Search Results (423)

Grounded in Narrative Transportation Theory, this study examines how AI-enabled cultural storytelling influences tourists’ visit intentions through the mediating roles of perceived authenticity and destination image. Drawing on a quantitative, cross-sectional design, data were collected from 415 tourists who had experienced AI-driven storytelling. PLS-SEM was employed to examine the relationships among AI-enabled cultural storytelling, perceived authenticity, destination image, and visit intention. The results indicate that AI-enabled cultural storytelling significantly enhances tourists’ perceived authenticity, destination image, and intention to visit. Both perceived authenticity and destination image were found to positively influence visit intention and act as significant mediators in the relationship between AI-enabled cultural storytelling and visit intention. These findings suggest that AI-driven narrative experiences not only enrich tourists’ perception of authenticity and overall image of the destination but also play a crucial role in shaping their future behavioral intentions. The study contributes to the understanding of technology-mediated cultural tourism experiences and provides practical insights for destination marketers seeking to leverage AI storytelling to attract and engage visitors. Full article

Understanding the impact of climate change on tourism is vital for the economies that rely on it. The tourism sector in Croatia, a country with diverse climatic regions, but also diverse features of tourism, is particularly sensitive to changes in climate variables such as 2 m air temperature and precipitation totals. This study analyzes trends in these two key climate variables from 1961 to 2024 across five representative climatic regions: the-mountainous Lika region (Ličko-senjska County), the Kvarner region on the northern Adriatic coast (Primorsko-goranska County), the Zadar region on the central Adriatic coast (Zadarska Counties), and northern continental Croatia (Varaždinska and Međimurje Counties). Linear trends, 5-year moving averages, and comparisons between two standard climate periods (1961–1990 and 1991–2020) were conducted. Using these data, the monthly self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index (sc-PDSI) and Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) for seven-time scales were calculated for the period 1961–2024 to assess drought conditions and their implications for tourism across the selected destinations. Frequencies of dry, near normal and wet months, estimated by SPI for a nine-month time scale (SPI-9) and a monthly sc-PDSI, were compared for two subperiods, 1961–1992 and 1993–2024. Meteorological data were contextualized for tourism stakeholders, with a focus on adaptation measures. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with tourism professionals in the study regions, providing qualitative insights into observed changes in climate and tourist behavior, operational challenges, adaptation strategies, level of community engagement, and opportunities envisioned. Objective climatological data were compared with the subjective perceptions of tourism experts using the principle of mixed methods, which allows for triangulation. The climatological data indicated a continuous trend of increasing mean annual air temperatures, as well as anomalies of average precipitation amount. The interviews revealed signals of emerging climate shifts, such as changes in the seasonality of visitors, concerns about water scarcity and heat stress. These findings were interpreted in the context of potential threats and opportunities for the tourism sector, highlighting region-specific adaptation strategies. By combining objective climate data with insights from tourism professionals, this study provides a comprehensive assessment of climate change impacts on tourism and informs for resilient tourism development across Croatia’s diverse regions. This paper presents a methodological framework for developing adaptation recommendations that draw on both empirical climate data and the lived experiences of tourism work practitioners. Full article

Humans tend to mark their presence and thus their lands by naming charismatic places such as mountains, canyons, rivers, and lakes. Toponyms is the term for marking places with names. In doing so, cultural groups claim the lands and the recognition of their presence through names in their language and behaviors reflecting their culture. When other cultures occupy these lands, they similarly mark them with their own place names, thus replacing earlier names and evidence of occupation. A conflict of toponyms occurs when one cultural group uses their power to maintain a superior attachment to the land. This chapter uses six toponym ethnographic studies to understand the origins of debates between Native American and settler colonial peoples in North American. Research findings from these studies define both the importance of toponyms to cultural groups and possible resolution of heritage conflicts. All studies have been reviewed and approved for public use for place interpretations, visitor education, and culturally appropriate management by funding agencies and participating Native American tribes and Pueblos. Full article

