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Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality

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A special issue of Tourism and Hospitality (ISSN 2673-5768).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 6156

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Editors

Dr. Christian Stipanović

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, Opatija, Croatia
Interests: strategic management; event planning; tourism development; business intelligence

Dr. Marko Šostar

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Tourism and Rural Development in Pozega, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Pozega, Croatia
Interests: sustainable development; project management; EU funds; marketing research; consumer behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Berislav Andrlić

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Tourism and Rural Development in Pozega, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Pozega, Croatia
Interests: marketing management; tourism; sustainable development

Special Issue Information

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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 monthly 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 1400 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.

Keywords

sustainable tourism
smart destinations
hospitality innovation
digital transformation
rural development
tourism governance
creative industries
climate resilience
local value chains
community engagement

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 577 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Circular Gastronomy to Destination Competitiveness: Evidence from Rural Tourism Economies

by Antun Marinac and Barbara Pisker

Tour. Hosp. 2026, 7(6), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7060179 (registering DOI) - 20 Jun 2026

Viewed by 115

Abstract

Circular economy principles are increasingly influencing tourism development strategies, particularly in rural destinations characterized by strong linkages between agriculture, gastronomy, and local economic systems. This study develops and empirically examines a conceptual model investigating the relationship between circular economy practices, gastronomy integration, perceived authenticity, and destination competitiveness within rural tourism economies. The research focuses on the role of gastronomy as a circular tourism resource capable of connecting local sourcing, sustainability, and experiential value creation. Data were collected through a stakeholder-based survey targeting tourism enterprises, local producers, destination management organizations, and hospitality providers operating in rural tourism destinations. The proposed relationships were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) implemented in SmartPLS 4 and bootstrapped mediation analysis. The findings indicate that circular economy practices positively influence gastronomy integration, while gastronomy integration significantly enhances perceived authenticity. Furthermore, authenticity demonstrates a strong positive effect on destination competitiveness. The mediation analysis confirms that gastronomy integration and perceived authenticity function as intermediary mechanisms through which circular economy practices contribute to competitiveness outcomes. The study contributes to tourism economics and destination competitiveness literature by developing and empirically testing a mediation-based framework linking circular gastronomy, authenticity, and rural tourism competitiveness. The findings provide theoretical and practical implications for destination managers and policymakers seeking to strengthen sustainability, local value creation, and competitiveness through circular gastronomy strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality)

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24 pages, 500 KB

Open AccessArticle

Route-Level Carbon Footprint Assessment for Community-Based Tourism Management: A Case Study from Ban Boonjaem, Thailand

by Piranun Juntapoon, Krit Sittivangkul, Amnuayporn Yaiying, Kassaraporn Tirawong, Parnprae C. Udomraksasup and Tiparad Sahatrongjit

Tour. Hosp. 2026, 7(6), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7060165 - 9 Jun 2026

Viewed by 202

Abstract

Community-based tourism (CBT) destinations are increasingly expected to align visitor experiences with climate responsibility, yet local managers often lack product-level carbon evidence that can guide practical route redesign and service decisions. This study addresses this aggregation-to-action gap by developing a route-level carbon footprint baseline for a CBT itinerary in Ban Boonjaem, Phrae Province, Thailand. Using an exploratory and applied case study design, the study treats one completed six-hour, non-overnight itinerary as the functional unit and applies a life-cycle-informed operational boundary covering transportation, food and beverage consumption, and solid waste generated during the route test. Primary activity data were collected from one organized route test involving 20 Thai domestic volunteer tourists and were matched with relevant emission factors to estimate total and per-tourist emissions. The tested itinerary generated 0.2234 tCO2e, equivalent to 223.4 kgCO2e in total and approximately 11.2 kgCO2e per tourist per trip. Transportation was the largest emission domain, accounting for 55.89% of total route emissions, followed by food and beverage consumption at 38.55%, while waste contributed 5.56%. Together, transportation and food and beverage represented 94.44% of measured emissions, indicating that the route’s carbon profile was shaped mainly by mobility arrangements and service provisioning rather than waste generation alone. The study contributes a transparent, route-specific operational baseline for low-carbon CBT management. The findings should be interpreted as case-specific decision-support evidence rather than as a destination-wide carbon inventory or statistically generalizable estimate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality)

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14 pages, 671 KB

Open AccessArticle

Do Tourists Really Care About Sustainability? The Impact of Eco-Friendly Practices on Hotel Choice Behaviour

by Chandan Singh, Zakir Hossen Shaikh, Bibhu Prasad Sahoo, Nitin Mishra, Akash Gupta, Mohit Anand Shrivastava and Ankit Kumar Garg

