Dr Peter Robinson

Abstract

This paper aims to improve our knowledge regarding types of queries raised by travellers on digital platforms by developing a model that helps in identifying and classifying such queries. Qualitative data collection and analysis of questions and answer postings of visitors on TripAdvisor forum of 10 U.K. destinations were used. Extracted data were analysed using NVivo11. Preliminary analysis identified basic themes in tourist information search. Further analysis indicated that two principal factors help in classifying online travel queries facilitating the development of the WOLF model. Findings in this study also indicate some practical implications and areas of further study.

Abstract

This chapter investigates the role of social media in enhancing the interactions between customers and event management. It is based on a field study conducted on three UK horse racing events using a set of interviews and questionnaires to probe the views of the audience and the managers. Findings underscore the growing importance of social media, which are progressively embraced by consumers as part of their daily communication mix. Horse racing customers are likely to use social media to leave event feedback. While there is demand for a reply, interviewed managers admit a weakness regarding the use of social media to gain post-event feedback − which can act as an important means to engage and co-create value with customers.

All-inclusive holidays have regained popularity among budget-conscious holidaymakers amidst inflation and living cost crisis. Following the pandemic, tourists are now staying at the hotel more and venture out less, which further makes all-inclusive holidays more popular than ever. With the increasing popularity of all-inclusive holidays, knowledge expansion of this tourism segment is necessary. This study extends the under-developed all-inclusive holiday literature by exploring service quality attributes of all-inclusive holidays and evaluating their asymmetric effect on tourist satisfaction. Suggestions on prioritizing service quality attributes for improvement are expected to support industry practitioners in managing service quality and satisfaction strategically.

This paper aims to improve our knowledge regarding types of queries raised by travellers on digital platforms by developing a model that helps in identifying and classifying such queries. Qualitative data collection and analysis of questions and answer postings of visitors on TripAdvisor forum of 10 U.K. destinations were used. Extracted data were analysed using NVivo11. Preliminary analysis identified basic themes in tourist information search. Further analysis indicated that two principal factors help in classifying online travel queries facilitating the development of the WOLF model. Findings in this study also indicate some practical implications and areas of further study.

Published in partnership with the company, this illustrated book celebrates 50 years of National Express.

Explore a lavishly illustrated celebration of this important figure in Victorian landscape garden design.

Explore a nostalgic and lavishly illustrated look back at the history of bus and coach travel in the UK.

Operations management is a major task for managers, and this is no less true of visitor attractions. They are responsible for marshalling the visitor attractions resources in order to deliver visitor satisfaction and an acceptable rate of return on investment for the owners or shareholders of the visitor attraction. As such, this chapter first examines the scope of operations management in the context of visitor attractions. It then moves on to the constraints that operations managers face and the skills required for dealing with them. The challenge of balancing demand and supply is then discussed, including consideration of sustainable development issues. The chapter then examines the link between operations management and quality control, including an assessment of various approaches to quality management, quality management systems, and techniques for measuring quality (e.g. SERVQUAL and its derivatives). The chapter concludes with a discussion of service recovery.

Robinson (Current Issues Tour Res 15(4):353–367, 2012, Mediating the tourist experience from brochures to virtual encounters. Farnham, Ashgate, 2013) explored the notion of an e-mediated tourist gaze. This paper builds on this idea, in order to evaluate the context within which images are recorded, manipulated and distributed. Google Earth is selected as the medium for this because its geo-spatial format links tourist photographs to the site where the image was captured. The research adopts a primarily qualitative inductive study to identify sociological perspectives on the collection, publication and sharing of images online, using members of Google Earth forums as the sample, and asking further questions around travel planning to tie the research back to the relationship between online image and travel from a production perspective. The research identifies strong links with memory, emotion and choreography and proposes that digital images have created new areas for research into electronic visual media. Whilst Urry and Larsen (The tourist gaze 3.0. Sage, London, 2011) note that these images potentially lead an unprotected and uncontrolled afterlife, it is argued that they also serve a purpose for a future-self as a mediator of nostalgia. The research develops hypotheses for future research around the emotional relationships bound up in the creation and collection of tourism images and the role of the e-mediated gaze.

The book examines the different aspects of events management. It is divided into three parts.

