Search Results (148)

This study investigates the mechanisms through which employees’ green behavioural intention (GBI) translates into employee in-role green behaviour (EGB-IR) in the hospitality sector. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Value-Belief Norm (VBN) theory, we propose an extended model that incorporates four contextual mediators —customers’ environmental attitudes (CEAs), coworkers’ green work climate (CGWC), supervisors’ commitment to the environment (SCE), and environmental organisational policy (EOP)—to explain how the relationship between intentions and behaviours is mediated by these social and organisational factors. Data were collected through a self-administered survey of 497 employees from hotels located in the Canary Islands, a recognised coastal tourism destination facing relevant environmental challenges. The proposed relationships were tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Results confirm that GBI significantly predicts in-role green behaviour (EGB-IR), and all four contextual factors partially mediate this relationship. Among them, EOP and CGWC emerged as the most influential mediators. These findings underscore the importance of aligning individual motivation with supportive workplace environments to foster consistent sustainable practices in hospitality organisations. This research contributes to the growing literature on green behaviours in hospitality by empirically validating a multilevel TPB-VBN-theory-based framework and highlighting key points for hotel managers aiming to strengthen their environmental commitment through employee engagement. Full article

The present study explores residents’ perceptions of Stintino (Sardinia, Italy) as a tourist destination. The municipality is predominantly known for La Pelosa beach, widely regarded as one of the most attractive coastal sites in Europe. However, its popularity has raised critical issues related to carrying capacity and seasonal overcrowding, contributing to a tourism model centered almost exclusively on beach-related activities. This study aims to investigate how locals conceptualize their place beyond the dominant seaside narrative, particularly considering Stintino’s identity as a former fishing village with a strong maritime tradition. As part of Italy’s designated inner areas, Stintino also embodies a deep-rooted connection to cultural heritage, further reinforcing the need for its preservation. Adopting a photovoice-based participatory visual methodology, this study engaged 15 local stakeholders from key sectors (hospitality, fishing tourism, retail, gastronomy, and cultural institutions) who produced and discussed photographic representations of their lived experience of the territory. The visual material was thematically analyzed using a conceptual framework informed by theories of place perception and social representations. The findings suggested a multifaceted territorial storytelling rooted in local heritage, symbolic spaces, and everyday practices. Tourism governance strategies could incorporate community-based approaches, such as participatory mapping and inclusive narrative development, to foster more sustainable and place-sensitive promotion models. Full article

The evaluation of tourism climate comfort is a systematic assessment of the climate conditions of tourist destinations. It is of great significance for improving the tourism experience, promoting the sustainable development of the tourism industry, and protecting the natural environment. In this study, the CiteSpace software was used to conduct a bibliometrics analysis of the study on tourism climate comfort in China, and the conceptual framework of this study was established based on the bibliometrics results. In the conceptual framework, this study firstly summarized eight indicators widely used in the current evaluation of tourism climate comfort. Secondly, four key technical means in the evaluation process were summarized, including geographic information system, analytic hierarchy process, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, and cluster analysis. And three calculation methods of tourism climate comfort period were summarized, namely number of days with comfortable climate, five-day moving average method, and probability of climate-suitable days. Subsequently, the main application areas of tourism climate comfort evaluation were introduced: (1) exploration of the relationship between climate comfort and tourism activities (i.e., heat/cold-escape tourism, ice-snow tourism, outdoor rafting, coastal tourism, and other types of tourism activities); (2) exploration of the relationship between climate comfort and tourist flow; (3) the response of climate comfort to climate change; and (4) tourism climate regionalization. Finally, the main problems of current research and future development directions were proposed. Full article

Coastal tourism benefits the sustainability of destinations and includes a wide range of experiences related to sun and sand, culture, nature, and social interactions. This study aimed to (i) identify the motivations driving tourists to coastal destinations, (ii) determine the tourist segments in these destinations, and (iii) examine the relationship between these tourist segments and satisfaction and loyalty. The research was conducted in Montañita, Ecuador, a renowned surfing and water sports destination frequented by both national and international tourists. The sample consisted of 380 valid questionnaires, analyzed using factor analysis, K-means clustering, and Pearson’s chi-square test. The findings revealed five motivational dimensions: Culture and Nature, Novelty and Social Interaction, Sun and Beach, Sports, and Entertainment. Two distinct tourist segments were also identified: Multiple Motives tourists and Sun and Beach tourists. Among these, the Multiple Motives group exhibited higher levels of satisfaction and loyalty. These insights are valuable for destination managers and tourism service providers, offering practical applications for enhancing visitor experiences. Additionally, this study contributes to the existing academic literature on coastal tourism. Full article

