Departamento de Economia, Gestão, Engenharia Industrial e Turismo da Universidade de Aveiro
Digital communication of museums in Porto and Northern Portugal
Recent years have seen an increase in the number of assistive technologies that museums use to engage visitors. Information and Communication Technologies (ITC) offer new opportunities in the museum environment, whether indoors or outdoors, adopting interactive cultural experiences, with the aim of being accessible to all visitors. In this sense, the main aim of this research was to identify and analyze the digital tools and communication techniques used by museums, both on the web and on site, which promote Digital Communication. In the first phase, to analyze the museums' websites, a matrix of variables was created to define Digital Communication, based on the digital tools and communication techniques identified in the literature review. The analysis resulted in a matrix that defines Digital Communication in three dimensions: Visibility, Usability and Interactivity. For each of these dimensions, variables were identified that could be observed and tested, so that they could be considered active on museum websites. In a second phase, an online questionnaire was applied to all the museums in the sample in order to gather additional information. The results obtained from the analysis of the websites are lower than expected, as none of the websites identified all the variables mentioned. Analysis of the questionnaires shows that there is a greater concern for the diversity of visitors, due to the combination of multi-format communication techniques with digital tools.
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Tourism & Development
As the tourism sector accounted for 15.8% of Portugal's economic output in 2022, it is crucial to examine this sector from various angles in Portugal. Using Granger causality, we confirmed a bidirectional relationship between tourism revenue and Gross domestic product per capita, as well as between the number of nights spent by tourists residing in Portugal in Portuguese collective accommodation establishments and Gross domestic product per capita from 1996 to 2022. Several unidirectional relationships were also found, namely between the average number of stays of tourists residing in Portugal and foreigners in the Portuguese Gross domestic product per capita, and the number of overnight stays of the tourists living in Portuguese territory and abroad in collective accommodation units (tourists who stay in establishments broadly classified as hotels) in Portugal, the average number of stays of these tourists, and Portuguese tourism revenues. Using data obtained from INE (Statistics Portugal) and Granger Causality, a notable fact that we observed is that, despite Portugal's GDP having increased in recent years, the average number of stays in Portugal, both for residents and non-residents, has not increased. More people spend nights in Portuguese shared accommodation units, but the average stay is not growing, which could benefit the country. Policy makers and various tourism agents must face this reality and find ways to encourage tourists to stay longer. As far as we know, this is the first time these variables have been used empirically with this methodology, which allows statistical relationships to be analysed from all possible angles.
In the explored topic of measuring hotel guest loyalty, factors influencing the formation of guest loyalty in conditions of intense competition for consumers are considered. The primary focus of this work is directed towards the impact of the internet and social media in terms of reviews and feedback on customers' decisions regarding service acquisition, where positive reviews can attract new guests while negative ones can affect the image and reputation of the hotel. It has been demonstrated that retaining existing customers is cheaper than acquiring new ones, and loyal customers typically make repeat bookings, utilise additional services, and may also attract new guests. The study confirms the importance of service personalisation and brand alignment with consumer values rather than solely providing high-quality services. Technological solutions, such as loyalty programs through mobile applications and online booking, can serve as tools for customer relationship management and the creation of personalised services. The conducted research highlights the importance of multidimensionality of customer loyalty, focusing on the interaction of behavioural, cognitive and emotional factors. It also adds an innovative element by using modern technologies, such as big data analysis and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, to personalise services and manage customer relationships. In addition, it is important that the article considers the influence of social media and online reviews on loyalty, which helps to offer new approaches to the evaluation of loyalty programs. The cultural and social aspects of the perception of loyalty programs are an important difference from others in this field. This makes the work relevant and valuable for hotel industry practitioners. The research convincingly supports the thesis that active efforts toward fostering loyalty are key factors for the sustainable development of the hotel business.
