Management of Mining Brownfields for Support of Regional Tourism

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

After reading the manuscript, I have the following concerns: 

1. It is better to point out the research question in introduction, followed by the plan to address the question. 

2. The title of section is not appropriate as it only focuses on the case area, but characteristics of the tourist destination is too big or broad in scope. 

3. The study did not describe in detail about the SWOT analysis the study adopts, like the definition, the advantges to use this method, and so on. 

4. The discussion section is still like the presentation of research results, but actually this section should be used to discuss the findings of this study and elaborate something newly found after doing the analysis. I think the current discussion has not realized this function. 

5. All contents related to the implementation of the research finding should be put in conclusion and marked by practical implications. 

6. Regarding the contribution, the study should highlight its theoretical or methodological innovation in order to showcase the contribution clearly.

7. The overall title of the manuscript is big, and I suggest narrowing down the title to focus on the case area and the specific target the study aims to achieve. 

Author Response

The authors would like to thank the reviewer for his valuable remarks. Our replies are marked as “A:”.

1. It is better to point out the research question in introduction, followed by the plan to address the question. 

A: The research question and the plan to address it are clearly stated in the last paragraph of the Introduction section “The study aims to point out the significant potential of mining brownfields as a tool for supporting the sustainable regional development of tourism emphasizing the principles of further sustainable development of society. It points to the reuse of mining brownfields in a complex and synergistic process determining socio-economic, environmental, and institutional aspects of the sustainable regional development of tourism. The key contribution of the study is the proposal for effective management of mining brownfields in sustainable regional tourism development support with an integrated methodology for quantifying the evaluation of the potential of the tourist destination as well as the potential of mining brownfields. This model is constructed as open, thus it can be expanded, if necessary, according to the specific characteristics of a particular tourist destination in interaction with the specifics based on clearly identified environmental, social, and economic aspects of reclamation, which are determined by a specific type of mining brownfields.”

2. The title of section is not appropriate as it only focuses on the case area, but characteristics of the tourist destination is too big or broad in scope.

A: The title of the section was modified as follows: “2. The Wide-Ranging Appeal of the Fedö Shaft Tourist Destination”

3. The study did not describe in detail about the SWOT analysis the study adopts, like the definition, the advantges to use this method, and so on.

A: The following text was added: …though it is also widely used in environmental management, implementing quantitative methods trying to remove subjectivity in the evaluation of individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats [39].

The following steps outline the SWOT analysis procedure [13,40,41]:

Factors identifying – defining the factors relevant to each element – strength, weakness, opportunity, threat – i ϵ S,W,O,T;

Building a pairwise comparison matrix to rank the relative importance of factors within each set concerning the objective, and calculating the relative importance weight vectors for each factor (W_S, W_W, W_O, W_T);

Building a pairwise comparison matrix to evaluate the relative importance of SWOT sets and obtain the relative importance weight vector W_G;

Evaluating vector E by evaluating for each S, W, O, T factor with linguistic variable e_i = (e_i1, e_i2, e_i3, e_i4);

Evaluating each indicator in this way led to the creation of partial row products following equation (1):

Si = ΠSij; j = 1, 2, 3, …, f,	(1)
f – number of factors, Sij – single factor,

Evaluating the indicators interactions by equation (2):

Ri = Si1/f,

(2)

 

4. The discussion section is still like the presentation of research results, but actually this section should be used to discuss the findings of this study and elaborate something newly found after doing the analysis. I think the current discussion has not realized this function.

A: The Discussion section was modified in different places, and references and comparisons were added.

5. All contents related to the implementation of the research finding should be put in conclusion and marked by practical implications.

A: Thank you very much for this remark. All the content related to implementation of the research findings is put in the Conclusion section. The conclusion section is not the right place for implications, it is a summary of all that was done.

6. Regarding the contribution, the study should highlight its theoretical or methodological innovation in order to showcase the contribution clearly.

A: The innovations are highlighted in the last paragraph of the Introduction section.

