Category: Tourism

About MANGO

• 4-star hotel;
• 250 rooms;
• 10-hr room service;
• Beach front;
• Paid in-room high speed internet.

Cozy hotel with an access to the sea and in-room internet available for additional charge. The hotel positions itself as a cheap option for leisure and business purposes.

Other investment decisions

• All day restaurant;
• Swimming pool and pool bar;
• Sundries shop adjacent to the Front Desk;
• Self-serve business center;
• Meeting room for 250 persons, divisible into four sections;
• 1 board room space for 15 persons;
• 2 bay Exercise Room with 2 Cardio and 2 Lifting stations.

Investment into other facilities was made in order to improve guest experience at the hotel and be able to target additional market segments. For instance, the introduction of spa instantly attracted leisure travelers.

Market and Competitors

• Mango hotel can compete directly only with Pineapple, Strawberry, and Apple hotels;
• The rest of the companies have invested in guest room renovation;
• Prices should be kept at lower rates than hotels that have renovated rooms.

Only three hotels, besides Mango, do not have renovated guest rooms. Renovation results in a price increase, which means the rest of the hotels are considered to be pricier options. Therefore, the maximum price Mango can charge is limited by their pricing model.

Strengths

• Have facilities to attract both leisure and business customers.
• Higher occupancy can be achieved by setting lower prices.

Mango can serve business customers, because it has a meeting room and a business center. Leisure customers can be attracted by the availability of spa and all-day restaurant.

Weaknesses

• Net profit is limited by the absence of renovated rooms.
• Additional expenses are required to market available rooms.

Net profit cannot be increased unless Mango increases room prices. However, price adjustment opportunities are limited because of the absence of renovated rooms. Therefore, to keep occupancy at high level, Mango has to invest 6% of the net revenue in marketing efforts.

Opportunities

• Increased number of small groups of leisure travelers during spring.
• Cultural events during Autumn may contribute to occupancy.
• Construction projects and other events attract business travelers.

Mango can operate at its full capacity throughout the whole year. In spring, demand from leisure travelers and small groups is higher, while the number of business travelers is expected to rise in Autumn.

Threats

• Hotels with renovated facilities are more attractive.
• Discounted airflight tickets may contribute to travelers’ budget, thereby allowing them book accommodation in pricier hotels.

Competition is stiff on behalf of hotels that have renovated rooms. When the average price of an air ticket decreases, more expensive hotels may become a suitable option for budget travelers, thereby deteriorating Mango’s occupancy.

Current Financial Performance

• Profitability increased from 1.2% to 13.7%.
• Transaction costs went down from 10.1% to 8.9%.
• Occupancy has increased from 55.5% to 66%.
• Revenue per available room decreased (92.89 in Q1 and 92.69 in Q4).

Despite a slight decrease in RevPAR, Mango has been operating well in terms of financial performance. Profitability increased substantially in Q4 compared to Q1.

Marketing Strategy

• Focus on business and leisure customers, along with small-group travelers;
• Lower prices in Q1 to expand into the new market;
• Variable rates for W/D and W/E starting from Q2;
• Increased prices on all rooms in Q3;
• Continuous increase of advertisement budget.

Q1 marketing strategy was a failure, because cheap prices did not grant the hotel high occupancy rates. As a result, Mango suffered a loss in terms of net profit. However, starting with Q2, Mango has introduced variable pricing and adjustments based on market and segment demand.

Segmentation and Distribution

• Throughout the year, Mango hotel has focused on both business and leisure customers;
• In Q1, the hotel opted for corporate contracts;
• Suffering a net loss, the hotel switched to direct distribution and marketing;
• Transaction costs have been lowered;
• In Q4, the majority of advertisement budget will target business customers, as the number of leisure travelers is expected to decrease.

Mango has pursued direct channel distribution because transaction costs can become a burden if a hotel does not have any other means of selling other than third-party services.

Pricing Strategies

• Q1 – low prices that do not vary between weekends and weekdays.
• Q2 – prices are continuously adjusted based on supply/demand reports.
• Q2 – W/D and W/E pricing strategy is implemented, which ensured an increase in net profit.
• Q3 – increased prices after fully entering the market.
• Q4 – further increase in prices due to expected increase in demand.

When Mango first entered the market, it attempted to win competition by offering the cheapest accommodation. However, the absence of pricing model resulted in low occupancy rates.

Analysis

• Q1 was the most challenging quarter, but Mango hotel has been improving its position on the market throughout the year.
• Market share increased as a result of effective investments.
• Building specific facilities, such as spa and business center, has allowed the hotel attract customers from other segments.
• Pricing model is significant in the context of profit maximization.
• Prices should be adjusted based on market supply and demand.
• Transaction costs may impact net profit. Therefore, direct channel sales was preferred.

After making several mistakes in the beginning, Mango is becoming a competitive player in the hospitality industry.

Future

• Mango hotel will gradually renovate its guest rooms because cheap accommodation does not always grant high occupancy.
• Q1 results showed that cheap offers do not always attract customers.
• Advertisement budget should continue to increase, but needs to be comprised from only 6% of total revenue.
• Marketing effort should be utilized appropriately according to expected demand from market segments.

To be able to compete with pricier hotels, Mango needs to renovate its rooms. Therefore, the management team should invest into renovation in a gradual fashion. As a result, the hotel will be able to adjust its pricing model to accommodate more expensive options. Mango has focused on business and leisure customers, and until Q4, marketing budget has been equally distributed among these market segments. However, budget distribution should be based on expected demand.

A visit to the Safari Wilderness Ranch began very early and my family members were super excited. As we arrived at the gate, there were few people, and we alighted the vehicle to clear as the procedure. Our excitement grew even more as we advance towards the animal sanctuary. The environment around smelt so fresh, and we could hear animal sounds from afar. This was a clear indication that our outing away from the city hustles had begun well, and there was much to anticipate of the day ahead. Just at the entrance, knowledgeable guides picked us and led their custom safari vehicles. Just some distance from the gate, they began by showing us some exotic wetlands. The wetland sites were so fascinating, and we were now sure of a great safari ahead at the Safari Wilderness Ranch. Above us, the clouds were so clear and so beautiful. As we turned to the left and further into the 260-acre ranch, the clear view of the wetlands was so fascinating. To our right were herds of Zebras grazing. Their striped body patterns created a spectacular view against the super green background. The freshness of the wilderness created, and the sweet taste of the drinks we enjoyed in the vehicle created a feeling of a wilderness safari in the African Savanna. We would hear frogs and toads producing some amazing sounds in the wetlands, and this would have tempted you to think that the rainy season had begun. Moments into our safari, we came across this large herd of scimitar-horned Oryx. The amazing and knowledgeable guides informed us that these particular species were extinct in their native land, Africa. These animals are so well managed, and it seems that they specialize only with animals that do well in the 260-acre. This was evident by the large herd of Defassa waterbuck; in fact, we learned that it is the largest herd in the country through the guides. Near the central part of the ranch, we saw elands, free-spirited lemur, ostriches, camels, and llamas. One thing I felt so good about the safari is, there are no scripted presentations. You have a natural tour guided by the guides. The guides are so experienced and knowledgeable. They always give you new information and answer your questions correctly about the nature and amazing animals in the Safari Wilderness Ranch. The two-hour safari was so amazing, and we felt the need to do even more safaris in the future. As we drove towards the gate, the animal sounds started to fade, but our experience at the Safari Wilderness Ranch was sensational.

Introduction

Alaska has a minor human density, the maximum area of wildlife, and participation rates in numerous outdoor activities. Most Alaskans believe that chances to leave are the reason why they prefer to live or stay in the country, and a comparable proportion of visitors come to Alaska for outstanding outdoors. Both locals and visitors spend their money on the economy in their activities, making outdoor entertainment a significant business. This paper was written with the aim of exploring outdoor recreation in south-central Alaska and proposing the development of the area. How developed is tourism in Alaska, and which project would be best suited for the region?

Tourism

In the last ten years, tourism has been Alaska’s rapidly expanding economy and is a leading regional export sector. Opportunities to take part in outdoor leisure are also an essential aspect of Alaskan people’s quality of life. The strategic plan of Chugach National Forest would thus need knowledge of recreation and tourism as an economic sector, elements that contribute to the development, and future demands for recreational activities in southeastern Central Alaska.