Wine tourism is growing worldwide, assuming a significant share of overall tourism and hospitality; therefore, scholars are attracted to understanding what drives wine tourists’ behaviours. This study aims to analyse and cluster wine tourism research and propose directions for future research. A systematic literature review followed by a text-mining approach explored conceptual developments in wine tourism and hospitality. A full-text analysis of 230 articles was conducted to (1) present the WTHC wine tourism and hospitality clustering of core topics that emerged from the literature and (2) suggest directions for future research. The literature on wine tourism and hospitality employs more quantitative than qualitative approaches, utilising structural equations or regression analysis to explore the data. Seven topic clusters were found representing the core research topics on wine tourism and hospitality. Academics tend to employ well-known theories from psychology, sociology, and the economy. Future research topics include the development of new theories, constructs, contexts, and methodologies applied to wine tourism.
wine tourism, text-mining, loyalty, winescape, experience
Mapping internationalisation research in tourism and hospitality
Internationalisation in tourism and hospitality has been featured as a research field covering various topics and problems. However, no bibliometric study has reviewed the relevant literature in this research area so far. Therefore, this article provides a bibliometric perspective on the research on internationalisation in tourism published between 1980 and 2024. This study aims to explore the evolution, structure, and boundaries of research on internationalisation in the field of tourism, as indexed in the Web of Science (WoS). A total of 206 documents — including journal articles, conference proceedings, books, and book chapters — related to internationalisation in tourism were analysed through the R studio Bibliometric package program. This research conducted performance analyses (number of articles per year, most influential author, most influential journals and most influential countries) and science mapping (word cloud, co-author, citation, country, institution and thematic analyses). It has revealed that the number of research conducted each year experienced ups and downs. Various authors, organisations, journals and countries have made significant contributions to the research on internationalisation in tourism and hospitality during the examined period. Science mapping analysis has provided a significant understanding of the structural, dynamic and conceptual structure in terms of internationalisation. This study also makes important contributions to tourism research in terms of the main themes of internationalisation and new trends.
Internationalization, Tourism, Hospitality, Bibliometric, Science Mapping
Green innovation in the hospitality industry
This paper investigates if and how employee perceptions of the elements of green organisational culture help to create green innovation in the delivery processes and in shaping a green image of the hotel industry. It explores and tests the moderating role of organisational identity in the relationship between subjective norms and components of green innovation. A sample of 315 employees in luxury hotels/resorts participated in this study. The AMOS software platform was used to evaluate the measurement scales of the constructs, the measurement model, and the structural model within structural equation modelling. The results support six out of eight hypotheses within structural equation modeling. Especially, the effects of subjective norms on green innovation in the process and green image innovation become stronger with a positive moderating effect of organisational identity. Based on the research findings, the paper gives recommendations to help organisations promote the role of green organisational culture by encouraging employees to improve green innovation behaviour.
green innovation, green organisational culture, identity, hospitality
Determinants of tourist intentions to use mobile applications for accommodation booking
The present study examines the factors influencing tourists' intentions to book accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City, using mobile applications. It addresses various purchasing behaviours on platforms such as Airbnb, Agoda, and Booking.com. The findings offer strategic insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders aiming to enhance app adoption among hoteliers. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework, this study expands the model by incorporating social influence, pricing strategies, payment systems, and security perceptions to reflect the complexities of mobile booking behaviours. Data were collected through face-to-face questionnaires distributed to 332 domestic tourists between January and March 2024 and analysed using SPSS version 26. The study identifies key factors affecting usage intentions, with social influence emerging as the strongest predictor (β = 0.313), followed by perceived ease of use (β = 0.250) and perceived usefulness (β = 0.203). The regression model explains approximately 55.2% of the variance in usage intention, highlighting the critical role of these determinants in mobile app adoption. This research contextualises TAM within a culturally specific setting, sizing the interplay of trust in digital platforms and social norms. The findings enhance the understanding of mobile app adoption behaviour in Ho Chi Minh City and similar environments. Keywords | mobile accommodation booking, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), social influence, pricing strategies, payment systems, security perceptions
Green food buying intention using the constructs of the Norm Activation Model as moderators among tourists in Ghana
This study investigates purchasing intentions within the framework of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), extending its scope by incorporating additional dimensions: personal norms, awareness of consequences, and ascribed responsibility in the context of green foods. Data was collected from 456 tourists in Ghana through face-to-face interactions, using a cross-sectional and quantitative approach. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to assess the measurement model, test the hypotheses, and evaluate predictive relevance. The research reveals that attitudes toward green food (ATT), subjective norms of green food (SNN), number of children in a family (NCF), health benefits (HBF), and environmental issues (ENI) directly influence purchase intentions. Furthermore, personal norms (PN), awareness of consequences (AC), and ascribed responsibility (AR) positively moderate the relationships between attitudes toward green food, subjective norms of green food, and perceived behavioural control regarding purchasing intentions. This study provides valuable insights into the factors shaping tourist purchasing intentions. Consequently, marketing practitioners can tailor their strategies to align with the buying preferences of tourists in Ghana, specifically targeting green food products. This paper contributes to an underexplored area of research: understanding tourist purchasing intentions in Ghana. Prior studies on purchasing intentions have not extensively incorporated the extended TPB dimensions—number of children in a family, health benefits, and environmental issues—to comprehend this phenomenon.
