The importance of the image of the tourist destination in the communication and marketing of a tourist destination is beyond doubt. For this reason, numerous studies address these issues. However, not so many do so from the perspective of the emotion the receiver feels, which is why this study deals with analyzing the emotion generated in the receiver through neuromarketing techniques and measuring the level of engagement felt. As a fundamental part of this study, we added the variable of cultural differences, both generically and specifically for gender and age. We are mainly guided by the theories of Life Cycle Theory and Generational Theory to analyze age differences. At the same time, gender differences are approached from the Gender Role Theory. The sample comprises hundred individuals with apparent cultural differences, one sample of German origin and residence and the other of Spanish origin and residence, 50/50. We approached the study from the point of view of the emotion felt by the receiver of the message based on ten neuromarketing techniques (EGG) and ten images used by a famous tourist destination known in both countries. The results suggest that not only are there differences in the emotion felt after viewing images of a tourist destination, but that these differences are also explained by cultural background, gender, and age.

The internationally adopted definition of tourism prompts to develop a systemic dynamic approach of tourism development. The paper proposes to conceptualize tourism development as a system interlinking three agents: transport, domestic tourism activities and the visitor; generating three types of development tourism development dynamics. In a second step, it uses this framework to develop, with a minimalist set of hypotheses, a capacity-based model enabling to consider destination tourism development as a microfounded supply-driven systemic dynamic process. Through the lens of the model, exhaustion or asymmetric distribution of market power may halt destination tourism development. Using the model’s framework, the structuring forces of the Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) are explained by the dual impact of capacity dynamics: accelerating by increasing arrivals, and at the same time decelerating by declining price elasticities.

Geoheritage is recognized as a component of cultural heritage, especially in the Toba Caldera Geopark area. The aim of the research is to determine the relationship between geoheritage and cultural heritage in the concept of abiotic ecosystems. The research method used in this research is empirical juridical or non-doctrinal with a sociological/empirical approach using a non-positivist approach, including reference studies and observations. The research results describe sarcophagi and megaliths carved from Toba tuff rock estimated to be 73,500 years old during the Pleistocene period and andesite lava 33,000 years old from the eruption of the Toba volcano.

This commentary critically examines the integration of Smart Tourism technologies within the tourism and hospitality sectors, focusing on their role in enhancing tourist experiences and operational efficiencies. Through a multidisciplinary approach encompassing a literature review, case studies, and empirical data analysis, the analysis adopts a constructivist perspective to explore tourists’ subjective experiences with technology. It highlights significant personalization, efficiency, and sustainability advancements while acknowledging challenges related to digital infrastructure and privacy concerns. Advocating for a balanced and sustainable approach that respects environmental integrity and cultural heritage, the commentary concludes with recommendations for future research on the socio-economic impacts of Smart Tourism, ethical data usage, and the adaptation of technologies to diverse contexts. It calls for increased investment in digital infrastructure and stakeholder collaborative efforts to promote sustainable and inclusive tourism development.

Nowadays hyperconnectivity provides an opportunity for tourism industry to benefit from big data analytics as determining competitive factor, for decision making, product design and assertive marketing strategies for target segments; but at the same time, having financial, organizational and personal information stored in cyberspace and available to many users makes vulnerable to security risks like phishing and hacking, both common cybercrimes that affect tourism sector. This paper, introduces representation and model design stages of our own methodology based on self-organization approach that we propose to reinforce cybersecurity in tourism, as part of a research project founded by National Council for Science and Technology postdoctoral scholarship for Mexico.

This research explores the untapped tourism potential of three tranquil villages in Bukit Tengah, Penang, Malaysia. Its overarching strategy is to foster sustainability and economic growth, particularly in the B40 communities of the area. Employing mixed-methods research, the study evaluates tourism products through systematic weighted scoring, questionnaire surveys, and interviews with key informants and tourism stakeholders. The sustainable development theory is used in this study as a conceptual framework for rural tourism development, emphasising the integration of economic, social, and environmental dimensions to ensure long-term viability and benefits for local communities. The results indicate the latent potential for rural tourism development in the three villages, contingent upon garnering local support and collaborating with tourism stakeholders. The study highlights the capacity of rural tourism promotion in generating additional income for the local population, thus promoting both environmental sustainability and community well-being. These findings align with the state government’s goal of achieving balanced tourism growth between the island and Seberang Prai regions. Moreover, this research also aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8 and 11, recognising the role of tourism in achieving goals such as poverty reduction, environmental sustainability, and community well-being, all of which are relevant to rural tourism development.

The sustainable development of tourism destinations is a continual and evolving process crucial for long-term value and well-being. However, the existing literature reveals a gap in understanding how to effectively evaluate the sustainable development of tourism objects, with a predominant focus on developed countries. This raises concerns about the applicability of similar strategies in underdeveloped nations. This study employs an analysis of the scientific literature to address the identified research problem. We propose a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to sustainable tourism management, aiming to equalize the distribution of economic, social, and cultural dimensions. Our focus is on developing a theoretical evaluation model that goes beyond conventional frameworks and includes both broad and narrow dimensions. The research uncovers that sustainable development, as presented by various authors, encompasses economic benefits, environmental protection, and social dimension management. We introduce a sustainability management model that surpasses existing systems, offering a holistic perspective. Moreover, we emphasize the significance of voluntary publicity for environmental and socio-cultural activities in enhancing a tourism destination’s image and societal value. Our study contributes a theoretical evaluation model based on global criteria for sustainable tourism. This model not only evaluates the dimensions of coherence broadly but also incorporates specific criteria for a nuanced analysis of the current situation and potential opportunities. The proposed framework aims to guide tourism destinations in achieving economic benefits without compromising the environment and prioritizing the well-being of local communities, thus fostering a more sustainable and equitable development process.

