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Destination managers need indicators for monitoring, comparing and decision-making purposes about sustainable tourism development. There have been several initiatives to set the sustainable tourism indicators, however, the indicators are either too complex, data collection is difficult, or the analysis requires expert statistical knowledge. Therefore, this article aims to propose a user-friendly method that allows destination managers and decision makers to process tourism data and integrate them into one composite indicator. To help destination managers in their work, this paper reviews the most used methods to create composite indicators, and with the help of the Delphi method among experienced tourism leaders, it proposes a tool that allows destination managers to compare sustainable tourism development of destinations. The results present the application of a simple composite sustainable tourism indicator on the example of eight destinations in Slovakia. The paper provides useful guidance in data collection, analysis and decision-making concerning sustainable tourism development.

A tourism destination is a prototypical complex phenomenon and an ideal object of study of network science. Thanks to recent advances in computer science, this approach is capable of providing the baseline needed to design and govern tourism destinations in a dynamic environment. Although there have been some major contributions to this phenomenon, their scarcity has brought a rather fragmented contribution to tourism destination governance. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to conceptualise the contribution of network approach to tourism destination governance. Based on 10 real and virtual networks of mature tourism destinations in a Central Europe, the article provides areas where the network approach can help the tourism destination governance. Furthermore, it suggests managerial implications from the application of the network approach in the practice of governing a tourism destination.

The paper deals with a scientific approach for an increase of accuracy of measurement and possibilities for automation of the standard equipment for calibration and verification of float level gauges. They are applied in high-capacity fuel storage tanks, and they are intended to measure the level of stored liquid hydrocarbons. In the submitted paper, we describe original approaches towards metrological control of float level gauges. Firstly, we present and describe the current ways of control by means of the standard equipment of the first generation with a precision caliper and manual measuring wire with the application of modern scientific and developing processes. A new system, whose design is based on research and development, represents a fully automated measuring system which utilizes the incremental optical encoder with a precision graduated ring and a rewind pulley. The paper deals with the issue of a design of the standard equipment and its measurement system from the standpoint of metrology and construction. Based on scientific procedures, we solve reasons of errors in measurement and their reduction on concrete components of the measurement system. The result is that, following the scientific approach and mathematical description of the determination of measurement uncertainties, constructors are able to design suitable tolerances for the production of components of measuring devices and related materials and technologies.

Purpose This paper aims to review the research on tourists and outlines future scenarios for its development. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a critical and conceptual approach to this phenomenon and provides new perspectives for its future investigation. Findings This research on tourists might consider more aspects, such as the change from purely human-centred to a broader scope including non-human tourists, non-physical space and non-current time slots. This might provide the opportunity to engage more research disciplines into the research on tourists. Originality/value The past perspective includes the comparison of research on tourists in Western Europe and North America with an often-overlooked situation in Central and Eastern Europe. The future perspectives deal with challenges that might affect tourism research in the following years.

Tourism destinations can be considered as complex systems of interrelated and interdependent stakeholders. The complexity and limited power of influencing the number of stakeholders resulted in network approach to tourism destination governance. This approach is considered both theoretically and practically as a tool for strengthening its sustainable competitiveness, fostering innovation and knowledge sharing. Although the network analysis of tourism destinations has gained a significant attention in recent years, the complex understanding of its contribution to smart development is still missing. The aim of this chapter is to create a framework for smart approach in destination governance using the network science perspective. The chapter provides insights in using network analysis for strengthening the tourism destination governance. The chapter uses a case study methodology on two mature tourism destinations, providing an example of the use of network analysis for destination governance strengthening.

Tourism has been recognized as a social force that can promote international understanding, cooperation, and global fraternity among all people of the world. Volunteer tourism, as an expanding form of tourism, is becoming one of the promising tools to strengthen these values. However, the research on this topic, is so far limited. Therefore, the aim of the chapter is to analyze how volunteer tourism can promote peace and find out how the connection of tourism and volunteering through creating specific improvements in education, healthcare, environmental preservation, and community empowerment contribute to principles of peace. Following the sustainable development goals (SDGs), the chapter highlights the connection of tourism and peace, as well as the role of volunteer tourism in peace promotion. Based on the AIESEC case study, it examines the demand and supply of volunteer tourism projects aiming at implementing the SDGs.

