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Colombia, renowned for its biodiversity and cultural heritage, is positioning itself as a future leader in sustainable and immersive tourism under the national vision “Colombia, a global powerhouse of life.” This article examines the potential transformation of the tourism ecosystem through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with advanced 5G and emerging 6G networks. The objective of this study is to analyse the tourism landscape in Colombia, with the aim of understanding how improved connectivity could strengthen the country’s tourism ecosystem. In the first phase, a literature review was conducted using the PRISMA methodology, supplemented by a documentary analysis of Colombia’s legal frameworks and policy instruments. In the second phase, the research encompassed the analysis of scientific publications, technical reports, and national documents produced between 2020 and 2025. The results of this exercise are presented through analytical matrices that outline technological possibilities, regulatory frameworks, and sociocultural impacts, and identify opportunities, challenges, and strategic pathways for the implementation of Tourism 5.0 in Colombia. The main conclusions are that the transition to Tourism 5.0 requires a coordinated national roadmap that prioritises high-value use cases, promotes territorial inclusion, and leverages 5G-/6G-enabled solutions to support sustainable development in the tourism sector. Full article

This study critically examines hospitality performance evaluation practices by proposing a narrative-based quantitative framework grounded in online reviews. While tourism experiences, particularly in transformative contexts, are understood as subjective and meaning-oriented, empirical evaluation remains reliant on standardized, growth-oriented indicators such as star ratings and satisfaction scores. To address this disconnect, online reviews are conceptualized not as post hoc satisfaction measures but as narrative expressions of evaluation. Drawing on sentiment analysis of narratives from eleven hotels, evaluations are operationalized through indicators and incorporated into a DEA framework. Efficiency is reframed as experiential conversion capacity—the ability of hospitality providers to transform material and organizational conditions into experiences perceived as meaningful by guests. Two aggregation configurations and a super-efficiency extension are applied to examine robustness and differentiation. The findings reveal divergence between narrative-based evaluations and star classifications, suggesting that rating systems fail to capture dimensions of meaning and affective resonance. Notably, a lower-category hotel emerges as the strongest in experiential positioning, challenging assumptions linking quality, classification, and value. From a sustainability perspective, the study contributes to critiques of tourism evaluation and supports post-growth, sufficiency-oriented approaches. Methodologically, it demonstrates how techniques can be repurposed as interpretive tools when grounded in narrative data. Full article

Long-standing studies of historical cultural spaces have primarily focused on the preservation of heritage objects and landscapes, while insufficient attention has been paid to the structural relationships, land-use transformations, and cultural–ecological processes that sustain their long-term continuity. Taking the World Heritage site of Lijiang as a case, this study develops a three-dimensional structural decoding framework composed of spatial base, spatial network, and spatial entity, together with an analytical pathway of “Identification–Interpretation–Evaluation–Synthesis–Practice.” By integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches with multi-source data, the study establishes an evidence chain linking historical processes and contemporary conditions to examine the formation mechanisms, continuity, and contemporary deviations of Lijiang’s historical cultural space. The results show that terrain–habitat adaptability, water system coupling, and environmental risk avoidance shaped environmental adaptation; historical corridors, landscape perception, and core node associations organized spatial networks; and functional diversity, cultural capital agglomeration, and spatial-scale compatibility supported entity-based spatial practices. Although tourism development, urban expansion, and land-use transformation have not completely dismantled these historical relationships, they have caused localized deviations in ecological boundaries, path continuity, visual connections, functional vitality, and spatial scale. This study argues that the governance of historical cultural spaces should shift from preserving isolated heritage objects to sustaining cultural–ecological relationships that support memory, identity, spatial practice, and adaptive land governance. Full article