purchase, health, attitude, green foods, environment.
Understanding the influence of perceived value on Millennial tourists' revisit intentions in Indian homestays
Perceived value is considered a crucial aspect in understanding customers' tangible actions. Existing literature has examined how different dimensions of perceived value influence a person's behavioural intention, but their impact on revisit intention has largely been overlooked. This study investigates functional, social, and emotional values influence on millennial tourists' satisfaction and revisit intention during homestay experiences in India. Analysis of survey responses from 329 millennial tourists reveals that functional and emotional value significantly affect satisfaction, whereas social value does not. Satisfaction, in turn, significantly influences revisit intention. Furthermore, gender analysis indicates that females perceive homestay experiences more positively than males. These findings have important implications for enhancing millennial tourist revisit rates, emphasising the need for tailored strategies in this context.
Homestay, perceived value dimensions, millennial tourist, revisit intention, gender
Analysing the influence of Generation Z on destination loyalty
This study aims to examine the influence of Generation Z on tourist destination loyalty with tourist satisfaction as a mediator variable. The two exogenous variables added are Digital experience and Environmental awareness, both of which are considered to have a significant influence on the behaviour of Generation Z travellers. Using the path analysis method, this study examines how these two variables, along with tourist satisfaction, influence destination loyalty. Data was collected through an online survey completed by respondents from Generation Z, who had travelled in the past 12 months. A total of 387 responses were analysed to evaluate the conceptual model using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques. Results show that Digital experience has a positive effect on tourist satisfaction, confirming that engaging and easy digital interactions play an important role in Generation Z's travel experience. The correlation between environmental awareness and contentment is substantial, suggesting that environmental awareness is a key determinant of satisfaction for Generation Z. Empirical evidence has demonstrated that tourist satisfaction plays a significant role in mediating the relationship between the two external factors and the loyalty towards a place. This suggests that while digital experiences and environmental awareness directly influence satisfaction, their effects on destination loyalty are mediated through perceived satisfaction levels. This research provides new insights into the behaviour of Generation Z travellers and suggests that destination marketing strategies should emphasise providing satisfying digital experiences and eco-friendly practices to increase destination loyalty.
The attractiveness of destinations, particularly beaches, influences tourists’ selection and visits. This study sought to ascertain visitors’ perceptions of beach destination attractiveness and explore whether these perceptions are associated with sociodemographic factors. Data collected from beach visitors (N = 313) through a survey were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. The results revealed that while users perceived geophysical features (73.7%) and access, safety, and comfort (66.9%) as attractive, they considered scenery and cleanliness (27.9%) and facilities and services (27.6%) dimensions as not readily attractive. The results also showed that the age, education, marital status, continent of origin and purpose of visit are significantly associated with perceived beach destination attractiveness. Most importantly, overall beach destination attractiveness is significantly correlated with gender, nationality (tourist type), and continent of visitors. The study recommends that regulators and beach management should essentially engage in infrastructure, service, and sanitation improvements at the beaches, and adopt target marketing, to meet diverse visitor needs, uphold the appeal and viability of these coastal destinations, and promote sustainable tourism development in Ghana and West Africa.
