Search Results (64)

Modern software solutions have a multiplicative effect on enhancing quality of life across various urban sectors, including the environment, education, public health, security, transportation, time efficiency, employment, and other key aspects of city living. This article addresses a specific issue concerning the organisation of leisure activities for both local residents and tourists, using the Chechen Republic as a case study. In response, the study aimed to develop a digital solution to address this challenge, with potential for integration into the Republic’s unified digital ecosystem. By employing system analysis methods, the authors identified the key objects and stakeholders involved in the problem domain. They also defined the software product’s functionality and classified user categories. Using Unified Modelling Language methods, a use case diagram was developed to illustrate the conceptual operation of the system. Furthermore, object-oriented design methods were applied to create a user interface prototype for the software product. As a result, a digital service was developed that enables users to create personalised leisure routes, taking into account individual goals, time constraints, traffic conditions, and the real-time status of urban infrastructure. The resulting software solution is both customisable and scalable. The article also presents selected examples of project development. Full article

How to promote sustainable development and deal with the actual development demands in economic transformation through land-use planning is crucial for local governments. The urban sustainable development mainly relies on creativity and talents in the digital era, and talents are increasingly attracted by local people-oriented land use. However, the current planning ideology remains at meeting corporate and people’s basic needs rather than specific needs of talents, especially the increasingly emerging digital creatives. To promote the talent agglomeration and sustainable development through land planning, this paper uses micro-celebrities on Bilibili, an influential creative content creation platform among young people in China, as an example to study the geographical distribution of digital creative talents and its relationship with urban amenities by constructing an index system of urban amenities, comprising natural, leisure, infrastructure, and social and institutional amenities. The concept of borrowed amenities is introduced to examine the effects of amenities of surrounding cities. This study demonstrates that micro-celebrities show a stronger preference for amenities compared with other skilled talents. Meanwhile, social and institutional amenities are most crucial. Furthermore, urban leisure represented by green spaces and consumption spaces is also attractive. At the regional scale, with prefecture-level cities as units, the local talents agglomeration is also influenced by the borrowed amenities in the context of regional integration. It indicates that the local land use should consider the characteristics of the surrounding cities. This study provides strategic inspiration that a happy and sustainable city should first be people-oriented and provide sufficient space for consumption, entertainment, and interaction. Full article

Generation Z (Gen Z; born 1997–2012) is reshaping global tourism through digital fluency, ethical awareness, and a desire for authentic, sustainable travel experiences. This study surveys 413 Gen Z travelers across France, Portugal, Romania, and the USA to map their booking behaviors, information sources, transport modes, accommodations, dining practices, and leisure activities. The findings reveal a strong preference for independent online bookings and social-media-influenced destination choices (Instagram, TikTok), with air and car travel being used for long-distance journeys and walking/public transit being used for local journeys. Accommodation spans commercial hotels and private rentals, while informal, local dining and nature- or culture-centered leisure prevail. Chi-square tests were performed to identify differences between countries. To reveal distinct traveler segments and their country’s modulations towards sustainability, a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed. The results uncover four segments: “Tech-Active, Nature-Oriented Minimalists” (32.3% in France); “Moderate Digital Planners” (most frequent across all countries, particularly dominant among Romanian respondents); “Disengaged and Indecisive Travelers” (overrepresented in the USA); and “Culturally Inclined, Selective Sustainability Seekers” (>30% in France/Portugal). Although sustainability is widely valued, only some segments of the studied population consistently act on these values. The results suggest that engaging Gen Z requires targeted, value-driven digital strategies that align platform design with the cohort’s diverse sustainability commitments. Full article

Literature education is often justified by its presumed cognitive, social, and developmental benefits. However, little research has explored how students themselves perceive the relevance of literary reading in both educational and leisurely settings. This study surveyed 1641 Dutch upper-secondary students (grades 10 to 12) across various academic tracks. A self-completion questionnaire was used to assess students’ justifications for mandatory literary reading and their evaluations of 20 benefits associated with reading literature. Most students supported the government mandate to read literature in school, primarily justifying it by functional benefits, such as improving language skills and general reading proficiency. Cultural, social, and psychological justifications (e.g., fostering empathy or enhancing political awareness) were deemed less persuasive. Significant group differences emerged, with girls, 12th-grade students, and frequent leisure readers finding the benefits of literary reading more compelling than boys, 10th-grade students, and non-readers. Teachers tended to underestimate the persuasiveness of certain justifications, particularly those related to concentration and complex interpretive skills. The study shows that students predominantly view literature education through a qualification-oriented lens, emphasizing its instrumental value. Hence, literature education could place greater emphasis on fostering ethical awareness and social understanding to counter students’ predominantly functional perceptions of literary reading. Moreover, this study confirms the divide students experience between school-based and leisure reading: even enthusiastic readers rarely attribute more personally oriented justifications, such as relaxation and escapism, to school-based literature reading. Full article

