Journal of Event, Tourism and Hospitality Studies
Journal of Event, Tourism and Hospitality Studies (JETH) is a newly established and refereed academic journal published in both English and Bahasa Malaysia, annually (July) by UUM Press and managed by the School of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management (STHEM), Universiti Utara Malaysia. Its main objective is to provide a channel for the publication of articles based on both theoretical and empirical research, original thoughts, comparative studies and commentaries on contemporary issues in event, tourism and hospitality, from various interdisciplinary and global perspectives.
CAFFEINE CONNECTIONS: IDENTIFYING CONSUMER REVISIT INTENTIONS IN PENANG COFFEE HOUSES
With the global coffee trend fostering growth in coffee-related businesses, understanding these elements such as food quality, service quality, and contextual experience are crucial for sustaining customer loyalty and business competitiveness. This study investigates the factors influencing consumers' revisit intentions to coffee houses in Penang, focusing on food quality, service quality, and contextual experience. The research aims to provide insights for coffee house businesses to enhance customer retention and thrive in a competitive market. The research employs a quantitative approach, analyzing responses from 100 online questionnaires distributed between January and March 2022. The study focuses on three main variables: food quality, service quality, and contextual experience. The study employs descriptive and inferential analyses, specifically Pearson correlation and regression analysis, to examine the relationships between food quality, service quality, contextual experience, and revisit intentions. Findings suggest that high food quality, excellent service, and positive contextual experiences significantly enhance consumers' likelihood to revisit. Furthermore, contextual experience emerges as the most critical factor, significantly influencing consumer revisit intention. The findings reveal that food quality does not significantly influence revisit intentions (p > 0.05), indicating its limited role compared to other factors. In contrast, service quality and contextual experience significantly predict revisit intentions, with contextual experience emerging as the strongest predictor. These insights are crucial for coffee house owners to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of consumer behavior in the context of Penang's thriving coffee culture.
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Event, Tourism and Hospitality Studies https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
EMBEDDING SUSTAINABILITY IN CULTURAL EVENTS: INSIGHTS FROM THE PENANG GEORGE TOWN FESTIVAL
This study investigates how environmental, social, and economic sustainability initiatives influence participant satisfaction and experience at the Penang George Town Festival (PGTF), a leading cultural heritage event in Malaysia. Guided by Sustainable Development Theory and the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, the research adopts a quantitative, participant-centered approach to evaluate how attendees perceive and respond to sustainability efforts. Using structured surveys, data were collected from 150 participants and analysed through descriptive statistics, reliability testing, and Pearson correlation analysis. The findings reveal that all three sustainability dimensions significantly affect participant satisfaction, with social sustainability notably cultural inclusivity and community engagement emerging as the strongest predictor (r = 0.68, p < .001). Environmental (r = 0.61) and economic (r = 0.54) sustainability also show meaningful positive impacts. These results affirm that sustainability practices are not only operational imperatives but also critical experiential drivers in cultural events. The study contributes to the limited empirical evidence from Southeast Asian contexts and highlights the need for holistic, multidimensional sustainability strategies in festival planning. The insights derived are particularly valuable for festival organizers, destination managers, cultural policy-makers, and local community stakeholders seeking to enhance event quality, promote inclusive development, and strengthen tourism resilience.
RELATIONSHIPS AMONG EVENT QUALITY, ATHLETE SATISFACTION AND FUTURE PARTICIPATION IN UNIVERSITY SPORTS EVENTS
This study investigates the influence of event quality specifically facilities and support services on athletes’ satisfaction and future participation to the event during the SUKIPT 2024 sports event hosted at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). The primary objective is to evaluate how these elements of event quality affect athlete experiences and their intention for future participation to the event. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected through purposive sampling via a structured questionnaire administered to 233 athletes who directly engaged with the event’s facilities and services. Statistical analyses, including regression and correlation, were conducted using SPSS Version 30. Results reveal that both facilities (β = 0.662, p < 0.001) and support services (β = 0.216, p = 0.021) significantly predict athlete satisfaction, explaining 75.4% of the variance. Moreover, a strong positive correlation (r = 0.929, p < 0.001) was found between athlete satisfaction and future participation to the event, highlighting that improved event quality can substantially enhance athletes’ loyalty and willingness to return. This study makes a meaningful contribution to sports event management by empirically validating the link between event quality dimensions and athlete outcomes in a university sports context. The findings offer actionable recommendations for event organizers to improve facilities, logistics and service delivery ultimately supporting the sustainability and success of inter-university sports events in Malaysia.
