Search Results (9)

COVID-19 has become a pandemic which has resulted in measures being taken for the health and safety of people. The spreading of this disease is particularly evident in indoor spaces, which tend to get overcrowded with people. One such place is the airport where a plethora of passengers gather in common places, such as coffee shops and duty-free shops as well as toilets and gates. Guiding the passengers to less overcrowded places within the airport may be a solution to reduce disease spread. In this paper, we suggest a passenger routing algorithm whereby the passengers are guided to less crowded places by using a weighting factor, which is minimised to accomplish the desired goal. We modeled a number of shops in an airport using the AnyLogic software and we tested the algorithm showing that the exposure time is less with routing and that people are appropriately spread out across the common spaces, thus preventing overcrowding. Finally, we added a real airport in Kavala, Greece to show the efficiency of our approach. Full article

The objective of this study is to identify the role of Chinese tourists’ shopping values in the formation of their outcome variables. This study more specifically proposes that two dimensions of shopping values, which include utilitarian and hedonic shopping values, positively affect brand prestige. In addition, it was hypothesized that brand prestige helps in regard to enhancing well-being perceptions and brand preference. It was also proposed that well-being perceptions and brand preference have a positive influence on word-of-mouth. This study also hypothesized the moderating role of country image in the proposed model. The survey responses were collected from 634 Chinese duty-free tourists. The data analysis results showed that both utilitarian and hedonic shopping values significantly affect brand prestige. Moreover, brand prestige was found to be a significant determinant of well-being perceptions, and well-being perceptions positively affect brand preference. Brand preference is a critical factor affecting word-of-mouth. Lastly, country image played a moderating role in the relationship between brand prestige and well-being perceptions and brand preference and word-of-mouth. Full article

This study examined the antecedents and consequences of rapport between customers and salespersons in the context of duty-free shops. Specifically, this study proposed six sub-dimensions of service-dominant orientation (i.e., relational, ethical, individuated, empowered, concerted, and developmental interactions). These dimensions have a positive influence on rapport. In addition, rapport is hypothesized to aid in the formation of customer satisfaction and brand preference, which in turn positively affects word-of-mouth communications. Data were collected from 649 Chinese shoppers who have purchased a product in a Korean duty-free shop. In addition, this study employed confirmatory factor analysis to check the adequacy of the measurement items and structural equation modeling to test 11 hypotheses. Data analysis results indicated that five sub-dimensions of service-dominant orientation, excluding individuated interaction, play an important role in the formation of rapport. Furthermore, rapport has a positive effect on customer satisfaction and brand preference, which in turn positively affects word-of-mouth communications. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for managers of duty-free stores into the most effective methods for managing their operations and providing an appropriate blend of products. Furthermore, this paper contributes to theoretical understanding in this area by improving the acceptability of a commonly believed shopper behavior model. Full article

Despite its criticality for airport business, duty-free shopping at the retail stores of airports has received scant attention. To overcome this difference, this study explains the complex process via which travelers show their willingness to repurchase in the context of airport retail stores. A quantitative process comprising a field survey is conducted for data collection. The measurement quality is assessed and established through the evaluation of a measurement model. As a result of analyzing the structural equation model, it was found that the perceived performance, utilitarian value, hedonic value, and satisfaction evaluation of airport retail stores play a crucial role in determining traveler willingness to repurchase. The conceptual framework encompassing these concepts also adequately accounts for traveler willingness to repurchase. Moreover, our results from the invariance assessment reveal that the moderating impact of shopping engagement on the hypothesized relationship between utilitarian value and satisfaction evaluation is significant. Overall, the proposed direct associations among theoretical constructs within our framework are well supported. Furthermore, the efficacy of the proposed theoretical framework for a clear understanding of airport shoppers’ post-purchase behaviors is successfully identified. Full article

