Sustainable Destination Research Articles

Motivaciones de viaje tras la impronta del COVID-19. Visión cualitativa del comportamiento de los turistas en Machala

The objective of this research was to describe the travel motivations of tourists in Machala after the COVID-19 pandemic. A phenomenological methodology was used, applying in-depth interviews and focus groups with tourists who visited the city after the health crisis. This approach provided a contextualized understanding of travelers' perceptions. The results indicate that the main motivations include the search for unique experiences, the desire for social reconnection, and the need to escape the stress accumulated during confinement. In addition, an increase in preference for local and sustainable destinations was observed, reflecting a shift in tourism consumption patterns. Overall, this study provides information for tourism stakeholders in Machala, proposing that adaptation to new motivations may be key to the recovery of the tourism sector in the region. In conclusion, the change of motivations in the social representations of tourism is highlighted. The study has shown that the reasons for travel of visitors to Machala have undergone a remarkable transformation after the pandemic. In this scenario, elements such as trust, the search for genuine experiences and the need to escape from everyday life have become predominant factors.

Digital Value-Based Pricing Strategy in Tourism Marketing: A Systematic Literature Review Approach

This research is motivated by the importance of digital value-based pricing strategies in optimizing the competitiveness of tourism destinations in the digital era. This background highlights the need for an approach that integrates technology and a deep understanding of consumer behavior to create perceived value for tourists. The study aims to identify effective, relevant, and competitive pricing strategies in digital value-based tourism marketing. The method used is the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with the PRISMA framework, combined with bibliometric analysis to ensure the validity and relevance of the research data. The results of the study indicate that digital value-based pricing strategies, which utilize data analytics and personalization, can increase tourists' perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty while driving the economic sustainability of tourist destinations. The conclusion of this study confirms that digital value-based strategies are not only relevant but also able to create satisfying tourism experiences, support marketing innovation, and have the potential to become a long-term trend in the tourism industry.

TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE VOLCANO TOURISM: UNDERSTANDING VISIT INTENTIONS AT MOUNT ANAK KRAKATAU THROUGH DESTINATION CREDIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MOTIVATION

This study aims to analyse the elements that affect people's intention to visit Mount Anak Krakatauthrough focusing on the influence of destination publicity, destination credibility, and environmental motivation in the context of volcano tourism. This study involves 225 tourists who were selected using a convenient sample procedure. The data underwent rigorous examination by exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling. The research results are as follows: The initial hypothesis demonstrated that a destination's sustainability significantly impacts its credibility. Whilst the second hypothesis confirmed that the sustainability of a destination substantially affects environmen tal motivation. The third hypothesis supported the notion that the credibility of a destination has a significant influence on environmental motivation. The fourth hypothesis established that the credibility of a destination has a considerable effect o n visit intention. Lastly, the fifth hypothesis affirmed that environmental motivation significantly impacts visit intention. Taken together, these findings enhance the comprehension of volcano tourism, destination marketing, and consumer behaviour.

Designing EDGE (Enhanced destination growth and engagement) to Improve the performance of marine tourism in East Java

Marine tourism has emerged as a significant contributor to the regional economy in East Java, Indonesia. However, the growth of this sector is hindered by inadequate infrastructure, limited community engagement, and underdeveloped marketing strategies. This research presents the EDGE (Enhanced Destination Growth and Engagement) model as a comprehensive solution to enhance the performance of marine tourism destinations in East Java. EDGE is a strategic framework that integrates sustainable destination management, innovation-driven tourism product development, and community-based participation. The study employs a mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Key findings reveal that the implementation of EDGE leads to increased visitor satisfaction, improved local community involvement, and heightened environmental sustainability. Recommendations for policy integration and long-term development are also discussed.

Prospects for the Development of Geotourism in Crete, Greece

Geotourism is an alternative form of tourism that has attracted global interest in recent years as it is considered that it can contribute to the sustainability of destinations. This paper focuses on the island of Crete, Greece, a popular holiday destination, and seeks to explore the level of geotourism development in the island and its contribution to sustainable tourism development. In order to meet this aim, qualitative research using semi-structured in-depth interviews with ten key informants was conducted. Crete has the unique advantage of having two geoparks in its region, which are included in the Global Network of UNESCO Geoparks. According to the participants these geoparks are an integral part of the natural heritage of Crete and can be the basis for the development of geotourism on the island, which can contribute to the protection of the geological environment, the promotion of geoheritage, the environmental education and the sustainable development of local communities. However, geotourism in Crete is in its infancy, but the future prospects are positive as long as serious problems and pathogens are effectively addressed. Findings and discussion of this study are useful to policy-makers, academics and industry practitioners interested in geotourism.