MOTIVATION, SATISFACTION AND LOYALTY IN ADVENTURE TOURISM: A CASE STUDY OF KUANTAN 188 TOWER
This study explores the influence of motivation and satisfaction on visitor loyalty in the context of adventure tourism, focusing on the Skywalk activity at Kuantan 188 (K188) Tower in Kuantan Pahang, Malaysia. As experience-driven travel becomes increasingly prominent, understanding the psychological and experiential factors that encourage visitor retention is essential for sustainable tourism development. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected from 265 visitors using purposive sampling, targeting individuals who had experienced the skywalk activity. A structured questionnaire measured motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty using a 7-point Likert scale, and the instrument demonstrated high reliability across constructs (Cronbach’s α >0.90). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis to examine the relationships among the variables. The findings reveal that both motivation (β = 0.320, p < .001) and satisfaction (β = 0.531, p < .001) significantly influenced visitor loyalty, with satisfaction emerging as the stronger predictor. These results underscore the importance of delivering fulfilling and emotionally engaging experiences in enhancing loyalty especially in exciting and thrilling adventure tourism and nature-based tourism environments. The study contributes to the growing body of adventure tourism literature by empirically validating the link between visitor experience components and loyalty behavior. The findings offer valuable insights for tourism managers, marketers, and policymakers in designing targeted, experience-based tourism strategies.
UNDERSTANDING THE DETERMINANTS OF RESIDENT SUPPORT FOR HALAL TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY IN POST-COVID-19
This conceptual article focuses on Malaysia's halal tourism sector, which is vital to the country's economic growth. One of the most significant economic sectors where sustainability has gained importance is halal tourism. Without the active support of residents, halal tourism cannot be sustained; nevertheless, while local support for other forms of tourism sustainability has been extensively researched, local support for halal tourism sustainability has received far less attention. Furthermore, it is critically necessary to look into the suppositions that can affect residents' support for sustainable halal tourism. Unfortunately, the quick spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019 resulted in significant losses for the halal tourism industry, both locally and globally, due to the cancellation of majority travel and tour-related activities, including lodging. More research is needed to determine how the pandemic has affected halal tourism in terms of residents' support for halal tourism and its long-term sustainability. Thus, this conceptual study seeks to understand the residents’ attitude and behaviour as well as how residents perceive sustainable halal tourism in their destination. A structured literature review was conducted in this study, with the aim to develop a conceptual framework of residents’ support based on review of literature for sustainable halal tourism development. Importantly, this conceptual work will act as the foundation for future, more focused research in this field.
MALAYSIAN YOUTH PERCEPTIONS OF SOLUTIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
The tourism industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. The future of environmental sustainability depends highly on today’s youth. It is therefore crucial that young people today actively participate in dealing with environmental issues besides conserving natural resources by acting responsibly towards the environment. This engagement will ensure ecological sustainability and the ability to meet the needs of future generations. In Malaysia, youth constitute almost half of the total population, hence highlighting the importance of their leadership in environmental sustainability initiatives, and the need to recognize their perspectives. Data for this study was collected from 90 youths aged between 20 to 24 years old. All the responses were categorised into four main themes namely, governance for environmental sustainability, education to enhance awareness, acculturation of environmentally friendly practices and involvement of all stakeholders. To the authors’ knowledge, this is among the first studies in Malaysia to examine the youth’s point of view on strategies for sustaining the environment.
LOCAL SUPPORT FOR FESTIVALS AS TOURISM PRODUCTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
This paper reviews the formation of locals’ support towards festival as tourism product. This study will provide a clear idea on the connection between locals and festivals at a particular tourism destination. Current literatures show that locals’ support towards tourism product is fostered by various antecedents such as economic gains, perceived benefits, level of community attachment, active local participation, quality of life, as well as locals’ attitude towards tourism development. Methodologically, this paper aims to systematically review past studies to produce a holistic understanding on the antecedents of locals’ support towards festival as tourism product. For the purpose of this study, the authors examined databases such as Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar to select related articles. Articles selected manually from Google Search were also included. All the related articles were subjected to a thorough and systematic quantitative review and content analysis. By identifying the main research gaps, the paper proposes a new model of antecedents for locals’ support towards festival as tourism product. Finally, this paper provides theoretical implications based on the gaps in previous research. Furthermore, it also offers valuable insights in promoting locals’ support for festival development. Essentially, the results of this study using systematic literature review, provides a complete summary of antecedents that form locals’ support towards festival tourism product. Keywords: Local support, festivals, tourism product, systematic literature review
EVALUATING URBAN GREENSPACE SATISFACTION AND BMI OUTCOMES IN DHAKA'S DHANMONDI LAKE PARK: A STEP TOWARD ACHIEVING SDG 11.7
Greenspaces within the built environment are paramount for people’s health and a decent experience in city environments. This research assesses visitor satisfaction and health status in Dhanmondi Lake Park, Dhaka, Bangladesh, following the visionary goal of SDG 11.7 on safe, accessible, and inclusive public spaces. The study hypothesizes a link between frequent park visits and a healthier Body Mass Index (BMI). A mixed-methods approach included a survey of 400 park visitors to assess their satisfaction across seven key dimensions: location, accessibility, environment, facilities, recreation, safety, and maintenance, comprising 29 sub-variables. Participants’ height and weight data were measured to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI), and Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the potential relationship between visit frequency and BMI. Additionally, five Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and two Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were conducted with the park management, followed by a SWOT analysis to evaluate the park’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This research established high levels of satisfaction with recreation (4.3), showing that the park meets recreational and aesthetic needs. Participants pointed to maintenance (3.78) and safety (3.9) as areas of concern. Frequent visits showed a strong positive relationship with healthy BMI (r = 0.934, p = 0.006), suggesting the health benefits of regular engagement. Dhanmondi Lake Park provides the community with an opportunity to engage in physical, recreational, and social activities, contributing to the achievement of SDG 11.7. Findings indicate that well-maintained urban greenspaces not only enhance visitor satisfaction but also contribute to healthier BMI, offering effective measures for urban planners and policymakers to promote public health and achieve SDG 11.7 in rapidly growing cities.
