The Mediating Effect of Experiential Value on Tourist Outcomes from Encounter-Based Experiences

In this paper, we examine the mediating effect of experience value between experiential elements of employee-tourist encounters and the final experiential outcomes. The Tourism Encounter Mediated Experience Value (TEMEV) model is tested via a survey at 13 different locations (attractions, hotels and retail) in Copenhagen (n=2955). The findings illustrate how, for different types of tourism companies, experiential value plays varying roles as a mediator between employee-tourist encounter characteristics and tourists’ intentions to recommend an experience as well as their memory of the experience. The most complex relationship identified is for hotels, where experiential value is a significant mediator for the personalized, flexible and emotions constructs of encounters. Surprisingly, experiential value plays no significant mediating role between co-creation or knowledge/learning in encounters and memory or recommendation intention in any of the sectors examined. The study concludes with implications for theory, practice, and study limitations

Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) return to a former wintering calving ground: Fowlers Bay, South Australia

© 2019 Society for Marine Mammalogy Southern right whales (SRW), Eubalaena australis, have reoccupied historically important winter habitat ranges (calving grounds) in recent years along the southern Australian coast. Here we present findings of increased abundance of SRW at Fowlers Bay, South Australia, a previous shore-based whaling station. This study investigates: SRW inter- and intraseasonal trends in relative abundance; changes to the relative proportion of the southwestern subpopulation represented by SRW at Fowlers Bay; distribution; and occupancy. Sighting and photo identification data were collected during annual aerial (1993–2016) and vessel surveys (2014–2016). The total number of female and calf pairs was 3 during 1993–2003 and 63 during 2004–2014. Despite high variability in annual relative abundance, the rate of mean increase from 1993 to 2016 (29.0%/yr, 95% CI = 0, 54.2) exceeded the maximum biological rate for the species (6%–7%/yr). Peak relative abundance was recorded in July and August. SRW at Fowlers Bay represent an increasing proportion of the southwestern subpopulation (range = 0.9%–7.4%). Mean occupancy was 23 d (range = 1–75) for female and calf pairs and 2 d (range = 1–15) for unaccompanied adults. Reduced sightings in 2015 and 2016 demonstrate plasticity in SRW abundance at Fowlers Bay. Research into the movement and connectivity of SRW is needed to understand drivers of habitat dispersal in Australia