Sustainability of tourism initiatives in national parks on the tri-border of Slovakia-Poland-Ukraine as a stimulus for tourists' interest

Initiatives for sustainable destination management have long been a hot topic of the day. The tourism industry is no exception to the setting of strategies and solutions. In terms of ensuring long-term sustainability, many destinations are turning towards setting rules and limits that will be in line with nature conservation. Appropriately applied strategies eliminate the currently widespread phenomenon of over-tourism and, on the other hand, help travellers and local residents get the most out of the destination while minimizing damage to its natural resources. The paper provides a perspective on the implementation of sustainable initiatives in national parks. Using the example of visitors, he analytically evaluates the perception of the approaches to sustainable initiatives for the development of national parks in the tri-bordered area of Slovakia-Poland-Ukraine (Poloniny National Park, Bieszczady National Park, Uzhanskyi National Park) as a potential stimulus for increasing the visitors' rate and the repeated visits of the parks. Using the questionnaire methods survey, it evaluates the attitudes of tourists/visitors in three national parks and compares them with each other in terms of determinable principles and activities that can be implemented in the parks, as well as their motivation to visit again under the conditions of applying sustainability strategies. The results of the research in all three parks point to the fact that these national parks need more significant settings regarding the principles of sustainability, as well as educating the public about their benefits.

Dissecting the sustainable tourist experience: sustainable consumption theory and co-creation theory approach

PurposeTourists are increasingly co-creating meaningful experiences and demonstrating a growing preference for sustainable travel choices. In response, this study investigates the co-created sustainable tourist experience in the Bahamas.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on sustainable consumption theory and co-creation theory, it aimed to develop a more comprehensive framework that encompasses the entire spectrum of the sustainable tourist experience. Data from 25 in-depth interviews and participant observation were analyzed using an inductive-deductive method.FindingsThe analysis revealed multiple aspects of sustainable tourist experience, including sustainable consumption dimensions (environmental, social/individual, social/interactive, economic and institutional) and co-creation phases (co-production, value-in-use and co-creation), along with travel stages (pre-trip, on-site and post-trip). Based on these insights, this study developed a framework that delineates the mechanism of sustainable tourist experience.Practical implicationsThis study outlines managerial implications for the tourism and hospitality industry, highlighting sustainability as central to the tourist experience. Destination planners are encouraged to promote sustainable initiatives that align with tourists’ desires to co-create experiences, enhancing satisfaction, supporting destination sustainability and contributing to long-term industry viability.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to existing research on co-created, across-stage sustainable tourist experiences by presenting a holistic framework that elucidates the underlying mechanisms. This study extends existing conceptual studies by offering a deeper understanding of how tourists interact and co-create with destinations, emphasizing the need to integrate sustainability more effectively into the tourist experience across all stages of travel.

Realizing the sustainable potential of Indonesian marine tourism through effective and participatory local tourism governance

Mandala Ria Beach in Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi, possesses significant marine tourism potential but faces various challenges in its development. This study aims to analyze the application of Local Tourism Governance principles and their impact on community welfare and destination sustainability. Employing a qualitative approach that combines literature review, field observations, and in-depth interviews. The collected data was analyzed qualitatively using NVivo 12 Plus software to identify patterns and themes. The findings reveal that collaboration among village government, local communities, and the Bulukumba Regency Tourism Office is key to overcoming constraints such as limited infrastructure, weak human resource quality in tourism, and environmental conservation issues. Local Tourism Governance at Mandala Ria Beach encompasses aspects of transparency, accountability, vision and leadership, acceptance of diversity, knowledge and skill development, and clarity of roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders. However, the absence of an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Tourism Office and the Ara Village Government, as well as potential land ownership conflicts, pose challenges in optimizing sustainable tourism development. This study recommends the formulation of more integrated and community-oriented tourism strategies and policies, involving dialogue and coordination among stakeholders, and the development of guidelines for destination management, human resource capacity building, and preservation of local environment and culture. Consequently, the development of Mandala Ria Beach tourism is expected to provide equitable and sustainable benefits for all parties involved.