ARKEOPELANCONGAN LEMBAH BUJANG: POTENSI DAN STRATEGI PEMASARAN DARIPADA SUDUT PEMAIN INDUSTRI
Penyelidikan arkeologi Lembah Bujang telah mendedahkan bukti-bukti sejarah, budaya dan warisan yang unggul dan mampu dipasarkan sebagai produk pelancongan warisan khususnya di dalam lingkungan arkeopelancongan sebaris dengan tapak-tapak arkeopelancongan di rantau ini dan negara-negara Komanwel. Oleh hal yang demikian bagi memlengkapkan kajian, beberapa metodologi telah diaplikasikan termasuklah survei makmal yang merangkumi rumusan terhadap kajian terdahulu, serta laporan di jabatan kerajaan khasnya data daripada pihak Jabatan Muzium Malaysia. Selain itu, survei lapangan yang merangkumi aktiviti turut serta terhadap program pelancongan yang dianjurkan turut dilakukan bagi mengesahkan lagi potensi arkeopelancongan di kawasan ini secara maksimum. Hasil-hasil kajian akademik yang telah dijalankan sejak 1800 telah membuktikan wilayah ini mempunyai hubungkait sejarah yang rapat bermula dari prasejarah sehingga era kolonial. Produk-produk pelancongan ikonik yang dikenal pasti ialah geopelancongan, arkeopelancongan dan biopelancongan (Jerai Geopark, Tamadun Awal Sungai Batu, Estuari Sungai Merbok dan hutan hujan khatulistiwa) serta produk-produk sokongan pelancongan yang lain seperti sejarah, agro, rekreasi-eko, budaya, kesihatan, pendidikan, sukan dan gastronomi klasik yang saling melengkapi antara satu dengan yang lain. Malah setakat ini kawasan Lembah Bujang sudah terdapat persatuan pelancongan, usahawan komuniti, pengendali bot ke pulau-pulau, pengusaha chalet dan operator-operator yang menyediakan pakej-pakej pelancongan ke lokasi geotapak. Perkara ini akan menyemarakkan aktiviti pelancongan dengan pelibatan komuniti tempatan. Kekuatan arkeopelancongan Lembah Bujang ialah pelawat berpeluang mendapat penerangan dan lawatan tapak daripada penyelidik sendiri yang berpengalaman terlibat di lapangan dengan data-data yang lebih tepat dan terperinci serta tidak terlalu bersifat akademik dengan bayaran lawatan yang berpatutan. Hal ini akan banyak membantu ejen-ejen pelancongan serta pemain industri secara holistik dalam usaha mempromosikan dan memasarkan tapak-tapak warisan lain di dunia.
GIVING BACK, MOVING FORWARD: PERSONAL AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION THROUGH VOLUNTEER TOURISM
Volunteer tourism has emerged as a dynamic form of travel that offers youths opportunities for personal development and social impact. However, the developmental and transformational needs of youth involved in volunteer tourism remain underexplored, especially in rapidly developing urban contexts like Ho Chi Minh City. This study aims to investigate the personal development and transformation needs of young individuals in Ho Chi Minh City, with a particular focus on factors such as gender, occupation, and income. The research used a quantitative approach, surveying 522 youths and analyzing their motivations, developmental needs, and the influence of demographic factors on those demands. The findings reveal that young participants are strongly driven by a desire for personal growth, particularly in soft skill enhancement, self-awareness, and meaningful engagement with local communities. Importantly, the study uncovers significant variations in development needs across demographic lines, emphasizing the necessity for inclusive, tailored program designs. Beyond skill acquisition, the data suggest that volunteer tourism plays a critical role in fostering reflective global citizenship and pro-social behavior. By situating personal transformation at the heart of volunteer tourism, this research contributes to both theory and practice, offering new insights into how service-oriented travel can shape empowered, socially conscious youth in rapidly urbanizing contexts.
ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, AND CULTURAL EXCLUSION IN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF SAJEK VALLEY, CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS
This study examines the dynamics of social exclusion within the rapidly expanding tourism sector of Sajek Valley, located in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh - a region inhabited by indigenous communities and subject to post-conflict reconstruction. Development of tourism is a part of such reconstruction and peace-building efforts within the region, as well as empowering the indigenous community. However, in many cases the development of tourism lacks proper inclusivity, rather introducing exclusionary elements that hinder the sustainable peace-building and reconstruction efforts. Sajek Valley is not an exception in this case. The research focuses on three intersecting dimensions of exclusion: economic, political, and social, with a particular emphasis on the lived experiences of indigenous groups such as the Tripura and Lusai communities. This location was selected due to the expanding nature of the tourism industry here: while tourism has boomed in Sajek Valley, it has done so without adequately addressing the socio-political vulnerabilities of local populations, making it a critical site for examining exclusion within tourism development. Utilizing qualitative methods, including 20 key informant interviews, 4 in-depth interviews, and 2 focus group discussions, the study employs thematic analysis to interpret the data, allowing for in-depth exploration of recurring exclusionary patterns. Findings reveal political exclusion manifested through lack of involvement in tourism planning, forced displacement, and inadequate indigenous representation in local decision-making bodies. Relationship exclusion is evident in deteriorating inter-ethnic relations, exacerbated by unequal power dynamics and externally influenced favoritism. Economic and resource exclusion appears through severe environmental stress, including water scarcity and deforestation, disproportionately burdening indigenous residents. The study contributes to the literature by offering grounded, context-specific insights into how tourism-driven development can reproduce inequalities in a post-conflict regions like CHT, where tourism is promoted as a tool for peacebuilding. The study underscores the urgent need for inclusive, participatory tourism planning and holistic policies that protects the rights and well-being of local communities.
DEMOGRAPHIC, ECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DRIVERS OF WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN RURAL TOURISM IN DARJEELING DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL, INDIA
Rural tourism has gained global popularity, with varying characteristics across regions. This study explores the demographic, economic, and psychological factors influencing women's participation in rural tourism in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. Despite its proximity to Sikkim, Darjeeling remains under-researched, particularly regarding women's motivations. Data from 200 women, including 50 in the hospitality sector, were collected via a pre-tested, interviewer-administered questionnaire to understand the push factors for their involvement. The analysis shows that middle-aged, married women with secondary or less education dominate the rural tourism workforce. Their primary motivations are economic need, improved educational opportunities for their children, and escaping socioeconomic challenges. Significant economic drivers include contributing to family businesses and achieving financial independence. Psychological factors, such as improving living conditions and securing future stability, also play a crucial role, though aspirations for leadership and decision-making are less prominent due to cultural norms. The findings highlight rural tourism's critical role in providing employment and empowerment opportunities for women in Darjeeling. Enhancing participation and empowerment requires addressing economic and psychological needs, improving income levels, supporting leadership roles, and fostering greater family decision-making power. These efforts can strengthen women's involvement in rural tourism, boosting their socioeconomic development and quality of life.
Copyright (c) 2024 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
SUSTAINING THE MALAYSIAN MONARCHY’S HERITAGE: HOW SHOULD IT BE POSITIONED TO INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS?
Tourism industry relies heavily on good marketing strategy, which becomes imperative for destination marketers to focus on when building long-term consumer engagement, loyalty, and relationships by adopting a sustainable marketing strategy and ultimately safeguard heritage sustainability. This study selects the Malaysian monarchy’s heritage as the research subject and positions strategy as a method to segment and profile international tourists to the said heritage. Respondents were surveyed in July and August 2022, at a museum in Malaysia. Using the Ward method, the clustering analysis identified three clusters, i.e., ‘the royal enthusiast’, ‘the apathetic tourists’, and ‘the inclined royalist’. The main benefits sought by respondents were ‘accessibility’, ‘quality of facilities’, and ‘an increase of knowledge’. Respondents viewed that there should be a focus on ‘representation of the monarchy’s heritage to the Malaysian people and identity’, highlighting that it is ‘a country with nine royal states’, and is therefore unique. Since positioning is about the intention to highlight strengths and distinctiveness in the marketplace, the Malaysian monarchy’s heritage should therefore be positioned in the minds of international tourists as ‘a rich heritage destination with nine royal states’, which is uniquely Malaysia. The clustering of tourists may enhance the consumption intention and achieve continuous sustainable strategic orientation in preserving the Malaysian monarchy’s heritage.
SUSTAINABLE AND ETHICAL VICEGERENCY IN HALAL TOURISM PRACTICES
This paper investigates the sustainable and ethical vicegerency of Halal tourism and the Islamic principles influencing sustainable tourism, particularly in the context of Muslim travel. By conducting a literature review and case study analysis, the qualitative research design was implemented, involving a total of 10 informants. Additionally, successful programmes and best practices that implement these concepts to enhance the sustainability of tourism destinations and experiences were investigated. The results indicate that there are components that can enhance the sustainability of tourism and the experiences of Muslim guests. The paper highlights the importance of incorporating Islamic themes into tourism sustainability frameworks to promote ethical and culturally sensitive behaviours. This paper provides governments and other tourism stakeholders with valuable insights into sustainable tourism programmes that cater to the requirements of Muslim travelers and promote sustainability.
