Search Results (416)

The sustainable development of forest ecotourism relies on the effective stimulation of tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior, and the intervention of participatory art and aesthetics provides a new driving force for this process. Taking Xiqiaoshan National Forest Park (Nanhai Land Art Festival) as a case study, we propose an extended stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) theoretical framework to reveal the psychological perception and transmission mechanism of participatory art and aesthetic experience in empowering the sustainable development of ecotourism. We used a hybrid approach combining PLS-SEM and artificial neural networks (ANNs) to analyze survey data from 596 Chinese tourists. The study found that sensory impressions driven by art and aesthetics significantly and positively influence tourists’ natural connections, perceived value, and ecotourism attitudes. These three constructs function as significant parallel mediators between sensory impressions and environmentally responsible behavior, while chain mediation effects are statistically significant but of small magnitude. The new environmental paradigm (NEP), conceptualized as an individual trait boundary condition, exhibits a significant negative moderating effect on the relationship between sensory impressions and connectedness to nature. ANN sensitivity analysis further complements the findings by demonstrating the prominent nonlinear predictive role of ecotourism attitudes in behavioral transformation. This study extends the application boundaries of the S-O-R theory to art-integrated ecotourism research, clarifies the internalization process of tourist experiences from sensory perception to behavioral enactment, and provides empirical evidence for forest tourism managers to optimize experience design and implement differentiated guidance strategies. Full article

Protected areas (PAs) are increasingly challenged by the need to reconcile biodiversity conservation with sustainable human use, particularly in landscapes containing underutilized or resting area (RA). This study evaluated the potential of resting forest and agricultural lands to enhance biodiversity and support sustainable land use within protected areas of Cesme, Türkiye. A Geographic Information System (GIS)-based multi-criteria evaluation approach was employed, integrating land cover data, soil group maps, topographic parameters, and protected area classifications to generate Plant Suitability Maps (PSMs). Eight thematic layers were developed, incorporating soil depth, slope, erosion risk, and land capability classes to identify suitable plant species and land-use options. The results indicate that the strategic use of resting agricultural lands could contribute up to 35.5% to ecological enhancement, while resting forest lands could contribute an additional 18%. The proposed plant assemblages include medicinal and aromatic species, erosion-control plants, and economically valuable perennial species that support ecosystem services such as pollination, beekeeping, and agro-tourism. Overall, the findings demonstrate that integrating RA management into conservation planning can simultaneously strengthen biodiversity, improve ecosystem services, and generate socio-economic benefits for local communities. The proposed GIS-based framework offered a transferable and scalable methodology for sustainable land management in Mediterranean landscapes and other protected regions worldwide. Also, in this research, the aim was to determine plant species using GIS-based suitability analyses of multi-spatial datato guide vegetation decisions in multi-criteria PA. Full article

This study, based on multi-source data fusion and risk index models, has developed a comprehensive methodological system for evaluating the risk of forest fires caused by human factors. The system starts with four dimensions, i.e., exposure, hazard factors, vulnerability, and prevention and control capabilities, and constructs an evaluation framework with 19 secondary indicators. It also establishes single-category risk index models for four types of dominant fire sources: agricultural activities, religious ceremonies, tourism, and power distribution lines. Through weighted synthesis and exponential smoothing algorithms, it achieves daily dynamic risk forecasting. The research took the typical forest areas in the Mentougou, Changping, and Yanqing districts of Beijing as the application demonstration areas, collecting meteorological data, geographic information data, risk census ledgers, online hiking trajectories, and 2530 social survey questionnaires to complete the local parameter calibration and validation of the model. The retrospective analysis of 22 typical human-caused fire cases from 2018 to 2025 shows that the risk percentile of the ignition points in all cases was above 87.8%, indicating that the model has a good risk identification capability. Based on the evaluation results, differentiated control measures for different types of fire sources were proposed. The research results have been integrated into Beijing’s forest fire risk monitoring and early warning system, providing a scientific tool for the refined management of human-caused fire sources. 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

