（2011届）本科毕业设计（论文）外文翻译原文：A positioning strategy for a tourist destination, based on analysis ofcustomers' perceptions and satisfactions出处：Marketing Intelligence& Planning作者：Essam E. Ibrahim, Jacequeline GillAbstractPurpose –The objectives of this research study were to measure the perception and satisfactions of consumers of the tourism product of Barbados, and to identify potential niche markets that could be used in the dev elopment of the destination’s positioning strategy.Design/methodology/approach –Self-completion questionnaires were distributed to tourists visiting the island at the peak of the 2003 tourism season. The scales used were adapted from two authoritative sources. Data from 400 completed questionnaires were analysed quantitatively by a variety of statistical techniques, including factor analysis and multiple regression. Answers to open-ended questions were also used where necessary to explain top-of-mind attitudes to the tourism products consumed.Findings – Four possible niche markets are identified that can inform the development of the destination’s repositioning strategy: recreational, sports, culture and eco-tourism.Research limitations/implications – The time frame of the study was two winter months in one year, and only actual visitors completed the questionnaire. The study did not assess their evaluation of the quality of the services provided and consumed.Practical implications/originality/value – The overall conclusions and discussion of the findings should provide a case-based framework for the practical planning and implementation of positioning strategies in the tourism context.Keywords:Barbados, Product positioning, Tourism management, Customer satisfaction,Niche marketingIntroductionWithin the last decade, the tourism industry has been rapidly adopting a more environmentally friendly and sustainable stance (WTO-UNEP, 2002), moving towards the ideal articulated by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO, 1998): “tourism that meets the needs of the present tourists, and host regions, while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to the management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems”. The move away from mass-standardised and rigidly packaged tourism has forced destinations to look for alternative marketing strategies that can identify and exploit new opportunities that are attractive, economicallyrewarding and sustainable (Sleight, 1993; Weinstein, 1994; Buhalis, 2000). The development of such alternative marketing strategies is dependent on identifying how customers perceive the destination’s tourism products and how these products are designed to satisfy the needs of the target market. Therefore, analysis of customers’perception can help in identifying factors contributing to the success or failure of a marketing strategy, and consequently allow the destination to improve its product image in target markets.Etchner and Ritchie (1993) believe that the image of a destination should be seen as having components that are attribute-based and holistic. The analysis of these attributes, integrated with personal variables such as the type of tourism needs sought,can help in identifying the relative strengths and weaknesses of the destination and can also contribute to identifying potential niche markets that could be used in developing the destination’s positioning strategy. Buhalis (2000) also suggests, based on Butler’s (1980) destination life-cycle model, that destinations at the later stage of their evolutionary development should focus on alternative marketing strategies that support the image alteration, redesign or re-positioning of the tourism product. Trout and Rivkin (1996) believe that repositioning strategy becomes necessary when(1) customer attitudes have changed;(2) technology has overtaken existing products; and/or(3) products have strayed from the customers’ long-standing perception of them.Jayawardena (2002) points out that the future of tourism markets is dependent on the ability of tourism countries to deliver “a high quality product that corresponds to the changing tastes, needs, wants and demands of the international traveller”. He further posits that the useof well-developed niche-based marketing strategies can lead to total market growth. The development of such marketing strategies requires tourism officials to measure the image customers have of the destination’s tourism products and identify how satisfied they are with the delivery of these products.This study uses the functional and psychological dimensions of customers’perce ption and satisfaction as the basis for formulating a destination’s positioning or repositioning strategy. Specifically, the study measures customers’ images of Barbados tourism products and the attributes that influence tourists’ satisfaction, in order to identify specific niche markets that can be used in the development of the destination’s positioning strategy.The paper is divided into four sections: a review of the extant literature of destination image, satisfaction attributes and positioning strategy; methodological discussion, including details of sampling procedures and data collection; presentation and discussion of the research findings; overall conclusions, discussion of managerial implications and identification of areas for future research.Literature reviewIn their classic book, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, Ries and Trout (1981)argued that the concept of positioning is not only applicable to a brand but also to a company, service, person, or place. This is consistent with the broad concept of the product, which can be defined as physical goods, service, place, person, or idea (Kotler,2000). The positioning of a destination is the process of establishing a distinctive place of that destination in the minds of potential visitors (Gartner, 1989). In the marketingliterature, a considerable number of studies has been conducted in the area of destination image and positioning (Gartner, 1989; Woodside et al., 1989; Woodside,1990; Etchner and Ritchie, 1993; Chacko, 1997; Walmsley and Young, 1998; Botha et al.,1999). Most of the previous studies have followed the traditional approach to positioning that is based on image creation using a number of attributes that reflect the destinations’ most attractive products.However, Crompton et al. (1992) suggested that, for effective positioning of a destination, the strong attributes that are perceived as important by visitors should be first identified. Also to be identified are other relevant attributes that are unique to the destination and capable of differentiating it effectively from its competitors in its ability to satisfy the customers’ needs. Consistent with this line of