The development of restorative tourism in post-war countries is crucial to economic recovery, cultural preservation, and social stabilization. While various nations have adopted different reconstruction strategies following conflicts, Ukraine’s situation requires an innovative and large-scale approach due to the extensive damage inflicted on infrastructure, cultural heritage, and tourism assets. This study explores the role of virtual and augmented reality technologies in restoring tourism potential, particularly in preserving destroyed cultural heritage through digitalization. Virtual tourism is increasingly relevant to maintaining cultural identity, attracting investment, and fostering international engagement. This study examines the evolution of digital tourism solutions, consumer behaviour shifts towards online leisure, and the integration of geoinformation systems for post-crisis planning. The findings emphasize that Ukraine’s tourism sector must adapt to digital trends while developing physical infrastructure, ensuring a comprehensive, resilient, and future-oriented restoration strategy. This study provides recommendations for leveraging innovation in post-crisis tourism development. It explains how the change in the paradigm of consumption of recreation and leisure services in the modern world impels the restoration of the destroyed tourism infrastructure. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of strategic migration policies to rebuild the labour market, which is essential for sustainable recovery. Full article

Tourism refers to the activity of traveling for pleasure, recreation, or leisure purposes. It encompasses a wide range of activities and experiences, from sightseeing to cultural exploration. In today’s digital age, tourists often organize their excursions independently by utilizing information available on websites. However, due to constraints in designing customized tour routes such as travel time and budget, many still require assistance with vacation planning to optimize their experiences. Therefore, this paper proposes an algorithm for personalized tourism planning that considers tourists’ preferences. For instance, the algorithm can recommend places to visit and suggest activities based on tourist requirements. The proposed algorithm utilizes an extended model of the team orienteering problem with time windows (TOPTW) to account for mandatory locations and activities at each site. It offers trip planning that includes a set of locations and activities designed to maximize the overall score accumulated from visiting these locations. To solve the proposed model, the Adaptive Neighborhood Simulated Annealing (ANSA) algorithm is applied. ANSA is an enhanced version of the well-known Simulated Annealing algorithm (SA), providing an adaptive mechanism to manage the probability of selecting neighborhood moves during the SA search process. The computational results demonstrate that ANSA performs well in solving benchmark problems. Furthermore, a real-world attractive location in Tak Province, Thailand, is used as the case study in this paper to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. Full article

Urban areas have a significant impact on climate change, with transport and mobility as one major source. Furthermore, the impact of urban areas on transport extends beyond their own geographic areas, via leisure travel. Research has suggested several mechanisms through which urban areas drive leisure travel, such as social norms, compensation for what is lacking in the urban environment or for the hectic daily life, and cosmopolitan attitudes, all of which increase leisure travel for its expected wellbeing benefits. More research is needed, however, about how the daily exposure to the urban environment affects leisure travel activity and how perceived wellbeing is associated with this. Therefore, this study was set to examine data from a 2017 softGIS survey from Reykjavík, Iceland, to study the connections between urban environment, local mobility, leisure travel, and life satisfaction. The study employs activity spaces as a basis for exposure modeling and canonical correlation analysis for statistical analysis. The results reveal that although exposure to green and gray spaces is important to overall life satisfaction, underlying socio-economic background is more relevant. Further, higher exposure to gray spaces was found to be associated with more emissions from long-distance leisure travel when socio-economic background was included, but it lost importance when attitudinal factors were added. Furthermore, indications of high levels of urban mobility leading to more leisure travel away from the city were found. Although overarching policy recommendations cannot be made, the study suggests having a more citizen-oriented approach in urban planning, particularly for mobility, which could yield benefits for both wellbeing and climate mitigation outcomes. Full article

This study applied the contingent valuation method to evaluate the economic viability of climate adaptation policies in the climate-fragile Yuanshan Township (YST), Taiwan, focusing on the balance between forest conservation and local livelihoods. Traditional agriculture in YST is transitioning to agro-ecotourism, supported by leisure-oriented and hillside forest protection policies that attract visitors and cause the local economy to thrive. This research used non-market valuation methods to quantify the value of local recreational resources perceived by visitors at NTD 1002.00 per visitor. The findings indicate that visitors’ willingness to pay for these resources is significantly influenced by their intention to revisit YST, their trust in local conservation efforts, their gender, and their income. The value that visitors place on recreational resources and the aforementioned significant determinants of their willingness to pay highlight the economic potential of agro-ecotourism in supporting both environmental sustainability and community income. This study emphasizes that successful nature-based climate adaptation must consider the economic interests of resource users and local residents. Agro-ecotourism in YST is shown to be a viable policy for balancing forest conservation with societal benefits, providing a model for the sustainable management of local resources. The economic benefits from this transition underscore the feasibility of agricultural transformation for community income generation and climate resilience, demonstrating that environmental and economic goals can be mutually supportive in addressing climate change. Full article

