{"id":4594,"date":"2019-02-12T11:19:16","date_gmt":"2019-02-12T03:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.ift.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/?p=4594"},"modified":"2019-02-12T11:21:13","modified_gmt":"2019-02-12T03:21:13","slug":"gaming-not-key-to-visitors-attachment-to-integrated-resorts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/gaming-not-key-to-visitors-attachment-to-integrated-resorts\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaming not key to visitors\u2019 attachment to integrated resorts"},"content":{"rendered":"\u4e2d\u6587\u6458\u8981 \/ Summary in Chinese<\/span>\n

Macao\u2019s integrated resorts are well known worldwide for the huge size of their respective casino gross gaming revenues. A new study by 2 scholars from IFT concludes, however, that gaming activities play no particular role regarding the degree of attachment visitors feel toward a casino resort in the context of an integrated tourism experience.<\/p>\n

Of all the dimensions of tourism experience studied by Dr. Yan Io Man U and Dr. Penny Wan Yim King, \u201cpositive emotions, particularly the \u2018light pleasure\u2019 emotions,\u201d were the \u201cmost effective factors shaping visitors\u2019 place attachment,\u201d the 2 IFT scholars concluded.<\/p>\n

\u201cHotel operators should be aware of this and should improve visitors\u2019 place attachment by better managing their positive emotions, especially their \u2018light pleasure\u2019 emotions,\u201d the researchers wrote. Such emotions were related to \u201crelaxing and pleasurable\u201d feelings.<\/p>\n

Place attachment refers to emotional and functional bonds between place and people. Intensity of place attachment has been found to be an indicator of tourists\u2019 loyalty and commitment to a particular place.<\/p>\n

The conclusions \u2013 featured in the paper \u201cRelationships between Tourism Experiences and Place Attachment in the Context of Casino Resorts\u201d \u2013 were published last year in the Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality and Tourism.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe present findings suggested that not all activities could determine tourists\u2019 place attachment in the context of casino resorts,\u201d Dr. Io and Dr. Wan wrote. \u201cIt is interesting to note that gaming was found to have no significant impact upon any dimension of place attachment, suggesting that casino-resort visitors\u2019 participation in gaming did not affect their emotional bond with the place, though gaming is the core entertainment of casino resorts.\u201d<\/p>\n

The importance of non-gaming<\/strong><\/p>\n

The study results were based on a questionnaire answered by 500 tourists to Macao, most of them coming from Mainland China, Hong Kong or Taiwan. The sample comprised visitors to 4 major casino resorts, namely City of Dreams, The Venetian Macao, Galaxy Macau and MGM Macau. These venues were selected for the study as being \u201cwell known for their non-gaming facilities, in addition to their casinos,\u201d the researchers stated.<\/p>\n

The study addressed the effects of a number of so-called \u201cintegrated tourism experience dimensions\u201d \u2013 including \u201cpositive emotions\u201d; \u201cgaming and non-gaming hedonic activities\u201d; \u201csensory experiences\u201d; \u201ccognitive appraisal of tourism offerings\u201d; and \u201csocial relations\u201d \u2013 all of which affect one\u2019s attachment to places such as integrated resorts. Place attachment can be described as covering place preference, positive feelings toward the place, emotional connection with the place, and satisfaction.<\/p>\n

Dr. Io and Dr. Wan concluded that different tourism experiences had different impacts, respectively, upon each dimension of attachment to place in the context of Macao\u2019s casino resorts. For instance, their results revealed that non-gaming activities such as dining, shopping, live shows and events were found \u201cto predict respondents\u2019 place [preference] significantly\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis finding suggested that the operators of casino resorts should continue to develop more and better non-gaming hedonic activities and facilities for visitors,\u201d the researchers stated. \u201cWith the significant effect of positive emotions on place attachment shown in this present study, both non-gaming activities and positive emotions were important for the management of visitors\u2019 place attachment,\u201d they further noted.<\/p>\n

In addition, the researchers observed that each dimension of tourism experience not only had a distinct impact upon attachment to place, but also seemingly created interactions within the minds of visitors. \u201cTo better manage the integrated tourism experiences, the interrelationships among the 5 dimensions of the integrated tourism experiences should be further explored, particularly the impact of different dimensions of tourism experiences on positive emotions,\u201d opined Dr. Io and Dr. Wan.<\/p>\n

The authors also noted that all dimensions of place attachment regarding casino resorts were interconnected.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince place dependence, place affect, social bonding, and place satisfaction were related to each other, the tourism experiences of non-gaming activities, social relations, positive emotions, and sensory experiences had some indirect effects on visitors\u2019 place satisfaction\u201d via \u201ctheir impacts on place dependence, place affect, and social bonding,\u201d observed Dr. Io and Dr. Wan. \u201cOperators of casino resorts should notice the different impacts of each dimension of tourism experience on place attachment and plan resource allocation accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

More info<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
The researchers<\/div>\nDr. Yan Io Man U is an Assistant Professor at IFT. She has a Ph.D. from the University of South Australia. Dr. Io teaches subjects related to hospitality and marketing. Her research interests include tourist experience and behaviour in relation to heritage tourism, casino hotels, and nostalgia tourism. She is also certified as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Specialist Guide Trainer.<\/p>\n

IFT Visiting Assistant Professor Dr. Penny Wan King Wan holds a Ph.D. from the University of Hong Kong. Her academic research fields are primarily related to sustainable tourism planning, casino gaming management, heritage management, hospitality services, and urban planning. Dr. Wan has served as an editorial board member and reviewer for several high-profile academic journals in the tourism field.
\n<\/div>\n

The paper<\/div>\nYan Io Man U and Penny Wan Yim King: \u201cRelationships between Tourism Experiences and Place Attachment in the Context of Casino Resorts\u201d, Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality and Tourism, Volume 19, Issue 1, pages 45-65, 2018
\nhttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/1528008X.2017.1314801<\/a>
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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