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Abstract The global goal of development concerns has embraced global action, leading to framework initiatives grounded in future-proof projects. Closely aligned with circular economy (CE) initiatives, which minimize single-use materials and address practices that reflect sustainability concepts, studies are rapidly emerging to identify practices in CE literatures relevant to SDGs. Therefore, a study to identify the CE literatures' contribution towards domains and targets in SDGs is highly urgent. By drawing a total of 4431 as a sampling of final literature analyzed using instrument tools in metrics mapping. Our discovery shows that CE studies contribute to posts in SDGS target achievement, which keeps on increasing. To dive deep into CE research on CE’s relevance to SDGs, it was observed that China’s scholars offered their publications in various viewpoints. Significantly, SDG12 (n = 68.9%) and have exceeded half a percentage of publications covering CE relevance to SDGs, implied that CE studies focused heavily on sustainable consumption and production patterns through actions in reaching SDGs. Followed by SDG7 (n = 6.3%), strongly reinforcing CE provides assessed value in SDGs calling for affordable and sustainable development and energy for all, in line with relied CE actions in considering innovation models to recreate product and energy resource reuse practices in a bid to minimize the adverse impacts for future. Given additional insights on circular economy targets related to SDGs, the research implication was to provide a policy recommendation to encourage the practice of circular economy based on SDGs targets.

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology becomes more deeply embedded in people's daily lives and work, the importance of ChatGPT (Generative Pretrained Transformer) is growing and its application in the tourism sector is expanding. ChatGPT can be useful in organising new excursions because of its capabilities such as data analysis, interpretation, scenario creation and model evaluation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of using ChatGPT-4 in organising new excursions. The study was conducted at the Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University and 82 students participated in the study. The study consisted of two stages, at the first stage students answered a questionnaire on the discipline of "Literary excursion", which was studied for 15 weeks, and at the second stage was conducted a study based on comparative analysis, with the assignment of 6 specially prepared questions to determine the effectiveness of using ChatGPT-4. As a result of the study, the need to study the excursion subject for students of educational programmes "Kazakh language and literature" was 72%. ChatGPT-4 became an indispensable tool in drawing up excursion itineraries for students, making their technological map and selecting an excursion object. In addition, with the help of ChatGPT-4 students built routes of new excursions and correctly identified tourist objects and traffic routes, type. Also very qualitatively wrote the text of the excursion in lit erary language and brought it to the level of an interesting script. Thus, using ChatGPT-4 when organising new excursions will help you to get information, save time, make specific decisions and improve quality. The results of this study may be useful in th e future to explore ChatGPT-4 in the potential integration of other technologies such as augmented reality or virtual reality.

The Turkestan region in the southern part of Kazakhstan is currently facing a water scarcity issue due to various factors. These factors include the declining transboundary flow of the Syr Darya River, the effects of climate change, the increasing population, and the economic growth of neighboring countries in Central Asia. The water availability of the operating irrigation systems in the region fluctuates between 75 % and 95 %, dropping to 50–60 % in dry years, leading to a significant shortage of water resources. In particular, the agro-industrial complex, the largest water consumer, is heavily affected, with over 80 % of available water resources needed for irrigation. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the potential use of groundwater and collector-drainage water to enhance water availability in the Maktaaral district of this region. The research methodology consisted of analytical and experimental studies to examine the formation and contribution of groundwater to total water consumption based on its depth and to determine the qualitative composition of collector-drainage water for reuse in irrigation. The study results indicate substantial losses of irrigation water due to filtration in the region, leading to a significant rise in the groundwater table. Consequently, the area of irrigated lands with groundwater depths up to 1 m (hydromorphic regime) in the Maktaaral district increased from 105 ha in 1994–378 ha in 2002 and to 2562 ha in 2021, representing an 18-fold increase. Under these conditions, the contribution of groundwater to total water consumption was 74 %, with irrigation water accounting for 26 %. In areas with a semihydromorphic soil regime where the groundwater table varies within 2–3 m, the volume of groundwater consumption decreased, amounting to 51 % of the total water consumption. Moreover, under the automorphous soil regime, where the groundwater table is greater than 3 m, the total water consumption was fully supported by irrigation water. Research on the qualitative composition of collector-drainage water in the Maktaaral district revealed a predominance of toxic salts (74.3–76.6 %), indicating that their use for irrigation would lead to soil salinization and alkalinization. The reuse of these waters is feasible only through mixing them with irrigation water to reduce salinity and increase the volume of suitable water resources for irrigation. However, regular monitoring of the chemical composition of such waters is essential.

Agro-tourism in the Republic of Serbia represents an increasingly significant sector of rural development, blending agriculture and tourism into an appealing whole. The aim of this study is to identify and quantify the factors significantly contributing to the development of agro-tourism, taking into account the role of community and government support, economic benefits, environmental and social impacts, as well as infrastructure and safety. The results indicate that community and government support crucially influence agro-tourism development, while economic benefits and environmental and social impacts have a smaller but positive influence. Infrastructure and safety show the least impact. This study is significant as it provides empirical evidence on factors contributing to agro-tourism development, enabling decision-makers, practitioners, and communities to strategically enhance and support the growth of this sector. The innovation of the study lies in its comprehensive approach, integrating multidimensional analysis of the impacts of various factors on agro-tourism development, which has not been extensively explored before, thus offering new insights and guidelines for more effective policies and practices in this field.

