Tour. Hosp., Volume 6, Issue 1 (March 2025) – 28 articles

This paper explores the intersection of tourism and environmental theories, highlighting how sustainability serves as a critical bridge between the two disciplines. Tourism theories such as Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) provide insights into destination development and tourist behavior but often lack an ecological perspective. The environmental framework, including Ecological Modernization Theory (EMT) and Common-Pool Resource (CPR) Theory, emphasizes sustainable resource management and the interconnectedness of human activities and natural systems. This paper examines common concepts such as carrying capacity, sustainable development, and behavioral insights while also identifying tensions between economic growth and environmental preservation. Case studies from Costa Rica, Hawaii, and Thailand illustrate practical applications of these theories in real-world settings, revealing how tourism can be both a threat and a tool for conservation. My paper concludes that integrating environmental impact assessment (EIA) and community-based tourism (CBT) models into tourism planning can lead to better long-term resource management. It recommends the adoption of stricter regulations on tourism development in fragile ecosystems, the implementation of eco-certifications, and the promotion of locally governed tourism initiatives. These strategies will ensure the sustainability of both tourism activities and the ecosystems on which they depend. Full article

Delivering superior value in sustainable accommodation is critical for gaining a competitive advantage in the tourism market. However, till now, little is known about how individual cultural orientations impact tourists’ perceived value of sustainable accommodations. This study investigates the role of cultural orientations, based on Hofstede’s dimensions, in shaping perceptions of functional, social, and emotional value among 1402 tourists in Spain and Lithuania. Data were collected using a comprehensive survey and analyzed through descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and multiple regression. The findings reveal that cultural dimensions such as collectivism and uncertainty avoidance significantly influence perceptions of sustainable accommodation value. This study is unique in examining all five of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions at an individual level, offering novel insights for cross-cultural tourism research. Practical implications include designing culturally sensitive value propositions to attract diverse tourist segments and contributing to global sustainability initiatives in tourism. Full article

This paper focuses on analyzing online visitor reviews of Romanian palaces and castles because these comments could represent the starting point for improving tourist offerings. Additionally, expert evaluations were included in analyzing the relevance of the information obtained for managerial decision-making at the company level. In the first stage of the analysis, 18 castles and palaces with a TripAdvisor account from three Romanian historical regions were identified: Moldavia, Muntenia (Wallachia), and Transylvania. The study used a qualitative technique to examine visitors’ cultural experiences by analyzing 1399 online evaluations from TripAdvisor. The findings reveal that visitors exhibited positive emotional reactions toward the castles and palaces in Romania and preferred integrated cultural services. The tourists expressed their opinions online related to visiting the respective castles/palaces, restaurants visited in the area, and the quality of the accommodation services. Research methods associated with expert evaluations applied periodically can become active support tools for managerial decisions in the adaptation/diversification of service packages based on the consumer category. The findings could serve as managerial resources for companies to enhance their cultural heritage offerings, better reach their target audiences, and align with their preferences and interests. Full article

With the rapid development of digital networks and communication technologies, traditional word-of-mouth (WOM) has transformed into electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), which plays a pivotal role in improving the management and service quality of ancient town tourism. This study uses Python web scraping techniques to gather eWOM data from the top ten ancient towns in southern China. Using IPA analysis, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), Term Frequency–Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF), and cluster analysis, we developed a comprehensive eWOM evaluation framework. This framework was employed to perform word frequency analysis, sentiment analysis, topic modeling, and rating analysis, providing deeper insights into tourists’ perceptions. The results reveal several key findings: (1) Transportation infrastructure varies significantly across the towns. Heshun and Huangyao suffer from poor accessibility, while the remaining towns benefit from the developed transportation network of the Yangtze River Delta. (2) The volume of eWOM is strongly influenced by seasonal patterns and was notably impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. (3) The majority of tourists express positive sentiments toward the ancient towns, with a focus on the available facilities. Their highest levels of satisfaction, however, are associated with the scenic landscapes. (4) A comprehensive eWOM analysis suggests that Wuzhen and Xidi–Hongcun are the most popular tourist destinations, while Zhujiajiao, Huangyao, Zhouzhuang, and Nanxun exhibit lower levels of both attention and visitor satisfaction. Full article

