Tourist Path Research Articles

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY, TLS SURVEY AND 3D MODELLING FOR VR AND AR APPLICATIONS IN CH

Abstract. The world of valorization of Cultural Heritage is even more focused on the virtual representation and reconstructions of digital 3D models of monuments and archaeological sites. In this scenario the quality and the performances offered by the virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) navigation take primary importance, improving the accessibility of cultural sites where the real access is not allowed for natural conditions or human possibilities. The creation of a virtual environment useful for these purposes requires a specific workflow to follow, combining different strategies in the fields of survey, 3D modelling and virtual navigation. In this work a specific case of study has been analyzed as a practical example, the church of ‘San Giorgio dei Genovesi’, settled in the Historic Centre of Palermo (Italy). The acquisition of geometric information has been obtained with the integration of Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) technologies and the photogrammetric reconstruction from mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) equipment. The obtained point cloud has been georeferred considering a network of Ground Control Points (GCP) acquired by a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. The final point cloud has been processed and properly simplified through 3D modelling procedures, to obtain a realistic and light 3D model reconstruction. The model has hence employed into a VR WEB navigation system and will be used for AR outdoor application in the future, allowing to obtain different solutions for empowering the accessibility of the cultural good. The strategy of 3D CH model reconstruction, followed in this work, could be considered a reference methodology for the development of VR gaming applications finalized to CH valorization and AR applications, applied to museums or touristic paths in historical centres.

Economic revitalization of historical paths, Analytical study of the tourist attraction property

Historical Paths suffer from negligence for a long time as a result of inappropriate interventions, the miss use of unsuitable activities and the loss of public space, which took away their tourist attraction. The research problem is represented by “the absence of obvious vision about the role of economic revitalization mechanisms as a type of sustainable revitalization in tourist attraction for the historical paths”. The aim of this paper is to revitalize the historical paths and makes them tourist hubs, while these paths suffer from a physical and economic obsolescence. As well as building a theoretical framework about economic revitalization and its relation to tourist attraction property. The research hypothesis is that “the mechanisms of economic revitalization have a role in achieving the tourist attraction of historical paths, preparing and activating them to become effective and attractive historical tourist paths”. The current study adopted the descriptive analytic methodology in describing and analyzing a selected sample (the path of Suq Al-Safafeer). The research finds that the mechanisms of economic revitalization (such as the density of lands using, functional diversity, functional regeneration and redirecting cultural and artistic activities) played a role in achieving tourist attraction for the historical paths. The research emphasized that economic revitalization can lead to activate these paths if it was invested in sustainable way.

Salix herbacea L. (Salicaceae) in the Maramures massif of the Ukrainian Carpathians

Salix herbacea is a relict plant species related to the circumpolar arctic-alpine element of the Holarctic group. The aim of the study was to clarify the data on the distribution of S. herbacea within the Maramures massif of the Ukrainian Carpathians, since this species is reported by different authors for the massif without specific geographical and habitats descriptions. Field studies were conducted in the Maramures massif on the slopes of Pip Ivan Marmarosky (1936 m a.s.l.) and Rapa (1872 m a.s.l.) mountains in 2017–2019. The S. herbacea distribution chorology was analyzed on the basis of the inventory of UU, KW, KWHA, LW, Herbarium of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve and Herbarium of the Biology and Ecology Department of the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University collections. We have found S. herbacea confined to cliffs on a rocky tourist path between the peaks of Pip Ivan Marmarosky and Rapa mountains in Rakhiv district of Transcarpathian region (Zakarpattia oblast). Moreover, these rocky formations were colonized by tall grasses such as Calamagrostis villosa, Poa pratensis, and Festuca picturata. Also was found the occurrence of Holarctic and Alpine-Carpathian species Vaccinium uliginosum, Potentilla aurea, Pulsatilla alba, Thamnolia vermicularis, and Cetraria islandica. The occurrence of these species was caused by decreasing livestock grazing intensity during the past years in this area. The exact location and phytocoenological conditions of the site, which is endangered and requires additional conservation measures, were outlined. The necessity of these measures to preserve the habitat of S. herbacea on the Maramures massif was stressed out.

