Search Results (46)

This study aims to investigate how tourists articulate their ecotourism experiences through online reviews of coastal Karnataka. As one of India’s most favored domestic destinations since the 1960s, coastal Karnataka is renowned for its scenic shoreline, unique biodiversity, and diverse ecotourism experiences along a 320 km stretch of the Arabian-Sea rim spanning across the Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada districts. Despite the growing popularity of ecotourism and sustainable travel, limited research has examined how tourists share ecotourism concepts via online reviews. Employing content analysis through the Leximancer tool, this study examines 1843 online reviews from 80 eco-resorts and homestays listed on TripAdvisor^® to identify emerging themes from interconnected concepts and assess the extent to which ecotourism values are reflected. The findings highlight several themes out of which “place”, “food”, “resort”, and “rooms” were the dominant ones. Notably, this study also revealed minimal references to coastal conservation or sustainability. The analysis offers several theoretical contributions to the ecotourism literature by demonstrating the implication of construal level theory (CLT) and the use of Leximancer in analyzing large-scale travel data. This study also provides meaningful insights for the tourism service providers to use online review data to enrich tourist experiences and outlines actionable strategies for strengthening the visibility of coastal conservation efforts and promote ecotourism advocacy. Full article

This study, in response to the optimization needs of fall risks for the elderly in the context of cultural and tourism integration in Hebei Province, China, established a quantitative correlation system between ten gait parameters and ten types of spatial risk factors. By collecting gait data (Qualisys infrared motion capture system, sampling rate 200 Hz) and spatial parameters from 30 elderly subjects (with mild, moderate, and severe functional impairments), a multi-level regression model was established. This study revealed that step frequency, step width, and step length were nonlinearly associated with corridor length, door opening width, and step depth (R² = 0.53–0.68). Step speed, ankle dorsiflexion, and foot pressure were key predictive factors (OR = 0.04–8.58, p < 0.001), driving the optimization of core spatial factors such as threshold height, handrail density, and friction coefficient. Step length, cycle, knee angle, and lumbar moment, respectively, affected bed height (45–60 cm), switch height (1.2–1.4 m), stair riser height (≤35 mm), and sink height adjustment range (0.7–0.9 m). The prediction accuracy of the ten optimized values reached 86.7% (95% CI: 82.1–90.3%), with Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit x² = 7.32 (p = 0.412) and ROC curve AUC = 0.912. Empirical evidence shows that the graded optimization scheme reduced the fall risk by 42–85%, and the estimated fall incidence rate decreased by 67% after the renovation. The study of the “abnormal gait—spatial threshold—graded optimization” quantitative residential layout optimization provides a systematic solution for the data-quantified model of elderly-friendly residential renovations. Full article

This study examined the potential for developing community-based homestays in Nigeria. Community-based homestays are a sustainable form of tourism that has the capacity to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With its abundant natural and cultural resources, Nigeria has not yet fully utilized these potentials for community-based homestays, which could serve as a strategy for the sustainable development of local communities facing livelihood challenges. Stakeholder theory serves as the theoretical foundation for this study, particularly in its application to a nascent concept. We proposed a framework for effective tourism development in Nigeria, focusing on acceptability, feasibility, and potential outcomes. Qualitative research was conducted through focus group discussions (FDGs) with purposively selected tourism stakeholders, including academia, tour operators, NGOs, and local communities, and further analyzed thematically. The study emphasizes that embracing stakeholder theory rather than relying on a top-down approach is crucial for effectively addressing the varied concerns of key participants before launching community-based homestay tourism. This approach seeks to maximize benefits while minimizing challenges. The result shows that developing community-based homestay tourism in Nigeria is achievable if all stakeholders work together to create supportive tourism policies and agree on a collaborative management framework for the initiative. Furthermore, it is essential to consider the needs of residents by including them in the homestay management committee. Local communities should receive sufficient funding, and effective marketing strategies must be put in place to promote the initiative. To ensure acceptance of homestay tourism among local communities, it is vital to communicate its benefits to potential operators, respect local cultures, and guarantee that economic gains are shared fairly. Full article