EXPLORING THE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS INFLUENCING YOUTH ATTENDANCE AT BADMINTON MATCHES
Sports play a significant place in Malaysian culture, serving as both a spectator and participant activity. Organized badminton events have the potential to enhance sport tourism revenue by drawing in both local and international fans keen to support their favourite teams. Understanding the motivations of specific market segments, particularly the youth, is vital for effective sports industry marketing. However, a lack of motivation among youth to attend badminton events can lead to diminished interest in these events. Consequently, this study aims to examine the factors influencing the motivation of youth to attend badminton matches in Malaysia. The study's sample comprises 341 students from UUM, selected through convenience sampling technique. The findings reveal that self-esteem is the foremost motivation for attending badminton matches (mean=4.31), followed by factors of group (mean=4.30), family (mean=4.17), entertainment (mean=4.08), escape (mean=3.98), eustress (mean=3.94), and aesthetics (mean=3.37). Furthermore, most respondents identify as badminton fans, indicating potential growth opportunities for the badminton industry. Understanding fan motivations can enable the industry to better meet their needs, thereby contributing to its expansion and success. This study underscores the importance of engaging youth in badminton events to foster sustained interest and participation in sports tourism initiatives.
Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Event, Tourism and Hospitality Studies https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
CREATING MEMORABLE TOURISM EXPERIENCES THROUGH SERVICESCAPE DESIGN: A PROPOSED MODEL FOR ZOO NEGARA MALAYSIA
This paper explores how different dimensions that form the overall servicescape of Zoo Negara Malaysia impact visitors’ memorable tourism experiences (MTE). The servicescape concept, which describes the overall physical environment within a service setting that can be controlled by the organization, is adopted for the study. In other words, it is suggested that physical cues such as animal conditions, zoo layout, design and facilities may be used by zoo operators to create memorable tourism experiences. Aspects of MTE consist of knowledge, hedonism, meaningfulness, refreshment, local culture, novelty and involvement. A conceptual framework is proposed to investigate the relationship between zoo servicescapes and memorable tourism experience. It is expected that this study contributes towards existing academic research related to zoo tourism and provides insight into how zoo operators could design and manage their zoological facilities to increase visitor numbers.
THE ROLE OF DHAKA'S COMMUNITY-BASED PARKS IN IMPROVING CHILDREN’S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
This study focused on the significance of Community Park for enhancing children’s mental and physical health at the grassroots level of the community of Dhaka city. To assess the practical scenario both primary and secondary data was used in this study. Convenience sampling techniques have been applied to collect data with a pre-designed structured questionnaire. To reach the study goal, regression analyses have been applied to see the correlation between children’s health and community park activities. Furthermore, categorized the impact to understand the vulnerability. The evidence identified that such community park contributes significantly to children's physical and mental well-being, fostering a positive impact on their holistic development. The study findings demonstrated that ∼ 80% of children think community parks significantly contribute to maintaining their mental wellbeing. Similarly, 61% of children expressed that park activities reduce their stress and anxiety. In addition, regular activities impact on their physical growth which was expressed by 90% of respondents. The result also finds out a strong correlation between the physical and mental health of the children. In addition, it analyzed the correlation of impact between their education and health. Besides, the study also assesses the levels of severity of depression, anxiety, and sleeping disorders in children after covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, results also disclose numerous factors such as infrastructural conditions, greenery stock, safety measures, children's activities and community participation in the community parks. The novelty of the study will help public health experts, psychologists, urban planners, environmentalists, policymakers, public representatives to take an ecofriendly sustainable development plan, thereby fostering a positive impact on children’s holistic development. Furthermore, this study provides some recommendations to increase the overall health conditions of the park’s children's zone.
RESTARTING MICE EVENTS AFTER COVID-19: A LOOK AT READINESS, CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES TO RESTART
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak from March 2020 until 2021 brought great losses to all business sectors including the MICE industry. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct a stringent analysis on the need to restart MICE events, as it is part of the adaptability, recovery, and resilience of the events industry. For this reason, the content of webinars streamed live on open-access platforms such as YouTube as well as event companies’ websites or their Facebook pages between Jan 2021 and October 2021 were reviewed and analysed. The speakers and panellists of the selected webinars are experts in event management. The majority of them are established industry practitioners and key people in their respective organisations. As the main decision-makers of their companies, their thoughts and perceptions are valid and relevant as they can determine their companies’ policy. By exploring their individual experiences and roles in handling COVID-19, a holistic understanding of crisis management can be obtained. The results of the content analysis suggest three main themes to be considered before restarting MICE events such as readiness, challenges and strategies to restart the MICE business. This knowledge would greatly assist the companies in restarting their business operation during a crisis.
