Search Results (185)

Nature-based tourism is expanding rapidly, placing new pressures on fragile ecosystems and governance structures that were not designed for the intensity and diversity of today’s visitors. Despite this trend, protected areas face unique management constraints and rapid socio-environmental changes. While motivational segmentation of tourists can provide valuable information to policymakers, this subject remains understudied/under-researched. This study addresses the gap by examining the motivations, behaviours, and attitudes of visitors to Romania’s national and natural parks, using a structured survey (n = 509) and a two-step approach combining dimensionality reduction with visitor segmentation. Principal component analysis (PCA) reveals distinct motivational dimensions related to visitors’ desire for immersion in nature, wildlife observation and learning, active recreation, and social–cultural engagement. Based on these dimensions, three visitor segments emerge through cluster analysis, with significantly different patterns of landscape use, expectations of recreational services, and perceptions of interpretation media. This research provides practical insights for targeted communication, zoning, and adaptive governance and proposes integrating visitor typologies with park management to support sustainable rural development. The findings highlight how a nuanced understanding of tourist segments can inform more effective policy measures that balance recreational demand with the long-term protection of natural and cultural resources, offering practical value for the sustainable development of protected areas, local communities, and other stakeholders. Full article

Mauritius, as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), depends heavily on tourism and is therefore exposed to external shocks; this study examines how the sector’s performance and value capture evolved from 2010 to 2025, with particular attention to the COVID-19 disruption and subsequent recovery. The analysis uses only secondary data, combining arrivals and source-market breakdowns published by the Ministry of Tourism with the monthly series of gross tourism earnings released by the Bank of Mauritius. Trends and seasonality are described for both arrivals and earnings, and three indicators are derived to support interpretation: revenue per arrival (as a proxy for value capture), the intensity of seasonality, and the concentration of source markets. The results document the magnitude of the pandemic-related break, trace the timing of the rebound, and show how value capture and market concentration shifted between the pre- and post-COVID periods. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for resilience in island destinations, highlighting the need for diversification and higher-value positioning, and proposing a replicable monitoring approach that can be updated as new official data become available. Full article

Jordan is witnessing a growing market trend of retrofitting existing buildings. The annual construction work on existing buildings in Amman, based on building consents, increased by approximately 46% between 2007 and 2017, while the annual newly built areas decreased by around 33%. This paper aims to establish a solid understanding of the current shift towards existing building adaptation in Jordan by exploring the drivers for this trend and the Government’s role in regulating and, possibly, encouraging it. Ten local experts with extensive experience in retrofitting projects in Jordan and around the region were interviewed. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of experts’ answers was performed using the software NVivo. Findings highlight nine main drivers for retrofitting existing buildings in Jordan, namely: (1) land value and location; (2) reducing capital costs compared to new builds; (3) architectural heritage conservation; (4) social and cultural considerations; (5) adapting to population increase; (6) reusing, adapting, and retrofitting to extend the life of buildings; (7) increasing tourism capacity; (8) improving building performance and resource efficiency; and (9) municipal incentives. Not all these drivers have the same value as they depend on the client and the project context. The experts’ ranking of drivers in terms of priority showed higher consideration for land value and location benefits, social–cultural aspects, and population increase, while municipal incentives emerged as low priority. Further research is needed to design context-specific effective retrofit policies, contributing to the literature in this emerging field in Jordan and beyond. Full article

The search for sustainable practices in the tourism industry has opened new horizons in a polluting industry. This study explores astrotourism in the region of Aragon, Spain, considering Allan Schnaiberg’s environmental theory, which points out that as society becomes more industrialized, individuals become increasingly disconnected from nature and develop a sense of alienation from the natural world, leading to a longing for reconnection and deep experiences. The hypothesis postulates that astrotourists reflect the current trend of seeking knowledge-enriching, emotional, and nature-based experiences. Analyzing 407 astrotourists visiting the region’s attractions, we explore their profiles and travel motivations, uncovering subtle differences in prior knowledge, changing perspectives, and sociodemographic. The findings inform destination policies, marketing strategies, and management practices. The research outlines a structured profile encompassing sociodemographic, tourist behaviors, and assessments of Aragon’s astrotourism. This profile sheds light on astrotourists’ motivations, attitudes, and consumption patterns, serving as a foundation for future research and tailored experiences. This study contributes to understanding the dynamics of astrotourism and its implications for the evolution of astrotourists’ preferences. Full article