As a vital component of urban tourism, urban theme parks increasingly face experience homogenization and intensifying competition. Accordingly, the implementation of refined digital marketing and operational strategies based on visitor digital behavior has become increasingly essential. In this context, tourists’ social media sharing has become a crucial link between destination marketing and visitors’ experience construction. Within the SOBC (Stimulus–Organism–Behavior–Consequence) framework, this study examines how theme park servicescapes (S) shape sharing motivations (O), which, in turn, influence multimodal sharing intentions (B—text, image + text, video) and subsequently contribute to memorable theme park experience (C). A two-stage, mixed-method design was employed, and the study considered visitors to Beijing Universal Studios and Shanghai Disney Resort. Semi-structured interviews and grounded analysis identified five motivations: altruism, self-presentation, affective expression, hedonic motivation, and community identification. Testing was performed using a survey (N = 604), along with structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that the staff-related social environment exerts significant positive effects on all five motivations, whereas the effects of the physical environment are more selective. Motivations differentially predict modal intentions: text aligns with altruism and affective expression; image + text aligns with altruism, community identification, and self-presentation; and video aligns with self-presentation, hedonism, community identification, and affective expression. All three intentions positively affect memorable theme park experience. These results clarify how motivations map onto content forms and validate a support SOBC framework from servicescapes to memorable experience, offering actionable implications for experience design and digital marketing. Full article

The sustainable development of cultural heritage heavily relies on visitors’ sustainable practices, with education serving as the key to regulating visitor behavior and promoting their engagement in sustainable tourism. However, the mechanisms linking education and sustainable tourism remain unclear in the virtual context. This research aims to determine the potential of digital cultural heritage learning outcomes in supporting sustainable tourism behaviors (environmental, cultural, economic) among visitors. This study integrates the Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs) with the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), collecting 642 valid samples and employing PLS-SEM analysis. Research findings indicate that knowledge and understanding (KU), skills (S), attitudes and values (AV), enjoyment, inspiration, and creativity (EIC), and activity, behavior, and progression (ABP) positively influence sustainable tourism practices. Cost perception (CP), however, weakens the conversion from intention to actual behavior. This provides empirical support for the development of digital cultural heritage projects and the sustainable management of heritage sites. Full article

Marine tourism embodies a sustainability paradox: high economic value coexists with ecological harm. Yet how macro-level policies shape pro-environmental intentions among transient, socially disembedded tourists remains unclear. Integrating institutional signaling theory with the Theory of Planned Behavior, we analyze survey data from 413 coastal visitors in China. The results reveal an asymmetric mediation pattern: marine policy influences intention primarily through behavioral attitudes and, to a lesser extent, subjective norms, while perceived behavioral control, though a direct predictor, does not mediate this relationship. This highlights a key boundary condition of TPB in low-embeddedness contexts, where institutional signals substitute for absent social ties by activating cognitive pathways. Practically, we propose a tiered governance pathway—attitude-focused messaging at digital touchpoints, normative feedback at entry points, and visible on-site infrastructure—to translate policy into observable actions, advancing both theory and practice in sustainable marine tourism. Full article

Creativity has been frequently explored in artists’ work. However, this concept has also been studied in the economic context of business and management. The concept of creativity has also recently become a subject of tourism research, as tourism is considered an important industry. Tourism classifications that include experiences are becoming more widespread. Alternative and special-interest tourism encompasses a range of tourism types presenting unique experiences. Within the classifications of sport, adventure, and experiential tourism, commercial tandem paragliding can be examined through a creative tourism lens in terms of perceived learning, interaction, and unique involvement. Hence, this research was conducted in Babadağ, Fethiye, a renowned paragliding destination. A total of 360 visitors were included as the participants. PLS-SEM was used to estimate a structural equation model. The results clearly demonstrate the centrality of the creative tourist experience. Firstly, the direct effect of the creative tourist experience on behavioral intentions was found to be quite strong and significant. The results show that the creative tourist experience is strongly and positively associated with behavioral intentions (revisit, recommendation, and positive word of mouth). The effect of the creative tourist experience on memories indicates that creative experiences leave a strong impression on visitors’ memories. Similarly, the creative tourist experience had a significant and positive effect on satisfaction. Considering these three results together, it can be said that creative experiences strengthen cognitive/affective memories, increase overall evaluative satisfaction, and directly affect behavioral intentions. This finding is consistent with the experiential and creative tourism literature on the determinative role of experience quality in memory value and satisfaction. These findings reveal that creative tourist experiences strengthen both memories and satisfaction; that memories are positively related to satisfaction and behavioral intentions; and that satisfaction is positively related to behavioral intentions, thereby extending fundamental assumptions in the experience economy and creative tourism literature to the specific context of commercial tandem paragliding as a guided air-based adventure activity. The study’s unique contribution to the literature is that it not only examines creative tourism through cultural/workshop-based experiences, but also conceptualizes creative tourism through adventure activities involving high involvement and high arousal, and empirically demonstrates the importance of creative-experience quality in explaining behavioral intentions through “memorability” and “satisfaction”. Full article

