School of Hospitality and Tourism - Te Kura Taurimatanga me te Mahi Tāpoi

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The Hospitable Futures Research Agenda of AUT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism - Te Kura Taurimatanga me te Mahi Tāpoi promotes academic research that aims to have a social impact for a more hospitable and sustainable future.

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A Model of Reciprocal Hospitableness for Luxury Lodges
(Tuwhera Open Access, 2024-08-01) Manfreda, Anita; Harkison, Tracy
This paper proposes a model of reciprocal hospitableness that underpins luxury lodge experiences. It explores the occurrence of reciprocal hospitableness when gratitude is elicited and identifies the mechanisms and practices that facilitate reciprocal hospitableness among guests, staff, managers, and external parties. By employing a multiple-case study approach and high engagement research techniques, the findings shed light on how hospitableness, encompassing dimensions such as belonging/fictive kinship, meaningful connections, altruism/generosity, comfort/homely feel, and inclusivity, is mutually reciprocated among experience participants in luxury lodge experiences. The findings also reveal mechanisms and practices adopted by the various experience participants to encourage and nurture reciprocal hospitableness, extending the understanding of reciprocity beyond the host-guest relationship. The proposed model contributes to the literature on social exchange, reciprocity, hospitableness, and transformative service research. Moreover, it has practical implications for luxury lodges, emphasising the significance of hospitableness as a differentiating factor, and highlighting the potential of hospitable practices in fostering inclusive relationships within organisations and with the local community, thereby promoting social and economic sustainability in the broader tourism destination.
A Review of Research into Tourism Work and Employment: Launching the Annals of Tourism Research Curated Collection on Tourism Work and Employment
(Elsevier BV, 2023-05) Ladkin, Adele; Mooney, Shelagh; Solnet, David; Baum, Tom; Robinson, Richard; Yan, Hongmin
Accessibility Information on the Websites of New Zealand Luxury Lodges
(The School of Hospitality & Tourism, Auckland University of Technology, 2023-04-25) Gillovic, Brielle; Harkison, Tracy
This article reports on a wider study determining the provision of accessibility information by New Zealand Luxury Lodges. It presents important insights about the importance and role of the website provision of accessibility information for potential guests with disabilities, and the implications of this for accommodation providers.
An Executive Chef’s Insights into Hospitality in New Zealand: Brent Martin
(School of Hospitality & Tourism, Auckland University of Technology, 2021-08-16) Harkison, Tracy; Martin, Brent
2020 was one of the most challenging years to date for the New Zealand hospitality industry. As part of a wider study, a series of interviews were conducted to gain insights into what New Zealand professionals faced through this challenging time with some of their philosophical and career overviews. In this second interview, conducted in November 2020, Tracy Harkison interviewed Brent Martin, executive chef at Park Hyatt Auckland. Questions asked ranged from his passion for hospitality and dealing with COVID-19 to his hopes for the future of hospitality in New Zealand. Tracy Harkison What do you love about working in hospitality? Brent Martin The biggest thing for me is the opportunity – the opportunities that hospitality has given me. I don’t think there is another career that could have given me these opportunities to travel, to live in different cultures, meet different people, and just experience the world. You adapt a lot more and you learn a lot more about your own personality and your own way to deal with things in different cultures. I think hospitality work is a way to broaden people’s lives. Tracy Are there unique aspects to the New Zealand hospitality industry? Brent We are an international brand and hopefully this brings a wealth of knowledge back to New Zealand, which we’re starting to see – not just in hotels but restaurants who have had several really well-known chefs coming back. So the uniqueness of New Zealand is that we have a clean slate and a blank canvas on which we can create these experiences. Tracy Why start a career in hospitality? Brent There are a couple of components to this, it’s the camaraderie and it’s the family values that people have. I’ve been in the industry 30 plus years and the friends that I’ve gained along the way are my friends for life. The time that you spend working in hospitality is sometimes time spent with your best friend. People that come into hospitality really learn about that. Once those borders open, we’re going to be inundated with hundreds of thousands of people coming to New Zealand, and this is going to be very much an