Using ArcGIS software to conduct spatial autocorrelation analysis, it was found that the price distribution of rural homestays in Suzhou is not random but shows apparent spatial clustering. Among the 81 rural homestays were 9 high-high clusters, 25 low-low clusters, 1 high-low outlier, and 5 low-high outliers. The hedonic price model is an economic model that breaks down goods or services into multiple attributes to estimate their prices. Based on this model, this paper further investigates the differentiated impacts and interactions between internal accommodation characteristics and external environmental attributes in the pricing mechanism of rural homestays in Suzhou. The results show that (1) the high-priced rural homestays in Suzhou are concentrated in the lake island resort with good natural environment and perfect infrastructure; (2) the location, facility quality, and network score of rural homestays have a positive impact on housing prices; (3) the parking lot of rural homestays hurts housing prices; (4) the quality of rural residential buildings and facilities has the most significant positive impact on housing prices. By comparing the hedonic price model of rural homestay and the heterogeneous preferences of consumers, this study provides rural homestay operators with effective room pricing strategies and marketing implications, provides policymakers with reference factors to promote the development of rural homestay industry, and has specific guiding significance for the sustainable development of the homestay industry. Full article

Rural homestays have emerged as pivotal drivers of rural socioeconomic revitalization, particularly in metropolitan peripheries characterized by intensified urban–rural dynamics. However, their spatiotemporal distribution patterns and underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. This study employs Geodetector and related analytical methods to examine rural homestays in Beijing, aiming to decipher spatial heterogeneity and driving factors. The results reveal a distinct “large-scale dispersion with small-scale clustering” pattern marked by pronounced agglomeration in northern mountainous areas and sparse distributions in southern suburban regions. Temporally, the sector currently exhibits a notable expansion–contraction phase influenced by external factors, alongside spatial centroid migration toward resource-rich zones. Geodetector quantification identifies the proximity to transportation nodes and vegetation coverage as primary spatial determinants, while socioeconomic factors demonstrate comparatively limited influence—contrasting sharply with urban contexts. Rural homestay concentration zones are classified into high-, medium-, and low-intensity categories based on the homestay density, with high-intensity zones leveraging apex advantages of scenic resources, cultural heritage, and infrastructure. These findings underscore the interplay of natural environmental factors, tourism resources, transportation accessibility, and socioeconomic conditions in shaping agglomeration dynamics, providing actionable insights for optimizing spatial planning and promoting sustainable development in rural regions adjacent to megacities. Full article

Industrial food systems produce most of the food that we consume globally today. But many observers acknowledge that industrial agriculture cannot be sustained in the long run. As such, agroecological practices that encourage sustainable farming practices with a focus on local markets and the local economy are being promoted more and more to change the way food systems work. The current research examines how rural youth can best be involved in food system transformation as a potential agent of change. The research considers the potential of payments for environmental services (PESs) in the study area. The economic potential of gastronomic agri-ecotourism in various traditional agricultural landscapes of different agroecosystems of India has also been investigated. Gastronomic agri-ecotourism has the potential to provide economic benefits to traditional agricultural landscapes and agroecosystems while also promoting sustainable tourism practices. The results of an exploratory study on rural youth participation in nature-friendly agroecological regenerative farming and culinary agri-ecotourism initiatives are presented in this paper in an effort to increase the sustainability of conventional farming and food systems. This study, which was carried out in four different agroecological settings in India, sheds light on the opportunities and problems faced by rural youth, as well as their motivations. Full article

In the digital context, smart homestays have developed rapidly in the post-epidemic era and have become a new form of accommodation. Homestays are favored by many young people in China, such as those belonging to Generation Z. According to data concerning China’s national tourism and related reports, the demand for homestays has increased dramatically in recent years. Thus, we need to consider how to improve the smart homestay user experience. Based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) model, this study explores the factors that affect the user experience of smart homestays. An online survey of 370 respondents of Generation Z in China was conducted, followed by descriptive statistical analysis and hypothesis model validation using SPSS 26.0. The data show that among the five service variables (reservation, check-in, living, check-out, and information sharing), perceived value has a positive and positive impact on service variables in all aspects. Finally, machine learning is used for emotion text analysis, and the results show that users are biased towards smart homestays in the sentiment analysis of the comments. Although smart homestays have a certain amount of attention, there is still a lot of room for progress in technology and services. The purpose of this study is to improve and perfect the rules for making smart homestay service standards based on understanding the satisfaction of Generation Z when using smart homestays while also providing a theoretical basis and practical manuals for the industry to promote the development of the industry and improve user experience. Based on the research results of the above literature, it is imperative to carry out research on Generation Z, the main force of future consumption, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. Full article

