Wiley-Online-Library: International Journal of Tourism Research: Table of Contents

How Social Cognitive Factors Influence Rural Tourism Entrepreneurial Intention: A Moderated Mediation Model

Haiqin Yao, Yu Li, Pingping Hou, Zhengyu Fan, Lili Qian — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 02:33:20 -0700

ABSTRACT

We developed and tested an integrated social cognitive theory–entrepreneurial event model (SCT–EEM) framework to explain rural tourism entrepreneurial intentions in a sample of 472 final-year tourism and hospitality undergraduates in rural Zhejiang Province, China. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM) and data from field surveys (April–May 2024), we found that perceived policy support exerts a direct effect (β = 0.130, p = 0.011). Individual ambidexterity and parents' socioeconomic status indirectly influenced intentions through perceived desirability and perceived feasibility. Importantly, students' place of origin and rural tourism work experience significantly moderated these cognitive–intention relationships (e.g., effect of feasibility on intention: β = 0.469 for rural-origin vs. β = 0.094 for urban-origin students, p = 0.004). This study advances SCT–EEM integration by introducing individual ambidexterity as a novel antecedent and demonstrating how geographic embeddedness shapes rural tourism entrepreneurship among undergraduates.

Correction to “The Decision‐Making Process of Film Festival Participation: Developing a Value Co‐Creation Attitude Scale and Its Application to BIFAN”

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 01:12:40 -0700

International Journal of Tourism Research, Volume 28, Issue 3, May/June 2026.

Dialoguing With History: A Study on the Impact Mechanism of AI Digital Resurrection Technology on User Tourism Experience Value

Yunxia Shi, Minghua Wang, Junzhan Xue, Zehua Li — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:31:52 -0700

ABSTRACT

In the context of profound integration of smart tourism with cultural heritage inheritance and innovation, this study focuses on the application value of “AI Digital Resurrection Technology” in reviving traditional history and culture. Through scenario-based questionnaire surveys and regression-based PROCESS analyses, we found that: (1) AI Digital Resurrection Technology significantly enhances tourists' perceived experience value; (2) experiential openness moderates this effect in a compensatory pattern, such that the value-enhancing effect is stronger among users with lower experiential openness; (3) historical emotional connection shows a negative moderating effect; and (4) a joint moderating effect exists, where high experiential openness buffers the weakening effect of strong historical emotional connection, while the strong emotional foundation of highly connected users weakens the additional benefits of the technology. This study reveals the differentiated mechanism of AI Digital Resurrection Technology in cultural tourism, providing theoretical and empirical support for personalized and emotional tourism experiences.

The Social Amplification of Risk and Heuristics in Tourists' Traveling Intentions to Volatile Destinations

Grougiou Vassiliki, Leonidas Hatzithomas, Ilias Kapoutsis — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700

ABSTRACT

In response to the challenges the tourism industry faces, including terrorism and political instability, this study investigates the determinants influencing travelers' risk perceptions and intentions to visit volatile destinations subjected to persistent negative media coverage. We draw from the Social Amplification of Risk (SARF) and heuristics frameworks and examine how negative affect influences travel intentions through risk perceptions, while accounting for the moderating effects of destination familiarity and travel type—traveling in organized groups versus as independent travelers. We analyzed data from 748 German tourists and found that negative affect reduces intentions to visit volatile destinations. This effect is more pronounced among travelers who are familiar with the destination and those traveling in organized groups. This study extends the SARF, enriches research on heuristic bias in tourism, and offers practical implications for the tourism industry and government officials in countries experiencing political volatility.

Exploring the Tourism Sustainability Knowledge Network Through Bibliometric Analysis and a Computational Literature Review

Maria Fernanda Bernal Salazar, Elisa Baraibar‐Diez, Jesús Collado Agudo — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:37:29 -0700

ABSTRACT

This research conducts an in-depth review of the literature on sustainability and tourism, using an innovative methodology that combines bibliometric analysis with advanced computational literature review techniques, specifically topic modeling. Through an analysis of 9449 studies, we provide an updated, comprehensive, and detailed overview of the knowledge network in the field. We identify key and predominant themes and areas of research, as well as highlight emerging and declining trends, supported with statistical analysis. Our findings reveal that six emerging themes have gained significant traction in recent years: Environmental behavior and tourist attitudes; Massification and tourist mobility in cities; Tourism resilience in the face of the covid-19 pandemic; Gastronomic, wine, and religious tourism; Water management in tourism; Gender empowerment and entrepreneurship in tourism.

