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Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) is a lucrative tourism segment, offering higher per capita spending and larger returns on investment than other tourism types. However, what makes a successful MICE destination from a multi-stakeholder perspective is overlooked in the literature. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to explore the features of ideal MICE destinations based on the perspectives of different stakeholders in the MICE market, including supply (e.g., C.V.B.s, lodging) and demand (e.g., Travel agencies, incentive houses). In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 experts. The results of the thematic analysis revealed seven overarching themes, which are classified under the characteristics of a MICE destination were grouped under internal (infrastructure, superstructure, service quality) and external (cultural, natural, economic, and political) factors. To confirm the validity and reliability of the findings, the results of semi-structured interviews were further evaluated by conducting focus groups with seven MICE experts. This study extends current literature by identifying destination selection factors with a more holistic approach, which reflects the perspectives of different stakeholders. The findings also provide a foundation for developing marketing strategies and allocating resources to better position the destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how perceived crowding stimulates tourists' emotional reactions and affects their experience quality as well as satisfaction. Based on Stimulus-Organism-Response theory, it examined and verified relationship between perceived crowding and tourist satisfaction with mixed-methods approach. The qualitative study was conducted to establish research model, and multigroup analysis was conducted with data collected from hot springs and coastal destinations. The results indicated that human crowding is no longer a positive signal in both sites. Experience quality mediates relationship between emotional reactions aroused by perceived crowding and tourist satisfaction. The findings deepen understanding of crowding and provide effective management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aims to develop an index for measuring destination image perceptions based on data collected from three prime tourism destinations (destination A = 212, destination B = 194 and destination C = 176 responses) in India in the new normal. There are three studies based on self-reported measures conducted. While the first two studies collected perceptual responses from destinations A and B and were used to validate the factor structure of the destination image, the third study-based responses were used to assess the criterion validity of the destination image index. Our instrument shows that destination image is a second-order index composed of hygiene and vaccination, socio-political environment, natural environment, attractions, and value for money. Implications for managers and practitioners were also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current geologic era—the Anthropocene—is defined by human-driven transformation of landscapes and seascapes that has profoundly altered Earth's climate and other life-support systems. This letter advocates for a landscape-scale regenerative tourism management strategy aimed at transforming coastal destinations into carbon sinks (meaning they sequester more carbon than they release). Specifically, coastal destinations can transform product offerings into a network of restoration projects that collectively seek the landscape-scale restoration of blue carbon ecosystems such as marshes, mangroves, and seagrass meadows. Restoration of blue-carbon ecosystems is a cost-effective way to mitigate the effects of climate change. Tourism has potential to overcome obstacles in large-scale restoration of blue carbon ecosystems and can play a foundational role by providing a long-term presence at restoration sites, logistical and human resources, and a business model dependent on restored ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While sustainability is widely recognized as necessary for managing heritage sites, balancing preservation demands with tourism development pressures presents significant challenges. A critical gap in the existing research relates to understanding the recurring issues that undermine the long-term sustainability of prominent archaeological destinations in Egypt and visitor well-being. Specifically, more research is needed to identify the specific sustainability and visitor experience problems that persist across Egypt's major archaeological sites despite ongoing management efforts. Addressing this knowledge gap could help inform strategies for these destinations to balance conservation priorities with tourism in a more sustainable manner that enhances visitors' cultural exploration. This study contributes a novel multisite content analysis of over 4423 online reviews from TripAdvisor pertaining to three of Egypt's premier archaeological destinations—Giza Pyramids, Al Mu'izz Street, and Saqqara. Using established text mining methodologies and algorithms within Voyant Tools, critical challenges were identified through word frequency, concept network, and trend analyses. Recurring issues documented included uncontrolled commercialization undermining the ambiance of historic locales, environmental degradation from inadequate waste management and tourism overflows, and overcrowding compromising visitor comfort, health and safety. Deficiencies in signage, transportation, and other tourist services were also prominent themes. The holistic evaluation of cross-cutting concerns faced at the diverse yet interrelated sites advanced the theoretical knowledge on cooperative governance models and competencies necessary for integrative heritage management. The recommendations center on collaborative stakeholder partnerships to reform commercial practices through licensing and enforcement, upgrading aging infrastructure to support sustainable tourism volumes, and implementing zoning and carrying capacity policies tailored to local community contexts. The proposed solutions aim to safeguard Egypt's irreplaceable cultural treasures by addressing recurrent problems that undermine environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability if left unresolved, positioning its archaeological wonders for appreciation and study by present and future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To make Bosnia and Herzegovina a desirable destination even more attractive for tourists, it is necessary to take concrete actions that primarily include destination management and such organizations. In all of this, information and communication technology plays a special role. This paper deals precisely with the association between information and