An Empirical Analysis of Perceived Importance Attached to Destination Attributes of Chinese Tourists' Visiting in India

This study attempts to explore the tourists' satisfaction within a tourism context, specifically with reference to the destination-based attributes. The study was conducted in India with a sample of Chinese tourists. Gathering data was analyzed by using t-tests. The research findings indicated that the dimension of accommodation services was the strongest predictor of the Chinese tourists' satisfaction, followed by incoming travel agency services and facilities in India. The dimension of accommodation services also was the strongest predictor of the female tourists' overall holiday satisfaction, followed by destination facilities and incoming travel agency services. Moreover, the mean scores of all the items within the main dimensions were above the neutral point. These results revealed that both male and female tourists were generally satisfied with their holiday in India.

Culture and Authenticity Denominations in Bengali-Themed Restaurants

With contemporary consumer sampling diverse fragmented artefacts, mediating authenticity to such multifaceted and paradoxical identity is a growing challenge for the market. Focusing on Bengali-Themed Restaurants (BTRs), an exploratory study attempts to elicit the different versions in which cultural authenticity is crafted and refined by the market to cater the fluidity in modern identity. Based on purposive sampling, fifteen Bengali themed restaurants were shortlisted in the Indian metropolitan city Kolkata where occasion based visits were made across a period of two years (2012-14). A combination of participant observation and in-depth interview was employed in the study. The study gave rise to the concept of ‘market mediated authenticity' which describes the role market is able to influence objective or pseudo forms of authenticity. The study identified the emergence of BTRs with conservative consumption context by endorsing core traditional values and freezing the employed cultural practices; staged culture as a socially constructed and negotiable phenomenon by loading local culinary with new representations of time and place and existential authenticity depicting an extensive commercialized foothold in defining culinary culture. Market plays an intervening role in characterizing authenticity and procreating its multiple forms. Authenticity can be interpreted in terms of the market negotiation between multiple global and local cultural forces.

An Analysis of Development of Domestic and Inbound Tourism in Russia

One of the most promising sectors in the global economy is Tourism, yet in Russia, the sector's potential is far from fulfilled. Tourism should be at the heart of the core priority areas of Russia's economic development, particularly true in view of the current economic slump. Russia has no shortage of regions with visibly high potential for developing tourism, yet there are a number of problems, characteristic of Russia, which impede its progress: malnourished tourism coupled with an unsophisticated infrastructure, a shortage of personnel, weak marketing, a gloomy business climate, and a lack of adequate regulatory frameworks. Be this as it may, the slump, rather than being a hindrance, should be considered a fresh opportunity for the Russian tourism sector. Russia has been ranked 45th in the latest edition of the biennial Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, improving its performance by 18 points from its 2013 ranking of 63rd. The ranking, which includes 141 countries, is compiled by the World Economic Forum and Strategy Partners Group every two years, and assesses “the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable development of the Travel and Tourism (T&T) sector, which in turn, contributes to the development and competitiveness of a country.” In 2013, the WEF cited hefty prices as one of the main disadvantages of the Russian tourist market. The availability of natural and cultural heritage sites has ensured additional points for Russia in the overall ranking; in these areas the country ranked 34th and 21st, respectively. Tours to Russia have become more affordable following the recent devaluation of the ruble – the value of the national currency against the U.S. dollar has fallen by 44 percent since May 2014. As a result, accommodation in hotels has become markedly cheaper. In addition, the consultants noted an improvement in air links (22nd). The present research is an attempt to analyze the development of domestic and inbound tourism in Russian Federation.

Tourism Destination Competitiveness of India and China

China and India are the two world's most populous Asian countries. Together they constitute about 40% of the total global population. Both the Asian countries have remarkable similarities. India and China boast of having a very ancient and rich civilization and they have a strong and growing economy. For developing countries like India and China tourism presents a wonderful opportunity to earn much needed foreign exchange. Compared to China, the ancient and unique Indian culture is still very much alive. In spite of all these attractions and ethnic charm, tourism industry in India is still underdeveloped in contrast to many other neighboring countries. Tourism in India is still in a stage of infancy. China has emerged much ahead of India in terms of tourist arrivals. China has been successfully tapping its rich tourism potential. China is the 3rd most frequented country of the world after France and U.S.A. This paper has tried to explore the reasons of tourists' preference of China over India by taking into cognizance varied experiences and perceptions of tourists in both the countries and comparing them. A total number of 180 comments of 60 foreign travelers who visited China and India respectively and posted comments on www.virtualtourist.com were studied. It emerged from the study that India and China both the countries thrive on culture and history. People are intrigued by Indian and Chinese philosophies. Although the flying distance between the two countries is no more than eight hours, foreign tourists prefer to visit China over India as India carries a negative image among foreign tourists in terms of hygiene, safety, and infrastructure.

