Search results

This paper identifies the critical success factors (CSFs) of virtual hotel operator (VHO) in using hotel management system partnerships with small- and medium-sized hotels (SMSHs).

This study uses a qualitative approach, with 25 semi-structured interviews with hotel owners and VHO management. Thematic analysis is used to determine themes to evaluate hotel owners and operators' perceptions.

CSFs for VHO partnership with SMSHs include marketing and promotion strategies, client relationships, training and human resources development, hotel operation management, innovation strategies, capital expenditures and property management systems (PMSs). VHOs also have a symbolic impact on the mutualistic relationship with SMSHs by increasing service and enhancing product competitiveness and profitability.

Findings are beneficial for VHO in determining the most significant CSFs, thereby establishing additional metrics in business performance and increasing resilience in the accommodation sector. Further studies can measure the digital technology factors from VHO, including PMSs and mobile applications.

This study first identifies CSFs for VHO companies from the perspectives of hotel owners and management. This contribution adds to the literature on CSFs in the context of digital technology implementation in SMSHs. Moreover, implications are beneficial for VHO management in determining the most significant CSFs for companies to measure the business performance of the companies and increase resilience in the accommodation sector.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the unexplored part of the historical evolution of travel agencies in Spain, from the end of the 20th century to the 21st century. When examining promotion strategies, the study focuses on the change in marketing and public relations strategies based on the incorporation of information and communication technologies and, in particular, the use of the internet.

This study draws on a qualitative analysis of the different strategies used by traditional agencies and online agencies in Spain from the mid-19th century to the present. This analysis shows how traditional communication strategies survived at the beginning of the 21st century, together with other more innovative ones, while some disappeared, being eliminated by the new online travel agencies, which created a particular conception of marketing and communication. This paper is divided into the following parts: the introduction; the beginnings of travel agency promotion in the 20th century; the evolution of promotion in travel agencies since the late 20th century; communication innovation at the beginning of the 21st century; online travel agencies; and conclusions.

This study shows that although online agencies did not manage to position themselves with a large turnover, they generated advantages and sharpened their imagination to create a new, more economical advertising model, eliminating the costs of public relations and advertising campaigns. In addition, they allowed clients to have greater independence when making their reservations, while enabling them to monitor the tastes of potential and real clients and add blogs so that consumers could express their degree of satisfaction with the product or services provided by the agency.

The focus of attention is the travel agency sector in Spain and, more specifically, communication. Studies on travel agencies and their marketing have been very scarce and partial, impeding professionals in the tourism sector from having a broad vision to direct their promotional and public relations actions. The originality of this article lies in its making a comparison between two different visions of tourism marketing and, specifically, of travel agencies, that is, the traditional vision and the innovative one. It thus helps all professionals in the sector to value and improve their marketing and communication strategies.

Emphasizing the critical role of technology-enabled distribution in tourism, this study, a viewpoint, aims to highlight the potential of democratized technologies in readdressing the competitive imbalance between small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) and their larger peers in today’s online marketplace. By enhancing competitiveness and performance, democratized technologies can strengthen the resilience, sustainability and competitive position of the SMTEs on which tourism depends, helping to support the Horizon 2050 agenda and UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Examining the development of online and electronic distribution in tourism, the viewpoint identifies the key challenges to the successful use of technology-based distribution systems by SMTEs, as well as highlights the trend toward democratized technologies as a potential solution to help improve technology take-up and performance.

With no/low initial capital or operating costs, and little need for technical expertise, democratized technologies have the potential to overcome two of the three key challenges limiting the successful adoption and use of distribution technologies by SMTES. The key blockage remains one of managerial awareness and acceptability. With informal organization structures, little managerial or technical training and an ingrained reluctance to change, SMTE managers remain unfamiliar of the possibilities offered by this developing trend. While this challenge could be addressed by awareness building and training, in the longer run, it is likely that more substantial progress will arise from generational change in SMTE management, with digitally native successors more likely to exploit this development to improve competitiveness and performance.

