CityU scholar’s research on travel experience examines relationship between social hospitality and destination image

The research paper, The impact of perceived social hospitality on destination image: The moderating effect of cultural intelligence, was published in the SSCI-Q1 Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The paper, with Prof. Jacky Li Xi, executive associate dean of the Faculty of International Tourism and Management (FITM) at the City University of Macau as the first author and PhD student Feng Zixin as the second and corresponding author, delves into the impact of perceived social hospitality on destination image.

With the current social context in mind, the study addresses the growing issue of destination hospitality, as modern destinations in both the East and the West have similar facilities and arrangements. Beyond the intrinsic allure of traveling resources, the destination image has drawn increasing attention. The concept of “hospitality” has a long history and has been expressed in various forms such as philosophy, moral obligations, social practices, and business activities. However, it has only been in recent years that this concept has been widely explored by the international academic community, particularly in the context of business. However, few studies have focused on social hospitality, especially the relationship between social hospitality and destination image.

First Author Prof. Jacky Li Xi

Second and Corresponding Author Feng Zixin

Based on the three-domain model of hospitality, this study examines tourist’ perceptions social hospitality and the ways of practices. The research found that only “equally communicating with visitors” in social hospitality has a direct effect on the destination image, and effect of “concern for the safety of tourists” on the destination image must be completely mediated by emotional solidarity. In addition, the study also demonstrated that cultural intelligence moderates the relationship between social hospitality and emotional solidarity. This research has brought practical implication for destination management organizations is that in developing destination hospitality.

The Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, an official journal of the Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education Inc. (CAUTHE), is an authoritative academic journal in the tourism, leisure, and hospitality management. Its impact factor (IF) is 8.3 according to Journal Citation Reports (JCR) in the A category.

Full article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1447677023001195

Resource: Research Management Office