The purpose of this study is to evaluate green hotels in Sentosa Island, Singapore, with big data analysis utilizing online reviews regarding environmental sustainability practices. Tourism, while providing significant economic benefits, also contributes to environmental degradation, particularly through the hotel industry, which accounts for a substantial share of global greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable tourism practices are becoming increasingly popular as the public becomes more aware of the environment. As a result, green hotels emerged as a solution and hotels are taking steps to become eco-friendly. Based on the 3579 online reviews, the findings indicate that green practices, including water and energy conservation, play a crucial role in enhancing customer satisfaction, alongside traditional hospitality elements such as service quality and amenities. The integration underscores the importance of incorporating sustainability into core operations without compromising the high standards of service that guests expect. This research contributes to the understanding of sustainable hospitality practices, offering actionable recommendations for policymakers and hotel managers to foster environmentally friendly practices while maintaining customer satisfaction. Full article

The research contributes to developing and implementing four tourist hubs in Salamanca, León, and Zamora (Spain) territories and the District of Guarda (Portugal). These hubs will act as innovation pivots promoting innovative, sustainable, and inclusive rural tourism and creating specific territorial ecosystems in each region. The main objective is to boost new economic activities and generate employment, especially for priority groups, through smart specialisation and strengthening local economies. The research also focuses on strengthening tourism value chains, making them more competitive and resilient, emphasising accessibility and inclusion. Within a focus group methodology, a SOAR analysis was undertaken. Three stakeholder groups from Portugal and Spain participated in this study: consumers, distributors/marketing professionals (tour operators, tourist offices), and producers (hotels, restaurants, and museums). They participated in collaborative activities within the SOAR framework to understand the needs of tourists, especially those with reduced mobility, and to identify barriers and opportunities for innovation in the sector. The results offer a framework for tourism providers to develop Accessible and Inclusive Rural Tourism Ecosystems by enhancing understanding and improving accessibility for groups with specific needs. It outlines actionable methods for creating inclusive tourism hubs as “innovation pivots,” establishing performance metrics, and fostering stakeholder collaboration to guide evidence-based policies. Full article

Over the past few decades, many environmental labels and schemes have been established at different levels to verify the degree to which businesses are operating in an environmentally sustainable manner and to inform tourist choices. These voluntary tools are used by tourist accommodation services to guarantee quality and conformity to high environmental and sometimes broader performance criteria, drive sustainability awareness and act as a marketing tool. According to the EU’s “Transition Pathway for Tourism” and “European Agenda for Tourism 2030”, environmental labels and schemes can play a role in driving the green transition and strengthening the contribution of tourism to the European Green Deal. This article summarises the main findings from an online survey conducted among global entities managing environmental labels and schemes for tourist accommodation services. The aim of this study is to provide a first characterisation at the European Union level. The results show that, in addition to EU tools such as the EU Ecolabel and the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, a diverse range of other labels and schemes is available on the market, but further harmonisation, clarity, and transparency are required to enhance the uptake and effectiveness of these tools for the accommodation sector. Full article

This study addresses the need for a comprehensive analysis of the demand for qualified personnel in Spain’s hotel accommodation sector, situating the issue within a context of increasing demand for specialized and highly personalized services in the tourism industry. The objective of this research is to develop a theoretical framework and conduct a preliminary assessment of a model designed to identify and quantify the need for skilled professionals across hotels of different categories and locations. This model considers key factors such as seasonality, required technical competencies, and labour market demands in the tourism sector. The methodology employed combines quantitative and qualitative data analysis from multiple sources, including prior studies, surveys of human resources managers, a review of the academic literature on human resource assessment models in the hotel industry, and a validation survey. Preliminary findings indicate a significant shortage of professionals with advanced expertise in critical areas such as operations management, multilingual customer service, and process digitalization, highlighting the urgent need for a strategic approach to training and talent retention. The conclusions emphasize the importance of adapting workforce planning to the specific demands of Spain’s hotel sector while drawing comparative insights from models in France and the United States. This study proposes strategies to enhance the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability in an increasingly globalized market. Full article

