CACTUS - Journal of tourism for research, education, culture, and soul

14-27

Authors: Maria-Cristina Iorgulescu, Luciana-Floriana Holostencu, Mădălina-Ionela Iordache, Mădălina-Lavinia Țală, Ileana Vălimăreanu (Mircioi), Georgiana-Geanina Bursuc

The increasing rate of students enrolling into higher education leads undoubtedly to a more contrasted student body, impeding the identification of potential sources that might determine their option into continuing or dropping out of university, mainly after the first year of admission. Although there are various reasons why students drop out of university, ranging from personal, social or even technical ones (considering online blended learning), we will focus mainly on difficulties encountered by students related to specific subjects or teaching techniques, known as academic difficulties. Therefore, considering Romania’s higher education is facing retention problems among students in various universities around the country, the purpose of the present study is to analyze the influence of a particular variable which, lato sensu, consists in students’ inability of channeling their resources into getting a deeper understanding of various university subjects in order to achieve effective learning and therefore successfully continue their studies. A quantitative study consisting in a two-stages questionnaire was carried out with 70 first year students enrolled at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, the Faculty of Business and Tourism who agreed to take part into the development of their academic performance by joining the agenda provided via the Secondary Education Project – ROSE BT. The present research offers empirical evidence that might be useful for future decision-making in order to improve educational processes and both students’ and professors’ accomplishments in university settings. Also, the results have indicated that students who have difficulties into understanding first-year subjects are more open to engage into further communication and academic activities with their professors and also to adapt to improved teaching and interaction techniques or strategies

36-45

Authors: Carmen Florentina Vlăsceanu

This article examines service quality in regard to cruise lines service performance from a customer perceived satisfaction perspective. The article provides a descriptive observation based on the empirical developments within the research community in terms of theory and practice underlining the service quality as a subjective trait, depending on a series of influential factors and market determinants. The first part of the article focuses on a theoretical explanation of the dimensions linked to service excellence within the cruising industry and the importance of market segmentation determinants in relation to building sustainable relationships with the customers in all phases of the service life cycle. This section is followed by a scrutiny of perceived value and quality management, from an efficient marketing mix perspective. Theories and thoughts of experts of the crosscultural field are highly regarded, providing a detailed look at the motivational factors of consumers purchase decision inspired by the four psychosomatic factors: learning, motivation, perception and attitude. Service quality, customer satisfaction and experiential travel receive outmost attention in cruise hospitality and travel organizations, as customers’ preferences are influenced by the development of marketing tools and the impact of social media on travelers’ behavior, top management makes it a priority of increasing their focus on diversifying the offer in order to make their products and services appear unique. Conclusions are drawn and discussed following a brief overview of cruising industry’s’ trends within the contemporary transformational global business context.

54-59

Authors: Gabriela Țigu, Oana Diana Crismariu, Dan Anghelescu, Miguel Angel Gonzalez Suarez

Sustainability is no longer an extraordinary challenge nowadays for the service providers in Tenerife; this has become a habit for several years. Gradually, they try to instill in tourists care and respect for compliance with the rules that sustainability implies. The hotels have resorted to various ways in which they can carry out their activity in a sustainable way, trying to inform their tourists very well about them. Destinations on the island - regardless of their profile (cultural, coastal, ecotourism, rural, gastronomic, etc.) - are role models for other tourist areas of the world, both through sustainable development and promotion solutions, and by locals’ hospitality and openness to everything that is new. The article explores experiences in the south of the island, which highlight the above.

17-25

Authors: Powel Maxwell Worimegbe, Agbaje Ifedayo

Organizations rebrand as the need arises. The effect of this strategic action has divergent results in the literature, depending on the measure of performance. This study examines the effect of rebranding and how it drives customers’ retention in the telecommunication sector in Nigeria. The study is premised on the corporate identity, reposition, perceived quality and product features. The study employed the descriptive survey research design. Questionnaires were administered to 400 customers of 9Mobile Nigeria who were purposively selected. Using the simple regression, the result reveals the corporate reposition, corporate identity and perceived quality significantly affects customers’ retention while the product features dimension was non-significant in explaining customers’ retention in the telecommunication industry. The study recommends that firms should pay more to repositioning their brand in order to retain their customers. Corporate identity and perceived quality should be part of firms’ strategic plan. This will foster a sense of trust in the customers and give the business a touch of personality and culture. The study contributes to knowledge by establishing how corporate rebranding can be utilized as a strategy to retain customers in an organization.

35-45

Authors: Aydın Unal, Baran Sinan Bayar

The study aims to determine the assessments of the locals living in the destination of 23rd Manavgat Peace Water Festival organized on 22-28 July 2019, which is a festival organized regularly every year in Manavgat district of Antalya province. 550 questionnaire forms prepared within this framework were delivered to the local people living in the relevant destination through face-to-face communication during the festival. The data obtained from the returned questionnaire forms and found eligible for analysis (502 questionnaires) were analyzed via the SPSS 22.0 statistical data program. The results of study suggest that the local people consider the festivals useful for their destinations (89%) and have a positive perspective (91%) on the tourists who visit their destinations. Furthermore, the dimensions of the evaluation scale of the locals for festivals on the destinations they live were identified as the positive support for the development of the festivals, negative sociocultural effects of the festivals, positive economic effects of the festivals, satisfaction for development of the festivals, and positive personal effects of the festivals. It was also determined that the local community consider the following four dimensions of study as high and positive: positive support for the development of the festivals,positive personal effects of the festivals, positive economic effects of the festivals and satisfaction for development of the festivals, consider the following dimension of the study as low and negative: socio-cultural effects of the festivals