Tourism Studies Research Articles

Agriculture and Tourism: A Historical Perspective on Food Security Strategies in Rural Development

This article examines the historical relationship between agriculture and tourism and its implications for food security strategies in rural development. Food security is one of the foundational pillars for sustainable rural livelihoods. Integrating agriculture and tourism has enhanced resilience and food security in rural development. This study reviews the historical case studies of agriculture and tourism across various regions to trace the evolution of agriculture and tourism and their mutually dependent relationship, as well as the local food culture playing an essential role in a journey to attract visitors and to enhance local economy and employment. Results indicate that practical cooperation between these two sectors can result in resilient food security, heightening community identity, and strengthening environmental awareness. This article also studies rural areas' challenges and the opportunities for integrating agriculture and tourism to improve food security. Ultimately, it emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach incorporating historical insights, community engagement, and innovative strategies.

Teaching Innovation and Teaching–Learning Methods for Sustainable Tourism Development Education in the Bachelor of Tourism Degree

Sustainable development has become the aspiration of many developing countries like Ecuador. The introduction of Bachelor of Tourism studies at the Technical University of Manabí is compatible with this interest and provides a challenge for teachers in the application of integrative and innovative teaching methods, which promote the training of professionals with high scientific, technical and professional rigor in the exercise of different professions. To achieve this, the pedagogical group started from three fundamental principles, which are based on the application of teaching work methods and procedures, based on the establishment of the interaction between the various factors that directly and indirectly influence the training process of professionals in the tourism sector. The results, both in the comprehensive evaluation processes of the academic performance of the teachers and in the level of satisfaction of the students of the course, support the application of these teaching–learning methods and highlight the convenience of extending these experiences and research results to other vocational training centers for tourism activity.

Tourist Experience in Gaming Destination from Culture Distance Perspective

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the cultural distances between gaming tourists and service providers based on Hofstede’s culture model and aims to identify the correlation between cultural distances and various experience components. Online reviews of casino resorts in Macau are collected from TripAdvisor. Seven key experience categories in casino resorts and their correlations with cultural distances of six national cultural dimensions are revealed by combining the topic modeling method and correlation analysis. The significance of correlations is found to vary with distinct types of experience categories, which provides new insight into the convergence-divergence debate of culture in tourism studies.

Leveraging Evolutionary Psychology for Tourism Research: Identifying and Addressing Key Challenges

Evolutionary psychology has led to an increasing number of important and novel findings on tourist and resident attitudes and behaviors. However, in parallel with such advances, several challenges hinder the further application of evolutionary psychology in tourism studies. In this letter to the editor, we therefore identify and address six key challenges to the use of evolutionary psychology in tourism. These challenges are: (1) a difficulty in distinguishing proximate from ultimate explanations, (2) a belief that evolutionary psychology focuses on nature, and ignores nurture, (3) a belief in human exceptionalism, (4) an impression that evolutionary psychology overemphasizes gender differences, (5) a view of evolutionary psychology as a single, unified theory, and (6) a belief that evolutionary psychology can be used to justify genetic determinism, sexism, and racism. In identifying and responding to these challenges, we hope to inspire scholars to consider adopting an evolutionary psychology lens in their future research.

LECTURER'S COMMUNICATION ATTRACTIVENESS AND STUDENT CREATIVITY IN THAI SUMMER COURSE PROGRAM

This study aims to measure and analyze facts about the relationship between the lecturer's communication attractiveness in the Summer Course program in Thailand and student creativity in the study of culture tourism. The method used is quantitative; to measure the correlation, the researcher used the Correlation Analysis Test using IBM SPSS Statistics 23 software. The results of the research show that there is a significant correlation between the lecturer's communication attractiveness, who provides learning materials on the Summer Course program at the International College RMUTK, Thailand, and the creativity of Communication Science students in West Java, Indonesia, in studying Tourism and Thai culture. In general, the conclusion of this study has proven that the communication attractiveness of lecturers consists of six variables: lecturers' communication of attractiveness, namely: taking style attractiveness, communication skill attractiveness, communication techniques attractiveness, communication strategy attractiveness, communication behavior attractiveness, communication intelligence attractiveness has a positive and significant correlation with student creativity which is measured from 9 aspects creativity, namely: setting creativity, building creativity, organizing learning, facilitate creativity, positive creativity, balance and opportunity creativity, courage and imagination creativity, managing creativity, mastery of creativity. The variable with the highest relationship value is between the variable of Lecturer Communication Appeal and variable Y: Arrangement Creativity and Building Creativity. The relationship between variables that have the lowest relationship value is between the relationship of Communication Appeal and the variable of Learning Organization. The variable of Lecturer Communication Attractiveness (X) is closely related to Student Creativity (Y).

