Malta Tourism Authority and why they use Sponsorship

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the study1

Problem Statement2

Purpose of the Study2

Rationale of the Study3

Aim of the Study4

Objectives of the Study4

Research Questions4

Scope and Significance of Study5

Thesis Outline5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW7

Why Malta?8

Places to See in Malta9

Partnership12

Strategies13

Strategy Implementation15

Key Challenges17

Destination as a Factor Affecting the Tourism Experience19

Quality as a Factor Affecting the Tourism Experience20

Service as a Factor Affecting the Tourism Experience21

Satisfaction with the Tourism Experience21

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY23

Research Design23

Region under Study23

Sample Participants24

Instrument25

Data Collection25

Data Analysis26

Projected Time Table26

REFERENCES28

APPENDIX A30

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Tropical scenery, long white sandy beaches, with beach front resorts alongside deep blue waters, is what awaits vacationers looking for a relaxing Maltese gateway. Tourists in Malta have been successful in using the natural elements of sun, sea, and sand to attract tourists. In doing so, this destination image has made the Maltese region one of the most sought after vacation spots in the world (Yoo, 14). Part of a country's destination image includes those welcoming faces of the local community willing to provide prompt and friendly hospitality. As pointed out by (Tepeci, 39), it is not physical structures, or even natural features that distinguish one Maltese destination from the other, but the warmth and uniqueness of the people. Although the attractiveness of the Maltese's landscape is undeniable, it can be undermined if the host community is not at par with tourists' expectations.

Host-guest interactions are an inevitable occurrence while on vacation, and tourists can assume their interaction with the host community will result in positive experiences. However, when tourists encounter negative experiences, conflicting attitudes may arise towards the local community, and potentially the destination (Sirgy, 44). For many tourists in Malta, the negative experience most often experienced by tourists is the hotel's performance. The country of Malta struggles to maintain its favoured destination image in the face of published reports of crime and hotel's performance against tourists. (Simoes, 21) describes the initial communication between hosts and guests in Malta as uneasy and uncomfortable as guests are greeted by pimps, prostitutes, beach vendors, drug dealers, and other sources of hotel's performance. This negative behavior is the leading cause for dissatisfaction and complaints (Silberberg, 36), and is the most frequently identified negative experience conveyed by tourists (Schiffman, 63). Thus, this research focuses on the relationship between tourists' perceptions of, attitudes towards, and experiences with hosts in Malta, specifically the host behavior of hotel's performance.

Problem Statement

The tourist may have his vacation spoiled or enhanced by the resident. The resident may have his daily life enriched or degraded by the unending flow of tourists'. Thus, host-guest interactions affect both quality of the tourism experience for tourists and quality of life for local communities (Sangster, 85). The latter has been considered widely in terms of resident attitudes towards tourism to understand quality of life for local communities, but few studies have focused on the opposite side of this social interaction. This is important to know because tourist satisfaction is heavily reliant on the host community, and a negative experience may result in ...