Search Results (31)

In recent years, the number of fake news stories has significantly increased in the world of media, especially with the widespread use of social media. It has impacted several industries, including tourism. From a tourism point of view, the spread of fake news can contribute to the reduction of the popularity of a destination. It may influence travel decisions by discouraging tourists from visiting certain places and thus damage the reputation of the destination, contributing to economic loss. After a literature review on the communication aspect of fake news and a general introduction of fake news in the tourism and hospitality industry, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR), a research methodology to collect, identify, and analyse available research studies through a systematic procedure. The current SLR is based on the Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases of existing literature on the topic of fake news in the tourism and hospitality industry. The study identifies, lists, and examines existing papers and conference proceedings from a vast array of disciplines, in order to give a well-rounded view on the issue of fake news in the tourism and hospitality industry. After selecting a total of 54 previous studies from more than 20 thousand results for the keywords ‘fake news’ and ‘tourism,’ we have analysed 39 papers in total. The SLR aimed to highlight existing gaps in the literature and areas that may require further exploration in future primary research. We have found that there is relatively limited academic literature available on the subject of fake news affecting tourism destinations, compared to studies focused on hospitality services. Full article

Understanding and promoting guest satisfaction is central to the economic sustainability of the hospitality industry. Satisfaction influences consumers’ booking intentions, hotel choice, loyalty, and the reputation and performance of accommodation establishments. Thus, accurate decision making by hotel managers relies on trustworthy and easily accessible information on the variables that affect guest satisfaction. Nowadays, this information is available through reviews and ratings provided by online platforms, such as TripAdvisor. Indeed, much research into guest satisfaction uses TripAdvisor reviews. However, this study aims to analyse guest satisfaction using only TripAdvisor ratings. These ratings can be more succinct and tractable indicators than reviews. A sample of 118 hotels in Cape Verde and the Azores, two archipelagos belonging to Macaronesia, and a descriptive, predictive, and discriminant methodology are employed for this purpose. Four main results are obtained. First, the rated items on TripAdvisor are consistent with the scientific literature on this topic. Second, TripAdvisor ratings are valid and reliable. Third, TripAdvisor ratings can predict guest satisfaction based on the perceived quality of hotel services. Fourth, there are significant differences in ratings depending on the tourism destination chosen. These results are of interest to researchers, tourists, as well as hotel, destination, and platform managers. Full article

In the post-pandemic era, tourism is recovering and historical and cultural scenic spots are highly favored but face serious homogenization and fierce competition. It is clear to both the industry and in academia that brand image building through social media is the key to relieving the situation; however, existing studies are mostly undertaken from the perspective of branding, often ignoring the use of brand equity theory in evaluating the brand image of such scenic spots. Based on the social media perspective, this study proposes and validates a set of brand image assessment frameworks for historical and cultural scenic spots centered on brand awareness, satisfaction, and reputation, which provides a scientific basis for scenic spot branding. The study constructs a multidimensional index system, utilizes the fuzzy optimal inferiority method and the TOPSIS hybrid evaluation model, and takes six historical and cultural scenic spots in Xi’an, China, as samples for quantitative and qualitative evaluation. By analyzing the rankings of these scenic spots, this study provides suggestions on how to publicize and shape brand images on social media platforms. These suggestions can enhance scenic spots’ competitiveness, leading to increased tourist flow, improved economic benefits, and enhanced cultural preservation efforts. This, in turn, contributes to the long-term, sustainable development of historical tourism destinations, addressing socio-economic and cultural challenges in a more targeted manner. Full article

