Past research has suggested that a number of travel package attributes impact on people's choices. In the present study the impacts of a number of these elements (price, package characteristics, travel agents and a seal of approval) in online and off-line environments were examined using conjoint analysis. It was found that price had the biggest impact, although travel agent and airline reputation and trustworthiness also impacted on people's preferences. Interestingly, there were no signifi cant differences in the attributes' impacts in the online and off-line environments. Copyright (Coulter, 2001;Wong and Kwan, 2001;Law et al., 2004), and as the Internet has become a cost-effective distribution channel, travel agents have begun to offer such services online. Information is needed when selecting a holiday destination and when making on-site decisions such as selecting accommodation, transportation, activities and tours (Snepenger et al., 1990;Fodness and Murray, 1999;Gursoy and Chen, 2000). Tourists collect this information prior to taking a trip so as to minimise the risk and uncertainty associated with making a decision to travel to a destination and so as to maximise the perceived quality of their travel experiences (Money and Crotts, 2003).Distribution 'is what makes the product available' (Wahab et al., 1976) and tourism channels have been developed to create a link between suppliers and consumers and to provide information and a way through which consumers can make and pay for reservations (Wahab et al., 1976;Gartner and Bachri, 1994;Kotler et al., 1996;Buhalis, 2000). In recent times, the Internet has emerged as a new distribution channel that enables potential customers to fi nd information more easily (Zhang, 2004). As the travel industry is largely information driven, it is not surprising that online travel services have become one of the largest e-commerce domains around the world (Smith and Jenner, 1998;Anckar and Walden, 2000;Clemons et al., 2002). Further, Peterson et al. (1997 argued that products or services that could be marketed successfully on the Internet are likely to have:(1) a low price and a reasonable frequency of purchase; (2) an identifi able value proposition; and (3) a degree of differentiation.While travel products (such as travel packages) do not meet the fi rst requirement, they are high-involvement products that are less tangible and more differentiated than many other consumer goods, which is likely to make them suitable for sale through the Internet (Bonn et al

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The inaugural Youth Olympic Games 2010 was one of the major sporting events held in Singapore. It brought together 3,600 young athletes from 295 countries to compete in 26 sport events. Conducted during the Games, this study sought to evaluate the impact of the Games on local residents by using a total of 34 impact statement items. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to categorize the impact statements under a smaller number of meaningful factors. Specifically, the impact statement items related to the positive impact were categorized under the following three factors: Long-Term Social Benefits to Singapore, Tourism Benefits, and Economic Benefits. The impact statements pertaining to the negative impact were placed under the following three factors: Quality of Life, Social Behavior, and Preparation for the Games. A cluster analysis was also performed: there were three clusters of residents—Enthusiasts, Enthusiasts With Reservations, and Skeptics. In general, residents were supportive of the Games and perceived the Games to have a positive impact on the country. But there are negative perceptions of the Games too, such as its negative impact on the environment, the inconveniences created, and the disruptiveness to their lives.

This research revisits an ecotourism-related article published in the early days of the Journal of Vacation Marketing. That study found its test population, Singaporean youth, to be generally disinterested ecotourism consumers. This replication, done a generation later, had findings consistent with the earlier work. However, by adding a second sample of Singaporean adults to the current study, the conclusion was reached that the purchase of ecotourism vacation products is likely more related to consumer life cycle than cohort. The findings apply to Singapore but can be considered for ecotourism providers and marketers wherever the product is promoted.

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