The present study aims to examine the effects of physically and psychologically supportive work environments on innovative work behavior and the effects of innovative work behavior on job performance. This study surveyed 275 hotel employees in Thailand, and a rigorous methodology involving path analysis was employed to scrutinize the proposed hypotheses. The study’s findings illuminate the substantial revelation that supportive work environments and innovative work behavior positively and directly impact the cultivation of job performance. Moreover, physically and psychologically supportive work environments positively and indirectly impact the cultivation of job performance. Additionally, this study thoroughly analyzes the implications for management practices, emphasizing the crucial significance of innovative work behavior in shaping job performance outcomes. Furthermore, it provides actionable recommendations for improving physically supportive work environments, empowering psychologically supportive work environments, and creating healthy, innovative work behavior to support cultivating job performance in Thailand’s hospitality industry. Full article

The relationship between tourism and the environment is often studied through tourism’s impact on destinations, with limited focus on how eco-degradation affects tourism, including residential tourism, which remains the most loyal to specific destinations. This study examines whether a destination’s eco-degradation impacts the residential tourists’ satisfaction and their intention to revisit. Two studies were conducted on the Mar Menor destination (Spain) using two online questionnaires administered through social media. Study 1 (from October 2020 to December 2021, n = 822) explored tourists’ perceptions of the destination’s ecological situation. Study 2 (November 2022 and March 2023, n = 453) examined how the destination’s eco-degradation influences residential tourists’ intention to revisit, considering the mediating role of destination attachment and perceived value. We found that residential tourists’ perceptions and revisit intentions vary with accommodation type. Eco-degradation impacts holiday satisfaction but not revisit intentions. Second-home ownership compels visits despite dissatisfaction or a preference for alternative destinations. This research contributes to the scarce literature on residential tourism by showing that place attachment and the perceived value, satisfaction, and behavioural intentions can explain revisit intention even in contexts of eco-degradation of the destination. Full article

Traveling to locations featured in anime has become a significant tourism behavior as the number and popularity of Japanese anime works have increased. The widespread phenomenon of anime-induced tourism has called for destination marketing that welcomes anime fans. This study focuses on the dyadic relationship between destination marketers and anime production teams, who hold definitive discretion over copyrights in anime-induced tourism. Using the concept of joint dependence derived from the theoretical assumptions of resource dependency theory, this research investigates how organizations with imbalanced power relations choose to collaborate. By comparing three qualitative cases that distinctly demonstrate temporal structural changes in anime tourism, this study reveals that joint dependence facilitates interorganizational cooperation through domain consensus between destination marketers and anime production teams. The current study makes a significant theoretical contribution to the fields of interorganizational relations, destination marketing studies, and anime-induced tourism research. Additionally, it provides highly practical insights into tourism development strategies for destination marketers and anime production companies. Full article

Although scientific literature already shows the connections between gamification, tourism and sustainability, there is still a gap in research into how gamification can transform cities into more playful, sustainable and intelligent tourism destinations. Gamification in tourism promotes engagement, education and innovation, enriching experiences and driving the development of smart destinations. This study advances this debate by employing a mixed methodology, combining a systematic review (supported by Rayyan, an artificial intelligence) and content analysis (supported by Iramuteq, a textual software, version 0.7 Alpha 2). Additionally, we used Dreamscape by Voyant Tools online for a geographical analysis of the textual corpus formed by n = 61 abstracts. The intersection of main findings from the techniques applied provides eight new insights on urban tourism education through gamification, which are as follows: (1) exchange between the Global North and South; (2) local and global participation; (3) collaborations to achieve the 17 SDGs; (4) improve urban destination marketing by ethics principles; (5) deepening disruption technology and ethics studies; (6) the transformation of reality by sciences; (7) gamification on interdisciplinary perspectives; and (8) the role of gamification on the tourism and hospitality industry. The results suggest that gamification in tourism can offer a new ontological approach to addressing sustainable urban development, highlighting both theoretical and practical challenges. This research has both theoretical and practical implications, advancing the concept of ecogaming by integrating technology, entertainment and sustainability, and reinforces its potential to educate and engage in sustainable urban tourism practices. Full article