ongoing process in New Zealand. New Zealand is struggling for hospitality people and it’s going to open up a lot of doors for people who may have different views of what hospitality is. Tracy When starting in the industry, what advice would you give? Brent You’ve got to come into the industry with an open mind. You need to have passion and you’ve got to understand the unsociable hours. But the rewards at the end of what can happen here are amazing. The reward of seeing people eating in your restaurant, eating your food, it is amazing. When somebody comes up to you and says, “That’s the best meal I’ve ever had”, it’s instant gratification, whereas a lot of people won’t be able to get that kind of gratification from a job. Tracy What has been your greatest leadership challenge? Brent The biggest challenge for me was opening a mega-resort in the Bahamas where I had to find 400 plus cooks/staff from a population of about 200,000. So, the biggest challenge for me was to find cooks who could actually cook. To open up this mega-resort with 26 different restaurants with different cuisines and different styles, there were days I thought I’d never get there, but I ended up with over 420 staff members by the time I left the property. Tracy The COVID 19 situation – what was your decision-making process? Brent The biggest thing for us was that we never wanted to lose an employee, and that was our commitment from day one: how do we keep every employee employed in this hotel throughout this pandemic? The team really focused on watching out for each other, helping each other and knowing what the end goal was. But we had to set a standard of what this hotel was going to be; the expectations of the owner, ourselves and obviously the public was the biggest hurdle that we had to really push. We have proper practices throughout the hotel – all the staff wear face masks; that is a corporate directive from our Hyatt Corporation. Tracy How would you change the New Zealand hospitality industry? Brent I wish that we had a lot more energy to be willing to service a guest right. We talk about hospitality in New Zealand and we’re very open – you’re a family house to guests, which is amazing. It’s a refinement of what hospitality could be in New Zealand that is needed. It’s the boundaries of how my service is… how involved am I with that person at a table; at the front desk, am I too over-powering, or am I attentive enough. So it’s just refining that level of service to really understand who that customer is, and the ability to read the situation that you’re in and have three or four talking points. The most important thing is, how do we start a conversation and how do we stop a conversation with a customer; it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s important.
Automation of the Fast-Food Industry: Gen Z Perspectives of Self-Service Kiosks Versus Employee Service
(School of Hospitality & Tourism, Auckland University of Technology, 2019-12-03) Yang, Qi; Goodsir, Warren; Poulston, Jill
With the development of technology, self-service kiosks (kiosks) are increasingly being adopted by service providers such as hotels, restaurants, airports and banks [1, 2]. However, with the increasing search for more efficiency, calculability and control by replacing people with non-human technology, service quality and a sense of hospitality can be adversely impacted [3]. Nevertheless, many seem willing to use kiosks in fast-food restaurants [4], suggesting that these provide considerable value for some segments of the hospitality industry. Consequently, this study [5] explores young people’s customer experiences of and views on using kiosks in McDonald’s restaurants. The study was carried out in Auckland, New Zealand, where interviews were conducted with 16 young people (18 to 24 years old; Gen Z)1 originating from seven countries (2 Indian, 3 Chinese, 2 Korean, 2 Vietnamese, 1 Filipino, 1 Moroccan and 5 New Zealanders). The findings suggest that kiosks provide improved customer satisfaction but can also result in reduced perceptions of hospitableness. The respondents felt that kiosks improved efficiency by eliminating the need to queue to place an order and provided more relaxed time for making their menu selections. Therefore, although using a kiosk did not necessarily speed up the service process, it allowed time for contemplation of choices and less time waiting to be served. The kiosks also provided clear food categories with pictures, simple English language instructions, and generally simple ordering and payment processes. Compared with the amount of information provided at the service counter, the kiosks provided more detailed and clearer information about menus, ingredients, discounts and promotions. Furthermore, when using kiosks, respondents felt a sense of empowerment and control over their ordering process. Kiosks provided the ability to customise meals, discuss menu choices and change orders without feeling as if they were annoying an employee or holding up other customers. This