A new intelligent method for travel path recommendation based on improved particle swarm optimisation

In order to overcome the problem of increasing fluctuation of Intelligent Tourism data and fuzzy optimal solution, the improved particle swarm optimisation algorithm is introduced to design intelligent tourism path recommendation method. The gray Markov model is used to predict the number of tourist attractions, and the scoring mechanism of tourist attractions is constructed based on multiple perspectives. The constraints are the distance estimation, number prediction, scoring and user preference identification of tourist attractions. The improved particle swarm optimisation algorithm is used to find the optimal solution of recommendation and recommend the tourist path for users. The experimental results show that the average absolute error value of the proposed intelligent travel path recommendation method is 8.13, the inverse relationship between the accuracy and recall rate is clear, and it has better recommendation effect.

Magellanic penguin (Spheniscidae) monitoring results for Magdalena island (Chile) and cabo Virgenes (Argentina): 2000 - 2019

Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) are found only in South America, with breeding populations in Chile, Argentina and the Falklands (Malvinas). On Magdalena Island an initial increase in population (59,000 pairs in 2000/01 to 63,000 pairs in 2008/2009) was followed by a population decline (to 43,000 pairs in 2018/19) following a severe drought during 2009 that has left much of the island less suitable for nesting in burrows. The nearby colony situated in Argentina between the lighthouses of Cabo Virgenes and Punta Dungeness has increased in population from 122,000 pairs in 2008/09 to 146,000 pairs in 2018/19. It is likely that this increase is a result of penguins leaving Magdalena Island. Penguins nesting alongside the tourist path showed a reduction in predation and an increase in breeding success.

Sustainable Fruition of Cultural Heritage in Areas Affected by Rockfalls

This paper deals with the evaluation of rockfall risk in cultural heritage, in the frame of a quick protocol for a preliminary zonation, to ensure the safe management and sustainable fruition of the sites. Several historical complexes in mountainous areas are indeed threatened by rock slope instability, and rockfalls can be counted among the main causes of fatality. In such a complex, a rockfall risk zonation would represent a useful management tool for both the choice of specific safe tourist paths, but also for the proper employment of economic resources allocated for mitigation measures. Nevertheless, the management of cultural heritage lacks such plans and tourists are often exposed to risks, while funds are often employed without a specific priority. In this paper, a quick procedure was tested at the historical complex of Taormina (southern Italy), which hosts numerous tourist spots often affected by rockfalls. The Saracen castle, for example, is currently closed to the public due to the rockfalls that repeatedly affected the entrance road, while Castelmola village, counted among one of the most beautiful Italian villages, stands on the top of a cliff affected by frequent rockfalls involving the only access road. The approach is composed of several steps and requires a heavy site characterization in terms of historical records and geostructural setting. The risk assessment procedure was chosen among the semiquantitative ones available in literature, and the final assessed risk was represented on a thematic map to provide a tool which could be used as a base for the planning of final remedial works.

Economic development possibilities of the city of Suchedniów

Suchedniów is a city located in the northern part of the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship and has a rich industrial history. Since the turn of the 80's and 90's, the city has not found any effective ways for the local development. The aim of the presented article is to explore the development possibilities of Suchedniów with an indication of tourism and spa. Another goal is to analyze the tourist preferences of Polish residents, which give the picture of tourism and the sense of its development in the city. Another purpose of this article was to investigate the current health resort situation in Poland to find out whether the city's health-related development is justified. The adopted research methodology was based on surveys conducted among Polish citizens. These data provided information about the tourist preferences of Polish people. The received information also showed development trends in tourism in Poland. Another, alternative research method was critical analysis of literature and available information on the Internet. In this case, the internet is a very important source of information, because dynamic changes in this sector cause the information in the literature to be outdated. Conclusions resulting from the article show that there is a possibility of introducing tourist and health development paths in Suchedniów. Research and analysis shows that Suchedniów has the possibilities and conditions to go away from the industrial model and face towards tourism and spa. The present conditions and tourist preferences of Poles are also conducive to this type of transformation.

Orienteering Problem with Functional Profits for multi-source dynamic path construction.