The concept of smart tourism has gained a significant attention in the last years, leading to fruitful discussions among scientists and practitioners; however, there has been lack of attention paid to smart tourists so far. Although this emerging type of tourist has been conceptualized, it is now important to find whether it can be considered as a market segment. The article fills the gap in the smart tourism research by using two-step cluster analysis to classify 5975 tourists, finding a smart tourism market segment and analysing the characteristics and travel behaviour of this segment. This segment is worth focusing on and differentiates in all trip experience phases. The rethinking of business models of today’s destination management organizations towards creating value proposition during all trip experience phases based on personalization and experience enrichment is needed in order to reach the smart tourist market segment.

Development of information technologies and their use in everyday life change also the situation in tourism destinations. If a tourism destination wants to be competitive, sustainable and wants to differ in terms of innovation, knowledge and creativity, it should embrace the smart approach. Therefore, the role of destination management organization is changing and the analytical approach based on data mining is creating opportunities to overcome the challenges of today’s DMOs. The aim of the paper is to conceptualize the opportunities of data mining in order to overcome the challenges of today’s DMOs. The paper uses data from mature tourism destination to propose data mining techniques for analyzing real-time information about tourists, dynamically constructing a destination and supporting knowledge transfer among stakeholders. The article concludes, that in the nearest future it is expected that more and more DMOs will use the data mining approach in order to better satisfy their stakeholders, improve tourist experience and increase efficiency.

Long-term political ambition in Slovakia is focused on attracting Chinese investors, mainly after sanctions against Russia. The Chinese government proclaimed the initiative “16+1” (11 EU member states + 5 non-EU states) focused on the financing of infrastructure development in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Up to now, investments into the infrastructure were very low, up to €50 Mio., less than 1% of Slovak foreign direct investments (Merics 2017). The first train delivering goods from the port Dalian in China through Russia and Ukraine to the transhipment yard in Bratislava arrived in November 2017. The question is if this huge project will have any impact on the development of the country and, especially, on tourism development. Secondary (media) analysis and field research was conducted by means of face-to-face interviews with the most important tourism stakeholders on the national level and in the Bratislava and Kosice regions. There are benefits and risks connected with the New Silk Road for Slovakia. The major benefit is economic development due to building infrastructure; the major obstacle is conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Tourism stakeholders have no great expectations about the impact of the New Silk Road on tourism development in Slovakia.

Changes in the political life, as well as accession into the European Union (EU), have had a large impact on tourism development and tourism research in Slovakia. Tourism development can be divided into a number of periods based on the focus and priorities of tourism policy. This chapter highlights three distinct periods in relation to tourism development, the period of socialism, the period of transition, and the period of the European Union membership. Evidence suggests that Slovakia has not achieved the number of incoming tourists and expenditures on domestic tourism as it did before 1989. The primary cause appears to be that tourism policy has supported destinations with highly developed tourism rather than those struggling to succeed in the post-Soviet era.

Development of technologies have also influenced tourism sector introducing the concept of Tourism 4.0 and thus emphasising the smart approach. Besides the fact that smart tourism technologies are recognised to have a positive impact on tourists’ experience, effectiveness and competitiveness of businesses and destinations, their profound evaluation from tourists’ and industry point of view is still lacking. The aim of the article is to analyse the level of expected impact and period of maximum impact of smart tourism technologies in Central Europe. The findings reveal that technologies providing information have reached the maturity, while the maximum impact is being soon awaited from technologies applied in data management, followed by technologies enhancing the experience. The true development of smart tourism in Central Europe can be expected within 3 to 4 years, as sensing technologies powered by Internet of Things will reach their plateau of productivity.

