Search Results (1,060)

The aim of this study is to examine the role and importance of certain promotional policies in supporting the image of Greek public museums with direct consequences on their visibility and attractiveness at national and global levels. It also examines whether the implementation of these policies is directly related to both the dynamics of the museums and the geographical location in which they are located. In particular, emphasis was given to the comparative analysis of the degree of adoption of promotion policies between museums located in the major urban centers of Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki) and those located in the Greek periphery. For these purposes, questionnaires were handed out to museum directors and managers in Greece (national and regional). In a total of 173 public museums and archeological sites (also having a museum) across the country, 114 questionnaires were sent out, covering 66% of the surveyed reference population. A hundred (100) valid questionnaires were collected (response rate: 88%), covering 58% of the public museums in Greece and, in particular, 25 museums and archeological sites of national importance and 75 of regional/local importance. Data were analyzed by using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses, Structural Equation Modeling techniques, and parametric tests (T-tests). The results highlight the importance of external orientation, strategic digital engagement, and visibility through networks over traditional marketing tactics. Furthermore, the findings reveal that museums in urban areas consistently demonstrate higher levels of awareness as well as greater adoption of modern and extroverted marketing strategies, indicating that they can be key drivers of urban tourism development, reshaping the way cities develop. Full article

Since 2007, the Yellow Sea has experienced the world’s largest green tides, with Ulva prolifera O.F. Müller as the dominant species. Those blooms severely impacted the local tourism and aquaculture, resulting in significant economic losses, as well as negative social and ecological consequences. Unlike other global green tides, those in the Yellow Sea are characterized by long-distance drifting and an astonishing scale. These destructive events display significant temporal and spatial variability, which is largely driven by dynamic environmental conditions and human activities. In this review, we summarize recent advancements in understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of long-distance transport, the interannual variability in bloom size, and the underlying mechanisms driving these fluctuations. Additionally, we highlight important knowledge gaps that need further investigation to support the development of effective management strategies for mitigating the impacts of green tides in the Yellow Sea. Full article

The objective of this research is to design sustainable public spaces along the banks of the Ichu River in Huancavelica, Peru, with the aim of promoting environmental awareness within the local community. The identified problem lies in the deterioration of these spaces and the limited environmental awareness among the population. The applied methodology includes both macro- and micro-scale analyses of the study area, as well as the use of bioclimatic maps to incorporate passive strategies, clean technologies, and the use of local and ecological materials. The proposed hypothesis states that if sustainable public spaces are designed by integrating bioclimatic strategies, clean technologies, and local materials, then environmental awareness among the population will be strengthened, the quality of life of residents will improve, and the economic and social development of Huancavelica will be promoted. The results show that the implementation of sustainable infrastructure such as roads, parks, a riverside promenade with local product fairs, and a tourist dock can significantly contribute to improving the urban and natural environment. Additionally, the creation of an ecomuseum with sensory gardens is proposed to encourage social inclusion. In conclusion, the design of these spaces not only supports the conservation of the local ecosystem through actions such as reforestation and sustainable rainwater drainage but also strengthens the sense of community belonging and boosts economic development through neighborhood markets and responsible tourism activities, thereby improving the relationship between the community and its natural environment. Full article

This study addresses the critical need for accurate tourism demand (TD) forecasting in Bulgaria using economic indicators, developing robust predictive models to navigate post-pandemic market volatility. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed tourism’s vulnerability to systemic shocks, highlighting deficiencies in traditional forecasting approaches. Bulgaria’s tourism industry, characterized by strong seasonal variations and economic sensitivity, requires enhanced methodologies for strategic planning in uncertain environments. The research employs comprehensive comparative analysis of machine learning (ML) and deep machine learning (DML) methodologies. Monthly overnight stay data from Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute (2005–2024) were integrated with COVID-19 case data, Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Bulgarian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) variables for the same period. Multiple approaches were implemented including Prophet with external regressors, Ridge regression, LightGBM, and gradient boosting models using inverse MAE weighting optimization, alongside deep learning architectures such as Bidirectional LSTM with attention mechanisms and XGBoost configurations, as each model statistical significance was estimated. Contrary to prevailing assumptions about deep learning superiority, traditional machine learning ensemble approaches demonstrated superior performance. The ensemble model combining Prophet, LightGBM, and Ridge regression achieved optimal results with MAE of 156,847 and MAPE of 14.23%, outperforming individual models by 10.2%. Deep learning alternatives, particularly Bi-LSTM architectures, exhibited significant deficiencies with negative R² scores, indicating fundamental limitations in capturing seasonal tourism patterns, probable data dependence and overfitting. The findings, provide tourism stakeholders and policymakers with empirically validated forecasting tools for enhanced decision-making. The ensemble approach combined with statistical significance testing offers improved accuracy for investment planning, marketing budget allocation, and operational capacity management during economic volatility. Economic indicator integration enables proactive responses to market disruptions, supporting resilient tourism planning strategies and crisis management protocols. Full article

