Tourism Services Research Articles

Encountering risk with resilience for experiences: a case study on tourism in a conflicted tourist destination

Purpose This paper aims to unravel how tourists balance their novel experiences with risk perceptions, psychological resilience and behavioral intentions. Additionally, it explores how tourists' personalities moderate the relationship between experiences and travel intentions. Design/methodology/approach A total of 234 self-administered questionnaires were distributed to a diverse group of tourists who recently explored the Srinagar region to capture their perspectives. The data obtained was analyzed using Smart PLS-SEM. Findings This study revealed that the impact of perceived terror risk on behavioral intentions is not statistically significant. Instead, tourists' experiences significantly influence psychological resilience and behavioral intentions. Tourists with higher resilience are inclined to perceive these experiences as aiding in managing negative feelings. Research limitations/implications The study's focus is confined to one conflict zone within the country due to research constraints, excluding other areas. Practical implications This research provides practical insights for destination management authorities and highlights areas for improvement for tourism service providers and the government in the Srinagar region, as well as other conflict regions. Emphasizing mutual respect between locals and tourists can foster community-based tourism, enhancing the region's appeal and promoting positive intentions for all involved parties. Social implications This study examines how local communities in conflict-affected areas adjust to and manage the presence of tourists, with an emphasis on building resilience and support systems. Additionally, it explores how travel decisions and behaviors are influenced by tourists' perceptions of safety and how these perceptions can influence broader societal attitudes toward areas affected by conflict. Evaluating the local population's economic reliance on tourism may result in changed social dynamics, as well as possible exploitation or over-reliance on industry. Promoting mutual understanding and cultural interchange between locals and visitors may have a positive impact on efforts to promote social cohesion and peacebuilding. Originality/value This study broadens the scope of the existing literature on destination attributes in conflict zones, offering a unique perspective on the intrinsic features of this issue. The solutions proposed in this study contribute a novel dimension to the current literature.

Profiling Geoguides at Stong Geopark: Enhancing Local Expertise for Sustainable Ecotourism

Stong Geopark is a prominent natural attraction site in Kelantan, characterized by its rich biodiversity and variety of species, catering to diverse visitor interests such as wildlife enthusiasts and tourists. Geoguides play a vital role in helping visitors comprehend the significance of the geopark's geological features, the interconnectedness of the ecosystem, and the knowledge of indigenous communities. However, the tourism industry faces challenges in meeting the requirements for various forms of tourism services, including geoguiding. This study aims to profile the geoguides at Stong Geopark and better understand their areas of expertise. The research employs a quantitative approach, surveying 39 geoguides, to provide a comprehensive profile. The findings reveal three distinct clusters of geoguides' areas of expertise: Cluster 1 - Nature and Adventure, Cluster 2 - Nature, and Cluster 3 - Adventure. The study also highlights the need for the majority of geoguides to receive additional training in English communication skills and continuous professional development courses. Overall, this study offers valuable insights into the profiles of geoguides at Stong Geopark, emphasizing the importance of supporting and developing local geoguides' expertise to enhance the effectiveness of geopark management and visitor satisfaction. Furthermore, the study provides a spatial understanding of Stong Geopark by highlighting the locations of active geoguides in relation to the distribution of geosites. The findings can inform policymakers, tourism authorities, and geopark management in developing targeted strategies for capacity building and professionalization of geoguides, ultimately contributing to the sustainable development of Stong Geopark as a thriving ecotourism destination.

Morality expression drives favorable consumer outcomes for P2P tour guide: The role of elevation, trust, and enjoyment

The emerging peer-to-peer platforms enable individual tour guides to market themselves via online profiles. Given the growing societal interest in responsible tourism, tour guides can utilize online profiles to communicate responsible tourism endeavors that showcase positive moral character. However, how consumers respond to such expressions of responsible conduct is unknown. Through four experiments, we find that a moral self-description (vs. social or control) elicited higher elevation, further enhancing trust and enjoyment, leading to more favorable consumer responses (i.e., booking intention, willingness to pay, and likelihood to recommend). Thus, the underlying mechanisms are explained by elevation, trust, and enjoyment. Moreover, consumers' self-esteem and tour guides' motives are two boundary conditions. Specifically, positive reactions to the tour guide's morality expression are more pronounced among high self-esteem individuals and when the guide is intrinsically motivated. This research contributes to the literature on P2P tourism services and offers practical implications for tourism providers.