There are trends and patterns of activity utilizing a sector analysis methodology. Based on cross-sectional figures, Recreational patterns demonstrate the relevance as drivers of demand of demographic and economic factors. Management and planning implications involve the need to determine whether and when administration measures to improve forest-scale leisure services contradict other organizational goals, such as the maintenance or strengthening of animal habitat.

The Economic Benefit

The economic benefit of outdoor leisure extends beyond the initial spending impulse. Outdoor facilities help achieve a better quality of life, attracting new inhabitants employed by the state. According to Mullet and Morton (2021), “snowmobiling is an important recreational activity at higher latitudes and in alpine areas where snow occurs” (p. 1). Access to parks and trails makes neighborhoods more appealing; companies are more willing to invest in locations with high-perceived quality of life. Outdoor leisure also stimulates entrepreneurial activity in Alaska. In Alaska, emerging firms are building, designing, and serving both state-owned and out-of-state recreation items.

Research Methods and Project Schedule

In order to understand which project is best suited in a given region, there are many things to study. The first of them is the study of the region itself, namely, its features, pros, and cons, which can significantly affect the creation of a project. Existing projects have been studied that work for the benefit of the region and ennoble it. I believe that these points are initial and most significant before creating your own project. The first step in creating a project will be to study the market, which will help determine the shortcomings of competitors and find your uniqueness. Next, you should try to create and receive honest feedback as this is the essential criterion for the benefit of the project.

Conclusion

Alaska has the lowest people density, the most wildlife area, and the turnout for various outdoor activities. Most Alaskans feel that leaving chances are the cause they choose to live or remain in Alaska, and comparable tourists go to the country for beautiful outdoors.

Alaska’s tourism economy has expanded quickly over the past ten years and is a crucial regional export sector. Opportunities to engage in outdoor recreation are also a fundamental component of the quality of life of Alaskans. In my opinion, Alaska is an underestimated region, which creates interest in this issue. The economic advantage of leisure outside goes beyond the first drive of purchasing. Outdoor installations contribute to a better standard of living, enticing new people in the state. Access to parks and trails is more attractive to neighborhoods; corporations are more ready to invest in highly regarded places for quality of life.

Reference

Mullet, T. C., & Morton, J. M. (2021). Snowmobile effects on height and live stem abundance of wetland shrubs in south-central Alaska. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 33, 100347, pp. 1-7.

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is a diverse and multicultural city. It has a rich cultural history, welcoming people from all cultures and nations. This has created a uniquely diverse cityscape that draws tourists to experience the diversity and variety in cuisine, architecture, and art. The city’s attractions include museums, historical mosques and a 19^th -century fort, among more modern places of entertainment: restaurants, beaches, marinas.

The city’s highly varied attractions draw tourists with all kinds of preferences, from those looking to engage in aquatic sports to those who seek to explore the caliphate’s historical heritage. Those seeking to appreciate fine arts will find museums to visit, as well. The Louvre Abu Dhabi features a collection of sculptures, paintings, and other historical works of art (Highlights of the collection, no date). These works come from a variety of traditions, historical periods, and cultures, reflecting the city’s diversity.

In its efforts to promote the arts in the caliphate, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism is hosting a variety of arts-related events. These events are available to both the city’s residents and visitors. Furthermore, encouraging cultural exchange, especially where it concerns artistic expression, is one of the primary objectives of the city’s development (Strategy, no date). This concerns both historical works of art and modern creations, with the city’s museums aiming to include a wide range of diverse artistic and cultural objects.

Currently, Abu Dhabi’s museums house a variety of historical works of art from around the world: Venetian paintings, Chinese and Indian sculptures, and items from Jordan, among others. For those who appreciate art, these diversity and variety of exhibits create an irresistible draw to the city.

Abu Dhabi is a rapidly developing cultural and historical tourist destination. The caliphate’s Department of Culture and Tourism has been engaged in organizing new destinations, which include museums and cultural events. These initiatives also include modernizing the city to be more welcoming and accessible for tourists from around the world (Strategy, no date). Through these efforts, tourism has grown be a significant sector in the United Arab Emirates’ economy, responsible for over 5% of the nation’s GDP (Travel and tourism, 2021).

Abu Dhabi is promoted as the UAE’s primary tourist destination, receiving a majority of national spending intended to develop this sector. As such, in the foreseeable future, the caliphate will likely see further improvements in this area, becoming an ever more attractive city for tourists, both local and international. Thus, museums opening in the city will be able to share in this increased interest, benefiting from the visitors the location attracts.

For the Prado Museum, Abu Dhabi presents a unique opportunity. The city’s rich tourist landscape creates an environment where museums can benefit from one another’s presence and collaborate to create a unique tourism scene. Furthermore, the city’s development plans guarantee government support of any museum-related initiatives. Moreover, as inter-cultural interaction is a focus of the Department of Culture and Tourism, opening a branch of the Prado Museum, one of the most prestigious museums in Europe, here will be mutually beneficial. Such a development will be seen as a gesture of good will and serve as an illustration of the improving relationship between the European and Arab cultures.

The Prado Museum, being among the first to recognize the growing potential of Abu Dhabi as a destination of cultural and historical tourism, will be seen as an innovator, improving its reputation. For these reasons, the partnership between the museum and the city can be mutually benefcial.

Reference List

Count Cofriz Anton Ulfeldt in an Ottoman Interior, Jean-Etienne Liotard (c. 1740-1741). Web.

Highlights of the collection (no date). Web.

Strategy(no date). Web.

Total economic contribution of tourism and travel to the United Arab Emirates from 2012 to 2028 (in billion United Arab Emirates dirham). Web.

Travel and tourism (2021). Web.

Zayed National Museum. 2010. Web.

Alaska Department of Natural Resources offers a complete breakdown of outdoor recreational activities available on the whole territory of the state, including Southcentral Alaska. Chugach State Park is one of the most popular destinations for tourists and outdoor recreation fans. The resource provides all information necessary for exploring outdoor recreation in Southcentral Alaska — detailed overviews of campgrounds, cabins, maps, brochures, lists of reservable facilities, and all permits required. It serves as a decent pool of key information, which allows one to understand, what riches the nature of Southcentral Alaska holds, and how the outdoor recreational business is organized. Chugach State Park serves as an example in this instance, as one can easily find similar data on recreational facilities in other Southcentral Alaskan regions, such as Kenai Peninsula. Overall, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources provides a reliable source of information, helpful in exploring Southcentral Alaska’s tourism and outdoor recreation sectors.

Berman and Schmidt offer a complex view of the possible economic implications related to climate change in Alaska. In particular, Southcentral Alaska’s tourism and recreation industry might be affected by shortened winters and an increased number of rainy days. As a result, such activities as snow sports, marine trips, and hiking might face significant financial losses. However, the main perspective of the study focuses on the whole spectrum of negative consequences related to climate change, and outdoor recreation happens to be one of the more vulnerable sectors of the Alaskan economy. In addition, the paper reveals a necessity for studies of detailed operator data, which is a valuable insight for academic practitioners. Overall, the research provides a solid confirmation of the negative impact of climate change from multiple perspectives. This information is important for the evaluation of outdoor and recreation industry development projects in Southcentral Alaska.

Bhatt et al. (2021) attempted to put extreme fire activity in Southcentral Alaska during 2019 into historical context and assess future wildfire risk in the region. Their work creates a rather concerning picture for outdoor recreation and tourism. Wildland fires appear to be a natural part of the ecosystem, and they are expected to occur more often due to anthropogenic factors. While this study is not directly focused on the Southcentral Alaskan economy’s tourism and outdoor recreation sectors, it contains evidence-based conclusions that hold value for them. For instance, businesses working in outdoor recreation should be ready to invest in fire-safe strategies to minimize potential losses, especially if they operate in fire-prone areas. Overall, this study confirmed the growing threat of wildfires in Southcentral Alaska, and any development projects in outdoor recreation areas should be implemented with that factor in mind.

Charter fishing represents another popular outdoor leisure activity in Southcentral Alaska. Chan et al. (2017) studied patterns and drivers of activity important both to local tourism and the food system. In particular, their research targeted spatial change of recreational fishing in Homer, the Southcentral Alaskan community with the highest number of charter halibut landings. The findings of the study improve understanding of how the charter fishing business operates and what reasons cause business owners to make the spatial change over time. In that regard, this paper contributes to a better understanding of the biological, social, regulatory, and economic drivers of such change. These insights are valuable for the further development of business projects in the charter fishing sector of the outdoor recreation industry.