Beautiful Leisure Tourism Villages (BLTVs) represent an effective pathway for advancing high-quality rural industrial development and promoting comprehensive rural revitalization. They are of great significance to enriching new rural business formats and new functions. The analysis is interpreted within an integrated location–distance attenuation framework. Based on the methods of spatial clustering analysis, geographical linkage rate and geographical weighted regression, the spatio-temporal evolution of 1982 BLTVs in China up to 2023 was examined to uncover the underlying driving mechanisms. Findings indicated that (1) a staged expansion in the number of villages across China, with the most pronounced growth occurring between 2014 and 2018, averaged 124 new villages per year; their stage characteristics showed an obvious “unipolar core-bipolar multi-core-bipolar network” development model; (2) the barycenters of villages were all located in Nanyang City of Henan Province; they migrated from east to west, and formed a push and pull migration trend from east to west and then east; (3) the spatial distribution of villages was highly aggregated and demonstrated marked regional heterogeneity, following a south–north and east–west gradient, with the highest concentration in Jiangzhe and the lowest in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region; and (4) natural ecology, hydrological and climatic conditions, socioeconomic context, transportation accessibility, and resource endowment collectively shaped the spatial layout of villages, exhibiting pronounced spatial variation in the intensity of these driving factors. On the whole, topography, social economy, traffic condition and precipitation condition had greater influences on the spatial distribution of villages in the western than in the eastern part of China. In contrast, the effects of resource endowment and temperature on the spatial distribution of BLTVs were stronger in eastern China than in western China. These findings enhance the theoretical understanding of tourism-oriented rural development by integrating spatio-temporal evolution with a location–distance attenuation perspective and provide differentiated guidance for the sustainable development of BLTVs across regions. Full article

To meet the development needs of high-rise timber structures, current cross-laminated timber (CLT) shear walls typically feature a single-layer thickness of 35 mm with more than three laminations in the stack. However, such thickness easily leads to resource waste in small-scale residential buildings, while increasing transportation and hoisting costs, which is not conducive to the prefabrication and lightweight development of timber structures. To adapt to the development trend of China’s timber structure market towards public buildings such as cultural and tourism projects and small-scale residential buildings including new rural housing renovation, this study focuses on thin CLT shear walls with an overall thickness of 48 mm (16 mm per layer) and conducts research on their lateral load-bearing performance. Monotonic lateral static load tests and finite element (FE) simulations were carried out on thin CLT shear walls without openings, with different opening areas, and with the same opening area but different positions. A corresponding FE model was established and validated, with a focus on analyzing the influence of opening parameters on the shear performance of the walls. The research results show that wall openings significantly reduce the bearing capacity and shear stiffness of the walls: compared with the wall without openings, the ultimate load and shear stiffness of the walls with openings decrease by 20.4–28.6% and 36.3–42.3%, respectively. Among them, increasing the opening height has a more obvious weakening effect on the bearing capacity; for the same opening area, a wider opening results in a more significant decrease in stiffness. The FE model exhibits reliable accuracy, with the error between the experimental and simulation results in the elastic stage controlled within 10%, and the influence of the under-wall support on the shear stiffness is relatively small. Opening parameters have a prominent impact on the stiffness of the wall in the elastic stage, and the influence of the opening position is more critical—the smaller the distance from the opening to the top of the wall, the more obvious the decrease in overall stiffness. Full article

Tourism has become a key sector of the global economy and a driver of economic growth. The Wine Routes are a specialized tourist offering that meets the needs of a segment of travelers, contributing to the enhancement and preservation of rural areas. Recent studies have highlighted that among the reasons driving tourists to choose Slow tourism is the desire to discover local food and wine as an expression of territorial culture. This study assumes that the characteristics of Wine tourists may have changed in recent years. An extensive survey was conducted on visitors of Sicilian Wine Routes. The results examine Wine tourism and Slow tourism and their overlap for tourists who travel around rural territories following the lure of food and wine. The results highlight a new segmentation and the existence of a new profile of Eno-Slow tourists with new primary motivations and needs. On a global level, the new Eno-Slow tourist fits perfectly into the international trends of responsible and sustainable tourism, strengthening the image of wine-producing regions as models of balance between culture, nature, and quality of life. These findings are very important as they provide useful guidance for policymakers and stakeholders committed to the sustainable competitiveness of rural tourist destinations, both locally and internationally. Full article

