Tourism Ecosystem Research Articles

Internet of Things and Big Data Analytics for Risk Management in Digital Tourism Ecosystems

Participation and inclusion in the business ecosystem have emerged as a growing trend for company collaboration in areas such as innovation, product development, and research. Collaborations can take many forms, ranging from the traditional value chain to strategic alliances, corporate networks, and digital ecosystems. The Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data Analytics (BDA) play key roles in developing smart tourism destinations by delivering efficient management solutions, increased public safety, and improved operational efficiency while managing different risks and challenges, while also being a source of such risks and challenges. The objective of this article was to investigate the potential of IoT and BDA to properly control the risks associated with participants in a tourism destination’s digital ecosystem. The authors used the systematic literature review (SLR) method to examine scientific and applied articles on this subject. As a result, the main risks of the digital tourism ecosystem (DTE) as a whole and of the IoT and BDA technologies used in it were identified and classified; the features of DTE that affect risk management in it were distinguished; IoT technologies and their applications used in DTE were outlined; and the roles of DTE participants and the possible IoT technologies that can successfully address the risks associated with a given role were defined.

Research on Fiscal and Tax Policies of Tourism \\Ecosystem to Promote Rural Revitalization

The "Strategic Plan for Rural Revitalization (2018-2022)" issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council proposes to build an ecologically livable and beautiful countryside. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee proposed to give priority to the development of rural agriculture and comprehensively promote rural revitalization. A sound rural tourism ecosystem is of great significance for optimizing the structure of rural tourism, driving the development of other rural industries, increasing farmers' income, and revitalizing the countryside. The establishment of a rural tourism ecosystem will address the contradiction of uneven and insufficient development in rural areas, while promoting high-quality development of rural tourism, achieving consumption upgrading, and promoting internal circulation. Establish a comprehensive fiscal and tax policy, and accelerate the construction of the rural tourism ecosystem with the policy support of financial policy, tax policy, and investment and financing policy.

THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL VALUES OF TRAVEL & TOURISM COMPETITIVENESS INDEX AND ITS PREDICTIVE POWERS ON TOURIST ARRIVALS IN AFRICA; PLS-SEM APPROACH

This study aimed to assess the explanatory power of the sub-indices and pillars of the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index on ITA taking Africa as a case. The study extended the epistemological articulations and empirical values of the TTCI by introducing ITA as a dependent variable. It took WEF's 7 years report on TTCI of 29 African economies. Results show that the predictive powers of half of TTCI Sub-indices as formative indicators to ITA are weak and negative. Analogously, the collinearity, validity, and reliability issues of sub-indices were substantially not resolved. These findings have implied that the TTCI has to articulate its predictive bearing before it can be accepted as an epistemologically and practically relevant concept that prescribes policy issues especially on the course of diagnosing the African Tourism ecosystem.

Exploring how interaction leads to value co-creation, value co-destruction, and value no-creation during service mega-disruptions

ABSTRACT This study investigates the principles and the factors influencing interaction for resource integration during service mega-disruptions (SMDs) in the tourism ecosystem. Utilizing qualitative data from semi-structured interviews conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, this article reveals that interaction principles of willingness to exchange, access to information, dialogue, transparency, coordination, adaptation, and informed risk assessment lead to value co-creation (VCC). Failure to follow these principles leads to value no-creation (VNC) or value co-destruction (VCD). During SMDs, the most critical factors influencing interaction for resource integration are traveller’s safety needs, initiation of travel cancellation, sympathy, proactivity, omnichannel communication, the effectiveness of technology and employees as well as the number of involved actors. Forced indifference in VNC is uncovered, where firms’ constraints hinder their engagement despite tourists’ desire for interaction. This study contributes to the understanding of value dynamics during SMDs and calls for further exploration of multiple stakeholders’ perspectives in such contexts.