Stakeholder fragmentation in transdisciplinary research often impedes innovation in South Africa’s tourism sector. The real-time supply network for MSMEs in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal struggles with digital adoption, limiting its resilience despite rising demand in the digital economy. This study examined how a transdisciplinary approach can enhance the Tourism Supply Chain Network in these regions—an urban hub (Gauteng) and a coastal cultural destination (KwaZulu-Natal)—to unlock their potential. Employing action research, this study engaged stakeholders (tourism operators, tech developers, and communities) to co-create data-driven digital solutions, including a real-time supply network. The collected data included both qualitative insights from workshops and interviews, as well as quantitative metrics such as platform usage and tourist engagement, which were analysed using descriptive statistics. Innovative technologies improved the supply chain efficiency, cutting coordination delays by 25% in Gauteng and boosting rural tourism visibility in KwaZulu-Natal, with a 30% increase in bookings. Gauteng saw urban connectivity gains, while KwaZulu-Natal achieved inclusive growth. This study provides a scalable, data-driven framework for digitalisation in tourism supply networks, offering practical strategies for stakeholders. It advances innovative technologies in emerging markets, emphasising the transformative potential of transdisciplinary collaboration to build resilient, collaborative tourism ecosystems in South Africa. Full article

In an increasingly competitive global tourism context, territorial branding plays a key role in enhancing the visibility, identity, and resilience of regions. This study focuses on the Algarve, a region in southern Portugal, and investigates how innovation and competitiveness are reflected in its digital communication strategy. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research combines the quantitative analysis of 689 social media posts published in 2024 on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube with the qualitative content analysis of 38 documents and the official website of Algarve. The findings reveal a coherent and visually appealing brand narrative centred on the coastal identity of the Algarve, complemented by content related to nature, gastronomy, and cultural heritage. Instagram stands out as the most engaging platform, particularly when posts adopt a participatory tone, emotional storytelling, and references to specific locations. However, only 6.4% of the content surpassed the 1% engagement threshold, suggesting limited audience connection. The website presents a broader thematic range but under-represents intangible heritage and local products.The Algarve brand successfully projects an aspirational image based on landscape and leisure but would benefit from greater content diversification, enhanced stakeholder integration, and expanded narrative strategies to strengthen digital engagement and destination competitiveness. Full article

Sediment transport plays a crucial role in shaping coastal and riverine environments, influencing both natural and human activities. This study assesses sediment supply from the entire basin of a touristic zone of Cyprus, where coastal erosion and sediment deposition impact infrastructure, tourism, and environmental sustainability. Human activities, such as dam construction, further disrupt the sediment balance. This study focuses on Coral Bay and Potima Gulf, a popular tourist destination along an ~11 km shoreline in western Cyprus, fed by four small rivers draining a total area of 66.5 km². The sustainability of the Coral Bay–Potima system is threatened by the Mavrokolympos stream dam, which traps upstream sediments. Using the USLE method, mean sediment yield at the basin outlet is estimated at 888 t km⁻² yr⁻¹. These findings underscore the link between watershed processes and sustainable coastal management, emphasizing the need for integrated sediment transport assessments in touristic coastal zones. Full article

This research aims to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution of residents and tourists in an urban context, assessing the risk of overtourism. To achieve this, a tourist city is conceptualized as a complex system and examined through an agent-based model (ABM), which simulates the interactions between heterogeneous agents and their environment. This computational approach enables the exploration of emergent spatial-temporal patterns and facilitates the interpretation of overtourism as a real-world experiment. The case study focuses on Santa Marta (Colombia), a well-established coastal destination currently facing potential entry into a phase of tourism decline if management remains reactive. Simulation results reveal a high risk of overtourism and illustrate the differentiated effects of two plausible management strategies at distinct spatial scales. Additionally, this study proposes a tourism intensity indicator, addressing the problem of overestimating tourism pressure in existing metrics. The proposed model offers a valuable decision-support tool for assessing impacts and designing proactive management measures in destinations experiencing rapid tourist growth across multiple spatial and temporal dimensions. Full article

