Purpose This study aims to systematically analyze the intellectual structure of metaverse research in the hospitality and tourism domain. It identifies key theoretical foundations, emerging themes and conceptual relationships by leveraging bibliometric analysis. The research seeks to bridge the gap between conceptual studies and practical applications, offering an integrative framework for adoption by industry. Design/methodology/approach This study integrates bibliometric and text-mining approaches to systematically review the metaverse research in hospitality and tourism. Findings The study identifies six key research clusters, highlighting the metaverse’s role in immersive tourism, digital engagement and sustainability. The findings reveal that technological adoption, virtual presence and brand engagement are central to metaverse research in hospitality. Co-citation analysis highlights the dominant theoretical models, such as the stimulus–organism–response model, while text mining identifies gaps in empirical applications. The research underscores the metaverse’s potential to enhance customer experience, marketing strategies and sustainable tourism development. Originality/value This study is among the first to conduct a systematic bibliometric review of metaverse research in the hospitality and tourism sector. By integrating co-citation analysis and text mining, it offers a comprehensive and objective examination of the existing literature. The research provides a novel conceptual framework for understanding metaverse adoption, digital engagement and sustainability in hospitality. It bridges theoretical and practical gaps, offering valuable insights for scholars, industry practitioners and policymakers. The study also highlights critical research gaps and proposes a future research agenda, ensuring its relevance in guiding strategic decision-making and technological advancements in the hospitality industry.

Abstract - Travelling in new places, especially in foreign places, is quite challenging. Language barriers, different cultures, local traditions, navigating trips, citing health, safety, and local food taste are the main factors that influence the experience for the traveler. The tourism sector is a key factor for the country's income and its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). To promote tourism and increase the satisfaction of foreign travelers, IndiTour is proposed as an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven mobile application travel assistant that aims to redefine how travelers explore India by providing a personalized experience. The application incorporates an itinerary planner, offline informational access, budget tracking, nearby attraction discovery, recommendations for local travel agents, and language translators all in one platform. It is built on Android (Java/XML) with Firebase backend and OpenAI's language model integration. This paper includes IndiTour's architecture, features, and modules that enable smart travel planning. The goal is to demonstrate how AI and mobile development technology can increase the travelers' satisfaction rate. Key Words: Travel assistant, Artificial Intelligence, Itinerary Planning, India tourism, Mobile app, Sustainable travel.

Sustainable development in the tourism sector: The impact of environmental, social, and governance performance on operational efficiency—A multilevel analytical approach

Exploring the Organizational Antecedents of Gamification Adoption in the Tourism and Hospitality Sectors: Innovation Culture as a Moderator

This study examines the sustainability and climate resilience of tourism in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), with a primary focus on the Maldives. While tourism has played a crucial role in the economic development of many SIDS, it has also contributed to environmental degradation, social inequality, and institutional fragmentation. Employing a narrative literature review approach, this paper explores how tourism in the Maldives interacts with three key domains essential to sustainability in SIDS: environmental vulnerability, social inclusion and climate resilience, and governance and policy coherence. The analysis reveals that tourism development has placed significant pressure on environmental ecosystems through reef damage, inadequate waste management, and excessive freshwater consumption. Although community-based tourism initiatives show potential, they are still constrained by unequal power relations and insufficient institutional support. Furthermore, governance challenges—such as fragmented inter-agency coordination and regulatory capture—continue to hinder long-term sustainability efforts. The findings highlight that building a climate-resilient tourism sector requires the integration of community participation in environmental governance, the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge systems, and enhanced policy coherence between tourism and environmental objectives. These insights underscore the need for future research aimed at expanding empirical understanding of localized adaptation strategies and evaluating the long-term impacts of governance reforms intended to strengthen resilience in tourism-dependent SIDS.

Exploring the obstacles and opportunities related to disability-inclusive diversity management in the local tourism sector of South Africa

Language use within India’s medical tourism industry has often been examined through the lens of institutional hierarchies, power dynamics, and the broader social structures that shape communication. This paper explores the largely overlooked role of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) learners functioning as intercultural mediators within this framework. These adult learners, employed in hospitals that cater to international patients, are compelled to navigate complex linguistic, emotional, and cultural terrains for which they are often not formally trained. While language proficiency and communicative labour are central to the effective functioning of this globalised sector, they remain marginal in policy discussions. Framed within the lens of critical adult education and feminist political theories of labour, this study draws on qualitative interviews and practitioner narratives to examine the nuances of intercultural communication in the medical tourism context. The paper calls for a reimagining of ESP curricula that recognises learners as cultural negotiators and active contributors to knowledge production. In doing so, it contributes to broader conversations on lifelong learning, workplace education, and the role of adult learning in advancing social justice within transnational service economies.

