Tourism Ecosystem Research Articles

Fourth World Islamic Tourism Conference (WITC) 2024: sustainable development of Islamic tourism ecosystem

Fourth World Islamic Tourism Conference (WITC) 2024: sustainable development of Islamic tourism ecosystem

Experience-Sharing to Support Inclusive Travel for Blind and Partially Sighted People

This research aimed to understand the challenges blind and partially sighted people experience in tourism and the travel information they need to plan their travel experiences effectively. To this end, we designed a mixed-methods study consisting of semi-structured interviews and co-design workshops, which were conducted to identify the needs of BPS people and the barriers experienced due to a lack of access to such information. The findings provide insights into the information-seeking process and highlight the role of experience sharing in cultivating a sense of agency, contribution, and interdependence. This study also contributes an accessible tourism ecosystem map based on our findings to highlight the different sources of travel information and their potential role in supporting inclusive travel for BPS people. The findings have implications for research and tourism service design and serve as a tool to motivate research on technologies to support inclusive leisure travel for BPS people and to inform the design of inclusive tourism services.

Revisiting sustainable tourism research: bibliometric insights and future research agenda

ABSTRACT This bibliometric review synthesizes sustainable tourism research over the past three decades, focusing on its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on 1,383 journal articles from the Web of Science database, the RStudio Bibliometrix package analysed bibliometric performance, thematic maps, and co-occurrence networks. The findings highlight the role of sustainable tourism in advancing different SDGs. Findings also indicate three broader thematic areas for future research, including regenerative tourism ecosystems, responsible tourism behaviours, and right-sizing tourism. Through this review, we propose future research directions to enhance knowledge on sustainable tourism and its contribution to the SDGs, providing a strategic roadmap for researchers and policymakers.

‘Travelling for $1 a day!?’ Introducing rental vehicle relocation as a tourism practice

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to introduce and explore the concept of rental vehicle relocation (RVR) as a mode of transport and beyond for (drive) tourists. By situating RVR within the domain of drive tourism, we contextualise its emergence amidst current scholarly discourses. Methodologically, we adopt a dual-methods strategy that integrates autoethnographic and netnographic methods to collect material in the specific context of New Zealand. The findings shed light on the multifaceted role of RVR, highlighting its significance as a mode of transport, an attraction for travellers, and a unique tourist experience. Our research makes theoretical contributions towards establishing RVR in a distinct position within the tourism ecosystem. Furthermore, this research presents practical implications for RVR platforms and rental car providers at large to acknowledge, refine, and promote RVR services.

Forecasting Tourist Arrivals in Nepal: A Comparative Analysis of Seasonal Models and Implications

Tourist arrivals play a vital role in the broader tourism ecosystem, substantially contributing to the economy. The global landscape has witnessed significant growth in international arrivals over the years, and Nepal has not been an exception to this trend, experiencing a steady influx of inbound tourists. Although tourist numbers are increasing, the lack of research in forecasting future arrivals is evident, highlighting the pressing need for comprehensive forecasting mechanisms to efficiently manage tourism resources and sustainably accommodate the growing influx of visitors. In order to gain insights into the dynamics of international tourist arrivals in Nepal, we conducted a comparative analysis using two distinct forecasting techniques: Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) and the Exponential Smoothing technique. Our analysis spanned from January 1992 to December 2023, enabling us to formulate forecasts for the upcoming months up to December 2030. The findings of our study underscore the suitability of all three models—namely, SARIMA, Winter Additive, and Winter Multiplicative—as effective tools for projecting international arrivals in Nepal. However, upon careful examination, the Winter Multiplicative model emerged as the most appropriate model for forecasting Nepal's international arrivals. This model aligned strongly with the observed data, enhancing its predictive accuracy. The implications of our research are far-reaching, offering valuable insights for various stakeholders within Nepal's tourism industry. These insights can guide tourism planners, policymakers, and other relevant entities in formulating well-informed strategies to strengthen and sustain the growth of the tourism sector in Nepal. As the nation continues to position itself on the global tourism map, equipped with data-driven forecasts, we believe that our study provides an essential resource for shaping the trajectory of Nepal's tourism industry in a positive direction.

