Search Results (14,513)

Aquatic environments that support tourism, including coasts, lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries, are experiencing accelerating eutrophication worldwide. This trend increases the frequency and intensity of algal blooms. These blooms undermine ecosystem services and weaken the socio-economic performance of destination areas. Despite these challenges, existing research remains fragmented. Aquatic sciences mainly examine nutrient enrichment and bloom dynamics. In contrast, tourism studies often treat blooms as episodic disturbances and rarely integrate exposure pathways, risk communication, or feedback to destination governance. This review synthesizes evidence across freshwater and marine systems to develop a coupled tourism–water ecosystem perspective. We link eutrophication drivers and bloom typologies to three dimensions. These are the degradation of tourism-supporting ecosystem services, compound health stressors, and communication filters. The first includes losses of water clarity and aesthetic value. The second involves multi-route exposure through contact, inhalation, and seafood ingestion. The third shapes perceived safety, trust, and behavioral adaptation. We further connect perceived health risks to observable tourist behaviors, including cancellation, destination substitution, and activity avoidance. These micro-level responses can aggregate into market-level demand contractions and consumption reallocation. They can also trigger regional economic cascades, including public management costs, employment impacts, and long-term reputational damage. Crucially, tourism is not merely a victim of blooms. It can also act as a reinforcing anthropogenic driver through wastewater burdens, infrastructure expansion, and pulse pressures. These pressures lower ecological resilience, especially under warming and hydrological stabilization. Finally, we identify governance leverage points. These include early-warning systems, threshold-based graded interventions, transparent risk communication, and integrated social–ecological modeling. These strategies can reduce uncertainty-driven losses and support adaptive destination management. Overall, this review reframes algal blooms as systemic social–ecological risks. It provides a structured basis for future empirical attribution and policy design in tourism-dependent waters under climate stress. Full article

Persistent teacher shortages in rural schools continue to challenge the provision of equitable, high-quality education. While research has documented the difficulties of recruiting and retaining teachers in these contexts, less attention has been given to how the conditions of teaching are shaped through leadership in contexts of workforce instability. This study examines how principals in rural schools in Victoria, Australia, respond to ongoing shortages through place-responsive leadership strategies. Drawing on qualitative interview data from principals across diverse rural school settings, the study identifies three interrelated practices: cultivating place-based recruitment pathways, fostering retention through care, professional development and wellbeing, and sustaining the workforce through community embedded practices. These practices shape the conditions under which teachers work by strengthening relationships, supporting wellbeing, and fostering belonging. The study conceptualises workforce sustainability as a professional condition actively constructed through leadership in context. Full article

Deaf people experience significant barriers to education, healthcare, employment, and information access, resulting in inequities across a myriad of contexts. To better understand these disparities, our all-deaf research team conducted semi-structured interviews with deaf and hearing (parents, caregivers, and educators) adults across Ecuador, exploring how structural, institutional, and social factors influence daily life and well-being. Participants (n = 36) described systemic exclusion from education and employment, limited access to interpreters and assistive technologies, and constrained autonomy due to insufficient family support and institutional resources. These barriers compound health risks by restricting access to care, information, and social participation. Participants’ narratives highlighted how political and economic instability, institutional neglect, and discrimination create structural vulnerabilities that extend beyond individual-level factors. Findings underscore the importance of public health interventions that address structural and communicative inequities, including inclusive education, accessible health services, and community-based support, to improve health equity and quality of life for deaf populations in Ecuador. Full article