This study presents the development of the Comprehensive Index for Beaches (CIB), a holistic tool designed to address the limitations of traditional beach monitoring systems by integrating social and ecological dimensions within a socio-ecological systems (SES) framework. While existing certification schemes predominantly emphasize physical parameters such as water quality and sand cleanliness, they often overlook critical social factors like safety perceptions, overcrowding, and user behavior. This oversight is significant because these social factors play a vital role in shaping visitor satisfaction, supporting community well-being, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the destination. The CIB addresses this gap, offering a multidimensional approach that includes environmental, infrastructural, social, and safety-related dimensions. Through a multi-stage methodology, the index was developed and validated using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with data from over 600 beach visitors across key coastal destinations. Results indicate the robustness of the CIB in capturing both natural and social components, underscoring its theoretical alignment with SES principles and its practical potential to enhance beach management. By prioritizing user perceptions and behaviors alongside ecological parameters, the CIB provides an affordable and adaptable alternative to traditional schemes, fostering improved safety, user satisfaction, and sustainability in diverse beach contexts. Full article

Motivations for traveling to World Heritage natural destinations shape important theories for academic research. This study aims to analyze the influence of motivational factors on tourist satisfaction in the Galápagos Islands. The quantitative study was conducted in situ; a total of 407 valid questionnaires were collected at Mann Beach on San Cristobal Island in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Through structural equation modeling, the analysis identified key motivations contributing to satisfaction, with novelty-seeking and social interaction emerging as key determinants. In contrast, motivations such as learning and authentic coastal experiences were found to have an insignificant impact on tourists’ overall perceptions. The findings also confirmed a strong positive relationship between satisfaction and loyalty, demonstrating that satisfied tourists are more likely to return and spread positive word-of-mouth about the destination. These results highlight the importance of designing tourism experiences that align with visitors’ expectations for social interaction and novelty, thereby enhancing the sustainability and reputation of the Galápagos Islands as a unique destination. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the holiday plans of many people. Whether it was due to travel bans or the fear of contracting the infection, people modified, among other aspects, their chosen destination, travel transport, accommodations, length of stay, and activities to be undertaken during the stay. In this context, we aim to disentangle the effect of these changes on tourist satisfaction. Previous research on the effects of COVID-19 on the tourism sector has studied the shrinkage of tourism demand, changes in tourist behaviour and adaptation processes on the supply side. Nonetheless, few works have analysed changes in tourists’ plans. Two main hypotheses have been put forward. First, tourists might be dissatisfied given that they could not attain their holiday expectations. In contrast, the second hypothesis suggests that those individuals who changed their holiday plans might be more satisfied because they diminished their perceived risk of contagion. We have used data drawn from a survey of tourists (N = 2009) who visited Costa Daurada, a very popular Mediterranean coastal destination just after the end of the Spanish lockdown. Then, statistically significant differences in satisfaction levels between the groups that altered their plans and those who did not are assessed by means of Kruskal–Wallis and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests. Results signal that tourists were not more dissatisfied when they had modified their initial holiday plans. Indeed, the overall satisfaction of those visitors who switched their initial destination to travel to Costa Daurada was slightly lower, and the difference was significant, compared to the ones who were planning to travel there from the very beginning. Satisfaction was not significantly lower for those who changed their holiday plans in the case of the rest of the items analysed (transportation, length of stay, accommodation, and overall activities). On the contrary, in the case of activities, changes apparently contributed to mitigate the risk perception and led to a better tourist experience. Results also suggest that tourists were willing to adapt to a new situation in order not to renounce their holidays. In terms of implications for destination management and stakeholders, the main conclusion is that continuous cooperation and mutual trust are key to adapting to turbulent environments in which risk perception becomes central. Full article

Although it is practically impossible to find locations without a massive flux of tourists, few beach destinations present a great attraction due to their privileged natural characteristics. This is often the case for sites that show splendid beach sands. To maintain their tourist attraction and related economic income, it is essential to know sediment characteristics such as their mineralogical composition, particle size, and colour. This paper presents a textural, chromatic, and mineralogical database of 90 beaches in Cuba. The composition of sediments was identified by stereomicroscopy, their texture by digital image analysis, sand colour according to the CIE space and X-ray diffraction, and fluorescence and electron microscopy were used to determine sediment mineralogy. Two main groups of beaches were identified: the lighter and brighter beaches of the cays are dominated by the association of authigenic carbonates (aragonite, kutnohorite, and calcite) while the south and northeastern coasts of eastern Cuba are dominated by darker sediments with larger grain sizes composed of amphibole, pyroxene, serpentines, chlorites, quartz, and plagioclase of detrital origin. The data obtained will allow the design of proper management actions of coastal resources, i.e., the maintaining of beaches’ sediment quality after nourishment works and, at the same time, the promotion and development of new, presently undervalued areas. Full article

