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This paper aims to suggest an empirically based typology of hotels according to their marketing information systems (MrkIS) configurations. The study seeks to examine major antecedents of the effectiveness of MrkIS and their influence on the adoption of specific marketing applications. Finally, this paper seeks to expand the general understanding of the relationship between the effectiveness of a hotel's MrkIS and that hotel's overall effectiveness, compared with that of others from the suggested typology.

The paper collected empirical data from a sample of 254 luxury and five‐star Greek hotels. They conducted a cluster analysis in order to define various clusters of hotels based on their use of specific marketing applications. They considered the role of basic antecedents – namely the hotel's degree of market orientation adoption, system quality, the quality of the information that the MrkIS produce, and support service quality – examining their influence on the MrkIS configuration in use. In addition, the paper considers the relationship between MrkIS effectiveness and overall hotel effectiveness as evidenced throughout the different clusters.

The study offers insights that can help hoteliers to analyse realistically the potential benefits of MrkIS for their businesses. Toward this end, the paper identifies three specific types of hotels: the “transactional‐oriented”, the “sales‐oriented”, and the “market‐oriented”.

The results of the study may not be broadly applicable due to differences in national context, hotel category, and other characteristics – a fact that suggests future research opportunities.

Based on the current results, a hotel might better evaluate its existing MrkIS and be prepared to maximise the opportunities offered by the full utilisation of these systems.

The scarcity of empirical evidence with regard to MrkIS utilisation in the lodging industry makes this kind of study essential. The results of the paper expand the general knowledge about hotels' MrkIS adoption, its antecedents, its effectiveness and hotels' overall effectiveness. The results provide an integrated picture of the utilisation of these systems.

The purpose of this paper is to identify different types of organizational innovativeness in Austrian hotels and analyze their connection to (innovation) success. In the face of growing international competition, innovation is becoming increasingly important for Austria’s hotel industry. A prerequisite for innovation is organizational innovativeness.

This paper is based on a quantitative survey of 255 Austrian hotel businesses with a minimum of five employees. Innovativeness was measured by three dimensions (willingness, ability and possibility to innovate) and success by five dimensions (overall performance: financial, market and employee-related success; innovation success: product and process innovations). Findings were obtained by combining an exploratory factor analysis with a cluster analysis.

Factor analysis reveals five factors determining organizational innovativeness: “cooperation as trigger for change”; “acceptance of change”; “resource based scope for change”; “pluralism as trigger for change”; and “loose coupling and error-tolerance”. The cluster analysis identifies four types of hotels regarding organizational innovativeness indicating differences regarding the success dimensions: “potential innovators hindered by scarce resources and unsupportive structures”, “well-resourced conservatives”, “potential innovators hindered by a haphazard approach” and “cautious idea hunters”. On the whole, results show that a balanced configuration of organizational innovativeness combined with a cautious approach is connected with greater (innovation) success.

Key-informant and survivor biases have to be considered as all items in the questionnaire were evaluated by self-assessment of the hotel management and only successful hotels (in the sense of survival) were analyzed. One important implication is that (innovation) success depends on the system that enables it; therefore, organizational innovativeness is a precondition of successful innovations. Nevertheless, there is little research on organizational innovativeness in the service sector so far.

This paper supports tourism businesses in understanding the concept of organizational innovativeness and its relation to (innovation) success. SMEs, which dominate the Austrian hotel industry, tend to focus on the financial aspect of innovativeness and, in general, do not consider the range of factors that constitute an organization’s innovativeness (willingness, ability and possibility to innovate) and the various outcomes.

By combining organizational innovativeness and (innovation) success, the paper applies an important element of innovation theory to the Austrian hotel industry. The characterization of different types of hotels regarding organizational innovativeness and success enables a (self-) assessment for hotel businesses and the deduction of customized implications.

The aim of this study was three-fold: first, to develop an instrument to evaluate food and beverage service quality in spa hotels; second, to identify aspects of food and beverage service quality of which customers had the highest expectations, i.e. the key dimensions of food and beverage service quality in spa hotels; third, to measure customer perceptions of the spa hotels in this study and to identify those dimensions with the largest gap between customer expectations and perceptions.