The architecture of spas and recreational complexes is increasingly being analyzed not only through the prism of its formal diversity but also through its functional, technical, and esthetic responses to evolving societal expectations. This article descriptively examines the context of evolving user needs and select examples representing new architectural forms integrated into the landscape, responding to the growing demand for beauty (understood subjectively), experiences, and emotional value in 21st-century tourism and recreation. The most diverse and characteristic examples were selected and described in order to maintain a broad context of analysis and illustrate contemporary changes as faithfully as possible. The descriptive approach enables a systematic and comprehensive representation of phenomena, identifying recurring patterns, spatial trends, and contextual relationships. Rather than being limited to numerical data, it provides a structured analytical framework that supports the objective documentation of architectural and urban processes. The aim of this study is to systematize selected design trends that reflect contemporary cultural aspirations and environmental concerns, and to illustrate the evolving relationship between architecture, nature, and users. The results indicate a consistent shift toward landscape-integrated, experiential, and esthetically driven architectural solutions, demonstrating that contemporary tourism facilities increasingly prioritize atmosphere, immersion in nature, and sensory engagement over traditional utilitarian design. This study concludes that beauty, understood as subjective esthetic experience, has become a key determinant in shaping new architectural forms, reinforcing the role of architecture as both a cultural expression and a tool for enhancing well-being in tourism and leisure environments. Full article

Population ageing is one of the main demographic trends of modern Europe. It is a challenge for the whole economy, including the tourism industry. The specific needs of seniors, resulting from the processes of physiological ageing, require appropriate adaptation of tourism offers to their requirements. This is the only way to implement the principle of inclusivity that underpins sustainable tourism. This article discusses the results of research on the preferences and habits of older people with regard to tourist trips, taking into account psychological aspects. The research goal was to learn about seniors’ tourism activity and the factors hindering it, as well as to determine the relationship between tourism and seniors’ well-being. This article presents the results of the survey conducted in a sample of 209 seniors from the Polish city of Szczecin, with the use of Paper and Pen Personal Interview (PAPI) and Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) techniques. The results enabled the identification of the frequency and purposes of senior travel, as well as the factors and the extent to which participation in tourist trips was hindered. Furthermore, the study examined the impact of tourist trips on seniors’ well-being and overall mood. As a result of the conducted research, it was demonstrated that travelling constitutes a source of positive emotions for seniors. It was found that the tourism activity of this group declines with age, and the main factors limiting participation in tourism were poor health and insufficient financial resources. Among the primary barriers to travelling, respondents indicated long travel times and language obstacles. Overall, seniors exhibited an open attitude toward tourism, expressing a positive outlook on discovering new destinations and meeting new people. The adopted research framework assumes that psychological and organisational factors influence behavioural outcomes through mechanisms related to constraints and preferences. By incorporating organisational and psychological aspects, the obtained results contribute to filling the existing research gap. Such a broad research perspective, along with the conclusions drawn from the study, may also have practical implications. A senior-centric approach adopted by entities involved in developing tourism offers for seniors may contribute to reducing or even eliminating the barriers that members of this group currently face when participating in tourism activities. This entails both economic and social benefits and supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the area of tourism. Full article

