Guided Tour Influence on Cruise Tourist Experience in a Port of Call: An eWOM and Questionnaire‐Based Approach

Abstract

The study aims at exploring the importance of guided tours in cruise tourists experience while visiting a port of call and analyzing qualitative (electronic word of mouth from Tripadvisor) and quantitative (personal interviews with tourists) data. The results obtained from the electronic word of mouth analysis suggest that taking a guided tour is a highly satisfactory and sentimentally positive experience for the cruise tourist. Moreover, the empirical findings revealed that taking a guided tour has a moderating effect on (1) the interaction between destination image-satisfaction, (2) the satisfaction-loyalty causal relationship and (3) the destination image formation process regarding the infrastructure and atmosphere, and tourism resources image dimensions.

Self-organised cruiser’s expenditures in a port of call: the interaction effect between city interface satisfaction and super-sized ships

“…Likewise, the cruise liners’ strategies are oriented to address the cruisers monetary expenditure towards the on-board amenities and on-shore services such as the land excursions sold by themselves (Larsen and Wolff, 2016). Thus, the prevalent existing research addresses to investigate the overall destination satisfaction of all cruisers, both hiker and self-organised, testing different hypothesis and including other moderating variables on the expenditure trying to better explain the cruisers’ behaviour in the tourism destination (Lekakou et al , 2009; Parola et al , 2014; Satta et al , 2015; Sanz-Blas and Buzova, 2016).…”

“…However, researchers have now started to focus in greater depth on the overall destination satisfaction of hiker cruisers and self-organised cruisers in several ports of call, including different moderating variables related to expenditures (Lekakou et al , 2009; Parola et al , 2014; Satta et al , 2015; Sanz-Blas and Buzova, 2016). Hence, scholars tend to increasingly investigate the economic impact of cruises on local communities (Dwyer and Forsyth, 1998; Kester, 2003; Chase and Alon, 2002; Seidl et al , 2006; Li and Petrick, 2010; Brida et al , 2012), especially the monetary value derived from cruisers on the local community (Douglas and Douglas, 2004; Seidl et al , 2006).…”

Tourist perceptions of guided ecotourism tours in Thailand

“…nature learning, low impact activities) and to contribute sustainable benefits (economic, social and environmental benefits) to local areas (Chan and Baum, 2007; Ormsby and Mannle, 2006; Rigatti, 2016). However, most past research has explored tourist perceptions on ecotourism destinations (Biggs et al., 2012; Chan and Baum, 2007) and tour guides (Randall and Rollins, 2009; Sanz-Blas and Buzova, 2016). Little research has been conducted on the practices of guided ecotourism tours and the way that tourists perceive them.…”

Cross‐cultural Perceptions of Onshore Guided Tours: A Qualitative Approach Based on eWOM

“…Tour guides act as intermediators between tourists and ports of call, and their performance is essential for the image of the destination (Zhao & Lin, ). Recent studies report on the positive moderating effect of the purchase of an excursion package on the interaction between destination image and satisfaction with the port of call (Sanz‐Blas & Buzova, ), as well as on the impact of destination satisfaction on future behavioral intentions toward the port of call destinations (Parola et al., ; Sanz‐Blas & Buzova, ), which prove the importance of the guided tour experience. Notwithstanding, the same authors point out that further research is needed regarding onshore highlights that improve the destination satisfaction of cruise tourists.…”