Search Results (794)

As the “fifth major factor of production,” data plays a crucial role in fostering China’s tourism industry, advancing high-quality economic development, and gaining competitive market advantages. Serving as institutional infrastructure for data factor rights confirmation, pricing, trading, and value conversion, data trading platforms are central to the market-based allocation of data factors. The efficient flow and value realization of data elements have paved the way for the rapid development of digital tourism; new forms of digital tourism represent a profound transformation of the industry resulting from integration and innovation with other sectors. Based on the platform ecosystem theory, we select the panel data of 297 Chinese cities from 2012 to 2024 and innovatively use the Double/Debiased Machine Learning (DDML) model to empirically test the impact of data trading platforms on the new forms of digital tourism and its mechanisms. It is found that the construction of data trading platforms effectively empowers the development of new forms of digital tourism, and this conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests, such as changing the sample split ratio, replacing the machine learning algorithm, and the instrumental variables method. Mechanism analysis indicates that data trading platforms significantly promote new forms of digital tourism through dual pathways of talent agglomeration and technological innovation, an effect further strengthened by increased government support. Heterogeneity analysis found that the empowerment effect is more significant in cities with lower resource endowment and common administrative level and historical cities, which can be effectively transformed into an employment support effect. Spatial effect analysis reveals that the establishment of data trading platforms exerts a positive pull effect on new forms of tourism in surrounding cities within a 30 km core zone. However, this effect gradually weakens with increasing distance, turning into a significant negative siphon effect beyond 60 km. The findings provide theoretical basis and empirical support for regionally differentiated digital tourism development policies. Full article

Property-rights confirmation and registration are widely regarded as an institutional foundation for ecological-product value realization, yet the dynamic mechanism through which registration clarity affects multi-actor cooperation remains insufficiently understood. Using the Yunhe Terraced Fields National Wetland Park in Zhejiang Province as a case, this study develops a tripartite evolutionary-game model involving the local government, farmers, and tourism enterprises. The model incorporates registration clarity into the payoff structure through transaction-cost reduction, compensation realization, and regulatory constraint channels. Parameters are calibrated using gross ecosystem product (GEP) accounting, policy documents, administrative records, and field survey data. Numerical simulations show that clearer registration expands the basin of attraction of cooperative equilibrium and accelerates convergence under the calibrated parameter setting. Government incentives serve as an important external trigger, enterprise participation depends on a feasible balance between cost-sharing and expected returns, and farmers’ ecological protection is crucial for maintaining long-term cooperative stability. The study contributes by transforming registration clarity from a descriptive institutional background into a scenario-based institutional-intensity variable within an evolutionary-game framework. The findings should be interpreted as calibrated simulation evidence rather than direct causal estimates, and they suggest an integrated institutional path linking registration, compensation, transaction-cost reduction, and regulation. Full article

Alpine glaciers are a vital resource for mountain regions. They provide water reserves, support energy production and tourism, and promote biodiversity. However, they are highly susceptible to climate change. In fact, they are recognised as being among the areas most affected by, and increasingly exposed to, natural hazards. The Rutor glacier in Aosta Valley, Italy, which has been the subject of repeated measurements since the 19th century and currently covers an area of around 8 km², is undergoing significant and continuous retreat. It thus serves as an exemplary case study of the impact of climate change on the Italian Alps. This ongoing research has made it possible to conduct multi-temporal analysis of the glacier. Within this framework, Politecnico di Torino, in collaboration with ARPA Valle d’Aosta, has developed a multidisciplinary research approach focused on the characterisation of alpine environments. This study illustrates the geomatic workflows and derived geospatial products that can be used to carry out a 4D monitoring of the extent and volume of the Rutor Glacier and estimate its mass balance over the past six years. A specific focus of the study is the propagation of errors in multi-temporal analyses used to quantify glacier melt, with particular attention to the precision of input 3D geospatial data and to the Limit of Detection of elevation differences, ultimately enabling the estimation of the uncertainty associated with the derived quantities and their temporal trends. Finally, advantages and limitations in the multi-temporal and multi-sensor monitoring of glaciers are presented and discussed. Full article

With the rapid advancement of information and communication technologies, new quality productive forces (NQPF) have emerged as a critical driver of the sustainable development of culture–tourism integration (SDCTI). Using panel data from 31 Chinese provinces spanning 2011–2023, this study constructs composite indices of NQPF and SDCTI based on the entropy method and the coupling coordination model, and empirically examines the impact and underlying mechanisms of NQPF on SDCTI. The results indicate that NQPF significantly promote SDCTI. Mechanism analysis shows that NQPF enhance SDCTI primarily by improving innovation capacity and stimulating entrepreneurial activity, with the mediating effect of entrepreneurship being more pronounced. In addition, NQPF contribute to SDCTI by alleviating labor misallocation, whereas the mediating effect of capital misallocation is not statistically significant. Heterogeneity analysis further reveals that the positive impact of NQPF is stronger in regions with higher levels of artificial intelligence development, lower tourism resource endowments, and weaker transportation infrastructure, highlighting both technological synergy and resource substitution effects. These findings remain robust after a series of endogeneity and robustness tests. Based on these findings, this study highlights the importance of promoting NQPF, strengthening innovation-oriented actors and technological applications, and optimizing labor allocation to fully unleash their enabling role in advancing SDCTI. Full article