sense of empowerment and control provided relief from the pressure to place quick orders at the service counter or delay other customers. Many respondents were afraid of annoying employees or becoming an annoying customer in public. They cared about the perception of counter staff, while at the same time, they also cared about their personal image in public. The fast-paced restaurant environment and the need to be decisive with their menu selection added to the pressure and stress when purchasing takeaways. Additionally, those who spoke English as a second language faced increased stress while trying to select the right words and communicate with employees in front of others. These pressures increased their fear of public humiliation. Many respondents indicated there was no pressure when using kiosks as the kiosks offered more time and a judgment-free environment for customers. The number of kiosks available and the freedom from employee and other customer expectations had a significant impact on them by releasing them from any pressure to make a quick decision. Reduced pressure also brought enough time for discussion of food choices among friends. Using the self-order kiosk provided respondents with a judgment-free environment away from other customers and busy employees. The time-space provided by kiosks also provided respondents with a sense of safety and privacy in situations where, for example, they were upset or not confident speaking in English. Their emotions (e.g. happy, sad), skills (e.g. level of English language), appearance (e.g. lack of makeup) and eating habits (e.g. food allergy) were kept confidential in comparison to ordering in public at the counter. However, the findings also suggested that the appeal of kiosks is somewhat determined by the lack of useful and caring alternatives. This may suggest that the issue is not whether kiosks are able to do a better job than humans, but rather whether humans (service employees) are sufficiently resourced (e.g. capability and capacity) to provide both efficient and caring interactions. The original research on which this article is based is available here http://hdl.handle.net/10292/11993 Note; The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘Generation Z’ as the generation of people born in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Corresponding author; Qi Yang can be contacted at: kikiyangaut@gmail.com References; (1) Considine, E.; Cormican, K. Self-Service Technology Adoption: An Analysis of Customer to Technology Interactions. Procedia Computer Science 2016, 100 (Suppl. C), 103–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2016.09.129; (2) Wei, W.; Torres, E.; Hua, N. Improving Consumer Commitment through the Integration of Self-Service Technologies: A Transcendent Consumer Experience Perspective. International Journal of Hospitality Management 2016, 59 (Suppl. C), 105–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2016.09.004; (3) Ritzer, G. The McDonaldization of Society, 6th ed.; Sage/Pine Forge: Los Angeles, CA, 2011.; (4) Herne, S.; Adams, J.; Atkinson, D.; Dash, P.; Jessel, J. Technology, Learning Communities and Young People: The Future Something Project. International Journal of Art & Design Education 2013, 32 (1), 68–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-8070.2013.01738; (5) Yang, Q. Young People’s Perspectives on Self-service Technology and Hospitality: A Mcdonald’s Case Study; Master’s Thesis, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10292/11993 (accessed Nov 25, 2019).
Experiences of a Fine Dining Event Held Inside a Working Prison
(Routledge, 2024-05-08) McIntosh, Alison Jane; Harkison, Tracy
Fine dining experiences offered inside working prisons are one type of hospitality initiative attempting to support prisoner rehabilitation and offer a memorable dining experience for the paying public. Previous hospitality research has not explored how fine dining delivered in a working prison, offered through this type of social initiative, is experienced by those involved: the inmates volunteering in the event, the celebrity chefs who mentor them, paying diners and other event stakeholders. This case study research examined the “Gate to Plate” fine dining event held inside Rimutaka men’s prison in New Zealand. We analysed publicly available material online about this hospitality initiative to discern the key experiences of those involved. Thematic analysis of the data revealed four main themes relating to the experiences of those involved in the fine dining event: a quality food and meal experience; pride and passion arising from being involved; skills for change; and shifted perceptions. While the case study research revealed positive experiences of the prison’s fine dining event and suggested it was a potentially transformative experience for all those involved in it, we critically discuss wider implications of the event, and the positive portrayals by all those involved, for hospitality initiatives in working prisons.