CHOOSING AN OPTIMAL STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE INCLUSIFE TOURISM ECOSYSTEM: AN ECONOMIC AND MATHEMATICAL MODEL

The use of an ecosystem approach for the development of inclusive tourism can signif-icantly increase the availability of tourism services for people with special needs. At the same time, it is extremely important to choose an optimal strategy for the for-mation of this ecosystem, taking into ac-count a large number of options for the par-ticipation of potential stakeholders. The goal of the present paper is to develop an economic and mathematical model of the inclusive tourism ecosystem which can be used to substantiate the choice of the opti-mal strategy for its development.

Evaluation of the existing conditions of lasiana beach tourism destinations and ecosystems, Kupang City

This research aims to determine the existing conditions of the destination and ecosystem of Laisiana beach tourism and evaluate the performance and importance of these existing conditions. This research falls under the action research design with data acquisition techniques using interview, observation, and documentation techniques. Determining the research population is through non-probability sampling with a convenience sampling approach and key actors sampling. The number of research samples is 75 people. Variable measurement is done on a Likert scale. The data types consist of primary and secondary data. Data analysis is done using a quantitative approach, namely interval technique and IPA analysis. The research results indicate that there is still a gap between the existing conditions of the destination and the tourism ecosystem towards satisfaction. The evaluation results show that the existing conditions of tourist destinations have not been a focus while the expectations of tourists are very high. Unlike the existing tourism conditions, most attributes such as community acceptance, tourist locations, tourist products, investments, development policies, and supporting tourism industries are expectations of tourists to be improved but are not a priority, while aspects that are not of concern to tourists receive excessive attention such as tourist targets, supporting facilities, tourism trends, product value, marketing, and tourism resources.

Assessing tourism sustainability in European Union countries: A multi-directional benefit of the doubt composite indicator

We propose a composite indicator for the assessment of tourism sustainability in European Union (EU) countries relatively to years 2019 and 2021. Our proposal is a revisitation of the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI), which is based on a uniform weighting scheme, by means of the Multi-Directional Benefit of the Doubt (MD-BoD) model, an innovative non-compensatory method able to derive a country-specific preference structure from the data. Thanks to the MD-BoD model, each pillar and elementary indicator receives a score that reflects the potential improvement of the country relatively to an empirical benchmark, therefore it is possible to objectively identify weak and strong dimensions of tourism sustainability before and after the Covid-19 pandemic. As such, our composite indicator represents a valuable support for the design of policies aimed at increasing the resilience of the European tourism ecosystem.

Using adaptive cycles and panarchy to understand processes of touristification and gentrification in Valencia, Spain

This paper takes a multi-level approach to gain a better understanding of (tourism) gentrification and tourism excesses in three popular tourist neighbourhoods in Valencia, Spain. This city radically changed tourism policies in 2015, from a top-down approach that was focused on economic growth, towards one in which localhood and community development are stimulated. However, the change has done little to mitigate issues related to high levels of gentrification and touristification. This issue has been investigated using adaptive cycles and panarchy as a framework. Using these concepts has helped clarify how current policies mainly stimulate bottom-up innovations to overcome the lack of creative capacity at the local level (in other words, the ‘poverty trap’). Yet they insufficiently address processes that relate to the worldviews and higher governance levels that contribute to maintaining the current economic growth-oriented tourism ecosystem (the ‘rigidity trap’). The implications of our findings and ways forward conclude the paper.