Emphasizing the pivotal role that democratized technology can potentially play in redressing the competitive imbalance between SMTEs and their larger peers in the distribution space, this viewpoint serves as a call for action for tourism businesses to re-examine their approach to technology adoption and leverage democratized technologies to address current deficiencies in their distribution approach, helping to improve competitiveness and performance, thus supporting the Horizon 2050 initiative and furthering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

这篇观点论文强调了技术驱动的分销在旅游业中的关键作用, 强调了民主化技术在重新解决中小旅游企业（SMTEs）与其大型同行在当今在线市场中的竞争失衡方面的潜力。通过提高竞争力和绩效, 民主化技术可以加强旅游业所依赖的SMTE的韧性、可持续性和竞争地位, 有助于支持地平线2050议程和联合国可持续发展目标。

该观点论文考察了在线和电子分销在旅游业的发展, 确定了SMTE成功使用基于技术的分销系统的关键挑战, 并强调了将民主化技术作为帮助提高技术使用率和性能的潜在解决方案的趋势。

由于没有/较低的初始资本或运营成本, 也几乎不需要技术专业知识, 民主化技术有可能克服限制SMTES成功采用和使用分销技术的三个关键挑战中的两个。关键的障碍仍然是管理意识和可接受性。由于非正式的组织结构、很少的管理或技术培训以及根深蒂固的不愿改变, SMTE的管理人员仍然不熟悉这一发展趋势所提供的可能性。虽然这一挑战可以通过提高认识和培训来解决, 但从长远来看, SMTE管理的代际变革可能会带来更大的进展, 数字原生继任者更有可能利用这一发展来提高竞争力和绩效。

强调民主化技术在纠正SMTE与其在分销领域的大型同行之间的竞争失衡方面可能发挥的关键作用, 本文呼吁旅游企业采取行动, 重新审视其采用技术的方法, 并利用民主化技术来解决其分销方法中的当前缺陷, 帮助提高竞争力和绩效, 从而支持地平线2050倡议, 推动联合国的可持续发展目标。

Haciendo hincapié en el papel fundamental de la distribución posibilitada por la tecnología en el turismo, este punto de vista destaca el potencial de las tecnologías democratizadas para corregir el desequilibrio competitivo entre las Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas Turísticas (PYMETs) y sus homólogas de mayor tamaño en el mercado online actual. Al mejorar la competitividad y el rendimiento, las tecnologías democratizadas pueden reforzar la resistencia, la sostenibilidad y la posición competitiva de las PYMETS de las que depende el turismo, contribuyendo así a apoyar la agenda Horizonte 2050 y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de la ONU.

Examinando el desarrollo de la distribución online y electrónica en el turismo, el punto de vista identifica los desafíos clave para el uso exitoso de los sistemas de distribución basados en la tecnología por parte de las PYMETs, así como destaca la tendencia hacia las tecnologías democratizadas como una solución potencial para ayudar a mejorar la adopción y el rendimiento de la tecnología.

Con unos costes iniciales de capital o de funcionamiento nulos o bajos, y poca necesidad de conocimientos técnicos, las tecnologías democratizadas tienen el potencial de superar dos de los tres retos clave que limitan la adopción y el uso con éxito de las tecnologías de distribución por parte de las PYMETs. El bloqueo clave permanece en la concienciación y la aceptación por parte de los directivos. Con estructuras organizativas informales, escasa formación técnica o de gestión y una arraigada reticencia al cambio, los directivos de las PYMETs permanecen desconocedores de las posibilidades que ofrece esta tendencia en desarrollo. Aunque este reto podría abordarse mediante la concienciación y la formación, a largo plazo es probable que surjan progresos más sustanciales del cambio generacional en la gestión de las PYMETs, con sucesores nativos digitales más propensos a explotar este desarrollo para mejorar la competitividad y el rendimiento.

Haciendo especial hincapié en el potencial y fundamental papel que la tecnología democratizada puede desempeñar a la hora de corregir el desequilibrio competitivo entre las PYMETs y sus homólogas de mayor tamaño en el espacio de la distribución, este punto de vista sirve de llamada a la acción para que las empresas turísticas reexaminen su enfoque de la adopción de tecnología y aprovechen las tecnologías democratizadas para subsanar las deficiencias actuales en su enfoque de la distribución, ayudando a mejorar la competitividad y el rendimiento, apoyando así la iniciativa Horizonte 2050 y fomentando los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de la ONU.