Outdoor recreation presents a potential source of disturbance to wildlife populations. Marion et al. (2020) reviewed 126 papers relevant to studying the impact of outdoor recreation on terrestrial wildlife to provide practical guidelines for researchers. The paper contains a thorough geographic and methodological breakdown of studies related to wildlife-recreation interaction and offers multiple recommendations for practitioners. In the end, it develops a list of criteria for effective studying of disturbance to wildlife produced by recreational activities. This contribution is important for the development of outdoor recreation and tourism in Southcentral Alaska since successful, ethical business in that sector depends on wildlife and needs to preserve it. An overview of wildlife studying methods and the guidelines for their correct application should assist with establishing the new outdoor recreational businesses in Southcentral Alaska and improve the existing ones.

Snowmobiling happens to be one of the more popular and important types of recreational activity in Southcentral Alaska. Mullet and Morton (2021) studied the effects produced by snowmobiling on the height and abundance of dwarf birch, shrubby cinquefoil, and sweet gale. The results revealed negative implications of snowmobiling for all three woody shrub species of the Kenai Peninsula, which were even more severe in thin snowpack conditions. In that regard, the paper showed the importance of balancing recreational activities against potential damage to nature. Vegetation serves as an aesthetic advantage of outdoor recreation; therefore, businesses need to put effort into its preservation. The paper provided recommendations on how to mitigate the negative impacts of snowmobiling, which is valuable for the Southcentral Alaskan outdoor recreational sector. In addition, it contained important implications for land management of public lands and opened to snowmobile activity.

The University of Alaska prepared a comprehensive report on the impacts and opportunities created and presented by outdoor recreation in Alaska. In particular, the authors revealed high participation in outdoor activities among the Alaskans and underscored the popularity of outdoor recreation among the guests of the state. The study also evaluated such indicators of economic significance as total spending in the sector, direct jobs, total jobs, and total labor income. In addition, participation and consumer spending were evaluated and divided by activity type. Overall, this report serves as an indispensable source of empirical data related to the outdoor recreational sector of the Alaskan economy. It also allows us to understand, which types of activities are more popular, and, therefore, more promising from the business perspective. One of the most remarkable insights contained in the report is the confirmed significance of wildlife viewing in terms of income. Simple and harmless leisure appeared to be the most profitable by a large margin, an important discovery for outdoor recreational business in Southcentral Alaska.

An ORSA report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) provides supplementary empirical data on several indicators related to the sector of outdoor recreation in Alaska. It offers such details as value added to GDP, employment numbers in the industry, and compensation paid to employees. While some of these indicators are also available in a report by the University of Alaska, this particular source also contains the data on 2017 and 2018 years. Therefore, it becomes possible to assess specific trends and patterns in the sector at a state level. Overall, the BEA report serves as a solid addition to a more detailed and demographic-based work of the University of Alaska.

References

Alaska Department of Natural Resources. (n.d.). Chugach State Park.

Berman, M., & Schmidt, J. I. (2019). Economic effects of climate change in Alaska. Weather, Climate, and Society, 11(2), 245-258. Web.

Bhatt, U. S., Lader, R. T., Walsh, J. E., Bieniek, P. A., Thoman, R., Berman, M., Borries-Strigle, C., Bulock, K., Chriest, J., Hahn., M., Hendricks, A.S., Jandt, R., Little, J., McEvoy, D., Moore, C., Rupp, T.S., Schmidt, J., Stevens, E., Strader., H., Waigl., C., White, J., York, A., & Ziel, R. (2021). Emerging anthropogenic influences on the Southcentral Alaska temperature and precipitation extremes and related fires in 2019. Land, 10(1), 82.

Chan, M. N., Beaudreau, A. H., & Loring, P. A. (2017). Evaluating patterns and drivers of spatial change in the recreational guided fishing sector in Alaska. PloS One, 12(6), e0179584.

Marion, S., Davies, A., Demšar, U., Irvine, R. J., Stephens, P. A., & Long, J. (2020). A systematic review of methods for studying the impacts of outdoor recreation on terrestrial wildlife. Global Ecology and Conservation, 22, e00917.

Mullet, T. C., & Morton, J. M. (2021). Snowmobile effects on height and live stem abundance of wetland shrubs in south-central Alaska.Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 33, 100347.

The University of Alaska Center for Economic Development. (2019). Outdoor recreation: Impacts and opportunities.

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2019). 2019 – Alaska Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account (ORSA).

Theme parks have emerged as one of the most crucial factors for boosting tourism. To capitalize on this development, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been exploring opportunities to create one of the largest hubs for this type of entertainment. Bhavani and Khan (2020) state that “accessibility was one of the main drivers for UAE theme park development” (p. 3). By exploiting its growing number of international travelers, the UAE was provided with many opportunities to expand its tourism sector (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). Theme parks rely heavily on local infrastructures, such as hotels, shopping malls, and public transport, which were already present in Dubai by the time the major projects began to take shape (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). Thus, the success of this initiative was partially related to the fulfilled preconditions due to Dubai’s role in international travel and tourism.

The government played a vital role in the success of the theme parks in the UAE. Yas et al. (2020) state that “the government of Dubai has planned to maximize and maintain the circulation of foreign investment through tourism” (p. 601). This initiative provided new investors with an incentive to put their capital into local businesses, and the rapidly expanding tourism industry provided an excellent opportunity for it. The UAE government also implemented policies that directed the stream of business visitors into the local entertainment facilities by providing free transit visas (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). This growth of theme parks continues to provide a significant source of investment and boosts the country’s economy.

Challenges of IMG Worlds of Adventure

Despite all the efforts put into this industry, there are significant challenges companies have to resolve to become profitable. The market for entertainment of this type is highly competitive, as its nature involves worldwide competition, and some of the competitors, such as Orlando theme parks, are difficult to outperform (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). IMG Worlds of Adventure, one of the largest indoor theme parks, has been opened in 2016 and, since then, constantly aims to reach new heights in both revenue and the number of annual visitors (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). As the company was unable to attain the impressive goals it has set for itself, IMG WoA continues to actively develop new competitive strategies.

The theme parks market is a major industry with numerous highly competitive players across the globe. Bodolica et al. (2020) state that “China is considered as a major UAE competitor in the hospitality industry” with the current growth rates exceeding other countries (p. 329). IMG’s competitiveness is also impaired by the weather in its location (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). Even without counting theme parks in the United States, China, and Japan, IMG WoA was met with significant competition with other similar facilities in the UAE (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). Therefore, the company must establish its presence in both local and global markets to reach the success it wants.

The recent COVID-19 outbreak destabilized many markets, especially ones that relied on international transportation or provided non-essential services. As amusement parks fit into both categories, this market has been suffering one of the most significant recessions among similar industries (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). Moreover, the quarantine has changed people’s perception of traveling and tourism, are will continue to have an adverse impact on theme parks (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). IMD WoA must find a way to change this perception and assure its potential visitors that their health is not put at any risk.

Effectiveness of the Survival Strategies

IMG WoA continues to invent new ways to remain on course with its goal. Its strategy shows adaptiveness and flexibility, as the company is not afraid of taking risks and making bold moves. For example, its celebration of Chinese New Year in 2020 has brought significant attention to the theme park (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). Innovative strategies and technologies are a primary driver for IMG on its way to become the top theme park in the world, yet some experiments are expected to fail.

IMG has created multiple promotions to attract additional customers. Realizing the value from business travelers, it partnered with Western Union and numerous local hotels to provide the most convenient experience for its customers (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). However, its promotion “Fly free with IMG” resulted in a failure due to the complexity of conditions to receive the prize (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). While there were failures, it is essential for IMG WoA to continue its search for new sources of attraction.

The partnership is one of the methods that does not only provide new opportunities for the company but also increases its stability. For example, when the company has suffered financial losses from the COVID-19 lockdown, it put a significant effort into ensuring the safety of its customers and partnered with a major healthcare provider (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). The company was then able to resume operations within just four months of closure, while many other similar theme parks remained in quarantine (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). This rapid assessment and response to the situation by utilizing a partnership show that preparedness is the key to IMG success.