In the era of significant migration, the rural population has been a major component of China’s internal migration. Utilizing data from the last three population censuses, this study examines the evolution and network characteristics of interprovincial rural migration in China from 2000 to 2020. A panel model is employed to analyze the influencing factors. The findings reveal that the interprovincial migration of China’s rural population has increased rapidly, though the growth rate has decelerated. Provincial rural emigration scales have shown a differentiated trend, with the Heihe-Tengchong Line serving as a boundary, while the overall pattern exhibits a “center-periphery” structure. The primary migration destinations are the eastern coastal provinces. Between 2000 and 2020, China’s interprovincial rural migration network demonstrated strong centralization, but the agglomeration core of the network became more diversified. Spatially, interprovincial rural migration shows a clear preference for proximate destinations, and the interprovincial migration network has gradually shifted from an “umbrella-shaped” pattern to a “funnel-shaped” pattern. Key factors influencing the evolution of the interprovincial rural migration network include the per capita GDP, natural disasters, topographic relief, spatial distance, rural hukou population, and internet penetration rate. To facilitate orderly rural migration and support the major national strategies, it is essential to promote regional coordinated development, deepen rural hukou system reforms, and streamline factor flow mechanisms. Full article

Large parks play a key role in the identity of urban public spaces and as destinations for residents’ urban walks, with the social benefits they provide being irreplaceable by other types of green spaces. This study examines the accessibility of large urban parks in Rizhao, China, focusing on spatial distribution, service equity, and optimization strategies. Using GIS-based walking route proximity analysis, the study identifies significant accessibility gaps in high-density urban areas. Rizhao is a typical coastal tourist city, selected as the study area due to its low level of urbanization and the underutilization of its natural resources. This study uses online map data to evaluate the service efficiency and supply–demand heterogeneity of large parks from multiple perspectives, proposing targeted, practical, and micro-intervention-based spatial measures based on typical case analysis. The results show that 70.52% of the population in the study area is served by park entrances within a 1500 m walking distance, indicating that a considerable portion of residents remain beyond a reasonable walking distance. In the context of urban renewal and sustainable development, this study proposes practical improvements to park accessibility, including suggestions for determining suitable locations for new large parks as a long-term goal, alongside low-cost interventions such as increasing park entrances to maximize the use of existing resources and optimizing pedestrian routes (including opening gated communities and adding crossing facilities) to improve park walking service catchment in smaller environments. This study provides insights for urban park renewal, retrofitting, and expansion, supporting accessibility measures in planning practices, and is expected to provide valuable references for urban managers and policymakers. Furthermore, the study suggests that policy adjustments are necessary to integrate green spaces into urban development more effectively, particularly in rapidly urbanizing areas. Full article

Erosion poses a significant threat to infrastructure and ecosystems on coastlines worldwide. Public infrastructure such as US 101—a critical conduit linking coastal communities and renowned destinations—can be costly to maintain due to erosion hazards. Erosion is episodic and varies both spatially and temporarily; hence, forecasting erosion patterns to identify vulnerable infrastructure is immensely challenging. This study presents an innovative Geographic Information Systems (GIS) algorithm to forecast sea cliff erosion progression utilizing imagery datasets (hereafter referred to as ‘rasters’). This approach is demonstrated for an approximately 300 m segment of sea cliffs near Spencer Creek Bridge in Beverly Beach State Park, Oregon, USA. First, Digital Elevation Model (DEM) rasters are created from multiple epochs of terrestrial lidar point clouds using two approaches: Triangular Irregular Networks (TINs) and Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK). These DEMs were integrated into a multidimensional raster to generate trend rasters. Based on these trend rasters, forecast DEMs were created based on several different combinations of training and forecast epochs. The forecast DEMs were evaluated against the original lidar data, to calculate residuals to determine optimal model parameters. It was revealed that four combinations warrant particular attention: EBK with harmonic and linear regression of trend rasters, and TIN with harmonic and linear regression of trend rasters. These methods demonstrate consistent decreases in residuals as the number of epochs used for interpolation increases. Under these circumstances, it is expected that the forecasting DEMs will exhibit residuals lower than 10 cm. This outcome is contingent on the condition that the time between the epochs used for prediction and the forecasted epochs does not increase. Full article