The integration of farm-raised foods plays a pivotal role in elevating the attractiveness and long-term sustainability of agritourism destinations. These locally sourced culinary offerings not only provide economic opportunities and environmental benefits but also enhance the authenticity of the visitor experience, contributing to the vitality and resilience of rural communities. This study explores how three quality dimensions of farm-raised foods (atmospherics, service quality, food quality) shape visitors’ behavioral intentions. Furthermore, it examines the mediating role of visitors’ perceptions of farm-raised foods in this relationship. Drawing on data collected from 615 agritourism visitors using a quantitative approach and a structured survey instrument, the results indicate that all three quality dimensions significantly influence behavioral intentions, highlighting the importance of how the farm-raised foods are presented and interpreted. Furthermore, visitors’ perceptions of farm-raised foods significantly mediated the relationship between food quality and behavioral intentions. The findings underscore the need for agritourism operators to create immersive, high-quality food experiences that connect guests to local agriculture and culture. By emphasizing these dimensions, destination managers can enhance visitor satisfaction, build brand loyalty, and promote more sustainable rural tourism development. This research provides practical insights for strengthening agritourism strategies while supporting broader goals of sustainability and community enrichment. Full article

The objective of this study is to investigate the attitudes of Bulgarian citizens towards domestic leisure tourism, to identify the reasons behind negative attitudes across different territory types. An adapted version of Fishbein’s multi-attribute model was applied to a nationally representative sample through a two-staged clustered sampling method with a stratification at two stages. The purpose of this research is to examine consumer attitudes towards both winter and summer domestic leisure tourism by region. The highest level of negative attitudes towards domestic winter leisure tourism were found in non-maritime territories, followed closely by the densely populated non-maritime and the maritime areas. The main concerns are the lack of natural snow and insufficient tourism services. For summer leisure tourism, negative attitudes are relatively higher with the overdevelopment of resorts and pollution cited as the primary issues. The discussion compares these findings with those of previous studies. This study contributes to the existing literature through its original approach and practical relevance. Its significance lies in the potential to inform the development of effective regional marketing policies. Practical and theoretical implications are provided, offering insights into regional and national tourism strategies. These include territorial planning to prevent overdevelopment, improving tourism services, and adopting the best practice to mitigate environmental pollution. Full article

This systematic literature review examines the scholarly discourse and research trends on the integration of Islamic principles with global sustainability goals in halal tourism, addressing research gaps in understanding how this growing market sector contributes to sustainable development. The study analyzes halal certification frameworks, evaluates government support mechanisms, and assesses the role of digital technologies in enhancing halal tourism operations and sustainability. Following the PRISMA methodology, we conducted a comprehensive search of the Scopus database using a structured three-component Boolean strategy that yielded 78 documents. After applying inclusion criteria (peer-reviewed publications from 2015 to 2025 addressing halal tourism and sustainability) and exclusion criteria (studies examining concepts in isolation or lacking theoretical contributions), 62 publications were systematically analyzed using bibliometric analysis and Structural Topic Modeling. The analysis identified three distinct research clusters: Sustainable Tourism and Development (51.72%), Halal Tourism and Entrepreneurship (37.93%), and Technology and Digitalization (17.24%). A significant temporal shift in research priorities was observed, with entrepreneurship studies declining while sustainability integration and technological applications gained momentum, particularly post-pandemic. This review develops an integrated conceptual framework connecting religious principles, sustainability imperatives, and technological innovation—three domains previously examined in isolation—through nine interrelated variables across three theoretical pillars: Halal Principles Integration, Sustainability Implementation, and Digital Transformation. The framework provides destination managers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs with a foundation for developing strategies that simultaneously satisfy religious requirements, achieve sustainability outcomes, and leverage digital innovations, advancing a more inclusive understanding of tourism that respects diverse cultural values while addressing global sustainability challenges. Full article