7. The overall title of the manuscript is big, and I suggest narrowing down the title to focus on the case area and the specific target the study aims to achieve.

A: Thank you very much for this remark, but we consider the title appropriate, and we cannot shorten it without change of the meaning.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper deals with a topc that is relevant to local economic development as well as tourism development. The authors provided a complex research analysis on the potentials of a mining brownfield in Slovakia. The structure of the paper is clear, logical, the literature review provides a solid basis for the research. The chosen method for the analysis is suitable to achieve the objectives. Overall, the paper is of high quality and represents high value to tourism sector.

Author Response

The paper deals with a topc that is relevant to local economic development as well as tourism development. The authors provided a complex research analysis on the potentials of a mining brownfield in Slovakia. The structure of the paper is clear, logical, the literature review provides a solid basis for the research. The chosen method for the analysis is suitable to achieve the objectives. Overall, the paper is of high quality and represents high value to tourism sector.

The authors would like to thank the reviewer for his very positive standpoint.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper analyzes the tourism potential of the Fedö mine brownfield in the Červenica - Dubník region of Slovakia in detail and proposes effective management models and strategies, which has high academic value and practical application value. It is hoped that the author can further improve the paper according to the following suggestions to make it more rigorous and convincing.

1. Research background and motivation

Advantages:

The paper clearly points out the background of the transformation from the primary and secondary industries to the tertiary industry in the Slovak Republic, especially the decline of the mining industry and its impact on abandoned territorial areas. These contents provide strong support for the necessity and urgency of the study.

Suggestions:

The background information of similar cases in the global or regional scope can be further supplemented to enhance the comprehensiveness and universality of the argument.

2. Research objectives and content

Advantages:

The paper clearly states the research objectives, which is to determine the tourism potential of the Fedö mine brownfield in the Červenica - Dubník region and determine effective strategies through SWOT analysis. In addition, the environmental, social and economic aspects of reclamation are proposed, which has practical application value.

Suggestions:

It is recommended to be more specific in the statement of objectives, such as clarifying the specific indicators and quantitative methods for tourism potential assessment. This will help readers better understand the specific direction and expected results of the study.

3. Methodology

Advantages:

The SWOT analysis method is adopted, which is a common and effective strategic planning tool that helps to systematically analyze and determine the tourism development potential of mining brownfields.

Suggestions:

I think the research sample, survey subjects, and data sources in the article should be further clarified; more detailed information about the data collection and analysis process can be added. For example, describe how to select and collect data for SWOT analysis, and how to quantify and evaluate the reliability and validity of these data.

4. Results and Discussion

Advantages:

The article quantifies the tourism development support potential of the analyzed mining brownfields and summarizes an effective management model for the use of mining brownfields in the tourism industry in Slovakia, providing important theoretical and practical contributions.

Suggestions:

In the discussion section, the similarities and differences between the research results and other related studies can be further compared and the possible reasons can be analyzed. In addition, it is recommended to discuss the limitations of the study and the direction of future research to provide reference for subsequent research.

5. Language and logic

Advantages:

The article is concise, logically clear, and academically sound, and can effectively convey the main content and results of the research.

Suggestions:

It is recommended to simplify some paragraphs to make the expression more concise. For example, some long sentences can be split into multiple short sentences to enhance readability and comprehension.

6. Others:

(1) What is the meaning of Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3? What is its relationship with "interval <1,5>" (Line 146-147) in the article? In addition, it is recommended that the author draw a flow chart to further explain the research methods and steps of the article.

(2) I think the article lacks certain theoretical support and research gaps, such as how the SWOT analysis method is currently used in the field of tourism research, and where are the gaps? What gaps does this manuscript mainly fill?

(3) I suggest that the author add more authoritative journals or books in the past five years to optimize the overall content and structure of the literature review;

Author Response

The authors would like to thank the reviewer for his valuable remarks. Our replies are marked as “A:”.

