Importance–performance analysis (IPA) has been widely used to examine the relationship between importance, performance, and overall satisfaction in tourism destinations. IPA implicitly assumes that attribute performance will have little impact on overall satisfaction when stated importance is low. However, this assumption is rarely tested. This study, for the first time, tested this assumption by including attributes in each IPA quadrant into a second-order structural equation model. Results indicate that attributes with lower ratings of importance in the “low priority” and “potential overkill” quadrants do not contribute to overall satisfaction, regardless of performance, while the opposite is true for attributes in the “keep up the good work” quadrant with higher ratings of importance and performance, thus confirming the validity of this assumption. This novel approach allowed us to take a fresh look at an old debate, and the results suggest stated importance may be more useful than previously thought. Theoretical, methodological, and managerial implications are discussed.

Although urban forests are important components of the urban tourism system, research on urban forests from the perspective of tourism is limited. This is particularly true for research on cherry blossom festivals held in urban areas in the context of China. This paper, for the first time, examined the similarities and differences between locals and tourists in their past experience, motivation, attitude, satisfaction, and loyalty as well as the interrelationships among these variables as they relate to the Taihu Lake International Cherry Blossom Festival (TLICBF) in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China, based on data collected onsite in 2019 from 412 usable questionnaires. Results show that responses from locals and tourists were quite similar. Moreover, TLICBF attendees’ motivation of attending the festival significantly influenced their attitudes toward the festival, which significantly predicted their overall satisfaction with the festival. It is worth noting that it is the positive comparison, not the frequency of visits, that significantly influenced TLICBF attendees’ attitudes toward and overall satisfaction with the festival. In addition, motivations and benefits were also qualitatively examined, with a measure of 21 items for the former and 25 items for the latter being developed. Research implications, research limitations, and future research needs are discussed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for us to rethink the relationship between humans and the environment. However, few studies have examined the association between environmental attitudes, motivations, wellbeing, and quality of life in the context of urban green areas before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. This paper investigated the interrelationships among these variables based on data collected in 2019 (before COVID-19) and 2021 (after COVID-19). The results show that the 2021 sample differed significantly from the 2019 sample in environmental attitudes. Respondents after the outbreak with the belief in “humans with nature” were more likely to use urban green areas for being “close to nature” than pre-pandemic respondents. In addition, stronger belief in “humans over nature” led to stronger desire for “social interactions” in 2021 than in 2019, implying a close relationship between people’s perception of humankind’s ability to control nature during the pandemic and their desire to interact with people in urban green areas. The study also found that there may be a pent-up satisfaction among urban dwellers after the COVID-19 outbreak.

(2013). Event Quality Versus Event Quantity: An Evaluation of Fishing Experiences. Human Dimensions of Wildlife: Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 234-235.

Little research has sought to understand programs incorporating outdoor adventure recreation and STEM, or adventure STEM. An eight-day residential outdoor camp combining adventure activities with experiential education and geology-focused informal learning opportunities was developed and delivered to adolescents. The purpose of this exploratory study was to understand the impacts of this adventure STEM camp on adolescents perceived outdoor recreation self-efficacy (ORSE). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 youth participants and content analysis was used to analyze the results. Experiential education theory and self-efficacy theory informed the curriculum design, as well as the interview questions. Results indicated there was a change in ORSE beliefs and that campers had unique, yet similar, experiences. These experiences aligned with Bandura’s (1977) main sources of self-efficacy (SE) and the physiological processes through which SE beliefs are formed. Results indicated strategically adding more camp opportunities related to mastery experiences, reflection, and coping could further improve outcomes.