Search Results (1,154)

Animal material culture is most often discussed in relation to tool use and foraging, while non-foraging object use remains poorly documented in many taxa. This study reports opportunistic observations of a novel object-directed behavior in the critically endangered pygmy raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus), an island-endemic species restricted to Cozumel, Mexico. During fieldwork on tourism effects between January and February 2026, researchers used direct observation, site assessment, photography, videography, and interviews to document raccoon behavior at several sites. At one beach club, two juvenile female siblings were observed retrieving paper waste, dipping it in water, rolling and compacting it with sand, and using the resulting balls in play. One juvenile first performed the full sequence while the other observed and then attempted the behavior; the second juvenile later completed the sequence independently after her sister had been removed from the site. However, at a comparable tourism site with juvenile raccoons and access to paper and water, this behavior was not observed. These observations provide potential evidence of socially mediated material engagement in pygmy raccoons. The findings expand the known behavioral repertoire of the species and support continued field-based behavioral monitoring, especially where tourism, waste exposure, and juvenile development overlap. Full article

Industrial heritage tourism depends on more than the preservation of visible structures; it also requires visitors to perceive historical and cultural meaning. This study examines public perceptions of eight representative industrial heritage tourism sites in Wuhan. Drawing on Scene Theory, we developed a three-dimensional framework encompassing physical, social, and cultural scenes. We collected user-generated content (UGC) from Dianping.com and evaluated 12 perception elements using semantic network analysis and a modified Importance–Performance Analysis based on topic salience and satisfaction. Public perceptions were dominated by visual aesthetics and social-media engagement. Ecological atmosphere received favourable evaluations despite its lower salience, whereas homogeneous commercial offerings weakened the visitor experience. Era memory and industrial heritage combined relatively high salience with low satisfaction, revealing a gap between visible physical remains and the communication of industrial history and collective memory. A hierarchical analysis further showed that only 8.40% of culture-related reviews contained deep industrial narratives. We therefore propose strategies that improve spatial interpretation, embed site-specific industrial identity in commercial and social experiences, and connect heritage objects with historical processes and workers’ memories. These findings provide an evidence-based framework for strengthening cultural interpretation in the revitalization of Wuhan’s industrial heritage. Full article

Accommodation establishments constitute a core component of tourism infrastructure, and their location choices directly affect water resource utilization, land pressure, and the spatial equilibrium of tourism development—issues that are particularly acute in vast arid regions. Yet the spatial organization of accommodation supply across extensive drylands characterized by fragmented oasis distribution, and the reasons why standard and non-standard accommodation follow divergent location logics, remain poorly understood. This study addresses three questions: (1) How are nine accommodation categories, differentiated by type and quality, distributed across Xinjiang? (2) Do directional spatial associations exist among categories that are consistent with hierarchical, path-dependent development? (3) Which factors drive these patterns, and do their effects exhibit the nonlinearity and threshold behavior predicted by location theory? Drawing on 12,073 accommodation establishments from the Ctrip platform, we construct a staged analytical framework in which each technique answers a specific question: the nearest-neighbor index and standard deviational ellipse characterize global patterns; kernel density estimation and OPTICS clustering identify local agglomerations; directional local co-location quotients measure asymmetric spatial associations; and XGBoost–SHAP isolates nonlinear drivers and threshold effects. Results reveal a highly concentrated “single-core, multi-center” structure anchored by Urumqi, Yining, and Kashgar, with rapid expansion toward the Ili Valley, Kashgar, and Altay since 2019. Standard accommodation tracks urban centrality and transport nodes, while non-standard accommodation tracks tourism resource endowments, consistent with location-theoretic expectations. Directional co-location analysis reveals hierarchical spatial associations among categories, and driving factors exhibit pronounced nonlinear threshold effects. From a sustainability perspective, the identified thresholds—elevation (1360 m), water-body proximity, and distance to rural tourism demonstration sites (3 km)—constitute quantifiable, spatially explicit sustainability indicators that can be incorporated into planning tools to monitor and steer accommodation development away from ecologically sensitive zones. Global Moran’s I diagnostics of model residuals (reduction of 83–99.7%) suggest that these findings are unlikely to be artifacts of spatial autocorrelation; this diagnostic, however, complements rather than replaces spatially blocked validation. The study contributes category-differentiated, spatially directed evidence for policies balancing tourism expansion against water security and ecosystem integrity, serving sustainable tourism development in arid-region destinations. Full article