The interval-valued fuzzy soft set (IVFSS) model, which combines the benefits of the soft set model with the interval-valued fuzzy set (IVFS) model, is a growing and effective mathematical tool for processing hazy data. In detail, this model is characterized by symmetry, which has the lower and upper membership degree. The study of decision-making based on IVFSS has picked up more steam recently. However, existing multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) methods can only sort alternative schemes, but are not able to classify them, which is detrimental to decision-makers’ efficient decision-making. In this paper, we propose a multi-attribute three-way decision-making (MATWDM) algorithm based on ideal solutions for IVFSS. MATWDM is extended to the IVFSS environment by incorporating the concept of the ideal solution, offering a more adaptable and comprehensive approach for addressing uncertain MADM issues. The method not only obtains the ranking results of the alternatives, but also divides them into acceptance domain, rejection domain, and delayed-decision domain, which makes the decision results more reasonable and effective, facilitating decision-makers to make better decisions. We apply the proposed three-way decision algorithm to two practical cases as diverse as mine emergency decision and Homestay selection decision. Additionally, the effectiveness and viability of the suggested method are confirmed by experimental findings. Full article

Tourists’ mental health risk perceptions have a crucial impact on destination management organizations and other tourism practitioners. As an important support for rural tourism, the mental health risk perception of rural homestay tourists requires further attention from researchers to promote the sustainable development of the rural homestay industry. Based on the structural equation model and AMOS, this study considers the rural homestay industry as the background, explores the relationship between the mental health risk perception of rural homestay tourists under the COVID-19 pandemic, emotional solidarity between tourists and operators, and tourists’ willingness to revisit, and analyzes the differences in tourist groups with different infection frequencies. In this study, questionnaires were randomly distributed to the tourists of rural hotels in Nanjing. 740 questionnaires were collected and 666 valid questionnaires were recovered. The results show that tourists’ mental health risk perception has a significant negative effect on tourists’ willingness to revisit. However, tourists’ mental health risk perception effectively promoted emotional solidarity between tourists and operators, and thus significantly improved tourists’ willingness to revisit, in which emotional unity was the mediating variable. There were significant differences in tourists’ willingness to visit after different infection frequencies. The willingness of tourists to risk being infected with the virus was more significantly affected by their mental health risk perception and emotional solidarity. Full article

As the development of world-class eco-islands progresses, the homestay sector on Chongming Island has burgeoned, emerging as a pivotal catalyst for rural tourism and economic prosperity. This study, leveraging Chongming Island as a case study, systematically analyzes the spatiotemporal distribution of homestays across island-wide, township, and village scales, employing methodologies such as the spatiotemporal evolutionary tree model. It delves into the intricate systemic framework underpinning homestay development, elucidating the dynamics of interaction mechanisms. Furthermore, it examines the evolving roles of diverse stakeholders throughout various developmental phases, grounded in stakeholder theory. The study reveals that (1) Chongming’s homestays on the island, townships, and village scales show very obvious agglomeration characteristics, mainly concentrated in the A-level scenic spots and in and out of the island traffic junction. (2) The growth of homestays in Chongming shows an increasing trend year by year, with the growth rate slowing down after 2020, and can be divided into four main phases, which are closely related to the construction phase of the eco-island. (3) The evolution of Chongming Island’s homestay is a multifaceted natural–human system intricately shaped by a confluence of five interdependent subsystems: natural ecology, social culture, multiple stakeholders, geographical location, and transport infrastructure. At different stages of development, under the synergistic effect of multiple stakeholders, the homestays on Chongming Island eventually formed a governance structure led by the government and co-managed by the development company, external entrepreneurs, and local villagers. These insights not only augment the scholarly discourse on stakeholder dynamics within the homestay industry but also offer pragmatic enlightenment for strategic planning and the advancement of holistic urban–rural integration in Chongming and the broader Shanghai region. Full article

The mental fatigue of rural homestay operators is of great significance to their performance as well as the sustainability of the rural tourism industry. Mental fatigue is a state of mind caused by consistently demanding cognitive activities. The mental health of rural homestay operators has been severely hit during the COVID-19, and they are in urgent need of finding a path to recovery. Based on value co-creation theory, this paper explores how rural homestay operators’ mental fatigue affects their performance under the moderating effects of government support and tourists’ participation. We conducted a questionnaire survey in the 19 rural tourist destinations of Nanjing, China, and collected a total of 201 questionnaires from the homestay operators. The results reveal that the operators’ mental fatigue has a negative effect on the performance of rural homestays. What’s more, tourists’ participation could moderate the relationship between operators’ mental fatigue and their performance. Although the moderating effects of government support are not significant, they can influence operators’ performance directly and indirectly. Through the value co-creation of operators, tourists, and government with the aim of improving the performance value of the rural homestay co-creation process, the operators’ mental fatigue could be alleviated and their performance restored. These findings can help us explore the recovery mechanism of rural homestays and promote the sustainable development of rural tourism in the post-COVID-19 period. Full article