This research studies Australian travellers’ satisfaction with traditional accommodations in Invercargill, New Zealand and the aim is to explore Australian travellers’ satisfaction with traditional accommodations in this city. This descriptive research uses content analysis based on 256 online reviews gathered from online travel platforms and analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The research results distinguish that Australian travellers in Invercargill were mostly couples who stayed two days or less in motels and hotels. The quantitative results indicate that most Australian travellers gave moderate satisfaction ratings, with no significant differences across different accommodation types and traveller categories. The qualitative analysis revealed that Australian travellers generally expressed satisfaction with room, service, and accommodation characteristics but identified areas for improvement, including indoor environment, bathroom, soundproofing, service quality, and certain aspects of accommodation characteristics. The study recommends that managers of traditional accommodations should make improvements based on negative feedback from Australian travellers.

Currently, within the tourism market, there is a significant number of destinations that offer the same product, especially in the sun and beach market, so the search for competitiveness must be the objective that allows increasing the arrival of tourists to a destination, becoming one of the main pillars on which tourism policies are based. In this context, this paper aims is to ascertain whether there exists a causal relationship between tourism competitiveness and the influx of tourists to destinations. To achieve this, the Granger causality test is utilized, employing the econometric adaptation conducted by Dumitrescu and Hurlin, utilizing a sample of 18 Mediterranean countries spanning from 2007 to 2019. From the analysis carried out, it is highlighted that there is no causal relationship from tourism competitiveness to the number of tourists received, which is an important finding in the countries of the Mediterranean coast, since tourists do not value competitiveness in these destinations.

Tourism development involves sustainably creating and managing destinations, products, and services that balance economic, social, and environmental factors while meeting visitor and local community expectations. The purpose of this study is to understand the local people’s perception of tourism development in Pokhara, Nepal. An explanatory research design is used to show the cause-and-effect relationship between variables. The research was conducted using Social Exchange Theory (SET). The data was examined using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The sample size was determined to be 403 using non- probability sampling. Structured questionnaire was designed to collect the data using KOBO toolbox. Furthermore, Structure Equation Model (SEM) was as the analytical approach to process the data. Results reveal a noteworthy relationship between independent variables (such as cultural impact, social impact, environmental impact and economic impact) and dependent variable (support for tourism development). The major challenges in tourism development have been identified, including deficient infrastructure, suboptimal tourism strategies and implementation, and inadequate government oversight. Effective mitigation of these challenges necessitates the implementation of appropriate infrastructure and development initiatives, proficient governmental management, and a concerted effort to augment the quantity and quality of hotels and accommodations. The significance of cultural, social, environmental and economic impact cannot be under or overstated in the context of tourism development. Addressing major challenges, the study suggests focused efforts in enhancing infrastructure and development, adopting effective management practices, and augmenting the quantity and quality of hotels and accommodations.

Digital transformation is becoming increasingly essential for developing the global economy. Within this advancement framework lies the tourism industry, where the growing demand from travelers for new experiences drives the search for increasingly technological solutions. Among the many tourism segments are religious, natural, gastronomic, and cultural tourism. These, in turn, seek to offer travelers personalized options based on individual preferences and specific interests. Given the significant growth of Brazilian tourism in recent years, it seems coherent to enhance new technologies that can invigorate the sector. In this regard, this research proposes the development of a mobile application designed to assist users in creating personalized routes in the city of São João del-Rei (Brazil). The study employed design science research with software engineering methods to achieve the desired outcome. The result is the creation of the mobile application called UaiGuia, which provides a distinct approach to exploring the rich culture and tourist attractions in the city of São João del-Rei. The app’s main characteristic is allowing tourists to create routes based on their interests according to the local features. Moreover, access to cultural events, festivals, and other attractions via the application enhances the stay in the city even further, supporting a better immersion in the richness of the region’s heritage.

This research focuses on identifying and enhancing the capabilities and potentials of urban tourism with the aim of improving the brand image and personality in Tabriz City. The research methodology, given its practical nature, is based on the analytical-survey method. The statistical population includes all city managers and experts in the tourism sector of Tabriz City. The data were analyzed using SPSS software, and the ANP and TOPSIS Fuzzy decision-making models were employed for prioritizing criteria. The results indicate that Tabriz City possesses exceptional tourism power, capacity, and potential. The examination of urban tourism capabilities and potentials in Tabriz demonstrates that its tourism capacity is particularly pronounced in the social, cultural, traditional, historical, and architectural domains. The social and cultural identity index of the city (celebrities, music) with a normalized weight of 0.0277, the presence of historical entities in the city with a normalized weight of 0.0274, the old context with traditional architecture (houses, mosques, etc.) with a normalized weight of 0.0272, great variety in souvenirs and food products with a normalized weight of 0.0271, creating a sense of belonging to a neighborhood among residents with a normalized weight of 0.0270, and special customs in the city (food styles, etc.) with a normalized weight of 0.0270 are among the most important indicators. Therefore, city managers and officials in the tourism sector of Tabriz should pay special attention to the social and cultural capacities and historical and architectural components to introduce Tabriz as a cultural and historical city at both the national and international levels. The tourism planning for Tabriz should be based on the city's cultural, architectural, and historical attractions.