communication technology and destination management organizations, and which obstacles can be. Such a conceptual model, such as this research model, has not yet been used. When trying to understand the obstacles of destination management organizations to use information and communication technology, this research can become interesting for destination management organizations and their managers. And not just for them, but for other stakeholders, for example, marketing and sales partners, experts involved, politics, services providers, etc. The sample of this study was 200 randomly selected staff of travel boards in Bosnia and Herzegovina over 3 months. Given that in this research the focus is only on tourist boards as representatives of such organizations, this may be a limitation, but also a recommendation to include other destination management organizations in future research. Both of the hypotheses in this research have been confirmed, H1 - there are differences in multimedia and attitudes towards information and communication technology that affect external destination marketing and internal development role in destination management organization, and H2- There is a correlation between the state and obstacles of information and communication technology and destination management organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity to create various scenarios for returning to the path of tourism development. The search for suitable and effective solutions was at the heart of the Tourism Friendly Cities project, in which eight European cities participated. The aim is to define the challenges and tools related to the sustainability of urban tourism. The empirical research was based on the opinions of experts from eight cities involved, and concerned four thematic areas: the quality of life and tourism in the city before and during/after COVID-19, tourism dysfunctions, the sources of conflicts between local stakeholders, and the tools for the sustainable reconstruction of tourism. The results confirmed the existence of a wide range of declared tools for the development of sustainable tourism after the pandemic. The conducted research indicates key areas of conflict in the field of tourism activity. The authors also come to the conclusion that tools for regulating tourist traffic should not be universal, but should meet the individual needs of the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sustainable tourism planning is recommended for destination governance to ensure long-term development that balances the impacts of tourism on a community, especially in overtourism contexts. This study examines a sustainable tourism planning process focusing specifically on stakeholder involvement and the use of co-created evidence. A multi-stakeholder involvement management framework (MSIM) for sustainable tourism was applied to examine its fit to a rigorous case study. The study enhances the MSIM framework, featuring three stages from scene-setting, management of stakeholder involvement, to assessment. The new framework details objectives and tools for each step, and influential factors in managing stakeholders’ involvement. A significant enhancement is the extensive incorporation of evidence into the framework for different purposes (eg developing management policies, plan objectives and implementation tactics, evaluating stakeholders’ involvement). Multiple stakeholders participated in producing and using a variety of evidence throughout the planning process to provide a foundation for planning. This study is one of the first in sustainable tourism to examine evidence as a component of a broad framework to manage stakeholder involvement. It shows the usefulness, position, and dynamic of evidence in destination management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to conceptualise the organisational framing of tourism management in touristified cities, focusing on the assessment of participatory processes of tourism planning. A grounded theory approach is used to analyse and discuss the role of the newly created consultive Tourism Council of Barcelona. An analysis of in-depth interviews undertaken with representatives of local stakeholders led to Common Pool Resources and policy cycle theories as conceptual framework to support a precise characterisation of tourism-related conflicts in Barcelona. The results reveal difficulties to obtain consensual strategic views for tourism development, although working groups contribute to cooperation between stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change processes always go through various stages. Regarding political change projects, there are specific continuative aspects that influence the decision-making behaviour of local politicians. This also applies to specific decisions relating to issues of inter-municipal cooperation. The intended gain in knowledge of this article is to determine how council representatives decide towards inter-municipal destination management organizations as a form of inter-municipal cooperation, to what extent experiences already exist in this field, how open they are towards them, and which possible influencing factors have an impact on this decision behaviour. Mixed-methods research is the chosen research strategy for this study. Semi-structured focus group interviews are followed by constructing the initial research model, and a written survey of council representatives was conducted. Based on this the present study finds that the openness of local politicians on inter-municipal cooperation, using the example of destination management organisations, is significantly dependent on location issues, legal form, and information about weighing up the advantages and disadvantages. Finally, also the origin of a specific destination management initiative, meaning internal or external to the respective local parliamentary group, was found as significant independent variable for political decisions about intermunicipal destination management organizations. As last step of this study and building on these findings and relevant theoretical framework models, a six-phase change management model was constructed as support for the decisionmaking behaviour of local politicians regarding inter-municipal projects. This model includes the phases of initiation (1), persuasion (2), political decision-making (3), implementation (4), evaluation (5), and resolution amendment (6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the announcement of the Icelandic Pledge in June 2017, destinations are increasingly turning to national destination pledges as a possible tool to address negative impacts caused by visitors. This article uses qualitative interviews with 17 stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of the full sample of national destination pledges at the time of the research (namely the Icelandic Pledge, the Palau Pledge, the New Zealand Tiaki Promise and the Sustainable