Search Results (3,893)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in driving sustainable change across coastal and marine environments. Artificial intelligence offers strong support for environmental decision-making by helping to process complex data, anticipate outcomes, and fine-tune day-to-day operations. In busy coastal zones such as the Mediterranean where tourism and boating place significant strain on marine ecosystems, AI can be an effective means for marinas to reduce their ecological impact without sacrificing economic viability. This research examines the contribution of artificial intelligence toward the development of environmental sustainability in marina management. It investigates how AI can potentially reconcile economic imperatives with ecological conservation, especially in high-traffic coastal areas. Through a focus on the impact of social and technological context, this study emphasizes the way in which local conditions constrain the design, deployment, and reach of AI systems. The marinas of Ibiza and Monaco are used as a comparative backdrop to depict these dynamics. In Monaco, efforts like the SEA Index^® and predictive maintenance for superyachts contributed to a 28% drop in CO₂ emissions between 2020 and 2025. In contrast, Ibiza focused on circular economy practices, reaching an 85% landfill diversion rate using solar power, AI-assisted waste systems, and targeted biodiversity conservation initiatives. This research organizes AI tools into three main categories: supervised learning, anomaly detection, and rule-based systems. Their effectiveness is assessed using statistical techniques, including t-test results contextualized with Cohen’s d to convey practical effect sizes. Regression R² values are interpreted in light of real-world policy relevance, such as thresholds for energy audits or emissions certification. In addition to measuring technical outcomes, this study considers the ethical concerns, the role of local communities, and comparisons to global best practices. The findings highlight how artificial intelligence can meaningfully contribute to environmental conservation while also supporting sustainable economic development in maritime contexts. However, the analysis also reveals ongoing difficulties, particularly in areas such as ethical oversight, regulatory coherence, and the practical replication of successful initiatives across diverse regions. In response, this study outlines several practical steps forward: promoting AI-as-a-Service models to lower adoption barriers, piloting regulatory sandboxes within the EU to test innovative solutions safely, improving access to open-source platforms, and working toward common standards for the stewardship of marine environmental data. 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

In response to increasing global sustainability demands, this study examines how green dynamic capabilities influence business performance in Bali Island’s tour and travel SMEs, with green service innovation as a mediating mechanism. Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capability theory, the research adopts a quantitative approach using survey data from 387 SMEs and employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the relationships among green dynamic capabilities, green service innovation, and business performance. Findings reveal that green dynamic capabilities significantly enhance both green service innovation and business performance. Notably, green service innovation partially mediates this relationship, underscoring its pivotal role in transforming internal sustainability-oriented capabilities into tangible performance outcomes. The key contribution of this study lies in extending RBV by integrating green service innovation as a strategic conduit that links eco-centric capabilities to competitive advantage in a tourism SME context—a perspective that remains underexplored in emerging economies. Practically, the study provides actionable insights for SME owners and policymakers to prioritize innovation in service design and delivery as a pathway to sustainable tourism performance. Full article

This study develops a multi-dimensional sustainable tourism optimization framework for Juneau, Alaska, integrating economic, social, and environmental dimensions to balance tourism-driven prosperity with ecological and socio-cultural integrity. Utilizing a hybrid Analytic Hierarchy Process and entropy weighting method, the model assigns robust indicator weights. Optimized via the NSGA-II algorithm, it identifies an optimal tourist threshold, achieved through a strategic tax adjustment. This policy not only sustains economic revenue at USD 325 million but also funds a critical feedback loop: revenue reinvestment into environmental conservation and social infrastructure, which stabilizes cost indices and enhances community well-being. The model’s projections show this approach significantly mitigates environmental degradation, notably glacier retreat, and alleviates social pressures such as infrastructure overload and resident dissatisfaction. A key contribution of this research is the framework’s adaptability, which was validated through its application to Barcelona, Spain. There, the framework was recalibrated with social indicators tailored to address urban overtourism, achieving substantial reductions in housing and congestion costs alongside environmental improvements, while economic recovery was maintained. Sensitivity analyses confirm the model’s stability, though data limitations and subjective weighting suggest future enhancements via real-time analytics and dynamic modeling. Key policy recommendations include dynamic tourist caps, diversified attractions, and community engagement platforms, offering scalable solutions for global tourism destinations. This framework advances sustainable tourism by providing a blueprint to decouple economic growth from ecological and social harm, ensuring the longevity of natural and cultural assets amidst climate challenges. Full article