The quantitative measurement of TCC at tourist cities involves considerable methodological complexities. Conventional evaluation methods based on fixed numerical criteria are frequently insufficient since tourism systems are characterized by unclear information, gradual shifts, and subjective experiences. To address these methodological constraints, this study develops and implements a hybrid FAHP-weighted Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) framework to estimate TCC. The framework incorporates four critical indicators, visitor density, waste generation, infrastructure load, visitor perception, reflecting the physical, environmental, infrastructural, and socio-cultural dimensions of tourism development. These indicators are assessed using a structured analytical procedure integrating fuzzification, expert-derived weighting through the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, and centroid defuzzification. This study presents a hybrid SEM–FAHP–FCE framework, which is a multi-method integrated decision model that combines SEM (structural equation modeling) for visitor perception and behavioral drivers, FAHP (fuzzy analytic hierarchy process) for expert-based indicator weighting and FCE (fuzzy comprehensive evaluation) for final carrying capacity assessment under uncertainty. This combined methodology offers a more adaptive and empirically grounded assessment of TCC by synthesizing quantitative conditions with qualitative stakeholder perceptions within a unified evaluative model. The framework is validated through empirical application to Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, one of India’s most visited destinations, across eight study sites and two seasonal conditions (normal and festival-peak). Primary data collection comprises 300 visitor count observation units and field data, i.e., visitor count, waste generation and infrastructure details. The defuzzified FAHP–FCE results for each site (W = 3.94, 3.33, 2.44, 1.95, 3.66, 1.87, 1.86 and 2.71) reveal that major pilgrimage nodes exhibit scores approaching the upper bound of the evaluation scale, indicating that tourism pressure has significantly exceeded carrying capacity during peak periods. This study establishes proof-of-concept for the FAHP–FCE framework as a standardized, replicable instrument for evidence-based TCC governance at tourism cities. Full article

Heritage tourism has become an important driver of tourism development, particularly in Asia, where countries actively promote national and cultural identities to attract visitors. Although individual studies have examined heritage identity in relation to tourism, existing reviews have not systematically synthesised the theoretical perspectives, methodological approaches, and empirical evidence on how tangible and intangible heritage identities are utilised as tourism development resources across South and Southeast Asia. Accordingly, this systematic review addresses three questions: (i) how research on heritage identity in heritage tourism has evolved in South and Southeast Asia, including its publication trends, theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches; (ii) which forms of tangible and intangible heritage identity are most utilised in South and Southeast Asia; and (iii) what conceptual and practical challenges and future research directions emerge from the literature. This study presents a systematic literature review with narrative synthesis of 44 publications to analyze how tangible and intangible heritage identities are used to promote heritage tourism in the region. The findings indicate that most studies focus on tangible heritage such as monuments, archaeological sites and colonial architecture, while intangible heritage, including cultural festivals and living traditions, remains comparatively underrepresented. The review further shows that heritage identity plays a significant role in strengthening national identity, enhancing visitor experiences and supporting local economic development across South and Southeast Asia. At the same time, several challenges remain, including the underutilisation of heritage resources, limited recognition of intangible heritage and the need to improve visitor management and sustainable tourism practices. The study concludes that Asian countries have significant untapped potential to further integrate heritage identity into tourism strategies, particularly through more innovative uses of intangible cultural heritage and improved heritage governance and management. Full article

Black tourism, a specific type of interest tourism, is defined as traveling to places that are associated with death, tragedy, and history as a form of suffering. In India, black tourism includes memorials, battlefields, and sites of socio-political conflict reflecting its complex history. The purpose of this study was to examine the growth and development of black tourism in India, focusing specifically on destinations related to historical tragedy and memory. The study uses a mixed-methods approach with primary data from structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews at black tourism destinations in India, supported by secondary data. The study finds that tourists at India’s black tourism sites seek historical learning and emotional engagement, while highlighting challenges like infrastructure issues and limited local participation. Major challenges facing black tourism in India are inadequacy of infrastructure; limited interpretation of the site; ethical concerns; and lack of participation from the local population. The study found that preserving authenticity, respecting locals, and incorporating cultural rituals are essential for tourism. The study concluded that planned and sustainable development of black tourism in India will enhance historical awareness and socio-cultural understanding. Full article