Finland Pledge) as an empirical basis. It explores the catalysts for the development of national destination pledges including undesirable visitor behaviour, increasing visitor numbers and a desire to protect the destination and its people. It then demonstrates how national destination pledges are social marketing initiatives, which employ commercial marketing techniques to positively influence visitor behaviour. By analysing the social marketing strategies used by national destination pledges and linking these strategies to behaviour change literature, this paper demonstrates that pledges' use of peer pressure, emotional engagement of visitors, and positive, targeted messaging are all characteristics that hold potential to influence visitor behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study uses the methodological tools of network theory to investigate the spatial movements of tourists in the sample area, which is the South Transdanubian tourism region of Hungary. The basic idea of the study is that tourist movements across settlements in a larger tourist destination make a coherent network. As long as the approach is correct, this network can be measured by properties that are characteristic of networks, such as centrality or degree. A review of the methodology of similar studies previously published on the subject has been used to supplement the method of analysis used below. As a result, the study not only characterised the sample area municipalities in terms of network characteristics, but also classified them into clusters for strategic planning purposes on the basis of the mobility propensity of the tourists staying there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding and being able to measure, analyze, compare, and contrast the image of a tourism destination, also known as tourism destination image (TDI), is critical in tourism management and destination marketing. Although various methodologies have been developed, a consistent, reliable, and scalable method for measuring TDI is still unavailable. This study aims to address the challenge by proposing a framework for a holistic measure of TDI in four dimensions, including popularity, sentiment, time, and location. A structural model for TDI measurement that covers various aspects of a tourism destination is developed. TDI is then measured by a comprehensive computational framework that can analyze complex textual and visual data on a large scale. A case study using more than 30,000 images, and 10,000 comments in relation to three tourism destinations in Australia demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global tourism industry has shifted due to COVID-19, with tourismdependent islands facing a dire need to realign and reconstruct their tourism offerings to remain competitive. The traditional mass tourism model that has dominated island development has to be re-examined in this new tourism environment with new mindsets regarding the current conditions for destination success. This paper aims to promote an understanding of destination success in an island context and to identify which determinants are critical during this period to achieve optimal destination success. The findings from this study suggest that island destinations are at a critical turning point, and key strategic shifts are necessary to enable future destination success as defined by the Destination Management Organisations. There is a need to shift from management to stewardship, from product to experience, from quantity to quality, and from stakeholder presence to engagement. Core to these strategic shifts is an incorporation of locals as central to the quality of the overall experience, with less reliance on the natural resources (sun, sea, and sand) to which these island destinations have been beholden to for decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is substantially reshaping the tourism and hospitality industries but studies on the changes in travel behaviour in response to the pandemic are limited. Using tourism big data, this research applies network science analytics to determine behavioural changes in travel mobility of domestic travellers who visited Jeju Island, Korea, from June 2019 to December 2020. The findings reveal significant reductions in the number of trips to a destination but also limited spatial connectivity and diversity in travel flow during the pandemic. A higher intensity of travel mobility to outdoor and coastal areas and shorter travel distances are evident during COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of tourism in U.S. national parks yields increasing demands for service and conservation programs that are consistent with a broad view of sustainability management. As such, there is a critical need for research regarding holistic perspectives on planning and monitoring sustainable development. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a nonprofit, independent organization that develops and manages global baseline standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria. The GSTC Destination Criteria have yet to be widely applied to parks and protected areas (PPAs), yet these criteria may offer a useful guiding framework for sustainable tourism development in PPAs. Given the proliferation of visitation in some park areas, and that parks are operated as destinations, we sought to explore the applicability of the GSTC Destination Criteria to parks. Specifically, this study explores the utility of the GSTC Destination Criteria as a tool for assisting managers at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) in developing and improving a destination-level sustainability plan. In August 2018, we conducted a sustainability evaluation using the GSTC Destination Criteria. Specific areas of success and improvement were identified and park managers are using this information to improve the park's strategic plan. We also discovered benefits of utilizing this framework, as well as barriers to its full implementation. For example, as a benefit, the GSTC Destination Criteria can be applied to evaluate sustainability performance without requiring managers or agencies to expend valuable resources in developing their own framework. And, by evaluating the sustainability performance using the GSTC Destination Criteria, park planners and managers were able to identify and prioritize future sustainability initiatives. Barriers or challenges included language disparities between National Parks and destination indicators, suggesting universal language and meanings for more applicability. We also noted a need for indicators to be compatible with U.S. national park policies and functions. Yet, these challenges were not necessarily insurmountable and we conclude there are more benefits than challenges for Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Our results of this evaluation are reviewed and critiqued within our broader assessment of