Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue centered on sustainable, smart, and inclusive development in tourism and hospitality. Tourism is undergoing a profound transformation driven by the green transition, digital technologies, and the urgent need for resilience in the face of global challenges. As a result, rural and emerging destinations must balance competitiveness with sustainability, innovation, and social inclusion. The aim of this Special Issue, therefore, is to bring together contributions that explore how tourism and hospitality can act as engines of sustainable economic development, cultural preservation, and social well-being. We seek theoretical and applied research offering conceptual frameworks, empirical evidence, and policy recommendations. Contributions may focus on individual destinations, sectors, or comparative perspectives across regions and economies.

Submissions should consist of theoretical or applied research in a large range of tracks and topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Green Transition and Competitiveness of Tourism and Rural Economies;
• Circular Economy Models in Tourism, Hospitality and Rural Development;
• Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Local Value Chains;
• Digital Marketing Strategies for Smart Destinations;
• Smart Tourism Technologies and Digital Visitor Experience;
• AI, Big Data and Predictive Analytics for Destination Management;
• Innovation in Rural and Agro-tourism Products;
• Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategies in Tourism;
• Cultural Heritage and Creative Industries as Economic Drivers;
• Creative and Specific Forms of Tourism (Cultural, Health, Wine, Eco, etc.);
• Governance and Policy Models for Sustainable Destinations;
• Curricula Development for Sustainable Tourism Education;
• Public–Private Partnerships in Tourism and Rural Development;
• IoT Applications for Hospitality and Tourism Infrastructure;
• Virtual and Augmented Reality for Heritage, Education and Promotion;
• Innovation in Sustainable Travel and Visitor Mobility;
• Tourism’s Role in Demographic and Social Sustainability of Rural Areas;
• Food, Gastronomy and Local Sourcing for Destination Development;
• Education, Skills and Workforce Development for Sustainable Economies;
• Community Engagement and Inclusive Destination Governance.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Christian Stipanović
Dr. Marko Šostar
Dr. Berislav Andrlić
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Tourism and Hospitality is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.