One of the biggest barriers to the development of electromobility is the fear of people, because electric car has a significantly shorter range than conventional car. In modern electric cars to reduce electricity consumption and the range, complex technologies are used as energy assist. The intelligent energy assist role is to optimize the way of driving to minimize energy consumption by means of video and audio communications with the driver. The energy assist is not only predicting the range calculated from the difference between the received and consumed energy. Energy assist controls, manages, updates, and communicates with the electric car driver. It even foresees a compromised run to the nearest charger, so the driver warns and proposes austerity measures. Energy assist performs the tasks before driving, and then throughout the drive to the charging station. The aim of our research and development is the energy assist of the electric car driver. Modern components in the Edison electric car, built at the Department of Design and Mechanical Elements, enable the collection of a wide range of data, allow for changing set parameters, monitor their impact on energy consumption and measurements on the roller dynamometer, and verify the change of parameters on the road in various driving and climatic conditions.

The article deals with the diagram of the disposition of components and the creation of kinematic bonds of the test benches for transmission systems. The source of the drive on test benches is an electric motor. The article describes the configuration of components and the creation of kinematic bonds for the test bench with an open flow of mechanical power. The test bench also includes a dynamometer in addition to the electric motor. The article is also described an assembly procedure and creation kinematic bonds for test bench with a closed flow of mechanical power. In this, test bench used only an electric motor without a dynamometer. The electric motor is the same for both test benches. The kinematics of test benches is modeled and calculated in the Swiss program KissSys/KissSoft. As a result, the article deals with evaluation the energy balance of the individual test benches, especially by evaluation the energy balance of the electric motor.

The purpose of this contribution is to invent new spring, which will be made of carbon woven material. In this case, we examine spring properties in FEM software intended for testing of composite materials. This research is based on the need of special lightweight spring, which will have long length of compression and excellent resilience. Design of this unconventional spring we want to use as spring with damper in our project for extremely terrain lightweight vehicle. We designed two types of springs. First is made of corrugated carbon strip aligned into square and second is helical conical compression spring of rectangular wire. These springs were tested for the maximum load of 2000 N and we monitored the stress and deformation. Both springs were also tested with different angle direction of forming layers. The article wants to find new field of usage of carbon material through good elastic properties in spring sphere.

The paper deals with the possibility of increasing the accuracy of measurement of float indicators (float gauge) for level verification in high-capacity oil and hydrocarbon fuel tanks. Verification of accuracy of float level gauge is required by law. The new device will use Renishaw’s metering system. The new measuring system will work with an accuracy of 10 times the current measurement system. The current measuring system uses an accurate sliding scale and the rope of the authenticated measuring system is pressed by point contact for manipulation. The new system utilizes the direct contact of the rope and the measuring wheel. The paper focuses on the overall concept of a measuring device. The paper also deals with the determination of the geometric tolerances produced by the device components to minimize the measurement error. This article was based on the solutions to common project of applied development Slovak Legal Metrology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, University of Žilina, with the support of the Agency for Research and Development.

Nowadays, tourism sector needs to adapt to a very fast changing environment and stronger competitiveness. Smart tourism describes the current stage of tourism development influenced by the evolution of information technologies and is becoming a promising way how to face the new market conditions. The aim of the paper is to review the conceptual foundations of smart tourism and to analyse the development of smart tourism initiative in Central Europe, specifically in Slovakia. The paper adopts an exploratory multiple case study methodology, focusing on information technologies used by Central European tourists, willingness of data sharing and the use of the state-of-the-art technologies in tourism businesses. Moreover, the smart concept is examined based on the (SA)6 framework in three tourism destinations. The paper concludes that smart tourism should not be the ultimate goal, but with the help of technology, innovation, and cooperation, it should bring better tourist experience, wellbeing of residents, enhance effectiveness and competitiveness of businesses and destinations, and lead to overall competitive sustainability.

