A spa is one amenity that enhances the overall experience of hotel guests, which in turn, generates significant revenue for luxury hotels and resorts in the U.S. Little research has examined spa-goer motives and whether spa-goers can be segmented both for service value and effective marketing mix. This study segmented spa guests in luxury hotels and resorts by motivation and compared them using socio-demographic characteristics and past experiences. In this study, we performed a series of multivariate statistical analyses for 309 survey respondents in the U.S. to segment spa-goers staying in luxury hotels and resorts. Pleasure pursuers find spas more attractive if the spas have entertainment or they can visit with friends or purchase spa products. Healing pursuers visit spas to ease emotional stress and spiritual fatigue. Relaxation pursuers tend to use spa treatments as a relief from daily routines. The implications for luxury spa marketing strategies are discussed.

One of the fastest-growing trends in the exhibition industry is the utilization of immersive technology displays which provide exhibition attendees with enhanced interactive and dynamic experiences. However, little is known about the relationship between immersive technology displays and exhibition attendees’ satisfaction. This study aimed to examine the relationship between exhibitors’ immersive displays and exhibition attendees’ satisfaction in relation to the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework. Additionally, the study categorized immersive displays and compared them with exhibition attendees’ socio-demographics. An online questionnaire survey was used for data collection, and a series of statistical analyses were carried out. The results revealed that 75% of respondents reported positive experiences with immersive displays, and some attendees were more satisfied with some of the immersive displays. Implications of the study are discussed.

Generation Y, also known as Millennial, have a reputation for being more environmentally conscious than the Baby Boomers and Generation Xers who preceded them. However, the literature on hospitality and tourism has not discussed Generation Y’s changing beliefs and attitudes towards sustainability and encompassing their points of view about lodging green operations, even though millennial travellers will be a dominant customer segment in the hotel industry for the next 20 years. This study identified heterogeneous groups among members of Generation Yers who hold similar beliefs and attitudes towards the environment and examined the green hotel practices they seek when travelling. A questionnaire survey was developed and administered in New York, Florida and Michigan. Using 318 samples, this study categorized millennial green travellers as active or passive, based on their beliefs and attitudes towards green initiatives. The results indicated that to Generation Y travellers in general, green hotels should have recycling and disposal programmes. t-Test results also exhibit significant differences in the green hotel practice factors expected by active and passive green millennial travellers. To active green travellers, green certification and visible green advertisement are important factors when they stay in a green hotel. The implications of the study are discussed.

Knowledge of changing age structure and its effect on the patterns of travel behavior may help tourism marketers and promoters identify growth areas, target age-related segments, or forecast future preferences for, and use of, their products and services. The purpose of this study is to investigate the causal relationship between changes in patterns of trip planning horizon over time and the effects of biological age, time of travel, and generational cohort. Household data of 1997 and 2002 were utilized for this study. Independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA were carried out to test the relationship between trip planning horizon and the effects of time-related variables, and then stepwise multiple regression was employed to identify key determinants that explain variations in trip planning horizon over time. The results of the study provided evidence that travelers' trip planning horizon became shorter during the five-year period. Those traveling in 2002 had 2.7% shorter trip-planning intervals than those traveling in 1997; and those born between 1970 and 1974 had 20.3% shorter trip-planning intervals than those born from 1980–1984. The timing of intensive tourism advertising and promotion should be considered before tourism season begins because of these short trip planning horizons. The implications of the study were discussed.