The Xizang–Sichuan region is rich in tourism resources, yet its complex geography and lagging transportation infrastructure have resulted in pronounced spatial disparities in tourism development. From a sustainability perspective, such disparities can lead to a ‘rich-get-richer’ cycle: over-tourism and ecological stress in high-accessibility cores, versus underdevelopment and resource idling in low-accessibility peripheries. To systematically examine the spatial structure of tourism in this region, this study uses counties as basic units and integrates the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with an improved gravity model for tourism network potential accessibility (TNPA) to assess regional tourism development levels and the network-based accessibility among counties. A comprehensive evaluation framework was established across three dimensions: tourism resource endowment, service capacity, and socio-economic support. Travel times between county centers were obtained from the Amap API, and a TNPA index was computed to reflect each county’s potential for tourism interaction with the rest of the region. Results indicate that resource endowment dominates the evaluation, with scenic quality as the critical factor. TNPA exhibits a pronounced core–periphery differentiation, with Chengdu and surrounding areas forming a high-value network core, while most counties in Xizang show extremely low network potential. Equity analysis reveals a significant imbalance in the distribution of network accessibility between Sichuan and Xizang. Under the baseline setting, the population-weighted Gini coefficient, coefficient of variation, and Theil index reach 0.677, 1.724, and 0.884, respectively, indicating that tourism network potential remains highly concentrated in a limited number of counties. The population-weighted mean TNPA of Sichuan is also far higher than that of Xizang, revealing a distinct interregional accessibility gap. The development–TNPA mismatch analysis further identifies counties where tourism development foundations are relatively strong but network integration remains weak. Robustness checks indicate that the high-development–low-TNPA pattern is not simply an artefact of the median-based classification, with the most evident cases mainly concentrated in Aba and Garze in western Sichuan and a few counties in Xizang. The study highlights the asymmetric relationships among resource endowment, network accessibility, and equity, providing a scientific basis for optimizing cross-regional tourism cooperation and transportation corridors in the Xizang–Sichuan region. Full article

The post-COVID-19 tourism recovery exposes a structural divergence between economic resilience and environmental sustainability. Traditional tourism planning metrics consistently fail to diagnose how macroeconomic growth dynamics decouple from environmental pressures, leaving policymakers without empirical tools to identify structural vulnerabilities or prevent carbon-intensive recoupling during post-crisis transitions. This study integrates macroeconomic, environmental, and digital data across a global panel to map actionable pathways for sustainable tourism transitions. Employing a multi-stage methodology, the analysis first utilizes K-Means clustering (n = 80) to isolate the structural fixed effects of baseline destination archetypes driving a K-shaped recovery. Second, using a synchronized environmental panel (n = 41), a Decoupling Index evaluates eco-efficiency elasticity to test the alignment between tourism value recovery and aviation-induced CO₂ emissions. Third, regression analysis of an elite digital cohort (n = 18) measures dynamic exogenous catalysts, revealing that digital attractiveness, proxied by the global digital nomad market share, is a significantly stronger accelerator of recovery (β = 55.59, p = 0.019) than traditional physical air connectivity (β = −46.48, p = 0.036). Synthesizing these insights, a 2 × 2 Strategic Decision Matrix (n = 41) classifies destinations into Sustainable Leaders, Mass-Market Traps, Value Pivoters, and Vulnerable Laggards. The empirical results demonstrate that pre-pandemic structures do not deterministically dictate recovery (p > 0.05, Partial η² ≤ 0.077), yet rapid financial recovery often masks deep atmospheric vulnerabilities, with specific absolute decoupling leaders achieving exceptional value expansion alongside strict carbon contraction (e.g., Saudi Arabia, DE = −0.35; El Salvador, DE = −0.26). This framework provides a data-driven roadmap for policymakers to utilize “soft” digital infrastructure to transition from carbon-intensive, volume-dependent models toward value-optimized, low-emission ecosystems. Full article

