Research on rural tourism environment perception based on grounded theory A case study of Beishan Village, Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China.

Drawing upon its regional culture, natural landscapes, and architectural features, Beishan Village in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, has forged a distinctive rural development model that combines an industrial park with tourism. While this approach has catalyzed rural progress, it also encounters numerous complex practical challenges. Utilizing the grounded theory method, this study employs participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and network data analysis to investigate the perspectives of three key stakeholder groups: villagers, tourists, and resident merchants. A model is constructed to capture their environmental perceptions of rural tourism. Based on an analysis of network and interview textual data, as well as the influencing factors identified through the theoretical model, this study proposes several optimization strategies. These include enhancing infrastructure development, cultivating a regional brand culture, strengthening the institutional management framework, establishing a rural sharing economy platform, and introducing digital tours. These strategies are designed to refine and enhance Beishan Village's development model, offering insights for similar villages and advancing the integration of beautiful China initiatives with urban and rural development efforts.

Views, Attitudes and Challenges When Supporting a Family Member in Their Decision to Travel to Switzerland to Receive Aid-In-Dying.

Objectives: Exploring the experiences, perceptions and meanings of family members and close friends of Israeli individuals who sought aid-in-dying outside Israel. Methods: Using the phenomenological-interpretive approach, a qualitative research design was employed, based on ten in-depth semi-structured interviews with Israelis who had provided support for a relative who embarked on suicide tourism. Results: The following five themes emerged from interviews: (1) facilitators for supporting an individual requesting suicide tourism; (2) choosing death and actively making the decision to die; (3) the meaning of traveling to die; (4) offering support throughout the process; and (5) facilitating procedures after death. Conclusion: The participants spoke of the active role that they played in their relative's suicide-tourism journey. They conveyed conflicting emotions and values regarding the decision at hand, the ability to say goodbye thanks to their pre-planned death, helping to reduce their suffering and burden, and dealing with the challenge of disclosing the deceased's plans, before and after the act, as well as their own involvement in the process. Relatives of suicide-tourism patients should receive professional support during and following this difficult process.

Travertine deposition rather than tourism activity is the primary contributor to the microplastic risks in alpine karst lakes.

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging as anthropogenic vectors to form plastisphere, facilitating microbiome colonization and pathogenic dissemination, thus contributing to environmental and health crises across various ecosystems. However, a knowledge gap persists regarding MPs risks and their driving factors in certain unique and vulnerable ecosystems, such as Karst travertine lakes, some of which are renowned World Natural Heritage Sites under ever-increasing tourism pressure. We hypothesized that tourism activities serve as the most important factor of MPs pollution, whereas intrinsic features, including travertine deposition can exacerbate potential environmental risks. Thus, metagenomic approaches were employed to investigate the geographical distribution of the microbiome, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), virulence factor genes (VFGs), and their combined environmental risks in Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, two famous tourism destinations in Southwest China. The plastisphere risks were higher in Huanglong, contradicting our hypothesis that Jiuzhaigou would face more crucial antibiotic risks due to its higher tourist activities. Specifically, the levels of Lipopolysaccharide Lewis and fosD increased by sevenfold and 20-fold, respectively, from upstream to downstream in Huanglong, whereas in Jiuzhaigou, no significant accrual was observed. Structural equation modeling results showed that travertine deposition was the primary contributor to MPs risks in alpine karstic lakes. Our findings suggest that tourism has low impact on MPs risks, possibly because of proper management, and that travertine deposition might act as an MPs hotspot, emphasizing the importance of considering the unique aspects of travertine lakes in mitigating MPs pollution and promoting the sustainable development of World Natural Heritage Sites.

Perceptions and practices of Swedish wild boar hunters in relation to African swine fever before the first outbreak in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: The first outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Sweden was detected in 2023 in wild boar. This study was conducted before the first ASF outbreak with the objective of investigating Swedish hunters' perceptions and practices pertaining to ASF ahead of any potential future outbreak. A mixed-methods interview study with Swedish wild boar hunters, consisting of focus group discussions and a questionnaire, was undertaken between October 2020 and December 2021. Six focus groups were conducted online, and an online questionnaire with questions related to practices and habits concerning hunting, the use of bait and hunting trips was sent to all members of the Swedish Hunting and Wildlife Association. A total of 3244 responses were received. RESULTS: Three general themes were identified in a thematic analysis of the data from the focus groups: hunters are willing to engage in ASF prevention and control, simplicity and feasibility are crucial for the implementation of reporting, sampling and control measures, and more information and the greater involvement of the authorities are required in ASF prevention and control. Results from the questionnaire showed that the use of bait was common. Products of animal origin were rarely used for baiting; the most common product used was maize. Hunting trips abroad, especially outside of the Nordic countries, were uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: Hunting tourism and the use of bait do not seem to constitute a major risk for the introduction of ASF to wild boar populations in Sweden. The accessibility of relevant information for each concerned stakeholder and the ease of reporting and sampling are crucial to maintain the positive engagement of hunters.

