Search

Underground Built Heritage (UBH) is a unique cultural and tourist resource, often with diverse values for tourists and the local community. The research on UBH requires an interdisciplinary approach, various techniques, and methodologies, with current literature mainly focusing on sustainability and conservation issues of these sites, their classification and definitions. This paper tends to fill in the research gap in this field, which is based on the fact that tourism and marketing issues in research of UBH are quite rare and often neglected, although such aspects are very important for heritage valorization. Thus, the principal aim of the paper is to explore how heritage image, perceived authenticity, and perceived value affect motivation to visit UHS (Underground Heritage Sites) and domestic visitors' loyalty. To explore this aim, the survey was conducted in five countries (Serbia, Poland, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Albania,) on five underground heritage sites. The study sample included 504 domestic visitors (residents of the country where the research was conducted) of underground heritage sites—Petrovaradian Fortress Military Galleries (Serbia), the Srebrna Góra Fortress (Poland), Roman City (Bulgaria), Göreme (Turkey), and BUNK'ART (Albania). The results show a significant positive influence of perceived authenticity on perceived value, heritage image, motivation to visit UBH sites, and loyalty. However, perceived value seems to be a stronger predictor of all analyzed constructs. Heritage image also showed significant positive effects on motivation to visit and loyalty. Theoretical and practical implications of results are discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that the topic of the influence of stereotypes and prejudices on the loyalty and willingness of tourists to visit a destination again is increasingly common in world publications, researchers have yet to examine this relationship. The aim of this research is precisely to assess the influence of stereotypes and prejudices (S&P) in the system of other attractors of tourist visits, on the loyalty and willingness of foreign visitors to revisit Serbia as a tourist destination. It is known that Serbia possesses large natural and anthropogenic resources as a basis for tourism development, but it is also known for numerous prejudices and stereotypes, which can potentially dictate loyalty to the destination and the behavior of tourists. The results obtained by the Path analysis show that stereotypes and prejudices, among 892 randomly selected foreign tourists, have a more significant direct influence on the dimensions of loyalty and revisiting Serbia compared to other factors. Further analysis showed that foreign tourists consider the Serbian people to be arrogant, with expressed nationalism and a preserved traditional social approach, as well as that middle-aged tourists show the highest loyalty and willingness to visit again after evaluating all the aforementioned factors. Limitations of the research were related to a lack of understanding of the language and non-cooperation on the part of the respondents. The results of the research have theoretical and applied importance as information for future research in Serbia and beyond, but also for improving the management strategy of tourism development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on the present state and the assessments of geotourism development of the two most representative tufa deposits in the Djerdap National Park—the first UNESCO Global Geopark in Serbia. The findings were designated through implementing the freshly upgraded methodology—M-GAM-1-2 based on an early modified geosites assessment model (M-GAM). To overcome the limitations of the previous model, the authors implemented additional enhancements and involved members of the local community (residents and authorities) in the study to comprehensively evaluate the observed sites. The outcomes revealed that the attitudes of all stakeholders should be taken into consideration in order to develop geotourism properly, additionally attract visitors, and preserve tufa deposits for future generations of locals and visitors. Moreover, geotourism at the observed sites can be one of the vital activities of the population, as well as a type of compensation for various limitations in the development, which are imposed by the regimes of natural and cultural heritage protection within the recently established UNESCO Global Geopark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic created novel conditions for researching travel behavior and tourists' reactions in times of crisis, which largely differs from previous studies of travel behavior affected by local risks or lower travel and recreational risks. This study aims to provide an understanding of the relationship between tourist personality (MINI IPIP-6 and sensation seeking), tourists' reactions to travel risk perception and changes in their travel behavior influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. To explore this, a global survey including 905 respondents from four countries (Spain, Croatia, Serbia and Russia) was conducted, while data were analyzed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in AMOS. The findings suggest that tourist personality affects the changes in travel behavior influenced by COVID-19, both directly and via their reactions to travel risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tour guide performance has been a hotly debated academic topic, owing to the critical role they play in facilitating a variety of tourist experiences. Similarly, museum tour guides are the initial point of contact for tourists and have a substantial impact on the total visitor experience, but their performance is far less investigated. Visitors' satisfaction and behavior intentions are inextricably linked to museum guide performances in this case. The purpose of this research was to implement and test a well-established scale for assessing tour guide performance in the museum context. Moreover, the aim was also to single out and discuss museum guide types based on their performances. The research was conducted during May and June 2021 on a sample of 255 visitors from five museums in Serbia. The data were processed by SPSS, R and RStudio. The results indicate the existence of five museum guide types: Classic Professional, Agile Empath, Operational Erudite, Trustworthy Caretaker, and Passionate Socializer. The study explores sociodemographic