This paper provides an observational and introductory semiotic analysis of the sharing of recorded images through Google Earth to provide a benchmark against conventional imagery, based upon a theoretical discourse, and to question the changing nature of image recording and sharing and of the consequential constructions of a place that occur. It gives consideration to the complex sociological relationships between new technologies and the ability to now view destinations online, with photos, street views and a myriad range of information sources. Many photos are shared by tourists, and many by local people, and there are contested constructs of the destination image as a result. © 2012 Taylor & Francis.

This article takes the author's own nostalgic feelings for a now defunct theme park and translates these into an analysis of other people's tourism-related nostalgic experiences. In doing so, the article furthers discussion around nostalgia and memory within tourism and approaches new ground in the use of images, online forums, and urban exploration as mediators of individual and shared nostalgias. It has also been argued that while nostalgia is a key motivational factor in tourist decision making, it has not been fully explored. Furthermore, this article uniquely focuses on younger people where previous research has considered older age groups. As a consequence, the semiautoethnographic discussion, supported with quantitative and phenomenological content analysis of online forums, explores the creation of tourist epiphanies and identifies key themes around family, repeat visitation, and the preplanned creation of new nostalgias within hyperreal environments.

This chapter looks into the importance of having a clear identity of a boundary spanner in determining the role of the partners in a university-industry knowledge transfer programme. It highlights issues around the relationship between the business and the graduate as the boundary spanner, where the university's level of control differs between two programmes: Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) and Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise Network (KEEN) programme. The four case studies illustrate interesting points since the university is the employer for the KTPs associate and the business is the employer for the KEEN associate, whilst successful KTP and KEEN projects rely on a full understanding of the role of the graduate within the business.

This study examines the festival attributes with the most significant impact on attendee quality perception, and subsequently the relationship between quality, satisfaction, and the likelihood that attendees would revisit and recommend the festival to others. Data were collected via self-completed questionnaires at Worcester city with particular focus on Worcester festival, which is an annual community festival staged for 2 weeks in the summer. Perceptions of attendees were analyzed and the findings support the view that festival attributes determine perceived quality and that quality has effect on satisfaction and behavioral intentions. This study contributes towards the understanding of festival attendee service quality perception, satisfaction, and subsequent behavioral intentions. The research implications were discussed and recommendations for future research and industry managers were made.

'Warfare tourism’ represents an increasingly significant dimension of contemporary tourism. This paper provides a fresh perspective on participation in ‘warfare tourism’ by investigating the behaviour and experiences of a living veteran and his son returning to two theatres of war in which the veteran had served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Active interviews with the two family members were used to gather rich data regarding the two extended trips, which had been funded by ‘Heroes Return’, to Australia in 2012 and Sri Lanka in 2013. The findings indicate that some of the facets of visiting the fallen at other dark tourism sites, such as empathetic identification and personal connection, are also very relevant to trips shared between the living. However, with the living these contribute to a powerful co-created experience in which ‘closer’ bonds between the travellers can be developed. Furthermore, whilst the experiences at times represented ‘bitter-sweet’ nostalgia for the veteran, they also provided the son with the opportunity to ‘look through his father’s eyes’ from both a past and current perspective. Given that there will be war veterans as long as conflicts exist, the results have valuable messages for all those dealing with veterans in the future.

This book was conceived to fill a gap in the study of events and festivity with a research-oriented events management text.

The book is written to complement current teaching practices around the world, offering full coverage of all aspects of tourism management.

With case studies, examples and further reading throughout, this text will be invaluable for all undergraduate and postgraduate tourism students."--Cover.

This book is the prescribed text for the Foundation Degree in Travel Operations Management, and will also be useful to industry practitioners and students in a range of related courses at all levels.

Tourism: The Key Concepts offers a comprehensive collection of the most frequently used and studied concepts in the subject of tourism. Within the text key terms, concepts, typologies and frameworks are examined in the context of the broader social sciences, blending together theory and practice to explore the scope of the subject. Terms covered include: Ethical Tourism LGBT Tourism Hospitality Mobility Authenticity Quality Management Destination Management Geographies of Tourism Planning Sociology in Tourism Society and Culture Tourism Strategy Each entry contextualises, defines and debates the concept discussed, providing an excellent starting point for those studying tourism for the first time, and a quick reference for those who are more experienced. With case studies, examples and further reading throughout, this text will be invaluable for all undergraduate and postgraduate tourism students.