Hospitality Graduates Career Pathways: An Analysis of LinkedIn Profiles
(The School of Hospitality & Tourism, Auckland University of Technology, 2021-08-16) Basnayake, Mario; Williamson, David
This article shares the results of research that explored the demographics and career pathways of hospitality graduates from Auckland University of Technology (AUT). The study [1] investigated graduates’ employment during and after their studies; promotions; job mobility; tenure of employment; and other aspects of their career pathways. A small selection of the key findings are presented here. The study analysed graduate profiles on LinkedIn, which is the world’s largest professional, online social network. LinkedIn is an employment-oriented network service that provides a website and mobile app allowing both employers and job seekers to make profiles and build connections with each other. In 2019, there were more than two million New Zealand LinkedIn users. In this study, the researcher selected a sample of 130 profiles of New Zealand LinkedIn users who had completed a Bachelor of International Hospitality Management degree at AUT in 2008–2018. A selection of the key findings Of the study participants, 72% were women and 28% were men. This gender distribution broadly matches the results of previous studies worldwide [2, 3], showing that, internationally, most people studying hospitality management in universities are female. 62% of the LinkedIn participants were domestic enrolments and 38% were from overseas. A key finding was that 80% of New Zealand’s hospitality graduates were employed throughout their studies, and that 66% were employed in the hospitality sector while still studying. This finding informs the ongoing discussion between education providers and employers about how ‘work ready’ graduates are and the effectiveness of tertiary education in providing relevant skills [4, 5]. The finding shows that a clear majority of graduates had been working in the industry for several years before they graduated and therefore had experiences of ‘real world’ hospitality work in addition to theory. After graduating, 74% of hospitality graduates decided to work in the hospitality sector (Figure 1), which is 8% more than the 66% of graduates who worked in the hospitality sector during their studies. This 8% worked outside of the hospitality industry as undergraduates but took hospitality work after graduating. Internationally, 74% of graduates finding work in hospitality is a high percentage compared to findings from other countries, e.g. Oman [6], where in 2017 this figure was only 41%; in contrast, research in Poland [7] found a figure of 59%, which is nearer to the result in New Zealand. Figure 1: Sector in which New Zealand hospitality students were employed immediately after their graduation (2008–2018) A quarter (26%) of New Zealand hospitality students decided not to work in the hospitality sector after graduation and opted instead for work in other industries; three quarters of these graduates were male (76%). Of the 74% of graduates who entered the hospitality workforce, the results show that about two-thirds were female and one-third were male. While this is a pleasing result for tertiary educators, showing a good result for industry-specific employment outcomes for hospitality graduates, the gender imbalance raises some intriguing questions that would benefit from further research. Further results show details of graduates’ length of stay at their first workplace. While a quarter (24%) of the participants chose not to enter the hospitality industry after graduating, 34% of graduates left their first place of employment within one year and 22% decided to leave their employer within two years. With a total of 56% percent of graduates leaving their employer within two years, this finding raises serious questions regarding the effect of early employment conditions on hospitality graduates. A possible contributing factor to this high turnover is the result that shows only 20% of graduates employed in the hospitality sector had any career advancement within their first place of employment. The data show that only 7% of graduates had job advancement in their first year, and 8% had a job advancement in their second year. Three percent had job advancement in their third and fourth years, combining to a rather lean 23% of graduates who were promoted within the first four years of their hospitality careers. The data from this study provides a useful and original insight into New Zealand hospitality graduate work choices and raises some interesting questions about the quality of career pathways in the sector. Further findings and discussion can be found in the original dissertation here: https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/handle/10292/14117
Hospitality in and Outside of Prisons: Prison Restaurants and Cafés
(Informa UK Limited, 2023-12) Harkison, Tracy
“Hospitality” is certainly not a word that comes to mind when one thinks of a prison, and neither does the phrase “award-winning restaurant”. But there are now several hospitality establishments that have opened inside and outside of prisons using offenders and ex-offenders as their workforce. While working, they can complete hospitality education and training programmes, which can result in some positive outcomes. One is producing skilled labour and the other is reducing the recidivism rate of graduates from hospitality education and training programmes. All the information and data reviewed for this article are from a wider study and published sources. This article highlights different hospitality establishments inside and outside of prisons using hospitality education and training programmes. It focuses on the similarities in and differences between two of these hospitality establishments (The Clink and Street & Arrow) and discusses what future research would need to be conducted to determine what rehabilitative effects hospitality could have for offenders and ex-offenders.
