Bali Travel Package Advertisements: The Analysis of Verbal and Visual Signs

Advertisement is "an announcement or news online, or in a newspaper, on television, or on a poster about something such as a product, event, or job to persuade and encourage people to be interested in the goods or services offered". Verbal and nonverbal are communication tools that humans use to interact, whether it's through messages, sounds, pictures, and gestures. . This study aims to analyse the verbal and non-verbal signs used in travel advertisements and to find out the meaning of those signs. Travel advertisements aim to promote tourist attractions or destinations to tourists who are going to make a trip to Bali. The data were taken from several travel websites. The data were collected by observation method and then analysed by descriptive qualitative method. The analysis started by analysing the verbal and non-verbal signs based on the theory of semiotic by Saussure (1893). The analysis of the meaning of the verbal and non-verbal signs was done by using the theory of meaning proposed by Barthes (1977). And the analysis of colors was done by using the theory of color term proposed by Wierzbicka (1996). The result of the research shows that travel advertisements provide information for readers or tourists who are going to travel in Bali about interesting places to visit, such as romantic spots for dinner or honeymoon and natural view for the ones who love nature and adventure. The colors displayed in the advertisement express the atmosphere that will be obtained by readers or tourists. The advertisements promote Bali as wonderful place to visit and travel package offers which interesting and affordable.

Understanding Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Access Backpackers’ Intention in Self-Service Travel Websites

By using Web 2.0, backpackers can easily collect travel information and plan their trips. In this study, the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model were integrated with interpersonal influence, electronic word-of-mouth, flexibility, personal innovativeness, and critical mass to measure their effects on behavioral intentions toward self-service travel. A sample of 284 questionnaires was collected via an online survey. The results indicated that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control had significant effects on backpackers’ behavioral intentions. In addition, the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and flexibility of travel websites had significant effects on attitudes toward a given behavior. Moreover, the effects of electronic word-of-mouth, critical mass, and interpersonal influence on subjective norms, and those of self-efficacy and facilitating conditions on perceived behavioral control were significant. Based on these empirical results, theoretical and practical implications for promoting self-service travel websites are proposed.

Using text mining to track changes in travel destination image: the case of Macau

PurposeTravel websites allow tourists to share their thoughts, beliefs and experiences regarding various travel destinations. In this paper, the researchers demonstrated an approach for destination marketing organisations to explore online tourist-generated content and understand tourists' perceptions of the destination image (DI). Specifically, the researchers initiated an investigation examining how the destination image of Macau changed during the period of 2014–2018 based on user-generated content on travel websites.Design/methodology/approachWeb crawlers developed by Python were employed to collect tourists' reviews from both Ctrip and TripAdvisor regarding the theme of “Macau attraction”. A total of 51,191 reviews (41,352 from Ctrip and 9,839 from TripAdvisor) were collected and analysed using the text-mining technique.FindingsThe results reveal that the frequency of casino-related words decreased in reviews by both international and mainland Chinese tourists. Additionally, international and mainland Chinese tourists perceive the DI of Macau differently. Mainland Chinese tourists are more sensitive to new attractions, while international tourists are not. The study also shows that there are differences between the government-projected DI and the tourist-perceived DI. Only the “City of Culture” and “A World Centre of Tourism and Leisure” have built recognition with tourists.Originality/valueGiven the easy accessibility of online information from various sources, it is important for destination marketing organisations to analyse and monitor different DI perspectives and adjust their branding strategies for greater effectiveness. This study uncovered the online DI of Macau by using text mining and content analysis of two of the largest travel websites. By analysing and comparing the differences and relationships among the frequently used words of tourist-generated content on these websites, the researchers revealed some interesting findings with important marketing implications.

Older Travelers’ E-Loyalty: The Roles of Service Convenience and Social Presence in Travel Websites

The research aims to examine what service convenience factors drive customer satisfaction in travel websites from the perspective of older travelers, and if older travelers’ satisfaction enhances e-loyalty. Additionally, drawing on socioemotional selectivity theory, this study argues that the social presence in travel websites plays a significant moderating role in increasing older travelers’ satisfaction. To empirically verify the conceptual model, an online survey was conducted targeting older travelers aged over 50 in the USA who have purchased products via travel websites. The data from 308 older travelers were analyzed, and the results revealed four dimensions of service convenience positively influence satisfaction. Unexpectedly, access convenience and transaction convenience do not influence older travelers’ satisfaction. The older travelers’ satisfaction with travel websites has a positive impact on e-loyalty. Additionally, social presence amplifies the effect of post-purchase convenience on satisfaction. The current research makes a significant contribution to understanding older travelers’ perceptions and behaviors for using e-commerce service in the field of tourism and provides practitioners with effective ways to attract older travelers for sustainable management of travel websites.