Orienteering problem (OP) is a routing problem, where the aim is to generate a path through set of nodes, which would maximize total score and would not exceed the budget. In this paper, we present an extension of classic OP—Orienteering Problem with Functional Profits (OPFP), where the score of a specific point depends on its characteristics, position in the route, and other points in the route. For solving OPFP, we developed an open-source framework for solving orienteering problems, which utilizes four core components of OP in its modular architecture. Fully-written in Go programming language our framework can be extended for solving different types of tasks with different algorithms; this was demonstrated by implementation of two popular algorithms for OP solving—Ant Colony Optimization and Recursive Greedy Algorithm. Computational efficiency of the framework was shown through solving four well-known OP types: classic Orienteering Problem (OP), Orienteering Problem with Compulsory Vertices (OPCV), Orienteering Problem with Time Windows (OPTW), and Time Dependent Orienteering Problem (TDOP) along with OPFP. Experiments were conducted on a large multi-source dataset for Saint Petersburg, Russia, containing data from Instagram, TripAdvisor, Foursquare and official touristic website. Our framework is able to construct touristic paths for different OP types within few seconds using dataset with thousands of points of interest.

Rockfall Analysis for Preliminary Hazard Assessment of the Cliff of Taormina Saracen Castle (Sicily)

A rockfall analysis at one of the most relevant cultural heritage sites of northeastern Sicily (Italy) is presented herein with the aim of assessing the hazard arising from the unstable conditions of the rock cliff of Taormina city, upon which the Saracen Castle is perched on its top. Several rockfalls affected this area in the latest years, representing a serious threat for the safety of inhabitants and tourists. Therefore, the qualitative Evolving Rockfall Hazard Assessment (ERHA) was applied for the hazard zonation, supported by rock mass surveys and Terrestrial Laser Scanner prospecting. Kinematic analysis revealed that the unstable rock failure patterns are represented by planar/wedge sliding and toppling, while simulation of potential rockfalls allowed studying the impact of future events in terms of trajectory and energy. This is higher at the foot of scarps and in steeper sectors, where the application of ERHA identified a critical zone close to the inhabited center, which is one of the main elements at risk, along with a pedestrian tourist path. Achieved results represent a starting point for the definition of risk management strategies and provide a scientific contribution to the study of hazard and risk arising from rockfall occurrence.

Regenerating small and medium sized stations in Italian inland areas by the opportunity of the cycle tourism, as territorial infrastructure

This study aims at demonstrating how cycle tourism could activate a regeneration of small and medium sized stations in inland areas, able to involve also territorial and urban areas hosting these stations. Starting point of this research is the issue of the small and medium sized Italian stations, mostly unused even if they are still active as rail service. Since control of trains’ traffic is organized only in bigger railway yards, small stations are gradually becoming empty containers: ghost stations, without any railway personnel. Thanks to the potentiality of the cycle tourism, riding slow through landscapes, it becomes possible to valorize and safeguard this heritage, not only exploiting its potentiality as shift-node between train and bike, but also imaging a systemic strategy triggering urban, territorial and social reactivation. Main challenge was to experiment how another model of mobility, the cycle tourism, able to promote a territorial project preferring to pass slowly through the inland areas, avoided by the fast infrastructural lines, could contribute in such regeneration process. In order to validate this intuition, it was carried out a project of four stations in proximity of the cycle tourist path VENTO, along the Po River. These stations were transformed in “green mobility hubs”, where shifting from train to bicycle and vice versa. This becomes the occasion to imagining new functions hosted in empty spaces of stations (both internal and external): they will provide cycle tourists with territorial info and specific services, such as repair areas and bikes and baggage safekeeping and both tourists and local inhabitants with social activities in order to bring them to live again station’s area. These functions want to generate an expectation, both in tourists and local people, to rediscover the territory around: in this way stations reassume their role of urban and territorial gates.