A global industry of festivals and events has evolved and developed rapidly since the early 1900s. This phenomenal growth, coupled with increased consumer awareness and choice, requires sustained development and growth in the future. Music festivals are unique events that attract audiences for a variety of reasons; however, while music-based events are an extremely popular form of entertainment, research exploring the motivations of music festival audiences is sparse, especially from a UK perspective. Crompton and McKay contend that event managers should strive to better understand the motives of festival attendance in order to design better products and services for them and because motives are a precursor of satisfaction and a factor in decision making, this in turn can lead to greater attendance. This study critically compares the visitor motivations for attending two UK-based music festivals to challenge and ultimately support existing ideas developed from similar research overseas. The article establishes some of the first research into this area within the UK and challenges common assumptions from those in industry. A range of secondary research was considered and a review of existing literature on the subject was undertaken. Although the sample size was relatively small, the results showed that socializing with friends and family was a primary motive. Most importantly, the article supported the notion that multiple motivations come into play and it suggests that it is risky for festival managers to rely solely on the theme of the event itself. It is equally important to create a fun and festive atmosphere that offers ample opportunity to socialize and have new and nonmusical experiences. Several recommendations were made for existing and future managers including focusing on realigning marketing and service strategies. Recommendations were also made for future research in terms of adopting new methodological approaches including the use of multiple means of analysis. The article finally challenges the nature of the underpinning theory and questions the reason that so much of what is understood is still based in the field of sociology in tourism, with very little underpinning theory dedicated to the events industry, despite its emergence as an academic field over a decade ago.

The aim of this study was to identify the motivational factors that influence families to attend events as there is limited information available regarding family events motivation. This study bridges the gap between event organizers and the “family” to find out which events families choose to attend and why. Results identified that children are a major determining factor within the event decision-making process for a family. Results also show that previous research regarding “top motivational factors” for individuals is not the same for families as they are willing to compromise and attend an event that their children will find satisfying, which, in turn, results in satisfied parents and a successful day out. Families are not interested in the novelty or uniqueness of an event; they just want to spend time together.

This chapter explores tourism planning processes and outcomes in the context of community-based tourism (CBT) in the developing world. Underlining discussions in the chapter with a range of extant literature and cases, the explorations show that it is imperative that tourism development in communities benefit residents as tourism is dependent on local cultural and natural resources. CBT as an approach to tourism development is a way of involving local communities in the planning process and has been proved to be constructive in sustainable development of tourism and helps address aspirations of stakeholders. It is also an avenue for local communities to retain ownership in the planning processes and engenders local community priorities are highlighted in order to meet the broader community development objectives resulting in better outcomes that fulfil the aspirations of majority of stakeholders. The chapter concludes with a case study of Kawaza Village Tourism Project in Zambia to illustrate CBT planning processes and outcomes in the developing world. The chapter underscores the importance of incorporating local community development into broader national plans.

Comedy is a multidimensional, diverse and versatile spectacle, an identifiable art form and source of entertainment and it has a rich historical identity and purpose. It contributes to cultural identities and has more recently been proven to provide positive impacts in mental healthcare. It offers social and cultural benefit and influences social change. The growth of live comedy has a strong background in working-class venues which has possibly predisposed it to being perceived as less significant other performance arts such as dance and theatre. Given the untapped potential for further research this empirical paper sought to evaluate the potential opportunities for comedy to make a greater positive impact on local communities. To facilitate this, data was collected through surveys administered online and in comedy clubs in the West Midlands (UK). A total of 179 questionnaires were received, supported with in-depth interviews with comedy club managers. Key issues for live comedy engagement were found to include a lack of awareness, perceived price barriers and a lack of publicity. 70% of respondents agreed that live comedy could have a wider, positive social impact and also offers a platform to address difficult social issues. A number of participants expressed the importance of communitas and the opportunity to discuss difficult and sensitive issues in a structureless state of liminality.

In the UK museums (29%), gardens (38%) and historic buildings (27%) are the most visited attractions, yet admissions revenue is often insufficient for operational costs and long-term repair and investment costs. With the UK events sector worth £42.3 billion annually historic buildings are in a unique position to use events to generate income and raise awareness. However, the management of events within the heritage setting is complex, contextually informed and contested by stakeholders while operators manage the competing issues of conservation, access and revenue generation. Through ten detailed semi-structured interviews this study explores the way in which knowledge is gathered and embedded to professionalise event management practices within the heritage tourism sector. Building on the work of Garvin (1993) and Brine & Feather (2010) a model is evolved to explain how knowledge is gained, embedded and shared across the heritage sector.