Sustainable practices in religious events
The religious festivals that take place in Brazil attract believers from different locations and generate social, environmental, and economic impacts in the regions and surrounding cities in which they occur. Although there are studies that discuss the social, environmental, and economic impacts of religious events in Brazil, the literature lacks research that analyses the environmental impacts of the Festa de Nossa Senhora da Abadia. Therefore, this article aims to analyse the environmental sustainability of the Festa de Nossa Senhora da Abadia. Senhora da Abadia in Romaria - MG, identifying its main environmental impacts and proposing measures to make the event more sustainable. The research adopts a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach, using field and documentary research methods, including direct observation and document analysis. The results reveal that the party generates environmental impacts, especially in relation to waste generation and water and energy consumption. The research suggests the need for more efficient management of natural resources and awareness on the part of participants and organisers of the festival, aiming to make the Feast of Nossa Senhora da Abadia in Romaria - MG a more sustainable and environmentally responsible event.
Sustainability, Feast of Nossa Senhora da Abadia, Environmental impact, Sustainable measures, Local and regional community.
Comparative analysis of the gastronomic tourism offerings in Ecuador and its main South American competitors
This study carries out a comparative analysis of the management of gastronomic tourism in South American capitals as tourist destinations. For its development, the guidelines of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) (2020) for the development of gastronomic tourism were used as a reference framework, as a benchmarking tool to evaluate the performance of gastronomic tourism in the reference countries. The study employs an integrative methodology, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to generate both descriptive information on the territorial characteristics of the study area and quantitative data to project trends and potential territorial consequences of gastronomic tourism in the analysis units. As a fundamental result, it was possible to draw the parameters that characterise each of the destinations analysed. Additionally, strategies for improving the gastronomic tourism offer in Ecuador are presented.
The relationship among destination quality, place attachment, and happiness
Destination quality and place attachment are pivotal factors in enhancing tourist happiness and fostering sustainable tourism development. High-quality destinations not only encourage visitors to affirm their positive experiences but also cultivate a unique sense of place attachment. These emotional connections attract tourists while enriching their journeys with meaningful spiritual experiences. This dynamic not only enhances tourist happiness but also plays a crucial role in driving sustainable development in the tourism industry. The primary purpose of this study is to examine relationships among long-term Chinese tourists’ perceptions of destination quality, place attachment, and happiness in Thailand. Understanding the intricate interplay among these factors provides deeper insights into tourism development and informs improved destination management strategies. The ultimate goal is to enhance the attractiveness and competitiveness of tourist destinations by improving destination quality. This study employed a questionnaire survey method, collecting data from 372 long-term Chinese tourists in Thailand. The results indicate that destination quality directly enhances happiness and fosters place attachment. Moreover, place attachment fully mediates the relationship between destination quality and happiness. These findings underscore the importance of prioritising destination quality and nurturing place attachment as key considerations for tourism development. Result findings also provide valuable references for advancing tourism development, offering theoretical and practical insights for future research and strategic growth in tourist destinations.
Adoption of social policy for marine waste management to improve environmental degradation for sustainable beach tourism
This research aims to study the social policies of marine waste management implemented to mitigate environmental degradation and promote sustainable beach tourism, focusing specifically on the initiatives of local government administrators. Existing research has predominantly focused on green and eco-tourism, often overlooking the critical role of marine waste management. Thus, the objectives of this research are: 1) to examine the adoption of social policies initiated by local government administrators in managing marine waste and their impact on mitigating environmental degradation for sustainable beach tourism; and 2) to determine the extent of the effectiveness of the guidelines for activities on how to reduce marine waste in order to alleviate environmental degradation. The study area covers Koh Chang Island, which is a popular beach and coastal tourist attraction. The methodology employed a qualitative approach to collect the data, which involved eight participants undergoing three sets of semi-structured interviews. The content analysis of the findings indicates that the social policy framework implemented by administrative efforts in marine waste management can bolster policy coherence and implement activities to enhance the environmental conditions that are crucial for preserving beach tourism destinations. In the discussion and the conclusions sections, the importance of increased awareness, promotion of the eco-friendly behaviours of stakeholders, implementation of practical measures, and enforcement of regulations are presented. Additionally, the involvement of government administrators is deemed indispensable. Lastly, this study acknowledges its limitations and offers recommendations for future research.
