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Neither visitors of visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel nor hosts are homogeneous segments (Griffin & Guttenberg, 2020). For this reason, this study aims to address students as hosts of VFR travel and analyzes differences in the visitor and the host segment. As a result, marketing implications for destination marketing organizations that seek to realize the potential of the student VFR segment arise.

This research project adopts a multi-method approach to derive a deeper empirical understanding of visitors’ behaviors and the role of students hosting friends and relatives (SHFR). The quantitative study aims to reveal the relevance and differences between visits to friends (VF) and visits to relatives (VR), whereas the qualitative study elaborates on the findings of the quantitative study and seeks to understand the role and experiences of students as hosts.

The findings reveal that VR and VF travelers vary in terms of their expenditure. Hosts’ spending depends on visitors’ budgets; in general, both their direct and indirect (when relatives pay) spending increases when they have visitors. Furthermore, the data identify two distinct hosting styles: functional hosting is concerned with providing outstanding hospitality based on a more traditional, guest-oriented understanding of the role, whereas integrative hosting blurs the lines between hospitality and lifestyle based on a more modern, host-oriented understanding of the role.

Regarding limitations, this study did not differentiate between students who were simultaneously locals and students who resided in the city only for study purposes. In a similar vein, the cultural background of the students was not considered in the research. Finally, the differences between VF and VR could further be explored in a quantitative follow-up study and in testing for significant differences in SHFR spending behaviors. Further research could examine whether domestic travelers, travelers with cultural proximity and/or short-distance VFR travelers are more likely to visit after COVID-19 as suggested by Backer and Ritchie (2017) in the case of crises and disaster.

Students as hosts differ from other hosts in VFR travel in their reluctance to embrace conventional tourism products. This study found that place attachment makes hosts of VFR travelers passionate ambassadors and advertisers for the destinations; destination marketing organizations (DMOs) could support this already positive image by providing and supporting students with more detailed information about their cities and the opportunities they offer. Results are of particular relevance because the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing DMOs to develop destination strategies that incorporate social-distancing and avoid crowded places.

When students take their friends out to events and nightclubs, they contribute significantly to experiences that go beyond typical tourism activities such as sightseeing and shopping. By offering special discounts to visitors who come with their hosts, DMOs could help visitors delve more deeply into city life and thereby reduce the likeliness of crowded city centers. Considering the findings relating to the social and emotional qualities of VFR travel, DMO marketing to VFR travelers could benefit from promoting socio-cultural spaces and offerings that value groups’ social ties (e.g. family prices for families with adult children) or alumni status.

According to the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first which analyzes both, visitors and hosts of VFR travel using a two methods approach. Very recently, Griffin and Guttenberg (2020) miss VFR research focusing on the heterogeneity of the segment, and Backer et al. (2020) claim for more VFR research on the role of hosts carried out outside of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the USA. To the authors’ best knowledge, this study is the first which delivers empirical insights on SHFR in Central Europe.

Offline retail stores have been working on improving their in-store customer experience; they have begun to realise the physical advantage they have over online channels. Especially sports products have a number of unique features, such as high emotional involvement or a sense of community; additionally, sports customers put emphasis on multisensory brand experience at the point of sale. This study examines the in-store customer experience (ISCX) in offline sports retail stores, taking into account the commercial uniqueness of sport.

A qualitative study (focus groups; n = 16) and quantitative survey (cross-sectional survey design; n = 238) were conducted to measure ISCX in sports retail stores.

The results suggest that the customers' in-store experience has a significant influence on customers' satisfaction with the sports retailer and their likeliness to recommend the store to friends, which, in turn, is significantly affected by customers' satisfaction with the retailer. Moreover, social responses to actors involved in the service encounter, for example, the interaction with employees, play a significant role for the customer in-store experience. Accordingly, sports customers strive not only for functional benefits inherent in the interaction with customers and employees but also for social benefits.

This study extends the knowledge by (1) replicating the ISCX scale, (2) analysing ISCX in a sports retail environment and (3) examining the influence of ISCX on the Net Promoter Score. Moreover, the findings support managers' know-how about in-store setting and help to maintain the customer relationship.

Previous research acknowledges the importance of stakeholders for destination branding. However, there is a lack of studies examining which specific online user discourses are triggered by stakeholder responses to destination brand communication. To address this gap, the purpose of this study is to analyze online user discourses initiated by stakeholder’s reactions to a destination image video and thus enhance knowledge on brand communication and management.

The authors investigated 2,187 online comments to 19 medial stakeholder reactions to a destination management organization (DMO) image video both by running a manual as well as a software-based content analysis. The explorative empirical study identifies seven major categories reflecting online user discourses triggered by stakeholder reactions to destination brand communication.