Tour. Hosp. 2026, 7(6), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7060162 - 4 Jun 2026

Viewed by 221

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which tourists appreciate sustainable tourism and what effect eco-friendly practices have on the decision-making process of selecting a hotel. Through the use of large-scale analysis of online reviews of hotels and the application of sentiment analysis techniques, the research investigates the impact of environmental factors (e.g., energy usage reduction, minimising waste, and promoting nature experiences) on customer perspectives and decision-making processes for lodging. This research adopts an approach that utilises machine-learning-based sentiment analysis as its source of understanding. The results of this research demonstrate that while more individuals are becoming aware of sustainable tourism, sustainability often plays a secondary role in determining whether or not to stay at a specific hotel compared to lodging attributes such as comfort, price, and quality service. Based upon these findings, this research indicates that while many tourists value sustainable tourism and make an effort to choose eco-friendly lodging establishments, the influence of sustainability on tourists’ lodging decisions is not as strong as other attributes. These results indicate important implications for hotel managers that will help them balance environmental stewardship with a competitive stance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality)

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37 pages, 7047 KB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Hospitality in Protected Areas: The Role of Perceived Eco-Social Performance in Fostering Community Pro-Sustainable Tourism Intention Through Community Environmental Attachment

by Henricus Kurniawan Elang Kusumo, Diena M. Lemy, Meitolo Hulu, Johannes Kurniawan and Juliana Juliana

Tour. Hosp. 2026, 7(5), 140; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7050140 - 12 May 2026

Viewed by 387

Abstract

This research examines how community support for sustainable tourism development is influenced by sustainable hospitality in protected park areas. This relationship focuses primarily on the effect of perceived eco-social performance (ESP) as an enhancement of the community’s perceived location-specific environmental attachment (CEA), leading to increased pro-sustainable tourism intentions through CEA. Despite the growing focus on sustainability within hospitality industries, there remains very little scholarly research that explores how local communities perceive sustainable hospitality practices and how these perceptions then manifest as emotional attachment, followed by behavioural support. To achieve the stated goal, researchers employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to collect quantitative survey data from residents living in close proximity to a protected area destination, and the quantitative data were used separately to develop qualitative insights into residents’ support for sustainable tourism initiatives. Findings of this study reveal that perceived ESP significantly enhances CEA, providing an impetus for increased PSTI (via direct and indirect pathways) for communities in close proximity to a protected area destination. CEA further enhances PSTI significantly and acts as a significant mediator in the relationship between perception and behavioural support for sustainable tourism. Qualitative findings further indicate that eco-social hospitality practices fulfil the following: develop community pride; increase the sense of environmental responsibility among the community; and create opportunities for actively supporting sustainable tourism. These findings demonstrate that, while sustainable hospitality practices generate observable actions, they also create deeper psychological connections between communities and their environment. The cumulative findings from this study contribute to a greater understanding of how ESP can strategically contribute to growing the number of communities supporting sustainable tourism through the creation of CEA, thereby expanding the overall community’s intention to support sustainable tourism development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality)

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20 pages, 3737 KB

Open AccessArticle

Scenario Planning for Competitive Tourism Villages Using a Cross-Impact Balance Approach for Local Economic Development: A Case Study of Rural Tourism in Indonesia

by Nafiah Ariyani and Akhmad Fauzi

Tour. Hosp. 2026, 7(4), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7040112 - 17 Apr 2026

Viewed by 632

Abstract

This study developed internally consistent scenarios for tourism village development to strengthen destination competitiveness and support the local economy. Using an exploratory–constructive design and the Cross-Impact Balance method, the study structured the relationships among development elements, competitiveness, and local economic development into 13 descriptors with 52 states. Expert judgment was used to construct a cross-impact matrix, and ScenarioWizard identified 18 consistent scenarios and their Total Impact Scores. Four scenarios showed positive consistency scores, with one high-road scenario emerging as the most consistent pathway toward very high competitiveness and a stronger role for tourism villages in the local economy. This scenario was characterized by a clear value proposition, full integration of local MSMEs and products, diversified revenue sources, equitable benefit distribution, strong managerial and digital capacity, transparent governance, multi-stakeholder partnerships, strategic use of public funds, and a structured digital marketing and booking system. These findings suggest that policy efforts should prioritize coordinated improvements in value proposition, MSME integration, revenue diversification, governance, partnerships, and digital management to move tourism villages toward the high-road scenario. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality)

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29 pages, 2895 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Virtual Substitution to Phygital Extension: A Strategic Framework for the Tourism Metaverse in Thailand

by Thawatphong Phithak, Kanokwan Rattanakhiriphan and Sorachai Kamollimsakul

Tour. Hosp. 2026, 7(3), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7030077 - 9 Mar 2026