Ecologically fragile hilly areas are key regions for safeguarding national ecological security and advancing ecological civilization construction. Accurate assessment of ecosystem service value (ESV) and future scenario simulations in these regions is crucial for improving regional land use and attaining sustainable development. Based on high-resolution remote sensing data of the Longji Mountain area in Guangxi, China, from 2013 to 2023, this study systematically assesses the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of ESV using the equivalent factor method with localized corrections. This study adopts spatial autocorrelation analysis, geographic modeling, and scenario simulation. It predicts the spatial patterns of ESV for 2028 and 2033 under three scenarios: ecological protection, natural development, and tourism development. The results reveal that: (1) from 2013 to 2023, the total ESV in the Longji Mountain area showed an overall fluctuating trend. It increased first, then declined and recovered slightly, with an average annual growth rate of −0.15%. Spatially, the ESV presented a heterogeneous pattern, characterized by “high-value agglomeration in forest land, medium-value transition in terraced fields, and low-value interpolation in constructed areas”, with distinct clustering features; (2) regional ecological functions are mainly dominated by regulating and supporting services. Climate regulation contributes the highest value. Water supply is the only service with negative value, indicating a persistent water ecological deficit that remains unaddressed; (3) scenario simulations reveal that the total ESV is highest and spatial connectivity is strongest under the ecological protection scenario. Furthermore, a consistent trend is observed across all three scenarios: high-value ESV areas tend to become dominant, while spatial connectivity shows progressive enhancement. The human–land system coupling framework for the ecologically fragile hilly region suggests that ecologically oriented decision-making is the core pathway to sustainably improve ecosystem services and realize regional sustainable development. This study offers scientific support for regional ecological conservation and sustainable advancement. Full article

Tourism destinations increasingly serve both domestic and international visitors whose geographic behaviors may differ substantially, yet most analytical frameworks treat visitor distributions as spatially homogeneous. Few studies compare how domestic and international tourists cluster spatially within the same destination. Those differences matter enormously for destinations where visitor segments follow distinct geographic patterns. We analyzed 1547 bilingual TripAdvisor reviews from Chanthaburi Province, Thailand (2014–2023), combining Random Forest classification (83.26% accuracy for Thai, 96.45% for English) with Incremental Spatial Autocorrelation (ISA), Global Moran’s I, and Getis-Ord Gi* hotspot analysis. International visitors clustered more intensely overall (I = 0.253 vs. 0.213), but domestic visitors spread across all six tourism areas including agrotourism, while international visitors were concentrated in heritage, coastal recreation, and nature-temple zones with agrotourism absent. Both segments clustered strongly at cultural heritage sites and at beach destinations, contradicting the common assumption that coastal areas primarily serve international visitors, while agrotourism clustered exclusively among domestic visitors despite active policy promotion. These patterns reflect differential information access rather than attraction quality. The zone-level framework is transferable to secondary heritage destinations across Southeast Asia, where platform-based monitoring offers a practical alternative to large-scale visitor surveys. Full article

With growing interest in health and leisure, walking tourism has emerged as a significant segment of the tourism market. Coastal trails have gained prominence as attractive tourist attractions offering unique experiences that combine coastal and forest environments. Understanding the experiences of tourists using these trails is essential to their sustainability and the revitalization of nearby regions and tourist destinations. However, the sustainable management of coastal trails and the understanding of the perceptions and evaluations of tourists using them remain limited. Therefore, this study aims to analyze walking tourism experiences on coastal trails using online review data to identify tourists’ perceptions and evaluations. Three representative coastal trails in South Korea were selected as the study sites, and 21,289 reviews (including course information, titles, review content, and posting dates) were collected from Durunubi, a walking tourism application operated by the Korea Tourism Organization. The research methodology employed text mining and sentiment analysis in Python 3.12.13 and spatial analysis using GeoDa 1.22.0.20 and QGIS 3.40.11. This study explores the emotional geography of walking tourism experiences along Korean coastal trails by integrating the analysis of online review data using text mining, sentiment analysis, and spatial analysis. The analysis revealed that positive sentiments were associated with natural landscapes, while negative sentiments were associated with trail management. These emotional experiences exhibit distinct spatial clustering patterns. This finding has important implications for establishing sustainable trail management strategies. Full article

Against the backdrop of China’s vigorous promotion of rural revitalization, traditional villages have become important carriers of rural tourism; however, their tourism development potential varies significantly. Using 182 traditional villages in Shexian County, Anhui Province, as the study area, this paper integrates multi-source data, including remote sensing, socio-economic, and online data. It constructs an evaluation index system from three dimensions: resource endowment, socio-economic conditions, and natural environment. Three machine learning models, namely, Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, and LightGBM, are employed to measure tourism development potential, and the optimal model is selected through comparative analysis. On this basis, the SHAP method is introduced to interpret the influencing factors and reveal the direction and mechanisms of their effects. The results show that (1) the LightGBM model performs best and is more suitable for evaluating tourism development potential of traditional villages; (2) service facilities, land resources, and transportation conditions are the most important influencing factors, while cultural resources and online attention also play significant roles; (3) the effects of different factors exhibit obvious nonlinear characteristics with interaction effects; and (4) the spatial pattern of tourism development potential presents a structure of “core agglomeration–transitional distribution–peripheral dispersion”. From the perspective of multi-source data and explainable machine learning, this study provides a systematic analysis of tourism development potential in traditional villages and offers a scientific reference for their differentiated development and conservation. Full article