marine waste management, environmental degradation, social policy, sustainable beach tourism, local government administration
This study presents the application of the Tourism Sustainability Synthetic Index (IS-SIS) in the North of Portugal, focusing on the Cávado and Ave Regions. It aims to assess the sustainability status of these destinations amidst the significant increase in tourist activity since 2013. Utilising a robust population sampling survey with over 1.200 responses and expert interviews, the research validates the IS-SIS, a nationally and internationally recognized tool. By involving local society and experts, the study promotes dialogue among stakeholders, offering a fresh perspective often absent or overlooked in conventional methodologies. Through this approach, the research evaluates the sustainability levels of the analysed regions, identifying critical social, economic, political, and environmental dimensions in need of review. By examining individual and collective indicators, the study identifies areas for improvement and offers insights for regional administrations. This inclusive methodology not only assesses the current state of sustainability but also facilitates informed decision-making for the future development of these tourist destinations. Ultimately, the research contributes to advancing the understanding of tourism sustainability and the importance of community engagement through participatory approaches to achieve responsible tourism.
31 years of perceived value in tourism and related areas
Despite the importance of perceived value for tourism, to the best of our knowledge, there are no bibliometric or revisionary articles that sought to understand the theoretical-thematic roots of perceived value and the current paths of the construct in relation to its borders. In this sense, aiming to address this gap, we carried out a bibliometric study with co-citation and bibliographic coupling analyses. The objective, therefore, was to analyze the conceptual bases that support research on perceived value and the frontiers of current knowledge on the topic. We followed SPAR-4-SLR as a methodological protocol, a reference in revisional and bibliometric studies. Data collection was carried out on the Web of Science, restricting it to scientific articles published until 2022. Our final sample was 257 articles. We present descriptive results and graphic mappings. Our descriptive results included evolution of works per year, publications per author and publications per journal. Our graphical mappings were divided into a co-citation analysis map and a bibliographic coupling map. Among our main results, we identified 6 clusters of theoretical bases (co-citation) and 5 clusters of theoretical boundaries (bibliographic coupling). The contribution of the article lies in the organization, synthesis and analysis of the stock of knowledge of perceived value in tourism.
Prioritizing Factors Influencing Travelers' Sharing of Travel Experiences on Social Media
Social media platform is one of the most used platforms for travelers worldwide to share their travel experiences. Recently, Oman has also started gaining attention as a tourism destination when people started sharing their travel experiences through photos, videos, blogs on social media platform. This presents an opportunity to harness the potential of social media for promoting Oman's tourism industry. To leverage this opportunity, it is important to delve into the key factors that motivate and inhibit travelers from sharing their travel experiences on social media platforms. Therefore, this study takes a comprehensive approach to identify and prioritize the key motivating and inhibiting factors using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. The insights gained from this research can provide valuable insights to tourism stakeholders and policymakers, enabling them to refine their strategies for promoting Oman as an attractive and competitive tourist destination aligning with the goals outlined in the National Tourism Strategy 2040.
The economic sustainability of destinations has become an evolving topic, specifically in the gastronomic tourism sector where new strategies are being called to make the sector more competitive and sustainable through the proposal of models for transitioning to a sustainable economy, supported by eco-friendly production and consumption. Despite the increasing interest in the topic, there is a scarcity of synthesis studies mapping research in sustainable gastronomy tourism, particularly regarding conceptualization, construct denominations, and fundamental factors for transitioning to a sustainable economy. The objective of this study is to map the literature on sustainable gastronomic tourism and to identify the factors of gastronomic tourism that may condition the transition to a sustainable economy. This is achieved through a scoping review of the literature, supplemented with a bibliometric study. Gastronomic tourism stands out as a crucial sector for transitioning to more sustainable economies by promoting low impact consumption and production and contributing to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis undertaken allowed to conclude that the topic is increasingly capturing the interest of academia, although the current state of the literature is characterized by a reduced heterogeneity in research methods and that studies are predominantly focused on food production, accommodation and food and wine tourism, with a lack of studies involving other typologies of tourism. Avenues for future research are identified as well as the limitations of the current study.