Embracing Virtual Reality in Destination Marketing: A Serial Mediation Model to Investigate the Role of Virtual Tourism Experiences in the Formation of Place Attachment

Technological innovation is important for destination marketing organisations (DMOs) in achieving sustainable destination development. However, few studies have considered the marketing potential of emerging immersive technologies in promoting local destinations, as well as their impacts on tourists’ place attachment. Drawing upon cue consistency and place attachment theory, this study established a serial mediation model to examine the impact of sensory information acquired from online virtual tourism experiences, such as visual and auditory cues, on tourists’ place attachment formation during the post-trip stage. The PLS-SEM approach was adopted to analyse the data, which were collected from 408 respondents via an online survey. The results showed that tourists’ sensory information significantly influenced their virtual attachment and sense of presence. Furthermore, tourists’ perceived information and image consistency significantly influenced their place attachment. In addition, the serial mediation effect among sensory information, cue consistency, and place attachment was confirmed. The theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed.

Adaptive public relations and marketing in tourism: how South African timeshare businesses responded to the Covid-19 crisis

South Africa is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the African continent, with timeshares—vacation properties shared by multiple owners—being an important feature of the tourism industry as it contributes significant growth and sustainability of tourist destinations. After its introduction in the 1960s, timeshare gained popularity through its capability to provide luxury holiday affordability and security in South Africa. Since then, timeshare businesses have used traditional public relations, marketing, advertising strategies and tactics to increase brand awareness and reach sales targets. During the difficult COVID-19 period, global tourism declined drastically due to travel restrictions, extreme lockdowns and tight regulations, forcing businesses to adapt their marketing strategies to cope with unprecedented challenges and the loss of customers. Before the pandemic’s culmination, travel agencies and timeshares thus utilized digital marketing and social media to effectively strategise and publicly engage with their audiences online. Drawing upon McGuire’s (1969) theory of information processing, and Echtner and Ritchie’s (1993) destination image branding, a content and thematic analysis of two South African timeshare companies and their Facebook page content was studied to investigate the public relations tactics and marketing strategies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings reveal that timeshares engaged publicly with customers through posts which stimulated online participation, which included the sharing of images, information, updates, competitions and discounts, thus maximising the potential of social media to engage with stakeholders on a short to long term basis.

Dual trust, emotional bond, and tourists’ on-site pro-environmental behavior at nature-based destinations: Extending norm-activation theory from the perspective of social dilemma

The sustainable development of tourism is closely tied to the protection and preservation of natural environments, particularly in nature-based destinations where the appeal and competitiveness depend heavily on the quality of environmental resources. Among the various strategies to enhance environmental sustainability, a strong emphasis has been placed on encouraging tourists to engage in spontaneous on-site pro-environmental behavior (PEB). However, tourists' participation in PEB at travel destinations often presents a scenario of social dilemma, where individual interests conflict with collective benefits. This conflict often makes individuals less willing to engage in PEB in the tourism context than they would in their everyday environments. To address this issue, the study advances the norm-activation theory (NAT), a well-established framework in PEB studies, by incorporating trust and emotion—two critical factors in resolving social dilemmas. An integrated model was proposed to better understand and predict the formation of tourists' on-site PEB and was empirically tested on a sample of 544 visitors from three natural parks in Hangzhou, China. The results reveal that (1) the two dimensions of trust—interpersonal trust and outcome trust—have significant effects on the key cognitive variables in NAT, namely ascription of responsibility and awareness of consequence, and (2) the emotional bond developed between tourists and the destination significantly enhances the link between ascription of responsibility and tourists' PEB intentions through the mediation of personal norm. These findings suggest that innovative interactive-based approaches can be implemented to more effectively promote tourists’ on-site PEB, thereby fostering sustainability in nature-based destinations.

The design of an eco-tax on tourism waste for sustainable destinations, based on environmental efficiency and spatial dependence

This paper analyzes environmental efficiency in the tourism sector, considering the joint production of desirable (overnight stays) and undesirable (tourism waste) outputs while addressing spatial dependence among destinations. Employing the enhanced hyperbolic distance function methodology, we integrate stochastic frontier analyses and spatial econometric techniques. The study investigates the 41 tourist areas of Spain between 2000 and 2019, and the results obtained reveal that they operate with a high average efficiency level and exhibit diminishing returns to scale. A significant contribution of this study, besides providing a useful reference for the design of policies to support destinations with efficiency gaps, is the estimation of shadow prices for waste in terms of overnight stays. This enables the calculation of a different ecotax for each tourist zone, providing valuable insights into the formulation of effective tourism policies that can guide policymakers in designing sustainable development strategies. The results obtained indicate that the most popular Spanish destinations, such as the Canary Islands and several coastal areas around the Mediterranean, should implement higher ecotaxes ranging from 3.3 to 6 euros per overnight stay. Additionally, calculating the shadow prices of tourism waste generated by each visitor can contribute to raising their environmental awareness.