Craving Food but Remaining Alert: Food Lovers' Reactions to Risks in Food Tourism Destinations

Fangyu Xia, Yunyi Li, Ye Xu, Xinzhou Yuan, Haonan Zhang, Jingyu Hou — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:25:27 -0700

ABSTRACT

Understanding the psychological attraction that food lovers (“foodies”) have for food tourism destinations is crucial for effective marketing and promotion of the latter. This study investigated the interplay among destination loyalty (DL), self-congruity (SC), memorable food tourism experience (MFTE), perceived value (PV), and perceived risk (PR). Data collected from 17 restaurants in Macao using 389 valid questionnaires were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results showed a strong positive correlation among SC, PV, MFTE, and DL. PV and MFTE also significantly mediated the relationship between SC and DL. However, PR negatively moderated the relationships among MFTE, SC, and DL. This study not only demonstrated the psychological associations that food lovers have with destinations of gastronomy but also confirmed the negative moderating effect of PV. Finally, the findings of this study contribute to follow-up food tourism research and propose pertinent suggestions for destination marketing organizations and restaurant operators.

A Journey to Achievement: Resonance Between Tourism and Achievement

Juan Tang, Lihua Huang — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 03:21:12 -0700

ABSTRACT

This paper draws on research from psychology, education and management to re-examine the ontological basis and conceptualisation of achievement in tourism, proposing a foundational roadmap for future studies. Using a conceptual approach, it offers theoretical insights through philosophical inquiry and logical reasoning. This study deconstructs and reframes achievement in tourism as a multi-layered structure encompassing both positive and negative valence and implicit and explicit pursuits, arguing that these aspects need not be polarised. As one of the first scientific inquiries to critically interrogate achievement in tourism, this research note offers a holistic perspective that deepens the understanding of achievements in tourism.

The Role of User Satisfaction in Mediating the Effectiveness of Online Travel Platform Content on Tourists' Behavioral Intentions

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700

ABSTRACT

This paper examines how the quality of content offered on online travel platforms impacts user satisfaction. It also aims to reveal the role of user satisfaction in mediating users' travel-related behavioral intentions based on the stimulus–organism–response model and the theory of planned behavior. A survey (N = 258) was conducted among individuals living in Türkiye who follow travel channels with travel content on online platforms. Findings suggest that the content of online channels that share travel-oriented posts affects user satisfaction. Users' satisfaction with usage also influences intention to visit, and intention to recommend and reuse. This paper helps to find out how content of travel-related online communities leads to user satisfaction and behavioral intention. The study provides recommendations for tourism researchers for future research and practical recommendations for tourism industry professionals on how to refine their social media strategies to boost user satisfaction.

An Experimental Study on Heritage Tourism Experiences Through Augmented Reality: A Case of Kaleiçi‐Antalya

Özge Kılıçarslan, Tahir Albayrak — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 20:20:26 -0700

ABSTRACT

Despite the increasing use of augmented reality (AR) applications (apps) to enhance tourist experience, few studies have been conducted to determine their effectiveness. This case study, which was conducted at Antalya Kaleiçi, used a quasi-experimental post-test control group design to examine how the use of AR in a heritage site influences the associations between tourist experience, place attachment, satisfaction, and storytelling intention. The results showed that AR use significantly improves tourist experience and subsequent perceptions. Moreover, multi-group analysis revealed that the associations between the study variables differed between AR users (experimental group) and non-users (control group). These findings have theoretical and managerial implications for heritage tourism research and practice.

