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This study aims to examine consumer perception during COVID-19 and identifies cruise industry marketing strategies to fill a gap in crisis management and product pricing literature.

This study developed and validated two-factor measurement scales (vaccine perception and protective behavior), which predicted cruise intents well. This study revealed how geo-regional factors affect consumer psychology through spatial analysis.

This study recommended pricing 7-day cruises at $1,464 (the most preferred length). The results also showed that future price hikes would not affect demand and that coastal marketing would help retain customers.

This study contributed to the business, hospitality and tourism literature by identifying two new and unique factors (vaccine perception and protective behaviors), which were found to affect consumers’ intention to travel by cruise significantly. The result provided a better understanding of cruise tourists’ pricing preferences and the methods utilized could easily be applied to other cruise markets or tourism entities.

The cruise industry has used technology to attract more millennials than ever before. The progression of social media has transformed the way young individuals gather information for their travel decision-making. Hence, this study aims to investigate the effects of the characteristics of social media – Instagram – on millennials’ trust in and attitudes toward social media content and their behavioral intentions.

A self-administered survey was designed to test the study model, and 323 responses collected were deemed valid for main data analysis.

The results revealed that perceived enjoyment of content is a powerful antecedent of trust, attitudes and behavioral intentions. Content quality is a strong predictor of trust but has no meaningful effect on attitudes and behavioral intentions.

Theoretically, this study contributes to the research in the tourism literature on social media and cruise marketing based on integrating into the technology acceptance model, the characteristics of social media content and trust based on commitment-trust theory. This study can help cruise operators use Instagram to influence millennials and suggests significant implications based on social media interactions with millennials.

This study aims to empower cruise academia to assert their role as enablers, and potentially drivers, of sustainable, responsible and resilient cruise futures.

This contribution represents a synthesis and a critical reflection of cruise-related research-review literature over the last four decades, assessing its impact and potential in terms of influencing the evolution and future developments of cruise tourism.

Cruise research between the 1980s and the first decade of this century could be characterised as “ship-centric” and managerially focused. Over the last decade and up to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise research has become increasingly “cruise-destination centric”, with sustainability emerging as a dominant theme. Diverging somewhat from the public and media emphasis on environmental concerns and risks, academic research tends to focus on the economic aspects of sustainability. Nonetheless, and despite aiming for practical relevance, cruise research tends to remain reactive and lags behind industry trends.

This paper proposes a shift from a “applied” to an “applicable” research paradigm, inspiring researchers to proactively shape the industry‘s future by embracing “what-ifs” in their thematic scope. Such a paradigm calls for a normativity-enriched methodological diversity, as well as the inclusion of transformational relevance as an indicator of research impact.

Public perceptions of cruise tourism have changed over the years, evolving from that of a promising holiday niche to a symbol of unsustainable mass tourism. In this context, cruise scholars are offered guidance for transcending the polarising debate of growth versus de-growth/limits while increasing the relevance and transformational impact of cruise scholarship.

这篇论文是对过去四十年来与邮轮旅游相关的研究评论文献的综述和批判性反思, 评估其在影响邮轮旅游的演变和未来发展方面的影响和潜力。

总体目标是增强邮轮学术界的能力, 使其能够在可持续、负责任和有弹性的邮轮未来发展中发挥促进者和潜在推动者的作用。

20 世纪 80 年代至本世纪头十年的邮轮研究可以说是 “以船为中心”, 以管理为重点。 在过去的十年中, 直到 COVID19 大流行之后, 邮轮研究越来越 “以邮轮目的地为中心”, 可持续发展成为主导主题。 与公众和媒体强调的环境问题和风险有些不同, 学术研究往往侧重于可持续发展的经济方面。 尽管如此, 邮轮研究尽管以实际相关性为目标, 但仍倾向于被动应对, 落后于行业发展趋。

本文提出了从 “应用 “研究范式向 “适用 “研究范式的转变, 激励研究人员通过在其主题范围内接受 “假设”, 积极塑造行业的未来。这种范式要求在方法上丰富规范性, 并将变革相关性作为衡量研究影响力的指标。

多年来, 公众对邮轮旅游的看法发生了变化, 从充满希望的度假小众旅游发展成为不可持续的大众旅游的象征。在此背景下, 为邮轮学者提供了指导, 以超越增长与去增长/限制的两极化争论, 同时提高邮轮学术研究的相关性和变革性影响。

Esta contribución representa una síntesis y una reflexión crítica de la literatura de investigación-revisión relacionada con los cruceros durante las últimas cuatro décadas, evaluando su impacto y potencial en términos de influencia sobre la evolución y futuros desarrollos del turismo de cruceros.

El objetivo general es capacitar al mundo académico de los cruceros para hacer valer su papel como facilitadores, y potencialmente impulsores, de futuros cruceros sostenibles, responsables y resilientes.