How Does the Career Commitment of Hospitality Employees Change Across Career Stages? A Multilevel Investigation Into Occupational Self-Efficacy and Family Support
(Elsevier BV, 2024-04-17) Zhu, Dan; Kim, Peter B; Milne, Simon; Park, In-Jo
This study examined how and why hospitality employees’ occupational self-efficacy and family support influence their career commitment over time. Longitudinal data was collected from 310 hospitality employees at three different points of time, with a three-month lag between them, exploring the differences in the employees’ career commitment growth trajectories between early and mid-to-late career. Results from growth modeling revealed that career commitment declines over time for early-career employees but increases for their mid-to-late career counterparts. The findings also indicated that organizational commitment mediates the relationships of career commitment with occupational self-efficacy and family support at both between- and within-person levels. Furthermore, time-varying effect analysis captured significant changes in the magnitude of antecedents over time across the different career stages. Implications drawn from the findings are discussed for both hospitality researchers and practitioners.
Invisible Until They’re Gone: ‘Keystone’ Occupations for Sustainable Visitor Experiences
(Tuwhera Open Access, 2024-12-01) Robinson, Richard NS; Mooney, Shelagh; Stephen, Adam
Authentic and unique hospitality, tourism, events and culinary experiences form a crucial part of visitors and travellers’ enjoyment and positive evaluation of a destination. This paper explores some of the workforce issues associated with creating authentic and unique visitor experiences. It highlights two essential components of providing positive visitor experiences - infrastructure, and a skilled tourism workforce. We introduce the emerging concept of ‘keystone occupations’. Using cases from across the Tasman we show how destinations depend on these critical occupations, especially as their skills are vital to fully functional infrastructure in mobilizing visitor experiences.
Kinmaking: Toward More-Than-Tourism (Studies)
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2023) Pernecky, Tomas
The field of tourism studies has entered an epoch of manifold vulnerabilities, a period in which the academic community will have to respond to the environmental and planetary crises and consider the wellbeing of not just humans but also nonhumans and multispecies. In these momentous times, it is imperative not to overlook tourism studies’ ontological, epistemological, and axiological vulnerabilities and to survey the potential viabilities. Although the blossoming criticalities in the field have greatly fuelled the urgency to correct, rectify, and recalibrate existing relational arrangements and replace these by more sustainable, just, and inclusive visions for/versions of tourism, there is still a pressing need for more conceptually, theoretically, and philosophically malleable architecture. Inspired by Donna Haraway’s scholarship on broader planetary matters, this contribution offers ‘kinmaking’ as a critico-creative, disruptive space and fitting thoughtscape for transitioning into more-than-tourism (studies). Among the key ideas covered in this paper are the dangers of epistemocentricism, the necessity for sympoietic approaches, the rise of postdisciplinary and posthuman acumen, and the overall ripeness of tourism studies to become a domain of critical relationalities.
Knit and Natter - The Hospitableness of Knitting
(Informa UK Limited, 2023-10-18) Harkison, Tracy
Knitting and knitting groups have been gaining popularity throughout the world over the last two decades. They have been used as a setting for data collection for various projects to study the benefits of knitting, and the many uses of knitting have been well documented throughout history. But the hospitable side of knitting is an area that has been under-researched, even though there is increased scholarly attention on hospitable practices with a view to improving well-being and the social fabric of communities. This conceptual article will attempt to fill this gap, taking a critical look at the hospitableness of knitting.