Recommendations

As the company strives to become the largest theme park across the globe and heavily relies on foreign visitors, it is crucial for IMG WoA to consider the expansion of its culturally specific events. The firm has already explored this possibility with the Chinese New Year 2020, which brought an influx of Chinese visitors (Bhavani & Khan, 2020). As the location of the facility provides an ideal place for mixing cultures, it is advised for IMD to continue conducting culture-specific events.

Moreover, other seasonal events similar to this one can provide an incentive for past customers to consider revisiting the theme park. Nowadays, the evolution of consumer demands takes a faster pace, and new experience is the key factor for tourism (Bodolica et al., 2020). As the company plans to attract a record number of tourists to its location annually, it must create a reason for old customers to consider paying another visit.

Although the UAE is already considered an international tourism hub, there are issues related to the country’s climate that lower the number of visitors due to harsh summers. To negate this factor, IMG can consider the construction of hotels specifically for its visitors. Moreover, the country’s infrastructure plays a vital role in the success of its tourism (Yas et al., 2020). The company can invest in local public transport and facilities to make the location more attractive. Other additions to the infrastructure of the site can be beneficial as well, such as sports complexes. This goal can further increase the competitiveness of the company.

References

Bhavani, G., & Khan, S. (2020). ‘IMG Worlds of Adventure’: Survival challenges in the UAE. The Case Centre.

Bodolica, V., Spraggon, M., & Saleh, N. (2020). Innovative leadership in leisure and entertainment industry.International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 13(2), 323-337. Web.

Yas, H., Mardani, A., Albayati, Y. K., Lootah, S. E., & Streimikiene, D. (2020). The positive role of the tourism industry for Dubai city in the United Arab Emirates. Contemporary Economics, 14(4), 601-616.

Introduction

Tourism is a significant contributor to the global GDP and comprises a substantial percentage of the GDP for Lebanon. However, this state has had a decline in the number of visitors in recent years that can be associated with peace and security problems. In comparison, Iceland, which has been a top-ranking state for peace, has had a steady improvement in its tourist industry. For governments that rely on foreign tourists that bring substantial governmental revenues, peace, as well as security, are essential because instability, war, protests, and other conflicts repel people from choosing this destination. Moreover, war combined with insecurity can destroy the tourism industry in a state. The research question explored in this paper is the influence of security on the tourism industry using the example of Lebanon and Iceland as two comparison states.

Initial Situation

Lebanon’s government relies on tourism as an important source of state revenue. Tourism accounted for 19% of Lebanon’s GDP in 2016 (Bankmed, 2017). This means that for Lebanon’s economy, including the income of the citizens and unemployment, the hospitality industry is vital. According to Ghadban et al. (2017), “Lebanon is a well-known tourism destination in the Mediterranean region” (p. 165). The climate and landscape of this state make it an attractive vacation destination and distinguish Lebanon from the neighboring states. Table 1 shows the contribution of the tourism industry to the economy of Lebanon. Based on this, one can conclude that the economy has not experienced significant growth since the revenue from 2018 was estimated at $8,7 million and from 2019 at $8,6 million (CEIC, 2021). However, it is possible that the civil conflict has a negative long-term effect on Lebanese tourism and economy because it has not been growing in years.

The civil conflict in Lebanon has been consistently and adversely affecting tourism. For example, in 2013, only 1.3 million people visited this state. This is a small amount, in comparison to its closest competitor—Turkey, which was visited by 31.9 million tourists in the same year (Ghadban et al., 2017). Moreover, Lebanon has had several substantial decreases in the number of visitors over the years, all connected to instability in this region. Figure 1 shows data from the World Bank (2019a), according to which the number of tourists has been increasing from 1996 until 2006, with another decline between 2010 and 2014. When compared to the events that might have affected this decline, one should note the protests that took place from 2006 till 2008, and after 2011 the state went into political unrest due to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the conflict in Syria (Hamadeh & Bassil, 2017). Thus, the data shows that Lebanon has had a decline in tourism rates that corresponds to political instability.

Problem

Tourism is an essential industry for any state because its contribution to the global economy is substantial. According to Ghadbam et al. (2017), tourism is the largest economic sector globally, and it employs the most significant number of people, and in 2013 it contributed to 9.5% of the global GDP. The intense political situation in Lebanon and its neighboring states had a negative effect on the inflow of tourists. Ghadbam et al. (2017) note that “the deterioration of the political and security situation in the Middle East since 2010, especially the Syrian crisis, has highly affected the flow of international visitors to the region in general and to Lebanon in particular” (p. 165). Tourism has a beneficial effect on the destination states because it stabilizes the local economy and allows the local businesses and citizens to obtain money brought by tourists.

Tourism is affected by the perceived safety of the destination. The number of people who decided to visit Lebanon has decreased by 50% between 2012 and 2013 (Ghadbam et al., 2017). Hence, locations such as Lebanon have declining tourism rates due to civil conflicts, while Iceland, as a peaceful state, sees an increase in the number of travelers. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the reasons that make peace with a security essential for governments relying on tourism for revenue and show that war or insecurity can destroy the local tourist industry.

Relevance of the Current Research

The tourism sector has suffered losses due to COVID-19 and restrictions by governments. Hence, this research contributes to the understanding of factors that aid tourists’ positive attitudes and their destination choice using two examples, Lebanon and Iceland. The findings can be used by business owners and state policymakers to help restore this industry after the pandemic. Moreover, since one of the countries from this research is also affected by the civil war, the findings will contribute to understanding how this factor impacts tourism.

Methodological Approach

The methodology of this paper is desk research, which implies an analysis of research studies and scholarly articles. Desk research allows us to collect data from studies and reliable sources, and by combining the findings, locating an answer to a research problem. In this case, 15 scholarly articles found through the library and Google Scholar database were analyzed. The keywords for the search included “security and tourism,” “war and tourism,” “tourism in Lebanon,” “tourism in Iceland.”

Tourism in Lebanon and Iceland

For states that economically rely on the tourism industry, having peace and security is essential for creating an image of a pleasant vacation destination. Asongu et al. (2019) refer to peace and security as “contemporary drivers of tourism” (p. 345). Tourism, in general, is affected by political stability, a number of violent crimes, and the presence of non-peaceful demonstrations, which means that for destinations such as Lebanon, the current political and social instability adversely affects tourism. However, Asongu et al. (2019) also report that the presence of the military, security officers, or other armed personnel do not impact the tourists visiting intentions significantly. Hence, one can conclude that tourists dedicate more attention to the violence and crimes that can potentially affect them during their visit, while the presence of the military does not impact their decisions.

Despite the fact that insecurity has obvious effects on the state’s attractiveness for tourists, there are some inconsistencies in this conclusion. Farmaki (2017) argues that previous studies on peace and tourism show inconsistent results. Moreover, tourism and the security of the state may have a reverse relationship as well. Farmaki (2017) states that tourism may play a role in reconciliation for a country. Hence, by supporting the tourism industry, the governments of states that experience instability may contribute to the improvement of the political and social environments of their states.

States that invest in security measures after an armed conflict have better results in terms of tourist visits. Okafor and Khalid (2021) state that “security spending cannot reverse the negative impact of armed conflict on international tourist flows in a destination country in a short period of time” (p. 385). However, these investments generate a return after approximately eight years (Okafor & Khalid, 2021). Hence, if Lebanon’s government were to increase its spending on security and the military, they would not see an immediate effect and addition to the number of visitors. However, after approximately eight years, the state’s tourism sector would be restored.

Lebanon’s Security Issues

Lebanon has experienced several events that threaten its image as a good tourist destination. The civil war in Lebanon began in the 1970s, followed by local protests, unrest, and military conflicts within this state and its neighboring countries (Chaddad, 2020). Notably, the consequences of it are typical for any civil war, including militia on the streets, clashes between various parties, and violence. These factors are contributing to the insecurity and lack of a peaceful environment in Lebanon.

The unrest in the region in general, including Syria, affects the security of Lebanon as well. According to Bassil et al. (2019), terrorist activity in one state affects the tourist visit not only in that country but in neighboring states as well. This comparison was made using the examples of Turkey, Israel, and Lebanon. Moreover, Bassil et al. (2019) state that “terrorism has a much larger negative impact on visitor arrivals to Lebanon” (p. 50). Hence, the civil war in this country is only one factor that impacts the perception of tourists and the view of it as a good vacation destination, while conflicts in neighboring states contribute to negative perceptions.

