A call for weather condition revaluation in mega-events management

This article provides a new insight into knowledge-based management of mega-events by highlighting the significance of weather at destination selection and scheduling events as an adaptive strategy toward climate change. Concerning the environmental and socio-economic costs of weather ignorance in event management, which may result in cancelation and change of the event time, it is recommended that planners perform a preliminary study prior to publicizing an event plan. Doing so, the organizer and visitors can benefit from optimal weather at the destination, as this study advises the decision-makers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to reschedule the dates of this international event

Toward an Understanding of Responsible Artificial Intelligence Practices

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is influencing all aspects of human and business activities nowadays. Although potential benefits emerged from AI technologies have been widely discussed in many current literature, there is an urgently need to understand how AI can be designed to operate responsibly and act in a manner meeting stakeholders’ expectations and applicable regulations. We seek to fill the gap by exploring the practices of responsible AI and identifying the potential benefits when implementing responsible AI practices. In this study, 10 responsible AI cases were selected from different industries to better understand the use of responsible AI in practices. Four responsible AI practices are identified, including governance, ethically design solutions, risk control and training and education and five strategies for firms who are considering to adopt responsible AI practices are recommended

Tackling the complexity of the pro-environmental behaviors of visitors to marine turtle sites

This empirical study improved our understanding of how to simulate visitors’ pro-environmental behavior intentions (PEBIs) during interpretive marine turtle tours in Cyprus. Complexity theory was applied as a sufficient theoretical basis of the proposed configurational model that was tested using fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) as an innovative set theoretic approach. Four configurations—demographics, values, beliefs, norms and attitudes—were used to explore causal recipes leading to both high and low PEBIs scores. The findings highlighted the heterogeneity issue in predicting PEBIs, addressed by determining the positive or negative role of PEBIs indicators along with attributes of other indicators in causal recipes. The fsQCA results of four configurations suggested 12 recipes for attaining high PEBIs scores. Further insight was obtained via configurational modeling of visitors’ PEBIs during endangered species tours, which contributed to the current knowledge of tourism management in protected areas. Implications for practice and further research are discussed

An integrative framework to evaluate impacts of complex tourism change initiatives

There is a need for holistic frameworks that show why, how, and by whom complex tourism change initiatives should be planned and implemented to achieve social impacts. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by synthesising the theoretical underpinnings of three models—Theory of Change, Realist Evaluation, and Stakeholder Analysis—and crafting an integrative theory-based framework (ToCRESA) demonstrating pathways to social impacts. This study also advances Mitchell et al. (1997) stakeholder salience model by including a new attribute of ‘sustained perceived value’ to introduce a new classification of ‘determined stakeholder’. Due to the complexities of tourism change initiatives, ToCRESA suggests considering stakeholders’ sustained perceived value in order to be engaged throughout the change initiatives. We used the complex social phenomenon of sustainable development of smart tourism to showcase the application of ToCRESA in developing impacts on society

Risk assessment of halal products and services: Implication for tourism industry

This empirical study entailed proposing conceptual models for investigating customers’ satisfaction, their intention to recommend, and their continued intention to purchase and consume halal products and services. Complexity theory was used to support the developed models. The study applied a symmetrical analysis to investigate the risk factors that are sufficient for affecting the desired outcomes. An asymmetrical approach was used to explore the causal configurations that lead to both high and low outcomes scores. A necessary condition analysis was performed to identify the risk conditions required to achieve the expected outcomes. The models were tested using data collected on the perceptions of patrons at international halal restaurants in Malaysia. According to the results, the heterogeneous interactions of risk conditions support complexity theory. Policy implications for the status of the tourism industry and the Muslim world are discussed at the end of the paper

Risk perceptions of Airbnb hosts: Evidence from a Mediterranean island

In the context of the sharing economy, Airbnb has become a formidable mode of accommodation in the tourism industry worldwide, with a presence in over 34,000 cities in 191 countries. However, the risks associated with online bookings are significant dimensions of this e-market domain. This study assesses Airbnb hosts’ perceived risks and investigates the effects of service, financial, safety and security, psychological and political risks on the host’s satisfaction and intention to continue and recommend this business to potential hosts. A survey was administered to 221 Airbnb hosts located in Northern Cyprus. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed conceptual model. The results revealed that host satisfaction is negatively influenced by financial and safety and security risks; continuance intention is negatively affected by financial, safety and security, and political risks; intention to recommend this business is negatively affected by political risk; and psychological risk increases satisfaction and intention to continue and recommend. By highlighting the theoretical and managerial implications, this study informs Airbnb management of the potential risks associated with this peer-to-peer (P2P) business in order to minimize the associated risks, enhance host satisfaction and the quality of their services, and encourage hosts to recommend Airbnb to their peers

Festival quality, self-connection, and bragging

Festivals provide opportunities for experiential consumption, attracting both first-time and repeat visitors. However, current understanding of the perceptual and behavioural differences between these groups remains incomplete. This study investigates how experiential purchase quality influences experience self-connection and braggart word-of-mouth, for both first-time and repeat visitors, using a mixed-method approach. The qualitative (n=32) and quantitative (n=909) results together reveal that the combinations of experiential purchase quality dimensions stimulating experience self-connection and braggart word-of-mouth in repeat visitors differ significantly from those for first-time visitors, emphasising the need for festival managers to pay close attention to how different visitor groups perceive and prioritise experiential purchase quality dimensions. The findings thus extend current understanding of how braggart word-of-mouth emerges in an experiential consumption context

An Entrepreneurial Tourism Project through Agro-Tourism Farm in Iran

This study aims to provide a mechanism that helps to achieve sustainable development through the implementation of Agro-tourism plans. Clustering theory employed to provide a technical guideline for execution of the project as a sustainable approach for improvement of welfare of marginal communities. A medium scale entrepreneurial project proposed "“ "Agro-tourism complex". Results of this research produced useful implications for both public and private sector. Study revealed that such projects have potential for job creation, inverse migration, sustainability, and land conservation. The study is based on conceptual research method (Shuang et al, 2013). The study revealed that the welfare of marginalized indigenous communities, where the clusters of potentially available tourism products exist, could be improved dramatically if government policies and rural communities involve in shared vision

Progress on outbound tourism expenditure research: A review

This study aims to identify how the paradigm of outbound tourism expenditure (OTE) research transforms from economic to social concern. It also explicates the evolution of OTE from an advocacy platform to a sustainability platform. This study adopts a hybrid of narrative and systematic reviews to study OTE as a complex social phenomenon. This hybrid review is complemented by a thematic review and semantic network analysis on gaps and future directions of relevant studies. The results reveal that the paradigm of OTE research is directed from economic toward social thinking. This study proposes an application of socially related antecedent configurations, social theories, pragmatic methods, and various scales of study contexts as promising solutions to address the complexity and heterogeneity of OTE. The study concludes that the conceptual structure of OTE is premised on a sustainability platform, which is influenced by socio-cultural, environmental, economic, and political issues. This study provides a road map that enlightens the current state of OTE, prevailing topics, and pathways for further research

Determinants of canal boat tour participant behaviours: An explanatory mixed-method approach

Drawing on cumulative prospect theory (CPT), we measured the risk and motivational factors involved in “canal boat tours” and used these to test conceptual models to predict canal boat tour participant’s behavioural intentions in France. Data were collected using face-to-face questionnaire surveys and subjected to rigorous analysis. In-depth interviews provided deeper insight into participants’ post-purchase behaviour. Assessment of the study results using two key features of CPT – diminishing sensitivity and risk aversion – confirmed that this theory can explain how risk and motivational factors interact to drive canal boat tour participants’ post-purchase behaviours