Purpose: Academic and other researchers have limited tools with which to address the current proliferation of predatory and hijacked journals. These journals can have negative effects on science, research funding, and the dissemination of information. As most predatory and hijacked journals are not error free, this study used ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) technology tool, to conduct an evaluation of journal quality. Methods: Predatory and hijacked journals were analyzed for reliability using ChatGPT, and the reliability of result have been discussed. Results: It shows that ChatGPT is an unreliable tool for journal quality evaluation for both hijacked and predatory journals. Conclusion: To show how to address this gap, an early trial version of Journal Checker Chatbot has been developed and is discussed as an alternative chatbot that can assist researchers in detecting hijacked journals.

The Great Silk Road is a historical place for Kazakhstan, promoting mutual understanding and peace between peoples, connecting cultures, developing tourism, trade and business. Therefore, a comprehensive study of the tourism and recreational potential of the sites of the Kazakhstan section of the Great Silk Road, the socio-economic significance of tourism development and tourism attractiveness is very important. The purpose of this study was to determine the socio - economic significance of tourism development in the Kazakhstan section of the Great Silk Road. In the study of tourism and recreational resources of the Great Silk Road, the methods of analysing the theoretical basis, studying statistical data and questionnaires were used comprehensively. As a result, the socio-economic significance of tourism development in Kazakhstan, favourable socio-cultural impact of the Great Silk Road in connection with improving the welfare of the population of the territory, increasing the flow of tourists, income from the tourism industry and improving infrastructure was revealed. The survey showed that 40.9 % of respondents rated the level of satisfaction with transport infrastructure from 5 points to 3 points. 34.1 % of respondents rated the quality of roads as 4 points and 13.6 % as 5 points. It was also found that the most visited tourist sites on the Kazakh part of the Great Silk Road in recent times are the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Otrar State Archaeological Museum-Reserve, mausoleum of Aisha Bibi and Karakhan. Thus, it was proposed to form an information base of tourist sites of the Kazakhstan part of the Great Silk Road, to attract qualified personnel in the ser vice sector, to popularise tourist sites by improving Internet resources, advertising and shooting feature films.

This study examines the level of implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the personalization of hotel services and its impact on guest satisfaction through an analysis of tourists’ attitudes and behaviors The focus of the research is on how personalized recommendations for food and beverages, activities, and room services, delivered by trustworthy AI systems, digital experience, and the perception of privacy and data security, influence overall guest satisfaction. The research was conducted in Serbia and Hungary, using structural models to assess and analyze direct and indirect effects. The results show that AI personalization significantly contributes to guest satisfaction, with mediating variables such as trust in AI systems and technological experience playing a key role. A comparative analysis highlights differences between Hungary, a member of the European Union, and Serbia, a country in transition, shedding light on specific regulatory frameworks and cultural preferences in these countries.

This research is focused on advancing tourism destinations in Kazakhstan amidst the challenges posed by the COVID19 pandemic, with a specific emphasis on encouraging domestic tourism. Over the past year, the Kazakhstani tourism market has exhibited significant potential for the growth of domestic tourism, highlighting the need to explore innovative approaches to counter the widespread disruptions caused by COVID-19 in the global tourism industry. The pandemic has not only resulted in considerable financial losses and damages to the tourism sector worldwide but has also had a profound impact on individuals' stress levels and their overall satisfaction of essential needs. This paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of domestic tourism trends in recent years, evaluates the current state of the tourism industry in the face of a pandemic, and explores mechanisms that can effectively attract local tourists, encouraging them to explore their own country and contribute to the development of domestic tourism destinations. It is important to note that prior to the pandemic, Kazakhstani tourists predominantly favored outbound travel destinations, resulting in a notably low proportion of local tourists. Nevertheless, this investigation reveals that tourism destinations can be advanced by targeting local tourists, particularly those engaging in social tourism initiatives. One notable strategy for destination promotion is to motivate the local population to explore the diverse offerings within their own country, fostering a sense of pride and excitement about domestic travel experiences. This research thus offers valuable insights into the potential revitalization of the tourism sector in Kazakhstan amidst the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19.

Globally, cultural heritage tourism (CHT) is an effective way to achieve economic benefits by preserving and sharing a city's heritage and culture with visitors. Therefore, it is very important to study the impact of historical and cultural heritage sites on the sustainable development of local tourism. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum, a UNESCO heritage site in Kazakhstan, on sustainable tourism development in Turkestan. The study was based on a survey aimed at identifying the goals of tourists (respondents) visiting Turkestan city, the main objects they would like to see as a tourist destination, and their opportunities for sustainable development of urban tourism. The questionnaire responses were analysed based on the coding of respondents (R1-R328) who were randomly selected. As a result, 40.8% of respondents from near and far abroad (47) and Kazakhstan (281) found that the purpose of the visit was historical and cultural tourism. 78.7% of respondents assessed the tourism potential of the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi as high in terms of sustainable tourism development in Turkestan. Thus, being one of the most famous architectural monuments of Central Asia and an example of modern Kazakh architecture, the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is a cultural and historical object that affects the sustainable development of tourism in Turkestan. This study will help to solve the problems of sustainable tourism development in Turkestan.

