Shifting Perspectives
Featured From Contemporary Travel to Cracking the Code on Modern Tourism Travel Habits among College Students: Multiple Study Abroad Experiences and Integrative Learning
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Katrina B Reed,
Madelyn Plenskofski,
Gabriella Gibilante,
Ja’la Brown,
Erica Avila
This study investigates the evolving landscape of modern student travel through the unexplored intersection of multiple study abroad experiences and integrative learning among college students. While integrative learning traditionally focuses on connecting coursework within customized majors, this research innovatively applies the concept to contemporary travel patterns through multiple study abroad experiences. Through a qualitative study of 12 undergraduate students who participated in educational programs across 10 different countries, we examine how multiple study abroad experiences impact students' professional and personal development within four key areas of the integrative framework: application, comparison, context understanding, and synthesis. Using an innovative technological immersed photo elicitation methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews to analyze students' experiences. Findings reveal strong alignment with integrative learning principles, particularly in life connections, critical decision-making, and navigational competence in new situations, though synthesis of experiences emerged as a challenge area. The study demonstrates that expanding financial access to international travel could significantly enhance students' creative thinking, cultural intelligence, and problem-solving capabilities, particularly among underrepresented populations. Through examining tourism practices through a socio-economic lens, we uncover how leisure mobility shapes worldviews, interpersonal relationships, and professional aspirations. This research provides valuable insights for administrators, policymakers, and tour operators in developing more inclusive and effective study abroad programming, while introducing a novel framework for assessing educational returns on investment in international education.
Beach Games - Ancient and Modern Olympic Games: Development of Olympic Values in Singaporean Physical Educators and Sport Leaders View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
David James Waters
Male and female educators/leaders (age range 21-25 years), from Singapore and Southeast Asia, attended the International Session for Young Participants hosted by the Singapore Olympic Academy. The session was held on Singapore's Sentosa Island, for 4 days/3 nites. The author, an Olympic Academy Fellow, devised an afternoon of Beach Olympic Games to be held for 3 hours on the opening afternoon, along the island's western shore at Siloso Beach. The Athlete's Oath was recited to remind all of the spirit of fair play. The author presents and discusses the choices of Ancient and Modern Games that took place along the sandy shores, which included: stade run; diskos throw; halteres jump; sand art with Olympic themes; and Tug-of-War. The first 3 events were undertaken individually, whereas the last 2 events above were organized in groups. Olympic Values of friendship, respect, and excellence were displayed by all - just as the Creed reinforced "the important thing was not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well." Siloso Beach proved to be an idyllic location for the positivity that was exuded by the 75-100 local and international participants.
Americans Tipping Attitudes and Behavior at All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Joe Downing
This study examines tipping attitudes and behaviors of American tourists at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. Survey data from 232 participants revealed that 75% tipped at least once during their stay, with tipping behavior influenced by perceptions of resort policies. Tipping amounts and strategies (each meal, end-of-trip, or both) were standardized for analysis. A subset of 111 participants who only tipped after each meal and stayed between 3-7 days was used to control for confounding factors. Tipping motivations were assessed using four constructs: duty/social norms, reciprocity, altruism, and future services. Duty/social norms emerged as the strongest predictor of tipping frequency and amounts. Social norms were also influential, with non-tippers not perceiving widespread tipping, either by U.S. or non-U.S. guests. In contrast, tippers were more likely to agree that U.S. tourists tipped and disagreed or were neutral about non-U.S. tourists tipping. This finding had a significant effect size. Among the 26 participants who estimated server wages (in USD), responses ranged from $3.00 to $250.00, with a mean estimate of $60.12 (SD=51.19) and a median of $47.50. This contrasts sharply with actual server wages, which in Mexico range from $17.50 to $21 USD per day depending on working hours. Collectively, these findings highlight the ethical implications of wage disparities in Caribbean tourism and underscore the need for all-inclusive resorts to implement new strategies that transparently communicate to resort guests the prevailing market wages of service professionals, like servers.
