The abrupt stagnation of tourism development on Rupat Island, Indonesia, following a 2015 political leadership change presents a compelling case study of policy discontinuity in decentralized governance systems. This research investigates how the transition from Regent Herliyan Saleh (2010-2015) to his successor triggered the collapse of a previously successful tourism development initiative, despite the island's designation as a national strategic tourism area. The study employs a qualitative single-case study design, utilizing multiple data sources including government planning documents, budgetary records, in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, and extensive field observations conducted between 2017-2018. The findings reveal a two-phase developmental trajectory: rapid progress (2010-2015) driven by a powerful policy entrepreneur who allocated approx. 500 billion rupiah to infrastructure development, followed by immediate stagnation post-2015 when the new administration abandoned key projects, particularly a crucial 20-kilometer road connection. The research illustrates that the failure to institutionalize tourism development policy within permanent bureaucratic or legal frameworks created vulnerability to political transitions, effectively derailing national strategic objectives through local electoral politics. The study contributes to understanding policy implementation challenges in developing democracies, highlighting the critical need for institutional mechanisms that protect long-term development projects from political discontinuity. These findings have significant implications for sustainable tourism development in decentralized systems, emphasizing the importance of embedding transformative initiatives within robust institutional frameworks rather than relying solely on individual political champions.

The development of tourism in the municipality of Belsh presents a valuable opportunity for promoting natural assets and enhancing community awareness in support of the sustainable socio-economic growth of the area. This study aims to examine the role of two key components, natural potential and local community awareness, as determining factors for tourism development in this geographical area. Belsh’s natural potential is characterized by rich natural landscapes that offer opportunities for various forms of tourism, including nature-based tourism, agritourism, and ecotourism. Meanwhile, community awareness and active participation are essential for the sustainable management of these resources, ensuring a balance between economic development and environmental protection. The study employs both qualitative and quantitative methods, including the analysis of scientific literature and structured questionnaires focused on the local community. The findings reveal that Belsh has a high level of natural potential that remains underutilized, while community awareness is still developing, with significant potential for improvement through educational campaigns and support programs. The role of the community is assessed as fundamental for the preservation and promotion of natural values, as well as for strengthening the local tourism offer. The study recommends the development of integrated policies that include training for residents, institutional support for local tourism enterprises, and the promotion of collaboration between institutions and the community for the sustainable management of natural resources, contributing to the socio-economic development of the municipality of Belsh.

The transitioning socio-economic and cultural setup of regional tourism-based economies along the Eastern Coast of India is often triggered by tropical cyclones emerging in the Bay of Bengal. The coastline is a powerhouse of tourist attractions, comprising biodiversity hotspots, architectural marvels, pilgrimage sites, and abundant scenic beauty. These tourist destinations are annually devastated by cyclonic storms and sea surges, causing floods. The disruption caused by this impacts the regular tourist flow. Its subsequent impact on the dynamics of the prevalent socio-economic setup in the region has put a question mark on the existing growth model of the tourism industry. The study delves into the prospects of regenerative tourism in the coastal state of Odisha, which had been historically facing the wrath of annual cyclonic occurrences just before the massive gathering of tourists during the festival of Rathayatra. Additionally, it houses the Ramsar site of Bhitarkanika mangroves, which accounts for substantial tourist footfall by virtue of its environmental significance, flora, and fauna. The findings from this study shed light on sustainable practices that serve local communities, preserve the environment, and ensure economic viability. A holistic approach is imperative, comprehensively addressing the complexities of long-term management. The study also probes into nuanced interventions like “biovillages” and regenerating mangrove ecosystems, both of which have been pivotal aspects for local communities, influencing their approach to preservation, regeneration, and tourism.