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON COMMON CRISES IN THE EVENT BUSINESS
While the events business significantly contributes to various sectors, its inherent instability demands extra attention. The event business is considered unstable due to its susceptibility to numerous factors, including political or social issues, changing regulations, inadequate risk management, and unforeseen circumstances. Crisis, as part of unforeseen external factors, stands out as a prominent and threatening force. This study systematically reviews common crises in the events business by synthesizing and analysing relevant research and scholarly articles. Through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), a systematic review protocol, this study ended up with a content analysis of 14 academic papers focused on various event-related crises. Followed by thematic coding, the study reveals that different countries may face unique crisis situations. The study emphasizes the critical importance of quick and strategic planning for managing crises, encompassing unforeseen events like COVID-19, terrorist attacks, shark incidents, and earthquakes. Effective crisis management plans are essential for event organizations to navigate future challenges and enhance resilience. Regardless of location, event planners must prioritize crisis management and resilience strategies to safeguard the benefits of the events business. This systematic review paper provides valuable insights into common crisis issues, their impacts on the event industry, essential responses to crises, and practical strategies employed by event planners. It also serves as an invaluable resource for professionals in the field.
LEVERAGING WEB SCRAPING TO GATHER TOURISM INFORMATION DATA
The influence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on both individuals' daily lives and the economy is of significant importance. In this context, the tourism industry plays a crucial role, and it is essential to recognise the contributions of tourists in terms of sharing their experiences through tourism websites. Analysing this data is key to improving future tourists' experiences. Therefore, the objective of this study is to employ web scraping to gather data on places of interest (POI) and user attributes, specifically in the state of Melaka via the TripAdvisor website. Melaka is chosen as it is one of the places recognised by the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The study focuses on the 200 POI locations (UNESCO) Map, encompassing both Melaka's core and buffer zones. These POIs are categorised into four heritage types: built heritage, natural heritage, personal heritage, and living heritage, with some belonging to more than one category. For the data collection process, this study utilised the TripAdvisor website and extracted a total of 14 attributes. Specifically, 27282 user data entries were collected from 163 POIs in the core zone area, and 8305 data entries from 37 POIs in the buffer zone area. The data is managed and stored in various formats, including CSV, JSON, and Excel files in the repository. The data helps in the development of a tourism application. Furthermore, the tourism industry can benefit from this study by enhancing their services and conserving the cultural heritage.
ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY THROUGH INDUSTRIAL TRAINING: INSIGHTS FROM EVENT OPERATION CERTIFICATE GRADUATES AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING EMPLOYERS
To fulfil the required credit hours for graduation, all final semester students in the Event Operation Certificate (EOC) program offered by Pasir Salak Community College are required to undergo industrial training. Aside from improving students' existing skills, industrial training stands as the main platform to develop their talents, ultimately helping them towards secured employment in the events industry. However, rapid technological changes and development in the events industry have resulted in a mismatch between knowledge and skills. The theoretical knowledge and skills acquired at the educational institutions often demonstrate a disparity with the practical applications within industries. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of industrial training in enhancing the employability of EOC graduates post-graduation. The study employed a qualitative approach via a case study design. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the respondents based on their knowledge and experience to answer the research questions. The sample consisted of 11 EOC graduates from Pasir Salak Community College and three employers with experience in training EOC students during the industrial training period. The data was collected through in-depth interviews using semi-structured questions. All interview sessions were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis by coding and identifying recurring themes. The findings revealed that the majority of EOC graduates who underwent industrial training were given multiple tasks by employers in preparing themselves for future employability in the events sector. The graduates also acquired various new skills from the industrial training, including digital skills. However, most EOC graduates faced challenges throughout their industrial training, encompassing time limitations, physical exhaustion, communication obstacles, and unexpected mental strain. Meanwhile, employers prioritize negotiation within communication, technical training, and event concepts during industrial training and value digital skills as a bonus for graduates entering the workforce. Overall, they see industrial training as a platform for sparking interest, fostering positivity, and encouraging graduates to venture into the events business.
PERCEPTION OF ONLINE EVENT TICKET PURCHASING AMONG YOUNG ADULTS IN MALAYSIA
Online shopping has ingrained itself within Malaysian society's contemporary lifestyle, with a particular emphasis on its prevalence among young adults. In contrast to traditional purchasing methods, the purchase of event tickets through online channels offers heightened convenience and time efficiency. This advantage stems from the virtual nature of transactions, which effectively caters to consumers with time limitations. Consequently, a noteworthy demographic within Malaysia's online community comprises predominantly of young adults who frequently engage in digital retail practices. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of young adults regarding purchasing event tickets online. The study also aims to provide insight on the numerous factors that affect young adults' decision-making processes when it comes to buying event tickets online. To achieve this, a purposive sampling approach was employed, leading to the selection of 150 participants as the study's subjects. The primary data collection method involved the administration of a structured questionnaire, facilitated through a Google Form link, to the selected respondents. The findings of this study show that convenience, trustworthiness, and website usability positively influence online event ticket purchasing among young adults. The outcomes of this initial investigation illuminate the pivotal roles played by convenience, trustworthiness, and website usability in shaping favorable consumer perceptions concerning the acquisition of event tickets through online avenues. Consequently, these findings serve as a foundational framework for e-ticketing service providers to gain insight into customer perceptions and expectations pertaining to the realm of online event ticket transactions. By leveraging this knowledge, the events industry can enhance and refine their online purchasing platforms to better align with consumer preferences and requirements.