Hydrogeology of the Sterkfontein Cave System, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa

Abstract A water level rise of almost 3 m in the space of two years in the Sterkfontein Cave system since late-2009 necessitated the re-routing of the tourist path through the cave to successively higher elevations on three occasions. It also raised concern for a possible association with copious acidic and sulphate-rich mine water drainage from the West Rand Goldfield (a.k.a. Western Basin) starting in early-2010, and the related threat to the UNESCO-inscribed fossil site. Although these circumstances have had little impact on the tourist value of the site, a prognosis of the impact on cave water level and quality is indicated by virtue of its karst setting and palaeontological significance. Historical and recent potentiometric data, together with ancillary hydrogeological and hydrochemical information acquired in the course of a water resources monitoring programme for the broader Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, provides new insight into the hydrogeology of the cave system. An improved understanding of the hydrophysical and hydrochemical response of the cave water system sheds light on the location of this system within the water resources environment. It is proposed that the present-day maximum cave water level is constrained to an elevation of ~1440 m above mean sea level. The recent electrical conductivity of 78 mS/m for cave water is 32% greater than the 59 mS/m recorded in mid-2010 and earlier. Similarly, the recent sulphate concentration of 161 mg/L is 178% greater than the 58 mg/L recorded before 2010. Compared to coeval values for ambient karst groundwater represented by the normative Zwartkrans Spring water, the magnitude of the increases in the springwater are similar, viz. 48% (from 84 to 124 mS/m) in salinity and 166% (from 154 to 409 mg/L) in sulphate. Although a distinct mine water impact is evident in both instances, the values indicate a muted impact on the cave water chemistry compared to the springwater. These and other documented observations better inform the threat from various poorer quality water sources to the fossil site in particular, and to the broader karst water resource in general. This contextualises concern for the hydroenvironmental future of Sterkfontein Cave and other nearby fossil sites such as Swartkrans, Rising Star and Bolt’s Farm. The dynamic response of the water resources environment to a variety of hydrological and hydrogeological drivers reinforces the need for monitoring vigilance across a range of disciplines.

THE CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN MUSEUM IN LISBON

The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum is located off the tourist paths, on the outskirts of Europe, and far away from the centre of Lisbon, in the serenity of the Santa Gertrudes Park. Its austere concrete buildings hide treasures from the collection of an extraordinary man, a millionaire of Armenian origin, an oil magnate, and an art and garden lover. The article presents the collector, the history of his collection and the museum buildings which now form an original park and museum complex run by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. In 2010, the complex was entered into the register of national monuments of Portugal, thus being the first masterpiece of the 20th-century architecture to feature in this register.

Interdisciplinary contribution to the protection plan of the fortified old town of cagliari (italy)

The present article illustrates an interdisciplinary methodology for the protection of fortified old towns and the management of their possible future transformation. Specifically, the study has developed a process of investigation to support the identification, assessment and conservation of material evidences related to the urban walls inside old towns. The disciplinary fields involved in the research are mainly history, drawing and restoration, supported by diagnostics on materials and structures, urban planning and sustainable design. The testing area is the walled city of Cagliari, a typical Mediterranean fortified settlement, highly stratified with a wide chronology of structures and interesting military constructive techniques. The research develops a working structure for the reasoned collection of contributions belonging from different disciplinary fields. The complex set of information implements a detailed knowledge plan conceived as a vulnerable risk map. Landscape and visual perceptions of the surrounding environment are also considered. The complex mosaic of interdisciplinary knowledge has been the basis for the proposal of effective policies for protection in order to forecast, guide and control possible transformative scenarios. Contemporarily, the management plan includes some strategic actions for the fruition and enhancement of the walled perimeter, such as new touristic paths or entertainment and sporting areas. Criteria and methodology resulting from this article seem to be easily applicable to other

Urban Soundscapes: Characterization of a Pedestrian Tourist Route in Sorrento (Italy)

The tourist experience of built environments has received a lot of attention in tourism marketing and management research. Several studies have shown that the environmental qualities of a place can contribute to its aesthetic appreciation and overall expectation of tourists. Such aesthetic qualities, such as cenery and soundscapes, should thus be regarded as key components of tourists’ satisfaction. This study proposes that a soundscape approach could be a suitable tool in tourism management, due to its general purpose of enhancing the users’ experience of a place, taking into account the acoustic dimension of the environment. Within this framework, this paper describes the characterization of the soundscape of a pedestrian tourist route in Sorrento (Italy). For this purpose, a group of acoustics experts, architects, and planners used the soundwalk method to collect recordings and perceptual data about the sound environment along a pre-defined tourist path. The results suggest that the tourists’ perceptual construct is underpinned by both visual and aural elements contributing to soundscape appreciation.

