A Comparative Study on Leadership Styles Adopted by General Managers: A Case Study in Egypt

S. EL MASRY* - HANAN KATTARA** - JALILAN El DEMERDASH***
* Alexandria University
** Alexandria University
*** Alexandria University

Abstract
The prior aim of sustainable tourism development should be geared towards the improvement of human resources in the tourism industry in general and in the hospitality sector in particular. It is essential to admit that the success of any hotel could be achieved through efficient human resources operation, thus requiring effective management. It is through the management process that the efforts of hotel members are channeled, coordinated and guided towards the achievement of organizational goals. Taking into account the crucial role of the hotel General Manager (GM), a full comprehension of the GMs’ managerial roles and the leadership styles adopted in hotel management appears to be essential. The main objectives of the study were to investigate the differences and/or similarities existing between Egyptian and foreign GMs in Egyptian five-star chain hotels, and to determine their leadership effectiveness level. Results revealed no differences between foreign and Egyptian GMs regarding their level of leadership effectiveness and their perception concerning the importance of the “leader” role. The leadership styles they adopted were, on the other hand, not similar.

Keywords: Managerial roles, Mintzberg framework, leader role, leadership styles, Egypt.


The Practice of Destination-based Total Quality Management

METIN KOZAK
Mugla University

Abstract
As a result of increases in the demand for package holidays for the last two decades, it has been argued that destinations have, in a sense, become more important than individual attractions and facilities. Emphasizing the significance of quality management in the success of improving the performance of tourist destinations, this paper aims to design a tentative model of D-TQM, particularly applicable for the sustainable development of tourist destinations, and indicate the ways in which the model would work. The paper provides a discussion on why a destination-TQM approach is important in tourism followed by prerequisites for the successful implementation of D-TQM at the operational level.

Keywords: total quality management, destination management, continuous improvement, sustainable tourism.

Tourist Perceptions of Resources and Activities in Rural Areas

ROSA Mª YAGUE-PERALES* - ISDRE MARCH-CHORDA**
* University of Valencia
** University of Valencia

ABSTRACT
This paper tries to delve into the tastes and preferences of tourists visiting rural areas in Spain as an alternative to the traditional sun and beach holiday that dominates Spanish tourism. This paper focuses on the demand side of rural tourism; more specifically whether the tourists visiting a Spanish rural area, El Alto Palancia region, show different behaviours towards two sets of variables, depending on the age, gender, income and educational background. The first variable, “interest in certain resources associated with rural tourism”, was focused on natural and architectural resources that attract the tourist’s attention. The second, a broad set of “activities that a tourist would like to practice in the region”. Main divergences are found between gender, educational levels and ages, but few across the three categories of income level.

Keywords: Rural tourism, tourist behaviour, countryside, Spain.

Tourism Development in North Korea: Economical and Geopolitical Perspective

YOUNG-SUN SHIN
Honam University

Abstract
Throughout the years, the growth of tourism in North Korea has lagged behind the growth of world tourism. This lag may be attributed to the political and military tensions in the region since tourism is very sensitive to the political situation and security threats. However, changes in geopolitical conditions in recent years, including the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war, and the South Korean and North Korean peace treaty, all seem to point toward a new era in the world. In the light of these factors, the two Koreas face significant political and economic challenges, of which tourism is among those sectors whose growth and prosperity could benefit more from peace. This paper focuses on tourism and its development and aims to discuss tourism development through the case study of North Korea, a small country situated in the Northeast Asia. This paper intends to examine what problems and opportunities the reunification of South and North Korea will bring about from a tourism perspective, and to find directions for appropriate tourism development for North Korea. The potential tourism development for North Korea should be beneficial to South Korea as well.

Keywords: North Korea, South Korea, Tourism Development, Mt. Geumgang.

The Viability of Midwestern Package Travelers as a Profitable Target Segment

ASLI D. A. TASCI* - AZLIZAM AZIZ** - DONALD F. HOLECEK***
* Mugla University
** Michigan State University
*** Michigan State University

Abstract
Despite a recent decline in the growth of package travel due to changing market characteristics, package travel is still an important element of tourism industry. It contributes to US economy by generating considerable amount of dollars, thus jobs and income. Due to its advantages of low-cost, ease and convenience, package travel is still attractive to certain types of tourists. Despite the significance of package travel, there is a lack of focus on package travel in general and especially on domestic package travelers. This study investigates the market characteristics of the US midwestern travelers who took package tours during their most recent trips by analyzing a large-scale market survey database. Results indicate that midwestern package travelers meet the criteria to be an effective and useful market segment and thus are a potentially profitable segment for the travel industry. Implications for the industry and future research are provided.

Importance of Environmental Resources and Capabilities for Firm’s Competitivess: The Case of the Hotel Industry in the Canary Islands

EDUARDO PARRA LOPEZ** - FRANCISCO J. GARCIA RODRIGUEZ** - DESIDERIO GUTİENRREZ TONA***
* University of La Laguna
** University of La Laguna
*** University of La Laguna

Abstract
This paper reports an analysis of the influence that availability of resources and capabilities on environmental management has on hotels, with a view to obtaining competitive advantages in the tourism market. The study highlights the importance of identifying and assessing the resources and capabilities of firms as fundamental factors for improving competitiveness in the Canary Islands, Spain. The results enable us to verify the importance of both environmental resources and environmental management capabilities, presently and also particularly in relation to the near future. The increasing importance of environmental variables in hotel management is manifested by both the most and least competitive firms. This indicates that these variables will progressively tend to become a requirement for competing in the sector.

Keywords: resources, capabilities, environment, competitiveness, Canary Islands.