Trends and factors influencing the development of international tourism

The purpose of the article is to determine the return on investment produced by identifying modern trends in the development of international tourism and identifying factors affecting the development of tourism in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In order to achieve the objectives a certain number of regions and places of visitor accommodation were considered, investment in the tourism industry was analysed, and the results of a dynamic model with a distributed lag were obtained for the selected regions. Tourism development is an urgent topic, tourism is a source of income for millions of people working in this field, therefore, increasing the pace of development of the tourism sector is discussed in the Agendas of international organizations and in the annual Messages of the Head of State to the people of Kazakhstan. To determine the strategy for the development of the tourism services market, the factors influencing it were identified and a statistical analysis was carried out. Multiple correlation and regression analysis is one of the methods by which one can investigate the dependence of one variable on several variable factors. And for this purpose, significant factors were selected, and a multiple linear regression equation was constructed. The authors carried out a correlation and regression analysis using the example of regions, and also analyzed the obtained parameters of the multiple linear regression equation. In conclusion, the obtained regression equations in general and the coefficients are statistically significant and reliable at an appropriate level of significance. It allows us to draw conclusions based on the analysis of the obtained parameters of the multiple linear regression equation for the republic.

Current state of tourism services for tourists: a study in Hanoi City, Vietnam

Assessing tourist satisfaction has become a hot topic for tourism research in recent years. Many studies have shown that improving tourist satisfaction not only has a positive impact on service providers and destination reputation, but also increases tourist loyalty, lowers price elasticity, lowers future transaction costs, and increases production efficiency (Chen et al., 2012; Nguyen Trong Nhan et al., 2014). Some other studies have also shown that improving tourist satisfaction will stimulate word-of-mouth advertising (Ekinci, 2004; Gonzalez et al., 2007; cited by Chen et al., 2012). Therefore, assessing tourist satisfaction is very important, it helps to find out the existing problems, limitations or strengths of service quality from the perspective of tourists, thereby finding solutions to contribute to improving the ability to provide better and better services. Hanoi as the capital, the economic - political - social center of Vietnam. Therefore, the tourism - hotel industry not only attracts tourists but also diplomatic, business and economic - political - social event participants. Hanoi has great potential for tourism - hotel with hundreds of famous landscapes, historical and cultural relics, traditional craft villages, festivals. In terms of natural tourism resources, Hanoi is famous for Huong Tich as "Nam Thien De Nhat Dong". A series of lakes such as West Lake, Hoan Kiem Lake, Dong Mo, Suoi Hai, Quan Son, not to mention the potential of mineral water resources. Hanoi also has many scenic spots around the foot of Ba Vi mountain, creating branded eco-tourism resorts such as Ao Vua, Vua Ba, Khoang Xanh, Suoi Tien, Thac Da, Thac Nga, Ba Vi National Park, etc. Keywords: Satisfaction, Tourists, Service Quality.