Urban Exploration (U.E.), the activity of exploring hidden parts of the city, is increasingly discussed in a range of academic papers, yet the aspects of this activity which are associated with travel and consumption have not been explored. However, there have been a number of related calls for research. This paper identifies that U.E. requires greater critical inquiry. It is noted that U.E. draws common themes with heritage tourism, adventure tourism, otherness, authenticity and risk, yet is a contradiction to the homogenised tourist experience. It is suggested that U.E. can thus be interpreted as a form of tourism which is outside of accepted norms of behaviour, decision making and typologies and which has significant meaning for future research. Thus, the paper proposes a model which identifies opportunities for further research beyond the current spectrum of tourism academia.

This case study focuses on the way in which the development of a masterplan can be used to plan holistically at Elvaston Castle Country Park. Particular themes relating to partnership working are referred to alongside consideration of the importance of financial viability and resourcing in enhancing the success of a project.

This editorial presents an overview of studies contained in this special issue. Recognising that destination management and marketing remains a key field of academic study and as an issue of importance to the tourism industry. The collection of papers in this issue explore the rapid and expansive technological enhancement and innovations in destination management. Whilst not attempting to provide full coverage of emerging technologies, the issue has succeeded in identifying some key issues for future practice and research.

This chapter seeks to create a tourism industry-specific framework that explains how sustainability should be: (a) conceptualized at different system levels; (b) mapped with respect to various tourism industry stakeholders and actors; and (c) integrated according to a tourism product life cycle philosophy, by drawing on Big Data. It is argued that contemporary social marketing can serve as the overarching frame to bring the change that is urgently needed in the field of sustainability. Drawing on network theory and influenced by social marketing and life cycle sustainability, we develop a holistic sustainability framework to be applied in the tourism sector. The various interconnections of the actors at distinct levels are demonstrated, and the behavioral change tools that function as an array of network dynamics are exemplified via a step-by-step conceptual synthesis that is based on a series of propositions. The current chapter combines several aspects of literature to produce a robust theoretical framework to be utilized in tourism and hospitality sustainability research. The proposed framework is accompanied by an illustrative example of network analysis and practical guidelines for materialization that offers useful insights to policymakers, the respective organizations, and the UK tourism economy at large.

Tourism studies at Masters level are often divided into subsets of tourism such as environmental tourism, rural tourism and sports tourism. This textbook provides an overview of types of tourism, and common themes studied in courses to allow undergraduate students to become familiar with a wide range of tourism topics at a foundation level, allowing them to make an informed decision about their future studies and career. It will also be a useful text for providing a broad brush introduction to the major topics that are covered in undergraduate courses. Popular subjects like urban tourism, festivals and events and heritage and cultural tourism are covered. © CAB International 2011. All rights reserved.

Covering the applied managerial perspective of the travel industry, this book looks at the core disciplines and the application of theory to practice. Considering individual and corporate social responsibility, it teaches effective managerial skills by reviewing legal frameworks, quality management and marketing, financial management, and the management of shareholders and stakeholders. It discusses current trends such as sustainability and governmental emission targets against a background of the needs of a commercial business to innovate and increase profits. A valuable tool for both students and those working in the travel industry, this new edition includes new content, a revised structure and all-new international case studies.

Marketing and management processes across industries can be very similar, but contexts vary where political intervention, public interest and local sustainability are involved. The rural business setting is especially intricate due to the assortment of different business opportunities, ranging from traditional agriculture, to tourism enterprise and even high-tech business. This important new textbook on the subject: - Examines key issues affecting rural enterprise and tourism - Explores the breadth of rural enterprise management and marketing across both developed and developing economies - Discusses strategies for business growth within a rural setting, such as knowledge development, proper planning and innovation - Uses a mix of case studies and theoretical content specifically selected to appeal to both student and practitioner readers Including pedagogical features and full colour throughout, this new textbook provides an engaging and thought-provoking resource for students and practitioners of tourism, rural business and related industries.

This chapter explores the challenges for materialising, remembering and exhibiting the Cold War, comparing approaches to preserving, valuing and opening such sites and museums to the public in Eastern and Western Europe. The Cold War is still within living memory and is also moving into history; at the same time, the Cold War is often described as an “imaginary war” that presents unique challenges for materialising it. This chapter frames the research in a way that reflects the role of museums and heritage sites as active agents in the construction of political, public and academic knowledge. They hold the power to shape cultural memory by legitimising interpretations through their authority and influencing societal and individuals coming to terms with the past.