With the rapid development of new innovative technologies in the education system, massive open online courses (MOOCs) have begun to appear. It is very important to evaluate the effectiveness of MOOC in teaching the basics of tourism and local lore to students of the educational program in Geography. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate t he effectiveness of teaching the discipline "Fundamentals of organising and conducting tourism and local lore activities" to students of the Geography educational programme of higher education institutions (universities) in Kazakhstan through MOOC. In the study, the elective subject "Fundamentals of organising and conducting tourism and local lore activities" was taught through MOOC on the Eduardo platform. The study consisted of two phases, with 14 students from the Kazakh National Women's Teacher Training University (KNWTTU) as the control group and 19 students from the Astana International University (AIU) as the experimental group. As a result, at the first stage, KNWTTU and AIU students were approximately at the same level. In the second formative stage, students in the control group remained at the initial level, while students in the experimental group showed a high level. In the first phase, the experimental group scored 10.5% "high", 15.8% "medium" and 73.7% "low"; after MOOC training, 31.6% "high", 47.4% "medium" and 21% "low". Thus, the use of MOOC in the formation of tourism and local lore competence of future geography teachers contributes to the improvement of students' knowledge and understanding of their native land and the formation of tourism and local lore skills.

The tourism industry in China has undergone significant changes due to globalization, technology, and changing consumer preferences. This perspective article, based on a systematic literature review, examines examines trends, challenges, and opportunities in inbound and outbound tourism in China, focusing on the industry's dynamism. Both inbound and outbound tourism have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has prompted new strategies and environmental adaptations. China has changed its priorities within the country to encourage domestic travel and support local firms. The rise in internationalisation and the growing middle class in China have led to an unprecedented rise in outbound travel. Chinese travellers are affecting travel habits and spending all around the world in the tourism sector. Language barriers, cultural differences, and safety concerns are some of the challenges that come with travelling abroad. To reach its full potential, China needs to adapt to the shifting global environment and take into account the specifications and preferences of both inbound and outgoing tourists.

An evaluation of ‘Destination Management Organisation’ (DMO) websites focused on creating attractive, userfriendly, and informative web pages that effectively promote tourism destinations to potential customers. The virtual tour as an innovative tool and form of tourism experience has potential to act as a powerful destination promotion tool. Therefore, for DMOs it may be especially beneficial in terms of destination marketing to offer attractive and suitable virtual tour experiences via destination websites. The study deals specifically with the issue of implementing virtual tours on the DMOs´ websites. The aims of the presented research were defined as: 1. Exploring the Slovak DMO websites by focusing on virtual tour experiences; 2. Measuring the potential customers´ opinions on accessing virtual tours on DMO websites. Quantitative methodological approach, website analysis and a special survey for potential customers were conducted in the presented research to achieve the main goals. Different types of virtual tours have been identified on DMO websites and potent ial customers´ opinions indicate the need to include virtual tours on DMO websites. Among the identified recommendations for the future highlighted are the improvement of DMO websites generally and expansion of the offer of virtual tours on DMO websites. Comprehensive research in this area within the Slovak DMO context is also desirable.

Tourism and local lore activities in the system of geographical education are the leading direction of learning the history, natural features, ethnography and cultural heritage of the region and shaping the local image of the region. The aim of the research was to determine the effectiveness of organisation and implementation of tourism and local lore activities by geography teachers in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The research started with a review of research and literature of Kazakh and world scientists who studied tourism and local lore, and a questionnaire survey was developed that included 16 questions. The survey was distributed to geography teachers via Facebook and WhatsApp, and responses were received from 73 respondents. The survey responses were analyzed based on the coding of the respondents (P1 to P73). As a result of the survey, it was found that 47.9% of respondents have not organized tourism and local lore activities, lack of necessary equipment, lack of funds from school administration and a big number of commitments to teachers from district education department. The results of this survey will help to effectively plan and organize tourist and local lore activities of geogra phy teachers, to manage, methodologically provide and be competent in this direction.

The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a pivotal framework to guide government policies and mobilize public engagement for sustainability, although further exploration is still needed to analyze the attention given to the SDGs by these stakeholders using multi-source data. To comparatively analyze government and public engagement in the SDGs, based on a case study in China, this study employed a multi-source data and content analysis to assess the perceived importance and performance of the two stakeholders. Then, this study performed an importance–performance analysis (IPA) to assess the SDGs’ priority for further improvement. The results highlight the government’s emphasis on SDG 7, SDG 2, and SDG 9, contrasting with public attention predominantly on SDG 8, SDG 9, and SDG 4. Regarding the performance of the SDGs in China, the greatest achievements have been exhibited for SDG 4 and SDG 1, while SDG 10, SDG 15, and SDG 17 have shown the least progress. Concerning the individual indicators, 12 out of 98 have attained 100% completion, while 19 out of 98 remain below the 50% threshold. According to the IPA results, China should concentrate on SDG 10 and SDG 15 and improve SDGs 6, 7, 14, 16, and 17 as a relatively low priority. The stakeholder analysis indicated that these SDGs are neglected zones by both the public and government. This research innovatively assessed the priorities of SDGs and could strengthen the cooperation between the government and the public to drive the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals more effectively. This study could contribute to guiding policy directions, inform strategies for public engagement, and enhance the comprehension of sustainable development in China. The framework could serve as a valuable reference for stakeholder engagement in the SDGs in other countries.