Virtual tourism is a key emerging form of digital sustainable tourism that supports the sustainable transformation of the tourism industry. Although scholars have increasingly investigated how virtual tourism experiences influence on-site destination visit intentions, there is still a lack of systematic explanations for the underlying formation mechanism. Furthermore, research on the experience-behavior transformation mechanism of virtual tourism platforms remains inadequate. To fill these gaps, this study integrates the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, Technology Readiness Model (TR) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to construct an emotional-technology psychology–cognition–behavior chain-mediated model. Using 683 valid questionnaires, the proposed model was examined via structural equation modeling and Bootstrap analysis. Results reveal that perceived enjoyment strengthens technology optimism and alleviates technology insecurity. Technology optimism positively predicts perceived usefulness and ease of use, while technology insecurity shows a negative effect on perceived usefulness. Perceived ease of use enhances perceived usefulness, which further promotes intention to use the platform’s virtual modules, thereby increasing real destination visit intentions. Perceived ease of use enhances intention to use the platform’s virtual modules, while increasing real destination visit intentions. Perceived ease of use enhances intention to use the platform’s virtual modules, and further promotes real destination visit intentions through chain-mediated pathways. Notably, perceived enjoyment exerts significant chain-mediating effects through three pathways: technology optimism → perceived usefulness → virtual module usage intention; technology optimism → perceived ease of use → virtual module usage intention; and technology optimism → perceived ease of use → perceived usefulness → virtual module usage intention. This study extends the application of the SOR framework to digital sustainable tourism contexts, clarifies micro-psychological transformation mechanisms, and provides practical implications for platform optimization, destination marketing and tourism development. Full article

The present study investigates the relationship between human perception, multisensory gastronomic experiences, and technological mediation within the context of gastrotourism. The research introduces the concept of G@strotourism as a perception-centered and digitally mediated experiential tourism framework, where tourist experiences are shaped through the interaction of sensory engagement, experiential memory, and digital technology. A quantitative methodology was employed, with data collected from 942 international tourists who had visited Greece at least once. EFA, CFA, and SEM analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among pre-trip perceptions, memorable food experiences, technologically enhanced memories, loyalty, and behavioral intention. The findings provide preliminary evidence that technologically enhanced gastronomic experiences influence memory formation, emotional attachment to destinations, and future tourist behavior. The study contributes to the literature on perception-centered tourism experiences by highlighting the roles of sensory perception, memory processes, and digital mediation in gastronomic tourism, and by discussing their implications for tourism experiences enhanced through digital technologies. Full article

Museum-oriented built heritage sits at the intersection of conservation, structural assessment, and visitor experience, yet the integration of digital twin (DT) and virtual reality (VR) technologies across these domains has not been mapped as a unified research field. Within this broader interface, stone-built museums are treated as an interpretive lens and application case rather than as the strict scope of the indexed material. This study presents a structured bibliometric science-mapping analysis of 465 peer-reviewed articles retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection (1999–2026) through a four-stage PRISMA-ScR-informed screening protocol, using bibliometrix-based keyword co-occurrence, thematic mapping, and co-citation analysis. Four conceptual clusters emerge: digital documentation and photogrammetric survey; VR, virtual museum, Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM), and emerging digital-twin applications; AR-based museum experience and interpretation; and sustainable heritage tourism and management. Italy (n = 90) and China (n = 85) lead national output; Universidad Politécnica de Valencia is the leading institution (n = 31). A persistent separation between documentation-focused and experience-focused communities is observed. A three-pillar framework linking DT-based structural documentation, immersive visitor experience, and sustainable museum management through Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) interoperability is proposed for empirical validation in stone-built museum case studies. Full article