Customer Behavior Analysis and Reinforcement Learning Application in Tourism Service Design

Customer Behavior Analysis and Reinforcement Learning Application in Tourism Service Design

Features of the Development of International Trade in Tourist Services

Introduction. The relevance of studying the peculiarities of the development of international trade in tourist services is determined by the significant role of world tourism in the structure of the global economy. In the conditions of a complex international political situation, which is dynamically changing, it is crucial to identify the vectors of the development of the tourism industry to determine the future structure of the macro-regional distribution of tourist flows. Aim and tasks. The purpose of this study is to identify the dominant factors and prospects for the development of international tourism business in the conditions of modern global economic and political instability to determine the most favourable marketing strategies for interaction in the international market of tourist services by extrapolating the results to the possibilities of post-war recovery of the tourism industry in Ukraine. Results. An analysis of international tourism arrivals showed that the average annual growth rate of the industry from 1995 to 2020 average annual growth of international tourist arrivals was more than 4 per cent. Over the estimated period from 1995 to 2023, the average arrival rate decreased to 2.46 per cent. Macro-regions are considered the most promising for the scaling of international tourism, as well as the factors that will contribute to this and can inhibit economic processes. Special attention is paid to the positioning of Ukraine during the post-war recovery of the tourism industry. Forecast indicators indicate that international tourist arrivals to Ukraine could reach 61 million people in the tenth year of the post-war period. An alternative strategy for promoting national tourist products and brands in the target markets of Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East was proposed, and the feasibility of continuing the promotion of Ukraine as a tourist brand was substantiated. Conclusions. This study confirms the vector of the shift in global tourist flows under the influence of a number of factors that deepen the contradictions between the Global South and the North, revealing key trends in the growth and displacement of international tourist flows among countries belonging to two opposite camps. The directions of institutional and structural changes required to restore international tourism in Ukraine in the post-war period to strengthen Ukraine's position in the global tourism market are proposed.

Agrotourism in Kazakhstan as a factor of economic empowerment of rural population

Nowadays agrotourism is one of the most important tools for improving the image of the village and its attractiveness for economically active population, an effective mechanism for spreading entrepreneurship in rural areas and increasing economic opportunities for rural residents by diversifying the activities of peasant (farmer) farms. Purpose - the concept of "agrotourism", factors constraining the development of the industry are considered, new approaches to expanding the range of tourism services in rural areas of Kazakhstan on the basis of the model "One Village - One Product" (OVOP) are studied. Methods - empirical for the purpose of data selection, observation and research of specific phenomena, establishing links between them; statistical, economic analysis, logical - to identify general trends or effects, use of international experience and generalization of results. Results - the authors note that rural tourism in the country is fragmented, there is no concept and system principles in the tourism sector, which are the key barriers to the development of tourism agribusiness in the country. Popularization of the OVOP movement in the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan will contribute to the creation of new jobs, the growth of rural people's welfare. It is shown that the agritourism sector is one of the rapidly developing directions in modern tourism. In Kazakhstan there are potential reserves of its wide distribution, which allow to diversify the tourist product and create an additional item of income to the budget of the republic. Conclusions - agrarian tourism is an important segment of modernization of agrarian sector economy, promising innovative rural entrepreneurship. The development of tourism infrastructure in rural areas contributes to the diversification of rural economy, increasing employment and income of rural population, increasing the number of small business enterprises, the volume of production of environmentally friendly products of private subsidiary plots and farms, reducing the outflow of rural population to the cities. Agritourism industry has a large reserve of natural and human resources. However, the authors state that farmers need information and consulting support of tourist firms.

Driving Sustainable Cultural Heritage Tourism in China through Heritage Building Information Modeling

In recent years, applying building information modeling (BIM) digital technologies to cultural heritage management, monitoring, restoration, with the objective of advancing the sustainable development of both cultural heritage protection and tourism in China, has become a prominent research focus. However, there are a few studies that comprehensively investigate the relationship between BIM, Chinese cultural heritage, and sustainable tourism development. In order to explore the application of BIM in the protection and inheritance of Chinese cultural heritage, as well as its potential in promoting the sustainable development of cultural heritage tourism, this paper adopts the quantitative research method of bibliometrics to explore the research hotspots, development background, and evolution trends of BIM-driven sustainable development in Chinese cultural heritage tourism. By using data obtained from the China Knowledge Network database, multi-level bibliometrics analysis has been conducted through visualized knowledge graphs. The results suggest that the popular research keywords for driving sustainable cultural heritage tourism in China through BIM since year 2000 (23 years) include heritage tourism, heritage protection, building heritage, digital technology, and tourism development. Three research hotspots have been identified, which are cultural heritage protection, cultural heritage tourism development, and cultural heritage tourism management. In terms of tourism development and management, building virtual interactive scenes of cultural heritage facilitated by BIM to enhance tourism experience of tourists, using BIM to assist in efficient management, intelligent decision-making, and personalized services of cultural heritage tourism, assist in better promoting the sustainable development of cultural heritage tourism. In terms of coordinating and managing stakeholders in cultural heritage tourism, BIM technology provides technical support to the government, industry managers, and community residents in information communication, and industry management by constructing a digital model of cultural heritage to better balance the rights and interests of stakeholders.