Using geotagged facial expressions to visualize and characterize different demographic groups’ emotion in theme parks

Tourism is an emotional sphere, and researchers focus on emotions to optimize tourism experiences. Tourism studies on emotions mostly ignore differences in emotions across demographic tourist groups by gender and age, thus limiting the understanding of emotions to the explicit characteristics of tourists’ emotions. On the basis of geotagged facial expressions on social media platforms, this study aims to visualize the emotions of groups in scenic spots and then reveal the variations between groups’ emotions within theme parks. By employing a facial recognition algorithm, an emotion distribution graph was proposed to represent groups’ emotions in detail. Some analytical methods were combined to characterize of the emotion distribution of each group. Through a comprehensive comparison, the results suggest that there are unique characteristics of emotion distribution for each group and considerable variations between them. This study helps researchers achieve a deeper understanding of tourists’ emotional differences and enhances the theorization of emotions. This research also highlights the advantages and significant practical implications of our method framework.

Authentic or comfortable? What tourists want in the destination

Authenticity is a popular research topic in tourism studies and is an important destination attribute that influences tourists and their decision-making. However, some studies have shown that tourists do not always seek authentic experiences and places. The purpose of this paper is to surmise why this might be the case. We employ Maslow's hierarchy of needs to articulate that pursuing authenticity represents a high-order need, and most tourists seek a balance between pursuing authenticity and lower-order needs, especially comfort. Based on level of comfort and perceived authenticity, four quadrants are presented, representing “desirable (comforting) authenticity,” “discomforting authenticity,” “discomforting-inauthenticity,” and “comforting-inauthenticity.” The paper argues that the optimal tourism product is the one associated with “desired authenticity.” Practical implications, limitations and future research suggestions are provided.

Enhancing memorable volunteer tourism experiences through mindfulness: A case of short‐term volunteer tourists

AbstractVoluntourism has been increasingly researched in tourism studies. However, the need remains to better understand what drives memorable experiences in such a context. This research applied mindfulness theory in the setting of voluntourism. The influence of mindfulness among voluntourists was studied along with dimensions of memorable tourism experiences (MTEs, i.e., hedonism, involvement, meaningfulness, knowledge, novelty, and local culture) and revisit intention among voluntourists. A structural model was employed with twelve hypotheses pertaining to data collected from 342 Chinese residents who had prior voluntourism experience before data collection in March 2020. For data analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test relationships between variables. Data analysis demonstrated that mindfulness significantly influenced all six dimensions of MTEs in this study. Four of the dimensions of MTE (i.e., hedonism, involvement, meaningfulness, and local culture) significantly influenced revisit intention.

해석적 사회과학관에 기반을 둔 융합 관광연구를 위한 탐색적 논의: 관련 이론의 지적 흐름을 중심으로

Purpose: This study examined the intellectual flow of theoretical paradigms based on interpretive social science views and discussed what academic position each theory occupies in tourism studies and how related theories can be applied to the tourism research ecosystem. It particularly sought to expand the academic research scope of tourism studies by examining representative theoretical flow based on interpretive social science views. In addition, this study aimed to explore the need to review various theories and research methods that can be appropriately applied to the analysis of complex aspects of modern tourism. Methods: This study reviewed literature on the intellectual flow of related theories from Wilhelm Dilthey, Max Weber, Edmund Husserl, and Alfred Schütz to Peter Ludwig Berger and Thomas Luckmann to present the philosophical and theoretical foundations of qualitative research methods for Korea’s tourism studies with an identity as an applied science. It also examined what extensive intellectual collaboration should be made for the existing tourism studies for the main content of each theory to be established as an academic field of convergence research. Conclusion: This study explored the academic significance of tourism studies and the flow of intellectual paradigms based on interpretive social science views. Such academic reviews that include diverse perspectives from researchers can contribute to promoting convergence research results of tourism studies through cross-theoretical and methodological collaboration with adjacent academic fields in the future. The process of structuring tourism theories will need to use various criteria to sustainably maintain and improve this convergence research ecosystem.