Do Cultural Lenses and Biological Gender Matter? The Impact of Hotel Gender on Guests' Trust in the Hospitality Industry: A Cross‐Cultural Study

Ahmed Hamdy, Xiangyun Gao, Salma AlMansoori, Riyad Eid, Gomaa Agag — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:04:32 -0700

ABSTRACT

Although earlier studies have provided substantial evidence of gendered destination influences on consumer behavior, research on the critical roles of biological gender and cultural lenses in travelers' perceptions and behaviors remains lacking. To address this gap, this analysis investigates the moderating roles of biological gender (male vs. female) and cultural lenses (individualism vs. collectivism) in the relationships among hotel gender, stereotypes, guests' trust, and recommendation intentions. Using two studies (n = 1027), a multigroup analysis reveals that masculine hotel traits strengthen competence perceptions and trust more for men and individualists, whereas feminine traits enhance warmth perceptions more for women and collectivists. This study extends gender stereotype research beyond traditional brand marketing to hospitality marketing, deepens the understanding of brand personality theory, and broadens the applicability of gender stereotypes in hospitality by showing how travelers' perceptions and behaviors vary across biological gender and cultural lenses, offering hotel managers practical insights.

The Dynamics of Person–Person and Person–Place Connections Through Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR)

Suh‐hee Choi, Joonhyeong Joseph Kim, Tae‐Hwan Yoon, Ning (Chris) Chen — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:47:34 -0700

ABSTRACT

Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) provides a context in which person–person and person–place interactions occur. This study extends place attachment theory to the VFR context by examining how rapport influences place attachment and behavioral intentions through well-being and place satisfaction. An empirical study was conducted using a sample of 470 guests who visited South Korea using PLS-SEM. The results indicate that rapport significantly enhances well-being and place satisfaction. However, only eudaimonic well-being was found to influence place attachment. Moreover, place attachment partially influenced revisit intention. The findings demonstrate how VFR strengthens host–guest relationships and how internal mental processing is involved in visit experiences and place evaluations. In particular, through eudaimonic well-being, guests develop stronger place attachment, which partly affects revisit intention. This study advocates a more socially sustainable approach to place attachment by exploring the holistic function of VFR.

Influence of Ethnic Minority Performing Arts Activities on Tourism Consumption Behavior Based on the Moderating Role of Cultural Identity

Xiubai Li, Jianing Li, Zhiyu Zheng, Dae‐Kwan Kim, Timothy J. Lee — Sun, 31 May 2026 22:17:23 -0700

ABSTRACT

This research investigates the complex causal mechanisms through which ethnic minority performing arts catalyze tourism consumption, specifically examining the moderating influence of cultural identity (CI) on the nexus between service attributes and behavioral outcomes. Utilizing an empirical dataset (N = 353) garnered from a field survey in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, the study operationalizes a structural model to validate the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that core service quality, supplementary infrastructure, and nuanced cultural perceptions are significant positive predictors of both tourism decision-making (TDM) and actual purchasing behavior (APB), with cultural identity functioning as a robust moderating catalyst across these relationships. This study introduces cultural identity into the theoretical constructs of the linkage between ethnic minority performing arts activities and tourism consumption behavior, constructs a three-dimensional impact path, and verifies its moderating effect. It also provides strategic references for product development, operation, and precise marketing in ethnic minority tourism.

Why Australian Hotels Hesitate: An Institutional Theory Analysis of Their Slow RAISA Adoption

Mengni Fu, Barry Fraser, Charles Arcodia — Tue, 26 May 2026 20:26:18 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study explores institutional barriers to robots, artificial intelligence, and service automation (RAISA) adoption in Australian hotels using institutional theory. Based on interviews with senior hotel managers in Australia, the findings identify three key constraints: (1) coercive pressures stemming from stringent regulations, limited government support, and high operating costs; (2) weak mimetic pressures, reflected in limited parent-company support, few local exemplars, and low competitive intensity; and (3) normative pressures, arising from a risk-averse culture, diverse service preferences, and privacy concerns. These conditions jointly create resistance to RAISA adoption. To overcome these challenges, coordinated efforts from government bodies, industry associations, and hotel operators are required. Theoretically, the study extends institutional theory by demonstrating how institutional pressures and voids interact to produce mechanism-based technology adoption barriers in a developed economy. Practically, the paper highlights the importance of policy support, industry collaboration, and hybrid service design to facilitate effective RAISA implementation in Australian hotels.