differences in visitors' evaluations of tour guide performances and gives theoretical and managerial implication for each museum guide type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine how residents in Novi Sad (The European Capital of Culture 2022) perceive the influence of cultural involvement and place attachment on their attitude toward tourism, and how this affects their support for tourism development. In order to investigate the relationships between these factors, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. The proposed model was tested, and the findings show significant relationships between residents' cultural involvement, place attachment, perceived positive and negative impacts of tourism (economic, socio-cultural, environmental), and support for tourism development. The findings of the study could assist tourism planners not only in Novi Sad but also in other urban destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to examine how negative phenomena, such as a pandemic, can result in positive cultural shifts and an upgrade of the urban image. The research was conducted employing an in-depth interview approach at the end of 2021, based on a semi-structured protocol with 15 participants. The answers of the respondents are conditioned by the socio-demographic differences. They show the urban image and cultural opportunities of the city. The image of the city is changing under different cultural influences, which are caused by events in the region or globalization. The self-awareness of the history, tradition and heritage that the people of Novi Sad have should be nurtured in order to preserve the image of the city with the strength of the majority of the immigrant population. The title 'European Capital of Culture' has been well received, but its impact will be best seen at the end of the year. COVID-19The COVID-19 pandemic favored and popularized cycling, awakened environmental self-awareness and solidarity, brought culture to the streets and beautified the city's image. Everything that could not be placed on the street, it was entered and placed in the virtual world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding activity preferences and their antecedents is essential for creating personalized tourism offers and effective destination marketing, vital components of a sustainable tourism destination. Previous studies have provided insights into tourist behavior and activity choices, but without research on activity preferences and their relationship with perceptions of destinations. The literature still lacks an integrative model exploring the antecedents of activity preferences, including tourist characteristics, destination personality, and destination image, and explaining the nature of the relationships between them. This research proposes and tests a structural model of individual characteristics, destination image, destination personality, and activity preferences. A survey was conducted on a sample of 502 visitors to The Trail of Roman Emperors in Serbia. The results confirmed the influence of personality (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness) and destination personality (sincerity and ruggedness) on activity preferences. Additionally, the model revealed the significant influence of individual characteristics on perceptions of destination personality and image. Managerial implications were given in light of the importance of this research for destination branding that will support long-term destination sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging tourism destinations repeatedly face many managerial challenges, often leading to common pitfalls and rookie mistakes. The current study aims to analyze relationships between destination attractiveness factors (Destination Amenities, Tourism Infrastructure and Accessibility, Active Family Destination, Hospitality and Services, and Social–Safety–Economic Values), satisfaction, destination image, and revisit intentions to test a mediating role of satisfaction between destination attractiveness factors and both destination image and revisit choices within so-called rookie destinations. For this purpose, a quantitative study was carried out using a questionnaire as an instrument for data collection. Data were collected from a sample of 2030 visitors to Serbia. Structural equation modeling (SEM) in R was applied to analyze the data. The results revealed the positive direct effects of destination attractiveness factors on satisfaction, destination image, and revisit intentions. Moreover, the research confirmed the mediating role of satisfaction in the relationship between destination attractiveness and destination image, and revisit intentions. The results are further discussed from the perspective of emerging tourism destinations to make their management more sustainable for the future and mitigate the repetition of rookie mistakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the summer season 2018 and 2019, natural hazards (namely, floods and wildfires) have occurred at some of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece, endangering tourists' safety and vacation quality. These have influenced tourists' perception of Greece as a "potentially risky destination", causing a decrease in the number of tourists willing to visit this country. However, the current study assumes that some tourists will show more courageous travel behavior in the aftermath of natural hazards, while others will remain cautious when deciding to travel to risky destinations. Therefore, the questionnaire on a sample group of 431 respondents from Serbia and Romania was conducted to explore the factors influencing such differences. The study aims to explore whether tourists' individual characteristics influence tourism worries and tourist behavior based on perceived risks. The study also intends to analyze the moderating role of tourists' nationality, considering the relationship between personality and tourist behavior based on the perceived risk. The findings provide evidence that not only tourists' personality but also sociodemographic characteristics influence tourism worries and tourist behavior based on the perceived risk. Additionally, the study is the first to explore and confirm the role of nationality in tourist behavior based on the perceived risk, as well as the moderation role of nationality in regression between tourist's personality and behavior based on the perception of risk. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]