The impact of TOURISM and seasonality on different types of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation: The case of Ibiza.

Most studies analysing waste generation consider the impact on the resident population; however, in the case of tourist destinations, it is important to differentiate the impact between the local population and tourists. This research separates these two population groups using the stochastic impacts by regression on population, affluence and technology (STIRPAT) model for the case of Ibiza. The results confirm different waste generation patterns in tourist and non-tourist populations depending on the waste type (non-sorted and sorted). Moreover, our analysis found that the amount of waste generated per person decreased over time, demonstrating the growth of circular economy practices in the destination. Furthermore, the STIRPAT model highlights the development of a circular economy, showing a downward trend in the generation of non-sorted waste and a positive trend towards collecting recyclable materials. Finally, the results confirm that waste generation patterns vary by season, population, and waste type. Additionally, for both populations, there is a reduction in per capita non-sorted waste generation (this is more significant for the non-tourist population). In contrast, per capita sorted waste generation has increased for both types of population.

The evolution and ongoing challenge of unproven cell-based interventions.

Unproven cell-based interventions (CBIs) emerged early in the 2000s as a particularly problematic form of unproven therapy and remain a vexing policy problem to this day. These unproven interventions can harm patients both physically and financially and can complicate the process of developing a rigorous evidence base to support the translation of novel stem cell or other cell therapies. In this concise review, we examine the emergence of unproven CBIs and the various policy approaches that have been pursued or proposed to address this problem. We review the evolution of this field over the last 2 decades and explore why these policy efforts have proven challenging. We conclude by highlighting potential directions that the field could evolve and urging continued attention to both current and future forms of unproven CBIs to minimize future risks to patients and the field and to promote the development of evidence-based cell therapies.

Determinants for the development of creative tourism: A stakeholder perspective.

This study aims to investigate the determinants that contribute to the sustainable development of creative tourism, a transformative shift from traditional cultural tourism which possess high economic potential. Grounded in stakeholder theory, a qualitative approach was employed to explore the perspectives of 23 existing suppliers of creative tourism in the Greater Bay Area, China, through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with key management in exiting business, this study uncovers determinants for the development of creative tourism. The findings shed light on the significance of fostering creative synergies and their implications for sustainable growth in the industry. While a positive attitude from suppliers is crucial, this study emphasizes the importance of mutual understanding of creativity to generate momentum, integration of local culture and regional knowledge, and the development of creative products. Moreover, removing barriers faced by suppliers such as a lack of financial support, insufficient government policies and regulations, and inadequate infrastructure is imperative for sustainable development. This research significantly contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing an overview of the current research status on suppliers' perspectives towards creative tourism. It offers valuable directions for future scholarly inquiry in this field. Moreover, the research offers valuable insights that can assist policymakers and destination planners in developing efficient policies and sustainable planning approaches.

Heterogenization of microplastic communities in lakes of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau driven by tourism and transport activities.

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has a booming tourism industry and an increasingly sophisticated road system. There is a paucity of studies quantifying the contributions of anthropogenic and natural factors to microplastic pollution in remote plateau areas. In this study, water and sediment samples were collected from eight lake tourist attractions and four remote lakes in northern and southern regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Microplastics were detected in all samples, with a mean abundance of 0.78 items/L in water and 44.98 items/kg in sediment. The abundance of microplastics in the study area was lower than previously observed in more populated areas of China. Small-sized (<1 mm and 1-2 mm), fiber, and transparent microplastics were predominant, with polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics as the primary polymer types. The compositions of microplastic communities indicated that tourism and road networks were the major sources of microplastics in the lakes. Distance-decay models revealed greater influence of environmental distances on microplastic community similarity than geographic distance. Compared to climate factors, urban spatial impact intensity and traffic flow impact played a leading role in the structuring of microplastic communities in lake water and sediment. Our findings provide novel quantitative insights into the role of various factors in shaping the distribution patterns of microplastic communities in plateau lakes.