Are Senders of eWOM Biased? The Role of Personality and Collectivism

Pengji Wang, Breda McCarthy — Mon, 18 May 2026 19:43:26 -0700

ABSTRACT

The transmission of biased eWOM reduces the usefulness of online reviews to consumers and, if negative, is likely to affect a brand's image adversely. This research aims to investigate how traits, attention-seeking, and taking-the-lead make senders of eWOM subject to either the positivity or negativity bias, and how the cultural value of collectivism refines this relationship. A sample of 345 Chinese consumers was formed, and the data from an online survey was analysed using PLS-SEM. Results show that the attention-seeking trait makes Chinese people more susceptible to the negativity bias; however, a collectivistic culture weakens such a relationship. The taking-the-lead trait makes Chinese people more susceptible to the positivity bias, and a collectivistic culture strengthens this relationship. Our findings of the personality-culture nexus make a novel contribution to the eWOM literature.

“I Like This Art, So I Like This Hotel”—A Mixed Methods Investigation on How Hotel Art Engages Customers in Luxury Hotels

Luyang Wang, Lianping Ren, Cora Un In Wong, Zhuo Li, Yanping Feng — Mon, 18 May 2026 19:39:26 -0700

ABSTRACT

Decorating hotels with art pieces is a favored practice, particularly in luxury hotels. However, research on the investigation of how hotel artworks engage customers and promote their hotel experience is limited. Therefore, a sequential mixed methods approach was employed to address this gap by incorporating two studies. First, a qualitative study (interviews, n = 15) was employed to understand how art engages customers. Second, a quantitative study (survey, n = 268) was performed to empirically test the relationship between customers' artistic engagement and their overall hotel experience. Results reveal that visual art engages customers in a number of ways such as attention holding, cognitive enquiring, and emotive immersion. This study contributes to existing literature by applying cue-utilization theory to examine the impact of visual art in the context of luxury hotel consumption. The results provide valuable guidance to hoteliers on how to display artworks in the future.

Green Hospitality's Secret Weapon: Teamwork Versus Ambiguity and Conflict in the Chinese Service Maze

Ali Nawaz Khan, Zhou Jianwei, Ahsan Ali, Naseer Abbas Khan — Fri, 15 May 2026 18:43:34 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study explores how task-related ambiguity and conflict influence team performance-avoidance goal orientation (TPAGO) and in-role green performance in China's hospitality sector. Drawing on social information processing (SIP) theory, it examines TPAGO as a mediating mechanism and team climate for inclusion (TCI) as a moderating factor. Data from 361 employees across 79 service teams reveal that task conflict and ambiguity reduce green performance through increased TPAGO. However, inclusive team climates buffer this effect, helping teams maintain sustainability-oriented behaviors even under stress. By integrating motivational and contextual variables, this study offers a nuanced understanding of how internal team dynamics shape green outcomes. Findings contribute to SIP theory and team performance literature by identifying key mechanisms that inhibit or enable environmental behavior at the team level. The study aligns with SDGs 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action), offering insights for sustainable workforce management.

Social Discipline or Personal Order? Exploring the Touristic Ritual in Young People in China

Yan Jiao, Mingmin Zhu, Xingyang Lv — Fri, 15 May 2026 18:29:34 -0700

ABSTRACT

Tourism has long been considered a special ritual, but this has not been proven in an empirical study within various situations. This paper explores the ritualistic features in young people's memorable tourism experiences. Using the narratives of 74 Chinese young people's most memorable tourism experiences, which are presented in autobiographical method, this paper constructs the symbolic structure of touristic rituals based on young people's unforgettable tourism experiences. This includes both the three-journey structure and symbolic actions that place tourists in a liminal stage. It further builds the characteristics of touristic rituals based on tourism experiences as an important influencing factor. The study's results also show that the vital role of touristic rituals and a large market for tailor-made “rite of passage” tourism programs in China can contribute to effective tourism marketing among this age group.