Spatial openness affects the subjective evaluation of soundscape, landscape, and thermal perceptions, leading to various restoration effects and recreational behaviors. However, the literature lacks studies investigating the effects of multisensory interactions under different levels of spatial openness in plazas on users’ behaviors in urban greenways. Thus, this study contributes to the enhancement of recreational experiences and the environmental design of urban greenways by examining the interaction between multisensory evaluations and recreational behaviors in greenway plazas with different levels of spatial openness. Three types of plazas (enclosed, semi-enclosed, open) were selected along an urban greenway to analyze interactions through in situ measurements, questionnaires, and behavior observation. The results showed that people rated the environment as the quietest and coolest in enclosed plazas, although the sound pressure level of these plazas was the highest. Furthermore, the visual evaluation (VE) was mostly correlated with acoustic evaluation (AE) in plazas with high openness, while the correlation effect between AE and thermal evaluation (TE) was only significant in enclosed plazas. In other words, AE was the key factor targeting the improvement in comfort in greenway plazas. Secondly, improving AE was more effective for stimulating the frequency of interactive activities in enclosed plazas, compared to improving TE. However, AE had a negative effect on the time that people were willing to spend on interactive activities in semi-enclosed plazas. Finally, these findings provide corresponding strategies for creating comfortable audio, visual, and thermal environments in greenway plazas with different levels of openness, as well as strategies for enhancing the recreational experiences of visitors. Full article

The Wua-Lai silvercraft community in Chiang Mai is experiencing a widening disconnect with younger visitors, raising concerns about the erosion of intangible cultural heritage. This study evaluates “Silver Craft Journey,” a location-based augmented reality (LBAR) system designed to revitalize cultural engagement and enhance cultural-heritage experience through context-aware, gamified exploration. A quasi-experimental field study with 254 participants across three age groups examined the system’s impact on cultural-heritage experience, knowledge acquisition, and real-world engagement. Results demonstrate substantial knowledge gains, with a mean increase of 7.74 points (SD = 4.37) and a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.77), supporting the effectiveness of LBAR in supporting tangible and intangible heritage understanding. Behavioral log data reveal clear age-related engagement patterns: older participants (41–51) showed declining mission completion rates and reduced interaction times at later points of interest, which may reflect increased cognitive and physical demands during extended AR navigation under real-world conditions. These findings underscore the potential of location-based AR to enhance cultural-heritage experience in real-world settings while highlighting the importance of age-adaptive interaction and route-design strategies. The study contributes a replicable model for integrating digital tourism, embodied AR experience, and community-based heritage preservation. Full article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping how cultural heritage institutions design and deliver digital visitor experiences, particularly through adaptive Augmented Reality (AR) applications. However, most existing AR deployments in museums and galleries remain static, rule-based, and insufficiently responsive to visitors’ contextual, behavioral, and emotional diversity. This paper presents ARIA (Augmented Reality for Interpreting Artefacts), a conceptual and architectural framework for AI-supported, adaptive AR experiences in cultural heritage settings. ARIA is designed to address current limitations in personalization, affect-awareness, and ethical governance by integrating multimodal context sensing, lightweight affect recognition, and AI-driven content personalization within a unified system architecture. The framework combines Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for controlled, knowledge-grounded narrative adaptation, continuous user modeling, and interoperable Digital Asset Management (DAM), while embedding Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Fairness, Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics (FATE) principles at its core. Emphasis is placed on accountable personalization, privacy-preserving data handling, and curatorial oversight of narrative variation. ARIA is positioned as a design-oriented contribution rather than a fully implemented system. Its architecture, data flows, and adaptive logic are articulated through representative museum use-case scenarios and a structured formative validation process including expert walkthrough evaluation and feasibility analysis, providing a foundation for future prototyping and empirical evaluation. The framework aims to support the development of scalable, ethically grounded, and emotionally responsive AR experiences for next-generation digital museology. Full article

The impact of tourism on Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) in Patagonia is a complex issue that requires a balanced approach between conservation and sustainable tourism development. While tourism in the region can bring significant economic benefits, it can also have a negative impact on the penguins by disrupting nesting behavior and chick rearing, and even increasing the risk of disease and predation. We examined a comparative analysis of scientific papers on the impact of tourism on Magellanic penguins in two breeding colonies in Argentinean Patagonia, which have been visited for 10 to 50 years and whose visitor numbers range from 10,000 to 120,000 per year. We analyzed different physiological parameters (i.e., immunological, hematological, biochemical, and stress parameters) and behavioral respond (alternate head turns) in adult birds and chicks in these colonies. Although the results suggest that Magellanic penguins have adapted well to the presence of tourists in their breeding colonies, we documented changes in certain physiological parameters that indicate chronic stress due to high exposure to tourism. It is important to promote sustainable tourism in Patagonia that not only minimizes these negative impacts but also improves the protection of the penguins and their habitat. This includes the creation of new nature reserves, environmental education, and the regulation of tourism activities. Implementing responsible tourism practices can ensure economic benefits while protecting the well-being and health of penguin populations. The combination of increased tourist awareness and concrete conservation measures can protect not only the Magellanic penguins but also the natural wealth of the entire Patagonia region. Full article