The study analyses the role of GEOfood products and geoproducts in the eco-cultural sustainability and territorial regeneration of Portuguese UNESCO Global Geoparks, highlighting how geodiversity, agriculture, gastronomy and local communities are integrated into sustainable development strategies. GEOfood is presented not only as a certification mark, but as an instrument of territorial governance, capable of strengthening short supply chains, promoting local products, preserving traditional agro-silvo-pastoral systems and reinforcing the cultural identity of the territories. An analysis of the five Portuguese geoparks—Naturtejo, Arouca, the Azores, Terras de Cavaleiros and Estrela—highlights four main strategic pillars: certification and territorial branding, strengthening short supply chains and empowering producers, integrating gastronomy into interpretive tourism, and contributing to regenerative tourism practices. The results show positive impacts in terms of ecological conservation, landscape preservation, socio-cultural continuity and local economic resilience. It is concluded that GEOfood functions as a mechanism for integrated territorial enhancement, converting geological and food resources into economic, cultural and educational assets, whilst supporting landscape regeneration, the intergenerational transmission of knowledge and the sustainability of rural communities. Full article

The integration of culture and tourism has positioned literary heritage tourism as an important pathway for the sustainable development of cultural landscapes and urban regeneration. However, existing studies remain fragmented, lacking a systematic understanding of the spatial configuration, development processes, and the role of tourists in shaping these spaces. Addressing these gaps, this study adopts a tourist-perception perspective to examine seven types of literary heritage tourism space forms in Shanghai. Using online review data, TF–IDF and TextRank methods are applied to identify key space elements and their semantic relationships, enabling a data-driven analysis of spatial characteristics. The results identify three key dimensions, namely perceptual, conceptual, and experiential, which are further organised into 15 subcategories. A spatial analytical framework is developed to conceptualise the literary heritage tourism space as a process shaped by physical settings, symbolic interpretations, and experiential co-production. Furthermore, the findings suggest an interpretive framework of spatial reconstruction, in which tourist participation serves as a link between internal space elements and broader socio-cultural contexts. This study extends the application of spatial production theory from a perception-based perspective, combines computational text analysis with spatial interpretation, and offers practical implications for sustainable cultural landscape planning. Full article

The tourism industry is a wide and holistic industry, the value of which cannot be overestimated: it plays a key role in promoting inter-cultural understanding and socio-cultural development. Sri Lanka is a renowned tourism destination that offers many diverse tourism products. However, the tourism industry has been continuously and severely disturbed by prolonged civil war. After the war, tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka, particularly to war zones and war memorial sites, rapidly grew. The main objective of this study is to explore dark tourism development in the Northern Province (NP), Sri Lanka. Employing a qualitative methodological approach, this study is underpinned by an interpretive research philosophy. Research data were collected through field-based interviews. For in-depth interviews, sixteen interviewees from different stakeholder groups were selected, using a purposive sampling technique. The research results reveal that twenty-seven dark tourism destinations in the northern territory face various challenges in being developed as sustainable dark tourism destinations. Furthermore, this study indicates that the Sri Lankan Army was aggressively involved in the revitalization of the tourism industry in the northern territory. This research recommends the following moves intended to promote dark tourism development in the NP. First and foremost, when developing dark tourism in the NP, the active participation of locals should be accommodated. Second, rituals must be taken into account as a key mechanism for impressing upon tourists the richness and historical value of dark sites. When developing dark tourism packages, death-related rituals ought to be considered. If so, travelers can experience amazing intangible heritage associated with death. Full article

This paper examines how forest by-products (potash, tar, resin and charcoal—PoTaRCh), with a special focus on charcoal production, are presented in contemporary heritage tourism and how different communication frameworks influence the audience’s perceptions and intentions in the context of low-carbon development. The research is based on a combined methodological approach. Qualitative analysis of 70 communication units from the field of heritage tourism identified three dominant communication frames: traditional heritage, ecological-educational frame and future-oriented low-carbon innovation. These findings served as the basis for the experimental part of the research, conducted through an online A/B test on a sample of 212 adult respondents interested in travel, cultural tourism and heritage-based experiences. The results of the experiment indicate that the low-carbon communication framework leads to statistically significantly higher levels of perceived relevance of PoTaRCh, visit intention and positive attitude towards sustainability compared to the traditional framework, with perceived relevance partially mediating these effects. The findings suggest that, although traditional communication patterns still dominate heritage tourism, the future-oriented low-carbon framework shows greater communication potential for attracting a sustainability- and future-oriented audience. By combining the analysis of communication content from several European countries and the experimental testing of communication frameworks, the research provides an empirical contribution to the understanding of the transition from the concept of heritage-as-preservation to heritage-as-transition in contemporary discourses of sustainable tourism. Full article