Exploring Revenge Travel Intentions to Offbeat Destinations: Assessing the Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms

Subburaj Alagarsamy, Sangeeta Mehrolia, S. Jeevananda — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study integrates the Health Belief Model and Theory of Planned Behavior to examine factors influencing revenge travel intentions to offbeat destinations, including perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, attitude, social norms, and perceived behavioral control. It also explores the moderating role of social media influencer information search. Data from 363 online survey responses were analyzed using SmartPLS and structural equation modeling. Results show that constructs from both models significantly impact revenge travel intentions to offbeat destinations, with attitude and perceived behavioral control as partial mediators. Notably, social media information search strengthens the positive link between attitudes toward offbeat tourism and revenge travel intentions to offbeat destinations. The proposed model outperforms the original models in predictive capacity. The study acknowledges its limitations and discusses theoretical and practical implications for understanding revenge travel behavior to offbeat destinations.

Living Labs as Governance Mechanisms for Sustainable Tourism Monitoring: Evidence From Six European Destinations

Ante Mandić, Smiljana Pivčević — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:49:57 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study examines the role of Living Labs in advancing sustainable tourism governance across six European destinations: the Rotterdam Metropolitan Region (the Netherlands), the Scheldeland Region (Belgium), Utsjoki municipality (Finland), Huesca province (Spain), the Split metropolitan area (Croatia), and Vicenza (Italy). Using a pragmatic mixed-method design grounded in implementation science, the study investigates the development and initial validation of a sustainability monitoring framework tailored to local tourism contexts. The findings show that Living Labs can facilitate knowledge exchange, stakeholder collaboration, and experimentation with sustainability-oriented policy solutions. However, significant challenges emerge in applying standardized monitoring frameworks across diverse institutional and territorial settings. The results highlight the need for flexible, context-sensitive indicator systems that balance analytical rigor with local specificity. By linking sustainability monitoring with participatory governance, the study proposes an adaptable model for evidence-informed tourism policymaking at the destination level.

Guilt‐Free Indulgence: How Cultural‐Creative Elements Transform Visitor Experiences in Integrated Casino Resorts

Chunli Ji, Qiang Li, Catherine Prentice, Heng Chu, Erose Sthapit — Tue, 12 May 2026 17:49:18 -0700

ABSTRACT

Integrated resorts (IRs) increasingly embed cultural and creative elements (CCEs) to buffer the moral tension that often accompanies hedonic consumption, yet the underlying psychological mechanisms remain underexplored. Drawing on cue utilization theory and cognitive dissonance theory, this study examines how CCE-embedded extrinsic and intrinsic cues shape tourists' physical and psychological comfort, thereby facilitating cognitive reconstruction and guilt-free consumption. Survey data from 457 tourists in Macao IRs were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results support a sequential process in which both cue types enhance comfort; comfort, in turn, strengthens cognitive reconstruction; and reconstruction promotes guilt-free consumption. Self-image congruity (SIC) further moderates the cue–comfort links asymmetrically, with stronger effects at higher congruity levels. The study extends cue-based and dissonance-based perspectives by theorizing CCEs as compensatory cue systems in high-hedonism settings and offers actionable guidance for IR operators to segment and personalize CCEs offerings to enhance customer outcomes.

Assessing the Impact of Perceived Service Quality on Subsequent Behavior in Site Museums: A PLS‐SEM Approach

Linhui Hu, Lidan Chen, Qian Shan, Jinxiao Li, Wengen Feng — Tue, 12 May 2026 05:33:52 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study developed a comprehensive model of service quality (Protection and Exhibition, Environment and Configuration, Humanistic Care, Management and Personnel), satisfaction, and behavioral intention of site museums, based on big data analysis and empirical analysis. A total of 294 visitor responses from three site museums in Guangzhou were collected. PLS-SEM analysis found that Protection and Exhibition was the most important factor influencing satisfaction, followed by Humanistic Care, Management and Personnel, and satisfaction significantly influenced behavioral intention. Interestingly, Environment and Configuration was found to have no significant effect on satisfaction. The results of the study can be used as a theoretical basis to help practical resource allocation and promote the sustainable development of site museums.

