Muhammed Kavak currently works as a Ph.D. research assistant in the Department of Tourist Guiding at the Faculty of Tourism, Anadolu University (Eskişehir, Turkey). He earned his bachelor's degree in Travel Management and Tourist Guiding from Gazi University in 2014 and completed his master's degree in Recreation and Tourist Guiding at Ege University in 2019. He received his Ph.D. in Tourism Management from Anadolu University in 2024. Also, he actively works as a professional tourist guide and is a member of the Ankara Chamber of Tourist Guides. His research interests include virtual guided tours, tourism technologies, cultural and hiking routes, sustainability studies, and the Phrygian Valley Cultural Area.

Ipek Itir Can is currently working as a Ph.D. research assistant in the Department of Tourism Management at the Faculty of Tourism, Anadolu University (Eskişehir, Turkey). She completed her bachelor's degree in Tourism Management at Istanbul University in 2017, followed by a master's degree in the same field at Istanbul University in 2020. She earned her Ph.D. in Tourism Management from Anadolu University in 2025. Additionally, she holds a second bachelor's degree in Recreation from Istanbul University, which she obtained in 2025. Before joining Anadolu University, she worked as a research assistant at Nişantaşı University (Istanbul, Turkey) and Mardin Artuklu University (Mardin, Turkey), respectively. Her areas of research include outdoor recreation, sustainability studies, destination marketing, and smart destinations.