This study aims to reveal how ecotourists’ general perceptions, concerns, and intentions to act regarding climate change have been shaped in the context of their personality domains following the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 409 participants who took part in nature walking activities in Turkey in 2024 using a survey method. The data were analyzed using quantitative methods such as structural equation modeling (SEM) and multiple regression analyses. The findings reveal statistically significant relationships between Big-Five personality domains of ecotourists’ and their perceptions of climate change, concerns, intentions to act, and ecotourism intentions. The results reveal that attitudes toward climate change have become more pronounced, especially in the post-pandemic period, and that personality domains are a strong determinant in shaping these attitudes. This study is important for the development of sustainable tourism policies and for providing strategic recommendations to managers in the field of ecotourism. Full article

Algal blooms pose a serious threat not only to the lake ecosystem of Lake Bosten but also by negatively impacting its rapidly developing fisheries and tourism industries. This study focuses on Lake Bosten as the research area and utilizes multi-source remote sensing imagery from Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI and Sentinel-2 MSI. The Adjusted Floating Algae Index (AFAI) was employed to extract algal blooms in Lake Bosten from 2004 to 2023, analyze their spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and driving factors, and construct a Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) network model to predict the spatial distribution of algal-bloom frequency. The stability of the model was assessed through temporal segmentation of historical data combined with temporal cross-validation. The results indicate that (1) during the study period, algal blooms in Lake Bosten were predominantly of low-risk level, with low-risk bloom coverage accounting for over 8% in both 2004 and 2005. The intensity of algal blooms in summer and autumn was significantly higher than in spring. The coverage of medium- and high-risk blooms reached 2.74% in the summer of 2004 and 3.03% in the autumn of 2005, while remaining below 1% in spring. (2) High-frequency algal bloom areas were mainly located in the western and northwestern parts of the lake, and the central region experienced significantly more frequent blooms during 2004–2013 compared to 2014–2023, particularly in spring and summer. (3) The LSTM model achieved an R² of 0.86, indicating relatively stable performance. The prediction results suggest a continued low frequency of algal blooms in the future, reflecting certain achievements in sustainable water-resource management. (4) The interactions among meteorological factors exhibited significant influence on bloom formation, with the q values of temperature and precipitation interactions both exceeding 0.5, making them the most prominent meteorological driving factors. Monitoring of sewage discharge and analysis of agricultural and industrial expansion revealed that human activities have a more direct impact on the water quality of Lake Bosten. In addition, changes in lake area and water environment were mainly influenced by anthropogenic factors, ultimately making human activities the primary driving force behind the spatiotemporal variations of algal blooms. This study improved the timeliness of algal-bloom monitoring through the integration of multi-source remote sensing and successfully predicted the future spatial distribution of bloom frequency, providing a scientific basis and decision-making support for the sustainable management of water resources in Lake Bosten. Full article

This study investigates how staycations enhance the experiences of staycationers and foster stakeholder collaboration to promote sustainable tourism. A qualitative case study approach, guided by constructivist narrative inquiry, involved in-depth interviews with 21 key stakeholders and a comprehensive analysis of staycation packages from 10 four- and five-star hotels during a crisis. The study draws on stakeholder, collaboration, and social exchange theories, integrated with triple-bottom-line (TBL) principles, to highlight the resilience power of staycations and its contributions to sustainable tourism development. The findings revealed that staycations significantly enhance the sustainability of the industry. Remarkably, stakeholders demonstrated exceptional collaboration, forming an inclusive public–private partnership to address the crisis and advance sustainable tourism development. It emphasises the need for stronger stakeholder collaboration, advocating for a unified approach to destination management over counterproductive competition. Furthermore, a roadmap is proposed for future investigations, focusing on the role of staycations in promoting positive experiences and enhancing stakeholder collaboration for the sustainable development of the tourism industry during crises. The study emphasised the need for further investigation into specific stakeholders to address competitive imbalances during crises, offering insights that serve as a call to action for practitioners and scholars, thereby laying the groundwork for advancing the industry and enhancing destination reputations. 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