Factors Influencing the Sustainability of Food Tourism Destinations: Evidence from the World Heritage Site of Guilin

This study examines the sustainability factors critical to developing food tourism within World Heritage Sites (WHSs), leveraging the unique natural, social, and cultural resources inherent to these locations. Using Guilin as a case study, this quantitative research collects data from diverse stakeholders, including catering operators, government officials, service providers, tourists, and residents. Critical factors identified as essential for sustaining food tourism include destination marketing, visitor experience, destination image, stakeholder engagement, core food products, and government support, with destination marketing emerging as the most influential. This study proposes a framework of sustainability factors shaping food tourism development in WHSs. The findings challenge the traditional reliance on physical resources for WHS tourism, broaden understanding of food tourism in these heritage sites, and offer strategic insights for comparable destinations in Southeast Asia.

Feeling Grounded: Exploring the Sense of Groundedness in Cultural Tourism Driven by Live Streaming Technology

As information and communication technology advances, the on-site experience of traditional field tourism is being transformed into a virtual experience under digital tourism. The sense of groundedness occurs when tourists connect to the geography, humanity, and history of destination. Little is known about how technology, marketing, and tourism resources can be combined to enrich the authenticity of the virtual tourism experience. This study explores the main characteristics of groundedness in cultural tourism to address this research gap. It develops and validates the scale for measuring tourism experience based on live streaming technology. The findings also reveal groundedness as a driver of tourists’ willingness and behavior to participate. The study theoretically promotes the development of groundedness and the emerging research on digital cultural tourism marketing. Meanwhile, the study results provide stakeholders with an attractive and implementable tourism perceptual experience—groundedness—implying references for overall sustainable destination development.

Stakeholder Engagement and Triggers for Sustainable Development in Complex Fragile Ecosystems: Evidence from Alpine Trentino Region

This research digs into the dynamics of sustainable development in complex fragile ecosystems, with a focus on the Trentino alpine region in Northern Italy to identify the main triggers to foster it. In particular, this study emphasizes the critical role that Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) play in leveraging these triggers and designing sustainable development strategies. Using a Convergent Parallel Mixed Method that combines quantitative and qualitative data, this study identifies three strategies for stakeholder engagement—listen, meet, and collaborate—to align numerous actors towards common goals and encourage sustainable behaviors. Moreover, the results highlight the need to engage fringe stakeholders in sustainable destination development strategies. It also reveals the function of ‘triggers’—both internal and external—in implementing stakeholder engagement strategies. This research contributes to the literature by mapping stakeholders (core and fringe), suggesting three engagement strategies (listen, meet, and collaborate), and identifying triggers (internal and external) for destination sustainable development in complex fragile ecosystems.

AI-Enhanced Strategies to Ensure New Sustainable Destination Tourism Trends Among the 27 European Union Member States

The United Nations 2030 Agenda defines the priorities and aspirations for global development based on seventeen ambitious sustainable development goals encompassing economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Tourism plays a vital role in the list of actions for the people and the planet. While the tourism industry drives economic growth, its environmental and social impact is equally high. Sustainable tourism aims to reduce the damage caused by the tourism industry, protect communities, and guarantee the industry’s long-term future. These changes require tourists’ collective and concerted effort. The question arises whether tourists are willing to be more demanding about sustainability when looking for a destination. This study uses artificial intelligence to classify a new trend in European citizens’ search for sustainable destinations and to generate intelligent recommendations. Using data from the Flash Eurobarometer 499, we use a tree-based algorithm, random forest, to obtain intelligent citizens classification systems supported by machine learning. The classification system explores the predisposition of citizens to contribute to the three pillars of sustainability when choosing a destination to visit based on gender, age, and the region of living. We found that European citizens place little emphasis on the social sustainability pillar. While they care about preserving the environment, this competes with the cultural offerings and availability of activities at the destination. Additionally, we found that the willingness to contribute to the three pillars of sustainability varies by gender, age, and European region.