The explorative study indicates that stakeholder reactions to destination brand communication trigger online comments evolving within both the inner and outer tourism system. The discourse subjects, in turn, reflect both user-generated content of brand cocreation and brand codestruction. The findings expand literature in that previous studies on brand cocreation mainly refer to service encounters.

By identifying which online user discourses are triggered by stakeholder reactions to DMO brand communication, the authors provide managerial implications. Specifically, the authors suggest guidelines for all stages of destination communication campaigns to support online user discourses reflecting brand value cocreation and preventing brand value codestruction.

The study responds to a lack of research on online user discourses initiated by stakeholder reactions to DMO brand communication. Contrary to previous studies, the authors identify specific online user discourses relating not only to the inner but also to the outer tourism interest system. Revealed discourses, in turn, reflect brand cocreation and brand codestruction.

先前的研究确认了利益相关者对于目的地品牌塑造的重要性。然而, 目前缺乏研究探讨利益相关者对目的地品牌传播的反应, 会引发哪些特定的线上使用者论述。针对这个缺口, 本研究分析由利益相关者对目的地形象影片的反应所引发的线上使用者论述, 进而增进品牌传播与管理的知识。

作者通过手动和软件内容分析, 调查了 2,187 条在线评论, 涉及 19 个媒体利益相关者对目的地管理组织形象视频的反应。这项探索性实证研究确定了七个主要类别, 反映了利益相关者对目的地品牌传播的反应所引发的在线用户讨论。

本探索性研究表明, 利益相关者对目的地品牌传播的反应, 引发了在旅游系统内部和外部演变的在线评论。话语主体反过来反映了用户生成的品牌共创和品牌共建内容。 以往关于品牌共创的研究主要涉及服务接触, 而我们的研究结果拓展了这一研究领域。

通过确定利益相关者对目的地管理组织品牌传播的反应引发的在线用户话语, 我们提供了管理方面的启示。具体来说, 我们为目的地传播活动的各个阶段提出了指导方针, 以支持反映品牌价值共创和防止品牌价值共毁的在线用户话语。

我们的研究回应了由利益相关者对目的地管理组织品牌传播的反应所引发的线上使用者论述研究的缺乏。与先前的研究相反, 我们发现特定的线上使用者论述不仅与内部旅游利益体系有关, 也与其外部有关。所揭示的论述反过来反映了品牌共创和品牌共建。

Investigaciones anteriores reconocen la importancia de las partes interesadas en la creación de marcas de destino. Sin embargo, faltan estudios que examinen si los discursos específicos de los usuarios en línea son desencadenados por las respuestas de las partes interesadas a la comunicación de la marca de destino. Para colmar esta laguna, el presente estudio analiza los discursos de los usuarios en línea iniciados por las reacciones de los grupos de interés a un vídeo de imagen de un destino, mejorando con esto los conocimientos sobre comunicación y gestión de marcas.

Los autores investigan 2.187 comentarios en línea a 19 reacciones de grupos de interés mediáticos a un vídeo de la imagen de una OMD mediante un análisis de contenido tanto manual como basado en software. El estudio empírico explorativo identifica siete categorías principales que reflejan los discursos de los usuarios en línea desencadenados por las reacciones de las partes interesadas a la comunicación de la marca de destino.

El estudio exploratorio indica que las reacciones de las partes interesadas a la comunicación de la marca del destino desencadenan comentarios en línea que evolucionan dentro del sistema turístico interno y externo. A su vez, los temas del discurso reflejan tanto el contenido generado por los usuarios como la cocreación y la codestrucción de la marca. Nuestros hallazgos amplían la literatura en el sentido de que los estudios anteriores sobre cocreación de marcas se refieren principalmente a encuentros de servicios.

Al identificar qué discursos en línea de los usuarios desencadenan las reacciones de las partes interesadas a la comunicación de marca de los OMD, aportamos implicaciones para la gestión. En concreto, sugerimos directrices para todas las fases de las campañas de comunicación de los destinos, con el fin de apoyar los discursos en línea de los usuarios que reflejan la cocreación del valor de la marca y evitar la codestrucción de dicho valor.

Nuestro estudio responde a la falta de investigación sobre los discursos en línea de los usuarios iniciados por las reacciones de las partes interesadas a la comunicación de marca de las OMD. A diferencia de estudios anteriores, identificamos discursos específicos de usuarios en línea relacionados no sólo con el sistema de intereses turísticos interno, sino también con el externo. Los discursos revelados reflejan a su vez la cocreación y la codestrucción de la marca.