Despite the issues with domestic security, there are areas of Lebanon where tourists can be safe from political instability. Ghadbam et al. (2017) explore the possibility of developing rural tourism in this state as a countermeasure to other forms of tourism that suffered from security problems. Their findings suggest that marketing strategies can be developed to promote rural tourism in Lebanon, for example, for visitors from China. However, Faraj (2020) argues that in Lebanon, urban tourism is more popular. Hence, the niche of rural tourism in Lebanon is not explored sufficiently and can become a relief for the state’s industry if investors develop facilities and attractions for foreign and domestic visitors.

Iceland

The two comparisons used for this research paper are Lebanon and Iceland. The former has been in the state of war for 13 years, while the latter has ranked as number one in the 2020 Global Peace Index for several years (Institute for Economics & Peace, 2021). Table 2 shows the number of tourists who arrived in Iceland during 2016-2020. Notably, there was a significant decline due to coronavirus in 2020. However, previously, between 1.7 and 2.3 million people came to Iceland. Hence, this state shows stability in terms of tourism statistics.

Iceland is a politically and socially stable state, which contributes to its tourism. Figure 2 shows the number of individuals who have visited Iceland from 1996 until 2019, based on data from WorldBank. Based on this graph, one can conclude that there have not been any substantial declines, which suggests that there is a link between security in the state and its tourism industry’s growth.

The consistently large number of tourists visiting Iceland has had several implications on the state. Apart from the contribution to Iceland’s GDP, the concept of over-tourism emerged. Sæþórsdóttir et al. (2020) describe it as the adverse effects that a persistent presence of large quantities of tourists has on a destination. The application of over-tourism to the case of Iceland shows that the attractiveness of this state for visitors, attributed to political stability and security, is high. Moreover, according to Sæþórsdóttir et al. (2020), Iceland ranks as number 13 based on the ratio of tourists per inhabitant.

Iceland’s tourism industry is developed due to the peace in the state, with the only potential danger being natural hazards. For example, Bird and Gísladóttirab (2020) state that “timely hazard warnings to residents in Iceland is a difficult task despite authorities being familiar with the at-risk population” (p. 101896). Since in this state, many tourist destinations are located near volcanoes, both tourists and local residents are endangered by the volcanic activity. Bird and Gísladóttirab (2020) also note that their surveys indicate that tourists are unaware of the potential dangers they are facing when visiting Iceland, which is why the tourism industry is generally unaffected by this threat. However, the authors of this study still suggest the government of Iceland to improve their approach to communication of hazards to tourists and prevention measures. This study shows that as a tourist destination, Iceland is peaceful, with the only potential danger being natural hazards in the volcanic areas. Combined with the statistics above, this information supports the conclusion that social and political stability contribute to the tourism industry in a state.

Conclusion

Answer to the Research Question

This research paper aimed to explore the effect that security in the state has on tourist visits. The possible solution is to ensure that Lebanon enters a state of social and political stability, which will affect the tourism sector positively. However, as this research paper found, there is a relationship between peace and tourism, and investment in the latter can contribute to the security of the state. Another suggestion is to focus on marketing the regions of Lebanon where the civil war actions are not active and where tourists can be safe (Ghadban et al., 2017). When comparing Iceland and Lebanon, the former is undoubtedly safer. This affects the ratio of tourists per inhabitant and the number of visits to the country. Hence, it is best for Lebanon to invest in security and military presence (Okafor & Khalid, 2021). However, as this study shows, the return on this investment will not be immediate, and the state’s government will see the results after approximately eight years.

Overview

In summary, this research paper focuses on the issue of tourism in Lebanon and Iceland. These two states are examples of opposing political and social scenarios since Lebanon is in the state of civil war, while Iceland has gained awards as the most peaceful state. As this research paper found, threats, such as terrorism, not only in the destination state but also in neighboring countries, affect the tourists’ intentions to visit. The statistics explored in this paper show that Lebanon has had two severe tourism crises, which were attributed to civil unrest in the region.

References

Asongu, A. S., Nnanna, J., Biekpe, N. & Acha-Anyi, P. N. (2019). Contemporary drivers of global tourism: Evidence from terrorism and peace factors. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 36(3), 345-357. Web.

Bankmed. (2017). Analysis of Lebanon’s travel and tourism sector – October 2017. Web.

Bassil, C., Saleh, A. S., & Anwar, S. (2019). Terrorism and tourism demand: A case study of Lebanon, Turkey and Israel. Current Issues in Tourism, 22(1), 50-70. Web.

Bird, D., & Gísladóttir, G. (2020). Enhancing tourists’ safety in volcanic areas: An investigation of risk communication initiatives in Iceland. International Journal Of Disaster Risk Reduction, 50, 101896. Web.

CEIC. (2019). Lebanon tourism revenue. Web.

Chaddad, R. (2020). Culture, tourism, and territory: Analyzing discourses and perceptions of actors in Byblos and Baalbek in Lebanon. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 10. Web.

Faraj, M. M. (2020). The host community perception towards the impact of tourism in Lebanon. International Journal of Business Marketing and Management (IJBMM), 5(12), 58-64.

Farmaki, A. (2017). The tourism and peace nexus. Tourism Management, 59, 528-540. Web.

Ghadban, S., Shames, M., Arrage, J. A., & Fayyad, A. A. (2017). Rural tourism in Lebanon: What does the market reveal? (96), 165-185.

Hamadeh, M. & Bassil, C. (2017). Terrorism, war, and volatility in tourist arrivals: The case of Lebanon. Tourism Analysis, 22(4), 537-550. Web.

Icelandic Tourism Board. (2020). Number of foreign visitors. Web.

Institute for Economics & Peace. (2020). Global peace index. Web.

Okafor, L. E.& Khalid, U. (2021). Regaining international tourism attractiveness after an armed conflict: The role of security spending. Current Issues in Tourism, 24(3), 385-402. Web.

Sæþórsdóttir, A., Hall, C., & Wendt, M. (2020). From boiling to frozen? The rise and fall of international tourism to Iceland in the era of overtourism.Environments, 7(8), 59. Web.

World Bank. (2019a). International tourism, number of arrivals — Lebanon.Web.

World Bank. (2019b). International tourism, number of arrivals — Iceland. Web.

Abstract

From the onset of this study, the importance of understanding the needs of Chinese travelers as a subsection of the global demand for tourists is highlighted because of their rising influence in the tourism and travel sector. The goal of this investigation is to understand the impact that Chinese cuisines would have on the tourism industry by investigating their impact on people’s traveling behaviors and decisions. Three main research objectives guide this study and they are centered on investigating the impact of the authenticity of Chinese cuisines on travel behavior, assessing the role of a restaurant’s physical environment in enriching one’s travel experience, and understanding the impact that cuisines have on customer loyalty standards.

Drawing from evidence gathered from 50 Chinese travelers, this study affirms that food authenticity, the design of restaurants’ physical space, and customer loyalty standards share a positive relationship with people’s travel behaviors. This finding means that Chinese cuisines have a significant impact on the tourism industry based on their influence on the behaviors of travelers. Therefore, recommendations are made to pay attention to Chinese cuisines as an important attraction for travelers.

Introduction

Background of Study

Food has always been an overlooked aspect of tourism product development despite its importance in enriching people’s travel experiences. However, recently, observers have started to appreciate it for the critical role it plays in fostering one’s understanding of local cultures because it is associated with people’s history and heritage (Rousta and Jamshidi, 2020). Indeed, the growing importance of food tourism stems from the sophistication of the modern traveler who wants to experience other cultures through their languages, food, and even dressing (Jeng, Snyder, and Chen, 2019). Therefore, there is a mindset shift among travelers, which makes them more receptive to food tourism.

There is a growing body of research papers that have documented changes in the behaviors of the modern traveler with indications showing that they are more environmentally conscious and are willing to adopt practices that promote a healthy lifestyle (Kasim and Wickens, 2020; Bozzi, 2020; Hong and McArthur, 2019; Boonsiritomachai and Phonthanukitithaworn, 2019). This behavior is driven by a growing interest in authentic lifestyles and a desire for high-quality travel experiences based on the need to gain insight into the lifestyles of people or communities that were hitherto known (Latif et al., 2020). Therefore, similar to language, fashion, and culture, people’s food cuisines play a critical role in informing the overall travel experiences of various groups of people.

