Heritage site management: Motivations and Expectations

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738305001234
Copyright 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Yaniv Poria, Arie Reichel and Avital Biran are at the Department of Hotel and Tourism
Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev
Abstract
This study attempts to explore the significance of tourists perceptions of a heritage
site, as it relates to their own heritage, and as an important factor for understanding
their behavior and the management of historic settings. Implementing a
quantitative research approach, questionnaires were distributed to a sample group
prior to their entering the heritage site. The results indicate that individuals
perceptions comprise a key factor in understanding both motivation to visit and
expectations of the interpretation provided. Implications of the findings for
researchers and site managers are presented.

The role of motivation in visitor satisfaction: Empirical evidence in rural

tourism
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517709001150
Mara Devesa
Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Abstract
Motivation and satisfaction are two concepts widely studied in tourism literature;
the relevance of these constructs being derived from their impact on tourist
behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between
motivation and visitor satisfaction. A survey questionnaire was distributed to visitors
at a rural destination in Spain and the data analysed by ANOVA, factor and cluster
analyses. The results verified our hypothesis that motivation is a determinant of the
visit assessment criteria and, as a direct consequence, of the level of satisfaction
(specific factors) of the visitor. However, this investigation also detected the
existence of certain elements, which are independent of the reasons that motivated
the journey (general factors), but which affect general satisfaction. Based on our
findings, implications for management and marketing are presented.

Progress in visitor attraction research: Towards more effective

management
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517709001708
Anna Leask
Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Abstract
Visitor attractions (VAs) play a crucial role in the success of a tourism destination,
where they act as key motivators for visits and as resources for local communities.
The range of stakeholders involved means their effective management is of key
importance in the destination and in the overall success of a country's tourism
product, yet they are an under-researched sector of the tourism system. This
Progress in Tourism Management paper reviews and reflects on research
publications in relation to this sector. It sets the wider research context and
identifies the key management issues experienced at VAs. The paper identifies the
limitations of current work in this field and establishes how factors such as
ownership and visitor volume help to explain the complexities encountered in
managing VAs. The paper then covers a set of themes to structure discussion of
previous research activity and offers a model of factors involved in the effective
management of VAs. The paper concludes with the development of a research
agenda for VA researchers.