Despite the growing relevance of subnational development strategies in emerging economies, the literature lacks empirical applications of classical trade models to territorial productive specialization. This study addresses this gap by adapting the Heckscher–Ohlin–Samuelson (HOS) model to identify optimal specialization patterns in intermediate municipalities with asymmetric factor endowments. Using data from 2017 to 2021 for Tunja and Chiquinquirá (Colombia), we estimate capital-to-labor ratios and sectoral factor intensities to detect specialization aligned with local comparative advantages. The results show that Tunja exhibits capital-abundant conditions favoring specialization in sectors such as real estate, construction, and financial services, while Chiquinquirá demonstrates labor-intensive dynamics suitable for tourism and service industries. Methodologically, the study extends the HOS model to subnational scales, offering a robust analytical tool for regional policy formulation. This article contributes to the academic debate by bridging international trade theory and regional development, and it provides empirical evidence to support place-based industrial policies. Our findings emphasize the importance of aligning productive strategies with structural endowments to foster inclusive and sustainable development in emerging territories. Full article

The shift toward experience-oriented travel has positioned food as a central driver for attracting visitors to sustainable destinations, directly supporting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)11 (resilient cities) and SDG 12 (responsible consumption). While prior research has predominantly emphasised marketing outcomes, the role of bodily experiences in shaping gastronomic tourism has received less attention. This study explores how sensory elements (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) and non-sensory elements (including cultural meaning and service quality) jointly influence food-related travel experiences. Twenty-five self-identified food travellers were interviewed in a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) City of Gastronomy, and their narratives were analysed using a three-stage grounded theory approach in NVivo 12. The resulting model identifies four interrelated dimensions: (1) embodied experience, grounded in culinary memories and shared cultural narratives; (2) sensory stimulation arising from food and its surroundings; (3) situated embodiment, shaped by location, timing, and social interaction; and (4) environmental perception, encompassing food presentation, facility quality, cleanliness, and pricing fairness. These dimensions interact to enhance overall experience quality. By integrating an embodied perspective with a sustainability focus, this study advances tourism experience research and offers practical guidance for designing multisensory dining environments, fostering environmentally responsible visitor behaviour, and ensuring a balanced relationship between price and perceived value. Full article

As the Metaverse continues to evolve as a transformative digital ecosystem, its environmental implications remain insufficiently examined within academic discourse. Despite growing interest in its technological and societal impacts, there is a lack of comprehensive evaluations that synthesize existing knowledge on its sustainability potential. This interdisciplinary narrative review addresses this gap by critically exploring how Metaverse technologies intersect with environmental sustainability across key sectors, including education, healthcare, tourism, e-commerce, manufacturing, and urban development. Employing a narrative review methodology informed by a systematic selection of scholarly and industry sources, the study consolidates current practices, emerging opportunities, and notable trade-offs. While the Metaverse presents promising avenues for reducing material consumption, optimizing urban planning through digital twins, and lowering emissions via virtual alternatives to physical travel, it also raises pressing environmental concerns, particularly related to high energy consumption, short hardware lifespans, and the rebound effects of intensified digital engagement. The findings suggest that environmental sustainability within the Metaverse is not inherent to its virtual nature but hinges on deliberate design, regulatory foresight, and the broader energy systems it depends on. This review offers timely insights for policymakers, technology developers, and sustainability advocates seeking to align immersive digital innovation with ecological responsibility and long-term planetary health. Full article

This study examines the spatial dynamics of urban sprawl in the peri-urban areas of Malang Municipality from 2004 to 2024. The findings reveal a rapid and uneven expansion of built-up areas, growing from 1825.87 ha (4%) in 2004 to 8017.22 ha (15.39%) in 2024. The most significant growth occurred in Singosari, Pakis, and Karangploso Districts, driven by proximity to higher education institutions, tourism centers, and commercial zones. Meanwhile, recent development trends in Kedungkandang District suggest emerging southeastern expansion supported by land availability and infrastructure. An analysis using the Landscape Expansion Index (LEI) indicates a transition from diffusion to coalescence phases, characterized by dominant edge-expansion, increasing infill, and persistent outlying patterns. However, discrepancies between spatial plans and actual land use were found, including 677.29 ha of non-built areas, 172.38 ha of which were sustainable agriculture zones converted into built-up land. These inconsistencies highlight the urgent need for stronger land-use control, including the implementation of Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs) and stricter enforcement of spatial regulations. Future research should explore spatial drivers using logistic regression or spatial modeling approaches to support more sustainable urban planning in peri-urban regions. Full article

