Tour. Hosp., Volume 5, Issue 3 (September 2024) – 9 articles

American college towns tend to be very economically dependent on the college they host. If enrollment is high, the town thrives. However, when enrollment is low, the town faces socio-economic difficulties, including increased unemployment and struggling businesses. Furthermore, the seasonal presence of students poses an additional challenge. This study investigates tourism as a potential solution to diversify college towns’ sources of revenue based on community willingness and town assets. Data were collected via interviews with 50 community members from three different groups within the town. While environmental tourism shows great potential for community self-development, the Calgary model of competitiveness highlights the need for significant efforts to establish the required support systems. Full article

COVID-19 was a defining moment of the 21st century, causing major disruptions to tourism and global mobility. Travel patterns have changed significantly, influencing people’s perception of travel. This study aims to explore how COVID-19 affected the travel intentions of the Portuguese. The research is based on a questionnaire administered to 762 individuals, using structural equation modeling with partial least squares. In general, individuals have a reasonable perception of fear of the consequences of COVID-19, risk, and travel behavior and do not appear to have anxiety or fear of traveling. As for their intention to travel, they seem to have intentions. The results of this analysis demonstrate that fear of traveling, and travel behavior directly influence travel intentions and, indirectly, through fear of the consequences of COVID-19, anxiety, fear of traveling, and perceived travel risk. This study is particularly relevant for entities that manage and monitor the travel intentions of their clients and consumers, especially in the travel and tourism sector. It aims to more effectively meet the needs and desires of travelers, in addition to formulating strategies that promote the recovery of tourism in the post-pandemic period. The added value of research lies in its potential to guide strategic decision-making and policy formulation. Full article

This study explores the drivers and barriers of the Circular Economy (CE) in Tunis Village, a rural tourism destination, as a case study of emerging economics. We adopted an exploratory case study methodology. Telephone interviews (n = 10) with stakeholders were conducted, and a survey of employees (n = 123) was distributed. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed, and quantitative data were descriptively presented. The results show that improving relationships with the local community, gaining financial benefits, and improving relationships with suppliers were the top perceived drivers. The top perceived barriers are poor economic development, which makes the implementation of large-scale sustainability difficult; a lack of technology and advanced technologies; and the absence of effective and integrated waste management and recycling systems. Considering the exploratory nature and design of this study, the results cannot be generalized. However, the results can help plan future research on a larger scale in developing economies. Furthermore, the findings can inform policymakers on how to better apply CE practices in rural tourism destinations. The topic of CE has been under-researched in connection with developed countries, and this study is the first to examine CE in rural tourism destinations in emerging countries. This underlines the specific drivers and barriers related to CE as a sustainable development practice. Additionally, it contributes to the academic debate on this notion. Full article

Drama is a wine region in northern Greece with a local economy based on agricultural production. Despite its historical and geographical setting, the wine tourism industry is not very well developed in the wine-growing region of Drama. Although the sustainability of territorial development is often linked to local food and wine heritage, it seems that the implicated parties are not totally convinced. For this qualitative case study, we first conducted interviews with the management of the local wineries to determine the reason behind the low number of wine tourists in the area. Then, a workshop was organized, and all relevant parties were invited to increase awareness through education while also attempting to find mutually agreeable solutions through working group table discussions and the presentation of findings. Taking advantage of and preserving the cultural heritage through the cooperation of the related regional businesses, regional/central authorities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) was concluded to be an important tool for organizing new initiatives that will boost wine tourism. Full article

This study examines the nature of brand associations that air travellers form with airports and which associations are important when choosing between airports. Using semi-structured qualitative interviews, this study collected information about 240 participants’ most recent trips using air travel, encompassing 642 airport visits and 88 airports worldwide. The associations that participants made with the airports they travelled through were collected, as well as the sorts of associations that are important for choosing between airports and why those associations are important. The data were analysed using thematic analysis, revealing 13 themes each for airport brand associations and important associations for choosing between airports and 14 themes for reasons why those associations were important. Single-sample t-tests reveal that each of these themes has a different effect size in terms of its effect on airport brand association formation and its effect on attitudinal brand choice. This study contributes to the air transport and tourism literature by providing a detailed account of which associations air travellers form with airports and which are used for choosing between airports by contextualising these findings by viewing airports as compound brands. Managerial implications are also provided along with avenues for future research. Full article