Linguistic Labour: International Hospitality Employees’ Use of Non-English Native Language in Service Encounters
(School of Hospitality & Tourism, Auckland University of Technology, 2018-10-25) Williamson, David; Chen, Tingting
The enduring growth in the international hospitality and tourism sector, in conjunction with an increasingly globalised labour market, has increased the chances of tourists being served by staff using their shared non-English native language. Numerous studies have explored the use of native language in service encounters, with customer perceptions widely investigated [1,2]. However employees’ perspectives of non-English native language use in the servicescape are under-researched. This study is a part of an AUT Master of International Hospitality Management dissertation. The study applied a qualitative methodology, interviewing eight international employees in New Zealand hotels with long-term experience of speaking their non-English native language in service encounters. Results of the study indicated that employees are well aware of the demands for employers to provide customer-oriented service by speaking their non-English native language; however, in any service encounters with customers speaking the same native language, staff have a strong preference for initiating service communication in English. The interviews showed that this preference was a result of workers experiencing considerable concerns, stress and anxiety around the use of their non-English native language. Specifically, a complex series of considerations and decisions occur when staff are faced with customers who might want to use shared non-English native language, suggesting employees experience ‘linguistic labour’, similar to the constructs of emotional [3,4] and aesthetic labour [5]. Participants indicated that the choice of using non-English native language may be passive (i.e. following the lead of a guest who recognises the staff member as a fellow speaker), or proactive when workers recognise a customers’ poor English and use their native language to minimise guest embarrassment. Given the complexity and distinctiveness of each service context, participants suggested they had principles that underpinned their choice of language in the service space. Firstly, that English is the default service language and should be used as such; secondly, that participants did not want to assume guests’ ethnic/language identity and so avoided using their non-English native language; thirdly, participants avoided using non-English native language so as to not be identified as a particular ethnicity. Crucially, participants sought to avoid being ethnically/linguistically pigeonholed, because engaging in shared native language in the servicescape was perceived to lead to significantly increased customer service demands and thus increased workload. In essence, participants stated that using shared language in the service space immediately engaged cultural norms from their home countries that they would rather avoid; notably increased workloads, guest expectations of subservience and a perceived loss of status and respect for the participants. The study makes an original contribution to management studies, showing that managers and owners should consider the impacts of linguistic labour on employees in the servicescape. What can appear as a simple request to speak a certain language can engage employees in a complex process of choices and considerations as they try to avoid the perceived work intensification that comes with speaking their non-English native language.
Luxury Tourism Experiences: Wales
(Tuwhera Open Access, 2024-08-01) Harkison, Tracy; Low, Tiffany
The hiatus that COVID-19 caused enabled tourism policy makers worldwide to reconsider the luxury tourism experience. They could examine what they were offering and how they could attract luxury tourists after the pandemic. Tourism New Zealand (NZ) conducted a survey to gain a clear understanding of the luxury tourism drivers that high net worth individuals (HNWIs) have in order to create an appeal to NZ. This survey was mirrored by two academics (one from Wales and one from NZ) for the Welsh tourism sector. A case study approach was taken with a sequential multi-phase design which included an online survey completed by 733 HNWI’s from 9 countries. The findings provided governments and destination management organisations with insights and practical tools to evaluate and develop their offerings in a way that would provide memorable and distinctive luxury tourism experiences in Wales.
Mobilizing Relational Ontology: Meeting the Pluriversal Challenge in Tourism Studies
(Informa UK Limited, 2023-11-14) Pernecky, Tomas
Philosophical and theoretical research on tourism is ever more pertinent in an age of increased uncertainty, manifold vulnerabilities, and determination to promote justice, fairness, and equality. The pluriversal challenge facing tourism and tourism studies, that is, the necessity for polycentric, inclusive, and equitably participatory being, doing, and knowing, suggests that these transitional times require an ontology that can assist with understanding the entangled complexities of being and becoming vis-à-vis tourism. Relational ontology is thus presented as a crucial lens for comprehending the ethical, environmental, political, social, cultural, and spiritual potentialities that emerge uniquely through tourism as relationalities. This paper argues that relational ontology not only accommodates but also discloses pluriversality and the ontological multiple, and that it can facilitate not universal but relational understandings, which can coexist, enrich, and promote human flourishing through tourism.
On the Gender Imperative in Tourism Geographies Research
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2023-12-08) Yang, Elaine Chiao Ling; Schänzel, Heike
This discussion provides a critical review of gender issues in tourism geographies. It maps historical and contemporary developments and provides a future research agenda that suggests moving beyond binary and Western gender discourses.