As environmental conservation and community development gain importance, ecotourism has emerged as a significant segment of the global tourism industry. However, the cultural factors that drive tourist behavior in this domain remain underexplored. This research examined how power distance belief (PDB), interacts with the type of tourism content shared on social media (conspicuous versus experiential) to influence travelers’ ecotourism intentions. To test our hypotheses, we conducted two experimental studies using a 2 (PDB: high vs. low) × 2 (tourism content type: conspicuous vs. experiential) between-subjects design. Participants for both experiments (N = 480) were recruited through an online survey platform. In the experiments, participants’ PDB was situationally primed, and tourism content type was manipulated using specifically created fictitious posts adapted from a real social media platform. Other key variables were measured using validated multi-item scales. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and moderated mediation analysis (PROCESS Model 15). The findings reveal that travelers with high PDB show higher ecotourism intentions when exposed to conspicuous content, whereas travelers with low PDB exhibit higher intentions when exposed to experiential content. This interactive effect is mediated by travelers’ social comparison motives. These findings offer novel insights into the motivations underlying ecotourism behavior by identifying distinct pathways through which social media can promote sustainable tourism behaviors, and provide practical guidance for eco-destination managers to design targeted marketing strategies that encourage sustainable tourism practices across different consumer segments. Full article

The economic resources of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) follow a national diversification strategy that aims at sustainable growth. In this scenario, archaeological tourism plays a significant role in affirming cultural heritage but remains dependent on variables that are difficult to manipulate. This paper examines not only the opportunities but also the structural constraints of developing archaeology-based tourism propositions in a rapidly growing and highly competitive economy. The UAE counts on multiple sites, all of which face a combination of challenges to sustainable development. These comprise commercial tensions, environmental and infrastructural concerns, perspectives on authenticity, as well as global socioeconomic pressure. Such constraints are analyzed by tapping into the existing literature and recommendations for policymakers are offered in order to balance heritage conservation with economic growth. The findings emphasize the need for prioritizing community engagement and favoring sustainable representations of Emirati archaeology. Full article

Background: Greek islands face mounting pressures on their marine water resources due to tourism growth, agricultural runoff, climate change, and emerging pollutants. Safeguarding seawater quality is critical for ecosystem integrity, public health, and the sustainability of tourism-based economies. Objectives: This scoping review synthesizes and evaluates the existing research on seawater quality in the Greek islands, with emphasis on pollution sources, monitoring methodologies, and socio-environmental impacts, while highlighting the gaps in addressing emerging contaminants and aligning with sustainable development goals. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in Scopus, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Web of Science, and PubMed for English- and Greek-language studies published over the last two to three decades. The search terms covered physical, chemical, and biological aspects of seawater quality, as well as emerging pollutants. The PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed, resulting in the inclusion of 178 studies. The data were categorized by pollutant type, location, water quality indicators, monitoring methods, and environmental, health, and tourism implications. Results: This review identifies agricultural runoff, untreated wastewater, maritime traffic emissions, and microplastics as key pollution sources. Emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, PFASs, and nanomaterials have been insufficiently studied. While monitoring technologies such as remote sensing, fuzzy logic, and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are increasingly applied, these efforts remain fragmented and geographically uneven. Notable gaps exist in the quantification of socio-economic impact, source apportionment, and epidemiological assessments. Conclusions: The current monitoring and management strategies in the Greek islands have produced high bathing water quality in many areas, as reflected in the Blue Flag program, yet they do not fully address the spatial, temporal, and technological challenges posed by climate change and emerging pollutants. Achieving long-term sustainability requires integrated, region-specific water governance linked to the UN SDGs, with stronger emphasis on preventive measures, advanced monitoring, and cross-sector collaboration. Full article

This study seeks to develop and evaluate a methodological framework for assessing the tourism potential of hillforts, by using a selected sample of 25 of these heritage resources located in the Lower Silesia Voivodeship. This region, as one of Poland’s most popular among domestic and international tourists, is increasingly confronting overtourism at its primary attractions. Concurrently, it possesses underutilised cultural assets, notably 250 remnants of gords/hillforts (grodziska in Polish) spanning various historical periods and dispersed across the whole area. Thus, to ensure the universality of the method, samples of hillforts from three main topographic zones of Lower Silesia were selected. In addition to the aim of testing the method, a secondary objective of the research involved conducting a preliminary assessment of selected hillforts’ tourism potential in different parts of the voivodeship. The methodology combined desk research and field studies across all selected archaeological sites. Concerning the primary objective, the developed assessment tool effectively replicated the multidimensional analytical framework characteristic of established methodologies, yielding reliable outcomes for evaluating gords’ tourism potential. However, modifications to the scoring system are recommended to enhance methodological precision. Regarding analysis of the 25 surveyed hillforts, the results indicate that objects from all zones mainly demonstrate high tourism potential, suggesting an opportunity for transformation into tourist attractions. The integration of hillforts into existing tourism infrastructure could significantly contribute to localised sustainable development across the region. The primary significance of these heritage resources lies in their capacity to facilitate the diversification of tourism offerings across distinct areas of the voivodeship. This development holds particular strategic value for northern poviats currently peripherally engaged in tourism economy. Moreover, by leveraging hillforts, communities obtain assets important in the process of building a common identity around cultural/historical place while safeguarding monuments. Concurrently, the most attractive southern poviats will benefit from the new attractions as they can help in mitigating overtourism pressures at overcrowded places, being an interesting alternative to the top attractions. This approach aligns with strategies to disperse tourist flows through specialised archaeological tourism products, thereby balancing economic benefits and local communities’ well-being with heritage preservation. Full article