This study aimed to develop a scale for measuring the online convention service quality (OCSQ) for the effective management of conventions held online. This study followed three steps to develop the measurement scale of OCSQ. First, a literature review of existing research relating to convention service quality was conducted to generate initial OCSQ items. Next, the Delphi method was used to assess the suitability of items for the scale (from 7 May to 10 June 2021). Finally, a survey of attendees of online conventions was conducted (from 26 July to 6 August 2021) to prove the reliability and validity of the items. As a result, in this study, the dimension of security, initially in the category platform service, is separated from it. The results show that online convention service quality has five main components (human services, program services, platform services, security, and interaction services). In the conclusion, we propose the final measurement scale of online convention service quality, with five dimensions and 25 categories. This study has its own value for the initial exploration of online convention service quality, which has emerged as a significant area of convention research. It contributes to academic research and the management of online convention by addressing unique aspects. Full article

Higher education serves a pivotal role in enhancing citizens’ quality of life and, therefore, must uphold high standards of quality. This study evaluated the quality of services provided by departmental administrative offices using the SERVQUAL instrument, which measures quality through the difference between perceived and expected service performance. Our primary aim was to investigate the marginal behavior of this assessment by capturing the underestimated and overestimated perceptions and expectations. To achieve this, we introduced a modified version of SERVQUAL, replacing traditional Likert scales with continuous scales. This enabled a detailed mapping of the area between underestimation and overestimation, enhancing the instrument’s ability to yield more comprehensive insights. The study focused on the secretariat of the Department of Tourism Management, at the University of Patras, Greece, with second- and third-year students as assessors. Data analysis utilized the endpoints of these continuums. The results revealed that perceived service performance consistently and significantly fell below expectations, with reliability identified as the most important dimension. Furthermore, perception was found to be relatively objective, whereas expectation exhibited greater subjectivity. The findings demonstrate that this approach not only enhances service quality assessment but also provides a new perspective for evaluating tourism services, as a novel research tool. Full article

Skills are one of the main themes in academic and labor environments. Nowadays, digital, green, and social and cultural skills are the key to achieving sustainable practices and sustainable development goals. Therefore, this study aims to characterize the current and future needs of digital, green, and social and cultural skills for the tourism and hospitality sectors. This was a quantitative study, with an online survey applied to students, teachers, and professionals. It was a convenience sample with 150 participants. Data were analyzed statistically with IBM SPSS version 28.0. Our results suggested that students, professionals, and trainers value digital, green, and social and cultural skills. With reference to digital skills, all participants considered themselves having an intermediate or advanced level of proficiency. All the participants considered themselves having an intermediate or advanced level of green skills. Regarding social and cultural skills, all the participants considered themselves having an advanced level of proficiency. Therefore, professionals reported higher levels of proficiency in all skills. In the same way, in the tourism sector, we observed higher proficiency levels of skills. To summarize, educational, sectorial, and entrepreneurial sectors recognize the relevance of digital, green, and social-cultural skills for the tourism and hospitality industry. With these skills, the sector will be more prepared to implement sustainability practices and achieve sustainability goals. Additionally, entrepreneurs should value these skills in professionals, and education institutions should integrate the development of these skills into their curricula. Full article

This study addresses the persistence of patriarchal structures and the reproduction of traditional gender roles in rural settings. In particular, this research explores agritourism, an emerging sector of rural tourism that, while providing economic opportunities in rural areas, also ends up perpetuating female subordination. In response to this issue, the manifestation of symbolic gender-based violence in the field of agritourism was analyzed, and a reliable and validated psychometric measurement scale was developed. The instrument identified and quantified the specific dimensions of symbolic gender-based violence in this context. To meet these objectives, the Delphi Method was used asynchronously for the design of the questionnaire, and an exploratory factor analysis was applied with a sample of 299 participants to validate its internal structure. The results indicate the existence of a robust structure made up of six key factors: feminized entrepreneurship, occupational self-segregation, stereotyped roles, limited access to land, glass ceiling, and wage discrimination. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the symbolic mechanisms of gender-based violence in agritourism and offer an analytical tool for future research in the field of gender studies and rural tourism. Full article