Hospitality industry, often referred to as a "people industry", constitutes a fiercely competitive and leading industry of the global economy, which relies heavily on its employees to deliver high-quality services and keep customers satisfied. In this sense of global context, hospitality management skills are acknowledged as a crucial element of business success, in the attempt to provide outstanding experiences and differentiate from competitors. On the other hand, the ever changing evolution and the continuous emergence of new technologies, transform not only the customer demands but the daily habits of human population, in general. Social media is already recognized as a powerful marketing tool, embedded in the daily life, particularly for people of young age, who are reported to be strongly influenced by such applications. These young people are frequently students, which consequently resulted in now seriously viewing social media even as a useful tool for various educational procedures and purposes. Its application in hospitality education ranges from limited to wide, including the promotion of hospitality management skills. This paper draws on existing literature aiming to summarize the hospitality management skills that may be promoted through the applications of social media in educational procedures and explore how it may be further employed in this regard.

This paper investigates visitors’ preferences to the Outeniqua Farmers’ Market (OFM) in George in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The OFM is a typical farmers’ market that takes place every Saturday morning on the outskirts of the town, where stall owners and visitors congregate. Whilst it presents an opportunity for stall holders to sell their goods, it is also a platform where visitors to the event can have a meal and socialise. Using a quantitative research approach, 332 self-completion questions were analysed. The results indicate that about 40 percent of the visitors attended the OFM at least once a month, and the visitors were highly qualified – 41 percent had a post-graduate qualification. As was expected, 64 percent of the visitors were local and 71 percent from the Western Cape Province. As for the visitors’ preferences, 59 percent of the visitors were keen to purchase fresh products and 70 percent of the visitors were comfortable paying higher prices, if the products were of superior quality - this may be attributed to a more well-heeled clientele visiting the market. What was notable is that there was not a strong drive for organic products with 40 percent of the visitors being neutral about any preference towards organic products. Overall, there seem to be a preference for locally produced farm products. The variety of products on offer at the market, also seems to be very positive. Based on the outcome of the study, several recommendations are preferred.

Utilizing Hokkaido as a case study, this study explores the potential for sustainable tourism through coexistence with natural capital. Excessive tourism activity often damages natural capital. This study discusses methods for assessing natural capital and strategies for sustainable tourism. Specifically, through case studies of Otaru City and Biei-cho in Hokkaido, the research aims to understand the relationship between natural capital and tourism, proposing concrete steps toward achieving sustainable tourism. Otaru City is renowned for its picturesque canals and historical architecture, attracting numerous tourists. However, increased tourism has led to challenges such as environmental impact and congestion. Similarly, Biei-cho is celebrated for its spectacular natural landscapes and seasonal beauty, yet this scenery is potentially vulnerable to tourism-related impacts. This research investigates the content of tourism websites as a representation of local community perspectives on maintaining tourism sustainability through natural capital stewardship. Furthermore, social media data reflecting tourist sentiments regarding Otaru City and Biei-cho are analyzed. Positive and negative aspects are extracted from tourist emotional expressions concerning natural capital, and the evaluation and utilization of natural capital are discussed. Consequently, in addition to evaluating current tourism industry practices, this study offers a new perspective on how tourism can be harmonized with natural capital to contribute to the sustainable development of local communities.

Andalusia got the 4th place of tourists’ favorite destinations among 17 autonomous communities in Spain in September 2023 and almost returned to pre-pandemic normality regarding tourism. Although Spain is famous for its “sun and beach”, its tourist industry is facing new challenges in socio-economic, environmental and territorial issues; therefore, the role of artificial intelligence cannot be ignored in the evolution and transformation of the tourism business. AI algorithms reinforce decision-making capabilities through analysing real-time data. Effectiveness and efficiency of AI algorithms are dependent on well-structured, well-described and machine-readable meta data network which can be provided by Semantic Web standards. This article empirically study the current usage of Semantic Web formats, ontologies and touristic topics in 65 tourist-relevant web sites in Andalusia. Results show that just 57 % of examined sites used semantic markup with most of the semantic annotations (98.5%) made in three formats: Microdata, JSON-LD and RDFa. Furthermore, the Ontologies used in almost 90% of markups are ‘Schema.org’, ‘Data Vocabulary’ and ‘RDF’, but none of the special tourism ontologies appeared in examined tourism web sites. Therefore, Andalusia tourism websites should be enhanced with much more widespread Semantic Web in order to achieve a better performance in a future in which AI technologies will be widespread.