Smart tourism destinations, embedded by the internet and information and communication technologies, have been improving tourists’ experiences and connectivity. However, Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) still lack knowledge of how digital technologies can enhance their role and bring greater competitive advantage to destinations. In this sense, this study aims to develop an integrated smart tourism destination management ecosystem model that clarifies the relationships between digital technologies, managerial functions, benefits and implementation barriers within the broader smart city context. The study adopts a mixed-review design, combining bibliometric analysis and a systematic literature review. Bibliometric mapping was conducted using VOSviewer to analyse co-occurrence networks, thematic clusters and research trends. At the same time, the systematic review, with a systems thinking approach, enabled an in-depth qualitative examination of technological applications, managerial roles and governance implications. Data was gathered from 29 Scopus-indexed articles. The analysis identifies key benefits, including enhanced visitor experiences, improved decision-making and increased destination competitiveness, alongside persistent barriers related to governance, digital literacy, interoperability and cybersecurity. Based on these findings, the study proposes a conceptual ecosystem model that illustrates how DMOs can orchestrate digital technologies to support smart, sustainable and adaptive destination management. This research contributes to the smart tourism and smart cities literature by integrating bibliometric insights with a systems thinking perspective to develop a holistic destination management ecosystem model. Unlike prior reviews that address technologies or outcomes in isolation, this study offers a structured and actionable framework that advances theoretical understanding of smart tourism destinations while providing practical guidance for DMOs engaged in digital transformation. Full article

Background: Telehealth is increasingly positioned as a solution for healthcare access among older adults; yet for transgender older adults, its application remains undertheorized, inconsistently implemented, and frequently reductive. Structural barriers, including provider incompetence, administrative misgendering, insurance precarity, and the clinical invisibility of aging transmasculine bodies, shape this population’s relationship to telehealth in ways that existing frameworks have not adequately addressed. Objective: This study examines the structural conditions shaping transmasculine and gender-nonconforming older adults’ engagement with healthcare and telehealth, and centers their visions for transformed, justice-oriented virtual care. Methods: Four semi-structured focus groups (n = 14 transmasculine and gender-nonconforming older adults, ages 40–67) were conducted via Zoom in June 2024 and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. The study was designed according to community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles. This study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines to ensure methodological transparency in reporting. Results: Analysis yielded five themes: (1) the provider competency crisis; (2) administrative violence and the architecture of misgendering; (3) insurance, politics, and the precarity of access; (4) the aging transmasculine body as uncharted clinical territory; and (5) participants’ collective vision for relational, community-centered care. Conclusions: We introduce the Campfire Model of Relational Telehealth, a conceptual framework comprising five empirically derived pillars: gathering, warmth, collective knowledge, safety, and accountability. The model argues that telehealth must move beyond transactional encounters toward a relational ecosystem of care grounded in justice, belonging, and structural transformation. We conclude with a call to action for providers, policymakers, and researchers to dismantle structural barriers and advance telehealth that cultivates dignity, belonging, and equity. Full article

The dynamic growth of tourism in Serbia has significantly reshaped the spatial structure of destinations, raising important issues related to sustainable development and spatial management. This study aims to examine the perceived effectiveness of spatial planning in tourism, based on tourists’ assessments of plan implementation and its visible implications for sustainable development. The research was conducted in Serbia in 2025 using a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis based on a survey of 208 valid respondents. The quantitative analysis included Spearman’s rank correlation and Z-test to examine relationships between variables and differences in attitudes, while qualitative insights were derived from open-ended responses. The results indicate a statistically significant positive correlation between the perceived implementation of spatial plans and the level of tourism development (Rs = 0.283, p < 0.001). However, the findings also reveal that 41.3% of respondents believe that tourism is only slightly considered in spatial plans, while 45.19% express negative attitudes toward the integration of tourism into planning processes. The study identifies key challenges, including weak cross-sector coordination, insufficient integration of tourism into spatial plans, and limited involvement of local communities. These findings highlight a critical gap between formal planning frameworks and their practical implementation. The main contribution of this research lies in providing empirical evidence from the perspective of tourists, a stakeholder group often overlooked in spatial planning studies, thereby addressing a gap in the literature on tourism–planning integration in Serbia. The results suggest that improving institutional coordination, strengthening participatory planning, and enhancing monitoring mechanisms are essential for achieving sustainable tourism development. The study offers targeted policy implications for aligning spatial planning with tourism development goals while preserving natural and cultural resources. Full article