Hotel room access control: an NFC approach ecotourism framework

PurposeThis study aims to highlight that security and flexibilities remain the main points of contention in the cordiality business. This research points to planning a framework that empowers hotel users to get to the room using a mobile access key. Advancing secured facilities, mobile phone “Near Field Communication” (NFC) innovation as the entrance device by carrying out an application containing an imitated mobile key for explicit verification access is used.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed system is evaluated by triangulation of experimental, numerical and rational evaluation using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with Malaysian hotel guests and employees.FindingsThe discoveries with the hypothesis supported validated that the suggested solution can eliminate physical cards, boost protection and encourage a contactless ecosystem. Theoretical, management and societal contributions are discussed here.Research limitations/implicationsThis experiment comes with the constraints that it was conducted in only two hotels and does not fully reflect the choices of a wider range of travellers. Secondly, the cost of existing NFC smart locks is still relatively high, and along with the development of technology, the price will decrease when supply exceeds demand.Practical implicationsTo promote high-security attributes, NFC technology as the access system by implementing an application containing an emulated smart key for specific authentication access is used. The host-card emulation enables cost-effectiveness profit and initiating a defence system in the pandemic era.Social implicationsTo promote high-security attributes, NFC technology is used as the access system by implementing an application containing an emulated smart key for specific authentication access. The host-card emulation enables cost-effectiveness profit and initiating a defence system in the pandemic era.Originality/valueThe novelty of this study comes from the use of commonly available smartphone NFC features that are yet to be applied in the tourism ecosystem. The research provokes the applied concept of mobile smartkeys.

Dillem Wilis Agro-Tourism Branding Designs to Increase Regional Competitiveness in Tourism

Dillem Wilis plantation tour is a coffee bean processing company owned by the Dutch government with an area of 40 hectares. The location is in Dompyong Village, Bendungan District, Trenggalek Regency. This company has the potential for clove plantations, dairy farming, and nature tourism with natural potential surrounded by rivers and locations in hilly areas with attractive views. The ancient buildings of the Dutch government still stand strong with the revitalization that has been carried out by the local government. Agrotourism development is currently a priority program for local governments with the construction of road access and supporting infrastructure. Dillem Wilis Agrotourism also has superior products, such as packaged pasteurized milk and Dillem coffee. The visual architecture of the building, packaging of superior products, and sign systems as well as media for publication of tourist destinations do not have unity. To get the attention and awareness of tourists, a creative strategy is needed through the design of the Dillem Wilis agro-tourism brand. The steps that need to be taken in brand design are: (1) designing a visual identity for Dillem Wilis agrotourism, (2) designing physical communication media, (3) designing digital communication media, and (4) marketing visual property and stationary. To create the right brand awareness, it is very much determined by a consistent visual identity. The visual identity will describe non-physical attributes such as vision and mission, tourism value, and tourism culture. This study aims to: (1) produce a brand identity for Dillem Wilis Agrotourism, (2) Integrate the resources owned by Dillem Wilis Agrotourism in order to form a tourism ecosystem, and (3) generate brand awareness through the implementation of the visual identity design into the Dillem Wilis Trenggalek Agrotourism promotion media project using Tim Brown’s design thinking method which refers to Simon Anholt’s regional branding model for the city branding hexagon.
 Keywords: brand identity, visual branding, Dilem Willis

Collaborative Integrated Sustainable Tourism Management Model Using System Dynamics: A Case of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia

Tourism is one of a region’s most prominent development vehicles. However, quality tourism is only achieved when supported by multi-sectors. This study aims to create a model of sustainable tourism management using a system dynamics approach. The model is based on the tourism development case in Labuan Bajo, a newly growing destination in Indonesia and a UNESCO Komodo biosphere reserve area. The research results in a model of sustainable tourism relevant to similar destinations with characteristics of high biodiversity but vulnerable to social inequality. This research finds it is critical to balance tourism growth and impact through the environment, economy, and social aspects and how destination management shall ensure multi-sector participation to create a conducive tourism ecosystem in the long run.

A research of factors and the process of a territory’s tourism ecosystem formation

The article presents the results of the authors’ research on issues of ecosystems in tourism, digital ecosystems, the impact of digital transformation and platformization of the economy and business on the process of formation of territories’ tourism ecosystems, the role and development trends of the hotel industry as an element of the tourism ecosystem, the impact of information and communication, including digital and mobile technologies on the processes of integration and collaboration of tourism ecosystems’ stakeholders. The authors have studied theoretical and methodological foundations of the ecosystem approach in science and business, including the concept of “ecosystem” in various fields, specifics of formation of ecosystems in business in the digital economy. The authors have studied the ecosystem approach in the development of tourism and hospitality within a tourist territory. Based on a survey of experts, the authors assessed factors of formation of a territory’s tourism ecosystem and tourism development projects and developed methodological recommendations for the development of a territory’s tourism and hospitality based on the ecosystem approach. The authors have proposed and substantiated the model of a tourist territory’s ecosystem and the mechanism for an interaction of stakeholders. As an object of study, the authors have considered organizations of the tourism industry, including the hotel industry as an element of tourism development in a tourist territory within the framework of the ecosystem approach. The subject of the study is the system of socio-economic, organizational, and managerial relations and relations, partnerships and technologies in the development of tourism in a tourist territory, in general, and the hotel industry as an element of the tourism industry, in particular, studied within the framework of the ecosystem approach. The obtained results might be used as a basis for continuing scientific research on issues of tourism ecosystems, digital transformation of the tourism industry, designing the development of tourist territory, in the work of tourism administrations at all levels, organizations in the field of tourism and hospitality.