As critical urban blue–green infrastructure, urban wetland parks serve as vital venues for visitors to obtain restorative experiences. However, existing studies primarily emphasize their ecological and economic benefits, with comparatively limited attention paid to their roles in promoting public mental health and enhancing well-being. Using Yanghu Wetland Park in Changsha as a case study, this research investigates how restorative environmental perception influences visitors’ well-being through two mediating variables: environmental preference and place attachment. A total of 251 valid responses were collected through field surveys and questionnaires. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to empirically examine the relationships among the variables. This study enriches the theoretical framework of environmental psychology and urban landscape behavior research. It also provides evidence-based insights into the planning and design of urban wetland parks, contributing to the enhancement of public well-being and overall life satisfaction. Full article

Indoor positioning systems (IPSs) are increasingly applied in indoor settings where satellite-based GNSS signals are unavailable, including museums and other cultural heritage spaces. Within the META-MUSEUM project, we present a pilot study integrating an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) positioning system and an eye-tracking device to monitor and quantify visitor behavior in a real museum environment. The absence of common timestamps between the two systems, and the presence of UWB signal noise, have been the main challenges to address. A cross-correlation–based synchronization method was developed to align the two independent UWB and eye-tracking datasets. Data were collected from 100 visitors, of whom 7 different clusters were considered based on the characteristics of the visitors. The results demonstrate the system’s feasibility and provide two complementary metrics, Normalized Engagement and Collective Engagement, which are used to quantify the duration and spatial distribution of visitor engagement at specific exhibits. This work establishes a scalable multi-sensor foundation by addressing practical deployment challenges under real-world conditions. These findings form the basis for the project’s broader goal of linking spatial visitor behavior with neurophysiological responses, opening new possibilities for improving visitor engagement and supporting interactive cultural heritage experiences. Full article

Urban park landscape design has significant potential to alleviate heat stress and promote public health, particularly during extreme summer heat. This study explores how the spatial configuration of landscapes within the Yanghu Wetland Park in Changsha, China, influences pedestrian thermal comfort and destination loyalty under hot summer conditions, and how these factors affect public perceived health. It enriches current research by examining the impact of landscape spatial configuration, thermal comfort, and destination loyalty on public perceived health from a psychological perspective. We identified connections between park users’ spatial perceptions and their psychological and health perceptions. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships among visitors’ spatial perception, psychological perceptions, and health perceptions within this large urban wetland park. At the same time, we explored how landscape characteristics, thermal comfort, destination loyalty, and public perceived health interact. This research constructs a Spatial–Thermal–Perception–Behavior (SPB) theoretical framework for such complex blue-green spaces, providing a multidimensional perspective on the relationship between the environment and health. Based on a survey of 321 visitors, This study pioneers the SPB theoretical framework, clarifying how this wetland park’s landscape configurations impact public perceived health through the mediating pathways of thermal comfort and destination loyalty. It provides a scientific basis for heat-adaptive landscape design in similar wetland park settings, aiming to enhance resident well-being and improve public perceived health. Full article

Museums contribute significantly to the cultural and economic development of destinations, yet university museums remain underexplored, especially in developing economies. This study examines how experiential attractiveness (EA), attitude toward the museum (ATM), and self-concept connection (SCC) influence visitor experience (VE) and location loyalty (LL). Using data from 1400 visitors to university museums in Puebla, Mexico, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to test the proposed relationships. All hypotheses were supported, with the strongest effects observed from EA to SCC and from SCC to VE, indicating that attractive and engaging experiences strengthen visitors’ self-connection and lead to greater satisfaction during the overall museum visit. The validated model demonstrates consistent relationships among constructs and contributes to understanding how attractiveness and self-connection shape behavioral intentions in the university museum context. These findings highlight the importance of experiential marketing and emotional engagement strategies, while future research should explore additional attitudinal and technological factors that enhance visitor loyalty. Full article