ESG-oriented marketing and its influence on consumers’ green consumption behavior have become important issues in sustainable development research, yet the emotional and cognitive mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently examined. Drawing on an integrated emotion–cognition–behavior perspective, this study focuses on Chinese Generation Z consumers and develops a model linking Perceived ESG Communication, Eco-Anxiety, Perceived Consumer Effectiveness, and Green Action Intention. Based on 400 valid survey responses, structural equation modeling and PROCESS 4.1 were employed to examine the structural relationships, mediation effects, and serial mediation pathway among the focal constructs. The results show that Perceived ESG Communication is positively associated with Green Action Intention both directly and indirectly. Specifically, Eco-Anxiety and Perceived Consumer Effectiveness each serve as significant mediators in the relationship between Perceived ESG Communication and Green Action Intention. Further analysis indicates that Eco-Anxiety is positively associated with Perceived Consumer Effectiveness, forming a significant serial mediation pathway through which ESG-related communication is linked to green action intention. These findings suggest that ESG-oriented marketing may influence Generation Z consumers not only by transmitting sustainability-related information, but also by activating environmental concern and strengthening consumers’ perceived effectiveness in contributing to sustainability outcomes. The study contributes to ESG communication and sustainable consumption research by clarifying the affective and cognitive mechanisms through which perceived ESG messages become behaviorally meaningful for young consumers. It also provides practical implications for designing ESG-oriented marketing strategies that combine credible responsibility communication with clear consumer action pathways. Full article

Prior research suggests that health messages can affect men and women differently, yet these differences and their underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. Based on the premise that many health messages are implicitly gendered, this randomized controlled experiment (N = 1116), conducted in a high-risk real-world context, investigates the effectiveness of implicitly gendered messages on psychosocial determinants of protective behaviors, including cognitive, attitudinal, and motivational dimensions, as well as behavioral intentions. Twelve public health messages, derived from commonly used communications and theoretical frameworks, were first evaluated according to their perceived masculinity or femininity, and their effects were then experimentally tested across participants. Results indicate that messages strongly aligned with gender stereotypes produce the largest differences in effectiveness between men and women. For example, authority-based messages (a masculine stereotype) are more effective among men, whereas messages emphasizing social reciprocity or concern for others (feminine stereotypes) are more effective among women. These effects emerge only when recipients are likely to engage in systematic processing, particularly when their political stance diverges from that of the message source (the French government). The results support the gendered message–recipient gender congruence hypothesis, rather than alternative explanations based on gender-specific processing styles, with substantial practical implications. Full article

Passively mode-locked lasers, as essential tools for generating ultrashort pulses, have found widespread applications in industrial manufacturing, optical communications, biomedical imaging, and fundamental scientific research. Saturable absorbers serve as the key components governing the performance of such laser systems. Conventional saturable absorber materials, including semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, however, suffer from inherent limitations in operational wavelength range, damage threshold, and environmental stability. In recent years, two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, known as MXenes, have emerged as a promising class of materials to address these challenges. Their unique metallic conductivity, broadband saturable absorption, ultrafast carrier dynamics, excellent thermal management capability, and versatile chemical tunability offer unprecedented opportunities for advanced saturable absorber applications. This review systematically summarizes the recent progress of MXene-based saturable absorbers, with an emphasis on their distinctive advantages in extending the mode-locked wavelength range, enhancing output pulse stability, and increasing the optical damage threshold. Furthermore, strategies for performance optimization through surface terminal group engineering, defect modulation, and heterostructure design are discussed in depth. Finally, the future prospects and key challenges toward industrial implementation of MXenes in ultrafast photonics are outlined, aiming to stimulate further advancements in high-performance ultrafast laser technology. Full article