1. Research background and motivation

Advantages:

The paper clearly points out the background of the transformation from the primary and secondary industries to the tertiary industry in the Slovak Republic, especially the decline of the mining industry and its impact on abandoned territorial areas. These contents provide strong support for the necessity and urgency of the study.

Suggestions:

The background information of similar cases in the global or regional scope can be further supplemented to enhance the comprehensiveness and universality of the argument.

A: Thank you very much for this remark, all the relevant global and international cases were cited and can be found in the References. Anyone interested can read them and further understand the comprehensiveness and universality of the arguments beyond the scope of our research as the uniqueness and regional differences make it impossible to copy them.

2. Research objectives and content

Advantages:

The paper clearly states the research objectives, which is to determine the tourism potential of the Fedö mine brownfield in the Červenica - Dubník region and determine effective strategies through SWOT analysis. In addition, the environmental, social and economic aspects of reclamation are proposed, which has practical application value.

Suggestions:

It is recommended to be more specific in the statement of objectives, such as clarifying the specific indicators and quantitative methods for tourism potential assessment. This will help readers better understand the specific direction and expected results of the study.

A: The objectives, aims and specific indicators are clearly defined in the last paragraph of the Introduction section. The quantitative methods for tourism potential assessment are also clearly defined in the Materials and Methods section.

3. Methodology

Advantages:

The SWOT analysis method is adopted, which is a common and effective strategic planning tool that helps to systematically analyze and determine the tourism development potential of mining brownfields.

Suggestions:

I think the research sample, survey subjects, and data sources in the article should be further clarified; more detailed information about the data collection and analysis process can be added. For example, describe how to select and collect data for SWOT analysis, and how to quantify and evaluate the reliability and validity of these data.

A: The following text was added to the Materials and Methods section: …though it is also widely used in environmental management, implementing quantitative methods trying to remove subjectivity in the evaluation of individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats [39].

The following steps outline the SWOT analysis procedure [13,40,41]:

Factors identifying – defining the factors relevant to each element – strength, weakness, opportunity, threat – i ϵ S,W,O,T;

Building a pairwise comparison matrix to rank the relative importance of factors within each set concerning the objective, and calculating the relative importance weight vectors for each factor (W_S, W_W, W_O, W_T);

Building a pairwise comparison matrix to evaluate the relative importance of SWOT sets and obtain the relative importance weight vector W_G;

Evaluating vector E by evaluating for each S, W, O, T factor with linguistic variable e_i = (e_i1, e_i2, e_i3, e_i4);

Evaluating each indicator in this way led to the creation of partial row products following equation (1):

Si = ΠSij; j = 1, 2, 3, …, f,	(1)
f – number of factors, Sij – single factor,

Evaluating the indicators interactions by equation (2):

Ri = Si1/f,

(2)

 

4. Results and Discussion

Advantages:

The article quantifies the tourism development support potential of the analyzed mining brownfields and summarizes an effective management model for the use of mining brownfields in the tourism industry in Slovakia, providing important theoretical and practical contributions.

Suggestions:

In the discussion section, the similarities and differences between the research results and other related studies can be further compared and the possible reasons can be analyzed. In addition, it is recommended to discuss the limitations of the study and the direction of future research to provide reference for subsequent research.

A: The Discussion section was modified in different places, and references and comparisons were added. The study's limitations and future research direction are clearly defined in the last paragraph of the Conclusion section.

5. Language and logic

Advantages:

The article is concise, logically clear, and academically sound, and can effectively convey the main content and results of the research.

Suggestions:

It is recommended to simplify some paragraphs to make the expression more concise. For example, some long sentences can be split into multiple short sentences to enhance readability and comprehension.

A: Where possible, the sentences were modified, shortened, or split.

6. Others:

(1) What is the meaning of Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3? What is its relationship with "interval <1,5>" (Line 146-147) in the article? In addition, it is recommended that the author draw a flow chart to further explain the research methods and steps of the article.