The support of local stakeholders is crucial for the sustainable tourism management of nature-based destinations (NBDs). Local people near NBDs may have more interaction with wildlife; however, research on local people’s attitudes towards wildlife is surprisingly limited. To explore their liking and willingness to coexist with different wild animals, and the associated influencing factors, we conducted a survey of residents living near Tanjung Piai National Park (TPNP), Johor, Malaysia. Most of the residents had experienced numerous direct encounters with bats and snakes inside TPNP, as well as with wild boar and macaque monkeys outside of the park. The local people showed a high level of liking for animals but a relatively low level of willingness to coexist with them. The results of the statistical models suggest that the liking of animals is significantly influenced by childhood nature experiences and sociodemographic characteristics including sex, education, and the presence of children. Education was an effective factor shaping the preferences of favorable, fairly favorable, and unfavorable animal groups. On the other hand, willingness to coexist with animals was significantly influenced by childhood nature experiences, age, and sex. Age was an effective factor shaping willingness to coexist with favorable, fairly favorable, and unfavorable animal groups; specifically, elderly people showed a low level of willingness to coexist with animals compared to young people. Therefore, we conclude that in addition to providing educational programs for shaping preferences regarding wildlife, careful support and considerable efforts aimed at elderly people are essential to increasing residents’ willingness to coexist with animals to obtain wider support for NBD management. Full article

This study investigates the multifaceted relationships between product innovation, customer satisfaction, and experience within the quick service restaurants (QSR) sector. Moreover, it explores the reciprocal dynamics, scrutinizing the impact of customer experience on shaping customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the research delves into the mediating function of customer experience in establishing the connection between product innovation and customer satisfaction. The participant pool encompassed 221 respondents, patrons of well-established QSRs, such as McDonald’s, Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, and KFC, strategically situated in three prominent north Indian cities—Jammu, Chandigarh, and Delhi. Employing a structural equation modelling technique, the study meticulously examines the relationships between these crucial elements (product innovation, customer experience and customer satisfaction). This research contributes to existing knowledge by offering a detailed study of the dynamics governing product innovation, customer satisfaction, and experience in the QSR sector. The findings bear practical implications for QSR operators, providing valuable insights into strategies for enhancing customer satisfaction through effective product innovation and an elevated dining experience. Full article

The purpose of the article was to investigate the potential of rural green tourism in Ukraine and to determine the main directions of its innovative development, taking into account global, national, and regional trends. SLR (Systematic Literature Review), methods of expert assessment, selective observation, and graphic method were used to achieve the set goal. The article analyzes the current state of rural green tourism in Ukraine; the tourism and recreation potential of rural areas of Ukraine was assessed; promising types of innovations that are currently relevant for implementation in the practice of providing services in the field of rural green tourism in Ukraine are defined and grouped; and the impact of global, national, and regional trends on the current stage of activity and further development of rural green tourism in Ukraine is determined. It is determined that in modern economic conditions, rural tourism serves as a stabilizing factor that will contribute not only to maintaining the normal living standards of rural residents, but also to the development of the region’s economy, service infrastructure, household services, and the social sphere. Thus, rural green tourism is the main tool for stimulating the economic and socio-cultural development of rural areas. The results of the assessment of the tourist and recreational potential of rural green tourism of Ukraine showed that the recreational and tourist attractiveness of rural areas is mainly determined by natural and ecological conditions, cultural and historical conditions, and the tourist infrastructure of the region. Financial economic, socio-demographic, and administrative management conditions negatively affect the recreational and tourist attractiveness of rural areas, resulting in the low ability of the rural population to implement innovations. It has been established that in order for the tourist business to be able to quickly adapt to the normal state, it is necessary to introduce innovative types of tourism that will make it possible to attract a larger number of people to the tourist business and establish additional income due to the introduction of innovative offers, new tours, visits to special places, and the entire range of services of the best quality, which will contribute to the accelerated implementation of online forms and digital tools in the provision of tourist services, etc. It has been proven that the introduction of innovations plays an important role in ensuring the sustainable and balanced development of rural tourism in Ukraine, contributing to the creation of new opportunities and improving the quality of tourist services. Full article

This study uses an input–output model to assess the economic impact of the 2018 Mile High 420 Festival on the Colorado economy. A comprehensive assessment was conducted to determine the economic impact of the Mile High 420 Festival, which included analyzing the direct, indirect, and induced effects of festival spending. The study involved 233 respondents whose primary motive was to attend the 420 Festival. Using IMPLAN, the study’s data were analyzed to determine the economic activity generated by visitor activity. On average, each respondent spent USD 2013 during their trip to Colorado. The largest expense per person was on cannabis-related activities and shopping, followed by lodging and food and drink. When these expenses were multiplied by the number of visitors (25,650), the total spending amounted to USD 51.7 million. When indirect and induced spending was included, the 2018 Mile High 420 Festival generated a total economic impact of over USD 95 million for Colorado. It contributed to the creation of 787 jobs in the region. No study has been conducted on the economic impact of a cannabis-themed festival in the current tourism literature. Therefore, this study contributes to filling this gap by developing literature on the impact of cannabis tourism and its implications for host communities or states, especially for state policymakers and business professionals. The results of this study are expected to serve as a reliable benchmark for subsequent economic impact analyses and comparisons with other industries. Full article