IntroductionOver the last decade, yields and profitability of crops on agricultural lands in the Kyzylkum irrigation massif in the south of Kazakhstan, as well as soil fertility, have been decreasing. The Kyzylkum irrigation basin, located in the Syrdarya River basin, is affected by various factors such as agronomic practices, reclamation factors, and human activities including tourism. This study aims to monitor the yields of cotton and alfalfa in alfalfa-cotton crop rotations in the Kyzylkum irrigation massif, assess soil fertility after alfalfa and cotton cultivation under production conditions, and evaluate the profitability of water consumption.MethodsThe research methodology involved experimental and observational studies conducted on a nine-pole alfalfa-cotton crop rotation area in the Kyzylkum basin within the Syrdarya river basin. The study was conducted on three farms: Didar, Toishy, and Ali-Myrza. Productivity, soil fertility after crop cultivation, and profitability of water consumption were determined through these studies.ResultsThe study found that the Ali-Myrza farm experienced a 21% increase in cotton yield, a 24% increase in alfalfa yield, a 36% increase in profit from crop rotation, a 34% increase in profitability, and a 5-6% increase in water consumption. After alfalfa rotation, the Ali-Myrza farm recorded the highest cotton yield at 3.5 t/ha and a profit of 1,316 euros/ha. However, in the following year, cotton yields decreased to 2.52 t/ha, and profits dropped to 576 euro/ha. The first year of alfalfa cultivation resulted in a yield of 10 t/ha and a profit of 462 euro/ha, which increased to 14 t/ha and 967 euro/ha in the subsequent year. Soil analysis revealed that after two years of growing alfalfa in a six-pole rotation, the root mass in the top 20 cm of soil reached 8.89 t/ha. In contrast, rotations with seven (Toishy) and nine (Didar) crops resulted in lower root masses of 4.68 t/ha and 3.47 t/ha, respectively. The corresponding humus content was 1.65%, 1.40%, and 1.1%, respectively.DiscussionComparing the seven and nine-pole rotations of alfalfa and cotton, the six-pole rotation demonstrated significant improvements in soil fertility (30-40% increase), cotton yield (18-23% increase), alfalfa yield (20-28% increase), and water consumption (5-6% increase). These findings confirm the effectiveness of the alfalfa-cotton rotation method in enhancing soil fertility, productivity, water efficiency, and grey soil productivity in Kyzylkum irrigated fields. The results obtained from this study can be applied in cotton farms in South Kazakhstan that use nine-layer cotton and alfalfa rotations. Furthermore, the findings have implications for cotton cultivation in any country worldwide.

Introduction: The sandy soils in the arid Southern Balkhash region have experienced anthropogenic degradation, leading to the formation of bare mobile sand dunes. This transformation has created significant challenges for the growth of cattle feed, particularly in areas with high economic activity. As a consequence, the socio-economic situation of the local population has been significantly worsened, and even the development of tourism has not helped. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the seasonal mobility of sand dune landforms and their hydrothermal regimes, as well as the climatic conditions of the region.Methods: To achieve the study objective, we conducted field investigations and collected data on the mobility of sand dunes, hydrothermal conditions, and climatic factors in the region. Measurements were taken during the summer months when dominant North-East, North-North-East winds prevailed, with an average frequency of 20.4–26.7 days per month and wind speeds ranging from 3.0 to 3.7 m/s, occasionally reaching up to 11.90–13.3 m/s. We also analyzed humidity, air temperature, and atmospheric precipitation levels.Results: Our findings revealed that during the summer months, a fresh-sided layer of sand actively supplied the windward part of the sand dune to the leeward one. This process occurred under very low humidity, high air temperature, and slight atmospheric precipitation conditions. Consequently, the moisture content of the surface root layer (0–20 cm) of the sand dune accumulation zone decreased to 0.2% in the middle and at the end of summer.Discussion: The observed relationship between the seasonal mobility of sand dunes and their hydrothermal regimes, along with the climatic conditions, provides valuable insights for the development of effective technologies to rehabilitate anthropogenically degraded desert sandy soils that have transformed into mobile sands. This knowledge can serve as a theoretical basis for addressing the challenges faced by cattle breeding in the region and improving the socio-economic situation of the local population.

The aim of this study was to examine whether Tourist-Generated Photographs (TGP) and images shared by them, on online media channels can affect tourist destination decisions. The study conducted descriptive-survey research. The statistical population of the research included tourists who traveled to this city on 15 May 2022H15 May 2022 (Shiraz National Day). Simple random sampling was used to determine the research sample and distributed questionnaires among 415 tourists in six five-star hotels in Shiraz. The data collection tool is a researcher-made questionnaire that evaluates each dimension in the majority of the questions. According to the results, four factors, including multidimensionality, tourist involvement, uniqueness, and stimulating emotions by the photo, can have a significant effect on the impact of tourist-generated photography. Findings also revealed that three factors of service quality, media influence on tourists, and destination-specific attractions have a substantial impact on tourists’ destination choices. In the post-pandemic era cyberspace and its tourism function will be of great value, and pictures are the way tourists communicate with tourism and travel. Also, tourists’ photos in cyberspace can help destination marketing. The research findings emphasize that the tour operators of the Shiraz metropolis can take advantage of cyberspace more and better develop their tourism industry for post-pandemic travel.

This study is based on an understanding of the state of development of small tourism businesses in Almaty, one of the oldest settlements located along the Great Silk Road. The aim of the study was to obtain accurate data on the current state of development of small tourism businesses in Almaty and to identify problems and prospects. In the course of the research, 655 questionnaire responses from business owners and managers meeting the selection criteria were selected and rigorously monitored over a period of 3 months. As a result of the study, the most important problems of small tourism businesses in Almaty were identified, which include: 75.7% of respondents lacked knowledge about tourism activities; 53.6% of entrepreneurs do not conclude contracts with employees; 82% of business representatives do not have marketing plans; and, as a consequence, inability to obtain loans from banks; and the consequences of the war in Ukraine. However, we also saw some positive trends in the survey: the willingness of respondents to overcome the consequences and the crisis of the covid pandemic-19; motivation to develop their own business; 28.7% of young entrepreneurs; 74.7% of individual entrepreneurs invest in small tourism businesses. Thus, this study is an auxiliary tool for solving the problem of sustainable development of tourism infrastructure of Almaty, service activities, problems arising in small tourism business.