the utility of the GSTC Destination Criteria in national park planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, following the initial stage of the grounded theory development process, investigates how the COVID-19 influences the tourism practice and management in La Cerdanya, Spain. Empirical data were obtained from a field trip in October 2020 and were inductively analysed to provide pertinent insights. The results show that the current destination planning and management should focus on the local tourism market and destination image rather than seeking for one-size-fits-all solutions, and the existing challenges should be addressed by meeting future tourism trends and strengthening collaborations. Based on the high volume of the political and social-cultural complexities revealed in this study, the implications for ensuing research and practices are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study provides a deeper understanding of how tourist satisfaction is shaped in a developing economy, specifically how measures of destination quality impact visitors' satisfaction. A total of 236 valid surveys were utilized. The findings suggest that pricing, community characteristics and safety have both a direct and indirect impact on satisfaction, mediated by destination expectations. Destination accessibility is fully mediated by expectations, given that no direct relationship exists between accessibility and satisfaction. This study contributes to the tourist satisfaction theory by revisiting the role of expectations. For practical implications, the findings allude to the importance of monitoring and managing tourist expectations to become competitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with destination management and its use in attracting visitors. Its main goal is to identify the factors influencing the visitor when choosing a destination. For the purpose of the paper, the destination represents a significant factor in customers' preferences when purchasing a tourism product. The aim is to be fulfilled by the primary research. Methods of excerpting, synthesis, induction, analysis, comparison and questioning were used. As a result, customer's preferences riven according to segmentation were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Destination managers frequently describe strategies, plans, or projects in destinations as part of an overall commitment to sustainable development or sustainability in the destination. The meaning of the term sustainability, however, is highly contested in both academia and practice, and it is not at all clear what destination managers mean when they claim to act in the interests of sustainable tourism. This paper assesses the concept of sustainability and its operationalisation by destination managers at the regional destination level. Our international, comparative study examines two destination regions that emphasise nature-based tourism, the Tyrolean Oberland, Austria, and the South Island of New Zealand. Twenty-two high-ranking destination managers representing 20 destinations were interviewed. We demonstrate how colloquial, academic, and applied interpretations of sustainability are tangled and intertwined in day-to-day destination management. The types of destination management interventions that are described as sustainable and the extent to which the economic component of sustainability is prioritised vary strongly across destinations and destination regions. The study results demonstrate that in order to achieve sustainability in destinations, stakeholders need to develop a shared understanding of what constitutes sustainable destination development, and how it can be meaningfully operationalised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incidences of negative host-guest interactions have been frequently reported through news and social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of this, the present study examines the exposure of negative information about residents on potential tourists' evaluations of destination images. The findings show that tourists may offset negativity about residents through the concept of compensatory efforts by providing more favorable judgements to other elements of the destination (e.g. culture and environment). This study contributes by highlighting the dynamics of compensatory efforts and impression management on destination images, which are relevant for promoting destinations when travel and tourism recover from COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To stay within the safe boundaries of global warming, the world now has 30 years to decarbonize its economy. This represents a very significant challenge for tourism as a growth system. Much attention has been paid to different tourism subsectors such as aviation, accommodation, and activities to reduce emissions, mostly on the basis of (future) technology. However, the Paris Agreement demands immediate action and significant year-on-year progress on a zero-carbon trajectory. This article discusses destination management under the new low-carbon imperative. It analyses challenges, including economic viability and resilience, that have also gained importance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and explores opportunities for better profitability on the basis of a leakage/spending value dichotomy proposition. The final section highlights the foremost role that destination managers must play in building prosperous and resilient low-carbon tourism destination systems and discusses the key insights for destination managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, one of the management destinations formulas considered as the most adequate to guarantee the sustainable and competitive development of tourism are public-private DMO. However, tourism management through public-private DMO is not a widespread issue, even in all the most visited cities in the world. This type of entities must be characterized by a lower dependence on the public sector at an organizational, budgetary and decision-making level, being considered as an alternative to solve the financing problem faced by destination management. Therefore, it is interesting to know how the DMO of the most visited cities in the world are financed, thus assessing their suitability according to what is established by the scientific literature. As well as trying to understand the reason of their behavior, studying whether they have assumed the advantages and disadvantages of different sources of funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media users are increasingly harming destination brands through their posts. This article examines how to counter brand co-destruction in social media through the application of storytelling practices. Based on a netnography of TripAdvisor and Facebook, combined with a case study of the Danish destination management organization (DMO) VisitDenmark, the article