Application of Operations Research In Amusement Park Industry

Yildirim, Utku

doi:10.1002/9780470400531.eorms0033

Cited by 3 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…authenticity or novelty, Ebster and Guist, 2005, Gilmore and Pine, 2009, Muñoz et al, 2006, Wood and Muñoz, 2007, Gilmore and Pine, 2007, Ariffin, 2007, and (2) studies related to theming in a themed environment (e.g., Erb andOng, 2016, Agapito et al, 2014). Many scholarly studies use theme parks as their empirical setting (e.g., Pikkemaat and Schuckert, 2007, Davis, 1996, Milman, 2013, Yoshimoto, 1994, Yildirim, 2011, and commonly use Disney theme parks as their prime example (e.g., Meamber, 2011). Theming is central for design consideration when creating an experience.…”

Section: Theoretical Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Novelty seeking is a key motive that motivates travellers (Crompton, 1979, Dann, 1977. Thus, for instance, in the theme park industry, there are substantial capital investments in new experiences, new rides, and renovations (Lillestol et al, 2015, Clavé, 2007, Yildirim, 2011, amounting to approximately 10 percent of their yearly turnover (Cornelis, 2014). Lee and Crompton (1992) suggest four dimensions of the novelty construct in their Tourist Novelty Scale: (1) [change from] routine, (2) thrill, (3), boredom alleviation, and (4) surprise.…”

Section: Noveltymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exploring theming dimensions in a tourism context

Åstrøm

2018

EJTR

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Theming is used to differentiate places and how they are experienced and is thereby a growing phenomenon within tourism and society at large. Although there is an increasing body of research that examines themed environments, there is a lack of empirical studies that explore the concept of theming and its dimensions in a tourism context. This study aims to contribute to the exploration of the concept of theming and its dimensions. Based on this aim, a qualitative study was undertaken. Half-structured interviews with 10 strategically selected key informants in various theming related fields were conducted over the course of one year. The findings reveal 10 dimensions that were significant for theming: (i) authenticity, (ii) chronotope, (iii) cohesion, (iv) digital technology, (v) immersion, (vi) interaction/co-creation, (vii) multisensory, (viii) novelty, (ix) relatability, and (x) storytelling/narrative. The contributions of this study are both theoretical and practical for tourism.

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Section: Theoretical Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Noveltymentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring theming dimensions in a tourism context

Åstrøm

2018

EJTR

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“…To attract repeat business, theme parks convince potential guests that previous visits are inferior to new experiences and improved parks, a notion theme parks often subscribe to (Braun and Soskin, 1999). In 2011, the construction of new rides and the renovation of existing rides was the largest capital investment by theme parks (Clavé, 2007;Yildirim, 2011). For profitable growth, companies strive for new sources of innovation and creativity (Chang et al, 2014;Prahalad and Ramaswamy, 2004).…”

Section: Figure 1 Modern Strategies In the Theme Park Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The theme park sector is different from traditional tourism outlets because it exists in a human-created, artificial environment, yet it is an increasingly competitive and attractive sector (Clavé, 2007;King, 1981;Mayer, 2002;Milman, 2010, Yildirim, 2011. The theme park sector represents a major component of the tourism industry in the USA (Liu, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Competitive strategies in the US theme park industry: a popular media perspective

Lillestol

Timothy

Goodman

2015

International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research

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Purpose – This paper aims to examine the competitive strategies employed by two of the largest theme park operators in Florida, based on a content analysis of popular media articles about theme park giants in the USA. It aims to provide a comparative examination of their competitive strategies, to develop a conceptual model of the same and to expand knowledge about current competitiveness in the theme park sector. Design/methodology/approach – This study used directed content analysis to identify and analyze strategies applied in the theme park sector as manifested in the mass media. Each database was searched using the following four key terms: competition, strategy, Disney and Universal Studios. Results were screened for relevance based on their inclusion of all four key terms. At the conclusion of the search, 87 articles from 34 US-based sources were amassed, varying in circulation size and published between 1985 and 2013. Each article was read, and sentences that suggested the use of a strategy were recorded. Although the intention was to leave each data point at a one-sentence maximum, occasionally, a second sentence was included for context and clarification. Each article was read twice to ensure the inclusion of all potential data points. Findings – The findings suggest that the largest US-based theme parks utilize strategies of value, uniqueness, niche markets, innovation, variety and quality as highlighted in the research literature. However, this study also confirms two additional competitive strategies that have heretofore not been examined in tourism studies – currency and convenience – as advantageous management and promotional mechanisms against their competitors. Research limitations/implications – Limitations to this research include a limited number of popular media articles available for analysis. This precluded a random sample of articles. In addition, the study was based on print media statements and keyword identification, which could also limit the generalizability of the findings. Nonetheless, it is believed that the case studies researched in this paper are indicative of many of the competitive strategies used by theme park managers throughout the world. Practical implications – The paper developed a competitive strategy model that has utility for them park planners and managers, as they attempt to understand the competitive advantages and those of their direct competitors. The findings in this study have broader implications for other theme parks throughout the world. Social implications – The social implications of this study are manifold. They include the notion that theme park attendees manifest certain behaviors and seek out certain experiences as they make decisions on which parks to attend. The notions of value, uniqueness, niche markets, innovation, variety, quality, currency and convenience all reveal how some consumers determine their choice of venue for recreational travel. Originality/value – This paper provides an original research of the theme park sector by examining two of the USA’s largest theme park giants and the strategies they use in a comparative and competitive manner to attraction clientele and maintain visitation. In particular, the paper develops a conceptual model based upon the review of strategies literature and, then, tests it and modifies it based on the findings of the study.

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“…The amusement park differs from traditional tourist destinations as the former is a man-made artificial environment yet alluring and competitive (Claver-Cort es et al, 2007;Milman et al, 2010;Yildirim, 2011). The modern era of the development of amusement parks was initiated by Walt Disney with the opening of Disneyland in 1955 with various entertainment zones, rides and shows.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Service quality benchmarking of amusement parks using a hybrid approach

James¹

2021

IJQRM

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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for benchmarking the service quality of amusement parks.Design/methodology/approachA hybrid approach, which is a combination of AHP (analytic hierarchy process) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution), is applied for service quality benchmarking.FindingsAmusement parks are centers of attraction at various tourist destinations across the world. Their service quality is constituted by the attainment of certain quality attributes that varies with different parks. For sustaining in the industry, the managers of the parks need to have a good overview of the practices followed by them and their competitors that necessitate benchmarking of the service quality.Practical implicationsThe developed framework using the hybrid methodology of AHP and TOPSIS can be applied for comparing different amusement parks based on quality attributes, which will help the organizers in improving their service quality.Originality/valueThe paper identifies various service quality attributes of amusement parks and an evaluation scheme for those attributes had been developed. Based on these, a framework had been developed for benchmarking of service quality of different amusement parks.

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Application of Operations Research In Amusement Park Industry

Cited by 3 publications

References 10 publications

Exploring theming dimensions in a tourism context

Exploring theming dimensions in a tourism context

Competitive strategies in the US theme park industry: a popular media perspective

Service quality benchmarking of amusement parks using a hybrid approach

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