While there was heightened awareness on the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution (IR 4.0) prior to COVID-19, studies have shown that the adoption of these advanced technologies (e.g. Big Data, robotics, Internet of Things, etc.) continues to remain low across global industries. This qualitative study sought to explore the reasons for the low rate of adoption of these technologies and appropriate measures to enhance their adoption at hotels, through the lens of hotel executives.

Based on interpretivist's ideals, this study follows a case study design and adopts a qualitative method of enquiry. The heterogenous purposive sampling technique was employed to gather data for the study, using semi-structured interviews.

Grounded on the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework, the thematic analysis revealed technology, organisation and environment-related reasons for the low rate of IR 4.0 technologies adoption at hotels in Malaysia. Also, the study uncovered some interesting measures that will enhance the adoption of these advanced technologies at hotels.

This study unearths technology, organisation and environment-related reasons for low adoption, and measures to enhance the adoption of IR 4.0 technologies in hotels. This study also enlightens hotel owners and technology providers about practical issues that will ensure the successful adoption of such technologies to enhance hotel business. In line with SDG 9, this study also seeks to promote sustainable innovation in the hospitality industry. Practical and theoretical implications have also been discussed in this study.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a mobile and social-based question-and-answer (Q&A) system that analyzes users' social relationships and past answering behavior, considers users' interest similarity and answer quality to infer suitable respondents and forwards the questions to users that are willing to give high quality answers.

This research applies first-order logic (FOL) inference calculation to generate question/interest ID that combines a users' social information, interests and social network intimacy to choose the nodes that can provide high-quality answers. After receiving a question, a friend can answer it, forward it to their friends according to the number of TTL (Time-to-Live) hops, or send the answer directly to the server. This research collected data from the TripAdvisor.com website and uses it for the experiment. The authors also collected previously answered questions from TripAdvisor.com; thus, subsequent answers could be forwarded to a centralized server to improve the overall performance.

The authors have first noticed that even though the proposed system is decentralized, it can still accurately identify the appropriate respondents to provide high-quality answers. In addition, since this system can easily identify the best answerers, there is no need to implement broadcasting, thus reducing the overall execution time and network bandwidth required. Moreover, this system allows users to accurately and quickly obtain high-quality answers after comparing and calculating interest IDs. The system also encourages frequent communication and interaction among users. Lastly, the experiments demonstrate that this system achieves high accuracy, high recall rate, low overhead, low forwarding cost and low response rate in all scenarios.

This paper proposes a mobile and social-based Q&A system that applies FOL inference calculation to analyze users' social relationships and past answering behavior, considers users' interest similarity and answer quality to infer suitable respondents and forwards the questions to users that are willing to give high quality answers. The experiments demonstrate that this system achieves high accuracy, high recall rate, low overhead, low forwarding cost and low response rate in all scenarios.

This study aims to synthesize the existing literature with insights gained from interviews conducted with regulatory experts. The objective is to analyse the challenges associated with incorporating cryptocurrencies into regulatory frameworks and to explore constraints in the regulatory institutionalization of cryptocurrencies.

The study methodology consists of two steps. The first step is to identify regulatory constraints in the literature review and in the next step, interviews are conducted with officials of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The study used a qualitative case study methodology, in which a single case (regulatory constraint) was selected as a unit of analysis.

The findings show that lack of traceability, legal status, lack of governmental control due to decentralization, difficulty enforcing laws, volatility, lack of skills with regulators and difficulty integrating cryptocurrencies into the current financial system are the main obstacles to the introduction of a regulatory framework. Thus, on a broader conceptual level, the findings can be grouped into opportunism, lack of strategic capability and fragmented global laws.

This study could inform global cryptocurrency regulation discussions, sharing a developing country’s views on balancing the government, central banks, the financial sector and public interests. This could guide countries to consider cryptocurrency adoption in similar situations. This could affect the cryptocurrency market, impacting demand, supply and investor trust in Pakistan.