Practice-oriented or practice-based research is growing in popularity in the social, built environment and health fields for its important role in driving transformative changes at policy, programme/service and practice levels. As planning is a practice with performative characteristics occurring in a socio-political-legal context, practice-oriented research has been utilised to inform and help shape change. However, to be truly effective, practice-oriented research must be connected to day-to-day practices. In this article, we present our experience of using a Community of Practice (CoP)—that brings together people with shared interests and professions—to exchange learning and experiences and to help create knowledge to advance professional practice. In our case, we established a Community of Practice of Planners (CoPP) to help translate stage one findings into tailored knowledge resources to open up a dialogue and raise awareness on Planning for Disability Equity and Inclusion. In this article, we describe the method of CoP, how it works, including our reflections and learnings. We suggest that CoP are an underutilised method in planning practice and research. We argue that the CoP approach should be in a researcher and planner’s toolbox for more transformative progress in equity and inclusion in planning. Full article

This study examines how nature-based experience is associated with quality of life (QOL) under contrasting socio-ecological and labour-mobility-related conditions. Using an exploratory comparative design, survey data were collected from a Mongolian mobility-related sample in Ulaanbaatar and surrounding areas and from rural receiving communities in South Korea. Environmental values were measured using the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP), while nature-based experience was operationalized through visit frequency and duration of stay in natural environments. QOL was measured using items based on the WHOQOL framework. The results indicate clear differences between the two samples in environmental values, QOL, and patterns of nature-based experience. More importantly, the association between nature-based experience and QOL was not uniform across contexts. Visit frequency was positively associated with QOL in the Mongolian sample, whereas no comparable association was observed in the South Korean sample. By contrast, duration of stay did not show a comparable significant interaction effect. These findings suggest that the well-being relevance of nature-based experience may depend on the socio-ecological role of nature in each context. Given the use of convenience sampling, cross-sectional data, and the absence of full measurement invariance testing, the findings should be interpreted as exploratory comparative evidence rather than as statistically generalizable national-level conclusions. The study contributes to land-use, rural development, and socio-ecological research by highlighting the context-dependent relationship between natural resource use, human–nature experience, and QOL. Full article

Adolescents with LGBTQ+ parents and LGBTQ+ adolescents navigate unique social and identity-related challenges as compared to those without minoritized sexual and/or gender identities. Adolescents with LGBTQ+ parents (regardless of their own sexual or gender identity) and adolescents who personally identify as LGBTQ+ are distinct populations, though they sometimes overlap. Research on adolescents with LGBTQ+ parents has often focused on parent–adolescent relationships and family structures. How do friends help youth cope with identity-based minority stressors, like peer microaggressions, bullying, and exclusion, common for those with minoritized identities? Friendships are developmentally pivotal during adolescence, shaping social competence, identity exploration, and psychological adjustment. Grounded in ecological systems, social learning, and minority stress theories, we sought to understand how friendships relate to mental health and coping in adolescents with LGBTQ+ parents. This cross-sectional quantitative study included 98 adolescents (ages 12–19) with LGBTQ+ parents in the U.S., recruited via community sampling and Prolific. Higher-quality peer attachment, conceptualized by trust, communication, and alienation in close friendships, was associated with lower depression and greater social competence, but not associated with anxiety or adaptive coping (after accounting for avoidant coping). Avoidant coping was most strongly associated with poorer mental health. This study, with implications for practice, emphasizes the importance of peer relationships for adolescents with LGBTQ+ parents—particularly how high-quality friendships offer important possible protection via social competence and against depression—while also highlighting the complex interplay between friendships, coping, and adjustment. Full article