Reflecting on Moving Forward: Luxury Hospitality in New Zealand Post-COVID-19
(Informa UK Limited, 2023-10-18) Harkison, Tracy
Due to border closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospitality and tourism industry was given a chance to re-imagine and re-invent itself. New Zealand’s borders were shut to international tourists for 28 months, giving it a considerable amount of time to strategise about what the future of tourism would be. One of these strategies was to attract more desirable tourists. New Zealand was not alone in this pursuit: other countries wanted to move towards a more sustainable tourism model, attracting high-value tourists instead of the default of mass tourism that popular destinations had suffered from. This conceptual article discusses how Tourism New Zealand started to re-imagine luxury hospitality to encourage high-value tourists to come to New Zealand.
Strategies to Manage Ecotourism Sustainably: Insights from a SWOT-ANP Analysis and IUCN Guidelines
(MDPI AG, 2023-07-13) Sobhani, Parvaneh; Esmaeilzadeh, Hassan; Wolf, Isabelle D; Marcu, Marina Viorela; Lück, Michael; Sadeghi, Seyed Mohammad Moein
Protected areas are prime areas for ecotourism development, attracting large numbers of visitors to an abundance of ecologically significant and often sensitive flora and fauna. The current study identified adverse impacts of ecotourism in four prominent tourist hotspots in Iran, namely Lar National Park, Jajrud Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources, Tangeh Vashi National Natural Monument, and Kavdeh Wildlife Refuge. Impacts were compared against the IUCN guidelines according to the degree of ecological sensitivity and multiple managerial objectives. In addition, an analytic network process (ANP) was applied within a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis to identify optimal strategies for reducing threats and weaknesses and improving opportunities and strengths for sustainable ecotourism management. We found the greatest negative impacts of ecotourism in a Jajrud that was exposed to rapidly expanding urbanisation and the corresponding development of economic and physical activities. Conversely, the least negative impact occurred in a national park (Lar) that was managed based on conservation approaches, accounting for high ecological sensitivities, and adapting legal prohibitions. The SWOT-ANP analysis demonstrates that certain strategies can minimise impacts and should be adopted as conservation tools by protected area managers and land planners.
The Antecedents of Employees’ Innovative Behavior in Hospitality and Tourism Contexts: A Meta-Regression Approach
(Elsevier BV, 2023-03-28) Zhu, Dan; Lin, Mao-Tang; Thawornlamlert, Pattamol Kanjanakan; Subedi, Sam Bichitra; Kim, Peter B
While many empirical studies have examined the various factors that influence employee innovative behavior (EIB), there have been few efforts to synthesize previous research to understand how EIB is linked to its antecedents. Based on 125 empirical studies (N = 44,427) in the context of hospitality and tourism, this study used meta-regression to investigate the 30 major antecedents of EIB, as well as the moderating roles played by ‘national culture’ (individualism vs. collectivism), ‘age’ and ‘gender’, on the links between the antecedents and EIB. The results showed that ‘perceived meaningfulness at work’ and ‘work engagement’ were found to have stronger relations with EIB than others, and that ‘national culture’, ‘age’, and ‘gender’, moderated the relations between EIB and several of the antecedents. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed for researchers and practitioners alike.
The Moments of Truth: A Qualitative Exploration of Service Interactions Between Employees with Disabilities in the Food Service Industry, and Their Customers
(Elsevier BV, 2023-09-23) Doan, T; Mooney, S; Kim, PB
This research, using in-depth qualitative interviews, aimed to disentangle the meanings of service interactions perceived by both employees with disabilities (EWDs), and their customers, based on their own experiences. The interviews were conducted with a total of twenty participants including ten EWDs and ten customers from foodservice organizations (e.g., restaurants and cafés) in Vietnam. The findings of the thematic analysis revealed that EWDs perceived service interactions with customers as opportunities to provide services characterized by ‘total attentiveness’, 'impressing customers’, and ‘social connection’, while their customers perceived the interactions as both opportunities for ‘genuine hospitality’, and ‘contributions to social change’. The implications of the findings are important for hospitality researchers and practitioners alike.

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