Scoping review, gastronomy experience, sustainable economy, sustainable gastronomy, sustainable destination management.
Changes in Seasonal Patterns and Resilience of Domestic Tourist's Demand During the Pandemic
This study aims to illustrate the changes in seasonal patterns and models the resilience of domestic tourists through the quantitative method. This study produced several findings. First, the pandemic impacted the number of trips as well as the travel patterns of domestic tourists. The seasonality index has succeeded in identifying a reduction in the peak season numbers during the pandemic period. A higher Gini coefficient during the pandemic showed an uneven distribution of the number of the monthly trip. Second, the response of domestic tourists to social movement restrictions was instant, and it took 18 months to recover.
What will I share? An evaluation of electronic word-of-mouth on service quality and the tourist experience
A destination's competitiveness and sustainability depend mainly on its ability to provide enriching experiences for visitors while at the same time guaranteeing excellence in service provision (Zibarzani et al., 2022). This research sought to carry out a case study in the city of Bento Gonçalves, located in Rio Grande do Sul, with the Wine Train ride as the object of study, using content generated by users via the Tripadvisor website to analyse the experience of tourists and their perceptions of the quality of services during their train ride. To do this, we used a theoretical review of experience, quality of service, customer satisfaction, user-generated content, and evaluation of tourist services. The methodological approach included the characterisation of the research, the data collection and analysis procedures adopted. The results showed the complexity of analysing quality in tourism, which involves various facets, including the main attraction, secondary services and the parties involved.
What Motivates Tourists to Take Wildlife Selfies?
The main objective of this research is to study the motivation behind clicking selfies with animals at wildlife tourist attractions (WTAs) in India. This study adopted a qualitative approach, and in-depth, face-to-face, one-on-one interviews were conducted with 16 respondents. The findings of the present study indicate the diverse range of motivational and influencing factors (e.g., ethical and animal welfare concerns, conservation advocacy, cultural and heritage connections, thrill and novelty, affordability, adventure and excitement, safety and ethical standards, personal growth and exploration, creation of travel memories, societal trends and peer influence, capture memories and souvenirs, environmental and conservation concerns, educational motivations, aesthetic value, escape from everyday life) that shape tourists' decisions to take selfies with animals. The findings of this research illustrate several motivational factors for taking selfies of animals at wildlife tourist attractions (WTA) in India, which can be used in creating public awareness about the negative impacts of selfies on wildlife. This research also offers new insights into the ongoing discussion on ethical wildlife tourism and the conservation of natural ecosystems in this age of social media.
Despite the extensive body of research on the experience economy within the food industry, there remains a noticeable gap in understanding the customer experience, especially in the context of theme restaurants. The theme restaurant industry attracts customers as it offers a truly exceptional dining theme-related experience. Integrating experience economy realms into theme restaurants enhances the overall customer experience, creating a lasting impression in their memory and increasing the likelihood of repeat patronage. However, there is scarcity of studies on the role of the experience economy in theme restaurants, which might give profound implications to business owners and tourism boards. Thus, this study aims to assess essential realms theme restaurants should incorporate. This narrative review provides an extensive understanding by analysing 26 articles from academic search engines. The elements discovered were divided into five distinct categories: (1) education, (2) entertainment, (3) escapism, (4) aesthetics, and (5) sweet spot. Incorporating these domains into a theme restaurant is crucial as it offers delectable food and memorable dining experience for customers. This understanding and utilization of experience economy concepts may serve as a strategic guide for owners seeking to create extraordinary theme restaurants that align seamlessly with the demands and desires of discerning consumers.