A Meta‐Analysis of Tourists' Pro‐Environmental Behaviour Across Attiduinal, Contextual, Control and Moral‐Normative Dimensions

Sun, 10 May 2026 21:10:55 -0700

ABSTRACT

Tourist pro-environmental behaviour has garnered increasing scholarly attention in sustainability research. However, existing meta-analyses on tourist pro-environmental behaviour face key gaps, including fragmented antecedent categorisation, insufficient attention to intention-behaviour distinctions, and limited moderator analyses. This meta-analysis examined 216 correlation matrices from 85 studies to assess antecedents of tourists' pro-environmental behavioural intentions and actual behaviours. We reorganised antecedents into four dimensions: Attitudinal Foundations, Contextual Triggers, Control Appraisals and Moral-Normative Pressures, incorporating previously overlooked antecedents like past behaviours and engagement. Results identified biospheric values and personal norms (effect sizes ≥ 0.50) as the strongest predictors. Moderator analyses revealed variations across research contexts (hospitality vs. natural destinations vs. cultural destinations) and survey methods (online vs. on-site). These findings advance theoretical understanding of tourists' pro-environmental behaviour and inform targeted sustainability interventions in tourism.

Sustainability and Revitalization: Insights From a Multifaceted Tourist Data Survey of the Grand Canal, Hangzhou, China

Hanqin Qiu, Hangjun Zhang, Yu Li, Yingying Jin, Carson Lewis Jenkins — Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study aims to identify the barriers to sustainable development in the Grand Canal historic and cultural districts, part of the World Heritage Grand Canal in China, and to advance their urgently needed sustainable revitalization. This study employs a methodologically robust and data triangulation approach, drawing from multifaceted data sources including students' on-site observations, online reviews, and expert opinions. Through qualitative analysis, this study identified four major barriers to the sustainable development of the Grand Canal: infrastructure, planning and management, integration of culture and tourism, and innovation and digital revitalization. This study proposes a theoretical model for the sustainable development of the Grand Canal historic and cultural districts and offers specific suggestions for their sustainable revitalization. The findings of this paper have profound theoretical and practical implications for the sustainable development of world canals.

The Production of Tourism Space Through Urban Waterfront Night Cruise: A Foucauldian Lens

Gouxiong Yu, Junfan Lin — Sat, 09 May 2026 02:56:43 -0700

ABSTRACT

Urban waterfronts represent significant but limited tourism spaces within a city. Based on Foucault's thesis of power and heterotopia, this paper explores a mechanism for producing heterotopic space in tourism, contributing a critical examination of urban waterfront tourism. The Guangzhou Pearl River night cruise is employed as a case study. A ‘text-social space’ practical framework is proposed. Two key findings are drawn. Firstly, this case has witnessed the production of an urban-tourism heterotopia, meeting all six Foucauldian criteria. Secondly, this paper demonstrates and emphasises the exclusive and agentive roles of tourism space discourse in urban waterfront (re)development, and argues that the interaction of two systems of power-knowledge (tourism and the urban) increases their respective field of operations.

Innovating Green or Innovating Dirty? Regime‐Switching Models for Tourism Innovation on Green Performance

Jun Hyuk Lee, Melody Zhirui Zhou — Sat, 09 May 2026 02:49:59 -0700

ABSTRACT

Tourism innovation is widely promoted as a cornerstone of sustainability transitions, yet environmental pressures in many destinations continue to intensify. This study questions the implicit assumption that innovation delivers environmental benefits in a monotonic and cumulative manner. Using a balanced panel of 31 Chinese provinces from 2008 to 2024, we construct a Tourism Innovation System Index and a Green Tourism Performance Index and apply a panel threshold model to examine regime-dependent effects. The results show that innovation's environmental impacts are nonlinear and directionally unstable, shifting across structural regimes defined by institutional thresholds. Innovation amplifies environmental pressure below critical capability levels but supports environmental upgrading once thresholds are crossed. These regime transitions are conditioned by public cultural capacity, tourism openness, and tourism dependence, and are most pronounced in constrained regions. The findings challenge innovation-centered sustainability narratives and highlight the risks of policy strategies that promote innovation without regard to system readiness.