In this article, the PROV-VAL model is designed and proposed as a methodology to evaluate emotional salary, combining the employee’s perception of what the organization provides (PROV) with the value assigned to each element (VAL). The study addresses the need for tools that systematically identify discrepancies between perceived and valued aspects by employees, as these gaps can affect motivation and performance. The research, quantitative and non-experimental in design, was conducted in the tourism and higher education sectors in Ciudad Constitución, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Key dimensions of emotional compensation were evaluated, including interpersonal relationships, work climate, sense of belonging, professional development, and communication. The instrument was validated by experts, and reliability was confirmed with Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients ranging from 0.868 to 0.962. Results reveal gaps between perception and valuation, providing a useful tool to guide human talent management strategies and enhance workplace well-being.

Purpose This study aims to shed light on the complex interplay between media representation of terrorist acts and its influence on the tourism sector, drawing on evidence from Egypt and Algeria. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a mixed-methods approach. A total of 2,651 news articles were analyzed using content analysis to identify the focus of media coverage. Additionally, 301 survey responses were analyzed using structural equation modelling to explore the relationships among key variables. Findings Content analysis revealed that newspapers predominantly focus on crime and terrorism activities, emphasizing their adverse effects on the tourism sector. The analysis of survey responses confirmed a significant relationship between “crime and terrorism contact” and “tourism activities’ consumption,” mediated by “media’s attention on terrorism.” Overall, these findings of this study underscore a significant negative impact of media representation of terrorism on tourist movements in the study regions. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the role of media in shaping perceptions of terrorism and its subsequent impact on tourism. By building on these findings, the researchers have advanced knowledge in the area of tourism studies and emphasized the need for targeted interventions to promote sustainable tourism practices.

Javanese women in Sleman Regency continue to face role conflict stemming from traditional expectations as “konco wingking” (a term denoting their prescribed role within the domestic sphere) and the increasing demands of dual-earner family structures that necessitate public engagement. Despite the enduring influence of conventional gender norms, a significant number of women engaged in micro-entrepreneurial activities have successfully contributed to household income, mitigated economic burdens, and achieved greater financial independence. This study seeks to formulate a strategic model for economic empowerment through digital entrepreneurship within the tourism sector, aiming to foster a balanced integration between women's domestic responsibilities and public participation. Utilizing a mixed methods sequential explanatory approach, this study integrates quantitative data from 50 participants with qualitative insights derived from in-depth interviews with 30 informants. The findings indicate a marked gap between the participants’ limited digital entrepreneurial competencies and their considerable need for structured capacity-building initiatives. Nevertheless, the presence of robust familial support has played a pivotal role in enabling these women to manage and reconcile their domestic and public responsibilities. In response to these findings, the study proposes a holistic empowerment model that prioritizes digital skill development, institutional support mechanisms, and community-driven collaboration—aimed at strengthening women’s dual roles and promoting sustainable economic and social empowerment.

This research aims to investigate the impact of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics on customer satisfaction and loyalty. The main objective is to measure how these technologies collectively effects positively on enhancing tourism companies’ ability to respond effectively for changing based on customer needs and market conditions. The study was conducted by distributing a questionnaire through google forms, which was sent by email to tourism offices in Jordan, yielding 234 valid responses for statistical analysis. The dimensions used to measure ai included model accuracy, prediction speed, and algorithm complexity; for machine learning, dimensions were training duration, hyper parameter tuning, and model robustness; and for big data analytics, dimensions were data volume, query latency, and parallel processing. The research main objective represented by the result that indicate that the application of these technologies positively and significantly affect customer satisfaction and loyalty in the tourism sector. Finally, the study arrived to the fact that applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics is considered important key for tourism companies to efficiently process huge amounts of data, adapt to rapidly changing conditions, and maintain a competitive edge in a dynamic market.