This study used Chinese data to discover the causal relationship between the cultural and historical preservation and foreign tourism consumption and development. China has increased its cultural and historical protection investments and has made significant efforts in terms of environmental protection after economic growth. Tourism as an industry that develops with local environmental protection while providing economic growth is believed to be highly sustainable and attractive for many provinces to restructure their economic growth in China. This research uses empirical data from 2011 to 2019 and the regression method to show that cultural investment and environmental protection efforts have increased the amount of foreign visitors as well as the destination’s image and reputation. The results show that more cultural tourism resources and larger protection investments lead to greater tourism consumption. The cultural and historical protections have attracted foreign visitors from countries with completely different cultural backgrounds than China, particularly visitors from countries geographically far from China. Furthermore, the local service and hospitality industry grows with the development of tourism, and green innovation policies, which improve the local environment, increase tourism motivation, and develop the local economy by increasing foreign tourism consumption. This study contributes to the literature by connecting regional preservation, tourism development, and green innovation and motivates future policy decisions by demonstrating that the green policy effect stimulates tourism development; such development could alleviate the negative impact of the green innovation process on economic structural changes. Further details of cultural and historical interests from foreign visitors could aid in better understanding the tourism demand and increasing a destination’s reputation. Full article

Motivations for traveling to World Heritage natural destinations shape important theories for academic research. This study aims to analyze the influence of motivational factors on tourist satisfaction in the Galápagos Islands. The quantitative study was conducted in situ; a total of 407 valid questionnaires were collected at Mann Beach on San Cristobal Island in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Through structural equation modeling, the analysis identified key motivations contributing to satisfaction, with novelty-seeking and social interaction emerging as key determinants. In contrast, motivations such as learning and authentic coastal experiences were found to have an insignificant impact on tourists’ overall perceptions. The findings also confirmed a strong positive relationship between satisfaction and loyalty, demonstrating that satisfied tourists are more likely to return and spread positive word-of-mouth about the destination. These results highlight the importance of designing tourism experiences that align with visitors’ expectations for social interaction and novelty, thereby enhancing the sustainability and reputation of the Galápagos Islands as a unique destination. Full article

The hospitality industry is a major segment of tourism, which is, in turn, a main economic contributor for many destinations. Sustainable tourism practices are promoted worldwide by international organizations like the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) to assist different countries. Various frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), and environmental indices and management systems such as ISO 14001 are common assessment tools for environmental sustainability. This research reviews the relevance of incorporating environmental and socio-economic factors within hotel operations that may lead to improved transparency and operational effectiveness while guaranteeing adherence to sustainability within the hotel business. Accordingly, a systematic review of environmental sustainability assessments in hotels was carried out. A comprehensive analysis of research articles published between January 2000 and January 2023 by reputed databases ranging from Google Scholar, Scopus, and others, were used to conduct the literature review. A total of 38 papers were examined adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards, and it is worth noting that a significant increase in interest emerged in 2018, especially in Europe and Asia. The review reiterated the relevance and need to use relevant assessment methods and tools that aid in implementing sustainable development strategies to promote tourism-dependent economies, which can serve as a guiding note for varied tourism destinations. It additionally provides valuable knowledge for future directions, whilst improving research methods and incorporating innovative technologies. These advancements are essential as they may guide policy decisions to protect the environment within the hospitality industry. Full article

The competitiveness of tourist destinations is influenced by their relative attractiveness, which will play an essential role in their global success; gastronomy is one of the main motivations that lead tourists to visit a given destination. This research aims to investigate gastronomy’s role in the destination’s competitiveness and image through the analysis of online reputation, both in terms of ratings and sentiments provided by the experience, through the creation of an index of the online reputation of gastronomic image. Online restaurant reviews retrieved from TripAdvisor, from restaurants belonging to eight tourism destination regions, considered the competitive set to the Algarve, are analysed by applying sentiment analysis algorithms. With regard to the Algarve region, it was concluded that the Costa del Sol and the Tropical coast were the most competitive regions in terms of gastronomic image, where the inclusion of seafood products in meals was one of the strategic aspects used to increase the competitiveness of this region. These results can help restaurant managers and destination management organisations to better understand the different customer needs and how to increase their competitiveness. Full article

