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Authors: Marija Šuleić, Aleksandra Dragin, Vanja Dragićević

Abstract: Tourism represents a widespread phenomenon in which around a billion of people participates, so that it is understandable that a small percentage of the dissatisfied represents a serious contingent. Therefore the complaints of the users of travel agencies’ services arise. In order to protect itself, each responsible company must undertake a package of various measures, aiming at increasing the quality of providing services, in other words, increasing its competitiveness. EU tourists are protected in large measure by the regulations associated with consumers’ protection because different travel guidelines have been introduced. Serbia is also on the way of the adoption of all measures. The aim of this research was to analyze which mechanisms are used by TUI in order that tourists be satisfied with their purchased arrangements and which approach TUI applies in Serbia for solving possible complaints of end-users of its services. The research results can be useful not only for travel agencies, but for tourists as well.

Keywords: complaints of tourists, TUI, ethical codex, the Frankfurt list, Serbia.

DOI: 10.18421/TRZ19.01-01

Article info: 1-12

Received: June 2014 | Accepted: September 2014

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Authors: Klisara Dubravka, Bradić Milan, Balaž Melita

Abstract: This paper deals with the problem of relatively young type of hotel that is increasingly attracting the attention of the modern tourist. Unusual hotels are very interesting phenomenon, not only for tourists and hospitality professionals, but also for people who are (currently) out of the tourist flows. These are facilities with untypical architectural design, non-standard equipped or with services that are not common in the hospitality industry. They often contribute to the attractiveness of the area in which they are located. However, business sustainability of unusual hotels, as well as any other hotel, depends on guests, i.e. number of overnight stays. We present the results of research conducted among tourists in Serbia. The main task is to examined whether tourists are interested in the potential developing of unusual hotels. If so, which subtypes of unusual hotel would be best suited for the territory of Serbia. In order to compare experiences and operating results, parallel survey was conducted among owners of unusual hotels around the world. The results suggest a conclusion – with a favourable investment climate, unusual hotels should have a future in Serbia.

Keywords: tourism, hospitality, hotel industry, unusual hotels, hotel development, market research

DOI: 10.18421/TRZ19.01-02

Article info:13-21

Received: June 2014 | Accepted: November 2014

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Authors: Sebastjan Repnik, Janez Mekinc

Abstract: The aim of the research was to determine how students/respondents perceive security on their travels in Europe. The respondents belong to two different study programmes, one focusing on the field of security (Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security, University of Maribor) and the other on the field of tourism (Higher Vocational School for Catering and Tourism). Our main presumption was that students of the two institutions developed a different attitude towards travel security since their studies focus on two substantively different academic-professional fields. We examined their attitude towards security factors such as: security climate, self-protection and collective security. In our research we included a sample of 100 students/respondents. We used an instrument in the form of a questionnaire for the quantitative measurement of responses on a 5-point Likert scale. To portray the results of the research we also used various statistical indicators in the computer programme SPSS such as: arithmetic mean, Man-Whitney test, frequency distribution of responses, where independent variables are displayed. The findings suggest that the students/respondents attitude towards safety and their expectations on individual elements of all three security factors differ in the two target groups. The expectations of students/respondents of FCJS regarding the implementation and provision of security are higher compared to students/respondents of HVC. Respondents have different experience with security on their travels, as the number of travels varies quite substantially between students. Both institutions can use the results of the research in the evaluation processes of their study programmes. On the basis of the results of the research it is substantiated that the field and content of study have an impact on the students’ attitude to elements of security while travelling. The findings are intended to all researchers in the field of security and tourism, as well as designers of study programmes of these two study fields.

Keywords: tourism, safety, security, students, travel, expectations

DOI: 10.18421/TRZ19.01-03

Article info: 22-33

Received: March 2014 | Accepted: January 2015

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Authors: Ozgur Devrim Yilmaz

Abstract: This study was conducted to examine the probable effect of perceived empowerment on job performance and the sample of research consisted of 230 participants working in tourism sector as front-line employees. The outcomes of this study indicated that psychological empowerment was positively correlated with employee job performance and employees’ job performance were mostly effected from self-determination and impact dimensions of empowerment. Moreover, tests were conducted to analyze the significant differences in participants’ perception of empowerment and job performance according to their demographic characteristics. There was a significant difference between perceived empowerment and gender, age and work experience whereas there was no significant difference between empowerment and education levels. On the other hand, the relationship between job performance and work experience was supported however no relationship was found between job performance and gender, age and education level of the participants. Trying to find out what might possibly lead front-line employees to increased job performance, it can be claimed that psychological empowerment still turns out to be a central issue and therefore this research makes useful contributions to the current knowledge by entirely investigating the direct effect of perceived empowerment on employee job performance in hospitality industry where especially front-line employees spend most of their time directly with customers.

Keywords: Empowerment, job performance, tourism, hospitality industry and front-line employees

DOI: 10.18421/TRZ19.01-04

Article info: 34-46

Received: December 2014 | Accepted: January 2015