Hospitality, Tourism and Marketing

Visitors are increasingly travelling to destinations in search of culinary experiences. As a consequence, many Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) have sought to stimulate visitation by capitalising on the appeal of dining opportunities involving local food. However, such initiatives will only be effective if tourism providers have a thorough understanding of how visitors respond to the dining experiences that are offered. This paper proposes a conceptual framework of international visitor dining experiences with local food, by examining the experiences in the course of the pre-, during, and post-dining phases. With the visitor experience as its core, the framework takes into account the influence of both internal and external factors on the visitor experience. It is intended that the proposed framework will provide a more complete understanding of the visitor dining experience in destination settings.

Visitors are increasingly travelling to destinations in search of culinary experiences. As a consequence, many Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) have sought to stimulate visitation by capitalising on the appeal of dining opportunities involving local food. However, such initiatives will only be effective if tourism providers have a thorough understanding of how visitors respond to the dining experiences that are offered. This paper proposes a conceptual framework of international visitor dining experiences with local food, by examining the experiences in the course of the pre-, during, and post-dining phases. With the visitor experience as its core, the framework takes into account the influence of both internal and external factors on the visitor experience. It is intended that the proposed framework will provide a more complete understanding of the visitor dining experience in destination settings.

This paper proposes that country of residence and primary language spoken are signifi cant factors in explaining the information searching and travel behaviours of MICE travellers. The sample population included Japanese-, English-and Chinesespeaking MICE travellers. A self-completion questionnaire was administered to travellers undertaking MICE-related travel in Taipei, Taiwan. Some signifi cant differences were identifi ed between the three respondent groups. The fi ndings demonstrate the important role that is played by internal and external information sources among MICE travellers as a predictor of their subsequent travel to Taiwan.

The purpose of the present study is to identify the various factors that infl uence the competitiveness of the hot springs tourism sector. The research draws on the models of Ritchie and Crouch, Dwyer and Kim, and Enright and Newton, who concluded that destination competitiveness is determined by three major components: resources and attractors, destination strategies and environments. The investigation produced both qualitative and quantitative data using the Delphi technique. An expert panel reached consensus about priorities for the development of Taiwan's hot springs tourism sector and provided written justifi cations for their responses. This paper reports on the qualitative fi ndings of the three-round Delphi survey and provides a supply-side perspective on Taiwan's hot springs tourism sector. An examination of the expert comments concluded that the Taiwanese are increasingly concerned with good health and longevity. This emerging characteristic offers new business opportunities for the providers of hot springs tourism experiences to extend their appeal into health protection and medical treatments. However, if they are to achieve sustainable development and ensure highquality visitor experiences, hot springs proprietors will need to work closely with local governments and communities to promote sustainable use of natural hot springs and to conduct routine inspections of spa premises. Overall, the future of the hot springs tourism sector appears to be promising.

— More visitors are nowadays travelling to destinations in search of culinary experiences. Food functions not merely as physiological sustenance but also as a destination experience enhancer, providing opportunities to learn about destination culture through direct encounters with local cuisines. This study aimed to identify the international visitor preconceptions of local Indonesian food and the factors influencing their expectations prior to dining with the local food in the country. A questionnaire-based survey involving 349 international visitors was completed. The results revealed seven new emerging factors expected as relating to: staff quality, sensory attributes, food uniqueness, local servicescapes, food authenticity, food familiarity, and food variety. Further, there were significant differences in the level of dining expectations amongst participants who travelled to Indonesia for the first time compared to those who had visited the country before.