Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Conference Track

Service Marketing/ Non-Profit Marketing/ Ethics

Publication Date

2017

Abstract

While there is an increasing academic research focusing on value perception in the hospitality and tourism industry, not much study has explore the relationship between tourist’s perceived destination attributes and shopping intentions. Therefore, this research explores the influence of value perceptions on tourists’ souvenir purchase decisions. Particularly, this study seeks to answer two specific research questions: 1) will value perception have a direct influence on tourist souvenir buying intentions? and 2) which aspect of perceived value has stronger ties with tourist souvenir buying intentions.

A convenience sample of 380 respondents from a southeastern US university filled out survey instruments. The survey instrument consists of questions asking respondents their demographics, souvenir buying intentions, and destination value perceptions. All the value and intention questions were measured by a 5-point Likert type scale: 1=absolutely disagree and 5=absolutely agree. Meanwhile, demographic questions solicit respondents’ gender, age, ethnicity, highest education, and household income.

Descriptive statistics and reliability of the scaled used in this study were computed. Results show that all value dimensions had an alpha higher than .85 achieving high-reliability score. The outcomes of the study reveal that approximately 90% of the respondents aged were between 18-25. Additionally, about 52% of the participants were female and Caucasians and African Americans were the two majority ethnicity groups in this study. Further analysis discloses that there are significant positive influences between all five-value perceptions (functional, value for money, emotional, novelty, and social) and tourists’ souvenir purchase intentions.

In addition, results suggest that destination marketers should focus on the strong indicators, such as functional, value for money, and emotional value, when optimizing future marketing and planning strategies. Future studies should investigate the underlying causes for choosing certain types of souvenirs. It is also promising to cross-validate the structural relationship in other cultures and in other settings.

About the Authors

Wei Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Sport Management at the University of Southern Mississippi. She received her Doctoral Degree from Indiana University at Bloomington. Dr. Wang's research interests focus on hospitality innovation and destination marketing. Her research has been published in top-tier tourism and hospitality journals, such as Journal of Travel Research, Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, Tourism Analysis, Tourism Review, Current Issues in Tourism, Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, Event Management, and Advances in Hospitality and Leisure.

Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing and Merchandising at the University of Southern Mississippi. She received her Doctoral Degree from Florida State University and has numerous publications in the fields of merchandising, marketing, advertising, education, and instructional technology. Her recent marketing publications can be found in the Journal of Interactive Advertising, the Asian Journal of Business Research, and the Journal of Global Fashion Marketing.

Pauline Sullivan is an Associate Professor in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences at Tennessee State University. She received her Doctoral Degree from New York University. She has received federal and foundation grants as well as published in numerous journals. Her recent publications can be found in the Journal of Business Theory and Practice, the International Journal of Business and Management Study, and the Journal of Food Products Markets.

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