Современный массовый туризм: становление, принципы, факторы развития

One of the effective and affordable ways to organize recreation and leisure in modern conditions is considered to be mass tourism, which is influenced by global trends: globalization, informatization, geopolitics. In the article, based on generalizations of the approaches of domestic and foreign researchers, an attempt is made to give a detailed definition of the term “mass tourism” and to specify its phenomenon through the justification of its distinctive features: the number of consumers (mass), motives and goals, the influence of technological progress, industrialization and scaling of the tourism business. The authors highlight factors contributing to the development of modern tourism, including: accessibility, globalization, marketing and advertising, political situation, economic stability, digitalization and conceptual approaches to the emergence and development of mass tourism: the theory of consumer society, the theory of mobile sociology, “quality tourism” and etc. Among the general principles of modern mass tourism, the authors highlight: the commercial principle of a balance of interests, taking into account the global problems facing humanity, the active socialization of tourism. Particular attention is paid to the issues of periodization of the formation of mass tourism in the historiography of various countries; description of the modern understanding of mass tourism, taking into account its influence on national socio-economic systems; determining the main directions for the development of mass tourism in the domestic market of tourism services, taking into account rapidly changing external conditions and factors, which made it possible to identify the main and most popular types of tourist activity.

The Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Driving Factors of the Coastal Tourism Economy in China

Tourism has emerged as a pivotal element of China’s economic development, particularly within its coastal cities. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of China’s coastal city tourism economic development, focusing on 53 coastal cities. Through a meticulous combination of literature analysis and data crawling, a robust database is constructed, encompassing tourism resources and revenues. This study delineates the spatial–temporal evolution pattern of China’s coastal city tourism development and employs geo-detector methods to quantitatively analyze the impact factors driving this evolution. Key findings reveal distinct trends in the coastal tourism economy of China from 2009 to 2019, characterized by spatial stability, similar trends in adjacent spatial units, and localized spatial structures. Notably, factors such as actual foreign investment, the presence of star-rated guesthouses, tourism industry employment, airport activity, and import–export trade volume exert significant influence on the domestic tourism economy. Similarly, tourism employment, airport activity, availability of star-rated hotels, import–export trade, and utilization of foreign capital emerge as influential factors shaping inbound tourism. Policy recommendations emphasize the need for government intervention to optimize tourism development strategies for coastal cities. This entails balancing resource exploitation with environmental protection and enhancing the quality of tourism services, fostering sustainable growth and long-term prosperity.

Tourist Crowding versus Service Quality: Impacting Mechanism of Tourist Satisfaction in World Natural Heritage Sites from the Mountain Sanqingshan National Park, China