Festivals: an Opportunity for Sustainable Development of Tourism Regions

Objective: The purpose of this development is to present the opportunities provided by festivals as organized events for the sustainable development of tourism regions. Theoretical Framework: The article focuses on several key concepts. First, it examines the role of festivals as organized events in promoting tourism. Secondly, it is based on the sustainability principles, balancing environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors. Lastly, it considers event tourism as a significant driver for local development. Method: An empirical research which includes an analysis of published materials and documents that study organized events and festivals in particular as part of cultural and historical tourism was conducted. Results and Discussion: Festivals significantly contribute to the sustainable development of tourism regions by enhancing local cultural identity and attracting tourists. The successful organization of festivals can strengthen the image of a region, promoting long-term benefits for both the tourism industry and local communities. Research Implications: Festivals can serve as strategic tools for sustainable tourism development by fostering regional cultural identity and attracting tourists. Policymakers and tourism managers should prioritize festival planning and management as a means to enhance the economic, social and cultural sustainability of tourism regions. Originality/Value: The originality of the article lies in its focus on festivals as a unique catalyst for the sustainable development of tourism regions, highlighting their multifaceted impact on local economies, culture, and social cohesion. This study provides valuable insights into how well-managed festivals can enhance the long-term sustainability of tourism destinations, offering practical guidance for policymakers and event organizers.

Exploring Sustainable Tourism through Semio-Linguistic Analysis: The Case of Europe's Top Destinations

The ubiquitous presence of the term “sustainability” in the “semiosphere” explains why it has acquired multiple meanings in common usage, depending on the domain of discourse within which it happens to occur. The present contribution seeks to explore the semantics of sustainability within the specific discourse domain of tourism, where it is largely addressed and exploited for promotional purposes. Considering the key role played by sustainability as a determining factor in the choice of a tourist destination, many countries’ institutional tourist websites include a section dealing with sustainable travel. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative analysis, this study investigates the semio-linguistic mechanisms by means of which a locality aims to build up an image of itself as a sustainable destination. The examples discussed are taken from a corpus of promotional institutional webpages and selected to best represent how the promotors of destinations entrust discourse with the task of creating meanings capable of influencing tourists’ perceptions and choices. The semio-linguistic analysis will reveal the presence of a series of narrative constants and valorisation strategies beneath the apparent diversity of the discursive surface of the promotional webpages investigated. It will also help outline the profile of the potential “sustainable” tourist inscribed in the texts under consideration.

Analysis of the Tourism Revenue Sharing Status at the Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve of Kazakhstan

Sharing tourism-generated revenues with local people has become a popular strategy for implementing sustainability in nature-based tourism destinations globally. Although the local people have received some economic gains from tourism development, there are still some limitations to fair income sharing. These limitations are evident in many underdeveloped countries and lead to a passive situation of local community participation in tourism development. The primary purpose of this article is to determine the level of tourism revenue sharing in the Aksu-Zhabagly tourist destination and, at the same time, to make appropriate recommendations on the remaining issues. To understand the status of tourism revenue sharing, we surveyed the perceptions of 44 nature reserve employees and 66 travel company workers, respectively. The survey results show that although the business operations of tourism organizers do not harm the living environment of the local population, they usually do not spend part of the income from tourism on the common good of the local population. Most residents are unsatisfied with tourism development, and their participation in tourism is also comparatively low. The results also reveal that the comparatively low level of sharing the tourism-associated revenue with local development is the leading indirect cause of residents’ dissatisfaction with the development of the tourism industry. In conclusion, we believe that the results of this study and our recommendations help local authorities understand the importance of removing constraints in the fair distribution of tourism revenues in this tourist destination.

Spiritual tourism development: a comprehensive synthesis for sustainable destination planning and growth

Purpose This paper aims to explore the dimensions of spiritual tourism development, examine its current status, effectiveness and scope and analyze the knowledge landscape in terms of theories, contexts and research methodologies. The study also seeks to guide future research on spiritual tourism development. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis were used using a framework-based approach. The theories, constructs, characteristics and methods (TCCM) framework guided the SLR, whereas VOS-Viewer facilitated comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Findings The study conducted a quantitative SLR, analyzing 80 research articles published between 2003 and 2023. Using the TCCM framework, the research identified crucial factors influencing the growth of spiritual tourist destinations, such as intrinsic motivation, destination physicality, tourist experience, spiritual activities and host community support. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to theoretical advancement in spiritual tourism, provides insights into the current research landscape, offers practical guidance for stakeholders and serves as a roadmap for future research endeavors. Originality/value This research enhances knowledge by thoroughly assessing prior research, addressing gaps and offering practical managerial insights for spiritual tourism development. The managerial implications outlined in the study offer practical insights for destination planning and promotion in the context of spiritual tourism.