investigates the prospective ways in which social media users co-destroy the DMO's brand. We demonstrate how value creation is a fluid process generated along a "brand value continuum," as complex interplays between co-creation and co-destruction manifest through user-generated content. The article provides recommendations on how DMOs can counter co-destruction by using storytelling to influence perceptions and set agendas for user conversations that stimulate brand co-creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A smart travel brand today is not only an advertising marketing channel but also requires businesses to adapt and focus on brand value. Branding plays a role in shaping customer search behavior which means an effectively personalized brand helps travel businesses find potential customers and develop specific services to maintain business advantages. This article contributes some ideas about building a tourism brand today that is personalized through story and awareness in the context of digital competition, where customers play a central role both of providers of recommendations and consumers of the recommended story. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Futures analyses and scenario-building exercises have received scant attention from scientific literature on the planning and management of tourist destinations. This article emphasizes the importance of a territorial foresight strategy and scenario building in the planning and management of tourist destinations, demonstrating how it is methodologically possible to combine the Delphi technique with a scenario-building exercise. The findings suggest that the knowledge provided by stakeholders operating within the tourism system can benefit the planning and management of tourist destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Destination management organizations are implementing their activities for the benefit and interest of the destination stakeholders. Those activities are influencing the creation of the better destination conditions needed for satisfying the needs and wants of tourists as final consumers. On the other hand, one of the key activities, that is the basis for satisfying tourist needs, is a destination sales technique - the bidding process. The research subject here focuses on the theoretical identification and understanding of the bidding process, various phases and characteristics, and the relevant results that have significant practical application show that in situations where convention bureau, as a destination management organization, leads the bidding process, success rate is on a much higher level in 80% of research cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to analyse, on the basis of information gathered from 3,048 questionnaires, the factors which determine the daily expenditure in the destination of tourists in 14 emerging urban-cultural destinations in Andalusia (Spain), using an OLS regression model. The results confirm that tourist expenditure is explained by a set of factors related to the socio-economic profile of the tourist, the characteristics of the trip, the activities of the tourist in the destination and the degree of satisfaction with the destination. Knowledge of these aspects allows tourism policy to be oriented towards maximizing the revenue generated by the tourist in the urban-cultural destinations analysed, which are in the first stages of their life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business tourism is one of the most profitable segments in the industry. Its attractiveness is due to three to five times higher revenues. This is due to the following factors: It is practiced by solvent people (businessmen, politicians, cultural figures, diplomats, researchers, etc.). They usually have higher requirements for the conditions and quality of the services offered, based on their lifestyle and belonging to the wealthier sections of the society. Business tourism is profitable given the fact that as a result of the meetings held in the country business contacts are established, foreign investments are attracted, variety of sectors of the economy are developed as a result of the agreements reached. The aim of the article is to show the development of the city of Katowice and its place on the map of Poland as a tourist destination for business and congress tourism, as well as the vision of the city's competitiveness: innovation, improving the quality of service; improving the organizational structure of the destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many global tourist destinations have experienced growth in arrivals. This has triggered various conflicts in destinations and sparked debates as to how to deal with what is increasingly referred to as 'overtourism'. Most Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) pursue strategies to stimulate arrivals even further. Pro-growth discourses are reinforced by lead bodies such as the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). However, maximisation strategies based on higher numbers of tourists increasingly cause conflicts with local residents, whereas simultaneously undermining climate change mitigation pledges as negotiated in the Paris Agreement. New approaches to destination management based on optimisation are therefore warranted. Drawing on a survey of international tourists (n = 5,249) in south-western Norway, this article discusses whether 'activities', i.e. the development of local, small-scale and ideally more sustainable experiences, can contribute to economic growth without necessarily increasing numbers of arrivals. Results confirm that destinations should seek to better understand their markets, including length of stay, spending, and/or activity intention, to identify profitable markets. Ultimately, such knowledge may help addressing overtourism conflicts while building tourism systems that are more economically, socially, and environmentally resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify residents' heterogeneity beyond a perception lens, this research seeks to cluster urban and rural residents based on their emotions, commitment and behavioral intentions toward tourism performing arts (TPA) development. A survey comprising 438 urban and 435 rural respondents was collected in Hangzhou and Yangshuo, China. A two-step cluster analysis revealed that residents' length of residence and birthplace were the most significant model predicators. Different cluster profiles labeled as "enthusiasts", "committed supporters", "appraisers" and "critics" were identified. Findings provide targeted strategies to cultivate resident commitment and reduce hostility toward TPA development in different types of communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endurance athletes need social and emotional support from family and friends, who act as spectators at the event in which they participate. Although spectators