Optimizing tourist routes is a critical challenge in smart tourism, which aims to enhance the visitor experience while optimizing practical parameters. However, traditional routing algorithms often fail to provide personalized and efficient itineraries in complex real-world environments. This study aims to develop a hybrid framework that integrates Simulated Annealing for global route optimization with the A algorithm* for accurate local pathfinding, leveraging geographic data from OpenStreetMap. The proposed method computes the shortest paths between all Points of Interest using A*, constructing a comprehensive distance matrix, and applying Simulated Annealing to determine the most efficient visiting sequence. The framework was evaluated in the Old Medina of Fez, Morocco, demonstrating its effectiveness in generating realistic and efficient itineraries. Compared to alternative strategies such as Genetic Algorithms, the hybrid approach achieves superior computational efficiency and produces better routes in terms of travel distance. These findings highlight the practical applicability of the framework as a modular service for smart tourism applications, offering tourists and tourism platform developers a scalable solution for personalized and sustainable itinerary planning. Full article

Cruise tourism plays a prominent role in Kotor’s tourism strategy, contributing to local income and shaping the city’s recent development. Driven by growing global demand, cruise arrivals have transformed the destination, raising questions about sustainability and local well-being. This study examines how residents perceive the impacts of cruise tourism across economic, sociocultural and environmental dimensions. Based on a sample of 214 residents, data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and ANOVA. The findings indicate predominantly negative attitudes, especially regarding increased living costs, overcrowding and limited local economic benefits. Environmental concerns were also strongly expressed. Notably, there were no significant differences in perceptions based on residents’ proximity to the cruise port or their employment in tourism. These results contrast with earlier research suggesting that tourism involvement or spatial proximity leads to more positive attitudes. In Kotor’s case, widespread dissatisfaction suggests that a saturation point has been reached, highlighting a growing disconnect between cruise tourism growth and community well-being. The findings indicate the need for participatory and sustainable tourism planning and reaffirm the relevance of conceptual models such as Doxey’s Irridex in assessing resident attitudes in over-touristed destinations. Full article

Peripheral rural coastal areas in Europe face persistent structural challenges, including demographic decline, aging populations, and the collapse of traditional sectors like fishing. These are further aggravated by environmental disasters, which weaken local economies. Public sector intervention is therefore essential, not only to provide an immediate response, but also to guarantee long-term solutions. This study explores the contribution of state-led tourism infrastructures to rural development and post-disaster recovery, taking the Parador Costa da Morte in Galicia as a case study. Based on data from a survey of parador guests, it identifies tourist profiles through factor and cluster motivation analysis. The parador’s impacts on the surrounding region are assessed by examining tourists’ travel patterns and spending behavior, as well as the analysis of secondary data on regional changes in tourism supply and demand. The results show widely differing motivations and, despite varying visitor profiles, the predominance of a tourism typology that generates significant local spillovers. These findings support the potential of high-quality, publicly driven tourism initiatives to stimulate the economy of structurally disadvantaged rural areas. The article ends with recommendations for tourism strategies aligned with local recovery and development goals. Full article

The hospitality sector plays a crucial role in the tourism industry, undergoing a transformation driven by the intersection of service innovation and environmental practices. Competitiveness in this sector requires adaptation to market demands, with a focus on service innovation and environmental sustainability. This research aims to analyze the relationship between service innovation, environmental practices, and sustainable competitive advantage in Brazilian hospitality establishments. A quantitative and descriptive approach was applied to 300 individuals who stayed in Brazil. Data collection was conducted through an online questionnaire, utilizing the Snowball Sampling technique. The data collection was between 15 February and 20 June 2024. Data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling, which enabled the examination of multiple variables and the verification of hypothetical relationships. The research results validated the hypotheses tested, demonstrating that service innovation and environmental practices have a positive influence on sustainable competitive advantage in hospitality establishments. An important finding in the research refers to the correlation between these constructs, which highlights the importance of integrated strategies that consider innovation and environmental sustainability as key elements for organizational success in the hospitality sector. With its theoretical contribution, this research developed a framework for analyzing the relationships between the constructs. Full article