Some countries have capitalized on the food tourism trend by developing markets to meet the needs of their loyal customers. For example, France and Italy’s tourism markets have been developed with this framework in mind because they enjoy vibrant food tourism industries (Travel Mole, 2021). Similarly, Spain has a highly developed food tourism industry and its success is dependent on the allure that local cuisines have on tourists who travel from various locations to sample local foods as part of their travel experience (Hong and McArthur, 2019). Therefore, food tourism plays an important role in the health and vibrancy of their tourism markets.

Research Problem

Despite acknowledging the importance of food tourism in maintaining the success of the larger hospitality industry, there is little appreciation of the changing mindsets affecting customers and travelers around the world regarding people’s travel experiences. Indeed, little is known of the role that food tourism would have on travelers’ experiences, which is an emerging concept in tourism studies

Research Gap

Sustained economic growth in China has created a growing class of affluent middle-class customers that are seeking new travel experiences around the world (Travel China Guide, 2021). Relative to this assertion, Chinese authorities estimated that there were 154 million outbound trips registered in 2019 (Statista, 2021). Figure 1 below shows that this number was registered at the peak of the Chinese travel market in 2019 before, it slumped in 2020 due to the COVID-19 lockdowns imposed in various destinations around the world.

The statistics highlighted above show that there has been a steady increase in the number of Chinese tourists traveling the world. The data could increase because China has a huge population and many more people will start to travel when restrictions are finally lifted (DeMicco et al., 2021; Xu, Kim, and Reijnders, 2020). This statement means that Chinese customers will play a significant role in defining the future of the food tourism industry. Consequently, there is a need to understand the role that cuisines play in facilitating the transition towards travel consciousness.

Despite the growing importance of the Chinese to the global tourism market, there is still limited understanding regarding the role that is played by their cuisines in influencing their travel performance. Therefore, unlike other groups of tourists, there is little understanding regarding the preferences that these customers have, especially regarding their food and travel experiences. Therefore, there is a growing interest regarding how to optimize the food experiences of Chinese travelers to mainstream them into the global tourism product package.

Research Aim

To understand the impact of Chinese cuisines on the tourism industry

Research Objectives

1. To find out whether the authenticity of Chinese cuisines can impact travel behaviors
2. To understand the impact of physical space design of Chinese restaurants on travel behavior
3. To examine the nature of the relationship between the liking for Chinese cuisines and customer loyalty

Research Questions

1. Does the authenticity of Chinese cuisines impact travel behaviors?
2. What is the impact of the physical space design of Chinese restaurants on travelers’ food experiences?
3. What is the nature of the relationship between the liking for Chinese cuisines and customer loyalty standards?

Hypotheses

1. The authenticity of Chinese cuisines has a positive effect on travel behaviors
2. The physical space design of Chinese restaurants has a positive impact on travel behavior
3. The liking for Chinese cuisines has a positive impact on customer loyalty levels

Significance of Study

The findings developed from this investigation can be used to merge the present and past needs of food travelers to create a foundation for developing Chinese cuisine as a major tourist product. The information alluded to in the study will also be useful in helping international tourist destinations to develop products or packages that appeal to the needs of this fast-rising group of travelers. Indeed, it would be prudent for hotels and restaurants to understand factors that appeal to Chinese customers if they are to exploit their rising populations in international travel. This way, they can capitalize on the growing trend of Chinese people traversing the globe.

Literature Review

Introduction

This chapter contains a summary and analysis of existing academic knowledge that is relevant to the research topic. Key sections of this chapter will highlight the relationship between food cuisines and tourism demand, as well as the main theoretical underpinning of the investigation. At the end of this chapter, the research gap will be highlighted and justifications for making recommendations developed.

Theoretical Framework

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, which categorizes human needs across five categories, including physiological, safety, esteem, love, and self-actualization, classifies tourism among the highest levels of need actualization (Uysal, Aydemir, and Genc, 2017). This categorization of needs is illustrated in figure 2 below.

Travelling portends the fulfillment of the highest level of human need, which is achieved when people feel that they have achieved their full potential (Maslow and General Press, 2019). The authenticity of the experience is enriched by having memorable times and experiencing new cuisines as part of a larger social interaction phase. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model has been adapted to different industries and contexts of investigation. In the tourism and hospitality industry, researchers have used the same classification to understand the role of food tourism in a customer’s psychological needs classification (Uysal, Aydemir, and Genc, 2017). Relative to this line of inquiry, Maslow’s five levels of needs have been summarized into a group of four as outlined below.

Importance of Food as a Tourism Driver

Physiological Needs

Physiological needs are defined as food, shelter, and clothing. Based on an extract from a book authored by Maslow and General Press (2019), food is classified as a physiological need. In this context of analysis, it is regarded as an important source of energy for human beings. However, in the context of the tourism and hospitality industry, it becomes more than a source of energy and instead takes the form of an experience characterized by people’s sense of touch, smell, and visual appeal. Therefore, from an industry perspective, food is being “romanticized” to appear more like a “source of pleasure,” as opposed to a “source of energy,” as traditionally conceived.

Food has also been used as a driver for promoting tourism activities, especially among travelers who go to destinations to sample local cultures (Koch et al., 2018). For example, those who are visiting a country to seek medical treatment are likely to travel to destinations whey they can get healthy foods as part of their treatment plans (Stoyanov, 2017). At the same time, it is possible for people to experience new locations simply by sampling what other people eat. In such contexts, food is a primary motivator for travel.

Cultural Motives

Cultural needs are signified by the desire to experience new forms of arts and learn about how other communities live. Food has some cultural value attached to it because it is part of the ethnocultural identity of a country (Calandre and Ribert, 2019). Therefore, to experience the culture of a country or a group of people, it is important to experience their food. In this analysis, food emerges as a key driving force for understanding people’s cultural activities. In other words, it can be a motivator for choosing to take part in a trip, or not.

Interpersonal Motives

The fulfillment of interpersonal needs, which is achieved when tourists meet new people in their travels, can be achieved through food tourism. Indeed, understanding the interpersonal motives of food, as a driver of tourism activities, requires the recognition of different experiences that eating out portends to tourists compared to eating in (Monterrosa et al., 2020).

Therefore, the interpersonal motives for eating out are magnified by the similarity of people’s dining experiences. Relative to this assertion, several research studies point out that the superiority of one’s experience when consuming food as being more important than the quality of the food itself (Vu et al., 2019; Marder et al., 2019; Musgrave, Jopson and Jamson, 2021). For example, developing close interpersonal relationships over a course of the meal is more valuable than the meal itself to a group of people. Therefore, food can be used as a tool for optimizing people’s desire to make new connections or nurture existing ones.

Status and Prestige

The role of food in increasing one’s status and prestige is amplified by the realization of self-actualization needs, which are associated with the prestige given to travelers who visit new destinations to sample local food and culture (Liu and Li, 2020). People’s dining experiences can be regarded as prestigious or of “high status,” especially if the consumption of certain foods is given higher social meaning compared to others. For example, experiencing five-star dining at a high-end hotel could be a significant motivator for people who want to travel to a new location. In this context of analysis, food is used as a prop for maintaining a higher social standing and has been used as a criterion for deciding whether one should take part in a trip, or not (Jallinoja, 2019). These insights suggest that food can be a source of prestige and admiration.

Regional Cuisines

The cuisine adopted by a community or group of people depends on the ingredients or techniques chosen when preparing food. Scholars note that the difference between different cuisines comes from the traditions, customs, and ingredients of food that are unique to a group of people, which makes it part of their customs, in terms of food preparation (Kunto and Bras, 2019). Globally, there are various types of cuisines, each indigenous to the local food production and preparation dynamics.

African Cuisine

As its name suggests, food preparation and ingredients that are unique to the African people characterize African cuisines. Typically, the main ingredients used to prepare such foods, include cereals, milk, beef, and meat products (Haggblade et al., 2016). Again, these ingredients vary across different regions on the continent because, in some parts of it, some ingredients are rarely used because of sourcing challenges (Haggblade et al., 2016). For example, in some parts of tropical Africa, milk products rarely feature in their cuisines because of the scarcity of the product due to the low presence of livestock in such zones.

The continent also has a rich diverse demographic makeup that gives food enthusiasts insights into different food products available on the continent. For example, the food cuisines served in East and West Africa differ in terms of the ingredients used and the combination of food served (van der Plas et al., 2021). For example, while wheat products feature in many East African cuisines, it seldom appears in West African cuisines. These differences exist under the wider conception of African cuisines and they play an important role in determining how tourists have their unique travel experiences on the continent.