Kabupaten Berau has potential in the tourism and coal mining sectors, which have an impact on high growth population and economic increase rapidly every year. High population mobility can measured by the increasing need for daily living. This activity also indirectly requires the availability of transportation access. Data shows that vehicle ownership in Berau Regency increased by 63,456 units from 2018 to 2021 (BPS, 2022). Level of services (LOS) is a measure of the performance of a road section or intersection Level of Service is a part and frequently used term and concept of transportation planning in urban planning, which is calculated based on the level of road use, speed, density and obstacles that occur. In quantitative analysis, the level of road service is shown by Q/C (Q = traffic volume, C = road capacity). In conclusion, on several urban roads in Tanjung Redeb there are still no serious transportation problems found, it's just that problems occur only because of inappropriate traffic management or transportation arrangements.

Vietnam is among the countries with the highest growth rates of entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia. However, the challenges posed by the global economy have resulted in many young individuals experiencing difficulties in increasing sales of entrepreneurial products. This study aims to investigate the role of cultural capital in overcoming the limitations faced by young Vietnamese entrepreneurs. Primary data were collected through in-depth interviews with a sample of 20 young entrepreneurs in the field of community tourism (homestay) to evaluate the influence of cultural capital on their entrepreneurial activities. The findings indicate that cultural capital significantly aids young entrepreneurs in effectively promoting their products within the community tourism sector and in establishing a strong brand identity. The results suggest directions for policy development to support young people in enhancing their cultural capital and leveraging it to formulate effective business strategies within the evolving economic context.

Abstract In recent decades, China's environmental problems and rapid urbanization redirected the course of its tourism industry. Against the backdrop of increasing alarm on climate change, air quality pollution, and energy resources sustainability, it is now imperative to understand their collective impact on tourism. The adoption of green energy, environmental pollution, and tourist arrivals are interrelated in this study, centering on China's dynamic tourism environment. Spanning from 1975 to 2022, the study employs the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator for parameter estimates. The findings reveal a negative relationship between international visitor arrivals and factors such as renewable energy consumption, economic development, and transit services. Conversely, the average temperature emerges as a significant factor that positively influences the potential for international tourism. Granger causality estimates support several hypotheses, including the notion that tourism drives carbon emissions and economic development, tourism propels transport services, renewable energy fuels economic growth, emissions drive economic growth, and temperature influences emissions within a nation. The results can foster the development of environmentally conscious and economically resilient tourist sectors.

Coastal areas drive much of the world's tourism growth, yet they are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This vulnerability poses a significant risk to the tourism sector, as environmental degradation can diminish the appeal of destinations. The tourism sector's strong dependence on women's work exposes it to gendered impacts, as climate risks in coastal environments are not gender-neutral but affect women disproportionately. Despite the growing attention to climate change in tourism research, methodological limitations have often overlooked household and community scales, thereby underutilizing women's knowledge and lived experiences. This study addresses these gaps by using photovoice, a participatory method that enables participants to frame and articulate climate-related changes in their own terms, based on their lived experiences. The participants' photovoices revealed changes in natural resources and coastal infrastructure linked to the spaces where women's work takes place and upon which it depends. A feminist political ecology lens informs the interpretation of these results, suggesting that the growing uncertainty associated with climate change has blurred the boundaries of these spaces, which form the core of women's work in tourism, reshaping their roles in ways that reinforce subordination rather than promote equal participation in the ocean economy. Moreover, the photovoices reveal that economic and non-economic losses represent interconnected dimensions of the same processes of change. The interaction between climate change and tourism thus introduces multidimensional, gender-related vulnerabilities that extend beyond economic impacts to include implications for women's political agency and a sense of cultural pride. By focusing on women's experiences, this study enhances our understanding of gendered vulnerabilities in coastal tourism and provides insights for developing more inclusive practices that promote gender equity and diversity in marine environments.

Digital technology has become an essential part of managing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially in efforts to achieve business sustainability. Kampong Bharu, as an iconic area in Kuala Lumpur, is home to numerous micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) operating in the culinary, craft, and tourism sectors, but faces challenges in implementing environmentally friendly practices. This research aims to analyze the application of green digital management to MSMEs in Kampong Bharu as a sustainable business strategy. The research method uses a qualitative approach with in-depth interviews and participant observation of 15 MSME actors. The research results show that integrating digital technology with environmentally friendly principles, such as paperless digital marketing, energy-efficient use, and sustainable packaging systems, can enhance the competitiveness and positive image transformation of MSMEs. This finding has practical implications for business owners and stakeholders in developing a digital-based green MSME model in historic urban areas.