Work And Leisure: A Study of Social Tourism in Higher Education Institutions in Bali

This study examines social tourism within higher education institutions in Bali, Indonesia, using an inclusive approach that involved both lecturers and students from public and private universities. Employing a mixed-methods design, the research collected quantitative data through surveys distributed across five universities in Bali Province, while qualitative data was obtained from interviews with participants knowledgeable about inclusive social tourism. The findings reveal that social tourism activities are integrated with the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, emphasizing teaching, research, and community service. These activities blend academic endeavors, such as field research, workshops, seminars, and benchmarking, with tourism experiences like sightseeing and cultural events. The study highlights the benefits of social tourism for the academic community, including increased social capital, improved self-confidence, and enhanced knowledge and skills. Additionally, social tourism fosters collaboration between universities and contributes to the mental and physical well-being of academics, helping to alleviate burnout. The study suggests that higher education institutions should consider policies that leverage social tourism to enhance academic experiences and promote holistic development among faculty and students.

Measuring Tourist Satisfaction with Facilities and Cleanliness at Beach Destinations (A Case Study of Air Cina Beach Tourism, Lifuleo Village, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia)

Measuring Tourist Satisfaction with Facilities and Cleanliness at Beach Destinations (A Case Study of Air Cina Beach Tourism, Lifuleo Village, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia)

Instagram public and private images as an element for the spatial monitoring of tourist behaviour in cities

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse whether publicly shared images on Instagram are representative of tourist behaviour in a destination. This aspect is crucial for destination image management, as it can influence the way tourists perceive the destination.Design/methodology/approachThe research compares three different factors: the route followed by a group of tourists, the whole set of photographs taken by them and the images that they made publicly available on Instagram. It relies on a field work done by a group of 122 tourists in Turin (Italy). At a qualitative level, the answers given by tourists to the motivations that led them to share some of the image are analysed.FindingsThe results showed how the spatial distribution of the images shared publicly on Instagram only partially coincides with the whole set of images taken by tourists.Practical implicationsIt is important to avoid basing marketing and management policies on just the places featured in publicly shared images. If not, there is a risk of taking decisions based on the behaviour of some, rather than all, tourists.Originality/valueMany papers claim to be based on the Instagram image as elements to study tourism. However, most of these papers only analyse public images. This fact can affect the results as there may be, for example, areas visited by tourists where photos are not taken. This paper therefore contributes to a better understanding of Instagram as a tool for the study of urban tourism.

Bringing Animals in-to Wildlife Tourism

The objective of this paper is to highlight animal stakeholders, evidenced-based best practices, care ethics, and compassion as essential components of sustainable wildlife tourism. These tenets stem from an animal geography lens, which is well-positioned for studies of animal-based tourism and transspecies caregiving. As a conceptual contribution, this paper presents a theory synthesis that ‘stays with the trouble’ of wildlife tourism and identifies ways to ‘bring animals in’. Our approach could be described as multispecies, critical, and socio-ecological. We argue that the trouble with wildlife tourism writ large includes nonhuman suffering and biodiversity loss, unethical and unevidenced practices, gaps in the knowledge of wildlife welfare, and limited engagement with animals as stakeholders. We then present four ways to ‘bring animals in’ as co-participants in wildlife tourism research and practice. This involves enfranchising animals as stakeholders in wildlife tourism, buttressed by ethics of care, best practices, and a commitment to improved outcomes along the conservation-welfare nexus. Finally, we consider the extent to which wildlife sanctuary tourism serves as a further problem or panacea that balances the conservation and welfare of wild animals. The result of our theory synthesis is the promotion of a more care-full and compassionate paradigm for wildlife tourism, which draws from diverse scholarships that contribute, conceptually and practically, to the underserved niches of wildlife welfare, rehabilitation, and sanctuary research.