The built environment, technology, human health and well-being, and sustainable development are closely related, and human-centered therapeutic design in environmental, architectural, spatial, and landscape domains demonstrates human health promotion potential. This study examines health promotion design measurement indices and develops a scale for sub-healthy tourists in a hot spring tourism destination. Recent research mainly emphasized the development and utilization of hot spring resources and their economic benefits. It rarely provided a systematic discussion on the health-promoting impact of environmental design and evaluation criteria. Thus, this study employs the literature review method and the Delphi expert method to construct an index system and measurement scale that comprises 20 evaluation indices of physical, mental, and social health. Moreover, this study conducts a questionnaire survey to measure the physical, mental, and social health of sub-healthy tourists and non-sub-healthy tourists (observation and control groups) and the sub-healthy tourists before and after their visit to the hot spring tourism destination (pre-test group and post-test group). The scale demonstrates satisfactory reliability and validity, and the health–healing design measurement indices for the sub-healthy tourists consist of three subscales: physical, mental, and social health. The evaluation index system and measurement scale can comprehensively and effectively measure the effects of healing and therapeutic design (HTD) and can be used as reliable tools for sub-healthy tourists in hot spring tourism. Full article

The Great Wall’s heritage, as an iconic symbol of traditional Chinese culture, has fostered prosperous development of the surrounding tourism industry. As a representative of linear cultural heritage, the Great Wall traverses mountainous regions and stretches thousands of kilometers. Given challenges such as climate change, complex geological conditions, and excessive tourism development, safeguarding the Great Wall’s heritage for sustainable tourism development is a pressing concern. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the interaction between ecological resilience and tourism development and to provide a coordinated spatial strategy for the sustainable management of Great Wall towns. From the perspective of ecological safety and resilience, this study focuses on towns located along the Beijing section of the Great Wall. Based on the foundational principles of ecological resilience assessment, an evaluation framework was established to assess the ecological resilience and tourism development levels of these towns during peak tourism periods. Furthermore, we applied a coupling coordination degree model to determine the relationship between ecological safety and resilience subsystems and tourism development. The analysis revealed the ecological safety, ecological resilience, and tourism development levels and their interrelationships in these towns. The assessment identified relatively safer areas such as the Gubeikou Great Wall, Badaling Great Wall, and adjacent tourism towns, revealing the interrelationships among these elements. We not only identified areas with certain ecological risks but also those exhibiting middle ecological resilience capacities, such as the Shuiguan Great Wall, Mutianyu Great Wall, and Jiuyanlou Great Wall, recommending moderate tourism development in these regions. For every town, this study also calculated the average and maximum values of the coupling coordination degree to guide future ecological construction and tourism strategies. Finally, we offer insights into the present state of ecological development in the studied regions and propose strategies to bolster ecological resilience and optimize spatial tourism layouts. Full article

The coordinated development of tourism and industrialization is essential for achieving sustainable and inclusive growth in the tourism sector, as well as for ensuring long-term regional economic sustainability. This study is motivated by the observation that land is a key factor influencing the coordination between tourism and industrialization, yet the specific role of land use remains underexplored. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to investigate the nonlinear relationship and underlying mechanisms through which tourism development impacts industrialization, with a particular focus on land transfers. To achieve this, the study employs an empirical approach using multi-source data—including data on China’s A-level scenic areas and land transfers—combined with an econometric method. The results indicate a U-shaped relationship between both the quantity and quality of tourism resources and the growth of industrial enterprises, as well as an inverted U-shaped relationship between the concentration of tourism resources and industrial development. The research finds that tourism development influences industrialization through two primary land-related mechanisms: the factor competition effect and the resource conservation effect. This study also investigates the potential for synergistic development between the tourism and industrial sectors, providing valuable insights for the sustainable economic advancement of land-based tourism and industrialization. Full article