Against the backdrop of China's accelerating integration of culture and tourism, the preservation, dissemination, and social embeddedness of Zhanjiang folk music have undergone significant transformations. As a distinctive embodiment of Lingnan culture and maritime traditions, this musical heritage has gained renewed visibility through tourism-driven initiatives. However, challenges such as the erosion of traditional transmission mechanisms, homogenization of musical content, and the loss of cultural depth have become increasingly prominent. Drawing on theories of cultural ecology and culture–tourism integration, this study employs methods including literature review, field investigation, interviews, and case analysis to examine the historical and artistic dimensions of Zhanjiang folk music. It explores the role of folk music in tourism development and investigates pathways for revitalizing traditional music within the dynamics of cultural tourism. The findings indicate that while the expanding cultural tourism sector offers broader platforms for dissemination, the lack of robust preservation and creative renewal mechanisms may lead to the over-theatricalization, symbolic simplification, and commercial dilution of musical traditions.In response, this study proposes strategies such as establishing a multi-stakeholder system for music heritage preservation, promoting digital and cross-sectoral innovation, and strengthening cultural branding to support the sustainable development of Zhanjiang folk music within integrated cultural-tourism contexts. Overall, this research contributes to the academic understanding of regional musical culture and offers a practical reference for the contemporary transformation of intangible cultural heritage.

The article is devoted to the analysis of organizational and legal regulation of sustainable and social development of rural areas and communities through tourism. The significance of rural green tourism is revealed as a tool for income diversification, preservation of human capital, and activation of the local economy, which, in turn, ensures the development of rural areas and contributes to the socio-economic growth of communities. The current legislation of Ukraine, in particular, the Laws «On Tourism» and «On Private Peasant Farming» as well as strategic documents, has been analyzed. The study found that the lack of harmonization of provisions in the legislation and strategic acts related to the legal regulation of the tourism sector leads to inconsistencies in terms and concepts in regulatory acts, which undermines legal certainty. A comparison and analysis of the implementation plans of the Strategy for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas 2024 and the Concept for the Development of Rural Areas 2015 was conducted. It was concluded that the Action Plan for the Implementation of the 2024 Strategy for 2025-2027 demonstrates a decrease in the level of detail of instruments and mechanisms for rural development. Insufficient attention to rural green tourism as a diversified type of activity and the lack of clear procedures for its integration into local strategies of territorial communities were identified. The study emphasizes that one of the key organizational and legal directions for ensuring the strengthening and sustainable development of rural areas and the socio-economic progress of communities is clustering in the tourism sector. It is concluded that the legal basis for the functioning of clusters in tourism remains undefined due to the absence of legal regulation for clusters as associations, which may become a barrier to obtaining state support.Attention is drawn to the need to introduce an effective mechanism of state support in the form of free or partially paid consulting (advisory) services combined with the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) and the State Agrarian Register.

Chinas tourism industry is definitely an objective worth researching, as its fluctuating tourist number is influenced by multiple divers which can led to insights of tactical strategies that are able to support data-informed tourism recovery and sustainable development. Using time series analysis (ARIMA model) with nation-wide data, we assess factors including GDP, population of different ages, and public health events. Accordingly, demographic shifts positively associate with travelling demand, macroeconomic conditions along with legislations prominently affect tourists volume, and external abruptions influence disruption short-termly but altering little on long term economic growth. In sum, the study offers empirical insights for Chinese touring industry stakeholders and policymakers who work for travelling section to successfully select proper strategies and enhance the resilience and prosperity of Chinas tourism sector.

In the wake of the pandemic, countries worldwide have strived to revive their tourism sectors, with Thailand’s industry playing a crucial economic role. Grounded in Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), this study examines key psychological determinants of domestic travel intentions, including threat severity, response efficacy, and psychological resilience. Data from 509 Thai participants were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results reveal that heightened threat perceptions significantly weaken travel intentions, while confidence in protective measures enhances willingness to travel. Psychological resilience mitigates perceived threats and strengthens the effect of response efficacy on travel intention. Surprisingly, anxiety did not significantly impact travel intentions. This study offers a holistic perspective on travelers' cognitive and emotional responses to health crises. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to strengthen public resilience, foster trust in safety measures, and support sustainable recovery in the tourism sector.