Tourism destination governance is nowadays a well discussed topic in scientific literature. It considers the view of different stakeholders in tourism development. Residents belong to one of the most important stakeholders in a tourism destination as they co-create the tourism product and can significantly affect the visitors gaze on destination. Therefore the aim of the study is to find out the interaction between residents perception of tourism development and their involvement in destination governance issues. The economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism in two mountain destinations are analysed from the viewpoint of residents. The semi-structured interviews took place in mature mountain destinations – Val Gardena in Italy and High Tatras in Slovakia. The study concludes that the inclusion of residents in destination governance issues leads to their higher satisfaction and it addresses the need to consider more the residents perception of sustainable tourism destination development. The novelty of the study is in the combination of destination governance approach and residents perception of sustainable tourism destination development.

Destination stakeholders seek balance between competition and cooperation within the destination and the ability to find the optimal organisational structure is one of the key success factors. The aim of the article is to propose methodology focusing on examining the organisational structure and leaders in a destination based on the community and corporate model. In order to evaluate the organisational structure, sequential steps are proposed, which were demonstrated on two central European mountain destinations. Firstly the network analysis of tourism stakeholders was used and then enriched with the in-depth interviews with stakeholders. The article measures the change in organisational structure and leadership in tourism destinations focusing on the influence on a destination performance. The article gives valuable insight for further examination of destination structures and destination management. Moreover, it provides new information on the destination organisational model within the concepts of community and corporate model.

The article describes modeling and simulation of the vehicle physical model. The vehicle model is simplified and it is made up of body and 4 tires. The model contains elementary information of the vehicle geometry - dimensions and center of gravity position. These information about the vehicle are sufficient for mathematical description of vehicle. The model is made of basic elements like engine, gearbox, differential and tires, which are represented by blocks. The model includes also other blocks, which are used to show measured outputs and control blocks, that make the vehicle mechatronic systems controllable according the driver model inputs. There are also studied the forces on tires and the engine speed of the vehicle model.

Electric vehicles have a significantly shorter range compared to the conventional vehicles with the internal combustion engine. Hence, it is important to inform the driver of an electric vehicle as accurately as possible about the actual range and how to reduce energy consumption and thus improve range. The paper presents proposed electric vehicle energy usage assist for increasing vehicle range, system implementation and measured data for energy usage assist function. The developed energy assist encourages the driver to modify his driving style in order to be on the powertrain greatest efficiency area. The system informs the driver about the limitations for example caused by weather conditions or low battery state of charge.

In the last years, the amount of data and the possibilities of its analysis have risen rapidly. Leading retail businesses are able to work with complex sources of data, embrace intelligence tools and generate better outcomes. Tourism industry is becoming smarter; however, because of its fragmented nature and small size of tourism businesses, it lags behind the other industries. Today’s destination management organizations (DMOs) are struggling with several challenges and have difficulties in adapting to new market conditions. Within the smart tourism concept, the big data analytics is seemed to be a promising tool for overcoming the challenges. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to find out the possibilities of overcoming challenges of today’s DMOs based on the analysis of current state and best practices of big data analytics in tourism destinations. The analysis is based on multiple case studies, with the main focus on Central Europe. The paper presents a conceptual view on big data analytics and concludes that the application of big data analytics allows DMOs to better define destination boundaries, understand the needs of today’s tourists, effectively manage destination stakeholders and be more competitive and sustainable.

The recent development and use of information technologies in tourism lead to innovations that have revolutionised and automated almost every phase of tourist journey. In order to respond to these changes, the smart tourism concept emerged, providing real-time solutions, advanced analytics and enhancing tourist experience. The volume of created data and the need of real-time interactions and results challenge the tourism sector and open the door for the use of artificial intelligence (AI). However, there has been a lack of academic research on AI and its connection to smart tourism development so far. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to review artificial intelligence tools used in tourism and to identify its role in smart tourism development. The article focuses on best practice examples and case studies that examine the use of AI phenomena in tourism.