Unleashing the green potential: incorporating eco-business and key tourism elements in Kandri Semarang's Villages

This paper explores the potential of incorporating eco-business and key tourism elements in Kandri Semarang's villages to enhance their competitive advantage in suburban areas. A case study approach was adopted to examine the status of tourism villages in Kandri Semarang and identify the key tourism elements that can be integrated with eco-business practices. The findings suggest that by embracing sustainable practices and capitalizing on the area's unique natural and cultural resources, tourism villages in Kandri Semarang can differentiate themselves from competitors and attract more tourists. The paper concludes by providing practical recommendations for stakeholders to collaborate and create a sustainable tourism ecosystem that benefits the local community and the environment.

Community Empowerment in Structuring Sustainable Historical Tourism Areas

Three aims of the study are: to identify the socio-economic and socio-spatial characteristics that make up the historical tourism ecosystem in the historical area of Trowulan; to analyse community participation in building the tourism ecosystem in the historic area of Trowulan; and to formulate directives on community empowerment to increase local resources' potential and capacity through developing historical tourism businesses. The method used in this research is a qualitative method with a descriptive-analytical approach, a research and understanding process based on a methodology that investigates a social phenomenon and human problem. The research concludes that socio-economic and socio-spatial characters encourage each other in shaping the historical tourism ecosystem in the historical area of Trowulan. In addition, community participation in building a tourism ecosystem in the historic Trowulan area is motivated by the hope of getting a better economic life to improve the welfare of the community. Community empowerment is essential in increasing community participation in developing the potential and capacity of local resources through developing tourism businesses, especially those based on historical tourism. Community empowerment and participation are two entities that need each other. On the one hand, participation requires empowerment, and on the other hand, empowerment requires participation. The absence of one can hinder efforts to develop tourist areas

Value co-creation in smart tourism destinations

PurposeThis study aims to describe the concept of smart tourism, placing emphasis on the smart tourism ecosystem and value co-creation concept within the system at a destination level. The work also summarizes the key challenges associated with smart tourism implementation and development.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted as a critical literature review, discussing the outcomes of a wide range and scope of relevant academic literature on the chosen concepts.FindingsSmart tourism can be described as the use of information and communication technology (ICT) technologies to facilitate and enrich tourism products, services and experiences. Within the smart tourism ecosystem, all stakeholders – customers, suppliers, intermediates, the public sector, service providers, destination management organizations and others –participate in the synergies and value co-creation, also share the benefits from it. The ultimate aim of a smart tourism ecosystem is to create sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits for all and promote destination competitiveness. Smart tourism implementation is also associated with several challenges, of which the most important are participation, an overwhelming amount of data, data privacy and technology adoption.Originality/valueThe paper provides a critical review of the recent and relevant literature in order to define and discuss the mechanisms of value co-creation in a smart tourism ecosystem and the challenges associated with it.

Spatiotemporal patterns and driving mechanism of tourism ecological security in Guangxi, China

Tourism ecological security (TES) is an important index reflecting the sustainable development of the regional economy. The construction of the China and ASEAN Free Trade Area has increased the total tourist consumption of Guangxi province by 36.48%. Unfortunately, overconsumption of resources, air pollution, disturbance of indigenous life, and other environmental degradation problems emerged due to the significant increase in tourists. Measuring the resilience of the tourism ecosystem is an urgent need to promote the high-quality development of tourism in Guangxi. To explore the dynamic changes in TES and its driving mechanism, the DPSIR (driver–pressure–state–impact–response) model for the tourism ecosystem was developed. The dynamic changes in TES and its driving mechanism from 2010 to 2019 were analyzed using fuzzy matter-element analysis, Markov chains, Geodetector, and other methods. The results show that: (1) the TES value increased steadily by 72.73%; the improvement speed was Northeast > Southwest > Southeast > Northwest; (2) TES was negatively correlated with location, 14 cities developed independently; (3) the TES has a smaller probability to shift the lower level; (4) urbanization, water consumption, green area, tourism revenue, and the number of students in colleges had significant effects on TES. Four policies were proposed to improve TES: (1) developing forest tourism; (2) implementing greening projects in abandoned mining areas; (3) increasing tourism technical personnel; and (4) reducing clearance time for inbound tourists.

Do TripAdvisor Valences are Trustworthy on South Asian Destinations?