Factors influencing the cruisers in recommending onshore excursions in Gran Canaria.

This paper investigates which elements are the ones that most influence the cruise passenger to recommend the onshore excursions, offering relevant information that could help all stakeholders (cruise firms, local operators, politicians, etc.) to better design/adapt shore excursions to the expectations of the cruise passengers, increasing the positive impact of this activity in the destination. The latter is essential for the existence of a good harmony between the cruise ships visiting a destination and the population living there. To this aim, an ordered logit model was estimated using a sample of 1,059 questionnaires obtained during the period 2018-2020. The results have shown that cruise passengers are more likely to recommend the onshore excursions if their expectations regarding the excursion have been covered, they have perceived a good quality/price ratio and have had a satisfactory tour guide service. Moreover, the fact that the cruisers aged between 45 and 55 are less likely to recommend excursions could suggest that the design of existing excursions could be improved by being tailored by demographic characteristics (i.e., aged-oriented) or even by offering different alternatives for each group during the shore excursion when possible. The results could be useful to all stakeholders when designing excursions to increase the positive impact of this activity on the destination.

Assessing the reactions of tourist markets to reinstated travel restrictions in the destination during the post-COVID-19 phase.

This study, leveraging search engine data, investigates the dynamics of China's domestic tourism markets in response to the August 2022 epidemic outbreak in Xinjiang. It focuses on understanding the reaction mechanisms of tourist-origin markets during destination crises in the post-pandemic phase. Notably, the research identifies a continuous rise in the potential tourism demand from tourist origin cities, despite the challenges posed by the epidemic. Further analysis uncovers a regional disparity in the growth of tourism demand, primarily influenced by the economic stratification of origin markets. Additionally, the study examines key tourism attractions such as Duku Road, highlighting its resilient competitive system, which consists of distinctive tourism experiences, economically robust tourist origins, diverse tourist markets, and spatial pattern stability driven by economic factors in source cities, illustrating an adaptive response to external challenges such as crises. The findings provide new insights into the dynamics of tourism demand, offering a foundation for developing strategies to bolster destination resilience and competitiveness in times of health crises.

Distribution and accumulation of UV filters (UVFs) and conservation status of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows in a prominent Mediterranean coastal tourist hub.

This study investigates the presence and impact of UV filters in Posidonia oceanica meadows in Formentera, a Mediterranean tourist hotspot. It highlights the distribution of inorganic (TiO2 and ZnO) and organic UV filters (UVFs) in different environmental matrices, their accumulation in seagrass tissues and their impact on the seagrass health. In the overlying and canopy waters of P. oceanica, Zn concentrations surpassed Ti, with three organic UVFs (benzophenone-3 [BP-3], avobenzone and homosalate [HMS]) consistently detected. Ti concentrations were generally higher than Zn in rhizosphere sediments, along with recurrent presence of octocrylene, HMS, 2-ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC). Maximum Zn concentrations were found in canopy waters (3052.9 ng L-1). Both Ti and Zn were found in all P. oceanica tissues and leaf epiphytes across all study sites. Additional UVFs like octocrylene, avobenzone, and BP-8 were also detected in P. oceanica tissues and epiphytes. Elevated levels of octocrylene in leaf epiphytes (2112.1 ng g-1 dw) and avobenzone in leaves (364.2 ng g-1 dw) and leaf epiphytes (199.6 ng g-1 dw) were observed in the Port of La Savina, the island's main entry port. Octocrylene concentrations (up to 2575 ng g-1 dw) in rhizosphere sediments near sewage discharge points exceeded reported maxima, highlighting wastewater treatment plants as significant sources of organic UVFs. Correlational analyses suggested that the accumulation of octocrylene, avobenzone, and BP-3 negatively impacted P. oceanica's conservation status, affecting global density, density at 100 % cover, and leaf morphometry. Positive correlations were observed between leaf polyphenols (antioxidants) and concentrations of avobenzone, benzophenone-8 (BP-8), and BP-3, indicating potential oxidative stress induced by UVFs in P. oceanica. Our study underscores the pervasive presence of UV filters in P. oceanica habitats, with implications for seagrass health and conservation, especially in areas of high tourism and sewage discharge.

Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism Perpetration: An Expansion of the Ecosystem Model.

The sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT), also referred to as child sex tourism, involves engaging in sexual activity with someone under the age of 18 in the context of travel and/or tourism. Research on the perpetration of SECTT is vastly underdeveloped. The present review considers the operationalization of SECTT, its prevalence, and existing theoretical models. Existing theory on SECTT provides a good overview of environmental factors that contribute to SECTT, but the model is insufficient in fully accounting for individual-level risk factors related to sexual offending against children. The present paper expands an existing theoretical model of SECTT, the ecosystem model, to account for these individual risk factors and considers their interaction with environmental factors. The paper concludes by highlighting different avenues for future research.

The border tourism hotspots network based on travelogues.

This study applies the Apriori algorithm and social network analysis to analyze travelogue data from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, effectively mapping significant border tourism hotspots and their interconnections within defined networks. Our findings distinctly partition the region into two principal sub-networks: Xinjiang and Tibet, highlighting the geographical segmentation that potentially impedes comprehensive regional tourism integration. The analysis underscores a pronounced reliance on transportation, reflecting the inherently multi-destination nature of border tourism in the area. Key nodes within these networks include Kashgar City and Lhasa City, serving as central hubs in their respective sub-networks, while Gar County and Hotan County act as pivotal connectors bridging the two distinct areas. Additionally, Gyirong County, Nyalam County, and Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County are identified as well-developed border tourism destinations, with Gyirong County and Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County possessing substantial potential to evolve into core border tourism hubs. Drawing on these insights, the study proposes targeted development strategies to enhance the structure and efficacy of border tourism on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Negotiating Hegemonic Masculinities and Mutual Exoticization within Grindr Tourism Interactions: "Everyone in Tel Aviv is a Muscle God".

Dating apps are spaces where masculinities are communicated digitally, affecting inequalities around gender expressions. This study aims to identify the masculinities communicated within Grindr tourism interactions in Tel Aviv and analyze how masculinities shape relations among international tourists and locals. Methods consist of interviews and audio diaries with nineteen tourist, local, and immigrant Grindr users in Tel Aviv. Theories of affordances, hegemonic masculinities, and relational sociology are used to analyze the data. In discussion of the results, the concept of mutual exoticization is put forth to interpret the social dynamics valued within Grindr tourism interactions, thereby revealing oppositional fantasies tied to nationalities and masculinities. The study also explores ethnicity's association with social and erotic capital in digital circulations of a localized Mizrahi masculinity. Findings reveal that while hegemonic masculinities are circulated on Grindr, resistance is also a part of Grindr tourism relations around masculinities. This research concludes by shedding light on masculinity inequalities within digital spaces where different nationalities co-congregate, revealing everyday negotiations of gender regimes. Grindr is the site of both reproduction of and resistance to social inequalities around masculinities.

Tourism influences escape behavior of lizards in relationship with human clothing color.

Increased tourism pressure modifies animal behavior, including alterations in anti-predator responses and foraging activity. In areas with high tourist presence, animals may become accustomed to increased human activity and adjust the intensity of some defensive responses. An animal's anti-predation ability is usually estimated by measuring its Alert Initiation Distance (AID) and Flight Initiation Distance (FID). Both indexes are affected by multiple factors including the color of the observer's clothing. Animal behavior is also influenced by human presence, and individuals may become accustomed to increased human presence, e.g. in tourist areas. In this study, we analysed the escape behavior of the endemic Cyprus rock agama (Laudakia cypriaca) in relation to the observers clothing color. Our results showed that AIDs and FIDs of agamas in tourist areas were significantly shorter than those in non-tourist areas. Moreover, in non-tourist areas, AIDs and FIDs of agamas were significantly longer when the observer wore red clothes, compared to green and grey clothes. Our results may be helpful in planning research taking into account various colored clothing based on expected reptilian reactions. Furthermore, our results may determine the proximity at which humans interact with animals, considering clothing color, to prevent negative impacts especially on rare and protected lizard species.