fulfill a supportive role, does their loyalty lie with the event, the event destination or a combination of both? The case study was the Ironman Triathlon hosted in South African cities. Questionnaires were distributed to spectators on the race days, and 748 completed questionnaires were obtained. Three factor analyses were performed on the spectators' travel motives, perception of destination attributes and perception of sport event attributes. Linear regression analyses were performed with event loyalty as the dependent variable, whereas the remaining motives, dimensions and attributes were the independent variables. The results revealed that a combination of factors was statistically significant and that a different set of determinants were observed for the two events. The results revealed that sport event organizers and destination management organizations should make use of both the event and the host destination attributes as drawing cards and act with local tourism and travel organizations to offer spectators a reduced fee for tourism offerings at the destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The survey includes a study of destination planning and development at a local level through micro-regionalization. The subject of this work is the study, analysis and definition of opportunities for sustainable tourism development at a local level as a model that can be multiplied to be used in other developing tourist destinations. The objective of the study is the sustainable development of tourism in the municipality of Botevgrad and its positioning as an attractive tourist destination. To achieve the research goal, a set of general and private methods corresponding to the interdisciplinary and heterogeneous nature of the study are used: methods of analysis and synthesis, cameral method, cartographic method, geographic methods of research: spatial analysis of the resource potential, localization of the surveyed sites. An approach of studies and systematization of information on literary sources and planning documents has also been used; collecting, processing, systematizing and interpreting statistical data and documents; critical analysis method and expert assessment; comparative analysis method; scientific analysis and synthesis; field observation. The main conclusions point the opportunities for destination management at a local level through micro-regionalisation as a successful model for sustainable tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale events represent an important asset for the development of tourist destinations. As local stakeholders play a major role in conceptualizing and developing small-scale events, this study sheds light upon stakeholders' perceptions toward such events. The current study was carried out through qualitative interviews based on the case of the FIS (International Ski Federation) World Junior Alpine Ski Championships 2019. The findings of this study reveal that for small-scale event success, the involvement of local stakeholders in the decision-making process is key. Furthermore, stakeholder involvement makes the decision-making processes when staging an event more effective across all organizational phases. The findings invite event managers and policy makers to involve local stakeholders in the organization processes of small-scale events. The research on small-scale events is enriched by the evidence that partial involvement of the stakeholders in the organizational processes reaches a limit in what Freeman (2010) describes as "stakeholder management capacity". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrastructural, structural and environmental issues pose great challenges for sustainable tourism. Local governments prove inadequate to reduce the environmental pressure building up in mass tourism destinations, especially in the high season. Tourist complaints play a strategic role in solving such issues. In this context, this study aimed to identify infrastructural, structural and environmental issues based on tourist complaints and to bring insight on how local governments approach these issues and why there have no elbow room for improvement at times. Tourist complaints about visual, noise, water, air, and soil pollution arising from infrastructural, structural and environmental issues and other complaints about poor use of land were collected from sikayetvar.com website, an online complaint platform. Complaint handling process and potential solutions were explored using phone interviews with local authorities. Comparative analysis showed that a new government department needs to be established for the solution of environmental issues, and highlighted the importance of environmental planning, respect to capacity limits and regular environmental assessments in the region. Recommendations were made based on findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers whether an inductive, collaborative information and communication technology-based approach to learning promotional language may help non-native English speakers produce destination material that can be effective in a real-world context. At a Japanese university, tourism communication students collected examples of professional language from the web in a shared database which they subsequently consulted in producing domestic destination websites in English. Text written by students for a destination was compared in a survey to text from an official English website for the destination. The survey measured the reaction of potential tourists in terms of trust in accuracy, expectations of service, and destination interest. Results indicate that the student material engendered stronger overall destination image, based on source credibility, interest in travel to the destination, and higher service expectations. The study considers implications of the results in terms of the effect of writing quality on destination image, and argues for the importance of cross-cultural marketing competence in tourism education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is recognized as a significant industry worldwide, a key sector and source of development and income in several countries. The article focuses on quality management in tourist destinations in the Czech Republic. The overall objective of the present study is to uncover the evaluation of destination management by tourist organisations. Hence, the importance of destination management for each organisation based on the model of excellence EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) is evaluated. Moreover, the article highlights and assesses the difference between organisations which possess a certificate of quality and those which do not. Furthermore, the findings of the research, the data for which were collected from respondents at tourism organisations in the Czech Republic, can be used for assessing the competitiveness of destinations and for recommendations