Korean duty-free shops sales rank first among duty-free shops around the world (Generation Research, 2018) and have become a target of interest for academics and industry observers. In particular, attention has been focused on variables affecting the shopping behavior of this fast-growing segment of online duty-free shop users. In this research, the main variables of the technology innovation acceptance model and the target-oriented behavior model are added. Focus is placed on the decomposed theory of planned behavior, and the variables affecting the behavioral intention are identified. A survey is conducted with users of online duty-free shops (Internet, mobile) as targets, and an analysis of the structural equation model is utilized. Among the technology innovation acceptance variables, the factors affecting attitude are compatibility and perceived usefulness. It is determined that only perceived behavioral control has a significant effect on behavioral intention, which is a dependent variable of the decomposed theory of planned behavior, and the attitude and subjective norms are found to have a significant effect on both desire and behavioral intention. Thus, it is confirmed that attitude is a key variable in explaining this research model. This research has academic implications because it examines variables affecting the behavioral intention of online duty-free shop users by integrating the theory of technology innovation acceptance and the decomposed theory of planned behavior, with the addition of a desire variable. Moreover, there are practical implications in that online duty-free shop operators have provided meaningful basic data to establish differentiated marketing strategies from offline duty-free shops with the goal of expanding use. The results of this study are expected to serve as basic data for increasing the behavioral intention of online duty-free shop users and promoting the sustainable development of online duty-free shops in South Korea. Full article

Based on the support of governmental policies and the rapid growth of China’s economic development, residents’ living standards, and tourism consumption demand, cruise tourism has continuously developed and its service level has gradually improved, which have become the main driving forces for the sustainable growth of China’s cruise tourism industry. This paper took Shenzhen Shekou Port (SSP) as a research site and used an online text analysis method by Rost Content Mining 6 software to analyze 2552 Ctrip travel network, and then did further study through face to face interviews from the perspective of “tourists source” and “procurement” in the value chain theory. Only by understanding the developing trend of cruise tourists can we cultivate cruise culture, expand cruise tourism market, and finally realize the benign development of cruise tourism. The research results show that the cruise business in Shenzhen should strengthen the senior citizens market and marketing to kids and parents, and improve the satisfaction of cruise passengers in terms of enriching entertainment facilities, elevating service quality, and upgrading duty-free shopping centers. This paper not only focused on the study of cruise tourists in Southern China, but also enriches the research of the cruise value chain. Full article

The purpose of this study was to explore the antecedents and consequences of travelers’ well-being perceptions in the context of a duty-free shop. For this, data were collected from 742 Chinese tourists who purchased goods at duty free shops while traveling in Korea within the past year using an online survey company’s system in China. The results indicated that pragmatic, hedonic, and sociability experiences have a positive influence on travelers’ well-being perceptions. In addition, travelers’ well-being perceptions aided the enhancement of brand attitude and brand preference, which in turn positively affected word-of-mouth. Novelty is the originality of this study as very few studies on this topic are presented in the extant literature and practical implications are also discussed. Full article

Several studies have mentioned the differentiation between Western and Asian cultures in terms of people’s backgrounds, life styles, and perspectives. In particular, in cruise tourism, tourists from China have shown different behavior from Western tourists. Previous research has investigated the preferences of cruise tourists. However, there have been few systematic studies of their preferences. Thus, it is necessary to examine cultural uniqueness with a systematic method. Therefore, the main purpose of the study is to apply a choice experiment (CE), which is a scientific method for understanding Chinese tourists’ preferences for a given attribute as a form of marginal willingness-to-pay, and to identify their priorities. In order to collect the data from an online data platform, the answers from 244 Chinese were used for multinomial logit analysis. The study results demonstrate that the respondents placed the highest value on having a variety of shopping items in duty-free shops on board. Furthermore, room type, percentage of traditional Chinese food served, and touring in ports of call were also statistically significant attributes. The conclusion and the implications of this study will be discussed. Full article

Tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS) bans are effective and are increasingly being implemented in a number of venues and countries, yet the state of TAPS in airports and their effect on airport smoking behavior is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of TAPS in airports across Europe and the US, and to begin to examine the relationship between TAPS and smoking behaviors in airports. We used a cross-sectional study design to observe 21 airports in Europe (11) and the US (10). Data collectors observed points of sale for tobacco products, types of products sold, advertisements and promotions, and branding or logos that appeared in the airport. Tobacco products were sold in 95% of all airports, with significantly more sales in Europe than the US. Advertisements appeared mostly in post-security areas; however, airports with advertisements in pre-security areas had significantly more smokers observed outdoors than airports without advertisements in pre-security areas. Tobacco branding appeared in designated smoking rooms as well as on non-tobacco products in duty free shops. TAPS are widespread in airports in Europe and the US and might be associated with outdoor smoking, though further research is needed to better understand any relationship between the two. This study adds to a growing body of research on tobacco control in air transit and related issues. As smoke-free policies advance, they should include comprehensive TAPS bans that extend to airport facilities. Full article