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Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 56722

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Dr. João Romão

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Guest Editor

Department of International Tourism and Business, Yasuda Women’s University, Hiroshima 731-0153, Japan
Interests: sustainable tourism development; innovation; cultural tourism; city planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This special issue addresses the role of tourism within strategies of smart specialization and its implications on the sustainable development of destinations, regions and/or countries.

The concept of smart specialization inspired the formulation of regional innovation policies and strategies currently implemented in regions of the European Union (2014-2020), emphasizing the importance of endogenous resources and existing capabilities in each territory. This approach aims at exploring the regional variety of each economy in order to develop inter-sectorial relations, potentially generating spillover effects of innovation processes. Assuming an entrepreneurial approach to innovation, where local companies and institutions play a central role, the smart specialization approach also stresses the importance of “key-enabling technologies” and information and communication technologies as core strategic elements boosting the development of the priority sectors defined for each region.

As an activity that mobilizes contributions from different economic sectors, tourism may play a central role in smart specialization strategies, by exploring those sectorial interconnections and potential innovative approaches to the utilization of local resources. Among other possibilities, aspects related to the creative sectors or ICT, energy production and consumption, new forms of sustainable transport and mobility or food production can be taken into account in order to generate processes of sustainable development. Thus, the concept of smart specialization may be applied in other geographical contexts, not being limited to the European area.

Regional and international case studies, original quantitative research quantitative, conceptual or theoretical approaches and discussions focusing on economic, social or institutional aspects of innovation and sustainable development, along with other relevant analyses of the importance, significance or limitations of the concept of smart specialization in its relation with tourism dynamics and sustainable development can be addressed.

Possible topics to be addressed include (but are not limited to):

- tourism and regional economic structures

- tourism and sectorial relatedness

- entrepreneurial approaches to innovation in tourism

- creative economies and tourism

- ICT, interoperability and co-creation in tourism

- territorial resources, tourism and sustainable development

- preservation and valorization of cultural and natural resources in tourism

- smart specialization and tourism competitiveness

- potential and limitations of the smart specialization conceptual framework for tourism studies

- success and failure of tourism as a priority sector within smart specialization strategies in Europe

Dr. João Romão
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Variety
Relatedness
Innovation
Smart Tourism
Co-creation
Endogenous

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1689 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability of Tourism Development in the Mediterranean—Interregional Similarities and Differences

by Smiljana Pivčević, Lidija Petrić and Ante Mandić

Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7641; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12187641 - 16 Sep 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2724

Abstract

This study adjusts the Driving forces–Pressures–State–Impact–Response framework (DPSIR) to analyze the interregional similarities and differences with regard to sustainable tourism development in selected Mediterranean (MED) regions. The study involved three steps. The first step was a critical reflection on sustainable tourism indicators and DPSIR as a grouping approach. The analysis yielded 29 sustainability indicators distributed within four components of the DPSR framework. The data were collected for 54 NUTS 2 level MED regions. In the second step, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by a cluster analysis (CA) were performed to group homogenous regions and generate the Med Regions Cluster Matrix (MRCM). The investigation revealed that although countries in the Mediterranean share many characteristics in terms of tourism development and impacts, universal policies in mitigating the pressures are not appropriate. The main contributions of the study are (1) the application of the DPSIR model in the sustainable tourism context (2) and the analysis of the similarities and differences regarding the sustainability of tourism development in the selected MED regions. The conclusions of the analysis may stimulate the debate on mutual responses and sustainable tourism policy responses in the MED region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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24 pages, 2341 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nature Interpretation and Visitor Management Objectives: A Survey of Tourist Attitudes at Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

by Leanard Otwori Juma, Izabella Mária Bakos and Aniko Khademi-Vidra

Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7246; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12187246 - 4 Sep 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5204