The Lower-Ipoly area, located in the north-central region of Hungary, has linear extension. In terms of the specific location and the unfavourable demographics tourism development faces difficulties in this heterogeneous area. The aim of the research is to identify the needs of prospective travellers and decision makers toward future developments in tourism in the indicated region. The paper summarizes the results of a survey, identifying the opinions of organizational and consumer market stakeholders, their similarities and differences in terms of expectations for tourism developments. This study covers the types of tourism and product elements that can potentially be developed sustainably.

Health tourism is defined as a tourism product of strategic importance in Hungary and spa towns are among the most visited destinations in the country. The aims of the present research are to explore the characteristics of the tourism sector in the spa town of Hajdúszoboszló, and to identify the trends having shaped its tourism in the previous decade. Time-series analysis of secondary tourism data as well as a questionnaire survey among visitors were conducted to assess the market position of the spa town. The results imply that both the well-balanced ratio of domestic and international guests and the diversity of international source markets were favourable for the town. In the future, the more efficient diversification of tourism products, the improvement of the MICE sector, and the development of gastronomic, cultural and sport tourism products are recommended.

Background: Water yield services are critical for maintaining ecological sustainability and regional economies. Climate change and land use/cover change (LUCC) significantly affect regional water yield, but the spatiotemporal variability of water yield services has been overlooked in previous studies. This study aims to explore the relative contributions of climate and land use/cover changes to water yield services at both grid and subwatershed scales. Methods: This study employed the InVEST model to calculate the water yield in the study area and employed a multi-scenario simulation approach to investigate the impacts of climate change and LUCC on water yield at both grid and subwatershed scales. Furthermore, the contributions of these two types of changes to water yield were quantified. Results: Firstly, upstream areas experience significantly lower annual average precipitation, temperature, and potential evapotranspiration than downstream areas, with worsening drought severity. Secondly, urbanization led to significant LUCC, with decreases in farmland and grassland and increases in forest, water, building land, and unused land. Thirdly, the spatial heterogeneity of water yield services remains consistent across different scales, but more pronounced spatial clustering is observed at the subwatershed scale. Fourthly, climate change is the primary factor affecting regional water yield services, surpassing the influence of LUCC. Lastly, LUCC significantly impacts water cycling in watersheds, with vegetation coverage being a critical factor affecting water yield. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to consider the complex relationships between climate change, LUCC, and water yield services at multiple scales in water resource management.

IntroductionTravel narratives are very attractive sources that examine the destination from the point of view of tourists with different attitudes. A group of studies has been conducted on travel narratives, but this type of analysis has been done very little in Iran despite their potential.Methods11 Persian qanats (PQs) have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Visitors who explore the qanats as conduits of the desert have extraordinary experiences that can seem like captivating fiction. The main focus of the current research is on the narratives of tourists who have visited these PQs. Qualitative and narrative analysis methods were used to avoid relying on numerical data.ResultsThe study includes 30 participants who had visited the qanats and shared their travel stories. The study findings show that Persian qanats are a distinctive draw for foreign tourists that can leave a lasting impression.DiscussionThe PQs listed as a UNESCO World Heritage property are one of the unique attractions of Iran’s tourism, so far its tourism potential has been less noticed, and qanat tourism is a nascent branch of tourism in Iran. The narratives of travelers can be instrumental in promoting this invaluable groundwater engineering heritage.

The escalating demand for water and the impact of climate change are posing significant challenges to global water scarcity and agricultural policies. The aim of this research is to investigate the factors influencing water losses in irrigation systems and provide recommendations to minimize such losses. The research methodology includes conducting studies to identify the factors causing water losses through evaporation and seepage from irrigation canals in the Kazakh part of the Ile River basin. The research results are theoretically substantiated, and a series of field studies are carried out at the inter-farm canal experimental site in Almaty province. Based on the factors affecting evaporation and seepage losses in irrigation canals, a new design of irrigation canal made from geocomposite material has been developed and introduced. This design helps to prevent water losses in inter-farm and on-farm canals of reclamation systems. The geocomposite polymer troughs have improved the technical level of irrigation systems and have enabled additional irrigation areas by increasing the efficiency of irrigation water use in land reclamation systems of Kazakhstan, thereby enhancing the efficiency factor of the irrigation network. Water seepage losses are influenced by several factors, including soil type, canal length, working flow, canal operation mode, canal condition, operation season, and wind impact. Under uniform canal operation mode, water losses are relatively small. However, intermittent modes and incomplete filling of the canal result in increased costs. The research findings indicate that for soils with a flow velocity between 0.10 and 0.30 M/s, water losses due to leakage and evaporation in constant-impact and intermittent-impact channels increase linearly. In intermittent-impact channels, irrigation water losses range from 33.7 to 40.1%. The introduction of geocomposite polymer troughs has the potential to enhance the technical level of irrigation systems by improving the efficiency of the irrigation network and enabling the addition of more irrigation plots. This research aims to reduce water losses in the irrigation canals of reclamation systems, optimize the management of water distribution in irrigation systems, enhance equipment measures, and introduce digital irrigation water metering technologies. Future studies propose the application of digital technologies to enhance irrigation water design and accounting as part of measures to minimize water losses in irrigation canals.