A: Tables 1-3 are used for the evaluation of the tourist destination in terms of SWOT analysis. The methodology of the SWOT analysis was added for this reason there is no need for a flow chart. The text on lines 146-147 was modified.

(2) I think the article lacks certain theoretical support and research gaps, such as how the SWOT analysis method is currently used in the field of tourism research, and where are the gaps? What gaps does this manuscript mainly fill?

A: The following text was added to the Materials and Methods section: …though it is also widely used in environmental management, implementing quantitative methods trying to remove subjectivity in the evaluation of individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats [39].

The following steps outline the SWOT analysis procedure [13,40,41]:

Factors identifying – defining the factors relevant to each element – strength, weakness, opportunity, threat – i ϵ S,W,O,T;

Building a pairwise comparison matrix to rank the relative importance of factors within each set concerning the objective, and calculating the relative importance weight vectors for each factor (W_S, W_W, W_O, W_T);

Building a pairwise comparison matrix to evaluate the relative importance of SWOT sets and obtain the relative importance weight vector W_G;

Evaluating vector E by evaluating for each S, W, O, T factor with linguistic variable e_i = (e_i1, e_i2, e_i3, e_i4);

Evaluating each indicator in this way led to the creation of partial row products following equation (1):

Si = ΠSij; j = 1, 2, 3, …, f,	(1)
f – number of factors, Sij – single factor,

Evaluating the indicators interactions by equation (2):

Ri = Si1/f,

(2)

(3) I suggest that the author add more authoritative journals or books in the past five years to optimize the overall content and structure of the literature review;

A: References [51-70] were added, all of them published during the last 5 years, to support the Discussion section of the article.

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

The manuscript "Management of Mining Brownfields for Support of Regional Tourism" is very interesting, and its issues are current. However, it still has some issues that need to be addressed. Below is the list of suggestions for manuscript enhancement:

The abstract introduces a variety of concepts, including urbanisation, mining brownfields, and the transition from primary to tertiary economies, without explicitly connecting them to the primary objectives of the study. The reader may encounter difficulty in comprehending the direct correlation between these concepts and the specific investigation of the Fedö shaft.

The abstract employs the term "detailed analyses" but fails to define the scope of these analyses or the conclusions they yield. The abstract would be more informative if a more detailed summary of the methodologies employed were included.

The Introduction addresses several facets of brownfields within a short space, including economic, environmental, social, historical, and cultural. This produces an excessive volume of information, which may dilute the main messages. The text may benefit from concentrating on a few key concepts and expanding on them more thoroughly.

Certain topics, such as brownfields' potential to assist tourism and the significance of their location, appear multiple times throughout the introduction. This redundancy does not add value and might be reduced to make the text more concise.

Although the introduction offers some background information on the importance of mining brownfields, it fails to establish a compelling rationale for the necessity or uniqueness of this specific study. To enhance the introduction, it would be beneficial to clearly articulate the specific research gap that it aims to address or the distinctive contribution it proposes to make.

The introduction briefly acknowledges the necessity of sustainable development and historical preservation, but it fails to connect these broader topics to the study's focus on brownfield mining. A more direct link to global or regional trends in tourism and environmental management could give a more appealing context for the study.

Although the SWOT analysis is referenced, there is insufficient information regarding the specific methods used to identify, assign importance to, and quantify the SWOT variables. The lack of elucidation about the derivation of these factors and their pertinence to the particular context of the Fedö shaft undermines the credibility of the analysis.

The Discussion section lacks sufficient analysis of the social consequences on local communities, such as the probable erosion of cultural assets and the forced relocation of inhabitants resulting from previous mining operations.

The Discussion acknowledges the potential hazards of rising costs and intricate legislation as unfavourable factors, but it lacks adequate methods to address these risks, which are crucial for the effective reclamation and reuse of mining brownfields.

The Conclusions heavily rely on the findings of the SWOT analysis, disregarding its limitations. The SWOT analysis, however beneficial, is fundamentally subjective and may not comprehensively encompass the intricacy of the issue, especially when contemplating long-term viability and unforeseen obstacles.