La experiencia turística en los planes de estudios universitarios de Grado en Turismo

Tourism and the experience economy are closely linked. The aim of this study is to assess the extent, timing, and manner in which the tourist experience has been integrated into the curriculum of official undergraduate Tourism degrees in Spain, given that a relevant curriculum is the most crucial element of an educational program. For this purpose, we have employed a bibliometric analysis. Through a Content Analysis of the verification reports of Tourism degrees, using ATLAS.ti v.24, we have identified a temporal disconnect between the reality of the tourism industry and its corresponding academic training. Therefore, a greater integration of the tourist experience into the curriculum is necessary. This could be particularly achieved by introducing more mandatory courses that cover this subject matter. It is recommended that universities review their study plans to more significantly incorporate the tourist experience, in line with CEDTUR's recommendations. The significant practical implications of this research for the employability of graduates extend to the entire tourism ecosystem. It has highlighted a discrepancy between the needs of businesses and educational programs, leading to recommendations for the implementation of improvement measures in the verification reports of Tourism degrees.

Revitalizing Indonesian Tourism: Insights from Gunungkidul Regency's Communication Strategy

Tourism is a crucial part of Indonesia's economy, thanks to the country's natural beauty and attractions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges to the sector, requiring innovative strategies to revive it. This study examines the communication strategy of the Gunungkidul Regency Tourism Office, focusing on how it navigates the complexities of the new normal era. The study uses a qualitative descriptive approach and centers on the Gunungkidul Regency Tourism Office. Data was gathered through observation and documentation of tourist sites and interviews with tourism officials, site management personnel, and tourists from June to July 2021. The study found that the Gunungkidul Regency Tourism Office diligently adopted key communication strategy phases, including audience profiling, message formulation, method selection, and media choice. They also provided fundamental components of tourism development, such as attraction, accessibility, amenities, and ancillary, to cater to tourist demands. The strategy emphasizes effective communication to engage diverse stakeholders, using audience segmentation and engagement and multimedia platforms to ensure maximal outreach and resonance. The findings highlight the importance of crisis communication best practices, audience segmentation, and evaluating tourism community resilience, which are essential for crafting a resilient and sustainable tourism ecosystem.

Value co-creation in tourism living labs

The tourism industry is an ecosystem of suppliers, visitors, residents, destination marketing organizations, and entrepreneurs co-creating valuable experiences. Engagement of relevant actors and their collaboration are critical for innovation in the tourism (service) ecosystem. Living labs facilitate such collaboration in physical and virtual environments through parity-based partnerships among networks of actors. Taking an ecosystem perspective, this study advances the understanding of 1) how living labs can contribute to value co-creation in tourism destinations and 2) the requirements for effective co-creation. The findings from a three-phase mixed-method study with managers and participants of six tourism living labs underscore the relevance of actors, their motivations to engage, and structure for facilitating value co-creation within living labs. Effective co-creation processes lead to network growth and innovation, with resource availability being both a requirement and a perceived benefit of this co-creation.

Virtual Journeys, Real Engagement: Analyzing User Experience on a Virtual Travel Social Platform

A sustainable smart tourism ecosystem relies on building digital networks that link tourists to destinations. This study explores the potential of web and immersive technologies, specifically the Virtual Romania (VRRO) platform, in enhancing sustainable tourism by redirecting tourist traffic to lesser-known destinations and boosting user engagement through interactive experiences. Our research examines how virtual tourism platforms (VTPs), which include web-based and immersive technologies, support sustainable tourism, complement physical visits, influence user engagement, and foster community building through social features and user-generated content (UGC). An empirical analysis of the VRRO platform reveals high user engagement levels, attributed to its intuitive design and interactive features, regardless of the users’ technological familiarity. Our findings also highlight the necessity for ongoing enhancements to maintain user satisfaction. In conclusion, VRRO demonstrates how accessible and innovative technologies in tourism can modernize travel experiences and contribute to the evolution of the broader tourism ecosystem by supporting sustainable practices and fostering community engagement.