Productive diversification is a central condition for sustainable regional development, particularly in resource-dependent territories where dominant sectoral structures may limit adaptive capacity, territorial resilience, and long-term structural transformation. Although tourism is frequently promoted as a potential pathway for regional diversification, its contribution should not be assumed to be direct, homogeneous, or automatic. This study examines the association between tourism performance, regional budgetary-institutional capacity, dominant economic structure, and productive diversification across Chilean regions during the period 2015–2025. Using an exploratory regional panel data approach, productive diversification is measured through a normalized sectoral entropy index, while tourism performance and regional budgetary-institutional capacity are approximated through proxy-based indicators constructed from publicly available official data. The empirical strategy applies a two-way fixed-effects model with region and year effects and heteroskedasticity-consistent HC3 robust standard errors. The results show that dominant economic structure is negatively and statistically significantly associated with productive diversification, indicating that a higher concentration of regional output in a dominant activity constrains diversification processes. By contrast, tourism performance, regional budgetary-institutional capacity, and their interaction do not show statistically robust associations once regional and temporal heterogeneity are controlled for. These findings challenge the view of tourism as an autonomous driver of structural transformation and suggest that tourism promotion alone may be insufficient to alter deeply rooted patterns of productive concentration. The study contributes to the literature on sustainable regional development by shifting the discussion from tourism-led growth toward the structural and institutional conditions under which tourism may—or may not—support productive diversification in resource-dependent economies. Full article

Sustainable rural tourism governance in the Global South faces a persistent challenge: enabling genuine community participation in destination management while protecting environmental assets and cultural heritage. This study examines participatory governance practices at Kampung Senyum Homestay, Cibeusi Village, West Java, Indonesia, a community-based tourism (CBT) initiative that has sustained operations for over eight years, despite a 60% failure rate among comparable initiatives. A qualitative case study design was employed, with data collected over six months (November 2022–May 2023) through participant observation (12 days), in-depth interviews with 14 stakeholders, and document analysis. Data were analyzed using Miles et al.’s interactive model and critical discourse analysis. Findings reveal three interrelated participation layers shaping tourism governance outcomes: interpersonal engagement fostering horizontal host–guest relationships (89% of tourists report kinship-based experiences); deliberative governance through musyawarah desa enabling community-led environmental stewardship, including the collective rejection of a proposal to bring 100 tourists monthly to protect waterfall ecosystems; and digital storytelling by youth extending local heritage narratives globally (150 posts, 7.2% engagement rate). The study proposes a ‘layered participation’ model demonstrating that tourism sustainability depends on participatory governance mechanisms that build social trust, integrate traditional ecological knowledge, and balance economic development with environmental conservation and cultural heritage management. The study also critically examines structural inequalities, including gender asymmetries, unequal benefit distribution, and linguistic barriers, that persist within participatory governance structures, offering a contextually grounded governance framework for rural tourism destinations in the Global South. Full article

La Paz Bay is one of the most important destinations for recreational fishing events in Baja California Sur, Mexico, with significant tourist activity that supports ecosystem services and provides economic benefits to participants, benefits that have not yet been economically measured. The aim of this study was to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) of anglers who participated in sport-fishing events and to propose tourism promotion and recreational fisheries management strategies. Applying 184 face-to-face surveys at sport fishing events in LPB held in 2022 and 2023 to collect information regarding fishers’ and fishing trips characteristics, and using the individual travel cost method to estimate the individual WTP per angler, which ranges from USD 50.96 to 625.63, and the recreational economic value of fishing events in La Paz was estimated at USD 0.89 to 1.11 million. Strategies for conserving species reserved for sport fishing and promoting tourism are discussed, which could help improve tournament activity and promote the rational use of natural resources. This study represents the first effort aiming to value sport fishing events in Mexico. Also, demonstrates the economic relevance of sport fishing events for recreational fisheries management and tourism-promoting policies in LPB. It provides evidence that conserving sport-fishing species could enhance management strategies and sustainable tourism promotion policies for this recreational activity. Full article