This study proposes the Tourism Adaptable Digital Marketing Framework (TADMF), a flexible, cyclical model tailored to optimize digital marketing strategies for hotels and destinations. By leveraging data-driven insights and neuromarketing principles, the framework addresses critical gaps in traditional linear models to maximize bookings for hotels and enhance awareness of destinations. The three-stage cyclical process, attraction, engagement, and conversion, ensures continuous feedback and refinement across the customer journey. Hotels benefit from tailored techniques, such as dynamic pricing and personalized recommendations, while destinations focus on storytelling and user-generated content to forge emotional connections. Compared to traditional marketing models, this framework uniquely integrates online and offline interactions to create cohesive customer experiences. Key findings reveal that the TADMF fosters a dynamic interplay between theoretical innovation and practical applicability, demonstrating scalability and adaptability to diverse tourism contexts. The study concludes that the TADMF offers a robust foundation for addressing the evolving challenges of digital marketing in tourism, paving the way for future research into advanced technologies such as AR, VR, and AI. Full article

This paper estimates the contribution of the hotel sector to the main macroeconomic figures of the Greek economy. For this purpose, we use a combination of input-output models as well as survey-based data. The analysis of the intersectoral relationships in the Greek economy indicates that the hotel sector constitutes a key sector of the economy. The total (direct and indirect) contribution of the hotel sector to the gross domestic product of the economy is estimated at 4.8% for the year 2023, whilst its total contribution to employment is estimated at 6.6%. Moreover, from the sectoral decomposition of the cost of the hotel product, it is found that almost 20% of the price of the final hotel product is composed of taxes, a percentage that is almost twice that of the other sectors of the economy. Finally, the evaluation of the results of the current study offers useful insights for policymakers. Full article

The concept of dark tourism has attracted considerable attention in recent years. The studies in this field examine the convergence of tourism and morbidity. The research problem lies in understanding the complex dynamics between the preservation of historical sites associated with Kazakhstan’s former gulags and their role in the emerging dark tourism sector. This paper explores the tourist significance of the former gulags in Kazakhstan through the analysis of interviews, legislation texts and policy documents, and data on visitor numbers. Our aim is to illuminate the historical importance for tourism, educational value, and stakeholders associated with the preservation and promotion of these destinations. The analysis revealed the various and sometimes conflicting interests and concerns of the stakeholders, including tourists, local communities, government institutions, and the private sector. The analysis of statistical data provided valuable information on visitor demographics, preferences, and trends in the Karlag and Alzhir museums. These data highlighted the role of educational institutions and demonstrated the adaptability of museums in difficult times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. During the formation of future policies, effective collaboration with stakeholders, responsible tourism practices, capacity building, and sustainable marketing strategies are essential to the ethical and sustainable management of dark tourist sites. Thus, stakeholders can ensure that dark tourism continues to evolve in a way that respects historical integrity and benefits local communities, while contributing to the broader goals of education and commemoration. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant a serious risk to the economic viability of companies and the sustainability of employment in the restaurant sector, a high-impact activity for the economy and employment in Mexico and Spain. This paper analyzes the causes of the prolonged and intense damage to companies and employees via multilevel analysis techniques and a qualitative, inductive methodology drawing on multiple sources. Research propositions posit that the sectoral structure, management practices, and institutional actions during and after the pandemic are predictors of recovery or continued losses. The balanced result of these three levels of analysis, in a severe crisis situation, such as the global pandemic, reveals that the combination of low institutional protection at the macro level, a hostile industry structure at the meso level, and a focus solely on economic sustainability as the primary business objective resulted in widespread resignation and put survival at risk, particularly for smaller companies and entrepreneurs. Analysis of the firms’ and stakeholders’ actions also shed light on the inter-relations, such as the negative effect of macro general policies on a fragmented, asymmetric meso level. Inter-relations among customers and firms’ behavior gave insights that could increase resilience before general critical events. Finally, the balanced results recommend a simultaneous effort from firms and policy makers to make possible a profound change while addressing the sector’s shortcomings. Firms’ effort in managing key assets, such as human capital, to acquire the capacity for the flexibility, adaptability, and innovation essential for change and renewal, must be endorsed by institutional support and customer recognition of the contributions of this singular service and cultural industry. Full article