Asian Cuisines

Similar to African cuisines, Asian cuisines also differ in terms of the varied regions making up the continent. For example, there are differences in East, South, Southeast, Central, and West Asian cuisines based on variations in ingredients and food preparation activities used. Ingredients used in East and Southeast Asia largely come from Chinese influences on local cooking habits (Stevens et al., 2016). Nonetheless, rice emerges as a common type of food in many Asian cuisines, while the use of heavy spices is more commonly practiced in Indian cuisines.

European Cuisines

European cuisines refer to foods that are associated with many European countries including western countries of the world (Foley, Gunson, and Baumann, 2020). The ingredients and food preparation activities associated with European cuisines are often non-indigenous to the people, of Oceania, North America, Latin America, and Australasia. European cuisine enthusiasts love foods that are rich in beef, potatoes, sausages, and beef (Lindblom and Mustonen, 2019).

Oceania Cuisines

Cuisines associated with Oceania countries are typically linked with those of Australia and New Zealand (Fusté-Forné, 2020). Native aboriginals living in the above-mentioned nations originally prepared Oceania foods and they included bush food and some European-influenced dishes (Fusté-Forné, 2020). These cuisines differ in ingredients based on the availability of food and abundance of certain animal species in specific regions. For example, fish is a common delicacy in South Pacific Islands because of the abundance of this animal species due to its close proximity to ocean waters (Fusté-Forné, 2020). Although these foods vary across regions, the Oceania cuisine seems to contain fewer variations than the African and Asian cuisines.

Cuisines of the Americas

The cuisines of the Americas vary across different regions of the North and South Continents. These types of foods are predominantly occupied by the influences of people who came to the Americas from their primary countries of origin (Matta, 2021). Originally, most of these people came from Europe, but over the years, their influences have been diffused by local cultures – some of them multi-ethnic (Nakamura et al., 2019). Most of the ingredients used to prepare these foods come from maize, beans, and potatoes. However, different regions have varying cuisines with the most common ones being the Mexican, North American, Central, and South American cuisines.

Food and Cultural Appeal

The cultural appeal of a country or destination is a key driver of tourism products. Food plays a critical role in shaping this appeal because it helps to explain people’s history and culture (Bakir et al., 2017). Research studies have pointed out that people’s food helps to explain stories about warmth and embrace within the family unit or a social group (Liew, Hussin, and Abdullah, 2021). For example, in some cultures, food was instrumental in bringing the people together and it was associated with feelings of gratefulness, fondness, and joy (Liew, Hussin, and Abdullah, 2021).

Therefore, it holds strong value to people’s identity because it helps them to explain to others who they are. On a macro scale, food acts as a tool of cultural identity, which is passed down from one generation to another (Lee, 2021). This value ties to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, which highlights the role that it plays in promoting a sense of pride and cultural awareness among groups of people.

To demonstrate the importance of food in understanding people’s cultural experiences, the link between food tourism and anthropology has to be mentioned. Indeed, as seen through the works of Wang, Yang, and Li (2021), archeologists have been looking for evidence to explain how our ancestors lived and worked by investigating the kind of foods they used to eat. This type of information helps them to understand the economic practices people used to engage in to get food and how the level of technological sophistication that was available to them, at the time, helped to process it (Schrock et al., 2019). Therefore, food anthropology emerges as a sub-discipline in the larger body of knowledge characterizing the field of anthropology.

The insights highlighted above show that food not only satisfies people’s physiological needs but also acts as a medium of communication across families and within communities. The sophistication of food tourism has permeated people’s attitudes, beliefs, and practices to incorporate varied ethnic and cultural dimensions. Therefore, it is difficult for travelers to study a country and develop a comprehensive ethnographic understanding of its people if the role of food across all levels of community leadership is ignored.

Summary

The findings highlighted in this literature review highlight different classifications of cuisines and explain how they have affected people’s travel experiences. Particularly, insights that explain the relationship between food and culture highlight the extent that which nutrition is ingrained into people’s cultural experiences and sense of identity. The relationship highlights why food tourism influences travel patterns across the tourism industry.

The growing importance of food in enriching people’s travel experiences, especially among young travelers, highlights the importance of understanding the impact of cuisines on the tourism industry. However, there is a gap in the literature, which is denoted by the lack of research on the impact that Chinese cuisines may have on the travel industry given the growing importance of Chinese tourists as a subset of the world’s travel market. Then current research aims to fill this gap by understanding the impact of Chinese cuisines on the global tourism market.

Methodology

Introduction

This chapter outlines the techniques used by the researcher to answer the study questions. The main items described in the investigation related to the approach, design, strategies, and techniques selected by the researcher to obtain and analyze data. Information relating to the ethics of the study and its limitations are also addressed.

Research Philosophy

The philosophy underpinning a study is important in understanding a researcher’s beliefs regarding various aspects of data collection and analysis. The positivism research philosophy was the main selection for the study because it was dependent on empirical evidence to make conclusions about the study (Bazeley, 2017). In this framework, the role of the researcher is limited to making factual assessments of the data objectively.

Research Approach

The researcher used the mixed methods approach as the main framework for carrying out the investigation. This technique works by integrating qualitative and quantitative aspects of data into a research process (Kumar, 2018). Therefore, it provides a hybrid analysis of research issues based on the strength of evidence collected.

Data Collection

The researcher collected data using questionnaires that were administered to Chinese travelers. The survey questionnaires were administered to the respondents virtually to transcend geographical limitations that would have made it difficult to carry out the investigation physically. The survey questionnaires were adapted from the work of Zhang, Chen, and Hu (2019), which sampled the views of research respondents regarding their food and tourism experiences. The questionnaire was divided into two parts with the first one sampling demographic details, including age, gender, and education qualifications, while the second part sought to find out the respondents’ views regarding food authenticity, customer loyalty, and the physical environment (see the appendix section).

Research Participants

The researcher interviewed 50 respondents who gave their views regarding the influence of Chinese cuisines on their travel experiences. The participants were recruited through travel websites and social media pages frequented by Chinese tourists. Their demographic profiles were captured in the first part of the questionnaire, which sought to find out their ages, gender, and education qualifications.

Sampling Strategy

The researcher sampled the informants, who were Chinese citizens, living in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. They were recruited using a simple random sampling technique, which gives researchers an equal participant taking part in a study (Kim et al., 2018). This sampling method helped to minimize bias in recruiting respondents, which makes it easier to generalize the findings across a large population of Chinese travelers.

Data Analysis

The findings of the study were analyzed using the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS) technique – version 24. This application has been extensively used in social research and praised for its competencies in analyzing large volumes of information (Guo and Hou, 2021; van Wingerde and van Ginkel, 2021).

Research Ethics

Consent

The participants who took part in the investigation did so voluntarily – meaning that they were not coerced or incentivized to take part in the study. This plan was aimed at safeguarding the integrity of information obtained because it is important for respondents to give their views in an environment where they feel free to do so (Braun, Ravn, and Frankus, 2020). Therefore, all the respondents who took part in the study did so voluntarily.

Anonymity and Confidentiality

The views presented in this report were delinked from the identities of the participants who took part in the investigation. Therefore, the names of the informants were not published in the findings. The aim of doing so was to protect them from any implications of giving their views in the study. This strategy aligns with the views of Davies (2020) who emphasizes the importance of researchers to protect the identity of respondents, especially in primary research investigations. Therefore, the researcher presented the views obtained from the study anonymously and maintained confidentiality through the data analysis and presentation phases.

Reliability and Validity of Findings

Before the questionnaires were administered to the respondents, they were subjected to a pilot study to understand their efficacy in data collection. This study involved 10 people and their feedback during data collection was useful in evaluating the wording and layout of the survey questionnaire. The pilot study findings caused significant changes in the wording of the questionnaires but did not raise significant reliability or validity issues in the course of its implementation.

Findings and Discussions

Introduction

This chapter highlights the findings of the research investigation based on the implementation of research techniques highlighted in chapter 3 above. To recap, the researcher collected information from respondents using the questionnaire survey technique, which captured their demographic details and views regarding the research topic. The findings are highlighted below.

Demographic Findings

The first part of the questionnaire sought to find out the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Key demographic characteristics sampled in this part of the investigation included gender, age, and education qualifications.

