This study conducts a systematic literature review to examine geocaching as a form of technology-mediated experiential communication, analysing how location-based gamified practices shape consumer engagement, behavioural decisions and place-related meaning-making, with implications for destination marketing, digital engagement and communication strategies. Following the SPAR-4-SLR protocol and applying the Antecedents–Decisions–Outcomes (ADO) framework as both a structuring and analytical lens, the review synthesises 30 studies published between 2010 and 2025 to clarify the mechanisms linking motivations, technological affordances and engagement decisions to communication-related outcomes. The findings reveal three interconnected thematic clusters. First, location-based technologies function as experiential communication devices that reconfigure place exploration, spatial consumption and destination perception. Second, mobile and augmented reality applications operate as engagement infrastructures, fostering active participation, co-creation and narrative interaction with place. Third, digital participation in tourism demonstrates how gamified, location-based services enhance visibility, stimulate user-generated content and promote sustained digital involvement. Collectively, the results show that geocaching extends existing research on gamification and location-based services by evidencing how engagement unfolds through spatially embedded communication processes. Despite these contributions, evidence regarding long-term environmental impacts, sustained learning outcomes and cross-national differences remains limited, highlighting the need for longitudinal and multi-level research designs. From a practical perspective, geocaching presents opportunities for destination diversification, educational enrichment and community-level value creation through technology-supported outdoor experiences. The originality of this review lies in reframing geocaching as a strategic form of experiential and place-based communication, with the ADO-based synthesis elucidating how digital engagement mechanisms connect individual motivations to behavioural, spatial and communicational outcomes, thereby advancing debates in gamification, destination marketing and location-based digital engagement. Acknowledgements: NECE and this work are supported by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P. by project reference 2023.02318.BD, UID/04630/2025 and DOI identifier 10.54499/UID/04630/2025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54663/2182-9306.2026.SpecialIssueCMTH.272-299

This study examines the impact of Augmented Reality (AR) on the development of Brand Love and Brand Loyalty in the hospitality sector, positioning AR not merely as a technological tool but as an interactive marketing communication interface and a digital customer experience touchpoint capable of strengthening consumer–brand relationships. The research analyses how perceived usefulness, ease of use, satisfaction and perceived risk influence consumer responses towards hotel brands that implement AR. A quantitative research design was employed using an online questionnaire administered to 115 participants, with data analysed through descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U tests, linear and multiple regression analyses, and K-means cluster analysis to explore the relationships between AR experience factors and branding outcomes and to identify distinct user profiles. The results indicate that perceived usefulness and satisfaction with AR have a significant positive effect on both Brand Love and Brand Loyalty, while ease of use emerges as a key driver of favourable responses and revisit intentions. Perceived risk, in contrast, shows a limited influence in this context. The cluster analysis reveals four distinct user segments, reflecting differences in emotional engagement and attitudes towards AR-based hotel experiences. The study is limited by its sample size and demographic concentration, which may constrain the generalisability of the findings, suggesting that future research should test the proposed model across broader hospitality settings and further explore privacy-related concerns as AR becomes increasingly embedded in customer journeys. The originality of this research lies in linking AR-enabled customer experiences with relational branding outcomes, framing AR as a strategic communication and experience design tool for brand management and offering practical insights for marketing decision-making related to digital investment, interactive communication and customer segmentation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54663/2182-9306.2026.SpecialIssueCMTH.197-229

This study explores the nature of sustainable tourist awareness and its potential role as a determinant of tourists’ commitment to the sustainable development of the destinations they visit. Data were collected through a survey administered to individuals aged 18 or older who had engaged in nature-based tourism within the previous 12 months. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, along with structural equation modelling, were employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings show that sustainability awareness among nature-based tourists encompasses the traditional economic, sociocultural and environmental dimensions, while also revealing a fourth component related to the negative consequences of nature tourism. The results validate the four corresponding measurement models and confirm a positive relationship between the traditional dimensions of sustainability awareness and overall sustainability; however, this relationship does not extend to the newly identified dimension. The analysis further supports several hypotheses, including a cause-and-effect relationship between overall sustainability awareness and the sustainable behaviour of nature-based tourists towards the destination, pointing to the emergence of an “aware tourist” whose behaviour is consistent with their sustainability consciousness. As pioneering research on the awareness and behaviour of nature-based tourists, this study is limited by its focus on a specific tourism segment and geographical context, suggesting the need for replication in other cultural and territorial settings to enhance generalisability. The originality of this work lies in its early exploration of the role of nature-based tourists in sustainable development through their behaviour, addressing the critical question of how tourists act in accordance with their awareness to support destination sustainability. Acknowledgments : This work was supported by: i) the Science, University, and Knowledge Society Department of the Aragon Government [S42_23R: Crevalor]; ii) the project UZ2024-CSJ-03, and, iii) IEDIS (Research, employment, digital society, and sustainability Institute of the University of Zaragoza). DOI: https://doi.org/10.54663/2182-9306.2026.SpecialIssueCMTH.146-161

This study aims to develop a conceptual framework for Revenue Management (RM) in tourism industry sub-sectors, addressing key characteristics, processes, applications, trends and challenges in order to support future research. A qualitative approach was adopted through a conceptual analysis and an extensive literature review, using exploratory secondary research to identify and analyse academic contributions on RM in tourism, allowing the information to be synthesised and the study to be coherently structured. The findings reveal recurring patterns of RM implementation in tourism, highlight its strategic relevance, and propose a framework that systematises practices, emerging trends and directions for future research. The main limitation of the study lies in the fragmentation of the existing literature, which required a strong capacity for synthesis and critical analysis to select the most relevant contributions. The originality of this article resides in its integrated perspective on RM across tourism industry sub-sectors, offering a conceptual framework and identifying research gaps that contribute to both academic development and professional practice in the field. Acknowledgments : This work is financed by national funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology, IP, within the scope of the reference Projet CiTUR UIDB/04470/2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54663/2182-9306.2026.SpecialIssueCMTH.11-24

Tourist destinations are geographical areas characterised by a diverse set of natural, cultural and man-made attractions that motivate visitors to travel in search of unique experiences, leisure, relaxation or knowledge. These destinations comprise interdependent elements such as infrastructure, services, hospitality, safety and accessibility, which collectively shape the tourist experience and influence destination performance. A key determinant of destination competitiveness lies in the ability to attract, satisfy and retain tourists in a sustainable manner, thereby increasing market share over time. To examine this topic, the study employs a bibliometric approach focusing on the concept of tourist destination competitiveness, based on three indicators: authorship, year of publication and journal. The results indicate that destination competitiveness encompasses multiple conceptual and practical dimensions, highlighting its multidisciplinary nature. The analysis also reveals a significant growth and increasing analytical sophistication in scientific production on this subject, with the incorporation of diverse methodological approaches, including comparative quantitative studies across destinations and qualitative research centred on the perceptions of stakeholders and tourists. The originality of this study resides in its systematic and quantitative mapping of the scientific landscape of publications on tourist destination competitiveness between 2000 and 2023, offering a structured and up-to-date overview of academic contributions and identifying potential directions for future research in the tourism field. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54663/2182-9306.2026.SpecialIssueCMTH.1-10