Are Tour Guides in China Ready for Ecotourism? An Importance-Performance Analysis of Perceptions and Performances

Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research

Volumn 19, Issue 1, 2014, Pages 17-34

  Kong, Haiyan ^a  

^a SHANDONG UNIVERSITY   (China)

Author keywords

China; ecotourism; importance performance analysis; tour guide

Indexed keywords

ECOTOURISM; PERCEPTION; PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT; TOURISM MANAGEMENT; TOURIST BEHAVIOR;

CHINA;

EID: 84889260397     PISSN: 10941665     EISSN: 17416507     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/10941665.2012.724018     Document Type: Article

References (51)

1. Andersen, M. S., Miller, M. L. (2006). Onboard marine environmental education: Whale watching in the San Juan Islands, Washington. Tourism in Marine Environments, 2(2), 111-118. doi: 10.3727/154427306779436327
2. Armstrong, E. K., Weiler, B. (2002). Getting the message across: An analysis of messages delivered by tour operators in protected areas. Journal of Ecotourism, 1(2.3), 104-121. doi: 10.1080/14724040208668118
3. Baloglu, S., Love, C. (2003). Association meeting planners' perceived performance of Las Vegas: An importance-performance analysis. Journal of Convention & Exhibition Management, 5(1), 13-27. doi: 10.1300/J143v05n01_02
4. Blamey, R. K. (1997). Ecotourism: The search for an operational definition. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 5(2), 109-130. doi: 10.1080/09669589708667280
5. Cesar, H. S.J., Van Beukering, P. J.H. (2004). Economic valuation of the coral reefs of Hawaii. Pacific Science, 58(2), 231-242. doi: 10.1353/psc.2004.0014
6. Choi, J., Boger, C. (2000). Association planners' satisfaction: An application of importance-performance analysis. Journal of Convention & Exhibition Management, 2(2/3), 113-129. doi: 10.1300/J143v02n02_10
7. Chon, K., Weaver, P. A., Kim, C. Y. (1991). Marketing your community: Image analysis in Norfolk. The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 31(4), 31-37. doi: 10.1177/001088049103100414
8. Christie, M. F., Mason, P. A. (2003). Transformative tour guiding: Training tour guides to be critically reflective practitioners. Journal of Ecotourism, 2(1), 1-16. doi: 10.1080/14724040308668130
9. Chu, R. K.S., Choi, T. (2000). An importance-performance analysis of hotel selection factors in the Hong Kong hotel industry: A comparison of business and leisure travelers. Tourism Management, 21, 363-377. doi: 10.1016/S0261-5177(99)00070-9
10. Cordano, M., Welcomer, S. A., Scherer, R. F. (2003). An analysis of the predictive validity of the new ecological paradigm scale. Journal of Environmental Education, 34(3), 22-29. doi: 10.1080/00958960309603490
11. Cottrell, S. P., Graefe, A. R. (1997). Testing a conceptual framework of responsible environmental behavior. Journal of Environmental Education, 29(1), 17-27. doi: 10.1080/00958969709599103
12. Dunlap, R.E., Van Liere, K.D., Mertig, A.G., & Jones, R.E. (2000). Measuring endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm: A revised NEP scale. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 425-442.
13. Geva, A., Goldman, A. (1991). Satisfaction measurement in guided tours. Annals of Tourism Research, 18(2), 177-185. doi: 10.1016/0160-7383(91)90002-S
14. Go, F., Zhang, W. (1997). Applying importance-performance analysis to Beijing as an international meeting destination. Journal of Travel Research, 35, 42-49.
15. Gu, H., Ryan, C., Chon, K. (2009). Managerial responsibility, environmental practice, and response sets in a sample of Chinese hotel managers. Journal of China Tourism Research, 5, 140-157. doi: 10.1080/19388160902908759
16. Hendee, J. C., Stankey, G. H., Lucas, R. C. (1990). Wilderness management, 2 Golden, CO: North American Press.
17. Hockings, M. (1994). A survey of the tour operator's role in Marine Park interpretation. Journal of Tourism Studies, 5(1), 16-28.
18. Johnson, C. Y., Bowker, J. M., Cordell, H. K. (2004). Ethic variation in environmental belief and behavior: An examination of the new ecological paradigm in a social psychological context. Environment and Behavior, 36(2), 157-186. doi: 10.1177/0013916503251478
19. Kong, H. (2004). The preliminary research of eco-tour guide in China. Yellow Sea Research Forum, 3(5), 293-298.
20. Kong, H. (2007). A study of the means to enhance tour guides' environmental protection. Sichuan Environment, 26(1), 106-108.
21. Kong, H. (2008). Job perceptions and career development of tour guides. Shandong Social Science, 12, 158-160.
22. Kong, H., Cheung, C., Baum, T. (2009). Are tour guides in China ready for the booming tourism industry?. Journal of China Tourism Research, 5(1), 65-76. doi: 10.1080/19388160802711410
23. Lee, W. H., Moscardo, G. (2005). Understanding the impact of ecotourism resort experiences on tourists' environmental attitudes and behavioral intentions. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 13(6), 546-565. doi: 10.1080/09669580508668581
24. Lu, Y., & Wang, J. (2004). Ecotourism. Beijing: Tourism Education Press.
25. Martilla, J. A., Janes, I. C. (1977). Importance-performance analysis. Journal of Marketing, 51, 77-79. doi: 10.2307/1250495