Gender Findings

According to table 4.1 below, most of the participants who took part in the investigation were female travelers. They represented 52% of the total sample of people who participated in the study, while their male counterparts accounted for 48% of the same sample.

Table 4.1 Gender findings (Source: Developed by Author).

The higher percentage of female respondents who took part in the study could be due to the high number of female travelers compared to male travelers that are explained by Bozzi (2020) in her gender analysis of global travelers.

Age Findings

Table 4.2 below shows that most of the participants who took part in the study were aged 55 years or older. The smallest percentage of informants was made up of those below 45 years.

Table 4.2 Age findings (Source: Developed by Author).

The age disparities highlighted above could be due to the high number of older travelers who can afford to travel compared to their younger counterparts (Boonsiritomachai and Phonthanukitithaworn, 2019). Stated differently, older persons have accumulated financial resources to travel compared to their younger counterparts.

Education Qualification Findings

Table 4.3 below shows the distribution of respondents according to their educational qualifications. The largest percentage of participants was made up of those who had a diploma certificate and they represented 48% of the total population.

Table 4.3 Education Qualifications (Source: Developed by Author).

Descriptive Statistics Findings

There were 14 statements posed to the respondents to describe the impact that their experiences about the authenticity of Chinese food and physical spaces from which to consume food affected their travel behaviors. The discussion also sought to sample their opinions regarding the effect that Chinese cuisines would have on their loyalty to travel destinations. The findings are highlighted in Table 4.4 below

Table 4.4 Descriptive Statistics (Source: Developed by Author).

According to the statistics highlighted above, most of the respondents either “strongly agreed,” “agreed.” or were nonchalant about the impact that Chinese cuisines would have on their travel behaviors. The most neutral force was observed in discussions that investigated the relationship between Chinese cuisines on customer loyalty because the mean was 3. The impact of physical spacing and design on travel behavior was stronger because the average mean was 1.8, signifying a favorable response to the statements posed to the respondents.

The findings also showed that the authenticity of Chinese food affected their travel behaviors because the mean for the first four statements was less than two – signifying favorability of views. Collectively, these findings show that hypotheses 1, 2, and 3 were affirmed by the findings.

Summary

Affirming the hypotheses that guided this study helps to show consistency between the current findings and those of other researchers who have investigated the same research phenomenon. Particularly, the findings highlighted in this paper seem to affirm those of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, which places people’s travel experiences at the top of the priority list of needs. This is why food tourism should be a top concern for hotels and tourism establishments because it enriches people’s travel experiences. Coupled with the history and culture that follows it, food tourism emerges as a significant force affecting the tourism industry.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Conclusion

At the onset of this study, the importance of understanding the needs of Chinese travelers, as a subsection of global travelers, was highlighted. The goal was to understand the impact that Chinese cuisines would have on the tourism industry by investigating their impact on people’s travel behaviors. Three main research objectives guided the study and they were centered on investigating the impact of Chinese cuisines on travel behavior based on an evaluation of authenticity, physical design space, and customer loyalty standards.

Drawing from evidence gathered from Chinese travelers, this study affirms the first, second, and third hypotheses because food authenticity, physical space designs of restaurants, and customer loyalty standards shared a positive relationship with Chinese cuisines. This finding means that Chinese cuisines have a significant impact on the tourism industry based on their influence on travel behaviors.

Recommendations

The findings of this investigation highlight the importance of Chinese cuisines in influencing the travel experiences of the informants sampled. This finding means that marketers need to pay attention to food tourism as an important part of their travel product experiences. Particularly, they need to pay attention to perfecting or making available Chinese cuisines in their restaurants because it increases the likelihood of meeting the needs of this growing customer group. Making modifications to the physical spaces of the restaurants should also play a critical role in enriching the travel experiences of Chinese travelers because it completes the dining experiences of the travelers whether they are in China or out of the country. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the holistic understanding of people’s travel experiences if positive travel behaviors are to be realized.

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Appendix

Questionnaire

Topic: A Critical Analysis of the Impact of Chinese Cuisine on Tourism

Industry and Consumers

Please tick (✔) the box that best describes you

Part A

Part B

In this section, we would like you to answer some questions about the impact that Chinese cuisines have had on your tourism experiences. Please think about the effect that the cuisines would have on you travel behaviors and circle the number that best describes your reactions.

Thank you for participating in the study!

*End*.

A brief overview of Friday Harbour

Offering lake views, Friday Harbour Apartment is located in Shanty Bay. There is a restaurant on the territory of Friday Harbor, and each apartment is equipped with free Wi-Fi. Friday Harbour is designed to improve and protect the quality of the water in the marina basin. The hotel’s site is famous for hiking, skiing, and cycling. The pool was designed and built with unique plantings of native aquatic plants and habitats to improve the fish habitat. The hotel has a gym, swimming pool, and tennis court, offering diverse amenities: badminton, golf, bike rentals, etc. The on-site restaurant serves a variety of cuisine at the request of the guest.

What do they offer?

The apartment has two rooms and a satellite TV. There is also an equipped kitchen, a washing machine, and two bathrooms. There is a unique playground for children at Friday Harbour. Toronto Pearson International Airport is 79 km away.

Who does it target?

The primary audience of the apartment is aimed at both young and active companies and calm couples. This is since the activity of the condo offers different activities that will please every person. They are also aimed at people who care about the environment.

How are they different?

There is a beach club on the territory of the apartment, where each visitor is provided with food under preference. For boat trips on the lake, the resort offers boat and boat rental. Couples can devote time to each other while their children are busy with the proposed animation. For lovers of outdoor activities, the Friday Harbour has golf courses where competitions and events are held.

Unique offerings

The apartment also offers private events, which sets it apart from many other resorts. The scope of the event includes a menu based on the guest’s personal preferences, decor, and various entertainment options. For each season of the year, Friday Harbour offers its activities. Thus, in the summer, guests can take part in beach volleyball and boarding. The distinguishing feature of this place is that they provide long-term accommodation. Therefore, the maximum residence time in a resort is ten months.

Prices

The development is scheduled for completion in 2022. Available units range in price from $744,900 to over $2,093,900 (Friday Harbour Resort, 2021). Friday Harbour unit sizes range from 780 to 3277 square feet.

Estimates

To increase in Friday Harbour, it is necessary to conduct in-depth research that concerns the survey of customer preferences. This will help narrow down the problem and develop solutions. Thus, the answers can be the dissemination of information in various social networks. Moreover, offers of promotions and discounts are needed. In this case, the flow of customers will become more expansive. Often, choosing a hotel for their stay is guided not only by the website and some promotional materials but also by third-party reviews from guests. Reviews are a valuable source of information that not only “exposes” the weak points of a hotel but is also an effective tool for improving its reputation. It is also necessary to attract highly qualified personnel. This can be done by providing working conditions such as a well-paid job and a system of incentives.

Conclusion

Thus, the proposed solutions include the conditions for providing competent customer service and the working conditions for employees. The further development of the Friday Harbor hotel business depends entirely on the consideration of the proposed solutions. To attract customers, it is necessary to follow it is essential to consider the proposed solutions and the possibility of new difficulties.

Reference

Friday Harbour Resort. (2021). Web.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains, east of El Paso, Texas. It was established in 1972 with an area of almost 350 kilometers. The Park is well-known for its relict mountaintop forests and riparian woodlands. The Guadalupe Mountains also have a variety of animals and plants, such as elk, American black bear, pinyon pine and velvet ash. Due to the hot climate of the region, there are frequently natural hot fires (National Park, n.d.). This reduces the size of the woodlands of the park, as the land is diminishing. Yet nowadays, there are fewer natural wildfires, while human-made wildfires are rare.

I visited the Guadalupe Mountains when I was little and found it exists due to its biodiversity. It was also the first time when I saw a gray fox and this was an amazing experience. I think that the major ecological advantage of the park is its mountains that ensure biological diversity. Moreover, it contains the highest point in Texas, which is Guadalupe Peak. Along with its nature, the park provides economic advantages to the region due to the number of visitors and its store, which is quite popular. There are almost 180 thousand visitors each year contributing to the state’s economy (National Park, n.d.). Regarding recreation, the park is spending its funding on managing wildfires and preserving its ecosystem. Although there is little information on what specifically the park is doing, it is evident that the workers control human-caused fires.

References

National Park. (n.d.). Fire Regime – Guadalupe Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service). Web.