The Other Side of Tropical Paradise: Traces of Modernism within the Vernacular Landscapes of Early Twentieth-Century Bali

The island of Bali is arguably one of the most enigmatic locations to observe the lasting legacy of colonialism within the historiography of vernacular architecture in Asia. Despite Edward Said’s seminal thesis on orientalism and the subsequent production of postcolonial scholarship, architectural and traveling discourses on Bali carry through the hegemonic notion of otherness, with little resistance, far beyond the colonial era. The Orientalist notion of a traditional and authentic Bali is a powerful conception that has produced its own realities and governed the production of cultural and architectural markers on the island throughout the 20th century. Outside the established tourist path of the island’s southern coastline and its hilly hinterland, however, we are confronted with a multifaceted and cosmopolitan urban landscape. This other side of Bali challenges the established architectural categories, such as “traditional Balinese,” that have long governed the world’s interaction with and perception of the island’s built landscape. Unsurprisingly, most architectural and travel accounts have labeled these dynamic landscapes as inauthentic, culturally polluted, or insignificant. They are nonetheless conceived, built, and inhabited by the island’s diverse local population, unlike the architectural simulacra of Bali that dominate the island’s key tourist destinations, such as Ubud, Legian and Sanur, and were built for tourists.This article is an exploration of the forgotten facets of Bali’s architectural landscape. It showcases hybrid and modern architectural traces left behind as diverse localities on the island repositioned themselves within the changing time of the late nineteenth and early-20th centuries and the arrival of the tourist gaze. Focusing on the former capitals of three royal kingdoms of 19th century Bali—Badung, Klungkung, and Karangasem—it will examine how the vernacular, cosmopolitanism, and modernism interacted. Ranging from an insertion of modern architectural forms within the vernacular setting to a hybrid configuration of multiple cultural references, the case studies featured here illustrate a shifting vernacular landscape molded by the island’s dynamic power relations. They destabilize the notion of an authentic, autonomous, and real Bali that is championed not only by colonial and traveling discourses, but also by the majority of the island’s population today.

Políticas locales de turismo en ciudades históricas españolas. Génesis, evolución y situación actual

The historic cities in Spain have a long tourist path. However, during most of the twentieth century tourism has not been a relevant issue on the local agenda. This lack of interest from the municipal government contrasts with the early action of the “Unions Torism Iniciatives” and even initiatives of the tourist administration of the State. The situation changed in the nineties of the twentieth century when a powerful tourism policy is set. Since then, cities have tourism management bodies of increasing complexity. They have developped tourism plans and a broad set of actions of tourism policy. The economic crisis and, above all, the fiscal adjustment undertaken since 2010 have impacted negatively on this policy. The reduction of organizations, plans and actions can lead to a situation of some irrelevance compared to other local policies that also affect the tourist dynamics of these cities.

The Other Side of Tropical Paradise: Traces of Modernism within the Vernacular Landscapes of Early Twentieth-Century Bali

The island of Bali is arguably one of the most enigmatic locations to observe the lasting legacy of colonialism within the historiography of vernacular architecture in Asia. Despite Edward Said’s seminal thesis on orientalism and the subsequent production of postcolonial scholarship, architectural and traveling discourses on Bali carry through the hegemonic notion of otherness, with little resistance, far beyond the colonial era. The Orientalist notion of a traditional and authentic Bali is a powerful conception that has produced its own realities and governed the production of cultural and architectural markers on the island throughout the twentieth century. Outside the established tourist path of the island’s southern coastline and its hilly hinterland, however, we are confronted with a multifaceted and cosmopolitan urban landscape. This other side of Bali challenges the established architectural categories, such as “traditional Balinese,” that have long governed the world’s interaction with and perception of the island’s built landscape. Unsurprisingly, most architectural and travel accounts have labeled these dynamic landscapes as inauthentic, culturally polluted, or insignificant. They are nonetheless conceived, built, and inhabited by the island’s diverse local population, unlike the architectural simulacra of Bali that dominate the island’s key tourist destinations, such as Ubud, Legian and Sanur, and were built for tourists. This article is an exploration of the forgotten facets of Bali’s architectural landscape. It showcases hybrid and modern architectural traces left behind as diverse localities on the island repositioned themselves within the changing time of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and the arrival of the tourist gaze. Focusing on the former capitals of three royal kingdoms of nineteenth century Bali—Badung, Klungkung, and Karangasem—it will examine how the vernacular, cosmopolitanism, and modernism interacted. Ranging from an insertion of modern architectural forms within the vernacular setting to a hybrid configuration of multiple cultural references, the case studies featured here illustrate a shifting vernacular landscape molded by the island’s dynamic power relations. They destabilize the notion of an authentic, autonomous, and real Bali that is championed not only by colonial and traveling discourses, but also by the majority of the island’s population today.