Scientists agree that as global temperatures rise, the intensity of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon also increases. In southern Africa, El Niño events often cause severe droughts that adversely affect a region’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, the impact of El Niño on the tourism industry in this area has not been studied sufficiently. This study examines how frequently El Niño events occur and their consequences on the Victoria Falls resort. It specifically focuses on the potential implications for the regional tourism economy during the 2023–2024 El Niño event. This study critically analyses potential strategies for tourism businesses to enhance their resilience in light of the increasing intensity of El Niño events in the region. Using the Niño 3.4 index, it has been determined that there have been at least four extreme El Niño events since 1980: 1983, 1998, and 2016, and most recently, in 2023/24. Analysis of the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and hydrological data from the Victoria Falls hydrological station showed that El Niño events significantly affect water flows at Victoria Falls, negatively impacting the resort’s reputation and brand. Examination of tourism statistics reveals that drought often leads to a decline in tourism, negatively affecting tourist resort towns’ economies. Given the projected record-low water levels for late 2024, this study recommends implementing improved communication and marketing strategies that highlight low-water activities and other non-water-dependent tourism offerings at the resort to ensure the resilience of the tourism economy. There is an urgent need to promote resorts as year-round destinations to support the climate-resilient tourism sector. Full article

In the era of social media, online reviews have become a crucial factor influencing the exposure of tourist destinations and the decision-making of potential tourists, exerting a profound impact on the sustainable development of these destinations. However, the influence of review valence on visit intention, especially the role of affective commitment and reputation (ability vs. responsibility), remains unclear. Drawing on emotion as a social information theory, this paper aims to elucidate the direct impact of different review valences on tourists’ visit intentions, as well as mediating mechanisms and boundary conditions. Three experiments indicate that positive (vs. negative) reviews can activate stronger affective commitment and visit intention, with affective commitment also playing a mediating role. Additionally, destination reputation significantly moderates the after-effects of review valences. More specifically, a responsibility reputation (compared with an ability reputation) weakens the effect of negative valence on affective commitment and visit intention. This study provides valuable theoretical insights into how emotional elements in online reviews influence the emotions and attitudes of potential tourists. Particularly for tourism managers, review valence and responsibility reputation hold practical significance in destination marketing. Full article

With the emergence of the metaverse, countries’ digital efforts to create tourism opportunities have given rise to the possibility of capitalising on digital content which, along with physical tourism experiences, can generate further income and enhance a country’s reputation. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), a unique application of blockchain technology, offer an enabling technology in several sectors, including tourism. Therefore, this study aims to explore the official tourism websites of Croatia and Slovenia and analyse current NFT applications in tourism economics. The methodology focuses explicitly on sentiment analysis, blockchain and machine learning. The paper introduces various applications currently in place, including Slovenia’s “I Feel Nft” project. The research shows that the main benefits of using NFT and sentiment analysis in the tourism economy are the promotion and presentation of major tourist destinations, exhibitions, works of art, and companies’ products in tokens, digital content and souvenirs. The adoption of sentiment analysis and NFTs in the tourism economy is still open to proposals for implementing public quantitative data metrics. Therefore, the scientific contribution of this research is essential in terms of operational recommendations and defining metrics for measuring the effectiveness of those methodologies and their applications in the tourism economy. On top of that, the practical contribution lies in monitoring the influx of tourists, and highlighting their increase over time and the significance of new technology in time series tourism research. Full article

Exploring destinations that are of cultural importance is becoming popular among tourists of all age groups. The unique blend of culture and heritage associated with such sites make them particularly interesting destinations to visit. Despite being relatively new, the idea of World Heritage Sites as a brand is gaining popularity among tourists. UNESCO designates certain locations as World Heritage Sites, and as such, they have come to represent both the natural and cultural heritage of the entire world. As a result, they are currently employed to represent the brand of a certain nation or region. Additionally, they are utilized to promote tourism, generate revenue, and increase awareness among the public of the value of their conservation. This research presents a conceptual model through identification of various factors that influence the development of heritage and cultural tourism worldwide. It has been identified that the enhancement of brand value, destination reputation, tourist experience, marketing, and promotional activities stand as key factors contributing to the development of heritage tourism. The enhancement of these will ultimately pave the way for the development of heritage tourism. Full article