Since the use of mobile GIS-applications in the formation of tourist and local lore competencies of students affects the knowledge and professional competence of future teachers, it is very important to first determine the attitude of teachers and professors to the use of mobile GIS-applications and assess the level of use of mobile applications by students. Therefore, this article provides for the possibility of using mobile GIS applications in the organization of tourist and local lore activities of students of the educational program "Geography". The effectiveness of organizing tourist and local lore events using mobile GIS applications was determined by conducting interviews and questionnaires. The survey consisted of two parts, and a total of 72 students took part in it voluntarily. In the course of the study, we studied the formation of tourist and local lore competencies from mobile GIS applications as a result of the study: 1) "Road navigation" from mobile GIS applications - 2GIS (79.1%); 2) "For viewing and studying" from mobile applications - ArcGIS QuickCapture (56.9%); 3) Google planet Earth "Virtual globe" (52.8%); 4) based on the mobile applications "Cartography and Navigation", we determined the efficiency of using the GIS4MOBILE-x (41.7%) and 5) the City bus for "GPS monitoring" (100%). In this regard, we are confident that the use of these mobile applications will be effective in organizing tourist and local lore events. The use of these technologies in teaching makes it possible to update educational approaches, introduce new pedagogical technologies and form competencies.

This study aims to comprehend relations between environmental determinants and agritourism by example of the Almaty region of Kazakhstan. As a basis for the research of this specific content the representation about agrarian recreational-tourist complexes (ARTCs) was developed and applied (ARTCs are special territorial and intersectoral integrities which largely depend on environmental determinants). Agritourism development is presented as the most important prerequisite for different successful tourism activities in Kazakhstan. With use of the developed instruments, information of different types and cartographical data 15 ARTCs were identified within the Almaty region as well as the influence of the environmental determinants for agritourism was studied. In bare outlines, the methods of functional agritourism and ecological agritourism analysis of the ARTCs’ territory based on analysis of the environmental determinants are described. The results of the research can be used for the establishment of prospects for agritourism development within the ARTCs as well as for the development of address recommendation system.

The relationship between the tourism economy and the ecological environment is under pressure, and balancing this relationship is crucial for promoting regional sustainability. In this study, the Yangtze River basin, the first largest river in Asia and third largest in the world, was selected as the focus area. The spatial and temporal characteristics of tourism economic development and ecological environmental pressure from 2000 to 2019 were analyzed using the tourism economic development index, ecological environmental pressure index and dynamic change index, and the decoupling process of tourism and the economic system was studied dynamically using the decoupling analysis model. The results show that (1) spatially, the tourism economy in the Yangtze River basin exhibits a pattern of high development in the east and low development in the west, and high in the south and low in the north. Ecological environmental pressures varied greatly, with less pressure in the upstream provinces and more pressure in the middle and downstream provinces. (2) Temporally, the tourism economies of Qinghai and Tibet started with a lower but faster growth rate, while Hunan and Hubei have a higher starting point but limited change. The ecological environmental pressure changes do not show a clear spatial distribution pattern. (3) The decoupling relationship between tourism economy and ecological environment in the Yangtze River basin is moving toward a harmonious development. Achieving a harmonious balance between the two systems is crucial for maintaining ecological balance and regional sustainability.

The utilization or secondary use of technogenic waste is a relevant problem for the current economy. To assess the environmental influence and economic potential, it is necessary to study the elemental content of technogenic objects and to reveal the tendencies of the spatial distribution of elements, components, and indices such as the pollution coefficient. In this study, we performed elemental analysis, and calculation of indicators: average gross content, hazard quotients, concentration coefficients of metals, and total pollution coefficients of ground samples taken from the ash-slag storage of the Aksu ferroalloy plant [Aksu, Pavlodar region, Kazakhstan]. Maps of the spatial distribution of concentrations of elements and total pollution coefficients were created. The territory of the studied ash-slag storage by the level of soil contamination should be considered as an environmental disaster zone. The given statistical data on the number of oncological and respiratory diseases indirectly indicated the negative influence of open storage of ash-slag waste. The studied ground was of chromium-manganese geochemical specialization. The calculated volume of the accumulated waste mass by the approximating method was 1 054 638.0 m3. The calculated approximate weight of the accumulated waste was 23 679 576.0864 tons, including 1 822 972.2 tons of chromium, 1 727 354.0 tons of manganese, and 953 813.3 tons of iron. The large amounts of valuable components retained in the waste mass led us to conclude that the studied technogenic object can be considered as a secondary field to produce various technological products. Moreover, valuable metals can be extracted as metal concentrates.

Over recent decades, the practice of human resource management in the transitional countries of Eastern Europe and in Hungary has changed significantly. Especially in local subsidiaries of foreign-owned companies and in the leading domestic large organizations, HRM has become a strategic function, while in the practice of small and medium-sized enterprises it is less common. COVID-19 hit companies, institutions and individuals unexpectedly, not only in Hungary but also in the more developed regions of the world. This crisis has also highlighted the fact that larger and better prepared organizations and public institutions have found it easier to weather this global human catastrophe. We analyze how the key tasks of HRM have changed during the successive waves, along four hypotheses. Initially, health protection, communication and home-office organization were the focus of the work of human resource professionals. In the second and third waves, securing and retaining staff became more important.