Copyright (c) 2023 Journal of Event, Tourism and Hospitality Studies https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
CONCEPTUALISING THE ANTECEDENTS OF EWOM IN THE POST-CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOUR ASSESSMENT OF TOURISM SPORTS ACTIVITIES
Given the popularity of electronic media in today’s digital information era, visitors are likely to share their visit experience online with their colleagues or the public, especially on popular social media platforms. Thus, word-of-mouth practice has moved from physical word-of-mouth to online word of mouth, known as electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). Responding to this new phenomenon, this paper attempts to propose a testable research framework for assessing tourism sports activities experience at the tourist destination. In other words, this paper aims to identify the antecedents of eWOM among tourism sports customers. Methodically, desk research was carried out whereby past literature was exhaustively reviewed to establish a conceptual understanding of tourism sport experience assessments and to consolidate the variables as a working model. In this context, this paper proposed a relational model that explains the effect of the perceived value, satisfaction, commitment and electronic media (e-media) familiarity on eWOM. This model also anticipated the moderation role of e-media familiarity between commitment and eWOM. Theoretically, the proposed framework reduces the gaps related to the construction of research variables for tourism sports experience assessment. Practically, this paper provides sport tourism operators with a comprehensive testable framework that can guide them in understanding their customers’ consumption behaviour assessment process and their electronic word-of-mouth response.
EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES ON STUDENTS’ PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE LENS OF CHICKERING’S IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT THEORY
The importance of supporting holistic student development has been increasingly recognized in higher education institutions in Malaysia. Hence, this study aims to explore the impact of internship programs on the personal and professional development of Hospitality and Risk Management and Insurance students in Universiti Utara Malaysia. The researchers investigated experience of ten participating students through a small group interview. Utilizing the lens of Arthur Chickering’s Identity Development, the findings related to the seven vectors were analyzed accordingly. Several themes of the internship experiences were identified such as experiences evoke adaption to change, opportunities for personal and professional developments and opportunities for future visioning of a career path. Additionally, a connection exists between the researchers’ findings and Chickering’s seven vectors as the students demonstrated their development along the vectors upon completing the internship. This study provides the benefits of insights into internship students' experiences as they successfully transitioned from dependent learners to autonomous learners. Over time, the desirable outcome for internship students will be achieved, resulting in the inevitable transformation of students into self-directed individuals on their respective life paths.
SCOPE OF RESEARCH ON SOJOURNERS IN THE FIELD OF TOURISM STUDIES
This study conducts a comprehensive review of the current body of literature in order to elucidate the origins of sojourner studies, provide a clear definition of the sojourner concept, a concise summary and description of the four primary discourses within sojourner-related research, critically examine existing studies, and offer insights into potential avenues for future research. Narrative review method was used to systematically compile and analyse all sojourner-related articles published in English-language research journals up to 2023. Using Google search and Science Direct, a preliminary literature search and a thorough search on the research topic were conducted, respectively. To ensure the validity of the study, the relevant literature was tagged using a "snowballing" approach. Then, the relevant articles in core journals were read one by one and the literature in the field of tourism was intensively read. Finally, the relevant information was annotated and categorized by topic. The conclusion focuses on identifying research gaps in the field of tourism studies in the four areas of research perspectives; content, methodology, and theory on the research theme, and argues that more interdisciplinary perspectives are required to advance research in the areas of identity construction, cultural identity, and cross-cultural well-being of sojourners. This is the first systematic review of research on sojourners. It synthesizes the findings of 52 relevant research papers by analyzing publication trends. Key research gaps are identified and directions for future research are provided.