The study has implications for policy making officials. The research aims to offer valuable insights to the SBP and other regulatory authorities, helping them identify potential risks and create an effective regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies.

The study has implications for society in knowing about the volatile nature of cryptos and anonymity of their issuers, which poses regulatory constraints. This then implies its harmfullness to its traders and the huge losses that may arise from their trading due to its volatile nature.

This study contributes to the literature on the constraints, responsibilities and consultation framework of cryptocurrency regulations.

This study aims to explain the emergence and development of the concept of “Policy Networks” as a unit of analysis in the realm of public policies and their role in formulating a comprehensive policy for health insurance. The developments that took place over the past few decades had impacted a shift in the state’s role in shaping public policies, from a sole, key actor to one among other actors, both governmental and non-governmental, working interdependently through a set of networks.

The present study adopts the social network analysis as an approach and the social policy network as a tool to analyze public policymaking. The approach suggests the presence of a number of actors and interest groups that are actively involved in public policy and decision-making. These groups may vary from a cause to another and also from time to time. This research investigates and juxtaposes a selected sample of members of the health insurance policy network in Egypt.

In light of the study findings, one can see the existence of a policy network for the comprehensive health insurance system in Egypt. The study reveals the interrelations among a number of official and non-official key actors. The network has gone through several phases; the pre-establishment phase during the early stages of policymaking; the official establishment phase during the formative stage; and finally, the network operation phase during the implementation stage. The study also concludes that the policy network has influenced the different stages of policymaking through several tools and strategies. Moreover, the roles of different actors varied within the network; international organizations were the primary influencer in the early stages of policymaking; syndicates dominated the formative stage; and the public sector played the leading role in the implementation stage.

Serious attempts were made to benefit from policy networks with a particular focus on using the strengths of each actor while establishing an official institutional framework that consolidates coordination and cooperation among the involved parties. This framework should keep pace with global changes and developments. It should also have an official meeting venue. Above all, all parties should be listened to and their demands should be considered seriously as long as they are not actualized at the expense of the public interest nor do they undermine the sovereignty of the state. The study also enhances researchers to use policy networking as a unit for analyzing public policy and their effect on these policies.

Public policymaking in Egypt can become more responsive to people’s demands and more democratic once it was made through informative and interactive policy network. This pattern of policymaking will enhance both efficient and responsive.

Practical Implications: public policy making in Egypt can become more responsive to people demands and more democratic once it was made through informative and interactive policy network. This pattern of policymaking will enhance both efficient and responsive.

In addition to its practical contributions to the field of policymaking, this research fills a gap in the literature on the theoretical level.

Family farms, in which business and family life are intricately interwoven, offer an interesting context for better understanding the interdependence between the family and business system. Many family farms struggle to survive, and the succession process is a key period in which the low returns on investment become evident but also the emotional attachment of the family to the farm and the willingness to transfer the business to the next generation. We take the perspective of non-succeeding siblings since they are crucial for a successful succession but their role and position in this process is far from clear. This study will help to increase our knowledge of how fairness is perceived by non-successors and of the impact of perceived (in)justice on the family business system.

To analyze the effect on sibling relationships of an unequal outcome of the succession process, we choose the family farm context. We used interview data from multiple family members from several family farms in the Netherlands in different stages of succession. We utilized a framework based on justice theory to analyze perceptions of fairness among non-succeeding siblings. The central research question for this study is as follows: How do non-succeeding siblings perceive justice with regard to family firm succession?

The acceptance of the outcomes of the succession process by non-succeeding siblings is influenced by their perception of the fairness of the process itself and decisions made by the incumbent and successor with regard to these outcomes. It seems that stakeholders who occupy multiple roles with conflicting justice perspectives handle these contradictions with the help of an overarching goal—in this study, preserving the continuity of the family farm—and by prioritizing and adjusting the justice perspectives accordingly. The findings further show that both distributive justice and procedural justice are important and interact with each other.