World Heritage Sites (WHS) possess outstanding universal value (OUV) centered on science and aesthetics, and the large scale of tourism has a certain influence on sustainable development, which will have some degree influence on the quality of tourist service and experience. Taking the World Natural Heritage Site Mount Sanqingshan National Park in China as a case, we collected 535 samples of tourists and used structural equation modeling as a methodology to construct a theoretical framework from the perspective of tourists’ perception, including tourism crowding (functional crowding, personal crowding, and social crowding), service quality (interpretation, goods, commuting, accommodation, and catering), tourists’ satisfaction, and OUV attractiveness as intermediary variables. The results were: (1) tourist crowding has a substantial negative influence on satisfaction, and the negative influence on OUV attractiveness is not tenable; (2) service quality has a substantial positive impact on OUV attractiveness and satisfaction; (3) the tourists’ perception of OUV attractiveness has a mediating influence on service quality and satisfaction, but there is no mediating impact on tourism crowding and satisfaction; (4) this paper puts forward the SCA-S (service, crowding, attractiveness, and satisfaction) framework of WHS, and explores impact factors and mechanisms of visitor satisfaction of WHS from different aspects. The relevant research conclusions have some theoretical value and practical significance for the interpretation and display of heritage value, improved service quality, and tourism experience, and they are conducive to protecting WHS.

Assessment and comparison of tourist potential and public ratings of regions for the regional tourist market development (by the example of Orel region)

Objective: to develop and test the method of estimating a tourism potential of regions, the method of comparing them with public ratings of regions; to diagnose problem areas of management when forming the regional market of tourist services and justify recommendations for its development. Methods: general scientific and general logical methods, analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization; statistical and correlation analysis. Results: the paper presents the author’s method of constructing summary estimates of the regions’ tourism potential, integrating official statistical indicators. Due to the introduction of dimensionless relative values, the difficulties of accounting for different-sized indicators were resolved. The obtained estimates were used to form an objective idea of the strength of the regions’ tourism potential, to compare them, to assess the opportunities and determine the prospects for tourism development in the region. Since one of the obstacles in solving this task is low public ratings, it is important to be able to compare them with objective assessments. For this purpose, we have developed and tested a method of comparing the summary estimates of the regions’ tourism potential with their ratings, in particular, with the values of the National Tourism Rating – 2022. As a result, by the example of Orel region, the disproportions were revealed that indicate the inefficient use of the region’s tourism potential. Based on the analysis of the regional strategies implementation, programs and practices of tourism organization and problem areas of management, recommendations are formulated, the implementation of which guarantees the economic development of the region and tourism sphere. Scientific novelty: the method of constructing summary estimates of the regions’ tourism potential is developed; the method of comparing the summary estimates of tourism potential with public ratings of regions is proposed and tested. The disproportions in assessments and ratings are substantiated quantitatively. The problem areas of management in the formation of the regional tourist services market are diagnosed; recommendations for its development are given. Practical significance: the study results can be used by business entities and authorities to formulate strategies and programs of regional development; the presented method of comparing the tourism potential and ratings of regions can be used in scientific, pedagogical and research activities.

A Non-Compensatory Index of Community Participation in Cross-Border Tourism Development Processes

We propose a composite index to measure and benchmark community participation in cross-border tourism development processes. The index synthesizes information regarding three dimensions of this construct, deemed as very important by the extant literature: residents’ engagement in the planning process and willingness to proactively welcome tourists and provide tourist services directly through sharing-economy platforms. The latter aspect is crucial to develop a local tourist supply able to combine environmental sustainability and financial feasibility in marginal areas, where public funding is scarce and private investments are unprofitable. This study offers a methodological innovation using response rates to open-ended questions to measure residents’ engagement in tourism planning. By applying the ELECTRE III algorithm, which is non-compensatory and ensures reliability in the presence of a high degree of uncertainty, survey information is aggregated in a single figure, which can be easily interpreted by destination managers and policymakers. After COVID-19, in readying for the next pandemic, decision makers should find our index as a very relevant and useful tool for tourism recovery and innovation planning, including compliance with measures to prevent the spread of future infections. We apply the proposed index to ten Croatian and Italian lands involved in a European development project. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with residents, according to an availability sampling design. We obtained 879 valid questionnaires. The robustness of the resulting index is tested through an uncertainty and a sensitivity analysis.

