liu-Lastres, Bingjie; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    With the growing popularity and versatility of mobile applications, this study examined consumers' usage of multi-functional social media content apps and the influence of user-generated travel posts on their travel decision-making. Using the case of Chinese millennial travelers and Weibo and Xiaohongshu as representative apps, semi-structured interviews and surveys were conducted. Results showed that while respondents used Weibo more often in daily life, Xiaohongshu was more likely to influence their destination selection. Key attributes of travel posts and preferences of different user groups were identified. The relative importance of each attribute in guiding dining/accommodation/transportation/shopping/attraction decisions was examined. The most active app users placed lower importance on the number of images and higher importance on length of text and language style.
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    Investigating Collegiate Athletes’ Wellbeing During the Travel Season
    (Indiana University, 2022-12) Palmer, Lauren C.; Mirehie, Mona; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    The purpose of this study was to explore collegiate athletes’ sense of wellbeing during the travel season. A qualitative approach was adapted which was founded on the principles of positive psychology. Data were collected utilizing in-depth semi-structured interviews with student athletes via phone or video calls. Participants were recruited through purposive and convenient sampling. To analyze data, thematic content analysis was conducted, and subjective wellbeing theory (Diener, 1984) was used as a guide for data analysis. Interviewees reported that during the competition trips they experience positive emotions such as fun, excitement, and happiness; as well as negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. Incorporating tourist activities into teams’ travel itineraries and giving the athletes a voice in the travel decision making were found to be effective in enhancing athletes’ wellbeing.
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    Pinterest perfect picture: The relationship between family events and social media
    (Routledge, 2022) Sharaievska, Iryna; Mirehie, Mona; Tourism, Event & Sport Management, School of Health and Human Sciences
    Technology-based leisure is deeply ingrained into modern American family lives. Families use Internet and mobile technology to bond through shared online experiences, remote interactions, planning shared time, and teach children various skills. Use of technology by family members has also introduced multiple challenges. Among those challenges are blurred boundaries between the outside world and family leisure, sexting and bullying, unsafe driving while texting, issues of privacy, and decreased face-to-face communication. While there have been multiple studies on the use of social media by individuals, we know very little about the use of these platforms in the context of family events. Using a Family Process approach, this chapter will present how families use social media in the context of family celebrations, sport participation, and travel experiences. We conclude the chapter by discussing the current gaps in the literature and possible avenues for future research.