Small Mediterranean islands relying on the sun–sea–sand (3S) tourism model face growing climate risks that threaten their tourism-dependent economies. This study evaluates climate suitability for 3S tourism on the Island of Vis by integrating the Climate Index for Tourism (CIT) with land- use and land-cover (LU/LC) spatial analysis. The integration is operationalized by overlaying CIT-derived seasonal suitability windows with LU/LC-based spatial vulnerability maps, enabling identification of micro-zones where natural buffers (forest cover and elevation) can offset thermal discomfort during peak heat stress periods. Observed data reveals declining ideal 3S conditions from July to October, with the island already exceeding 50 days per year of Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) above 35.1 °C, increasing by 0.7 days per year. Regional climate models tend to exhibit a cold bias over small Adriatic islands, largely related to their limited spatial horizontal resolution (12.5 km grid spacing). However, they robustly reproduce the direction of recent and projected warming trends. Future projections indicate that the annual number of strong heat stress days with PET above 35.1 °C increase from approximately one per year in the reference period to six under RCP4.5 and nine under RCP8.5, with both scenarios reducing ideal peak-summer conditions while extending favorable periods into transitional seasons. Spatial analysis shows that coastal zones have higher sealed surfaces and less forest cover, reducing natural shade and cooling capacity, while the island interior offers higher elevations, forest buffers, hiking trails, and a UNESCO Global Geopark. Drawing on social–ecological resilience theory, we conceptualize the island’s tourism system as an adaptive unit whose long-term viability depends on spatially diversified resource use and temporally extended seasonality. The integrated analytical framework identifies not only when conditions deteriorate but where alternative tourism resources exist, enabling more targeted adaptation planning and supporting diversification toward outdoor tourism forms. The novelty of this study lies in the systematic spatial integration of bioclimatic suitability assessments (CIT and PET) with LU/LC analysis at the micro-island scale. Such an approach moves beyond temporally focused climate–tourism indices to produce actionable, location-specific adaptation strategies. Full article

With the development of the healing economy, forest wellness tourism has emerged as a new form of healthy and high-value-added tourism, and its therapeutic attributes have become key to enhancing tourists’ health benefits. This study investigated the relationship between the therapeutic features of forest wellness tourism, restorative experiences and tourists’ health benefits. The data was obtained through the field survey of 639 forest wellness tourists in the form of questionnaires, and the research hypothesis is empirically tested using mathematical statistical analysis and a structural equation model. The results indicated that the therapeutic attributes of forest wellness tourism significantly improved tourists’ health benefits, with the natural environment, infrastructure, humane atmosphere and symbolic perception all having a positive impact. Moreover, restorative experiences play a positive mediating role between the therapeutic attributes of forest wellness tourism and tourists’ health benefits. This study enriches and expands the theoretical research system related to the therapeutic attributes of forest wellness tourism and restorative experiences, reveals how forest wellness tourism influences tourists’ health benefits, and provides a practical basis for the integrated development of the health and tourism industry. Full article

Transportation plays a fundamental role in tourism development, serving as the critical link between tourism demand and supply. China’s domestic demand-oriented strategy has positioned tourism as an important driver of economic recovery during the post-COVID-19 transition period, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen tourism system resilience. Tourism economic resilience is measured via the entropy-weighted Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method, transportation accessibility is quantified using a composite index, and a Geographically Weighted Random Forest (GWRF) model is applied across 73 prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin to map spatial patterns and examine the association between transportation accessibility and tourism economic resilience. The results reveal: (1) pronounced spatial disparities in both tourism resilience and accessibility, displaying a clear “core–periphery” pattern; (2) strong spatial coupling between high resilience and high accessibility in the east, and low–low clusters in the west (e.g., Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan); and (3) a relatively strong association between transportation accessibility and tourism resilience, particularly in supporting recovery, adaptability, and renewal capacity. Other influential factors include tourist density, openness to external markets, and industrial structure. This study provides a quantitative foundation for understanding the spatially heterogeneous associations of transport infrastructure with tourism system resilience and offers both theoretical insights and practical guidance for formulating regionally differentiated, transport-led policy strategies to foster sustainable tourism development in river-basin economies. Full article