Understanding the Role of Tourist-Oriented Villages in Promoting Rural Tourism in China: Integrating Rural Landscapes and Tourist Services

ABSTRACT Rural tourism strategies in underdeveloped countries have gained significant popularity in recent years. However, the repetitive and irrational construction of tourist destinations contributes to the homogeneity of the tourism environment. Low quality in the rural landscape and tourism services could affect the attraction of tourist spots. Collaboration between rural areas and service-based tourism is essential for the development of tourist-oriented villages. This review paper aims to thoroughly analyze the relationship between rural landscapes and tourism services within tourist-oriented villages in China. It further explores how the synergistic development of these two sectors can enhance rural tourism and addresses the sustainability challenges these villages face. After analyzing the data by integrated review, it is evident that the “wisdom product” concept, which integrates a high-quality rural landscape with tourism services through cultural branding, can improve the attractiveness of tourist-oriented villages and achieve sustainable growth. By grasping this concept, rural areas can experience a revival, enabling local governments, villagers, and tourism service providers to actively participate in the long-term planning, management, and development of tourist-oriented villages, crucial for the enduring success of rural tourism initiatives in China.

Tourism Adaptation Strategy During the Crisis from Covid-19 Pandemic at Ngoi District, Luang Prabang Province

This study is about " Tourism adaptation strategy during the crisis from Covid-19 pandemic at Ngoi district, Luang Prabang Province" was studied in a qualitative format with an interview questionnaire as a tool for data collection. The results of the study found that the state of tourism in Ngoi City during the spread of the Covid-19 disease in Ngoi District is that tourists have dropped to 99.15%. Ngoi by training personnel and open the reception of tourists in the green tourism area and speed up the implementation of Lao safe tourism standards, most of the businesses that provide tourism services have closed their businesses by turning from the service business to farming and raising animals and starting to reopen in December 2021 and the local people are turning from the service profession to tourism to agriculture. raise animals and collect forest products of Dong, from the analysis of the tourism environment of Ngoi District and found that Ngoi District has strengths that can cope with this crisis situation more than weaknesses and there are also favorable opportunities from the external environment that can restore and develop the tourism situation in Ngoi District to normal people quickly. The use of corrective strategy (WO Strategy), the use of defensive strategy (ST Strategy) and the use of receiving strategy (WT Strategy) so that stakeholders in Ngoi district can adapt to the situation.

A Classification Methodology for Assessing Countries in Terms of Tourism Competitiveness

Tourism industry is important for national economies, and, in this regard, it is vital to monitor its competitiveness. The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), developed and reported by the World Economic Forum, serves this purpose by providing a consistent framework, explanatory factors, and corresponding data sets. In this paper we exploit the past data sets of this index, first, to verify that in several countries, competitiveness in tourism and travel industries hardly changes over time. Next, we identify countries that show consistency in travel–tourism competitiveness and separate them into classes of best, worst, intermediate, and ambiguous past performance. Building on such a classification, we apply linear discriminant analysis (LDA) as an alternative to the TTCI computational framework in order to compose the new synthetic index TTCI-LDA, which assesses countries’ competitiveness. The analysis of country scores obtained from this index has revealed that ICT readiness and touristic service infrastructure are important for tourism competitiveness. The score thresholds for the best–worst country cases in each class provide additional useful information for management, benchmarking, and policy decision making.