The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) was launched to conserve, sustainably manage, and enhance the viability of the world’s agricultural heritage systems. The Cascade Tank-Village Irrigation system in the Sri Lankan dry zone was recognized as a GIAHS in 2018. Sri Lanka has conserved and used this water system sustainably for more than 2000 years but has not yet capitalised on its potential for tourism. Therefore, this paper identifies innovation opportunities for developing agricultural heritage tourism in the dry zone of Sri Lanka with implications for other agricultural heritage sites worldwide. We adopted an innovation strategy framework to identify areas of innovation to develop for GIAHS-based tourism sites with a focus on product development, processes, management, logistics, and institutional aspects. We conclude by presenting a novel Agricultural Heritage Tourism Development Framework that highlights the critical elements necessary to consider for developing agricultural heritage tourism sites. Full article

This study developed internally consistent scenarios for tourism village development to strengthen destination competitiveness and support the local economy. Using an exploratory–constructive design and the Cross-Impact Balance method, the study structured the relationships among development elements, competitiveness, and local economic development into 13 descriptors with 52 states. Expert judgment was used to construct a cross-impact matrix, and ScenarioWizard identified 18 consistent scenarios and their Total Impact Scores. Four scenarios showed positive consistency scores, with one high-road scenario emerging as the most consistent pathway toward very high competitiveness and a stronger role for tourism villages in the local economy. This scenario was characterized by a clear value proposition, full integration of local MSMEs and products, diversified revenue sources, equitable benefit distribution, strong managerial and digital capacity, transparent governance, multi-stakeholder partnerships, strategic use of public funds, and a structured digital marketing and booking system. These findings suggest that policy efforts should prioritize coordinated improvements in value proposition, MSME integration, revenue diversification, governance, partnerships, and digital management to move tourism villages toward the high-road scenario. Full article

Under the combined pressures of urbanization and tourism development, terraced agricultural heritage sites are increasingly threatened by the degradation of traditional landscapes, the weakening of living cultural practices, and mismatches between the supply and demand of cultural ecosystem services (CESs). As a representative type of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHSs), the rice terrace landscapes of southern China have formed an integrated system of forests, villages, terraces, and water networks, embodying multiple values related to production, ecology, landscape, and culture. To support the coordination of heritage conservation, tourism development, and the transformation of cultural value, this study takes the core area of the Longji Terraced Fields as a case study and develops an improved SolVES–IPA collaborative assessment framework from the perspective of tourist perception. Four CES categories are examined: recreational value, aesthetic value, historical and cultural value, and educational value. The results show that (1) the four CES categories exhibit significant spatial differentiation. Recreational and aesthetic values are mainly concentrated in high-altitude viewing spaces, whereas historical, cultural, and educational values depend more heavily on traditional architectural spaces and interpretive nodes. (2) Clear supply–demand mismatches exist across CES categories. Recreational value is constrained by limited activity diversity; aesthetic value is limited by inadequate architectural harmony; historical and cultural value is primarily restricted by insufficient continuity of living traditions; and educational value is constrained by incomplete interpretive content and single presentation formats. (3) CES optimization in the Longji Terraced Fields should adopt both type-specific and hierarchical intervention strategies, including priority optimization for high-value units with critical shortcomings, near-term improvement for high-value units with general shortcomings, functional enhancement for medium-value units with critical shortcomings, progressive optimization for medium-value units with general shortcomings, and potential cultivation of low-value units. Based on these findings, this study proposes several optimization directions, including strengthening participatory experiences, promoting the coordinated renewal of the architectural landscape, creating multisensory cultural display spaces, and establishing a multidimensional interpretation network. The improved SolVES–IPA collaborative assessment framework developed in this study integrates CES spatial identification, supply–demand diagnosis, and optimization priority setting, providing a methodological reference and practical support for enhancing cultural services and promoting the coordinated development of heritage conservation and cultural tourism in the Longji Terraced Fields and similar agricultural heritage sites. Full article