Tourist carrying capacity of Santana cave (PETAR-SP, Brazil): A new method based on a critical atmospheric parameter

This article presents a method used to identify thresholds to tourist carrying capacity of Santana cave (CCSC), in Brazil, and their results. The method comprised three steps: the delimitation of the tourist path; the projection of tourist scenarios; and the verification of the scenarios based on a critical atmospheric parameter: the air temperature. The impacts from visitation were up to 1.1°C and stabilized in 264.1min, in average. The results were related to the recovery of the critical factor and were compared to the projected scenarios, which were considered as acceptable. Thus, the suggested CCSC was based in groups of 24 visitors with an entrance interval of 30min in working days and 18 visitors within 20min in weekends and holidays. The conclusion reinforces the need to understand the tourist carrying capacity as a dynamic tool, not just to limit, but also to improve the tourist visitation.

High radon levels in subterranean environments: monitoring and technical criteria to ensure human safety (case of Castañar cave, Spain)

Castañar cave contains the highest radon gas (222Rn) concentration in Spain with an annual average of 31.9 kBq m−3. Seasonal variations with summer minimums and maximum values in fall were recorded. The reduction of air-filled porosity of soil and rock by condensation or rainfalls hides the radon exchange by gas diffusion, determining this seasonal stair-step pattern of the radon activity concentration in underground air. The effective total dose and the maximum hours permitted have been evaluated for the guides and public safety with a highly detailed radon measurement along 2011 and 2012. A network of 12 passive detectors (kodalphas) has been installed, as well as, two radon continuous monitoring in the most interesting geological sites of the subterranean environment.A follow up of the recommended time (max. 50 min) inside the underground environment has been analysed since the reopen to public visitors for not surpassing the legal maximum effective dose for tourists and guides. Results shown that public visitors would receive in fall a 12.1% of the total effective dose permitted per visit, whereas in summer it is reduced to 8.6%, while the cave guide received a total effective dose of 6.41 mSv in four months.The spatial radon maps allow defining the most suitable touristic paths according to the radon concentration distribution and therefore, appropriate fall and summer touristic paths are recommended.

The relationship between tourist's path selection and space image: A case study of peripheral lines surrounding the West Lake

Relationship between space image and tourists’ path selection patterns plays a very important role in landscape planning and design in scenic areas. Based on research of West Lake scenic area in Hang Zhou, this article studies the small scale space scenic images and big scale spatial structure images through questionnaire surveys, image recognition, image sketch, factor analysis, dynamic observation and other methods. The results indicate that there are four main types of space activities among the West Lake tourists, namely (1) the general activity type in the Bai Causeway and Su Causeway, (2) the general activity type in the Sunset Glow at Leifeng Pagoda, (3) the surrounding activity type in the Evening Bell at Nanping Hill, and (4) the surrounding activity type in the Music Fountain Square; and the proportion score has it in order from high to low. The score results of tourists' identifying picture and frequency of the five elements of space image in image maps are consistent with four main types of space activities observed by dynamic lines. Therefore, tourists' perception results of space image can directly affect the route choice behavior. And the more image elements can be perceived, the more reasonable path choices can be made. Finally, the research puts forward some suggestions tentatively on the planning and design of the West Lake area.