The Conclusions imply that the findings have wider ramifications for the development of sustainable tourism in other areas, however they lack adequate evidence or comparative analysis to substantiate this assertion. The regional particularity of the case study may restrict the generalisability of these findings across diverse settings.

The Conclusions highlight the potential for tourism development, however, they fail to critically analyse the economic feasibility of these projects. The insufficiently addressed financial difficulties, such as exorbitant initial expenses and the volatile character of the tourism industry, pose significant concerns.

 

 

Author Response

The abstract introduces a variety of concepts, including urbanisation, mining brownfields, and the transition from primary to tertiary economies, without explicitly connecting them to the primary objectives of the study. The reader may encounter difficulty in comprehending the direct correlation between these concepts and the specific investigation of the Fedö shaft.

A: The abstract was modified, omitting the primary to tertiary economies. The topics of urbanization and mining brownfields cannot be omitted as these are the main parts of the article.

The abstract employs the term "detailed analyses" but fails to define the scope of these analyses or the conclusions they yield. The abstract would be more informative if a more detailed summary of the methodologies employed were included.

1. The sentence was modified as follows: Based on the results of the conducted SWOT analysis, the study presents the quantification of the tourism development support potential of the analyzed mining brownfield. It also includes selected environmental, social, and economic aspects of the reclamation and the definition of an effective strategy for usage of the examined mining brownfield as a tool to support tourism development.

The Introduction addresses several facets of brownfields within a short space, including economic, environmental, social, historical, and cultural. This produces an excessive volume of information, which may dilute the main messages. The text may benefit from concentrating on a few key concepts and expanding on them more thoroughly.

A: Thank you very much for this remark. The Introduction section is meant to give an overview of the facts on brownfields, discussed in the referenced articles with an emphasis on the mining brownfields that are the main topic of the article thus the Introduction section gradually introduces the topic.

Certain topics, such as brownfields' potential to assist tourism and the significance of their location, appear multiple times throughout the introduction. This redundancy does not add value and might be reduced to make the text more concise.

A: The sentences were modified or omitted.

Although the introduction offers some background information on the importance of mining brownfields, it fails to establish a compelling rationale for the necessity or uniqueness of this specific study. To enhance the introduction, it would be beneficial to clearly articulate the specific research gap that it aims to address or the distinctive contribution it proposes to make.

A: The specific research gap is clearly defined in the last paragraph of the Introduction section.

The introduction briefly acknowledges the necessity of sustainable development and historical preservation, but it fails to connect these broader topics to the study's focus on brownfield mining. A more direct link to global or regional trends in tourism and environmental management could give a more appealing context for the study.

A: Following text was added: Sustainable development and historical preservation are interconnected in the context of mining brownfields reuse. These former industrial sites, often rich in cultural and historical significance, present unique revitalization opportunities that honor the past while fostering future growth. Sustainable development in these areas ensures that environmental rehabilitation and economic transformation enable the regeneration of polluted lands into productive areas. By historical preservation, communities can maintain their cultural heritage, attract tourists, and stimulate (local) economies while adhering to sustainable principles that protect natural resources and promote long-term ecological balance [1,2,11,12-14].

Although the SWOT analysis is referenced, there is insufficient information regarding the specific methods used to identify, assign importance to, and quantify the SWOT variables. The lack of elucidation about the derivation of these factors and their pertinence to the particular context of the Fedö shaft undermines the credibility of the analysis.

A: The following text was added to the Materials and Methods section: …though it is also widely used in environmental management, implementing quantitative methods trying to remove subjectivity in the evaluation of individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats [39].