Leisure agriculture is a crucial carrier for city agriculture and tourism growth. This study aims to explore the overall leisure agriculture and different types of leisure agriculture spatial sub-characteristics and their influencing factors. Taking the city of Xi’an, China, as an example, leisure agriculture was classified into four types: agritainments, agricultural parks, resorts, and rural homestays. According to this study, two ring zones and one core belt zone for leisure agriculture in Xi’an are dispersed unevenly and aggregated. Furthermore, geographic detectors and spatial principal components were employed as empirical techniques to investigate the primary factors influencing the spatial distribution of multiple leisure agriculture heterogeneity. The results about the influence mechanism indicate that the gross domestic product, population density, and accessibility to transportation dominated the overall spatial distribution, while the distance to scenic spots and water areas had a significant impact on the spatial distribution of some types. This research contributes to the reconstruction of leisure agriculture and promotes the sustainable development of agriculture and recreation by merging leisure agriculture spatial resources. Full article

It is necessary to analyze the entrepreneurial performance mechanism of rural homestays to improve farmers’ incomes under the strategy of rural revitalization in China. This study constructs a mechanism model, in which place identity and social capital are antecedent variables and entrepreneurial self-efficacy is an intermediary variable. Three hundred and fifty five valid samples were collected from rural homestayers in suburban areas of Beijing. A structural equation modelling by Mplus was conducted for path-analysis and also a mediating effects test to verity the theoretical model. The results demonstrate that place identity has no significant effect on entrepreneurial performance, while social capital and entrepreneurial self-efficacy do have. In fact, place identity and social capital have significant positive effects on entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy plays a complete mediating role in the relationship between place identity and farmers’ entrepreneurial performance, and a partial mediating role in the relationship between social capital and farmers’ entrepreneurial performance. Under the background of rural revitalization, the conclusions of this study provide a theoretical basis for improving the farmer’s entrepreneurial performance and have certain practical management significance. Full article

Recently, thanks to the greater discovery of the mechanisms of facial aging, an alternative to invasive plastic surgery has found space with less invasive aesthetic procedures, also based on an increasingly pressing request. We are specifically referring to dermal filler injection into or under the skin which leads to immediate rejuvenation and aesthetic improvements. In this study, we wanted to analyze the results obtained through the use of NEAUVIA Organic Stimulate, particularly with regard to its effectiveness, which is a cross-linked polymeric hydrogel, containing stabilized sodium hyaluronate 26 mg/mL and calcium hydroxyapatite (1%), glycine and L-proline in buffer pyrogen-free water, in its main indication, namely, the temporary correction of congenital and acquired deficiencies of the soft tissues of the face by intradermal injection. Initially, 70 patients were enrolled, but 10 did not complete the study due to non-observance of the investigation rules, so they were excluded from the protocol. The collected data demonstrate an efficient mechanical effect of the pegylated polymeric acid matrix enriched with low concertation of calcium hydroxyapatite and in accordance with other evidence in vitro and in vivo, and the mechanical support of the interstitial connective space improves the homestays of the anatomical layer rebalancing the physiological activity of the dermis cells. Full article

Until recent decades, labour-intensive subsistence farming was a way of life and livelihood in the hill communities of Uttarakhand, India. However, the nature of agriculture falls far short of the expectations of the main labour force, the rural youth, leading to their mass migration to non-agricultural occupations. The large-scale youth migration has left many hill farming landscapes depopulated and farmlands abandoned. As youth have special stakes in food systems, they must be included in the sustainable transformation of food systems. By doing so, the migration-prone hill region may be transformed into a place where rural youth have more options for work and income. Therefore, the agriculture sector needs to change and develop into a more engaging and youthful workplace. There are opportunities to explore and barriers to be removed. Besides identifying priority research areas on local food systems, in this exploratory research, we investigate opportunities to involve rural young people in the transformation of the food system. We document information by conducting focus group discussion (FGD) meetings in about 100 villages in the Uttarakhand hills, representing all major farming landscapes. This study mainly focuses on improving the production and consumption aspects of local food, which not only benefits the health and wellbeing of local communities but also has many positive economic, social, and environmental effects. In addition, we explore opportunities for reviving mountain agriculture through agri-ecotourism, which is a symbiotic relationship between tourism and agriculture. Making home- or farm stays in agri-ecotourism a subsistence strategy for local youth will contribute to a more prosperous rural economy. Recognising Uttarakhand’s rich culture and heritage while exploring the culinary travel opportunities in homestays will provide opportunities to focus more on traditional food systems, exposing various tangible and intangible aspects of the host region’s food culture to tourists. The findings of this study will aid in identifying specific policy issues for consideration by planners and policymakers at the local and state levels. Additionally, this exploratory study will assist young, motivated researchers in conducting follow-up, in-depth investigations and producing empirical data in their specialised fields. Full article