The Use of Social Media as a Marketing Tool by Tourist Attractions: Influence on Cognitive, Affective and Behavioural Consumer Attitudes

Social media has an enormous influence on the manner in which people look for and distribute data, and select a tourist destination. Hence, research was undertaken to ascertain the role of social media as a communication and marketing tool for Cape Town tourist attractions (Cape Point, Groot Constantia Wine Estate, V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain Aerial Cable Way and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens) via the analysis of tourists’ cognitive, affective and behavioural attitudinal responses. The results revealed that tourists displayed positive cognitive/affective and affective/behavioural attitude associations towards social media usage by the Cape Town tourist attractions. Several demographic and usage characteristics resulted in significant positive attitudes regarding Cape Town tourist attraction social media sites, viz. South African and African tourists; mobile device access; new social media users; daily log-ons; Black, Indian and Coloured tourists; and tourists who used the local Rand currency. The findings could be used by Cape Town tourist attractions to improve their social media platforms, and thereby the effectiveness as a marketing tool. The study makes an original contribution since few tourism-related studies investigated the hierarchy of effects model in terms of social media and most previous research only considered usage and demographic characteristics as descriptive measures.

AERIAL ROPEWAY SYSTEM- FEASIBILITY STUDY IN DOHA, QATAR

Aerial ropeway systems, also called gondolas and aerial cable cars, are amongst driverless transportation modes, which are progressively drawing the attention in promoting tourism. Aerial ropeway systems have been operated in touristic spots e.g., over lakes, rivers, and hilly lands in several countries. Passengers can enjoy a view from the above and experience a stress-free and reliable trip. Furthermore, those systems can be exploited as a public transportation in urbanized and populated regions. The objective of this article is to investigate the viability of implementing a gondola line flying over Doha Bay in Qatar as a tourist attraction from the marketing, economic, and environmental point of view. In this study, the associated costs (capital, maintenance, and operating) of implementing a monocable detachable gondola technology(MDG) are estimated using international best practices in the world. The economic analysis outcome demonstrates that the revenues generated from the fares could counterweigh the required capital investment as well as operating and maintenance costs and hence the proposed gondola could be economically attractive for investors. Moreover, no significant negative impacts and footprint on the environment are anticipated at the exploitation phase of the gondola.

Transportasi Aerial Cable Car dalam Pengembangan Wisata Tepian Pantai dan Konsep Integrasi Antarmoda di Kota Makassar

Aerial cable car merupakan moda transportasi yang belum dikenal luas di Indonesia namun sudah sangat populer di negara-negara maju dalam menunjang sektor wisata, pelayanan kawasan khusus, dan transportasi umum. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji konsep perencanaan rute cable car dan integrasinya dengan moda lainnya serta menghasilkan arahan untuk implementasinya di Kota Makassar. Penelitian ini dilakukan selama kurang lebih 6 bulan, mulai dari Bulan Januari sampai dengan Juni 2019. Metode yang digunakan adalah kajian literatur, studi banding, survei lapangan, analisis spasial dan jaringan dengan menggunakan data kuantitatif dan kualitatif, serta pendekatan konsep secara pemetaan (mapping), ilustratif dan deskriptif. Penelitian ini mengangkat Kawasan Pusat Kota Makassar yang terletak di tepian pantai sebagai prioritas implementasi pembangunan cable car karena memiliki potensi pasar wisata yang besar, pusat tarikan perdagangan dan komersial yang sangat kuat, dan area dengan tingkat kemacetan lalu lintas yang tinggi. Dari analisis dihasilkan empat rute cable car yang potensial: satu rute yang lurus mengikuti jalan tepian pantai yang akan menghasilkan pemandangan yang sangat indah ke arah laut lepas dan ke arah permukiman kota yang sangat padat, terlihat oleh mata penumpang dari belakang jendela kabin cable car; satu rute lainnya menghubungkan dua pusat perbelanjaan besar di kawasan tersebut; dan dua rute lainnya membawa para turis ke dua pulau wisata terdekat. Dari analisis juga dihasilkan sembilan stasiun potensial serta konsep integrasi antara moda cable car dengan moda lainnya, bangunan dan lansekap. Penelitian ini merekomendasikan peningkatan kualitas pelayanan Bus Transmamminasata dan penataan jalur sirkulasi seluruh moda yang lebih baik disetiap stasiun cable car. Hal ini untuk mengantisipasi peningkatan mobilitas yang dihasilkan dari implementasi cable car dan untuk mencapai tingkat pelayanan transportasi kota yang optimal, layaknya sebuah Kota Dunia.