Perspectives of nature-based tourism-dependent communities on climate change in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

The intensity and frequency of climate extremes such as heat waves, droughts and extreme rainfall events are projected to rise. This will increase the severity of their impacts across socio-ecological systems. Economic sectors such as nature-based tourism become more vulnerable because of their reliance on climate and natural capital as key resources. While attempts have been made to understand how climate change may impact tourists and the industry itself, little is known about the same on tourism-dependent communities. This paper determines the extent to which tourism-dependent communities are vulnerable to climate change in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, to enhance their wider livelihood the development of strategies for improving adaptive capacity, resilience, and reduced exposure sensitivities. A household survey of 172 households was conducted in three purposively selected villages of Mababe, Sankuyo and Khwai, actively involved in community-based tourism for their socio-economic development. Information sourced related to livelihood options, peoples' resilience, local risks, and hazards. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The results indicate that respondents have observed climatic changes over the years such as increased temperatures, decreased rainfall, and increased frequencies of extreme events. The respondents attributed changes in natural capital to these observed climatic conditions in the form of desiccation, dwindling populations of some wildlife species, decreased fish stocks and reduced vegetation cover. This renders the tourism-dependent communities vulnerable as their livelihood is threatened. The paper thus concludes that climate change adaptation is an urgent priority for local communities who are already exposed to existing climatic and non-climatic stresses.

Application of the artificial intelligence system based on graphics and vision in ethnic tourism of subtropical grasslands.

This study aims to optimize the evaluation and decision-making of ethnic tourism resources through the utilization of deep learning algorithms and Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Specifically, emphasis is placed on the recognition and feature extraction of Mongolian decorative patterns, providing new insights for the deep application of cultural heritage and visual design. In this study, the existing DL algorithm is improved, integrating the feature extraction algorithm of ResNet + Canny + Local Binary Pattern (LBP), and utilizing an intelligent decision method to analyze the intelligent development of indigenous tourism resources. Simultaneously, the DL algorithm and IoT technology are combined with visual design and convolutional neural networks to perform feature extraction and technology recognition. Visual design offers an intuitive representation of tourism resources, while fuzzy decision-making provides a more accurate evaluation in the face of uncertainty. By implementing an intelligent decision-making system, this study achieves a multiplier effect. The integration of intelligent methods not only enhances the accuracy of tourism resource evaluation and decision-making but also elevates the quality and efficiency of the tourism experience. This multiplier effect is evident in the system's capacity to manage substantial datasets and deliver prompt, precise decision support, thus playing a pivotal role in tourism resource management and planning. The findings of this study demonstrate that optimizing intelligent development technology for rural tourism through IoT can enhance the efficacy of intelligent solutions. In terms of pattern recognition accuracy, AlexNet, VGGNet, and ResNet achieve accuracies of 90.8 %, 94.5 %, and 96.9 %, respectively, while the proposed fusion algorithm attains an accuracy of 98.8 %. These results offer practical insights for rural tourism brand strategy and underscore the utility of applying fuzzy decision systems in urban tourism and visual design. Moreover, the research outcomes hold significant practical implications for the advancement of Mongolian cultural tourism and provide valuable lessons for exploring novel paradigms in image analysis and pattern recognition. This study contributes beneficial insights for future research endeavors in related domains.

Service failure is bound to happen: Unraveling the impact of dissatisfaction, complaint behavior and re-travel intention in travel and tourism industry.

Service failure is bound to happen, but dissatisfaction has always been undermined by scholars previously. The present study investigates dissatisfaction factors in travel decision-making leading towards re-travel intention with the help of the expectancy disconfirmation theory (EDT) model. Moreover, complaint behavior mediates the relationship between dissatisfaction and re-travel intention concerning the factors involved in it. For the findings, 434 real-time responses were collected through an offline survey following the lifetime value (LTV) approach. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett's tests were conducted to test the sphericity of the variables one by one. Furthermore, structural equation modeling (SEM) was implied to test the measurement and structural models. All the hypotheses supported and accepted the proposed research questions. The findings reveal that the dissatisfaction factors, with their interaction terms (transaction-based and experience-based), help study the variable dissatisfaction and its multifaceted concept in travel and tourism literature. Moreover, complaint behavior is identified as a key mediating factor in the relationship between dissatisfaction and re-travel intention, suggesting that commuters' response to dissatisfaction, including complaints, shapes their future re-travel intentions. The theoretical implications of the study are substantial, as it advances our understanding of commuter behavior in the context of public transport travel and tourism. Practically, the findings offer actionable insights for public transport authorities and service providers. Understanding the specific dissatisfaction factors influencing re-travel intention allows for targeted interventions to improve service quality and customer experience. Recognizing the importance of effective complaint management systems can help organizations better address customer grievances and mitigate the negative effects of dissatisfaction on re-travel intention.