Abstract

Nature interpretation has been advocated as a soft and non-obtrusive on-site visitor management strategy to enhance visitor knowledge and understanding of the resource, mitigate visitor impacts, encourage the conservation and improvement of attraction areas, and assist visitors in enjoying their visit. However, the way in which nature interpretation programs are implemented, and the subsequent attitudes created amongst visitors can pose a challenge to the effectiveness of nature interpretation as a visitor management strategy. The situation becomes more complicated with limited resources to implement, monitor, and evaluate nature interpretation in expansive wilderness areas like Masai Mara National Reserve (MMNR). The question therefore is, does nature interpretation in MMNR create favourable attitudes amongst wildlife tourists, consequently leading to enhanced visitor experiences and satisfaction of the support for conservations, or not? This research, therefore, sought to establish the extent to which the attitudes created by nature interpretation affect visitor satisfaction or the enhanced visitor experience and support for conservation, broadly termed as visitor management objectives in MMNR Kenya. Thus, H_o1 postulated that attitudes created by nature interpretation do not influence visitors’ support for conservation in MMNR, and H_o2, that attitudes created by nature interpretation do not enhance visitor experience and satisfaction in MMNR. This study used a structured questionnaire for the survey to collect data from a sample of 351 respondents as a proportion of visitors into MMNR. Research findings revealed that a moderate relationship between attitudes created by nature interpretation and support to conservation with rs = 0.426 and p = 0.000, thus null hypothesis ^H₀¹ was rejected. Secondly, results showed that attitudes created by nature interpretation moderately affected visitor satisfaction rs = 0.478 and p = 0.000, while similarly, null hypothesis ^H₀² was rejected. The research concluded that various forms of NI result in the formation of attitudes that moderately affect support for conservation and visitor satisfaction. The study concluded that enhanced nature interpretation training and awareness creation, along with continual improvement initiatives, could unlock its full potential as a visitor management strategy. This consistent, well-coordinated, and diligent implementation of nature interpretation initiatives by all stakeholders in MMNR would sustain a cumulative, long-term impact. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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14 pages, 656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Perceived Smart Tourism Technology Experience for Tourist Satisfaction, Happiness and Revisit Intention

by Chen-Kuo Pai, Yumeng Liu, Sangguk Kang and Anna Dai

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6592; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12166592 - 14 Aug 2020

Cited by 86 | Viewed by 19429

Abstract

The rapid advancement of smart tourism technology brings new opportunities for tourism development. More travel destinations are relying on smart technology to attract more tourists to visit and enrich their travel experience. The main purpose of this study was to explore whether tourists are satisfied with their smart tourism technology experience (i.e., informativeness, accessibility, interactivity, personalization, and security). This study also investigated the impact of smart tourism technology experience on tourists’ happiness and revisit intention. This study used a structural equation method to find the relationship among smart tourism technology attributes, travel satisfaction, happiness, and revisit intention. Surveys of a total of 527 participants who traveled to Macau from Mainland China were used for the analysis. The results showed that accessibility is the most important factor affecting the smart tourism technology experience and personalization the least. Smart tourism technology experience is shown to be significantly associated with travel experience satisfaction, and travel experience satisfaction has a positive effect on both tourists’ happiness and revisit intention. Finally, tourist happiness is also shown to be positively associated with revisit intention. This study provides theoretical and practical significance for the development of smart tourism in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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27 pages, 7052 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing the Smart Tourism Experience for People with Visual Impairments by Gamified Application Approach through Needs Analysis in Hong Kong

by Lusha Huang and Newman Lau

Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 6213; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12156213 - 2 Aug 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5806

Abstract

Sustainability studies in tourism are increasingly emphasizing social matters, for instance, “Accessible Tourism for All.” Research on people with visual impairments with smart tourism has so far been sparse. In order to resonate with the global call for sustainable tourism development, this paper aims to contribute to understanding the aspirations of people with visual impairments in terms of tourism and to explore how smart tourism destinations could potentially enhance the tourism experience they offer. We utilized multisensory participant observations and interviews to empathize with the target users and gain insights into their needs. The results showed that they were generally positive about travel, particularly autonomy, achievement needs, and socializing with other individuals. The findings also shed light on their desire to play games on their phones. Consequently, based on the findings and the theoretical groundings of PERMA model and MDA framework from positive psychology and game design, the study proposed a gamified approach to future tourism app design for people with visual impairments, which could enhance engagement, motivation, and enjoyment in the tourism experience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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13 pages, 1205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variety, Smart Specialization and Tourism Competitiveness

by João Romão

Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5765; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12145765 - 17 Jul 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2637