Development of Customer Related Experience Stressors (CES) Scale: Focused on Front‐Line Hotel Employees

Myoungjin Yu, Sunghyup Sean Hyun — Fri, 08 May 2026 09:08:03 -0700

ABSTRACT

In hotel industry, the excellent service quality through a positive connection can cause customer satisfaction and loyalty, which is directly related to the hotel's revenue. Therefore, the fact that front-line employees must always treat all customers politely and kindly at the service point of contact can be stressful, resulting in emotional burnout, exhaustion and job turnover intention. So in this study, the Customer-related experience stressors (CES) model was created using a scale-development research method for front-line employees working in 5- and 4-star hotels, consisting of a total of 5 factors and 25 measurement items. As a conclusions, this study discussed many theoretical and practical implications on CES for front-line employees working not only in hotels but also in the hospitality industry.

Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis for the Ranking of Circular Economy Indicators in Tourism Destinations

Wed, 06 May 2026 04:50:28 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study explores circular economy (CE) indicators in tourism by applying a multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework to rank indicators for sustainable and circular development. A comparative case study of two Italian Mediterranean regions was conducted with three key objectives: identifying a comprehensive set of CE indicators, ranking them hierarchically to prioritize CE alternatives, and testing MCDA application in tourism. The study's novelty lies in its holistic assessment and methodological approach. A total of 36 indicators—environmental, social, and governance-infrastructure—were analyzed, revealing regional differences in ranking and weighting, though some social and governance similarities emerged. The findings indicate that a universal CE strategy is ineffective; instead, tailored approaches are needed. This research provides valuable insights for tourism managers, policymakers, and stakeholders, offering a structured framework to enhance sustainable and circular tourism planning and promotion.

Strategic Marketing Factors for Successful Health Tourism: A Meta‐Analysis

Aqueeb Sohail Shaik, Vishakha Chauhan, Robin Nunkoo, Meehee Cho — Mon, 04 May 2026 20:04:22 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study identifies the strategic marketing factors for the success of health tourism using a multi-method approach involving a content analysis of the literature and a meta-analysis. We extracted 14 strategic marketing factors and classified them into four categories based on Drucker's strategic marketing theory: competitiveness, market, environment, and business factors. Using a meta-analysis, we estimated the magnitude of the effect sizes between these factors and the success of health tourism and investigated the moderating effects of the developmental status of the host country on these relationships. The study finds that all 14 strategic marketing factors are significantly associated with the success of health tourism. While most strategy factors exhibit a stronger relationship with the success of health tourism for developing countries, the relationship between competitive pricing and the success of health tourism is stronger for developed nations. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Cognitive Catalysts: Examining the Influence of Mental Workload, Decision‐Making, and Emotional Intelligence on Innovation in Physical Education

Chuanjian Su, Yamei He — Mon, 04 May 2026 19:51:10 -0700

ABSTRACT

The study portrays physical education (PE) as essential for enhancing individuals' understanding of others and shaping behavioral goals. However, individuals in Chinese society lack access to recent improvements in this field of knowledge. Accordingly, this study explores the impact of various psychological factors, such as mental workload, decision-making process, behavioral intention, and emotional intelligence on innovation in PE in China using cross-sectional data of general population. The findings show that mental workload, the decision-making process, and emotional intelligence significantly affect behavioral intention and innovation in PE, while behavioral intention also significantly influences innovation in PE. Furthermore, the results show that behavioral intention significantly mediates the relationship between the decision-making process and innovation, as well as between emotional intelligence and innovation in physical education. Therefore, this research offers substantial theoretical and practical implications by guiding educators and policymakers to design emotionally intelligent, decision-oriented physical education programs that foster innovation in China.

Spatial–Temporal Differentiation Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Tourism City Resilience in China

Yatong Liu, Yu Yin, Lei Tian, Bingxin Shi, Junhua Cai, Jingjing Yao — Fri, 01 May 2026 01:15:56 -0700

ABSTRACT

Based on the panel data of 46 tourism cities in China from 2009 to 2023, the entropy value method is used to measure the level of tourism city resilience (TCR), and the coefficient of variation method is applied to analyze its temporal and spatial differentiation characteristics, and Geodetectors are used for the analysis of the factors affecting the TCR. The study shows that: First, TCR is gradually improving, but there are significant regional differences, with the overall trend being “eastern > central > western.” Second, the spatial and temporal differences in TCR show “eastern > central > western,” and the majority of cities are medium-low levels of TCR. Third, there are differences in the dominant factors affecting the spatial differentiation of TCR in different periods, and the spatial differentiation of TCR is not driven by a single influencing factor, but is the result of the interaction of multiple factors.