La investigación sobre cruceros entre los años 80 y la primera década de este siglo, podría caracterizarse como “centrada en el barco” y enfocada a la gestión. Durante la última década y hasta las secuelas de la pandemia de COVID19, la investigación sobre cruceros se ha vuelto cada vez más “centrada en los cruceros-destino”, con la sostenibilidad emergiendo como tema dominante. Apartándose un tanto del énfasis público y mediático en las preocupaciones y riesgos medioambientales, la investigación académica tiende a centrarse en los aspectos económicos de la sostenibilidad. No obstante, y a pesar de aspirar a la relevancia práctica, la investigación sobre cruceros tiende a seguir siendo reactiva y se queda rezagada con respecto a las tendencias del sector.

Este documento propone un cambio de un paradigma de investigación “aplicado” a otro “aplicable”, que inspire a los investigadores a configurar de forma proactiva el futuro de la industria, abarcando los “y si…” en su ámbito temático. Dicho paradigma exige una diversidad metodológica enriquecida por la normatividad, así como la inclusión de la relevancia transformadora como indicador del impacto de la investigación.

La percepción pública del turismo de cruceros ha cambiado a lo largo de los años, evolucionando desde la de un nicho vacacional prometedor a la de un símbolo del turismo de masas insostenible. En este contexto, se ofrece a los estudiosos de los cruceros una guía para trascender el polarizante debate de crecimiento frente a decrecimiento/límites, al tiempo que se aumenta la relevancia y el impacto transformador de los estudios sobre cruceros.

Using COVID-19 pandemic as a more immediate empirical reference, this paper aims to understand the biosecurity risks arising from tourist activities and, through a more prospective analysis, to consider the relevance of public health issues in the context of tourism-sustainability nexuses.

The text assumes a hybrid format, incorporating elements resulting from empirical research and essayistic viewpoints. The collection of empirical elements was based on documental research in several sources, such as newspapers, international institutions of an intergovernmental nature and the discussion forum of the travel platform TripAdvisor.

By assuming mobility and large agglomerations of people from different origins, mass tourism has fostered multiple outbreaks of COVID-19 and the rapid global spread of contagion chains. The pandemic clearly exemplified the responsibility of tourism in the dispersion of biotic agents with severe ecological, economic, social and public health repercussions. It is, therefore, urgent to rethink the tourism growth trajectory and more effectively consider the biosecurity risks associated with mobility in discussions on tourism and sustainability. At the same time, tourism must be delineated in terms of the great aims of sustainability, and this transversal purpose to which it contributes should be considered an intrinsic condition of its own sectorial sustainability as an economic activity.

The biosecurity challenges posed by mass tourism are a very topical issue, still little considered in sustainability policies and on which there is a marked deficit in scientific research.

Given the lack of focus on a standardized measurement framework (e.g. benchmarking tool) to assess and quantify complexity within the supply chain, this study has developed a unified supply chain complexity (SCC) index and validated its utility by examining the relationship with firm performance. More importantly, it examines the role of firm owners' business knowledge, sales strategy and board management on the relationship between SCC and firm performance.

In this study, the unit of analysis is Indian manufacturing companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). This research has merged panel data from two secondary data sources: Bloomberg and Prowess and empirically operationalized five key SCC drivers, namely, number of suppliers, the number of supplier countries, the number of products, the number of plants and the number of customers. The study employs panel data regression analyses to examine the proposed conceptual model and associated hypotheses. Moreover, the present study employs models that incorporate robust standard errors to account for heteroscedasticity.

The results show that complexity has a negative and significant effect on firm performance. Further, the study reveals that an owner's business knowledge and the firm's effective sales strategy and board management can significantly lessen the negative effect of SCC.

This study develops an SCC index and validates its utility. Also, it presents a novel idea to operationalize the measure for SCC characteristics using secondary databases like Prowess and Bloomberg.

Chewy, Inc. is a direct-to-consumer seller of pet food and supplies. Their approach involves a deep understanding of pet owners’ needs and behaviors to provide personalized product recommendations and exceptional customer service. This case study aims to describe Chewy’s growth strategies and how the company can remain a market leader.

Using the customer value assessment tool, the authors examine Chewy’s value proposition, including service, quality, image and price strategies.

Chewy has built a loyal customer base that values the company’s commitment to their pets’ health and well-being. Future opportunities include focusing on pet wellness products and services, collaborating with veterinary providers in telemedicine and international expansion.

This work is largely conceptual and presents a descriptive case study which reviews Chewy’s marketing strategy based on industry research as well as a customer value assessment via the service-quality-image-price framework.

Corporate leaders must adapt to market change and create business strategies to deliver superior value for customers. This requires innovative products, services and processes. The strategic insights are applicable to retailers, service and technology firms and entrepreneurial companies seeking to scale their businesses.

Chewy’s highly competitive market includes Amazon, e-commerce pet supply companies and big-box pet stores. But it has dominated the online sector and has substantial growth prospects. This paper concludes with recommendations for management and questions for consideration.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the distinction between human-delivered service and technology-based, automated customer assistance.

This is a conceptual paper. There is no methodology.

The concept of service is primarily delivered when a human helps another. When technology is infused into the process and becomes the major component of delivering the aid that is requested, the process is automated customer assistance. Thus, “self-service” is not service. It is automated customer assistance.