Tourism destinations operate as multi-actor governance environments in which stakeholders interpret sustainability initiatives differently, reflecting their distinct institutional roles. This study applies a diagnostic system dynamics perspective to examine perception asymmetries among governance actors, tourism and hospitality professionals, and local community members across Greek tourism destinations. Drawing on survey data from 466 respondents, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) comparisons across four perception domains reveal a consistent pattern: stakeholder evaluations differ significantly for HR sustainability practices (F = 114.60, p < 0.001) and organisational support conditions (F = 21.29, p < 0.001), while remaining broadly aligned in assessments of overall sustainability outcomes (F = 0.15, p = 0.861). Interpreted through causal loop reasoning, this is consistent with divergence at the implementation level alongside shared strategic orientations. This combination may be interpreted as indicative of feedback asymmetry together with alignment in outcomes, and carries implications for coordination and institutional trust. The study positions stakeholder perception analysis within the problem-structuring stage of the system dynamics modelling cycle, showing how observed perception patterns may be used to identify areas warranting subsequent system dynamics modelling. In this way, it advances a diagnostic framework applicable to multi-actor governance contexts beyond tourism. Full article

Virtual heritage tourism has become an important way for Generation Z to connect with intangible cultural heritage (ICH). However, current tourism research has predominantly emphasized technology acceptance, with little discussion of how digital experience can be transformed into a deep cultural identity and drive the internal mechanisms of cultural sustainability. This study explores how the emotional–cognitive path of digital tourism experience promotes cultural sustainability, with a special focus on the digital experience space of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Twenty-eight Generation Z travelers were interviewed at the TCM Culture Exhibition Hall, and their narratives were analyzed using a three-stage grounded theory approach in NVivo 15. An emotional–cognitive path model was constructed, including five stages: emotional arousal, emotional immersion, emotional connection, emotional sedimentation, and emotional assessment. Research has found that digital tourism experiences gradually internalize from sensory contact to cultural identity through emotional–cognitive pathways, thereby promoting cultural sustainability and inheritance intentions. This study reveals the mechanism of the emotional evolution in digital heritage tourism, providing a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the sustainable inheritance of ICH. Full article

Linear tourism corridors can stimulate regional economic revitalization, but they may also intensify land conversion, fragment habitats, and challenge the long-term sustainability of ecologically sensitive landscapes. Resolving this tension requires a transition from qualitative zoning to data-driven, threshold-informed spatial governance. This study develops a continuous analytical pipeline to support land-use governance along China National Highway 331 (G331). We integrated principal component analysis (PCA) with a Bayesian-optimized eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model, validated through Spatial Block Cross-Validation to reduce spatial data leakage and provide a more conservative assessment of geographic transferability. Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) was used to interpret localized non-linear associations, threshold patterns, and spatially heterogeneous model responses. Empirical results indicate that anthropogenic socioeconomic intensity is the dominant predictive driver associated with spatial variation in ecological quality. The SHAP analysis identified model-derived threshold patterns, including an approximate population-density threshold around 4000 people per square kilometer and a corridor-distance response around 50 km from the G331 highway. To translate these model-derived explanatory insights into spatial governance scenarios, the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) was used to approximate the Pareto trade-off frontier between ecological integrity and socioeconomic expansion. This multi-objective optimization delineated three spatial governance scenarios and identified a Pareto-elbow configuration that supports compatible-use management. This closed-loop framework provides a transferable analytical approach for sustainability-oriented corridor governance by identifying where development may be concentrated, where ecological buffers should be strengthened, and where strict conservation should be prioritized. Full article

As a city rich in historical and cultural heritage, Guangzhou has made substantial efforts to protect and revitalise its historic districts. This study examines Yongqing Fang, a well-known commercialised historic district in Guangzhou, to understand how tourism-driven development reshapes everyday life and the interactions among its diverse users. Using comparative analysis, interviews, and NVivo 12 coding, the research explores how longstanding residents and newer occupants adjust to the rapidly evolving environment. The findings reveal that urban renewal and commercialisation have undermined local culture and social networks, altering how spaces are used. While lifestyle differences are evident among different user groups, the study also highlights instances of alienation and conflict, as well as moments of positive interaction and mutual support. The research emphasises the importance of inclusive strategies in heritage renewal and raises the question, drawing attention to the challenges faced by marginalised users in commercialised historic districts. It offers recommendations for policymakers, urban planners, and other stakeholders to balance heritage preservation with the social and economic needs of communities, fostering sustainable integration of tourism and local life in historic districts. Full article