Tourism and climate change have a two-way relation. Spatial planning can challenge this correlation, by making tourism destinations more resilient to climate change and tourism contributing less to the climate change acceleration. Based on literature review and theoretical research, this paper unravels the spatial structure of tourism destinations and presents systematically the way tourism affects—and is affected by—climate change. The objective of this paper is to articulate policy and planning recommendations and guidelines to address resilience against climate change at all destination scales. The paper identifies as most threatened the destinations facing extreme weather events, temperature fluctuations, and sea level rise (and more precisely the coastal and mountainous destinations), followed by areas facing water shortage and droughts, areas with fragile tourism resources (natural and cultural), and those experiencing overtourism. In regard to spatial planning for tourism (cross-cutting or sectoral), the paper argues that it has a proactive nature (making tourism destinations less vulnerable to climate change) but also can contribute to the earlier recovery of them after a disaster/damage has occurred. Spatial planning is also important for moderating the uncontrolled tourism growth responsible for climate change acceleration. A key conclusion is that a risk assessment and analysis should be an integral part of spatial tourism planning, focusing on the hazards and threats related to climate change. Full article

Gastronomic tourism has become a dynamic segment within the tourism sector, serving as a vital tool for the economic, cultural, and environmental growth of regions that emphasize culinary experiences. This study examines the motivations of young food-motivated tourists (“foodies”) and their impact on travel choices and destination development. Using a quantitative methodology, data were collected from 170 respondents (131 valid answers) in Portugal. The data were collected through the PTFoodies survey, a tool specifically designed by the authors to analyze tourist motivations and their connections to destination attributes. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified five key factors—endogenous products, local gastronomy, quality and innovation, authenticity and tradition, and diversity—revealing a balance between sustainability, local authenticity, and openness to innovation in tourist preferences. Additionally, correlation analysis highlighted significant relationships between motivations, such as the strong association between an interest in culinary routes and event participation and between local product appreciation and the preference for organic food. These findings contribute to both theory and practice by refining motivational theories specific to gastronomic tourism, offering insights into destination development strategies and emphasizing sustainable practices that resonate with tourists’ preferences. The study provides destination managers with actionable strategies to attract food-motivated tourists and foster sustainable community growth through gastronomic tourism. Full article

This study aims to develop the concept of self-social engineering in the context of tourism, focusing on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. By integrating psychological theories such as Environmental Psychology Theory, the Theory of Planned Behavior, and Norm Activation Theory, the purpose of the investigation was to determine the extent of the direct influence of independent variables of perceived environmental quality (PEQ), attitude, subjective norm (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on self-social engineering (SSE) and their indirect influence through intention to engage in environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). The structural analysis results from a sample of 191 visitors indicated that the unified model demonstrates a satisfactory predictive capability for SSE. This study’s findings highlight significant and insignificant relationships among the research variables, providing insights into the dynamics of pro-environmental behavior. Significant positive relationships were observed between attitude and SSE and between SN and SSE, demonstrating the influence of individual attitudes and social pressures on fostering self-initiated environmental actions. Similarly, PBC was found to significantly impact both SSE and ERB, indicating that individuals who feel capable of taking environmental actions are more likely to do so. Conversely, some relationships were found to be insignificant. The relationship between PEQ and SSE was insignificant, suggesting that positive perceptions of environmental quality alone may not motivate individuals to engage in self-directed environmental behaviors. Additionally, PEQ showed a negative relationship with ERB, indicating that high environmental quality perceptions might reduce the urgency to act, potentially leading to complacency. These findings highlight pro-environmental behavior’s complex and context-dependent characteristics, underscoring the importance of adopting integrated approaches considering individual and situational factors. The limitations of this study include its cross-sectional design, which restricts the ability to analyze behavioral changes over time. Additionally, its relatively localized sample does not fully capture broader tourist populations’ diverse demographic and geographical contexts. Full article

The Majapahit House heritage area in Trowulan, Indonesia, represents a significant initiative where local communities, government agencies, and cultural organizations collaborate to preserve traditional architecture while developing cultural tourism. This study examines how these stakeholders interact in implementing heritage tourism governance, focusing on the challenges of coordinating preservation efforts with development objectives. Through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and field observations, we analyze how different actors influence program implementation and outcomes. Our analysis employs interest–influence matrices to identify how stakeholders’ varying capabilities affect program success, while actor linkage analysis reveals specific patterns of collaboration and conflict in governance processes. Findings demonstrate how implementation success varies across villages based on local leadership effectiveness, resource coordination, and community engagement levels. This study reveals that successful heritage tourism development requires balancing provincial directives with community initiatives, particularly in aligning preservation requirements with local development needs. This research advances understanding of stakeholder dynamics in heritage tourism by providing a framework for analyzing collaborative governance in cultural contexts while offering practical insights for improving stakeholder coordination. Recommendations focus on strengthening institutional frameworks and enhancing coordination mechanisms between government agencies and community organizations. Full article