Travellers prefer to rely on peers’ recommendations and review websites to look for reliable and unbiased information. Trustworthy communicators are more influential than the untrustworthy one. Trustworthy content is need of the hour in specific to post COVID19 travel. This research is analysing what propels a traveller towards destinations and empirically verify the valences of trustworthiness on TripAdvisor reviews. Content analysis of TripAdvisor reviews (153799 numbers) on South Asian destinations are captured, modelled, and analysed using Descriptive statistics, Regression Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling. Positive reviews are more trustworthy than the negative reviews and are helpful to potential tourist who seeks ‘real’ or ‘genuine’ reviews. There is no moderating effect of negative sentiments on Trustworthiness. Our research results find that valences of TripAdvisor review are useful to potential tourists for their travel planning and actions. Practitioners should listen to TripAdvisor review valences and keep up with the value chain, make the destinations more tourist friendly and evolve new themes. Tourism ecosystem should use modicum of digital opportunities emanating from sentiments and apply appropriate strategies to develop their destinations. This way, tourists will develop brand equity. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on polarity analysis in TripAdvisor reviews and investigated the relationship between positive and negative valences with trustworthiness.

Tourism Industry and Circular Economy : Deep Interlinkages

Tourism plays a key role in promoting growth, development, and livelihoods. It strengthens “social foundations” and creates sustainable values through its multiplier effects and interconnectedness with Sustainable Development Goals. Equally important are tourism’s environmental impacts, carbon footprints, and greenhouse gas emissions, which are likely to exacerbate by rising global tourism and unending demands for materials, resources, and products. Thus, the prevalent ‘business as usual’ production approach is widely questioned, and decoupling the socioeconomic development from environmental impacts is emphasized to lay down the basis of sustainable and smart green tourism by applying circular economy principles in tourism. The coronavirus, though it was an irreparable disaster for tourism, gave an opportunity to rebuild it on circular economy principles. This paper explored the interlinkages between the circular economy and the tourism industry from the perspective of building a circular ecosystem in tourism, given its interdependence and interconnectedness. The approach followed is qualitative and exploratory, and reviews the available literature, which is fragmented and scattered. It brings out that deep interlinkages exist between the circular economy and travel and tourism; and the circular economy principles’ application (6Rs - refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, recycle) in tourism can contribute substantially towards resilient tourism ecosystem and social and economic progress through reduced consumption of primary energy sources and materials. The practical and theoretical implications are clearly visible to all stakeholders, including managers, policymakers, and organizations. Managers face a challenge to find ways and means to initiate a transition to a circular economy in tourism to bring down the circularity gap. Since this study is not sector-specific and assumes the availability of technical abilities, engineering skills, government policies, and institutional structures for products and services, etc., these areas can be taken up as future research areas.

Impact of water–tourism–ecosystem nexus on the sustainable development of eco-city

Abstract Tourism places substantial stress on regional land use that can lead to ecological deterioration, greater pollution, destruction of natural habitats, and increasing threats to species already in danger of extermination. Improved quality of life is made possible through the Fuzzy Hamacher Correlated Geometric (FHCG) method to observe the growth of multiple attributes in a water-based leisure tourism eco-city. Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, land use maps, and an executive segment satellite image are the main areas of attention for eco-cities as the main focus, which are supported by ecology and environmental space. Hence, FHCG-GIS has designed an environmental carrying capacity in eco-cities that can be increased through tourists who can be accepted in a specific location to fulfill the needs of water tourism, help the destination sector, protect the environment, and reduce the effect. A sensible outcome for evaluating the planning conditions in an eco-city can be found in the estimated indicators of water leisure tourism environmental carrying capacity, predicated on an analysis of scenic geographical resources and tourism economic conditions, and the results of the scenic area's integrated limits using barrel extrapolation.

From Pre-Pandemic to Post-Pandemic Struggles to Meet Sustainable Development Goals

The need to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is universal for all high-, middle-, and low-income nations, but the momentum was disrupted by COVID-19. Tourism is an important sector to address SDGs where the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) emphasizes the positive role tourism could play toward meeting those goals. This paper is conceptually grounded within the scope of the SDGs and uses a case study approach. It uses the case of Nepal, a developing country, to demonstrate the struggles of developing nations to meet SDGs within the context of the pandemic. Based on the literature and available secondary data, similar cases are discussed to establish relevance for global contexts by reflecting how other developing nations with troubled tourism ecosystems due to the pandemic will negatively impact the movement on meeting SDGs. Further, future directions are proposed to gain momentum toward responding to the SDGs. Indeed, developing nations will struggle more than others, as the priority has been to deal with the COVID-19 impacts with limited available resources.