The definition of service is refined to describe the process of a human helping another person. When technology is used to provide the needed aid, it is no longer a service. Instead, it is automated customer assistance. The implication is that researchers should closely examine how users assess and perceive the two separate approaches to providing the needed aid.

The definition of service is refined to describe the process of a human helping another person. When technology is used to provide the needed aid, it is no longer a service. Instead, it is automated customer assistance. Researchers should closely examine how users assess and perceive the two separate approaches. Industry professionals should be mindful of the distinction between the delivery of service, which requires staff, and the provisioning of technology to provide assistance, which requires little to no staff. Intentionality should drive when customers are better helped by a human or by technology.

The value provided helps both providers create and users express when human-based service is needed versus assistance provided by technology.

This study aims to investigate the engagement gap between Metaverse and in-person travel, the influence of Metaverse tourism on tourists and the industry and the challenges and responses associated with Metaverse technology. The study presents practical cases and highlights the implications of this research for practice, society and future research.

This study uses a literature review to explore concerns about Metaverse technology in tourism. It analyzes the difference between in-person travel and Metaverse tourism, the impact on tourists and the industry and challenges and responses to Metaverse. The review shows a rising trend in Metaverse tourism research.

These findings suggest differences between Metaverse tourism and in-person travel. By providing personalized travel options, social interaction, immersive experiences and soliciting visitor feedback, it is possible to enhance the tourist experience. Additionally, the study highlights the opportunities and challenges that Metaverse tourism presents to the tourism industry. The study provides practical cases in the tourism industry and implications for practice, society and future research.

The study’s implications for Metaverse tourism are practical, societal and future research-related. Metaverse technology can enhance the tourist experience through personalized options, social interaction, immersive experiences and feedback. This inclusivity can promote social equity and cultural exchange. Further research is needed to explore the social effects of Metaverse tourism and its long-term impacts on local communities, economies and the environment.

This study contributes by exploring the impact of Metaverse tourism, supporting academic research and practice. It fills a knowledge gap by analyzing the application of Metaverse technology in tourism, providing insights for researchers and practitioners. It offers practical guidance by identifying opportunities and challenges in Metaverse tourism, fostering industry innovation. Additionally, it informs policymakers about the impact of Metaverse tourism on development.

This study aims to investigate city branding as a post-pandemic COVID-19 outcome factor on brand satisfaction, brand experience, perceived risk and revisit intention. In addition, this research contributes to the discussion of post-COVID-19 city branding that needs to be considered in the development of future tourism marketing.

A quantitative approach was used with PLS-SEM statistical analysis and a 263-tourist sample. The study was conducted on tourists from Malang Regency in Indonesia by distributing questionnaires modified from previous studies in a similar context.

The results of this study found that there were significant influences of city brand personality on brand experience, brand satisfaction, brand experience on perceived risk, brand satisfaction on revisit intention and perceived risk on revisit intention. This study also presents the mediating role.

The study was only conducted on a small regency in Indonesia, and therefore the results cannot be generalized for other cities over the world.

The proposed study model suggests that stakeholders must seek to socialize services to potential tourists, so that tourists can understand the description of tourism activities that can be enjoyed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the way they travel in the future.

Understanding the determinant factors of city branding post-COVID-19 was valuable for developing marketing strategies to cope with intense competition among the city.

This study emphasizes the determinants of COVID-19 perceived risk and revisit intentions as explained in the tourism marketing literature by considering the role of brand satisfaction, brand experience and city brand personality which significantly contribute to build the city competitiveness. Therefore, various creative strategies should be implemented to promote the city as well as escalate tourist visits without ignoring the pandemic’s risks.

Drawing from cognitive dissonance theory (CDT) and attribution ambiguity theory (AAT), this paper aims to examine how employees interact with queer customers within the hospitality service and the ways that queer representations regulate emotions when discriminated against by normative gender roles.

This study used a mixed method. Study 1 used firm-level secondary data to analyze hospitality firms’ efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and the effects on firms’ profit margins and customer satisfaction. In Study 2, an experimental design was used to understand how employees’ assailing behavior toward queer customers interacts with employee feelings of guilt and impacts their sabotage and organizational citizenship behavior via self-serving bias. Study 3 further explored how queer customer victimization interacts with stress to influence their perceptions of organization DEI authenticity and corporate social responsibility (CSR) through resilience.

Hospitality firms’ DEI efforts were associated with varying outcomes, including higher profit margins but lower customer satisfaction, while guilt weakened the impact of employees’ assailing behavior on their outcomes and customer stress amplified the effect of assailing behavior on queer customers’ perceptions of DEI authenticity and CSR through resilience.

Hospitality organizations should take proactive measures to address self-serving bias among employees. Moreover, fostering an inclusive culture is crucial, with managers playing a pivotal role in facilitating discussions and creating an environment that values diversity, inclusivity and respect for all employees.

The study makes a remarkable contribution to hospitality literature by focusing on CDT and AAT in providing valuable implications for DEI advocators to be aware of the tensions between heteronormativity and queer representations in service encounters.