A self-administrated questionnaire was distributed to 331 customers at four different spa hotels in Balikesir, Turkey. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to identify service quality dimensions. Cronbach Alpha indicated the reliability of the factors identified. Customer expectations, perceptions and gaps between expectations and perceptions for each dimension were measured.

Factor analysis revealed six quality dimensions: “assurance and employee knowledge”; “healthy and attractive food”; “empathy”; “tangibles”; “responsiveness of service delivery”; “reliability”. Customer expectations were highest for “tangibles” and “assurance and employee knowledge”. The largest gaps between perceptions and expectations were for “healthy and attractive food” and “tangibles”.

Key dimensions for food and beverage service quality in spa hotels were identified and a reliable instrument for measuring provision was developed. This should be applied by managers on an ongoing basis to evaluate their performance and give them a better understanding of food and beverage service quality in spa hotels. The study provides specific information on the performance of Turkish spa hotels in relation to food and beverage service quality.

This research addresses the paucity of research on customer perspectives of food and beverage provision in spa hotels and contributes to enhanced understanding of spa tourists and their expectations and perceptions of the service quality of food and beverage service quality.

West Java, one of the provinces in Indonesia, is trying to develop the coastal tourism sector by applying the eco-tourism concept. The observation results found that there were differences in the concept applied by the local government, namely toward mass tourism. Therefore, one of the strategies proposed is developing tourist areas using a combination of eco-tourism and mass tourism. The increase in the tourism sector in this area will not only help the economic growth of the local community but also contribute to the improvement of the economy of West Java. This study aims to estimate the risks that will occur if the developer uses the mix-use method. The research was conducted by interviewing and distributing questionnaires to the Tourism Office, National Disaster Relief Agency, Business Actors and Communities, and Tourists. The method used is descriptive with quantitative analysis using a risk matrix based on AS/NZS 4360-2004 (Australian-New Zealand Standard). Meanwhile, the qualitative analysis used the interview method and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The findings in this study are that both quantitative and qualitative analyses can provide input through risk identification and priority. This research also provides theoretical and managerial implications.

Being the basic need of humans, but also an attractive element of the tourist offer, gastronomy is related to the attractiveness of a destination, and Balkan gastronomy is considered to be one of the most positive aspects of the tourist image of the region. This study aims to investigate the locals' perception of gastronomic specificity of ‘Balkan food’ and national (local) food as well. Furthermore, the study investigated how ‘Balkan food’ is perceived in terms of its tourist potential, uniqueness, quality, nutrition and its general role in the creation of a joint ‘Balkan’ tourist brand. The methodology included a historical approach and a survey which involved110 respondents. Out of 21 traditional dishes identified in the official tourist promotional activities of selected countries and a review of the relevant literature, the following are identified as regional ‘Balkan’ dishes: ‘pečenje’, ‘musaka’, ‘ćevapi’ and ‘sarma’. The following are identified as national dishes: ‘pastrmajlija’, ‘sogan dolma’, ‘raštan’, ‘pašticada’, ‘burek’ and ‘svadbarski kupus’. The results indicated that some nations have specific knowledge of certain dishes being considered national and regionally present, while other nations show a lack of knowledge of food origin and regional presence in identified countries. Furthermore, the results showed that different dimensions of Balkan cuisine significantly contribute to the tourist potential of the region, while the contribution of its nutritive characteristics is perceived as less important. Results showed that ‘Balkan food’ is considered to be important for the improvement of the ‘Balkans'’ image and promotion, as well as important for the creation of the regional tourism brand.

The article shows the level of development in the field of information technologies and new medias in the tourism organisation of a country in transition.

This chapter introduces its readers to the concept of tourism. It sheds light on the rationale for tourism, as it explains the tourists’ inherent motivations to travel. It also describes different aspects that together make up the tourism industry. Tourists travel to destinations that are accessible to them. They require accommodation if they are visiting a place for more than 24 hours. Leisure and business travellers may also visit attractions, and engage in recreational activities. Hence, the tourist destinations should have the right amenities and facilities. In this light, this chapter clarifies how destinations may offer different products to satisfy a wide array of tourists. Tourism products can include urban (or city) tourism, seaside tourism, rural tourism, ecotourism, wine tourism, culinary tourism, health tourism, medical tourism, religious tourism, cultural (or heritage) tourism, sports tourism, educational tourism, business tourism (including meetings, incentives, conferences and events), among others.