Abstract

This work analyzes how regional tourism dynamics (demand, supply and specialization) and innovation performance may influence tourism competitiveness. The novelty and originality of the analysis is the inclusion of aspects related to the sectorial priority options defined within smart specialization strategies in European regions as potential explanatory factors. By using a panel data model and focusing on regions where tourism is one of the priority sectors for Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS3, 2014–2020), the results reveal positive impacts of tourism demand, supply and specialization on the value added produced by tourism activities. Moreover, immaterial aspects related to the qualification of the regional labor force and innovation dynamics (investment in research in development) also exert a positive impact on tourism competitiveness. The novel results obtained regarding the impacts of smart specialization strategies show a high potential of the tourism sector to benefit from geographical, cultural and institutional forms of proximity. The results also suggest that knowledge externalities arising from interactions with both related or unrelated sectors—by exploiting interactions and connectivity with sectors with both low and high cognitive distances—may emerge. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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15 pages, 646 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Islamic Finance and Halal Tourism: An Unexplored Bridge for Smart Specialization

by Juan Carlos Martín, Carmen Orden-Cruz and Slimane Zergane

Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5736; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12145736 - 16 Jul 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3527

Abstract

Since the 1960s, Halal industry and Islamic Finance have grown in parallel without implementing adequate synergies. Halal tourism is a fast-growing sector of Halal industry, and the connection with Islamic Finance has hardly been researched. The aim of this paper is to analyse whether Islamic Finance can play an active role in developing Halal Tourism. This topic has not been empirically researched in the literature. The methodology is based on a fuzzy hybrid multi-criteria method that satisfactorily handles the imprecise nature associated with the information provided by Likert scales. Our results show how culture has a direct moderating effect on the degree of agreement that respondents have over the active role that IF can play, finding that English respondents agree more than Spanish and Arabs respondents. Similarly, our results also show that the knowledge of the Halal concept makes respondents agree more with the active role of Islamic finance. This study provides insights to the main stakeholders, and it can be strategically used to foster adequate synergy between Islamic Finance and the development of Halal tourist products as a way to specialize in a more sustainable tourism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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19 pages, 956 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Structure and Formation Mechanism of China-ASEAN Tourism Cooperation

by Jie Yin, Yahua Bi and Yingchao Ji

Sustainability 2020, 12(13), 5440; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12135440 - 6 Jul 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3368

Abstract

Tourism cooperation is an essential element for tourism development in China-ASEAN countries and has made a significant economic contribution to destinations. This study investigates the structure of tourism cooperation in China-ASEAN relations and identifies a set of factors that affect tourism cooperation from a network perspective. By employing social network analysis, the results indicate that the scale of cooperation is small, and the efficiency is not high, although the restrictions on cooperation between countries are reduced. The findings also indicate that differences in the political system, security, population density, and language can promote tourism cooperation, while differences in governance, income, and consumption level impede tourism cooperation. The research results may assist China-ASEAN countries to formulate tourism strategies suitable for international cooperation and national differences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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15 pages, 456 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Developing a Competitive and Sustainable Destination of the Future: Clusters and Predictors of Successful National-Level Destination Governance across Destination Life-Cycle

by Ivan Paunović, Marc Dressler, Tatjana Mamula Nikolić and Sanja Popović Pantić

Sustainability 2020, 12(10), 4066; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12104066 - 15 May 2020