EXAMINING PESTEL ANALYSIS OF EVENT BUSINESSES IN MALAYSIA
This study aims to examine the impact of Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal (PESTEL) factors on event businesses in Malaysia. Using qualitative interpretive methods and data from in-depth interviews with 15 event managers, the study identified several external factors affecting event operations. The results show that political factors such as government policies, small business funding grants, and global trade agreements or restrictions can significantly impact event businesses. Economic factors such as exchange rates, labor costs, globalization, and economic growth or decline can also affect operations, while social factors such as consumer trends, tastes, buying habits, lifestyle factors, and population demographics can also play a role. Technological factors, including tools and technological advancements, incentives, and the widespread use of social media, are also identified as important. Moreover, environmental factors such as supply chain management, procurement, future pandemics, ethical sourcing, sustainable resources, weather and climate, risk assessment, multiracial sensitivity, and geographical location are found to impact event businesses as well. Finally, legal factors such as health and safety regulations, employment laws, common laws, and consumer protection laws can also affect event operations. Overall, this study highlights the importance of conducting PESTEL analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of external factors that can impact event businesses. By using this analysis, event managers can develop strategies to mitigate risks and adapt to the changing market conditions. The findings suggest that event managers must remain vigilant in monitoring and responding to political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors to ensure the success of their operations.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF VIRTUAL TOURISM: A BIBLIOMETRIC AND VISUALIZATION ANALYSIS
Technology is a crucial part of the tourism industry; supporting businesses with daily operations, while improving customer experiences. Virtual reality (VR) has garnered considerable attention as an emerging technology with the potential to bring about substantial transformations in the tourism industry. Consequently, the concept of virtual tourism has emerged as a contemporary and contentious issue, generating diverse discussions. In the context of tourism digitalization and the growing trend of virtual tourism, a review for exploring the state of the art of this new kind of tourism is essential. This study employed systematic and narrative reviews to explore research domains and highlight an up-to-date insight into the current state of research on virtual tourism. Based on performance mapping and intellectual mapping, keywords and clusters analysis were implemented to explore the current state of research on virtual tourism and suggest some implications for future research agenda. The five clusters included (1) Visualization with computer graphics in cultural heritages; (2) Tourism issues, COVID-19, and virtual reality technology; (3) Virtual reality technology and application in tourism; (4) Virtual tourism characteristics and user experience; and (5) Cyber tourism, internet and information technology. Some implications for future research agenda had been introduced through the analysis of bibliographic coupling depicted by visualization of similarities (VOS) viewer application.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC: REVISIT THE CHALLENGES AND SUSTAINABILITY OF HOMESTAYS IN MALAYSIA
The Malaysian Ministry of Arts, Tourism and Culture (MOTAC) has been promoting homestay programs among the local community as a means to enhance quality of life and facilitate sustainable development. The community's distinct characteristics and cultural significance have effectively attracted the tourism sector and aligned with the 'Truly Asia' Campaign. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a global impact, leading countries to implement four phases of Movement Control Orders (MCOs). The objective of this study is to examine the difficulties encountered by homestay operators in maintaining the viability of their businesses in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as to propose strategies aimed at securing the long-term sustainability of Malaysia's homestay programs. This qualitative study investigates the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on homestay operators, focusing on their struggles with limited support and income, increased operational costs, and the toll on mental health. The study reveals key challenges based on data from in-depth interviews conducted with operators in states with high Covid-19 cases. The respondents provided insights into various strategies employed to ensure the long-term viability of Malaysia's homestay programs, including diversification, business restructuring, government support, and digital marketing. This research contributes to the government's efforts to promote homestay programs in the tourism industry, shedding light on the industry's resilience during challenging times.
CO-MOVEMENT CLUSTERING: A NOVEL APPROACH FOR PREDICTING INFLATION IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY
In the realm of food and beverage businesses, inflation poses a significant hurdle as it affects pricing, profitability, and consumer’s purchasing power, setting it apart from other industries. This study proposes a novel approach; co-movement clustering, to predict which items will be inflated together according to historical time-series data. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the proposed approach based on real-world data obtained from the UK Office for National Statistics. The predicted results of the proposed approach were compared against four classical methods (correlation, Euclidean distance, Cosine Similarity, and DTW). According to our experimental results, the accuracy of the proposed approach outperforms the above-mentioned classical methods. Moreover, the accuracy of the proposed approach is higher when an additional filter is applied. Our approach aids hospitality operators in accurately predicting food and beverage inflation, enabling the development of effective strategies to navigate the current challenging business environment in hospitality management. The lack of previous work has explored how time series clustering can be applied to support inflation prediction. This study opens a new research paradigm to the related field and this study can serve as a useful reference for future research in this emerging area. In addition, this study work contributes to the data analytics research stream in hospitality management literature.
RURAL POTENTIAL ANALYSIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM VILLAGES IN INDONESIA
This study investigates the potential of rural areas for the establishment and growth of tourist villages. This study was conducted using a descriptive-qualitative research design. The research was conducted in Gedung Wani village, Marga Tiga, East Lampung, Indonesia. The findings revealed that the village of Gedung Wani has natural, economic, and human resources that can be utilised to develop a tourism village. This village's distinctive feature is its natural agricultural tourism. It has local wisdom, which can be seen from the behaviour of the people who are members of the Gewanti Tourism Awareness Group. Despite the local government funds for infrastructural development in potential tourist destinations, the fund is still considered limited, which poses a challenge to the development of a tourist village. The novelty of the research is shown by empirical evidence on the importance of local wisdom values in community groups to support the rural tourism sector. This research is expected to provide policy recommendations for tourist villages in rural areas that have community-based potential. Thus, the development of the tourism sector can support the welfare of rural communities.