This study explores the adoption of digital technology in sustainable tourism destinations and provides insights into current research. Using a bibliometric analysis approach, it comprehensively evaluates research outputs, identifies trends, and highlights key themes and collaborative networks. Employing a bibliometric analysis approach, this study utilizes the Scopus database and bibliometric software. After rigorous data cleaning, bibliographic coupling maps, collaboration networks, and keyword maps are generated using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer for comprehensive analysis. Analyzing 559 papers, the study reveals a consistent growth in publications, indicating increasing research interest in digital technology adoption in sustainable tourism destinations. Europe, Asia, and North America are the primary regions of research activity. Interdisciplinary collaboration is high, emphasizing the multidimensional nature of the field. While valuable, the bibliometric analysis is limited by data availability and quality in the Scopus database. Relevant research outputs may be excluded. The study focuses on overall trends and patterns rather than individual paper content. The study’s findings have practical implications for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in sustainable tourism. The identification of key themes and collaborative networks can guide future research and foster interdisciplinary collaborations. This study contributes to the existing literature on technological innovations in sustainable tourism destinations through its bibliometric analysis approach. Through providing an overview of the research landscape, identifying trends and collaborative networks, it offers valuable insights into the current state of research. The findings serve as a foundation for further exploration and advancement in sustainable tourism and digital technology.

The study endeavors to find out the perceived impact of Responsible Tourism Practices (RTPs) on destination communities’ Quality of Life (QOL). Besides, the investigation tests the mediating role of community involvement in the relationship between RTPs and QOL. A well-designed questionnaire developed from the existing literature was distributed among the tourist destination residents of Pahalgam, Kashmir Valley, India. In addition, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to validate the EFA findings through AMOSS 22. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique was also applied to ascertain the impact of RTPs on QOL. Finally, the mediating role of community involvement was examined and, subsequently, the results were reported. The study’s findings resulted in a significant relationship between RTPs and QOL; thereby, RTPs have a pivotal role in enhancing the QOL of the communities. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that community involvement mediates the relationship between RTPs and QOL. Thus, the study’s achievements suggest that the locals should be involved in tourism activities to enhance the communities’ QOL.

The assessment of changes in forest coverage is crucial for managing protected forest areas, particularly in the face of climate change. This study monitored forest cover dynamics in a 6535 ha mountain area located in north-west Romania as part of the Apuseni Natural Park from 2003 to 2019. Two approaches were used: vectorization from orthophotos and Google Earth images (in 2003, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2019) and satellite imagery (Landsat 5 TM, 7 ETM, and 8 OLI) pre-processed to Surface Reflectance (SR) format from the same years. We employed four standard classifiers: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), and three combined methods: Linear Spectral Unmixing (LSU) with Natural Breaks (NB), Otsu Method (OM) and SVM, to extract and classify forest areas. Our study had two objectives: 1) to accurately assess changes in forest cover over a 17-year period and 2) to determine the most efficient methods for extracting and classifying forest areas. We validated the results using performance metrics that quantify both thematic and spatial accuracy. Our results indicate a 9% loss of forest cover in the study area, representing 577 ha with an average decrease ratio of 33.9 ha/year−1. Of all the methods used, SVM produced the best results (with an average score of 88% for Overall Quality (OQ)), followed by RF (with a mean value of 86% for OQ).

From the point of view of successful tourism product development and destination management it is important to identify the travel motivations that determine the expectations of the experience and hence the satisfaction. The large-scale survey among domestic tourism participants reveals ideas, knowledge and motivations as determinants of tourism consumer habits, explores the relationship between domestic travel characteristics, destination awareness and the suggestibility of travel decisions. The results obtained, especially the general openness to domestic travel. Based on the research results, the tourism-specific motivations of the destination can be identified, on which further product development and experience management methods can be based.

The Persian Qanats, ancient underground aqueduct systems that have provided irrigation water to arid regions in Iran for over 3000 years, are recognized as a vital element of the country’s cultural heritage. Eleven of these impressive structures have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, underlining their cultural, social, political, and physical significance. As these underground heritage sites offer a unique opportunity for fostering territorial collaboration and social capital between tourists and the local community, it is important to develop a comprehensive model to influence the behavior of tourists, officials, and natives in their treatment of these invaluable sites. This study aimed to design a sustainable behavior model for underground heritage tourism management in Persian Qanats that have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage properties. The research employed a theme analysis approach, utilizing a statistical sample of 22 base managers and Qanat tourism experts. The study used content and thematic analysis to develop a research model that guarantees the sustainable protection of these valuable underground heritage sites by shaping the behavior of tourists, officials, and natives. The proposed model serves as a guideline for effective behavior management, leading to the preservation of these significant underground heritage sites for future generations. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the sustainable management of Persian Qanats and the promotion of a strong sense of territorial collaboration and social capital between tourists and the local community.

Natural conditions in North and Central Kazakhstan and the energy potential of chestnut soil testify to the efficiency of agriculture, especially on irrigated lands. The humus horizon of chestnut soils is 35–50 cm, and the humus content is 3.0–3.5%. The majority of the humus (75%) is contained in a half-meter layer, which emphasizes the short humus level. The phosphorus content, both gross and mobile, is very low at 0.98–0.031%. Potassium is in elevated amounts. Soils are most susceptible to the application of nitrogen–phosphorus fertilizers. According to the mechanical composition, chestnut soils are predominantly lightly loamy, light clays with substrates of souses. Salinization is low, with a salt content in the 0–100 cm soil layer of 0.10–0.20%. The mass of the arable soil layer is 1.3–1.4 g/cm3. Deep plowing and loosening of soils improve the water and nutrition regime, creating good conditions for arid agriculture. With deep autumn plowing up to 30 cm, the accumulation of sediment and spring meltwater reaches 1200–1500 m3/ha more than in spring disposal. Deep plowing ensures absorption of irrigation water, eliminates run-off during irrigation, and reduces the number of crops requiring extra irrigation. In an average dry year, at 50% water availability and 70% soil moisture content (MC), the number of irrigations is 4, and the irrigation rate is 300–470 m3/ha; at 60% MC, 2 irrigations are performed, and the irrigation rate is 600–650 m3/ha. On irrigated land, the yield of cereals is 2.8–2.6 t/ha; perennial grasses, 3.0–4.5 t/ha; potatoes, 23.2–24.1 t/ha; carrots, 35.0–40.0 t/ha; and cabbage, 50.0–75.0 t/ha.