The study focuses on the challenges that the gig-economy brings to the labour market. Digitalisation is transforming the nature of labour relations, and the ratio of the employed to the self-employed is changing. By expanding the scope of digital technology and the use of digital platforms, changes are affecting all areas, including the tourism industry. The article assesses the relationship between tourism development, digitalisation, and self-employment indicators. The study covers 112 countries for 2021. The paper uses the Travel & Tourism Development Index, Network Readiness Index and the World Bank’s self-employment indicator. The analysis showed that the features of the relationship between tourism development, digitalisation and self-employment vary across the three groups of countries identified as a result of cluster analysis. The study found that there is a positive relationship between the level of tourism sector development and the level of the country’s digitalisation. The relationship between the level of self-employment and tourism development is variable across groups. The relationship between self-employment and digitalisation was confirmed only for the sample as a whole. Full article

Italy’s rural areas provide significant tourism opportunities which support local economies and sustainable development. This study examines the impact of socio-economic, technological, natural–ecological, and political–legal factors on rural tourism across Italy’s 21 regions. Using statistical data and correlation analysis, five macro factors were evaluated to determine their influence on the prevalence of agritourism as a measure of rural tourism development. The methodology involved a correlation analysis, including the assessment of bivariate relationships between variables, supported by robust statistical tests to ensure reliability. Key findings indicate that technological advancements, particularly in farm digitalization and innovation, are closely associated with rural tourism growth, alongside factors like regional GDP and natural–ecological resources. The study reveals that higher levels of farmer education and rich ecological and cultural assets within regions also positively impact rural tourism. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders in formulating strategies that promote rural tourism and regional development, emphasizing digitalization, ecological preservation, and education. This research extends our understanding of the factors driving rural tourism in Italy, offering a basis for targeted interventions that enhance economic resilience and support sustainable tourism in rural areas. Full article

This study examines the role of Komodo Island in boosting Indonesia’s status as a leading global tourism destination, emphasizing the importance of balancing environmental preservation with visitor satisfaction for sustainable growth. By conducting a comprehensive analysis of online reviews from Google Travel, this study identifies key factors that shape tourists’ experiences on Komodo Island. Specifically, the objectives are to uncover the primary drivers of visitor satisfaction and offer practical recommendations for tourism operators and policymakers. Using text mining and semantic network analysis through RStudio and UCINET 6.0 to analyze word associations, alongside exploratory factor analysis and linear regression in SPSS 29, this study focuses on aspects such as “Value for Money” and “Service Quality”. The results show that natural attractions greatly enhance visitor satisfaction, whereas high expenses and inconsistent service quality are sources of dissatisfaction. These insights highlight the importance of revisiting pricing approaches and enhancing training for frontline staff. The study’s recommendations for sustainable tourism on Komodo Island center on recalibrating pricing and improving service quality, fostering a memorable experience for visitors. Full article

Considering the growing consumer demand for local food products in the United States, several restaurants are seeking to include locally sourced meat and seafood products on their menus. Despite this trend, limited research has examined what factors encourage or discourage restaurants from purchasing or purchasing more local proteins. This study extends the literature by investigating what traits are desired and what barriers exist when purchasing local proteins for restaurant procurers (those tasked with purchasing ingredients), utilizing data from an online survey. The results indicate that the top three desired traits for locally raised meats (beef, pork, chicken) are naturally grown, hormone-free, and organic. The most important traits for seafood (fish, crab, shrimp, and oysters) are the different certifications (i.e., Marine Stewardship Council, state/local certification, and Aquaculture Stewardship Council). The most common barriers are inconsistent quality, high cost, limited availability, and further processing needs. Results from a logistic regression suggest that restaurants characterized by fewer seats, higher entrée prices, and longer tenure are more likely to purchase local proteins. Restaurants willing to pay more for local proteins tend to be full-service types, have fewer seats, have higher entrée prices, serve other local foods, and cater to both tourists and residents. Full article