Balancing tourism industry (TI) growth and ecological protection is critical for sustainable development in the Yellow River Basin (YRB), China’s vital ecological security barrier and economic belt. However, existing research lacks a spatial perspective on the coordinated development between TI and inclusive green growth (IGG), with limited understanding of cross-regional spillover mechanisms. Based on panel data from 75 cities in the YRB (2011–2023), this study constructs a comprehensive evaluation system encompassing the scale, structure, and potential dimensions of the TI and the economic, social, livelihood, and environmental dimensions of IGG. The study employs the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA), and the Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) to examine spatiotemporal evolution and spillover effects. The results reveal an upward yet fluctuating coordination trend with pronounced spatial heterogeneity, characterized by a “downstream–midstream–upstream” gradient pattern, dual-core radiation centered on the Jinan–Qingdao and Xi’an–Zhengzhou agglomerations, and persistent High–High clusters in the Shandong Peninsula contrasted with Low–Low clusters in the upstream Qinghai–Gansu–Ningxia region. Critically, new-quality productive forces exert significant positive direct and spillover effects, while industrial structure and government intervention have inhibitory spatial effects on adjacent cities. Regional heterogeneity analysis confirms factor-endowment-driven differentiation across upstream, midstream, and downstream areas. These findings advance spatial spillover theory in river basin contexts and provide evidence-based pathways for balancing economic growth with ecological protection in ecologically sensitive regions worldwide, directly supporting multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

The rapid advancement of digital technology has profoundly transformed the tourism industry, driving a shift from scale expansion toward high-quality and sustainable growth. However, spatiotemporal nature of digital empowerment’s support for sustainable tourism, particularly under heterogeneous regional conditions, remains insufficiently examined. To address this gap, this study constructs a dual-system evaluation framework and employs the entropy method to measure the spatiotemporal Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) between digital technology and tourism development of A-Level Scenic Spots across 30 Chinese provinces (2013–2020). The entropy method is employed to build indicator systems for both subsystems, and CCD is calculated to assess the interaction strength and coordination level. The results reveal that: (1) A-level scenic spot development exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity, declining clearly from Eastern/Central to Western/Northeast regions; (2) CCD showed a general upward trend during 2013–2019 and it followed a nonlinear trajectory of decline first but then recovery, establishing a stable spatial pattern: East > Central > West/Northeast; (3) The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused a temporary drop in CCD nationwide, but regional resilience varied considerably; (4) Provinces in the disordered stage are generally of the digital technology lagging type. Economic foundation, digital facilities, industrial structure and innovation capability are key drivers of coordination differences. We propose that leading regions should focus on cross-regional data sharing and green-smart upgrading, while lagging regions must prioritize digital infrastructure investment and talent introduction to effectively bridge the digital divide and foster equitable and high-quality sustainable tourism development. This study provides new insights for promoting regional sustainability through digital technology development and offers policy recommendations for advancing digital–tourism synergy in different regional contexts. Full article

Aircraft emissions are a growing environmental concern due to their contribution to local air pollution and potential health risks, particularly around rapidly expanding airports. In Egypt, rapid urban growth and tourism have driven the construction of new airports, underscoring the need to assess their environmental impacts, particularly those related to aircraft emissions in the surrounding areas. Few studies have assessed aircraft emissions across multiple Egyptian airports, particularly under future capacity and climate scenarios, using dispersion models. This study evaluates the environmental impact of aircraft emissions at four Egyptian airports using the Graz Lagrangian Dispersion Model (GRAL). The analysis accounts for projected increases in airport capacity through 2030 and 2035 and examines how climate change may influence pollutant dispersion. Emissions from 2021 served as a baseline, while future meteorological conditions were simulated with the RegCM4 regional climate model under the RCP4.5 scenario. Results show that maximum daily average carbon monoxide concentrations at Administrative Capital Airport increased from ~24.5 µg/m³ in 2021 to ~100.3 µg/m³ in 2035, while nitrogen dioxide concentrations at El-Meliz Airport rose from ~20.3 to ~47.6 µg/m³. Similar upward trends were observed for sulfur dioxide and particulate matter (PM₁₀), although all simulated values remained below the thresholds established by Egyptian Environmental Law. These findings highlight that continued growth in aviation activity, even without breaching national standards, may contribute to long-term health risks for nearby communities. Full article