for sustainable development in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sustainable rejuvenation is often indicated as a necessary evolutionary path for mature tourism destinations. However, the process through which such sustainable rejuvenation can be planned and pursued has been largely overlooked. In addition, available research about sustainable rejuvenation usually applies the triple bottom line framework while neglecting the fourth dimension of sustainability, time. The purpose of this study was to understand the motivations and perceptions of tourists regarding the sustainability of Sirmione (a tourism destination on Lake Garda, Italy) and to discuss the results with Sirmione's stakeholders and decision planners to identify priority interventions for sustainable rejuvenation. In recent times, Sirmione has undergone significant changes (related, for example, to the type of incoming tourists) and even if it is still 'successful', planners have started reflecting on the need for the town's rejuvenation. This study was approached through the two-tiered sustainability equilibria framework, which suggests a dynamic view of sustainability combining economic, environmental and social aspects with short-, long- and longer-term views. The study was based on data collected through a survey of 328 visitors to Sirmione and analysed through both descriptive statistics and contents analysis. The results of the survey served as the input for the subsequent collective learning process with local tourism operators. Through this process, Sirmione's destination planners were able to intercept weak signals about the evolution of visitor demand and competition. As a result, they developed a list of five priority interventions to implement through a strategic plan for rejuvenation while the destination is still successful. Embedded in the strategic plan were the two tiers of sustainability—economic, environmental and social, and short-, long- and longer-term perspectives. The results of this study contribute to highlighting the relevance of considering time (in addition to economic, social and environmental aspects) to explain the sustainable rejuvenation of a mature tourism destination. In addition, the study provides suggestions on the role of a destination's public and private actors to adopt a combination of initiatives to pursue sustainable rejuvenation. Highlights • Tourism destinations may be rejuvenated through sustainable development. • The fourth sustainability dimension – time – has been overlooked in relation to tourism destination. • We extend Lozano's (2012) model to the rejuvenation of 'still successful' destinations. • Planners can set effective rejuvenation plans by embedding all dimensions of sustainability. • A combination of initiatives for sustainability is needed for a destination's sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Length-of-stay (LOS) is a key parameter in destination management that determines the number of guest nights relative to arrival numbers, with concomitant repercussions for revenue generation and other performance indicators. This article investigates the development of LOS for 32 destinations in developed and emerging economies as well as Small Islands and Developing States (SIDS). The analysis is based on UNWTO data for 478.5 million international tourist arrivals, or about 40% of the global total in 2015, for the years 1995-2015. Results show considerable differences in LOS between destinations, with a global trend of falling LOS, by 14.8% over the study period. However, in individual destination countries, LOS was found to be increasing. Analyses of LOS trends reveal that these can neither be explained by distance-decay relationships nor business to leisure arrival ratios. Results are discussed with regard for destination management and revenue optimisation, transport infrastructure needs, as well as sector greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the efficiency of federal government funding for destination competitiveness and the relationship among destination competitiveness enhancement and local development. Destination competitiveness models provide the theoretical background. The research is exploratory and descriptive. We mapped the investments from Brazilian Ministry of Tourism in 65 destinations. Destination Competitiveness was measured with information from the Brazilian Competitiveness Model. Data were analyzed with data envelopment analysis and multiple regression analysis. Study findings demonstrate that competitiveness enhancement does not depend on the amount of funding, but on its strategic application according to destination development stage. Besides, competitiveness dimensions Marketing, Monitoring, and Cooperation are major drivers for local development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slow travel (ST), which emphasizes deeper experiences via slower transportation modes, has been promoted as an alternative to current practice and a more sustainable form of tourism. With lower GHG emissions being a national environmental goal in Taiwan, ST concepts have been garnering attention. The relationship between the environments of destinations and pro-environmental behavior of tourists has attracted relatively little academic attention. To remedy this, the current research establishes a fairly complete model for incorporating factors at the contextual level into the individual determinants useful in encouraging ST. The goal of this research is to understand how certain predictors directly and interactively influence the choices of tourists toward ST. This study collected 508 validly filled surveys addressing 13 industrial tourist destinations, and applied Hierarchical Linear and Nonlinear Modeling (HLM) analyses. In addition to the individual-level factors, including perceived benefits of tourism experiences and ages of tourists, the design of onsite tourism programs at the contextual level was one of the most influential drivers to encourage visitors' ST intentions. Included in this research are the insights into how to promote ST and corresponding suggestions for tourism operations within the context of sustainable tourism and destination management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study develops a theoretical model of the effect of memorable tourism experiences (MTEs) on behavioral intentions by examining the structural relationships between destination image (DI), tourist satisfaction, revisit intention, and word-of-mouth (WOM) publicity. The results show that MTEs influence future behavioral intentions both directly and indirectly through DI and tourist satisfaction. Moreover, MTEs are found to be the most influential determinant of behavioral intentions. Thus, the results challenge those practitioners and researchers who perceive visitor satisfaction to be the most important indicator of destination performance. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed based on the study results, and directions for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issues concerning destination governance continue to engender much interest and debate in the development of more sustainable forms of tourism. This study explores the implications of a New Public Management approach to tourist destination governance in the historic City of York. Using secondary data, as well as drawing on interviews with a range of destination stakeholders, this study seeks to understand how market ideology is, via the notion of New Public Management, transforming tourism governance in the city. Rather than leading to greater levels of stakeholder engagement, the study demonstrates how the outsourcing of destination management functions to a private sector organisation has had the opposite effect, including a weakening of accountability and the widening of a democratic deficit. The paper provides a unique insight into how public policy discourses manifest themselves at the local level, with implications for tourist destination governance. A critique of New Public Management is offered which extends our understanding of tourism governance structures and stakeholder engagement, with implications for sustainable tourism development discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, the role of tourism has been recognized as an instrument of endogenous development and, therefore, so has its potential to generate wealth and employment, provided the right circumstances are in place. One of the essential circumstances is governance, that is, coordination, collaboration and/or cooperation between the different players involved in the tourism development process, in a way that ensures the multiplier effect of tourism on the local economy. One of the great challenges facing policymakers and destination managers is the measurement of the progress achieved in tourism destinations in the field of governance and the adoption of the measures required to encourage the implementation of good governance in those destinations. This paper presents a system of indicators which can be adapted to the characteristics of any tourism destination and which allows the implementation of governance to be measured. This system has been generated from a questionnaire given to a group of governance experts and its application will be very useful in order to improve the management of tourism destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many islands promote their destinations by including islets that surround them. Conscious of the competitive tourism market, the move is based on the need for tourism diversification. Islets are endowed with unique flora and fauna, and when included in the tourism package, islets receive considerable prominence in the gaze of tourists looking for authentic experiences. Mauritius Island has not lagged behind in adopting this trend. Studies show that islets surrounding Mauritius are major tourism assets, but these seem to have received insufficient attention in tourism studies. The current study uses Jordan's core-periphery model to investigate Ilot Bernaches, one of the popular islets of Mauritius. The uniqueness of this study is two-fold: first, it seeks to investigate implications of tourism development at Ilot Bernaches, and second, it makes a case for setting up an islet management authority. The research design is based on a mixed methodology. The major findings reveal that Ilot Bernaches has potential to diversify the existing tourism product and adds value to the Mauritian tourism product. The study discusses destination management implications, makes recommendations regarding tourism development at Ilot Bernaches, and sets the groundwork for further studies of islets in tourism. It is recommended that an islet management authority be established to help cope with core-periphery tensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Turkey, destinations are managed under a single national roof. Stakeholders, who play an active role in the development of destinations considerations about this issue will help develop destination management strategies. In this study, it was aimed to examine in depth the opinions of the tourism sector stakeholders in Erzurum province regarding the destination management organization and to make suggestions about how to follow the strategy. The stakeholders were divided into public sector and private sector, and tried to find points where the similarities or similarities were not observed. A standardized open-ended interview technique, which is a qualitative method in the research, was adopted and a total of 45 face-to-face interviews were conducted. A number of managerial advices were made by getting out of the answers obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of climate change on tourist mobility in mountain areas, distinguishing between infrastructure, transport operation and travel demand. We examine change in tourist travel demand by proposing a two-step approach to forecast its future development. A multi-origin, multi-destination model for tourism demand quantifies the variation in overnight stays within a given region, and a linear, deterministic model determines the traffic-related implications. The method, tested on the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol (Italy), exhibits expected variations in winter and summer travel demand up to 2080 under different scenarios. Results reveal that average summer traffic can be more than twice as intense as average winter traffic, contributing to significantly increasing the peak days of congestion along the Provincial road network. Despite this evidence, all stakeholders seem to be at an early stage in incorporating this information into their strategic planning. The need for adequate transport policies and measures is considered essential to obtain the optimal balance of transport modes that will be required in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different approaches to the analysis of tourism destinations as the basic units of research in tourism, are reviewed in this paper. Traditional geographical and economic perspectives are presented as the bases for more modern system and networking approaches. Network analysis is discussed as the most useful current approach to understand cooperation and coopetition processes taking place in destinations. This approach, developed in general management theory, however, if implicated directly in tourism, is not free from major problems and may lead to misleading conclusions. Among such problems, spatial embeddedness and the non-voluntary character of membership in a network, the crucial role of free goods in product creation, the predominance of SMEs in a destination network, differences between particular destinations and the difficulty in setting clear borders between networks, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]