26. Miller, M. L. (1993). The rise of coastal and marine tourism. Ocean and Coastal Management, 20(3), 188-199. doi: 10.1016/0964-5691(93)90066-8
27. Moore, S., Carter, B. (1993). Ecotourism in the 21st century. Tourism Management, 14(1), 123-130. doi: 10.1016/0261-5177(93)90045-M
28. Moscardo, G., Woods, B., Saltzer, R. (2004). The role of interpretation in wildlife tourism. In HigginbottomK. (Ed.), Wildlife tourism: Impacts, planning and management, (Chapter 12, pp. 477-501). London: Common Ground
29. Oppermann, M. (1996). Convention destination images: Analysis of association meeting planners' perceptions. Tourism Management, 17(3), 175-182. doi: 10.1016/0261-5177(96)00004-0
30. Orams, M. B. (1997). The effectiveness of environmental education: Can we turn tourists into "greenies"?. Progress in Tourism and Hospitality Research, 3(4), 295-306. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1603(199712)3:4<295::AID-PTH85>3.0.CO;2-D
31. Ormsby, A. (2006). Ecotourism benefits and the role of local guides at Masoala National Park, Madagascar. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14(3), 271-287. doi: 10.1080/09669580608669059
32. Peake, S., Innes, P., Dyer, P. (2009). Ecotourism and conservation: Factors influencing effective conservation messages. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(1), 107-127. doi: 10.1080/09669580802276000
33. Powell, R. B., Ham, S. H. (2008). Can ecotourism interpretation really lead to pro-conservation knowledge, attitudes and behavior? Evidence from the Galapagos Island. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 16(4), 467-489.
34. Prentice, R. C. (1995). Tourism as experience. Tourists as consumers. Insight and enlightenment, Edinburgh: Inaugural Lecture Queen Margaret College.
35. Randall, C., Rollins, R. B. (2009). Visitor perceptions of the role of tour guides in natural areas. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(3), 357-374. doi: 10.1080/09669580802159727
36. Rauwald, K. S., Moore, C. F. (2002). Environmental attitudes as predictors of policy support across three countries. Environment and Behavior, 34(6), 709-739. doi: 10.1177/001391602237243
37. Reisinger, Y., Steiner, C. (2006). Reconceptualising interpretation: The role of tour guides in authentic tourism. Current Issues in Tourism, 9(6), 481-498. doi: 10.2167/cit280.0
38. Ross, S., Wall, G. (1999). Ecotourism: Towards congruence between theory and practice. Tourism Management, 20, 123-132. doi: 10.1016/S0261-5177(98)00098-3
39. Ryan, C., Dewar, K. (1995). Evaluating the communication process between interpreter and visitor. Tourism Management, 16(4), 295-303. doi: 10.1016/0261-5177(95)00019-K
40. Sirakaya, E., McLellan, R. W. (1988). Modeling tour operators' voluntary compliance with ecotourism principles: A behavioral approach. Journal of Travel Research, 36(3), 42-55. doi: 10.1177/004728759803600305
41. Tubb, K. N. (2003). An evaluation of the effectiveness of interpretation within Dartmoor National Park in reaching the goals of sustainable tourism development. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 11(6), 476-498. doi: 10.1080/09669580308667217
42. Uysal, M., Chen, J. S., Williams, D. R. (2000). Increasing state market share through a regional positioning. Tourism Management, 21(1), 89-96. doi: 10.1016/S0261-5177(99)00082-5
43. Uysal, M., Jurowski, C., Noe, F. P., McDonald, C. D. (1994). Environmental attitude by trip and visitor characteristics. Tourism Management, 15(4), 284-294. doi: 10.1016/0261-5177(94)90046-9
44. Wade, D. J., Eagles, P. F.J. (2003). The use of importance-performance analysis and market segmentation for tourism management in parks and protected areas: An application to Tanzania's national parks. Journal of Ecotourism, 2(3), 196-212. doi: 10.1080/14724040308668144
45. Weiler, B., David, D. (1993). An exploratory investigation into the roles of the nature-based tour leader. Tourism Management, 14(2), 91-98. doi: 10.1016/0261-5177(93)90041-I
46. Weiller, B., Yu, X. (2007). Dimensions of cultural mediation in guiding Chinese tour groups: Implications for interpretation. Tourism Recreation Research, 32(3), 13-22.
47. Western, D. (1993). Defining ecotourism. In LindbegK.WoodM. E.EngeldrumD. (Ed.), Ecotourism: A guide for planners and managers, (pp. pp. 5-11). London: Pearson Education International.2
48. Wiener, C. S., Needham, M. D., Wilkinson, P. F. (2009). Hawaii's real life marine park: Interpretation and impacts of commercial marine tourism in the Hawaiian Islands. Current Issues in Tourism, 12(5-6), 489-504. doi: 10.1080/13683500902736855
49. Yang, C. (2006). Problems that tour guides should resolve at the present stage. Journal of Chongqing Industry & Trade Polytechnic, 1(3), 88-91.
50. Yang, P., & Shi, C. (2007). Discussion on tour guides' tip. Business Economy, 4, 101-102.
51. Zhang, H. Q., Chow, I. (2004). Application of importance-performance model in tour guides' performance: Evidence from mainland Chinese outbound visitors in Hong Kong. Tourism Management, 25(1), 81-91. doi: 10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00064-5