Peru, located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in west-central South America, has diverse climates and cultures, which have allowed it to develop a varied and exquisite cuisine. The district of Miraflores, located in the city of Lima, is the country's main tourist destination and is facing increasing gastronomic demand, impacting the residents' lifestyles. This study used a quantitative, non-experimental, longitudinal, and correlational approach to examine the effects of gastronomic establishments in Miraflores. The methodology involved identifying the number and capacity of gastronomic establishments within the gastronomic corridors of Miraflores and correlating this data with the number of homes and the resident population. Data collection included using Google Maps and on-site verification, with historical comparisons made using Google Earth. Additionally, historical data from the population censuses of Peru were utilized for trend analysis. Results showed a significant increase in the number and capacity of gastronomic venues between 2007 and 2024, alongside rises in housing and population density. However, analysis revealed that in the main central area of the district, the correlation between gastronomic activity and population growth decreased despite the increase in establishments, seats, housing, and population. This suggests that the growth in gastronomic venues does not proportionately support population growth in this area. Conclusions indicate that while gastronomic growth boosts tourism, it requires balanced urban planning to ensure sustainable living conditions for residents. Without adequate urban planning, the growth in gastronomic tourism could lead to over-saturation, negatively impacting residents' quality of life and urban sustainability.

The global tourism landscape has undergone considerable transformation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has altered its dynamics and created new challenges. Previously, travel was linked to well-being, fostering social connections, and a sense of belonging. However, the pandemic has caused substantial disruptions, leading to job losses and changes in travel behavior. Japan, which was already grappling with overtourism pre-pandemic, faced challenges such as strained infrastructure and environmental impact. Post-pandemic challenges include issues regarding tourist etiquette and labor shortages within the industry. Japan’s deeply rooted mask-wearing culture, driven by social responsibility, may lead to social stigma if norms are ignored, thus affecting tourism. Owing to an aging population and unattractive job profiles, the industry faces labor shortages, which lead to difficulties in recruiting during peak seasons. Therefore, understanding these challenges is crucial for the recovery and revival of tourism in Japan. Strategies must align with evolving societal values and sustainable practices to address behavioral norms and labor shortages. Using tweet-derived data, this study revealed an unexpected increase in discussions regarding mask use, highlighting Japan’s societal emphasis on harmony and consideration of others. This study highlights the challenges faced by tourists and industry professionals, particularly regarding foreign visitors’ comprehension of Japanese cultural norms. The results emphasize the critical factors affecting post-pandemic tourism in Japan, with the aim of exploring cultural influences on sustainable tourism in subsequent research. This endeavor aligns with the vision of the United Nations World Tourism Organization to reconstruct the industry and ensure equitable benefits for all stakeholders.

This theoretical study aims to provide a learning model for adventure tour guides to become effective learning facilitators for adventure tourists, who have increasingly sought self-transformation through soft-adventure activities. This objective is drowned by the increasing interest in learning from different cultures among adventure tourists and also the attention to self-transformation through pedagogy, adventure tourism, outdoor adventure education (OAE), and pedagogy are becoming increasingly capable of sharing their theories under the concept of cross-boundary learning. This paper therefore organizes this sharing by considering the applicability of OAE theories to soft adventure tourist based on literature review. It then centers on the community of practice created from interaction between guides and tourists and between tourists as a way of learning, which can lead adventure tourists towards self-transformation, and discusses how guides can create opportunities for such cooperative learning community during their service. As a result, taking a cue from the SECI model, which underlies cross-boundary learning, a conceptual model was presented to implement the facilitator role of the guide in cross-boundary learning effectively. In this conceptual model, the guide’s role extends beyond knowledge transfer. Rather, the results of the study imply that guides are required to be co-creators of knowledge to accompany adventure tourists in their cross-boundary learning. The findings also suggest that guides need to become cross-boundary learners who may also learn from their customers.