Research on the effect of student work on academic achievement has produced inconsistent results, and Hungarian domestic research on the subject is scarce. Our research aims to contribute to the discussion. We hypothesize that student work has a beneficial effect on students’ academic achievement. The target group is the full-time, working students at the regional Hungarian university (n = 538). By clustering students based on three variables (motivation, alignment of work with studies, and working hours), we separated three distinct student groups: disadvantaged/income-oriented, ambitious, and utilitarian/leisure-oriented. Disadvantaged/income-oriented students work for financial reasons and work a large number of hours. Ambitious students work fewer hours, and they work to fulfil their professional aspirations. The utilitarian/leisure-oriented cluster is the only group whose members work because it is a useful way of spending leisure time as well as an opportunity to obtain money for other free-time activities. With the help of the achievement index, we detected further differences between the student clusters. Students in the disadvantaged/income-oriented cluster do not have high academic scores and do not take part in extracurricular activities. They are more likely to interrupt their studies, mainly for financial reasons and because of work. The achievement was not affected by students’ social status indicators such as parents’ educational attainment or labor market position; it is contact with faculty and performing work related to studies that have the most explanatory power. Full article

In successful scenarios of missions to the Moon and Mars, humans develop multi-factorial systems through adapted behaviors to build cohesive multi-national crews with their individual features. We assume that frequencies of social interactions, social orientations, and facial vs. collateral expressions change according to mixed-culture and mixed-gender crew characteristics and as a function of the crewmember’s grouping at the same time and in the same place. The ethological method, with the phases of observation, description, and quantification of behavioral manifestations, was applied to the SIRIUS program and MARS-500 program. This involved simulating a 120-day confinement, a 240-day confinement, and a 520-day confinement in a multi-module facility. Focus was made on the meal area, sports area, and leisure area. We investigated the full nationality–gender-varied crew and the crewmember’s attendance and localization for distractive or festive activities during their free time. Social optimization declined and then grew in a temporal dynamic. Global behavioral distribution showed differences according to the duration of experiments during collective time. As a result, a system based on crew diversity, crew distraction, and crewmembers’ inter-dependence should be considered as a positive human factor in the process of adaptation with the goal of enhancing the well-being of future interplanetary crews. Full article

Italy built its ammasso silo network in the 1930s for two purposes: to stockpile grain and to symbolize fascist power. Much of the network was destroyed in World War II, and over half of the silos still standing are now disused and in disrepair. These structures should be protected and refurbished because they are part of Italy’s historic and agro-industrial heritage and because reusing existing buildings instead of constructing new ones reduces the carbon footprint. To evaluate silo repurposing potential, a method developed for inventorying Spanish silos was adapted and applied to the 30 remaining ammasso silos. The method explores the general features, construction, equipment, and socioeconomic environment of each silo. All extant ammasso silos have machinery for receiving, storing, and dispatching grain, and most have equipment for cleaning, sorting, weighing, and packaging. Vertical-cell silos are challenging to convert, unlike horizontally-oriented silos and other open-plan agro-industrial buildings. Even so, some have already been made over into shops, leisure areas, museums, and even homes. Examples of silo reuse in other countries, such as Spain and Portugal, can offer further useful insights. However, socio-economic indicators suggest that silo repurposing projects are viable only in large population centres. Full article

The street spaces in tourist-oriented traditional villages served both the daily lives of villagers and the leisure activities of tourists. However, due to insufficient understanding of the spatial characteristics and under-exploration of spatial genes, these spaces often suffered from homogenization during tourism development. Thus, identifying the characteristics and connotations of such streets, understanding the relationship between tourists’ perceptions and built environment elements, and developing optimization strategies for these rural street spaces were urgent issues. Many studies have evaluated street space characteristics from tourists’ behavior, but few have focused on rural areas. Especially, research combining new technologies like artificial intelligence to study the psychological perceptions of tourists is still in its infancy. This study used a typical traditional village as a case study and applied the YOLOv5 deep-learning model to build a perception evaluation system based on three dimensions: tourists’ aggregation degree, stay time, and facial expressions. The study conducted a multivariate regression analysis on 21 factors across 4 aspects: street scale morphology, environmental facilities, ground-floor interface, and street business types. Results indicated that the functional business type of the scene had the greatest impact on tourists’ perception of the street space environment, followed by ground-floor features and environmental facilities. The regression coefficient for business in situ values and spatial perception was 0.47, highlighting it as a key factor influencing characteristic perception. Landscape water systems, flat ground-floor façades, and business diversity also positively affected tourists’ perception. This study utilized advanced techniques like the YOLOv5 model, known for its speed and accuracy, to scientifically analyze tourists’ behavior and perceptions, serving as feedback and evaluation for the village’s built environment. Empirical analysis of Yuanjia Village validated the effectiveness of the multidimensional approach and spatial gene theory. Ultimately, this method identified 12 street characteristic factors significantly affecting tourists’ perceptions. The uniqueness of this study lies in its comprehensive approach, combining empirical research, spatial gene theory, and advanced object detection technology, providing new insights for village spatial planning and construction. Full article