In recent years, the competition in the tourism market has become more and more fierce. Tourism destinations need to ensure they have sufficient sources of tourists, and thus, improving their market competitiveness, image, and reputation are particularly important. For this reason, tourism academia has always attached great importance to the study of tourism destination image. Many studies have shown that tourists’ travel behavior is largely influenced by their perception of tourism destinations. Research on heritage tourism from the supply perspective is relatively abundant, whereas not much research has been conducted on the demand side, and the influence of heritage tourism on the perception of a destination’s image has rarely been discussed. This study examines destination image perceptions through three components: cognition, affection, and quality of experience. We propose a conceptual model that clarifies how the quality of experience mediates the formation of cognition and affection with regard to emerging destinations in mainland China. This study employed the PLS-SEM discontinuous two-stage approach, which involved the examination of higher-order constructs (HOCs). The results from a sample of 475 visitors to the ancient city of Qingzhou in mainland China showed that cognition positively influences affection, and they both positively influence the overall image. Quality of experience was shown to be a mediating factor between cognition and affection. Moreover, the variables under quality of experience were confirmed to be consistent with those under cognition. Full article

This study examines the relationships between tourism destination competitiveness (TDC), empowerment, and support for tourism among residents. It also examines the role of empowerment as a mediator in the relationship between TDC and residents’ support for tourism. A total of 711 respondents were used. This study uses descriptive analysis, two-stage factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that seven antecedents of TDC, namely natural, cultural, contextual competitiveness, complementarity, accommodation, infrastructure, and technology, are identified. Psychological empowerment has most positive effects on five facets of destination competitiveness. The results reveal a mediation effect of empowerment between the destination competitiveness and resident supportive behaviors for tourism. The outcome of this proposed model is support for tourism, which means active supportive actions for tourism among residents. The psychological and economic empowerment dimensions are shown to have positive effects on resident support for tourism. Understanding residents’ empowerment and support can be useful for those who develop political policies and action plans for sustainable tourism development. The results can suggest a model for a sustainable destination management, increasing the global reputation of travel destination, and advocacy for sustainable development goals. Full article

The island of Porto Santo belongs to the Madeira Archipelago and is often described as an idyllic paradise for its warm waters and its iconic sandy beach, though it faces vulnerabilities such as insularity; a small economy; geographic remoteness; and scarce population, area, and available resources. Nevertheless, these disadvantages have a silver lining because small territories can act as laboratories to test and develop models that can subsequently be implemented at a larger scale. This work provides a case study of the role of ports in tourism development It presents an analysis of air and maritime transport used by tourists to visit the Island of Porto Santo, Madeira Islands, Portugal. The climate changes and strong winds during the year can reduce tourist demand for the inter-island sea travel in the Madeira Archipelago. Porto Santo is a strategic transfer point for tourism, and improving the shipping infrastructures will enable a faster and more diversified maritime transportation system. To capitalise on these developments, Porto Santo needs to improve its reputation as an exclusive beach destination. This will reduce tourism seasonality and improve sustainability. Full article

The aim of this study is to analyse the relationships between the perceived ecotourism design affordances (PEDA), perceived value of destination experience (PERVAL), destination reputation, and destination loyalty among the tourists visiting Langkawi Island, Malaysia. It extends the affordance theory through the lens of Gestalt theory and ecological dynamics in understanding the interactions between tourists and products derived from their ecotourism environment. A quantitative approach was utilised, in which a structured questionnaire was used to collect 280 tourist responses through purposive sampling. Utilising partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the research hypotheses, it is reported that PEDA significantly impacts PERVAL, where the latter subsequently impacts both destination reputation and loyalty. This illustrates the mediating impacts of PERVAL on the relationship between PEDA and destination reputation and destination loyalty. Another result revealed that destination reputation has a significant effect on destination loyalty. The findings address the gap in the tourism literature centered on the dynamics of product design and its subsequent value in shaping positive ecotourism destination reputation and loyalty. Such insights also emphasise the necessity for tourism stakeholders to generate values from coherent ecotourism product design through the affordance perspective. Full article