A goal of land change modelers should be to communicate scenarios of future change that show the variety of possible future landscapes based on the consequences of management decisions. This study employs the Markov-FLUS model to simulate land-use changes in Hubei Province in multiple scenarios that consider social, economic, and ecological policies using 18 driving factors, including point-of-interest data. First, the Markov-FLUS model was developed and validated with historical data from 2000 to 2020. The model was then used to simulate land-use changes from 2020 to 2035 in four scenarios: natural development, economic priority, ecological protection, and cultivated land protection. The results show that the Markov-FLUS model effectively simulates the land-use change pattern in Hubei Province, with an overall accuracy of 0.93 for land use simulation in 2020. The Kappa coefficient and FOM index also achieved 0.86 and 0.139, respectively. In all four scenarios, cultivated land remained the primary land use type in Hubei Province from 2020 to 2035, while construction land showed an increasing trend. However, there were large differences in the simulated land use patterns in different scenarios. Construction land expanded most rapidly in the economic priority scenario, while it expanded more slowly in the cultivated land protection scenario. We designed the protection scenario to restrict the rapid expansion of construction land. In the natural development and economic priority scenarios, construction land expanded and encroached on cultivated land and forests. In contrast, in the ecological protection scenario, forests and water areas were well-preserved, and the decrease in cultivated land and the increase in construction land were effectively suppressed, resulting in a large improvement in land use sustainability. Finally, in the cultivated land protection scenario, the cultivated land showed an increasing trend. The spread and expansion of construction land were effectively curbed. In conclusion, the Markov-FLUS model applied in this study to simulate land use in multiple scenarios has substantial implications for the effective utilization of land resources and the protection of the ecological environment in Hubei Province.

This research aims to find out the phenomenon of webinar competition from the viewpoint of the audience. Covid-19 pandemic makes webinars a means for knowledge dissemination. Many events offered turned out to be a tight competition among organizers and caused a different response for the audience. Academics participants’ responses had never been known in depth so that they could be the basis for determining the strategy for the organizers. Using quantitative data through online surveys to further interpreted with the help of previous literature. The independent variables gender, age, frequency, cost, and place are used to determine their effect on loyalty, which is represented by the length of duration in participating in each webinar. The effectiveness of webinars as a means of disseminating ideas in the pandemic era still faces various challenges. Among academics, the loyalty at the webinar event is influenced by gender and age. It is important for organizers to effectively communicate to webinar participants so that they get the message they want to convey.

This study aims to assess and analyse the efficiency of the tourism centres in the Southern Red Sea region, Egypt to apply coastal tourism development through the blue economy perspective. According to this aim, the study used two efficiency methods: Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Free Disposal Hull (FDH). A total of 29 tourism centres were selected to conduct the DEA and FDH methods. These efficiency methods (DEA-FDH) used inputs and outputs variables to estimate the efficiency of the tourism centres. The selected inputs were the length of the shoreline (km), area (ha), tourism investments (million EGP), quality of coral reefs, numbers of hotels, and tourism accommodation capacity. While the outputs were employees' number and tourists' number. The results indicate that, generally, the tourism centres in the Southern Red Sea region of Egypt showed high-efficiency scores, which reflects their good preparedness to implement the various coastal tourism development strategies from the blue economy perspective. The tourism centres in the Safaga-Quseir tourism sector were the most efficient ones, regardless of the efficiency models used. While the tourist centres representing the Ras Banas tourism sector were the least efficient centres in the whole sample (29 tourism centres).

Problems of resource support, rational use of the geosystem and optimization of relations between natural complexes create a need for future tourism specialists to acquire geoecological competence. A structural model of the formation of geoecological competence for students in tourism programs in higher educational institutions is presented. The need for geoecological competence was recognised from interviews with employers and the geoecological knowledge of students determined through surveys. The methodology and pedagogical technology of the academic discipline "Geoecology and tourism" have been developed. The effectiveness of the structural and functional model for the formation of geoecological competencies is presented. The professional competencies of the academic discipline "Geoecology and tourism" are gradually formed in three stages. Geoecological competence gradually improves knowledge and skills, thereby increasing the level of quality of training. The model of geoecological competence of tourism students makes it possible to see, feel and understand, as well as orient the sphere of values and worldview associated with geoecology.

This study aims at investigating the multiple and complex relationships between transport and tourism by various methods. In this paper, spatial interaction model and the shift-share analysis are used in different approaches. Factors of the relationship between the transport distance and tourism intensity will be detected and the connections between the accessibility of European regions and their tourism will be analysed. One of the major questions of our study is if there is any relationship between transport and tourism at European regional level (NUTS2); and if so, is there any kind of regularity in the relationship, as Bull (1994) states in his study. Finally, we examined whether there are any differences in this relationship at the level of the European regions.