The study applies a multiphase, multimethod research approach based on participatory methodology. It integrates the perspectives of professionals from the tourism and hospitality industry and academic experts with the aim of developing an integrated conceptual model of the influence of AI and IoT technologies on work processes, skill development, and job attractiveness in the industry. The research provides a comprehensive understanding of how digital technologies indirectly shape employment through changes in work organization and the development of transferable digital and socio-emotional skills. The paper aims to contribute to redefining the perception of work in tourism and hospitality by emphasizing the sector not only as a career choice, but also as a platform for acquiring skills transferable to other industries. The findings revealed that employees’ intentions to enter or remain in the industry are not directly influenced by AI and IoT technologies; rather, these effects are mediated through changes in work processes and, more importantly, through skill development. The study contributes theoretically by developing and empirically validating an integrated conceptual model that connects technology implementation, work transformation, skill development, and employment outcomes. From a practical perspective, the results highlight the importance of human-centered implementation strategies based on training, communication, and employee inclusion in order to maximize the benefits of digital technologies. Full article

The development of digital photogrammetry techniques has revolutionized the study of marine ecosystems, enabling the generation of high-precision three-dimensional models from conventional imagery. Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithms have become effective tools for mapping and monitoring underwater habitats, offering a non-invasive and cost-effective alternative to traditional methods. This study presents a pilot methodological validation of SfM-based underwater photogrammetry for the non-invasive morphometric monitoring of vulnerable benthic species, using Pinna rudis. The research focused on refining photogrammetric methodologies for marine conservation, addressing technical challenges such as variations in light conditions, water turbidity, and image acquisition complexity. The study area, the Cabrera Archipelago Maritime-Terrestrial National Park, is a pristine marine environment in the western Mediterranean, hosting diverse benthic communities, including an abundant Pinna rudis population. Data acquisition comprises sampling by scuba diving techniques at depths ranging from 26 to 31 m, performed during the July 2022 field campaign within a permanent demographic plot established in 2013 and the methodology applied involved generating three-dimensional models using SfM, allowing for direct measurements of the seabed and extraction of morphometric parameters of sessile species. The characterization of the Pinna rudis aggregation was based on specimen density and size structure, determined using maximum shell width. The 3D model of the pilot plot covers 86.1 m², hosting 31 individuals. Morphometric measurements derived from SfM-based 3D models were validated against in situ diver measurements of maximum shell width. The results showed that the average maximum width obtained from 3D models (15.19 ± 3.23 cm) was consistent with in situ measurements (15.35 ± 3.48 cm). The mean difference between methods was −0.16 ± 0.82 cm, indicating a negligible systematic bias. The mean absolute error was 0.65 cm, corresponding to an average relative error of 4.34%, and a strong linear relationship was observed between both methods (r = 0.97). These results confirm that underwater photogrammetry is a reliable and non-invasive tool for monitoring vulnerable benthic species, providing high-resolution spatial and morphometric data to support conservation strategies in marine protected areas and allowing the collection of additional data compared to in situ surveys. Full article

This study aimed to systematically categorize and critically analyze the feasibility of developing a cultural resource-based tourism route in Betong District, Yala Province, the southernmost area of Thailand, which is called “the city in the mist.” Research and development techniques were employed using a simulated map from an information system and community forums to create and revise a cultural resource-based tourism map in these areas: the Aiyoeweng, Tano Maero, Betong, and Than Nam Thip Subdistricts. The participants from five communities, 10 people per community, totaling 50 participants, were selected through purposive sampling to join in drafting a cultural resource map by pinpointing important areas in each subdistrict. The fieldwork data collected in each subdistrict were categorized and the content was analyzed to examine the feasibility of the approach to creating a map based on cultural resources. The results found that the tourism patterns resulting from a strong resource base could be divided into tangible and intangible cultural resources. The selected resources include local food, learning centers, tourist attractions, interesting entertainment activities, and community service centers. These were then used to create a simulated map, which was analyzed to determine the feasibility of a tourism route based on resource capital, abundant forests, cultural capital in historical sites, and social capital that were covered in community tourism policies, plans, and guidelines for tourism management to achieve maximum benefits, resulting from the community process that had to jointly design the process. The results of this study are part of the restoration of tourism based on resources for income management and for local organizations to expand and upgrade tourism to the regional economic zones in the southern border provinces. Full article