While virtual tourism (VT) has emerged as a disruptive force in destination marketing, the mechanism by which virtual immersion translates into physical visitation remains debated. Addressing the “virtual-to-real” conversion gap, this study proposes an integrated theoretical framework combining the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) model with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Unlike traditional studies, we position Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) as boundary conditions rather than direct antecedents. Empirical data were collected from 476 tourists with virtual experiences of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results indicate that virtual experiences not only directly trigger visit intention but also indirectly foster it by enhancing destination attitude. Crucially, a novel “asymmetric moderation” effect was revealed: while technical attributes (PU and PEOU) do not influence the affective formation of attitude, they significantly moderate the translation of attitude and experience into behavioral intention. These findings suggest that while immersion drives “liking,” technical utility drives “going.” This study offers strategic insights for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) to optimize VT platforms by balancing hedonic experience with functional utility to maximize actual visitor conversion. Full article

The Landscape of Outstanding Features of “Islands and Cliffs near Slankamen” (ICS) is a protected area in the Danube region, characterized by diverse forest and wetland habitats. Different forms of sustainable tourism (SUTO) can be developed in this area, including nature-based tourism, ecotourism, and scientific tourism. This study aims to examine the impact of SUTO dimensions on residents’ satisfaction in the settlements of Stari Slankamen and Novi Slankamen. The research is based on the Prism of Sustainability (PoS) model, which includes ecological, economic, socio-cultural, and institutional dimensions. A total of 1030 inhabitants participated in the survey. The results show that all four dimensions have a statistically significant impact on residents’ satisfaction. The economic and institutional dimensions have a stronger influence, while the socio-cultural and ecological dimensions were evaluated more positively by respondents. The results indicate the need for better coordination of tourism development and management activities in order to achieve a balance between nature protection, economic benefits, and the needs of the local community. Full article

Forest tourism represents an important pathway for promoting green consumption, with forest parks serving as the primary platform for its development. The coordinated development of forest parks is therefore essential for achieving integrated economic, social, and ecological benefits. Investigating the coordination and coupling between ecological resilience and tourism economy in forest parks of the Yellow River Basin along with driving factors carried substantial practical significance for balancing regional economic development with ecological conservation. The present research developed an indicator system that was comprehensive and dynamic for assessing ecological resilience across forest parks in nine provinces of the Yellow River Basin during 2013–2023. To investigate patterns of spatiotemporal evolution and uncover underlying driving mechanisms, exploratory spatial data analysis was combined with a spatiotemporal geographically weighted regression model. The main findings are as follows: (1) The integrated levels of ecological resilience and tourism economy across the Yellow River Basin showed significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity. From north to south, a high–low–high spatial pattern was exhibited by ecological resilience, while a core concentration and gradient diffusion pattern was demonstrated by the tourism economy. (2) The coupling coordination level between forest park ecosystems and the tourism economy increased, with a growing number of provinces transitioning toward coordinated and near–dysregulated states, although pronounced regional disparities persisted. (3) Kernel density analysis indicated an overall improvement in coordination, accompanied by strong regional differentiation. The upper reaches displayed a unipolar leading pattern, while the middle and lower reaches showed multipolar differentiation and a pronounced “Matthew effect”. (4) Technological innovation emerged as the core driving factor, though its influence varied considerably across regions. Overall, these findings provide theoretical support and empirical evidence for policy formulation aimed at achieving a balance between ecological conservation and economic development in forest park systems. Full article

The rapid expansion of ski tourism in Northeast China has triggered extensive land use and land cover change (LULCC), yet the micro-scale spatial mechanisms linking historical land conversion to the accessibility of tourist services remain largely unquantified. This study addresses this gap by integrating annual 30 m CLCD land cover data with GIS network analysis of Points of Interest (POIs) around 30 major ski resorts (2018–2023). Specifically, it makes a novel distinction between the accessibility outcomes of construction-oriented and agriculture-oriented land transitions. Results indicate that while forest-to-construction conversion significantly predicts reduced travel distances to services (e.g., hotels: r = −0.532, p < 0.01), a distinct and previously unreported agri-tourism synergy emerges: forest-to-cropland conversion is positively associated with higher per capita tourist spending (r = 0.366, p < 0.05). This finding challenges the conventional zero-sum view of land use competition and suggests that cultivated landscapes can function as complementary tourism assets. These empirical patterns provide an evidence-based framework for integrated land-transport planning in emerging winter sports destinations. Full article