Understanding Smart Tourism Using the TAM and ISSM Models: Focusing on the Moderating Effect of Information Utilization Ability

Jimin Shim, Joonho Moon, Won Seok Lee — Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study examines how differences in users' digital utilization ability influence system acceptance and use intention in smart tourism. A structural model integrating the information system success model (ISSM) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) is proposed to analyze user acceptance of tourism information systems. The results reveal significant structural differences depending on users' digital capabilities. Specifically, users with low digital utilization ability perceive systems as useful only when they are easy to use, whereas users with high ability do not rely on ease of use to the same extent. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Resilience Knowledge in Tourism: From Epistemological Insight to Strategic Application

Martin Fontanari, Anastasia Traskevich — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 06:09:53 -0700

ABSTRACT

This paper introduces the ReKo-Model—a framework for applying resilience knowledge in tourism—where “Re” signifies resilience as a strategic construct, and “Ko” refers to knowledge as an epistemological paradigm. The model advances the discourse on tourism resilience by integrating seven dimensions: strategic, corporate, community, technological, infrastructural, socio-ecological, and socio-cultural, culminating in destination-wide resilience. Grounded in the gnoseological principles of dialectics, the model emphasizes the inductive, deductive, and convergent flow of resilience knowledge across all organizational levels of tourism systems. It contributes an integrative implementation framework supported by interconnected tools, instruments, and methods for building resilience agility. The ReKo-Model promotes systemic coordination, cross-sector collaboration, and long-term adaptability, aligning resilience performance with sustainable transformation. As such, this study provides both theoretical and practical foundations for enhancing resilience awareness, advancing stakeholder cooperation, and guiding tourism systems toward innovation, competitiveness, and flourishing.

Slowing Down to Move Forward? Minimalist Slow Travel as a Pathway to Resilience and Growth

Dong Yoon Yoo, Melody Zhirui Zhou — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:37:52 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study examines how slowness in travel influences travelers' self-transcendence, resilience, and post-traumatic growth through the mediating role of flow experience, and whether minimalism in travel conditions these relationships. Using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, Study 1 interviews (N = 32) informed the conceptual model, tested in Study 2 with survey data (N = 521, Credamo) and analyzed via AMOS 24. The results indicate that slowness in travel positively predicts flow experience, which in turn enhances multiple dimensions of psychological growth. Moreover, minimalism strengthens both the direct and indirect effects of slowness on flow and growth-related outcomes. The findings reconceptualize slowness as a psychological gateway to flow and identify minimalism as a critical boundary condition. Practically, the study shifts wellness tourism design beyond time deceleration toward cultivating attentional stability and low-friction experiential contexts that support recovery and sustainable well-being.

Issue Information

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:30:49 -0700

International Journal of Tourism Research, Volume 28, Issue 3, May/June 2026.

Tourist Boycott Decision‐Making—Why Do It (Or Not)? Understanding and Responding to Tourism Boycotts

Glenn McCartney — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700

ABSTRACT

Tourism boycotts are increasingly prevalent, with tourists deterred to travel to certain destinations, negatively impacting the destination in the immediate and longer term. This study consolidates factors shown to trigger boycott decision-making, illustrating the multiple motives that prompt the likelihood of destination or tourism product boycott. Through understanding the complex decision-making process of traveler boycott animosity, motives, shifting attitudes and behavioral intentions, tourism destination authorities can better form appropriate and timely policy and communication intervention strategy to reestablish traveler confidence and repair reputational damage. Boycott motives are viewed through the lens of the awareness-egregiousness-boycott (AEB) model, with implications and future research priorities on understanding and reacting to tourism boycott behavior discussed.