This study delves into an investigation of urban public outdoor spaces (POSs) from a health-oriented perspective, recognizing varied health needs encompassing physical, psychological, social, and environmental aspects. In this study, POSs of two typical government service centers (GSCs) were analyzed based on their structure, user demographics, and user satisfaction, revealing several problems with the current GSC POS designs. To address these problems, principles for GSC POS design were proposed for natural, playing, and social spaces and applied to redesign the Wuchang GSC. Firstly, through on-site surveys, questionnaire surveys, and data analysis, the existing problems in promoting residents’ health in the GSC POSs were revealed, such as the insufficient greening of natural spaces, lack of interest in playing spaces, and unreasonable design of the scale of social spaces. Based on the above analysis, a health design optimization principle based on Maslow’s theory is proposed. Firstly, improvement solutions were proposed and implemented for green spaces, such as using more diversified natural elements, zone differentiation, and landscape improvements to promote the health of users. Secondly, the leisure and sports needs of different age groups can be met simultaneously by diversifying the layout and functional settings of playing spaces. Finally, public spaces suitable for social interaction were redesigned to promote the psychological health of citizens in social activities by optimizing the scale of communication spaces. The proposed design optimization strategies for GSCs not only provide theoretical support for the healthy design of POSs but also provide useful references for the healthy development of urban public spaces. Full article

In the rapidly evolving business landscape of Thailand, the design and facilities of office buildings play a crucial role in enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity. This study seeks to answer the question: “How can office building facilities be optimized to meet the diverse preferences of occupants in Thailand, thereby improving their satisfaction and productivity”? This study employs a copula-based ordinal regression model combined with machine learning techniques to investigate the determinants of facility preferences in office buildings in Thailand. By analyzing data from 372 office workers in Bangkok, we identify the factors influencing facility needs and preferences, and measure the correlation between these preferences. Our findings reveal that safety and security are the highest-rated amenities, indicating their importance in the workplace. The findings reveal distinct preferences across demographic groups: age negatively influences the demand for certain amenities like lounges, while higher education levels increase the preference for cafeteria services. Employees in smaller firms show a higher preference for lounges and fitness centers but lower for restaurants and cafeterias. Interestingly, the size of the enterprise does not significantly affect preferences for fundamental facilities like security and cleaning. The study also uncovers the significant role of gender and income in shaping preferences for certain facilities. These results suggest that while basic amenities are universally valued, luxury or leisure-oriented facilities are more appreciated in smaller, possibly more community-focused work environments. This study highlights the need for tailored facility management in office buildings, considering the diverse needs of different employee groups, which has significant implications for enhancing workplace satisfaction and productivity. Full article

The intrinsic attributes and service functions of community gardens (CGs) are closely related to the stage of national development and social needs. With the gradual implementation of China’s urban micro-renewal policy, many CGs have been gradually developed, but they still face problems such as poor operation and low participation, which urgently require us to carry out site-based research under China’s actual national conditions. Constructing a human’s perception value-oriented evaluation system and summarizing the optimization strategies according to the evaluation results can provide more systematic and targeted practical guidance for the construction of CGs in China. We developed a set of evaluation metrics for CGs based network text analysis, literature analysis, and expert opinions and collected 245 questionnaires from 20 existing CGs in Wuhan as a study sample. Using the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) method, we conducted statistical analysis of data for each type of CG. The results show that “Mosquito impact”, “Facility maintenance”, and “Social experience” are essential parts of residential-type community gardens (Resi-CGs) that are easily overlooked; that the users of commercial-type community gardens (Comm-CGs) consider that “Mosquito impact” is a serious deficiency; that campus-type community gardens (Camp-CGs) need to be optimized with regard to the aspects of “Crop stewardship” and “Leisure facilities”; and finally that there is no significant trend in the key improvement indicators of company-type community gardens (Comp-CGs) and the indicators like “Fitness and recreation experience”, “Crop diversity”, and “Aesthetics” need to be improved. According to the above results, we put forward specific optimization strategies to provide development guidelines and practical guidance for the future construction of CGs. Full article