Cross-Cultural Dynamics in Tourism and Hospitality: Diversity, Governance, and Service Experiences

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 478

Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Globa Studies, Kyungsung University, Busan 48434, Republic of Korea
Interests: hospitality & tourism management; consumer behavior; service marketing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tourism and hospitality operate at the intersection of diverse cultures, values, and social norms. As the industry becomes increasingly globalized, understanding diversity from a cross-cultural perspective is essential for effective management, service design, and consumer engagement. This Special Issue aims to explore how cultural diversity shapes organizational practices, workforce dynamics, consumer behavior, and governance in tourism and hospitality contexts worldwide.

Rather than focusing on destinations alone, this Special Issue emphasizes organizational, managerial, and industry-level perspectives, highlighting how cross-cultural differences influence decision-making, service experiences, and business performance. It seeks to advance understanding of diversity across cultures, including issues related to inclusion, equity, communication, and ethical management in multicultural tourism and hospitality environments.

We invite interdisciplinary contributions adopting cross-cultural, comparative, or international approaches using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods. By bringing together research from diverse cultural contexts, this Special Issue aims to provide theoretical insights and practical implications for developing more inclusive, culturally responsive, and globally competitive tourism and hospitality industries.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Cross-cultural diversity management in tourism and hospitality
  • Cultural influences on consumer behavior and service experiences
  • Workforce diversity and inclusion in multicultural settings
  • Cross-cultural communication and service design
  • Governance and ethics in international tourism organizations

Dr. Hak-Seon Kim
Dr. Hyun-Jeong Ban
Dr. Jue Wang
Prof. Seieun Kim
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • cultural diversity
  • cross-cultural consumer behavior
  • tourism and hospitality management
  • intercultural communication
  • global service management
  • multicultural workforce

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 11638 KB  
Article
Layered Participation in Sustainable Rural Tourism: Participatory Communication, Environmental Stewardship, and Cultural Heritage Governance in Community-Based Tourism at Kampung Senyum Homestay, Cibeusi Village, West Java, Indonesia
by Riefky Krisnayana, Engkus Kuswarno, Feliza Zubair and Evi Novianti
Tour. Hosp. 2026, 7(7), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7070191 - 1 Jul 2026
Viewed by 203
Abstract
Sustainable rural tourism governance in the Global South faces a persistent challenge: enabling genuine community participation in destination management while protecting environmental assets and cultural heritage. This study examines participatory governance practices at Kampung Senyum Homestay, Cibeusi Village, West Java, Indonesia, a community-based [...] Read more.
Sustainable rural tourism governance in the Global South faces a persistent challenge: enabling genuine community participation in destination management while protecting environmental assets and cultural heritage. This study examines participatory governance practices at Kampung Senyum Homestay, Cibeusi Village, West Java, Indonesia, a community-based tourism (CBT) initiative that has sustained operations for over eight years, despite a 60% failure rate among comparable initiatives. A qualitative case study design was employed, with data collected over six months (November 2022–May 2023) through participant observation (12 days), in-depth interviews with 14 stakeholders, and document analysis. Data were analyzed using Miles et al.’s interactive model and critical discourse analysis. Findings reveal three interrelated participation layers shaping tourism governance outcomes: interpersonal engagement fostering horizontal host–guest relationships (89% of tourists report kinship-based experiences); deliberative governance through musyawarah desa enabling community-led environmental stewardship, including the collective rejection of a proposal to bring 100 tourists monthly to protect waterfall ecosystems; and digital storytelling by youth extending local heritage narratives globally (150 posts, 7.2% engagement rate). The study proposes a ‘layered participation’ model demonstrating that tourism sustainability depends on participatory governance mechanisms that build social trust, integrate traditional ecological knowledge, and balance economic development with environmental conservation and cultural heritage management. The study also critically examines structural inequalities, including gender asymmetries, unequal benefit distribution, and linguistic barriers, that persist within participatory governance structures, offering a contextually grounded governance framework for rural tourism destinations in the Global South. Full article
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