Tourism Company's Values Profiles

This paper presents the results of research into the values which are adhered to a Russian tour operator and the employees' personal business values. The empirical data of this research includes the company's internal documents, four in-depth interviews with senior management employees, and a survey of 98 employees. The value profiles of the organization and its employees were identified, as well as the areas in which they converged and diverged. This research shed some light on those values which are characteristic of a tourism organization, and attempted to fill the gap in the extant knowledge on this topic in the academic literature.

Gap Analysis

Employees have their own perceptions or attitudes about many aspects of work itself, and their own satisfaction with job or non-work-related attributes. Job satisfaction has been widely studied by many researchers and practitioners. This study surveys selected work-related attributes to help hoteliers improve work environments. This study initially identifies the level of importance on work-related attributes and the level of satisfaction with those attributes among hotel workers. Whether differences exist between the levels of importance of work-related attributes and satisfaction with those attributes is also explored. The purpose of this study is to identify how hotel workers perceive their work environments and identify areas that need more attention from hotel managers. Based on the purpose of this study, work-related attributes are measured according to the level of importance and the level of satisfaction. The study indicates that hotel workers consider their work environments, in terms of who they work with; to be well provided; however, work-related expectation, in terms of what they receive for their work, has not met their expectations. This study finds supervisor's friendlessness, job security, and pay are top three most important.

Investigating Idiosyncratic Deals in the Indian Hospitality Industry

This paper, utilising the social exchange theory, examines the relationship between before hiring negotiation (ex-ante) and after hiring negotiation (ex-post), idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) and employee reactions (i.e., motivation, commitment, work engagement and organisational citizenship behaviour). I-deals refer to voluntary, personalized agreements of a nonstandard nature negotiated between individual employees and their employers regarding terms that benefit each party. The hypotheses of the study were tested applying structural equation modelling on data collected from 275 employees working in 39 companies operating in the Indian hospitality industry. The findings show that although ex-ante and ex-post negotiations are interrelated, the negotiating special terms and conditions at the time of hire are less common than negotiating these terms and conditions while on job. Additionally, the findings indicate that ex-ante negotiation relates positively and more strongly to flexibility i-deals than to task and career i-deals, whilst ex-post negotiation relates positively but more strongly to career i-deals that to task and flexibility i-deals. The analysis also confirms the positive but differential effects of task, career and flexibility i-deals on employee reactions. Implications of the findings for both research and practice are discussed.

The Medical Tourism Industry in the BRIC Nations

Despite BRIC's roaring economic growth over the past decade, and its citizens' growing belief that it is finally ready to join the league of global superpowers by the end of 2020. With the progress of the IT revolution, advances in transportation and communication technology, the evolution of financial techniques, and the easing of restrictions on trade and investment, there has been a geometric increase in the international movement of people, products, money and information in the BRIC nations. The economic dynamism has led the emerging economies (BRIC countries) to diversify their business activities from a global perspective, and attempt to create optimal global value chains. Demand for tourism in Brazil, Russia, India and China is expected to grow in tandem with rapid economic growth. These nations are rich in natural and manmade resources and should cope quite well and have tremendous opportunities for the growth of tourism especially medical tourism between these nations. This chapter will explore BRIC member countries, on how they can cooperate to further promote the BRIC Vision and establish a viable healthcare initiative focusing on Indian medical tourism that will serve as a blueprint and model for other economies.

The Travel Trade Business in Garhwal Himalaya of India

The changing travel attitude of globetrotters and their travel demand amid diverse, fragmented travel trade businesses is shaping each approach towards the business dramatically. Entrepreneurs of the trade are undoubtedly facing a different wind of change in every now and then. The Himalayan state of Uttarakhand is no different from the rest. Entrepreneurs of the state are grappling for their survival amid the cut throat competition and unpredictable environment. The deductive findings of this piece of research address challenges and opportunities confronted by travel trade entrepreneurs of Garhwal region of the state Uttarakhand. The thrust area of the discussion has also brought forth the policy related issues into the discourse.

Film Tourism and Desire to Travel

Academic research on film tourism has been around since the early 1990s, but the popularity and extensiveness of research in this area has increased in recent years (Hahm, Upchurch & Wang, 2008; Beeton, 2010), with a number of studies examining the increase of visitor numbers to film locations (Beeton, 2005; Busby, Brunt, & Lund, 2003; Cousins & Anderek, 1993; Croy & Walker, 2003; Gundle, 2002; Kim & Richardson, 2003; Riley, Baker, & Van Doren, 1998; Riley & Van Doren, 1992; Schofield, 1996; Tooke & Baker, 1996; Di Cesare et al., 2009). Similarly, the impact of films on people's image formation has been widely acknowledged in the literature (Butler, 1990; Gartner, 1993; Iwashita, 2003). Films are not generally produced with the intent to attract tourists to a destination, but tend to influence viewers indirectly as a background part of the movie's message (Butler, 1990; Hudson & Ritchie, 2006). This is because they can present millions of viewers with substantial information about a destination, create a first-time image, or alter an existing image in a relatively short period of time (Hahm et al., 2008). Thus, this study makes a modest attempt in the direction of identifying the relationship between film tourism and tourist's desire to travel, which is a cross national comparison between India and China.