Electronic Games as a Touristic Promotional Tool

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in 2017 tourism had the greatest international growth in seven years, and in 2018, international tourism grew 5% reaching the mark of 1.4 billion, a figure reached two years earlier than predicted. At the same time, in the last 40 years, the video game industry has grown steadily, with games beginning to be seen as one of the primary sources of entertainment. However, there are still few studies analyzing the impact of advertising tourist destinations on digital platforms such as video games. The use of video games in the tourist context may be an inspirational tool, supporting the development of new advertising strategies for tourism marketing. Although the connection between tourism and cinema is widely documented, little research has demonstrated a credible correlation between video games and tourists' attitude towards destinations.

Operant Resources of Young Independent Travelers

In this chapter, the construct of operant resource is explored in the context of young independent travel. The main purposes of the study are to analyze young travelers' perceptions about independent travel and operant resources that contribute the most to its success. A qualitative design was adopted, given the explorative nature of the research. Online semi-structured interviews were conducted to a sample of young travelers, using the snowball sampling procedure. Qualitative data analysis was conducted subsequently and main findings indicate that freedom, being in control, and authenticity are predominant feelings within this sample. They also show that most valued operant resources in the context of independent travel are informational and human. Conclusions drawn contribute to a better understanding of independent travel by youths and may help tourism businesses and destinations to strategically approach this market segment.

Experience Economy Domains in Tourism

The experience economy captivated the attention of academia and industry managers regarding how to engage and create memorable experiences for customers. The extensive literature developments in recent decades reinforced the need for a timely review of how the main concepts of the experiential marketing construct apply to the tourism industry. This study presents a narrative literature review to provide an overview in an attempt to find common ground, identify potential gaps, and provide suggestions for academia and tourism managers. The chapter provides value by discussing the key topics within marketing and tourism.

Residents' Perception and Their Support for Tourism Development

The purpose of this study is to examine residents' support for tourism development in South Korea by the lens of social exchange theory and theory of reasoned. Random sampling strategy was used to collect South Koreans residents' opinions about the perceived impacts of tourism and their level of support for tourism development. Data were collected online using a questionnaire a link was sent to residents in South Korean through several social media platforms, and 693 respondents answered the questionnaire. By using regression analysis, the findings showed that residents who perceive positive impacts of tourism more than negative impacts are more likely to support tourism, while those who perceive more negative impacts of tourism are less likely to support tourism. Both personal economic benefits and community attachment were found to be important determinants of residents' perception and support toward tourism. Both theoretical and managerial implications are discussed, as well as the limitations and recommendations for future studies.

Residents' Subjective Well-Being and Support for Tourism Development

This study aims to identify the factors that influence subjective well-being and their support for tourism development. The questionnaire was first designed and distributed online to residents in Alxa. Data were analysed, and the results indicated that positive economic impacts, positive socio-cultural impacts, and positive environmental impacts influence subjective well-being. Residents' perceived negative economic impacts and negative environmental impacts influence negatively their subjective well-being. Also, positive environmental impacts of the tourism development are the most significant factor that affects residents' subjective well-being. Furthermore, subjective well-being was also found to positively influence residents' support for the tourism development in Alxa. Ultimately, based on the findings, this study proposed and discuss both theoretical and managerial implications, as well as the limitations and directions of further studies.

Gentrifiers Against Gentrification

This chapter presents a case-study of tourism gentrification in a fishing town in Algarve, South Portugal. Olhão is a former industrial city that saw much of its fishing industry disappear since the 1980s. Over the last few years, hundreds of foreigners have moved into its historic centre. This rapid influx of citizens to derelict neighbours mostly comprised of old retirees and few active fishermen prompted a gentrification process. Olhão now faces the threat of mass displacements of its older and most vulnerable citizens, a fact that is worrying the foreigners that criticize the touristification of the city, with rents at historical highs and landlords forcing out the Portuguese residents in order to promote short-term rentals to tourists. The chapter presents the results obtained from an extensive mixed-methods research, ending with some notes about the future of the city and the implications that can be taken from this case.

Tourism and Sex Outside the “Sex Tourism Paradigm”

The relationship between tourism and sex has been intensively explored over the past decades. The great majority of the studies examining this relationship focus disproportionately on commercial sex tourism as if all the sexual encounters in tourism context are related to prostitution, commercialization, trafficking, inequalities, and disrespect for the human rights. Despite these contributions, the purpose of this chapter is to show that most of the romantic and sexual encounters that occur in a tourism setting are positive, gratifying, and nonpecuniary. Therefore, these relationships should be analyzed outside “sex tourism paradigm.” Results from 29 in-depth interviews with tourists in the Algarve (South Portugal) confirm the strong relationship between holidays and romantic and sexual behaviors, due to the liminal nature of tourism. In addition, results show different perspectives and behaviors according to gender, due to the continuous sexual double standard.

The Unfolding Theories on Destination Image, 1990-2020

This chapter examines a 30-year collection of tourism destination image (TDI) components and scale attributes sourced from tourism and hospitality studies to assess the scientific field at hand. From the 1990s, it was clear that cognitive, affective, and overall (holistic) images were involved in destination image formation. Cognitive psychology is crucial to explain tourists´ behaviour, but tourism studies are not simply a branch of cognitive psychology. This study taps into the multidisciplinary character of destination image. At stake are propositions and theories applicable in tourism such as the theory of self-congruity, self-concept, brand signal theory, destination source credibility, novelty seeking theory, and brand equity theory. The intention of the present chapter is to map its theoretical ground and underlying hypotheses by means of a systematic literature review and point out sub-studied dimensions of TDI.

Tourists' Awareness of World Heritage

This chapter offers an in-depth analysis of cultural tourism and namely of tourists' awareness of Portuguese World Heritage (WH). In accordance, firstly, there is the discussion of a theoretical framework associated to a cultural role and cultural identity in the sustainable development of tourism is presented. Secondly, it follows a case study approach based on the evaluation of Algarvian tourists' awareness of Portuguese WH. A questionnaire was applied in the Algarve region with the aim to determine the importance of cultural motivation and the level of knowledge regarding Portuguese culture by tourists. The results of this exploratory analysis underline the growing importance of cultural motivation and the recognition of culture's importance in the sustainable development of destinations. However, it also shows the low level of cultural motivation by Algarvian tourists as well as the low level of Portuguese WH knowledge, namely by foreign tourists. Nationality, age, academic background are key variables in tourism knowledge about Portuguese culture.

Measuring Attendees' Cultural Event Experiences

This chapter explores the concept of cultural event experience, as the interaction between an individual and the cultural event environment, altered by the level of engagement with multiple experiential elements and outputs, measured in four dimensions: experience novelty, affective engagement, cognitive engagement, and conative engagement. The purpose is to test the event experience scale (EES) as a valid measurement instrument for cultural event experiences, producing valuable insights for stakeholders and marketing management teams. The empirical study lays on a program of cultural and artistic events, the “365 Algarve,” which was launched in a bottom-up approach to involve residents and local cultural groups to increase territory cohesion and to reinforce the brand image of Algarve. Using a sample drawn from the attendees present at those events, the results confirm the validity of EES with a new dimension emerged: experiential learning. The study reveals a possible new measurement instrument, the cultural event experience scale (CEES).