ФОРМУВАННЯ НАЦІОНАЛЬНОГО БРЕНДУ В УМОВАХ ВІЙНИ ТА НОВІ МОЖЛИВОСТІ ЕКОНОМІЧНОГО РОЗВИТКУ УКРАЇНИ

Objective. The article is devoted to the disclosure of the peculiarities of the formation of the national brand in the conditions of war and new opportunities for the economic development of Ukraine. The main principles of the formation of the national brand of Ukraine in modern conditions and the influencing factors on its development are determined. Methodology. To solve the set tasks, the relationship between the influence of the "soft power" rating and awareness of Ukraine throughout the world is justified, and new opportunities for the economic development of Ukraine in the conditions of war are proposed. Results. In order to solve the tasks, the following was investigated: the economic dynamics of some indicators of the activities of the participants of the tourist market and their relationship with the formation of the national brand in the conditions of war; the dynamics of tax revenues from the tourism industry, as well as the role of participants in the tourist services market in the context of the "experience economy". On the basis of the conducted SWOT analysis of tourism in Ukraine, in the context of the "economy of impressions", the authors offer practical recommendations, the implementation of which will ensure obtaining new opportunities for the economic development of Ukraine in the conditions of war. Scientific novelty. The authors propose to develop an advertising prospectus «PRALISY: ATLAS OF UKRAINE» which has not been done before, the popularization of which by participants of the tourist services market will provide new opportunities to restore people's mental health, a higher level of emotional satisfaction from received tourist services, as well as new economic development of Ukraine in the context "economy of impressions". Practical significance. The formation of the national brand of Ukraine in the conditions of war determines the search and implementation of innovations in the activities of tourist enterprises. One of such innovations is the advertising prospectus «PRALISY: ATLAS OF UKRAINE» by the authors for the development of new tours and their practical implementation, which will certainly lead to new opportunities for the economic development of Ukraine.

Valuation of Food Security and Cultural Landscape Services for Paddy Ecosystems in Developing Countries: A Case Study in Hongthai, Vietnam

In recent times, the assessment of ecosystem services has gained increased importance, as the disappearance of numerous ecosystems worldwide directly impact human well-being and the quality of the living environment, especially in developing countries where many environmental issues are increasingly concerned. The study was conducted to evaluate eco-services in terms of food security and cultural landscape services in Hongthai, Vietnam, by using a questionnaire survey to collect the market price, travel cost, and willingness to pay from the travelers and farmers. The results of the evaluation show that the total value of paddy eco-services in Hongthai is about 579,585.1 USD, with a use-value of 94,50.5 USD (29,146.9 USD of food security value, 65,353.6 of tourist landscape value); the non-use value is 485,084.6 USD (46,223.9 USD of option value; 61,549.0 USD of value left; 377,311.7 USD of value exists). To effectively exploit and use these ecosystem services, local government needs to propagate and raise awareness in maintaining, preserving, and promoting cultural and traditional values inherent in farming, providing tourist services to meet market needs, and providing paddy ecosystem services. Based on the findings, this study proposes some policy implications for Vietnam and similar low-living provinces in developing countries, helping them promote poverty reduction methods and develop sustainable tourism based on paddy ecosystem services.

Evaluation of Social Media Tools in Health Tourism Marketing with Multi Criteria Decision Making Methods

Today, countries are turning to alternative tourism types due to the destructive and corrosive effect of mass tourism. Various factors in the global market affect consumer preferences and shape their demands. This situation leads countries to seek alternative tourism types. While developed countries tend to focus more on sports tourism, the rising value of health tourism stands out for developing countries. The high costs of healthcare services in developed countries, waiting times, and the lack of many health services offered by insurance companies lead consumers to outsource their helthcare needs. Relationship marketing plays a key role in health tourism services, and consumers seek first-hand answers to their questions. The health sector's sensitive and complex structure informs and raises consumers' awareness on the axis of relational marketing dimensions. This study aims to via multi criteria decision making to determine and rank the social media channels used in health tourism marketing. While the criteria weights are determined by the Best-Worst Method, the priority order of social media channels is determined by COmbinative Distance-based ASsessment. Expert opinions were consulted during the criteria determination and the ranking of the alternatives. As a result of the analyses, the importance of social media is emphasised once again. Social media tools, especially through mobile application applications, shape the age with the audience it reaches, the distribution between regions, the time spent and the information transmitted. The need for socialisation accelerates the development of technology with the rapid orientation of people towards this field. In this case, youtube, which has gained momentum with the number of users and the use of visual and auditory elements together, holds the leadership in the reflection of relational marketing on health tourism today, as it creates space for all segments, even though information pollution is experienced.