Tourism e-Storytelling in creative territories: proposal of a model for a digital multiplatform of e-Storytelling in creative territories
The research purpose of this paper is to develop a proposal for a model for a digital multiplatform of e-Storytelling in creative territories. For that a literature review was undertaken, to elucidate the current state of the art concerning the main concepts: creative tourism development models, creative territories, and e-Storytelling. Following a list of creative manifestations, creative territories and localized creative networks in continental Portugal were compiled and a comprehensive examination of creative territories' attributes was conducted, enhancing the understanding of the multifaceted dimensions that shape these dynamic spaces. This information provides a solid and inspiring foundation for the design of an innovative multiplatform e-Storytelling model for creative territories. The model promotes community engagement, facilitating user interaction for a dynamic narrative network in creative territories. It ensures cultural preservation through meticulous curation, safeguarding unique historical and cultural essence. The research's implications extend to tourism management, marketing, and digital technology, offering valuable insights into the dynamic interplay between creativity, tourism, and digital media. The proposed model serves as a practical guide for practitioners and policymakers aiming to enhance tourism storytelling in creative territories.
Keywords | e-Storytelling; digital multiplatform; creative tourism; creative territories; creative narratives
The mobile app frontier in the hotel sector
This study aims to investigate the benefits, challenges, opportunities, and risks of mobile app technology in the hotel sector. Data was collected from 12 managers of 5-star hotels operating in Turkey through interview. The collected data was analysed to explore the benefits, challenges, opportunities, and potential risks associated with mobile app technology. In this study, a kappa analysis was performed by two experts in the field who coded the interview data. The resulting value was 0.77, indicating a high level of agreement among the findings. The study revealed various opportunities such as personalized customer experiences, improved efficiency, and enhanced communication through mobile apps in hotels. However, it also identified challenges like technical issues, concerns about data security, obstacles to adoption, and staff adaptation. Furthermore, potential risks such as reduced traditional interactions and technological glitches underscore the need for careful consideration. This research delves into the complex landscape of mobile application technology within the hotel sector, uncovering its potential for transformation, navigating challenges, and highlighting key opportunities while addressing associated risks meticulously.
While the relationships between food and tourism are largely analysed, the study of the role of sweets in food tourism is limited. This research presents a study of rural producers of sweets, alfajores and jams in the Campos, Ríos y Lagunas region of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the objective to analyze the challenges and opportunities of the elaboration of sweets as an agricultural activity, and the contribution it makes to local communities through the process of awarding tourism value to local products. Based on interviews with twelve local producers, results show the difficulties for the protection and promotion of the local product, and discuss the role of the producers in sweet-based food tourism. This research addresses a gap in food tourism based on the role of sweets in the planning and development of rural tourism. While this activity generates synergies that contribute to regional economic development, future collaboration and cooperation among public and private stakeholders will increase the relevance of sweet products in tourism.
“Since vineyards and olive groves share geographical areas, pairing wine tourism programs with olive tourism programs might result in synergy in a local economy. So, olive oil tourism and wine tourism managers may need to work closely together.” (Hwang & Quadri-Felitti, 2021, p.13). This study aims to understand how wine tourism estates in Douro region, promote wine and olive oil Food Heritage (FH) symbiosis inside eno-olivotourism, an emergent SIT (Special Interest tourism). Conceptually, a Pyo (2015) and Kotler et al. 2006) integrative approach was followed. For Pyo (2025), “Integrating functions of tourist market segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP) can be beneficial to destination marketing. Integration of these functions could be possible by establishing an integrative linkage between destination attributes (as wine & olive oil) and tourist needs and wants, and by recognizing the systematic contribution of each function, while considering the interrelationships between them” (Pyo, 2015, p.253-254). In Kotler et al. (2006) opinion, STP should be based on integrated information, because it can generate a great insight in a more efficient way, than considering them as independent tasks (Natter et al. 2008). So, the integration of wine and olive oil (as territorial endogenous resources and unique gastronomic experiences) with tourism, can ensure destination competitiveness, visitors attractiveness and experience differentiation. In order to promote online products, services, experiences and territories, a communication strategy must be developed (Meroño & Arcas, 2006; Jurado et al., 2018). In this context, the Internet has become a source of top-quality tourism information, with increasing numbers of tourists consulting the range of products and services