Exploring the concept of tourism competitiveness across the OECD countries

ABSTRACT The present study takes a comprehensive approach to investigate how a new set of untested determinants affects a destination's competitiveness across the OECD countries. Cross-section analyses were implemented for 2009, 2015 and 2021. We conceptualize destination competitiveness in terms of tourism's direct contribution to GDP and energy efficiency. We used two discrete and profitable tourism segments, investments and internal consumption in the travel and tourism industry as explanatory variables. To strengthen our scientific approach, we include the travel and tourism competitiveness index (ttci) in our specifications. This set of explanatory variables is scarce if not omitted in relevant tourism studies. Research findings indicate that investments in tourism lower energy consumption rates, whereas increases in the travel and tourism competitiveness index increase the direct contribution of tourism to a country's GDP. Moreover, as the tourism and travel competitiveness index increases, energy consumption decreases in all three reference years. Based on the results, practical implications indicate that policymakers and tourism planners should create a friendly and appealing investment environment, whereas energy efficiency should dominate every effort of further tourism development. This comprehensive approach instils confidence in the reliability and relevance of our findings for the tourism sector.

A business model framework for nature tourism entrepreneurs

ABSTRACT Small-scale tourism entrepreneurs play an important role in the development of nature tourism destinations, and building competitive business models can be crucial for the success of both these entrepreneurs and the nature destinations they inhabit. However, traditional business model frameworks do not adequately capture the unique characteristics of nature tourism and its entrepreneurs, such as their non-economic and nature-based values. Thus, developing knowledge about business models for nature tourism entrepreneurs calls for an alternative theoretical approach. This paper aims to develop such a novel approach by integrating existing knowledge about the unique characteristics of nature tourism and its entrepreneurs with a Service Dominant Logic theory, which incorporates both human and non-human actors such as nature. To illustrate the analytical relevance of the framework, it is applied in a case study of nature tourism entrepreneurs that identifies internal incongruences within the entrepreneurs’ existing business models. The case study also demonstrates how the entrepreneurs attempt to address these incongruences. The framework is relevant also to other small scale tourism entrepreneurs operating in other contexts.

A study of tourist behaviour for the development of Lanna wellness tourism in Thailand

ABSTRACT This investigation studies the behaviours of wellness tourists in Northern Thailand with a view to summarising their collective preferences and expectations and addressing a significant gap in research on Thai wellness tourism. This will enable tourism businesses to begin tailoring their offerings to meet the specific needs of this market segment. 643 foreign tourists in Northern Thailand responded to a questionnaire concerning their motivations and preferences for wellness tourism activities. The findings reveal that there are clear differences between the behaviours of different nationalities that can be used to inform wellness tourism development in Thailand. This research uniquely contributes to literature in the field of wellness tourism by identifying and analysing the specific preferences and expectations of international wellness tourists in Northern Thailand, a previously underexplored demographic in the context of regional wellness tourism studies. Furthermore, it introduces a comparative analysis of national differences in wellness tourism behaviours, offering insights that can directly influence the strategic development of localised wellness tourism offerings.

Experiential tourism and community narratives: Non-Tourist Guidebook of Ussita

In recent decades, experiential tourism studies have developed strongly within a transforming tourism development paradigm. The enhancement of the territory is more focused on its intangible resources, and experience becomes a strategic concern within a renewed way of practicing tourism where individuals look primarily for what to experience. Tourism becomes an opportunity to create and exchange experiences by challenging conventional tourism practices and advocating new value references and new forms of tourism including experiential tourism. This article will focus on the relationship between experiential tourism and community narratives: the Non tourism Project, and particularly the Non tourism Guidebook of Ussita, a small Italian municipality in an inland area and an earthquake victim, will be presented. Non tourism is a way of understanding the encounter between a community and those from outside: the non tourist seeks an intimate and authentic relationship with a territory and the community rediscovers its identity through a collective narrative. The paper aims to investigate whether community narratives can help transform tourism into an enriching and meaningful experience, creating deep bonds between tourists and the places they visit, promoting sustainability, and enhancing local cultural heritage. The non-tourist guide, as a result of the local community’s collective storytelling experience, brings tourists closer to experiential ways of visiting and has enabled the local community to rediscover its identity through the use of narrative practices. This article aims to highlight how non-tourist guides can also be a tool for dialogue between tourists and the community through the proposal of experiential itineraries. The experience of non-tourist guides is purely Italian and is at an early but interesting stage of diffusion, with volumes covering both urban contexts and smaller and inland territories. The article is the result of an initial exploratory work (Yin, 2017) that offered a preliminary understanding of the opportunity that non-tourist guides have to promote sustainability, enhancing local resources and offering significant benefits to both tourists and host communities.