Our study contributes to the literature by applying the theoretical framework of distributive and procedural justice to the context of family farm succession. This helps us to understand the position of non-succeeding siblings and their role and position in the succession process, which is important because sibling relationships have a significant impact on family harmony, with potential consequences for the business as well.

This study aims to chart the impact of technological advancements on tourism from the post–Second World War era to the present and forecast their influence until 2050. It assesses how technologies have reshaped travel experiences and operations, with a focus on upcoming innovations such as the metaverse, Web 3.0 and AI, and their implications for sustainable and ethical tourism.

This study uses a hybrid approach, combining historical analysis and future projections. It analyzes archival data, industry reports and academic literature.

This study identifies crucial technological milestones that have significantly impacted tourism, including the rise of commercial aviation, the internet and AI. Future trends suggest emerging technologies will further transform the sector. Challenges in sustainability, ethics and inclusivity are highlighted as critical considerations for future development.

This paper offers a unique longitudinal perspective on technology’s influence on tourism, bridging past trends with future projections.

本研究采取混合方法, 融合历史分析与未来趋势预测。研究分析了丰富的档案数据、行业报告以及学术文献。

旨在勾勒从二战后至今技术进步对旅游业的影响, 并展望至2050年的潜在影响。本研究着重评估技术如何重塑旅游体验和运作, 特别是对元宇宙、网络3.0和人工智能等即将到来的创新技术及其对可持续和伦理旅游的意义。

识别了旅游业中关键的技术里程碑, 包括商业航空、互联网和人工智能的崛起。研究指出, 未来趋势显示新兴技术将继续深刻改变旅游业。同时强调, 可持续性、伦理和包容性是未来发展中不可忽视的关键要素。

本文从独特的纵向视角出发, 深入探讨了技术对旅游业的历史与未来影响, 将过去发展趋势与未来展望紧密结合。

Este estudio emplea un enfoque híbrido que combina el análisis histórico y las proyecciones de futuro. Analiza datos de archivo, informes del sector y bibliografía académica.

La investigación pretende trazar el impacto de los avances tecnológicos en el turismo desde la era posterior a la Segunda Guerra Mundial hasta la actualidad y prever su influencia hasta 2050. Evalúa cómo las tecnologías han reconfigurado las experiencias y las operaciones de viaje, centrándose en las próximas innovaciones como el Metaverso, la Web 3.0 y la IA, y sus implicaciones para un turismo sostenible y ético.

El estudio identifica hitos tecnológicos cruciales que han tenido un impacto significativo en el turismo, como el auge de la aviación comercial, Internet y la IA. Las tendencias futuras sugieren que las tecnologías emergentes transformarán aún más el sector. Los retos en sostenibilidad, ética e inclusividad se destacan como consideraciones críticas para el desarrollo futuro.

Este artículo ofrece una perspectiva longitudinal única sobre la influencia de la tecnología en el turismo, tendiendo un puente entre las tendencias pasadas y las proyecciones futuras.

There is lack of knowledge about how the existing streets need to be redesigned and the infrastructural changes that need to be made to adopt autonomous vehicles. The purpose of this study is to investigate the infrastructure requirements of autonomous vehicles in terms of (1) lane widths, (2) parking spaces, (3) drop-off zones and (4) other facilities, followed by analyzing them and suggesting changes in the existing urban design of Msheireb Downtown Doha (MDD).

Mixed method of combining both qualitative (secondary research of analyzing the existing data about the urban design guidelines for an autonomous future, observations of the existing infrastructure) and quantitative methods (on-site measurements of pedestrian walkways and road lane widths) is used.

The outcome of the research consists of a series of major infrastructural changes with regard to lane widths, parking spaces, pick-up and drop-off zones and other facilities needed for the deployment of autonomous vehicles.

The results imply that Qatar can benefit by adopting the proposed urban design suggestions for the implementation of autonomous vehicles on the streets of MDD in particular, and smart cities of Qatar and the region in general.

The proposed changes can work as a reference and serve as a possible setting for addressing Autonomous Vehicle preparations in emerging cities.

The proposed urban design changes can be adapted for an autonomous future in emerging cities.