The Sustainable Development Model of China’s Tourism-Based Poverty Alleviation Industry: Analysis of the Configuration of an Active Government, an Efficient Market and a Caring Society

Tourism-based poverty alleviation strategies have played an important role in China’s efforts to eliminate poverty. In the post-poverty-alleviation era, the mechanism by which the government, market and society jointly promote the sustainable development of the tourism-based poverty alleviation industry requires further research. Based on data from 33 tourism-based poverty alleviation demonstration counties in China, this paper uses the fsQCA method to explore the role positioning and function of the three major entities of government, market and society. The results show that no single condition can promote the long-term development of tourism-based poverty alleviation. Four modes are proposed: government financial support, resource endowment, ecosystem tourism and multisubject coordination. The government provides a diverse and sustainable “haematopoietic” mechanism by focusing on different elements in each path. In addition, public tourism services are crucial to the long-term mechanism of tourism-based poverty alleviation.

THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF RESEARCH MONITORING OF THE EUROPEAN TOURISM ECOSYSTEM GREEN AND DIGITAL TRANSITION

Objective. The objective of the article is to generalize and analyze the theoretical and methodological basis of the green and digital transition of the European tourism ecosystem in the context of the implementation of the renewed industrial strategy of the EU. Methods. To achieve the outlined goal, such methods of empirical and theoretical research were used: literature review, theoretical generalization (to identify, collect and analyze modern research on the digitalization and greening of tourism), a descriptive method (to highlight the methodology of tracking ecological, digital and socio-economic aspects of tourism according to using harmonized data and indicators for the European tourism ecosystem), data visualization (for visualization and grouping of material). Results. Multi-annual EU Work Plan of the European Agenda for Tourism 2030 is characterized in five priority areas, namely: "Enabled policy and governance frameworks", "Green transition", "Digital transition", "Sustainability and inclusion", "Skills and transition support". The methodology of monitoring the green and digital transition of the European tourism ecosystem using the online tool "EU Tourism Dashboard" is highlighted. The indicators of the panel, which are grouped according to the priority areas: "Green transition", "Digital transition" as well as the blocks "Socio-economic indicators" and "Main descriptors of tourism" are summarized, the sources of information for the calculation of indicators are highlighted. The main tools for financing the green and digital transition and increasing the sustainability of EU tourism are substantiated, namely: private investments and loans, sources of EU funding for tourism, EU technical support for the transformation of the tourism ecosystem, programs at the national and regional levels within the framework of cohesion policy.

Exploring the role of digital green marketing campaigns and environmental beliefs in shaping tourist behavior and revisit intentions in eco-tourism

Tourist behavior can have detrimental effects on eco-destinations, such as littering or starting fires. Digital green marketing campaigns and tourist beliefs, however, can influence visitor behavior. Using quantitative analysis, this study examines the role of digital green marketing campaigns and the visitors' beliefs about the environment on tourist pro-environmental behavior and their desire to revisit eco-destinations. The study was conducted by distributing an online survey to 306 respondents who have visited five ecotourism destinations in Indonesia. The acquired data was examined using the PLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling) approach. The study found that digital green marketing campaign and tourists' beliefs about the environment positively impact tourists' environmental behavior and their desire to revisit eco-destinations. The tourism ecosystem, however, does not strengthen the relationship between tourist pro-environmental behavior and the revisit intention to eco-destinations. This study will add to the literature by examining the relationship between digital green marketing campaigns, visitors' environmental beliefs, pro-environmental behavior, tourism ecosystems, and revisiting intention to eco-destinations. The study will also provide Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) with specific recommendations to promote their eco-destinations, encouraging responsible travel and returning visits.

Halal tourism ecosystem: networks, institutions and implementations in Indonesia

Purpose This study aims to investigate the components of a halal tourism ecosystem and how to establish a model for an effective halal tourism ecosystem. Therefore, each component can play a role in encouraging the productivity of halal tourism. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was applied through in-depth interviews and focus group discussion (FDGs) with representatives of stakeholders who are associated with the development of halal tourism in Indonesia. Findings The results show that the effectiveness of the halal tourism ecosystem is primarily determined by the role of the government as an initiator and a policymaker. The halal tourism ecosystem must be run with universal Islamic norms, and it must be avoid exclusive rules. Originality/value This research concludes that the symbols in the halal ecosystem are not components that can glue the differences between various organizations and institutions in the context of tourism. However, the role of adhesive is substituted by its practice or implementation that can accommodate shared understandings of Sharia norms.