The following steps outline the SWOT analysis procedure [13,40,41]:

Factors identifying – defining the factors relevant to each element – strength, weakness, opportunity, threat – i ϵ S,W,O,T;

Building a pairwise comparison matrix to rank the relative importance of factors within each set concerning the objective, and calculating the relative importance weight vectors for each factor (W_S, W_W, W_O, W_T);

Building a pairwise comparison matrix to evaluate the relative importance of SWOT sets and obtain the relative importance weight vector W_G;

Evaluating vector E by evaluating for each S, W, O, T factor with linguistic variable e_i = (e_i1, e_i2, e_i3, e_i4);

Evaluating each indicator in this way led to the creation of partial row products following equation (1):

Si = ΠSij; j = 1, 2, 3, …, f,	(1)
f – number of factors, Sij – single factor,

Evaluating the indicators interactions by equation (2):

Ri = Si1/f,

(2)

 

The Discussion section lacks sufficient analysis of the social consequences on local communities, such as the probable erosion of cultural assets and the forced relocation of inhabitants resulting from previous mining operations.

A: The Discussion section was modified in different places, and references and comparisons were added. References [51-70] were added, all of them published during the last 5 years, to support the Discussion section of the article.

The Discussion acknowledges the potential hazards of rising costs and intricate legislation as unfavourable factors, but it lacks adequate methods to address these risks, which are crucial for the effective reclamation and reuse of mining brownfields.

A: The following text was added: All the indicators of mining brownfield reclamation, explicitly listed in Table 12, were encompassed in the suggested model of effective mining brownfields management for the sustainable development of regional tourism.

It is not possible to discuss only one of the indicators above the others. All the indicators were discussed and the reason why they are important is described in the article.

The Conclusions heavily rely on the findings of the SWOT analysis, disregarding its limitations. The SWOT analysis, however beneficial, is fundamentally subjective and may not comprehensively encompass the intricacy of the issue, especially when contemplating long-term viability and unforeseen obstacles.

A: The results of the SWOT analysis are included in the Conclusion section together with the limitations of the study that are appointed in this section.

The Conclusions imply that the findings have wider ramifications for the development of sustainable tourism in other areas, however they lack adequate evidence or comparative analysis to substantiate this assertion. The regional particularity of the case study may restrict the generalisability of these findings across diverse settings.

A: Thank you for this remark. The article and the whole study concentrate on the support of regional tourism. Some facts may be generalized and used in other regions. The aim of the article is not to globalize or generalize the findings.

The Conclusions highlight the potential for tourism development, however, they fail to critically analyse the economic feasibility of these projects. The insufficiently addressed financial difficulties, such as exorbitant initial expenses and the volatile character of the tourism industry, pose significant concerns.

A: Thank you for this remark. The article and the whole study concentrate on the support of regional tourism, that is solving the problem of mining brownfields, not only in sustainable regional tourism development but also in other national economic sectors. The financial and economic feasibility of the suggested measures is not part of the study. The following text was added: The financial and economic feasibility of the suggested measures can be studied in detail.

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you very much for your detailed revision of the manuscript and your contribution to the field of regional tourism research. Your rigorous attitude and in-depth analysis during the revision process have played a positive role in improving the quality of the research. After gradual review, the article has been significantly improved in theoretical framework, methods and discussion, which provides a valuable perspective for further expanding academic discussions in this field.

However, in order to further enhance the logic and clarity of the discussion section, I suggest that you might use subheadings in the discussion section to elaborate on the differences or similarities between existing research and this study point by point.

Author Response

Comment: However, in order to further enhance the logic and clarity of the discussion section, I suggest that you might use subheadings in the discussion section to elaborate on the differences or similarities between existing research and this study point by point.

Reply: Two subheadings were created:

5.1. Environmental, social and economic aspects of reclamation

5.2. Model of effective mining brownfields management

The authors thank the reviewer for his valuable comments and support.

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

According to the recommendations of the evaluators, the authors implemented each correction. The paper should be considered for publication in the journal Sustainability.

Author Response

Comment: According to the recommendations of the evaluators, the authors implemented each correction. The paper should be considered for publication in the journal Sustainability.

Response: The authors thank the reviewer for his valuable comments and support.