Amid accelerating climate change, natural resource depletion, and rising consumer demand for sustainable, health-promoting products, circular agriculture has emerged as a strategic pathway for reconciling agricultural productivity with environmental and social sustainability; however, empirical evidence on how circular production, health-product innovation, and experiential tourism can be jointly evaluated within a single model remains limited. This study aims to propose a multidimensional value assessment framework for circular agriculture through a case study of the Tam Dao Mushroom Cooperative (TDMC) in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam, centered on the cooperative’s Cordyceps militaris-based production system, nanotechnology-enabled health-product processing, most notably the Nano Cordy Milk functional beverage and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-oriented experiential tourism activities, comprising guided production tours, hands-on cultivation and processing demonstrations, and on-site product tastings offered to school and university groups, domestic and international tourists, and visiting farmers and cooperatives. The research integrates a case study approach with the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy-AHP) to determine the priority weights of value dimensions based on the evaluations of seven experts. The findings identify five key dimensions of value generated by the circular agricultural model: economic value, environmental value, social value, educational value, and tourism value. The Fuzzy-AHP results indicate that economic value has the highest priority weight (Best Non-fuzzy Performance, BNP = 0.4050), followed by environmental value (0.2715), social value (0.1307), educational value (0.1313), and tourism value (0.0621). The study demonstrates that the circular agriculture model not only generates economic benefits but also simultaneously creates significant environmental, social, educational, and tourism values. These findings contribute to the theoretical foundation for assessing the multidimensional value of circular agriculture while providing practical references and policy implications for the sustainable development of circular agricultural models. Full article

Living terraced cultural landscapes (LTCLs) bind together agricultural heritage, ecological function, and local culture. International instruments such as the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments, Enhancing Our Heritage Toolkit 2.0, and Preparing World Heritage Nominations guide heritage protection, but none integrates all four dimensions, and no LTCL-specific framework exists to diagnose a candidate site before formal nomination. Following PRISMA 2020, this review synthesized 61 peer-reviewed studies from the Web of Science Core Collection (2012–2026; screening Cohen’s κ = 0.82). Keyword co-occurrence mapping in VOSviewer, combined with manual thematic coding, produced six clusters that we consolidated into four analytical dimensions: heritage value, landscape integrity, tourism–heritage balance, and governance and protection. Reading across these dimensions revealed three gaps—no tool integrates all four in an operable form, the balance between tourism and protection lacks an explicit evaluative mechanism, and socioeconomic stressors such as rural labor out-migration fall outside official criteria—together pointing to a fourth, procedural gap: the absence of pre-nomination diagnosis. On this basis we propose IAF-LTCL, a preliminary conceptual framework of four dimensions and 22 elements, designed so that strength in one dimension does not offset weakness in another. The framework is not yet empirically validated; we present it as a structured starting point that heritage managers can use for pre-nomination self-assessment, pending future field validation. Full article

Tourism is a complex economic activity all over the world shaped by distinct local resources: culture, nature, industrial heritage, urban ambiance, place-based uniqueness, and geographical accessibility. The simultaneous governance and management of economic growth motives, preservation of the cultural heritage base, and respect for nature and ecological quality calls for an evidence-based and multi-faceted policy analysis that seeks to achieve sustainable development among conflicting policy objectives in tourist areas. The present paper seeks to explore the feasibility of a sustainable balance for various heterogeneous cultural heritage areas in Europe (‘urban pilot regions’), with particular attention to sustainable local development characterized by circular economic objectives and an ecological balance strategy based on the principle of stakeholders’ co-creation. The paper addresses the knowledge gap between generic policy aims and site-specific views of actors or visitors. To that end, an extensive survey experiment was administered in the urban regions concerned, in which a wide range of relevant management issues/questions related to environmental preferences and perceptions were posed to stakeholders and visitors. The data were analyzed by means of a novel respondent-oriented multivariate statistical tool, viz. Generalized Q-Analysis, which is suitable for handling big databases with many respondents. The paper shows that the application of Generalized Q-Analysis to common survey data enriches the results from the application of a conventional Q-Analysis. Furthermore, the study also highlights that, based on the views expressed by the surveyed visitors, the tourist areas concerned are quite different from each other in attracting specific classes of visitors. Therefore, functional specialization in the tourist sector seems to be an important anchor point for effective governance of urban tourism, not only in Europe, but also elsewhere in the world. Full article