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4335

Abstract

This study advances the research and methodological approach to measuring and understanding national-level destination competitiveness, sustainability and governance, by creating a model that could be of use for both developing and developed destinations. The study gives a detailed overview of the research field of measuring destination competitiveness and sustainability. It also identifies major predictors of destination competitiveness and sustainability and thereby presents destination researchers and practitioners with a useful list of priority areas, both from a global perspective and from the perspective of other similar destinations. Finally, the study identifies two major types of destination governance with implications for research, policy and practice across the destination life-cycle. The research deals with the analysis of the secondary data from the World Economic Forum Travel and Tourism Index (WEF T&T). Major types of destination governance and predictors of belonging to either one of the types, as well as inside cluster predictors have been extracted through a two-step cluster analysis. The results support the notion that a meaningful model of national-level destination governance needs to take into account different development levels of different destinations. The main limitation of the study is its typology creation approach, as it inevitably leads to simplifications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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18 pages, 5616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A New Livelihood Sustainability Index for Rural Revitalization Assessment—A Modelling Study on Smart Tourism Specialization in China

by Huiqin Li, Peter Nijkamp, Xuelian Xie and Jingjing Liu

Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3148; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12083148 - 14 Apr 2020

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 5738

Abstract

In our rapidly urbanizing world, the problem of rurality versus urbanization is becoming a source of concern. Rural tourism development may become a new important stimulus for promoting a sustainable transformation of the farmers’ livelihood. This calls for a smart specialization in rural tourism where the focus is on a balanced rural revitalization strategy. As part of the empirical research, this paper introduces a livelihood sustainability index. This index helps to construct a balanced system for the evaluation of livelihood sustainability achievements in rural tourism destinations. It is based on livelihood capital, livelihood strategy, and the interlinkage between livelihood and environment, in order to dynamically assess the livelihood sustainability of rural households. Taking Huangpi District of the Wuhan area in China as our applied case study, the livelihood sustainability index appears to show over the past years a significant rise, based on a comprehensive index method, an entropy method, and a coupling coordination model. Our findings show that the development of rural tourism has clearly promoted livelihood sustainability. This has inter alia resulted in the accumulation of livelihood capital, an asset of which both social and cultural capital have benefitted greatly; livelihood strategies have also improved, and therefore so have livelihood diversity and stability; and finally, the interlinkage and coordination degree between livelihood and the environment has also changed positively from a primary to intermediate balanced development. However, the livelihood sustainability index in the area concerned is still relatively low, and has not yet reached its possible optimal level. Hence, there is still much room for improvement. Various approaches can be proposed to achieve a more sustainable livelihood, such as enhancing livelihood capital; narrowing the economic gap between farmers by participating in professional tourism activity; establishing the mechanism of industrial integration and the development of rural eco-tourism; and coordinating a balanced development of livelihood and environmental quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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19 pages, 1885 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Visitors’ Perceptions towards Traditional and Regional Products in Trabzon (Turkey) and Podhale (Poland)

by Maria Hełdak, Sultan Sevinç Kurt Konakoğlu, Izabela Kurtyka-Marcak, Beata Raszka and Banu Çiçek Kurdoğlu

Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2362; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12062362 - 18 Mar 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2784

Abstract

Gastronomy tourism is defined as a type of tourism that deals with the relationship between food and beverages and culture in the context of the local culinary culture. Local dishes, recipes, and culinary culture, which express the lifestyle of cities, are an important part of tourists’ choice of destinations. According to many studies undertaken in recent years, tourists have seen an increase in the number of trips conducted to taste a cultural dish and to learn cooking techniques and cooking skills. In this study, the Trabzon (Turkey) and Podhale (Poland) regions were selected as a study area. These regions are characterised by unique, very interesting culture and art and, especially, folklore. The cuisines from Podhale and from the Trabzon region are equally attractive. The study was conducted on 151 people in Trabzon and 102 respondents in the Podhale region. The study revealed that only 15 out of 253 respondents had not heard about regional and traditional products. The authors analyzed whether people from different age groups had specific habits concerning the place of purchasing regional products in the analysed regions of Poland and Turkey. Regarding the question of whether the motivation to buy regional products was the same in households with a larger and smaller number of residents, it was found that only one correlation proved to be statistically significant: the correlation between household size and buying regional products because of their price. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism, Smart Specialization and Sustainable Development)

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