offered (Cristóbal-Fransi, et al., 2013). From a supply optic, Chung & Buhalis (2008) believe in websites and social networks as important information, communication and marketing tools, as reputation builders and consumption influencers. Zhang & Dran, (2002) e Chen & Macredie (2005) consider the websites as the first reference that customers have to form an impression of the company. So, to understand the eno-olivotourism information maturity, we developed a Website Evaluation Model (WEM) inspired in the eMICA (Extended Model of Internet Commerce Adoption) methodology (Burgess & Cooper, 1998, 2000, 2002; Ting, 2013), taking eight domains in account (instead of the original 4): organizational, informational, Promotional, Relational, Transactional, Interactivity, Multimedia & Design and social media. To get information, a qualitative methodology was adopted, collecting website content data from 290 wine companies where 146 had online presence, but only 35 produce wine and olive oil. So, the focus was on the 35 eno-olive oil producers. The results call for greater attention to the quality of information communicated and interaction strategies with stakeholders. As for the synergies associated with wine and olive oil, there is a significant gap in the areas of integrated communication and marketing. The limitations of this study are its confinement to a specific wine region (Douro) and a unique approach from the supply angle. Regarding business contributions, we recommend that managers pay more attention to the website role, as this will improve consumer attitude, and a good online presence will have a positive impact on the organization’s image and financial benefits (Dedrick, Gurbaxini & Kraemer, 2003 and Can & Alatas, 2017). In order to do this, a series of guidelines should be followed when designing the eno-olivotourism corporate website, and this should include a group of basic features connected to the eight proposed dimensions. An effective Internet presence will mean better results, whether in the number of visits, or the number of bookings made.
| Food Heritage Wine & Olive Oil, Eno-Olivotourism, Website evaluation, Douro wine region
The Tourism Image of the Island Destinations of Greece
The images that people form regarding the various tourism destinations, when estimated, evaluated and combined with other factors, result in a travel decision. It is argued that the images that people form are a way of organizing the various stimuli they receive daily. The purpose of this article is to investigate all the factors that affect resilience in the 60 main island tourism destinations of Greece and shape their tourism image. Given the factors that shape the image and its separation into Basic and Specific, a process of quantitative assessment of the image of island destinations based on objective measurements was developed. The methodological framework was based on the combination of the characteristics of each island destination with statistical methods and numerical data. The resulting quantitative estimates lead to value crises and further allow the formation of an appropriate tourism policy framework for the island destinations of Greece that enrich their tourism product and diversify their tourism image.
From city to tourist destination... A literature review on the networking model
Through the analysis and discussion of the literature, this article highlights the set of challenges inherent in adopting a networking management model in urban tourist destinations. In a globally competitive and unstable context, it is important to achieve economies of scale and the complementarities resulting from the involvement of different actors working in a given territory. With this in mind, the aim is to raise awareness among destination managers, particularly in urban destinations, and other actors working in these areas, of all the motivations associated with interacting with each other and the factors that promote their consolidation. The potential for innovation arising from the learning that results from mobilizing external skills is highlighted. Given the scarcity of research into dimensions that can dilute the psychosociological resistance inherent in adopting the networking model and enhance it, the research carried out fills an information gap in that it provides access to good practices and examples of successful cases, thus acting as a facilitating tool in terms of speeding up the predisposition generated among potential stakeholders.
: networking; urban tourist destinations
Methods of assessing carrying capacity in hiking trails
The sustainability of the tourism system has become a growing concern, especially in recent decades. The impact of tourist activity on ecosystems, the overuse of some tourist infrastructure and facilities, and in many cases the lack of monitoring of these flows and their impacts, have highlighted the need for better planning and management of resources. Defining the carrying capacity of trails is an essential tool for the sustainable management of tourist flows, particularly in sensitive areas and ecosystems. The aim of this study is therefore to identify and evaluate the main methods used to assess the carrying capacity of hiking trails, to identify the correction factors used and the main areas of application of the proposed methods. The search carried out in four scientific repositories and the application of the PRISMA methodology allowed the identification of 39 scientific articles to be included in the review process. The majority of the studies identified use the Cifuentes (1992) methodology, which assesses the carrying capacity of hiking trails located in classified and/or protected areas, mainly on the American continent, with a focus on those published in the last four years.