thought, Chacko(1997) in a study of the UStourism market, combined the ten highest-ranked activities among Japanese tourists with their specific image attributes of the destination in order to get an indication of how to position the USA as a destination for Japanese visitors. Botha et al. (1999) offered a critique of the traditional approach to positioning, based on image creation using the attributes of the destination’s attractive products, preferring one based on measurement of what already exists in the tourists’ minds, which could be positively reinforced. Earlier, Ries and Trout (1981, p. 219) stated that “positioning is thinking in reverse. Instead of starting with yourself, you start with the mind of prospect. Instead of asking what you are, you ask what position you already own in the mind of prospect”. Thus, the concept of positioning goes beyond image creation, which merely identifies the attributes that are strengths, to provide guidance on which attributes to use in the positioning/repositioning and promotion of a product. This concept formed our view that the position a destination holds in the customer’s mind could evoke images that differentiate the destination from its competitors and satisfy the customers’ needs. Thus, we believe that examining what already exist in the customer’s mind can provide guidance and/or inform the decisions of the destination’s positioning strategy. Therefore, we propose that the measurement of customer’s perception of a destination’s products can result in identifying a number of strong attributes that can possibly be used to inform the decisions of the destination’s positioning strategy.The measurement of a destinations image in the customer’s mind has received much attention from tourism marketing researchers. Many authors have defined and measured destination image as an individual’s overall perception or total set of impressions of a place (Hunt, 1975; Phelps, 1986; Fakeye and Crompton, 1991) or as the mental portrayal of a destination (Crompton, 1979; Woodside and Ronkainen, 1993;Kotler et al., 1993; Middleton, 1994; Milman and Pizam, 1995; Alhemoud and Armstrong, 1996; Seaton and Bennett, 1996). Most of the previous studies have examined the image of a destination as a dependent variable. Milman and Pizam(1995), for example, suggested that factors such as familiarity with a destination could influence the perception and image that tourists have of a destination. Customer’s image of a destination can also vary based on socio-demographic variables such as nationality, age, income, and gender. However, the image of a destination can have some impact on variables such as the satisfaction or dissatisfaction that a tourist derived from the destination. Chon and Olsen (1991) found that measuring an image by evaluating a list ofattributes was significantly correlated to satisfaction with a destination’s products. That image can in turn mould expectations ahead of an actualvisit (Bigne´et al., 2001), while the evaluation of the experience at the destination can influence the image and modify it (Chon and Olsen, 1991; Etchner and Ritchie, 1991;Fakeye and Crompton, 1991; Ross, 1993). Thus, a two-way relationship could exist between the image tourists have and the satisfaction they derive from their experience. This two-way relationship highlights the importance of placing more emphasis on the measurement/identification of customers’ perception a nd satisfaction of a tourism product for positioning purposes. Research examining customers’ satisfaction with destinations’ products and attributes is to be found in the marketing literature(Crompton and Love, 1995; Spreng et al., 1996; Cho, 1998; Baker and Crompton, 2000).However, very few research studies acknowledged such a two-way relationship and have attempted to combine the two variables of customer’s perception and satisfaction together to inform the development of a destination’s positioning strat egy. We believe that these two variables are important and can be combined together to identify the strongest functional and psychological attributes that can be used for positioning and promotion purposes. Therefore, we propose that the measurement of cus tomers’perception and satisfaction when combined together can result in identifying specific niche markets, which can be used in developing and promoting an effective positioning strategy for a destination.“Tourism satisfaction” refers to the emotional st ate of tourists after exposure to the opportunity or experience (Baker and Crompton, 2000). The literature on the satisfaction measurement focuses primarily on the disconfirmation model of expectations. While a considerable amount of empirical research supports this theory, Yi (1990) claimed that the desires of the consumer, as the key determinants of satisfaction, have not been considered in previous research. This view was supported by Spreng et al. (1996) who believed that the extent to which a product o r service fulfils a person’s desires are significant in shaping the individual’s feelings of satisfaction and should be considered when measuring the satisfaction level. Baker and Crompton (2000) also supported this view by indicating that factors such as desires, needs and disposition can influence the measurement of satisfaction.“Attribute satisfaction” also influences the measurement of satisfaction. This is the individual assessment of the degree to which a product’s performance is perceived to have met or exceeded desires and expectations (Spreng et al., 1996). Bramwell (1998) suggestedthat the products of a destination should be designed to meet the demand of the targeted customers. Cho (1998) has identified a number of attributes that are most important in the measurement of tourists’ satisfaction. Tribe and Snaith (1998) also measured tourists’ satisfaction with their holiday experience and pointed out that the measurement of satisfaction provides some indication of the degree of customer loyalty. Kozak (2001) also found a relationship between overall satisfaction and intention to make a repeat visit. This finding is similar to that of earlier research by Gyte and Phelps (1989) and can be used to provide an indication of the destination’s potential for future visits.Given the significance of such a relationship between customers’ satisfaction and the intention of making frequent visits, we believe that the assessment of customers’ satisfaction can play a significant role in identifying supplementary attributes that can contribute to the development of the destination’s positioning/repositioning strategy.Therefore, we propose that the measurement and inclusion of customers’ satisfaction.译文：分析客户认知和满意度基础上的旅游目的地定位策略摘要目的——本研究性学习的目的是衡量消费者对巴巴多斯旅游产品的认知和满意度，并找出潜在的可在市场定位策略中开发使用的利基市场。