Henan Province is one of China’s most culturally resource-rich regions, yet the spatial organization and driving mechanisms of its high-grade tourism resources remain insufficiently understood. This study investigates the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of 2396 high-grade tourism resource sites across 157 county-level units in Henan Province. An integrated analytical framework combining GIS-based spatial analysis (nearest neighbor index, kernel density estimation, and spatial autocorrelation), geographic detector methods, and a spatial error model is employed to examine the roles of natural, economic, social, and cultural factors. The results indicate that high-grade tourism resources exhibit significant spatial clustering, forming a pronounced core–periphery structure with a dual-center pattern centered on the main urban area of Zhengzhou and Dengfeng. Strong positive spatial autocorrelation is observed, characterized by contiguous hot spots in central and northwestern Henan and cold spots in the eastern plains. The spatial differentiation of high-grade tourism resources is driven by multiple interacting factors, among which topography and material cultural heritage are the primary drivers, while economic development and intangible cultural heritage act as secondary facilitators. These findings provide empirical evidence for understanding inland tourism spatial structures and offer practical insights for heritage-led, cluster-based tourism planning, aimed at promoting sustainable regional development. Full article

In heritage tourism destinations, color contributes to both the visual quality of individual scenes and the continuity of the visitor route. Using Taoyangli in Jingdezhen as a case, this study examined how perceived color harmony, contrast, and continuity relate to visual comfort, spatial legibility, and behavioral intention, while objective color analysis was used to characterize spatial conditions. PLS-SEM was applied to 577 valid tourist questionnaires, and objective color metrics were derived from 40 on-site scenes. Among the perceptual dimensions, color harmony was most strongly associated with visual comfort, whereas color continuity was most strongly associated with spatial legibility. Perceived color contrast showed no significant overall association with visual comfort, spatial legibility, or behavioral intention. The objective color results showed that entrance and gateway spaces had relatively high scene-level harmony proxy values but the weakest continuity between adjacent views. Street and alley connection spaces and core heritage spaces showed more stable route-level relationships, while mixed commercial and exhibition spaces had the strongest composite contrast. Across all four spatial types, low- to moderate-saturation gray, gray-brown, and warm-brown tones formed the common color base. Heritage color renewal should therefore preserve historic material colors, maintain recognizable transitions along visitor routes, and use stronger contrast selectively at entrances, wayfinding points, and exhibition focal points. Full article

The Historic Centre of Córdoba (Spain), designated a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC) and partially recognised as a ‘World Heritage Site’ by UNESCO, is one of the largest in Europe and, in recent decades, has undergone profound functional, economic and social transformations, which have been accelerated by growing tourist activity. These processes have not yet been analysed systematically, despite the fact that the study of urban processes such as touristification and their implications for certain urban dynamics of gentrification is a highly topical issue. This study aims to determine the extent to which the Historic Centre of Córdoba is undergoing a significant process of touristification and its impact on depopulation, gentrification and other functional and land-use transformations. To this end, a series of demographic, socio-economic, tourism-related and property market indicators have been collected and analysed. The results indicate a recent, intense process of touristification that has exacerbated the critical situation of depopulation and residential abandonment, although no significant process of socio-demographic gentrification has been detected. It is concluded that tourism is neither the sole nor even the main cause of this trend of demographic decline and functional and urban changes; rather, there are multiple historical, socio-economic, urban planning and demographic factors that explain them. This study lays the groundwork for a broader investigation of this urban area, which is of such great significance to the city in terms of heritage, history and identity. Full article

Tourism is a major driver of economic growth in tropical island destinations but also places increasing pressure on fragile marine ecosystems. This study examined tourists’ environmental awareness, perceptions, and conservation-related behaviors on Cozumel Island, part of the Mesoamerican Reef System and home to multiple protected areas, including the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park. Between June and September 2022, surveys were conducted with 144 tourists at major tourism hubs across the island. Although 86% of respondents identified themselves as environmentally conscious, awareness of local environmental impacts associated with tourism remained limited, and only 6% reported engaging in environmentally conscious actions during their visit. Awareness of the protected status and regulations of the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park was also low (39%), and only 19% reported purchasing the required conservation bracelet or park pass. Short-stay cruise visitors represented 65% of respondents, potentially limiting opportunities for deeper environmental engagement and conservation education. These findings highlight the need for stronger pre-trip environmental communication, visible on-site interpretation, and targeted outreach strategies to support sustainable tourism and coral reef conservation in the Mexican Caribbean. Full article

Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) has struggled with scale mismatches and inadequate treatment of cultural expression when applied to high-density cultural landscapes in Asia. On the Chengdu Plain, Western Sichuan, China, remote sensing shows convergent settlement patterns across case sites, but fieldwork reveals substantial divergences in landscape character. We examined five cases representing different rural development models in the Chengdu metropolitan area. By integrating 10 m Sentinel-2 imagery and with systematic fieldwork (3200 photographs and 42 semi-structured interviews, July–August 2023), we constructed a framework that combines macro-scale spatial analysis with micro-scale field investigation. For macro-level quantification, six landscape pattern indices were adopted: number of patches (NP), patch density (PD), contagion index (CONTAG), aggregation index (AI), Shannon’s diversity index (SHDI), and Shannon’s evenness index (SHEI). The micro-level investigation followed a three-tier scheme (natural environment, settlement space, architectural details) to record vertical ecological communities, spatial expressions of cultural embeddedness, and visual landscape character. Indicator screening employed the KJ method and two rounds of Delphi consultation with ten experts; weights were then determined through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Macro-level results display a clustered, low-fragmentation pattern (woodland AI = 97.48, water body AI = 99.40), anchored by a stable mosaic of Linpan, farmland, water bodies, and homesteads. Micro-level features include multi-strata vertical communities of trees, shrubs, grasses, and water, along with cultural embeddedness expressed through irrigation systems, farming patterns, and courtyard layouts. The VLEAS (Vernacular Landscape Elements Assessment System) framework encompasses three dimensions (natural, cultural, and visual) and comprises 12 indicators. The cultural dimension receives the highest weight (0.42), followed by natural (0.32) and visual (0.26) dimensions. Comparative analysis shows that the framework differentiates cases with similar macro-scale patterns but divergent micro-features, capturing differences that a purely macro-index benchmark misses, and it also reveals trade-offs among ecological integrity, cultural heritage, and visual quality. Sensitivity analysis displays that case rankings remain stable across four extreme weighting scenarios (cultural, ecological, visual, equal), with only one swap (Xingfu Pastoral Park and Nongke Village) under ecological priority and no rank change greater than one position, confirming that the results are not driven by any specific weight assignment. This approach extends the utility of LCA in high-density rural cultural landscapes and offers a practical tool for differentiated conservation and management, especially in tourism-influenced rural settings on the Chengdu Plain. Transferability to other regions would require recalibration of locally relevant indicators. Full article

Cultural Routes have become important instruments for promoting shared heritage and sustainable tourism across Europe, yet the potential of travel literature to inform their development remains underexplored, particularly in the case of Via Egnatia. This study addresses this gap by developing a theoretical distinction between travel narratives as ideologically situated representations, shaped by colonial and Orientalist discourse, and as potentially corroborable sources of historical–geographical evidence. It applies this framework to nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century accounts by Byron, Leake, Lear, and Durham, published between 1812 and 1909. Using a qualitative, theory-informed case-study design, the study combines critical discourse analysis with the thematic coding of 127 narrative references, supported by a documented codebook, an intra-coder consistency check (84% agreement), and triangulation across authors and independent historical and archaeological sources. The analysis identifies documentary support for a mobility corridor along the Shkumbin Valley, derived primarily from the convergence between Leake and Lear and consistent with independent archaeological scholarship. A site-level cross-check of six heritage assets and a small purposive sample of recent visitor reviews provides preliminary indications that formal heritage protection already exists along the corridor, while visitor-facing interpretation does not consistently connect individual sites to a coherent Via Egnatia narrative. A similar pattern emerges from the analysis of Albania’s national tourism-planning documents. The study’s principal contribution is theoretical: it shows how critically read travel narratives can extend destination-storytelling and heritage-interpretation theory beyond descriptive associations, while offering a potentially transferable methodological framework for translating narrative and empirical evidence into interpretive practice for the Council of Europe Cultural Routes Programme. Full article