The Performing Team in a Theatrical Performance and Their Tourism Value: Atilogwu Dancers a Case Study

In relation to tourism theatre or theatrical performances has become one of the media through which tourists especially heritage tourists have personal encounter with traditions, history and culture. This is because the heritage tourists wants an authentic experience which theatre or theatrical performances to a great extent is sure to communicate to the tourists. To this end theatrical performances or theatre has components which has been noted by scholars in tourism studies. These components include storytelling, market positioning/strategy, performing team and outdoor/indoor venues. Each of these components have their tourism value. However, for the purpose of this article, the tourism value of the performing team in a theatrical performance is x-rayed and how it relates to Atilogwu dancers is examined. The tourism value of a performing team lies in the performers abilities and these includes: professionalism, good coordination and expression of emotion. These abilities combined together gives satisfaction to the tourist(s). In essence when a tourist(s) is watching an Atilogwu dancer perform, the expectation is not just about entertainment but about professionalism, good coordination and expression of emotion. The Atilogwu dancer is expected to embody these skills in his or her performance thereby giving the tourist reasons to look out for a repeat performance. This is what this article is about.

Addressing the elephant in the room: engaging students in ChatGPT conversations on assessments

ABSTRACT The development of technology presents opportunities and challenges for the education system. This study investigates the integration of ChatGPT into higher education, focusing on tourism studies. Using a duoethnography approach, the study explores the experiences of two tourism educators who incorporate ChatGPT into their pedagogy and assessment methods. Results reveal that acknowledging students’ mixed responses towards ChatGPT encourages open discussions, while collaborative efforts in creating and assessing AI-driven assignments significantly enhance the learning process. Moreover, encouraging students to utilise ChatGPT responsibly promotes a sense of stewardship and ethical awareness, collectively enhancing educational experiences. The study presents key propositions for the effective incorporation of ChatGPT into higher education, along with practical implications for educators to leverage the potential of generative AI to enrich student learning experiences. It highlights the importance of adapting technological advancements while upholding ethical and pedagogical standards, offering insights into the effective use of AI in academic contexts.

A technology‐enabled framework for stakeholder engagement in a destination management system: Evidence from DMS Puglia

AbstractIn tourism, the presence of different stakeholders, sometimes with conflicting interests, requires a clear understanding of how to manage and engage them effectively. Despite the importance of this topic, tourism studies lack a univocal framework for destinations aiming to develop a destination management system (DMS) focused on empowering stakeholder engagement. To fill this gap, this study aims to identify the key dimensions that can strengthen stakeholder engagement in the tourism sector. Particular attention is given to the role of technology in mediating relationships among DMS participants and to the role of ‘intermediary’ stakeholders in facilitating collaboration and engagement. By adopting a cross‐disciplinary approach that integrates stakeholder theory, stakeholder engagement and destination management, and by examining a case study of an Italian best practice, DMS Puglia, a technology‐enabled framework for stakeholder engagement in a DMS was elaborated. This study contributes to the advancement of the literature on stakeholder engagement in tourism by demonstrating that the structure and composition of a DMS, and the communication methods it enables, along with the role of the destination management organisation and the preparedness of stakeholders to participate in a DMS, significantly influence stakeholder engagement and can strengthen relationships among participants in a technologically advanced tourism system. This study also provides directions to stakeholder bridges about how to effectively improve stakeholder engagement through technology‐focused tools and strategies.