This study examines whether and under what conditions the digital economy (DGE) improves the green development efficiency of China’s tourism industry. Drawing on panel data for 30 Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2023, we develop a multidimensional index of the DGE that captures digital infrastructure, digital industrialization, and industrial digitalization. To evaluate tourism green development efficiency, we employ a non-radial, non-angular super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SBM) model that incorporates both desirable outputs and undesirable environmental externalities. From a theoretical perspective, we extend the Cobb–Douglas production framework by embedding DGE-induced technological progress, showing that digitalization can improve green efficiency through two complementary pathways: it expands expected output while reducing carbon intensity. Empirically, the baseline two-way fixed-effects results show that DGE significantly promotes tourism green development efficiency ($\beta$ = 0.0153, p < 0.05), and this result remains robust in instrumental-variable (IV) estimation ($\beta$ = 0.0383, p < 0.05). We further show that this relationship is conditioned by three important external conditions. First, environmental regulation strengthens the enabling effect of digitalization, consistent with a compliance-induced Porter effect. Second, tourism industry agglomeration enhances the benefits of digital transformation by deepening knowledge spillovers and network complementarities. Third, green finance relaxes financing constraints and creates more favorable conditions for digital investment. By integrating a formal theoretical model with panel-data evidence, this study provides a unified explanation of both the mechanism and the boundary conditions through which the DGE promotes tourism green development efficiency. Overall, the findings suggest that the DGE is an important driver of sustainable tourism development and offer useful policy implications for coordinated digital and green transformation. Full article

The location of the decommissioned factory of plastics and chemical products Jugovinil, City of Kaštela, Croatia, has gained significant attention for urban development and the establishment of tourist facilities over the past three decades. Since the site is on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, on the shore of Kaštela Bay, where nautical tourism is already developed, plans for a five-star tourism complex were initiated. Given that the former industrial plant, its coal-powered power plant, and other later industrial activities (small shipyards) caused a certain degree of contamination with NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material) residues and heavy metals, an on-site detailed investigation was conducted into the spatial distribution and concentration evaluation of contaminants within dozens of soil samples, and the distributions of contaminants in the area of interest were shown in the form of maps. This study applies an integrated GIS and geostatistical framework to analyze the spatial distribution of multiple contaminants. Maps highlighting polluted zones are included, along with maps indicating areas with higher cumulative concentrations of contaminants. This paper provides an overview of potential issues related to the detected contaminants, as well as proposals for remediation methods before repurposing the site using retrospective data about sources of residues and contaminants. Full article

This study aims to examine the influence of the marketing mix and service quality on hotel selection decisions in a growing urban tourism destination in Thailand in a separate model. A mixed-methods approach was employed. Quantitative data were gathered from 385 tourists residing in four- and five-star hotels, while qualitative data were derived from comprehensive interviews with five hotel operators. The first multiple linear regression analysis model of the service marketing mix revealed that product, promotion, personnel, service process, and distribution channels had a statistically significant influence on hotel selection at the 0.05 level, explaining 50.3% of the variance. The second multiple linear regression analysis model of service quality reveals that responsiveness, empathy, and reliability significantly affect tourists’ decisions, explaining 43.9% of the variance. The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings led to the development of four strategic directions: (1) digital competitive advantage, (2) niche market development, (3) service quality enhancement, and (4) sustainability and risk management strategies. The findings contribute to hospitality management by examining how the 7Ps and SERVQUAL influence customer selection behaviors, integrating the entrepreneur’s perspective, and providing appropriate strategic directions for a secondary urban destination. Full article

The development of Smart Tourism often overlooks the “Wilderness Last Mile”, leading to the spatial exclusion of people with disabilities in mountain areas. This problem exists because standard tourist maps and urban-centric accessibility models rely on averaged terrain data, failing to identify critical micro-scale barriers (e.g., short, sudden steep ascents) that pose severe safety and traction risks for off-road wheelchair users. To address this gap, this article presents a novel GIS methodology for planning accessible off-road tourism for electric Specialized Off-Road Wheelchairs. The proposed four-stage analytical model includes (1) graph-based trail network topologization to enable precise routing; (2) traction safety verification utilizing high-resolution (1 × 1 m) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) micro-segmentation to detect hidden slope barriers; (3) multi-criteria evaluation combining a user-calibrated Difficulty Index (EDI) and a Tourism Quality Index (TQI); and (4) a hub optimization algorithm that prioritizes locations maximizing the diversity of accessible routes. The method was empirically tested in a case study of the Bieszczady Mountains (Poland), calibrating the model with the technical limits (25% max slope) of a prototype wheelchair. The experimental results clearly validate the model’s superiority over traditional approaches: the micro-segmentation successfully identified hidden terrain traps, disqualifying 55% of the standard trail network that would have otherwise been deemed safe by average-slope assessments. Furthermore, the model identified a contiguous safe network of 153 km and pinpointed the optimal rental hub location, ensuring the highest inclusivity and route variety. Ultimately, this approach transforms raw spatial data into safe, ready-made tourism products, providing a precise tool with which to implement Universal Design in natural environments. Full article