Looking at the tourism industry through the lenses of industry 4.0: a bibliometric review of concerns and challenges

PurposeThe technological and digital revolution has introduced important changes in the tourism industry. However, capturing the extent of the new tourism 4.0 paradigm is still difficult. This study aims to assess the dimensions related to the concepts of industry 4.0 in tourism and hospitality, tourism innovation and tourism ecosystem when considered simultaneously, and their role in promoting a new wave of competitiveness in the tourism industry.Design/methodology/approachA bibliometric study was conducted based on tourism 4.0, hotel 4.0, tourism innovation and tourism ecosystem using 120 eligible articles published between 2008 and 2021 from the Web of Science database.FindingsThis study demonstrated the advances in industry 4.0 in tourism and hospitality publications over 13 years and identified five interconnected dimensions: (1) knowledge transfer in tourism; (2) networking tourism innovation; (3) sources of tourism innovation; (4) smart tourism ecosystem and (5) innovation research in tourism. It was also concluded that tourism development should be a regional competence based on strategic networking and externalisation of regional knowledge flows.Research limitations/implicationsThis bibliometric review provides important implications and recommendations for several players of industry 4.0 in tourism and hospitality and policymakers. Not only did it make it possible to create a state of art, but also to categorise the existing interconnections between the dimensions of Tourism 4.0, Hotel 4.0, Tourism innovation and Tourism ecosystem to optimise its implementation and generate greater value. In addition, practical implications were inferred that improve the tourism sector’s competitiveness, helping strategic decision-making at the level of policymakers and actors in this sector.Practical implicationsApart from state of the art, this bibliometric review made it possible to categorise the existing interconnections between the dimensions of tourism 4.0, hotel 4.0, tourism innovation and tourism ecosystem to optimise its implementation and generate greater value. Practical implications were inferred that improve the tourism sector’s competitiveness, helping strategic decision-making at the level of policymakers and several players in this sector.Originality/valueThis study addresses the existing literature gap in the interconnection of industry 4.0 with tourism and hospitality by describing the most relevant conceptual interconnections and setting practical implications for improving the competitiveness of the tourism industry. Furthermore, it integrates previous studies and outlines future lines of investigation.

Adaptability among inbound tour operators in a disrupted business environment

The acceleration of technological innovations is reshaping service industries, including the travel business. As competitive forces intensify, inbound tour operators face the challenge of adapting to both revolutionary technologies and business model innovations as they develop destination product offerings ushering a smarter tourism ecosystem. This paper explores how inbound tour operating businesses are being impacted by technology‐enabled innovations and proposes strategic responses to the disruptions affecting their businesses. The investigators addressed this gap through immersion in relevant industry communities involving participant observations and in‐depth interviewing. The authors examine prevailing and emerging models of inbound tour operations, drawing upon the service‐dominant logic framework and placing particular emphasis on value propositions. The present study formulates a comprehensive value co‐creation framework encompassing tourism industry stakeholders, which involves assessing their value propositions and creating focused R&D initiatives that are customized to market needs. It is essential to modularize in‐destination services to enable mass customization of travel experiences and to encourage value co‐creation that empowers travelers.

ИНТЕГРИРОВАННЫЙ ПОДХОД К РАЗВИТИЮ ТУРИСТСКИХ ЭКОСИСТЕМ В РЕГИОНАХ РОССИИ

Due to the active development of tourism, many popular destinations are experiencing its strong impact, including overcrowding of the tourist area, especially during peak tourist seasons, and the negative influence on the quality of the tourist experience, the environment and the local community. In turn, travelers want to get more impressions from the trip, immersion in local communities and culture, using the services of tourism ecosystems. An integrated approach to the management of tourism ecosystems and regions will solve the problems of uneven tourist flows, reduce the negative impact of tourism on the environment and support the sustainable development of the region. The article discusses the principles and foundations of an integrated approach and suggests directions for developing a strategy for the development of tourism ecosystems in the regions of Russia

Polar Policy in Practice: Tour Guiding in Antarctica

This paper examines the role of the Antarctic tour guide as the front-line actor in interpreting and enforcing polar policy on the continent. Drawing on interviews with expedition team members, it asks where guides turn for up to date information about sites; where guides see themselves positioned within the structures of Antarctic governance; and how they experience their role as mediators between visitors and the Antarctic environment. Foregrounding the experiences of those who call Antarctica a workplace, the paper also highlights the perceived role of IAATO in the tourism ecosystem, and provides recommendations for how industry, policy-makers and guides can work together to create a more explicit connection between policy and practice in the future.