Digital marketing has become a game-changer by combining cutting-edge technologies, insights into how customers behave, and applicability across industries to change how businesses plan and how they interact with customers. Digital marketing is a key part of being competitive, sustainable, and innovative in a world where more and more people are using the internet and social media. Even though this subject is important, the study of it is still scattered, which shows that there is a need to systematically map out its intellectual structure. This research utilizes a bibliometric and topic modeling methodology, analyzing 4722 publications sourced from the Scopus database, including the string “Digital Marketing”. The authors employed Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), a method from Natural Language Processing, to discern latent study themes and Vosviewer 1.6.20 for bibliometric analysis. The results explore ten main thematic clusters, such as digital marketing and blockchain, applications in the health and food industries, higher education and skill enhancement, machine learning and analytics, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and sustainability, emerging trends and ethics, sales transformation, tourism and hospitality, digital media and audience perception, and consumer satisfaction through service quality. These clusters show that digital marketing is becoming more interdisciplinary and is becoming more connected to ethical and technological issues. The report finds that digital marketing research is changing quickly because of artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, immersive technology, and reflect it with a digital business environment. Future directions encompass the expansion of analyses to new economies, the implementation of advanced semantic models, and the navigation of ethical difficulties, thereby guaranteeing that digital marketing fosters both business progress and public welfare. Full article

The rapid development of the digital economy (DE) provides a new driving force for high-quality tourism development (HQTD). How to coordinate HQTD and DE is an urgent issue to be resolved. In this study, the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between HQTD and DE in Chinese prefecture-level cities is analysed using the CCD model, and the factors driving CCD are identified by Shapley additive explanations (SHAP). The results show that (1) Chinese city-level HQTD and DE show a rising trend from 2010 to 2019. The national average rises from 0.1807 and 0.2434 in 2010 to 0.2318 and 0.4113 in 2019, respectively, with HQTD’s development lagging noticeably behind DE. (2) CCD exhibits marked inter-regional disparities and intra-regional clustering. The northwest region has the lowest values, with many cities’ CCD below 0.5, indicating an imbalanced status. In 2019, all cities in the eastern region are in a balanced status, with Shanghai exceeding 0.8. (3) Total social retail sales per capita and percentage of tertiary sector are the key drivers of CCD; economic development and urbanisation rate exhibit a non-linear relationship with CCD. The CCD in developed cities in the east and north is driven by consumption, whereas the northwest region is primarily influenced by factors related to labour capital. Based on these conclusions, some policy implications are provided for the synergistic development of HQTD and DE. Full article

Background and Aim: Food hygiene is fundamental to public health, ensuring safe and nutritious food free from contaminants, and is vital for economic development and sustainability. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system is a crucial tool for managing risks in food production. Despite global recognition of food safety’s importance, significant disparities exist, especially in Southern Italy, where diverse food production, tourism, and economic factors pose challenges to enforcing hygiene standards. This study evaluates non-compliance with food hygiene regulations within a Local Health Authority (LHA) in Calabria, Southern Italy, to inform effective public health strategies. Materials and Methods Authorized by the Food Hygiene and Nutrition Service (FHNS) of the LHA, the study covers January 2022 to December 2024, analyzing 579 enterprises with 1469 production activities. Inspections followed EC Regulation No. 852/2004, verifying the correct application of procedures based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles, including the operator’s monitoring of Critical Control Points (CCPs), and adherence to Good Hygiene Practices (GHPs). Non-compliances were classified by severity, and corrective and punitive actions were applied. Data were analyzed annually and across the full period using descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests to assess trends. Results: Inspection coverage increased markedly from 29.8% of production activities in 2022 to 62.5% in 2023, sustaining 62.0% in early 2024, exceeding the growth of new activities. Inspections were mainly triggered by RASFF alerts (22.4%), routine controls (20.0%), and verification of previous prescriptions (14.3%). The most frequent corrective measures were long-term prescriptions (28.6%), violation reports (22.9%), and short-term prescriptions (20.0%). Enterprises averaged 4.61 production activities, highlighting operational complexity. Conclusions: This study provides a granular analysis of food hygiene non-compliance within a Local Health Authority (LHA) in Southern Italy, to inform effective public health strategies. While official control data may be publicly available in some contexts, our research offers a unique, in-depth view of inspection triggers, non-compliance patterns, and corrective measures, which is crucial for understanding specific regional challenges. The analysis reveals that the prevalence of long-term prescriptions and reliance on RASFF alerts indicate systemic challenges requiring sustained interventions. Full article