The transition of the Slovak economy to a market-driven has caused more changes also in the organizational structure of tourism on national, regional and local level. The aim of the paper is to analyse the current organizational structure of destination management in Slovakia, the activities and financing of the destination management organizations (DMOs) and to evaluate the impact of state subsidies on tourism development in Slovakia. The majority of governmental subsidies are given to destinations with the highest developed infrastructure and the newly introduced Act no. 91/2010 Coll. about the support of tourism in Slovakia itself contributes to the deepening of regional disparities. The micro-regional DMOs are up to now financed mainly from the state budget and in case, that the funding from the government will be decreased, it is still the question of the sustainability of newly created DMOs. The Slovak DMOs should try to focus more on the increase of the revenues from their own activities, but this solution is limited by existing act, they should try to get more members or the other possibility is the merger of existing micro-regional DMOs into larger organizations covering the larger territory. According to the results of the analysis based on the research of task and resources, size and dominance, the paper proposes new geographical distribution of the micro-regional DMOs on the territory of 8 self-government regions.

Globalisation on the tourism market causes that the competition is not formed only between stakeholders in a destination, but more and more it is created among destinations. Therefore tourism stakeholders in a destination have to act together and cooperate. The cooperative behaviour of destination stakeholders is seen as a main prerequisite of applying the cooperative destination management, which influences the competitiveness of destination on tourism market. The aim of the paper is to analyse and measure cooperation of stakeholders in the selected destinations in Slovakia and Switzerland and to show the contribution of the network analysis to the quantitative research in tourism destinations. The article presents the network analysis of cooperation in product development and integrated marketing communication in the High Tatras, Liptov, Davos - Klosters and Engadin St. Moritz. The measurement of the cooperative behaviour helps to better understand the problems of cooperative destination management and creates a tool for comparing the destinations.

Smart tourism destinations represent a new concept of application of information technologies and information sharing in destinations, leading to the higher competitiveness and satisfaction of all relevant stakeholders, including tourists as tourism product co-creators and co-promoters of a destination. Although the use of information technologies in tourism destinations is well analyzed, the requirements on information system integrating all relevant technologies have not been conceptualized so far. Therefore the aim of the paper is to propose a conceptual model of intelligent information system for smart tourism destinations based on the state-of-the art technologies applied in tourism destinations. The selected smart destinations are analyzed together with the use of information technologies during the travel behavior. The proposed model consists of three layers – data collection, processing and exchange. The article contributes to the new paradigm research – the management of smart destinations and use of big data in tourism development.

Nowadays innovations are considered as one of the key sources of performance and competitiveness among tourism destinations. As tourism development is primarily based on their natural sources, the innovation process should respect the criteria of sustainable development. The aim of this chapter is to analyse the implementation of innovations in mountain destinations and examine their effect on sustainable tourism development. The research adopts in-depth analysis of the Central European destination High Tatras, concerning primary and secondary data from a survey and interviews with destination managers, tourism stakeholders, local inhabitants and annual reports. The novelty of this analysis lies in examining the connection of implementing different categories of innovations within different stages of the destination life cycle. The chapter concludes that various categories of innovation with different effects on sustainability are implemented in different stages of the destination life cycle.

The paper focuses on the implementation of innovations and networking in the sector of tourism in two Slovak mountain destinations of international significance. The main objective of the paper is to identify and evaluate how innovations and networking contribute to tourist destination development in Slovakia. The implementation of institutional innovation resulted in the establishment of formal and informal networks. The developed networks consist of representatives of all sectors co-ordinating all relevant stakeholders. Formal and informal networks and the collaboration among stakeholders have launched other types of innovations in the tourism sector. The interactions and intensity of relations among stakeholders are analysed by network analysis. Destinations are compared with the network of the same size and density through quantitative network characteristics. Based on empirical research we investigate the impact of networks and innovations on tourist destination development. Due to the synergy effect of networking and implementation of multiple innovations, tourist destination development is observed.