Self-transcendent emotions as the locomotive of value co-creation in sustainable tourism: a horizon 2050 paper

Purpose This paper aims to outline the role of self-transcendent emotions (STEs) such as compassion, gratitude and elevation in the context of sustainable tourism. It proposes a research agenda for further investigation of these emotions as facilitators of value co-creation in sustainable tourism. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the literature on the psychology of STEs, sustainable tourist behaviour and value co-creation, this paper pinpoints potential developments and challenges associated with STEs in the domain of sustainable tourism by following a service-dominant logic approach. Findings STEs are likely to have a profound impact on sustainable tourism leading to value co-creation and mitigating the risk of value co-destruction and value no-creation. They can facilitate value co-creation by shifting the focus of actors from their own selves towards others in the tourism ecosystem, shifting the focus from extrinsic to intrinsic motivations and increasing moral values. Moreover, STEs are expected to be contiguous and reciprocal, fostering value co-creation in sustainable tourism practices. However, extreme levels of STEs can lead to value co-destruction and value no-creation. Originality/value This paper highlights the role of STEs as facilitators of value co-creation in sustainable tourism, a facet that has been overlooked in the existing literature. Further investigation is necessary in different contexts such as transformative and regenerative tourism; societal or individual crises and failures and the applications of technologies such as the Metaverse and artificial intelligence.

Digitalization and digital transformation in the tourism industry: a bibliometric review and research agenda

Purpose In recent decades, a significant number of research contributions have been made to the intersection of digital technologies and the tourism industry. However, a thorough examination of digitalization and digital transformation in the tourism industry has not been given sufficient consideration. This study aims to provide a bibliometric review of digitalization and digital transformation research in the tourism industry and devise future research agendas to advance the research field. Design/methodology/approach This study uses the Scientific Procedures and Rationales for Systematic Literature Reviews (SPAR-4-SLR) protocol and a bibliometric analysis to examine the research progress and scientifically map the research domain of digitalization and digital transformation in the tourism industry from 2002 to 2023 using bibliographic data retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science. Findings This study presents the trends in publications and citations within the digitalization and digital transformation research domain in tourism. The findings also provide insights into the four primary clusters of the research field: digital innovation, smart tourism ecosystem, eTourism and smart destination experience. To further augment the application of digital transformation, this study offers several recommendations for future research on digitalization and digital transformation of the tourism industry. Practical implications This study provides valuable implications to researchers, managers and policymakers seeking to understand the current state and future research directions in tourism’s digitalization and digital transformation research field. Originality/value This study advances the research field of digitalization and digital transformation in the tourism industry by thoroughly examining the primary research clusters in the research corpus of the past two decades. Furthermore, it guides future research, thereby setting the stage for further progress in this domain.

Empowering the Voice of Heritage: The Evolution and Impact of Tourist Guiding in Saudi Arabia

This article explores the development of tourist guiding in Saudi Arabia, tracing its historical roots and analyzing the vital role guides play as cultural ambassadors and educators. It highlights the rigorous training and professional development programs that ensure guides are well-prepared to display Saudi heritage in a way that is both accurate and engaging. In this article, one of the most prominent focuses is on the empowerment and inclusion of women in the profession of tourist guiding. Further investigation into the influence of tourist guides on the preservation of cultural heritage and the promotion of sustainable tourism is presented in this article. Tourist guides are an essential component of the tourism ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, not only do they serve as guardians of cultural heritage, but they also play a significant role in Saudi Arabia's efforts to become a destination of choice for tourists from all over the world. Underscoring the transformative power of tourism that is directed by expertise, passion, and a profound dedication to heritage preservation is the role that they play in linking cultures and generating positive change.