Viewed by 1090

Abstract

The global tourism industry is entering a phygital era, prompting renewed examination of the metaverse as an extension rather than a substitute for physical travel. This study investigates how metaverse technology operates across the Phygital Customer Journey within the Thai tourism context. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 12 experts from academic, multimedia development, and policy sectors, the data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the metaverse assumes its most structurally significant role during the pre-trip phase. Immersive previews were described as recalibrating perceived risk by enabling advance assessment of accessibility, spatial configuration, and environmental conditions prior to commitment. This staged risk-calibration process operates through three interrelated mechanisms: Sensory Bridging, Psychological Risk Mitigation, and Physical Feasibility Testing, which are particularly relevant for secondary tourism destinations and demographic aging contexts. Building on these patterns, the study advances a four-layer architectural framework as an interpretive synthesis. Within this framework, the metaverse functions as a transactional and coordination layer that integrates booking systems, AI-enabled services, and real-time infrastructural data supported by IoT and Blockchain. The analysis further suggests that the state may assume an enabling role as an Infrastructure Architect through the development of a National Digital Highway and regulatory sandbox arrangements for SMEs. Sustainable adoption depends on hardware-agnostic, mobile-centric accessibility to mitigate digital exclusion. While grounded in Thailand, the framework offers analytical relevance for destinations facing comparable infrastructural and demographic conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality)

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27 pages, 1175 KB

Open AccessArticle

Tourism Demand in Asia: The Role of Economic, Institutional and Governance Factors

by Yuldoshboy Sobirov, Bekmurod Ollanazarov, Nuriddin Shanyazov, Hakimjon Hakimov, Zokir Mamadiyarov, Jurabek Kuralbaev and Feruza Yusupova

Tour. Hosp. 2026, 7(3), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7030071 - 4 Mar 2026

Viewed by 1350

Abstract

This paper investigates the determinants of tourism in selected Asian economies over the period 1995–2024, employing the Augmented Mean Group (AMG) estimator to account for cross-sectional dependence, unobserved common factors, and heterogeneous country-specific dynamics. As a robustness check, method of moments quantile regressions (MMQRs) are applied to examine how the effects of GDP, consumer prices, foreign direct investment (FDI), trade openness, and institutional quality vary across the distribution of tourism inflows. The results indicate that GDP consistently promotes tourist arrivals, particularly in countries with lower to median tourism inflows, while higher consumer prices reduce tourism demand across all quantiles. FDI and trade openness positively influence tourism, with FDI’s impact amplified in countries with stronger institutional quality. The MMQR analysis further highlights substantial heterogeneity: emerging economies benefit more from FDI and institutional reforms, whereas advanced economies rely primarily on GDP growth, trade integration, and high-quality tourism services. Overall, the findings underscore the complementary roles of macroeconomic fundamentals, foreign investment, trade, and governance in supporting sustainable long-run tourism growth in Asia, while demonstrating the value of distributional analysis for capturing heterogeneous effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality)

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15 pages, 787 KB

Open AccessArticle

Psychological Drivers of Carbon Offset Choice and Spending in Air Travel: Extension of the Value–Belief–Norm Framework

by Jakkawat Laphet and Karun Kidrakarn

Tour. Hosp. 2026, 7(3), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7030062 - 25 Feb 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 885

Abstract

This study investigates the psychological mechanisms underlying tourists’ carbon offset behavior in air travel by distinguishing between offset choice (OC) and offset spending (OS). Grounded in the Value–Belief–Norm (VBN) framework, the model integrates Environmental Value and Literacy (EVL), Green Identity and Social Motives (GISM), Trust and Risk Perception (TRP), Personal Norm Activation (PNA), and Perceived Effectiveness (PEF). Data were collected onsite from 500 international and domestic tourists at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand, between June and July 2025, and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that EVL and GISM significantly enhance both PNA and PEF, which in turn exert strong positive effects on OC and OS. PNA emerges as the strongest predictor of both participation and financial commitment, highlighting the central role of moral obligation in motivating carbon offset behavior. While TRP significantly strengthens personal moral norms, its direct effect on Perceived Effectiveness is not significant, suggesting that trust primarily operates through ethical pathways rather than cognitive evaluations of program effectiveness. By distinguishing between participation decisions and spending behavior, this study extends VBN theory to the context of carbon offsets in aviation and demonstrates the mediating roles of moral norms and Perceived Effectiveness in translating environmental values and social identity into compensatory climate action. The findings offer practical implications for airlines and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of moral framing, transparency, and social identity engagement to promote voluntary carbon offset adoption in emerging carbon markets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable, Smart and Inclusive Perspectives in Tourism and Hospitality)

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