Confidence and loyalty for agrotourism brands: the Lesvos paradigm

It has been established that strong brands are important in the agrotourism industry. Agrotourism brands provide the link between visitors and the agrotourism firms and tourists may or may not develop a degree of loyalty to relevant brands. The present study suggests that confidence in an agrotourism brand has high influence in development of brand loyalty. Based on hypotheses developed, confidence in an agrotourism brand is influenced by brand characteristics, agrotourism company characteristics and visitor characteristics. The present survey took place in Greece and examined the attitudes of visitors in agrotourism firms at the island of Lesvos. Survey results demonstrate that agrotourism firm brand characteristics appear more important in their impact on a visitor’s confidence in a brand. It was also established that confidence in a brand is positively influencing loyalty. Recommendations are developed for agrotourism marketers in relation to building and maintaining visitor confidence in a brand

Destination branding and visitor loyalty: The case of agrotourism

It has been established that strong destination brands are important in the agrotourism industry. Agrotourism brands provide the link between visitors and the agrotourism firms and destination, and tourists may or may not develop a degree of loyalty to relevant brands. The present study suggests that confidence in an agrotourism brand has high influence in development of brand loyalty. Based on hypotheses developed, confidence in an agrotourism brand is influenced by brand characteristics, agrotourism company characteristics and visitor characteristics. The present survey took place in Greece and examined the attitudes of visitors in agrotourism firms at the island of Lesvos. Survey results demonstrate that agrotourism firm brand characteristics appear more important in their impact on a visitor’s confidence in a brand. It was also established that confidence in a brand is positively influencing loyalty. Recommendations are developed for agrotourism marketers in relation to building and maintaining visitor confidence in a brand

Perception of service quality in agrotourism accommodations: Impact on guest loyalty and re-visit intentions

This study presents the development of a conceptual economic model that demonstrates the dynamic nature of the relationship between service quality and guest satisfaction in the agrotourism accommodation sector, based on theories derived from social psychology and previous research in the marketing, management, and services literature. The model was tested using sample data from guests of four different agrotourism firms, and was modified because of empirical results. The final model improves understanding of the relationship between service quality and guest satisfaction because these constructs were examined from the process perspective of an agrotourism accommodation experience; it portrays service quality and satisfaction in the context of a complete system

Delegate satisfaction from conference service quality and its impact on future behavioural intentions

This study presents the development of a conceptual model that demonstrates the dynamic nature of the relationship between service quality and delegate satisfaction in the conference sector, based on theories derived from social psychology and previous research in the marketing, management, and services literature. The model was tested using sample data from delegates of four different academic conferences and was modified as a result of empirical results. The final model improves understanding of the relationship between service quality and delegate satisfaction because these constructs were examined from the process perspective of a conference experience; it portrays service quality and satisfaction in the context of a complete system

Delegate satisfaction from conference service quality and its impact on future behavioural intentions

This study presents the development of a conceptual model that demonstrates the dynamic nature of the relationship between service quality and delegate satisfaction in the conference sector, based on theories derived from social psychology and previous research in the marketing, management, and services literature. The model was tested using sample data from delegates of four different academic conferences and was modified as a result of empirical results. The final model improves understanding of the relationship between service quality and delegate satisfaction because these constructs were examined from the process perspective of a conference experience; it portrays service quality and satisfaction in the context of a complete system

Environmental variability and heavy metal concentrations from five lagoons in the Ionian Sea (Amvrakikos Gulf, W Greece)

Background: Coastal lagoons are ecosystems of major importance as they host a number of species tolerant to disturbances and they are highly productive. Therefore, these ecosystems should be protected to ensure stability and resilience. The lagoons of Amvrakikos Gulf form one of the most important lagoonal complexes in Greece. The optimal ecological status of these lagoons is crucial for the well-being of the biodiversity and the economic prosperity of the local communities. Thus, monitoring of the area is necessary to detect possible sources of disturbance and restore stability. New information: The environmental variables and heavy metals concentrations, from five lagoons of Amvrakikos Gulf were measured from seasonal samplings and compared to the findings of previous studies in the area, in order to check for possible sources of disturbance. The analysis, showed that i) the values of the abiotic parameters vary with time (season), space (lagoon) and with space over time; ii) the variability of the environmental factors and enrichment in certain elements is naturally induced and no source of contamination is detected in the lagoons

Interactions of the dipeptide paralysin β-Ala-Tyr and the aminoacid Glu with phospholipid bilayers

AbstractExisting evidence points out that the biological activity of β-Ala-Tyr may in part related to its interactions with the cell membranes. For comparative reasons the effects of Glu were also examined using identical techniques and conditions. In order to examine their thermal and dynamic effects on membrane bilayers a combination of DSC, Raman and solid state NMR spectroscopy on DPPC/water model membranes were applied and the results were compared. DSC data showed that Glu perturbs to a greater degree the model membrane compared to β-Ala-Tyr. Thus, alteration of the phase transition temperature and half width of the peaks, abolishment of the pretransition and influence on the enthalpy of the phase transition were more pronounced in the Glu loaded bilayers. Raman spectroscopy showed that incorporation of Glu in DPPC/water bilayers increased the order in the bilayers in contrast to the effect of the dipeptide. Several structural and dynamical properties of the DPPC multilamellar bilayers with and without the dipeptide or Glu were compared using high resolution C-13 MAS (Magic Angle Spinning) spectra and spectral simulations of inhomogeneously broadened, stationary P-31 NMR lineshapes measured under CP (Cross-polarization) conditions. These methods revealed that the aminoacid Glu binds in the close realm of the phosphate in the hydrophilic headgroup of DPPC while β-Ala-Tyr is located more deeply inside the hydrophobic zone of the bilayer. The P-31 NMR simulations indicated restricted fast rotary motion of the phospholipids about their long axes in the organized bilayer structure. Finally, by the applied methodologies it is concluded that the two molecules under study exert dissimilar thermal and dynamic effects on lipid bilayers, the Glu improving significantly the packing of the lipids in contrast to the smaller and opposite effect of the dipeptide

Unpublished Mediterranean records of marine alien and cryptogenic species

Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, buried in scattered repositories or in the personal databases of experts. Through an initiative to collect, harmonize and make such unpublished data for marine alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea available, a large dataset comprising 5376 records was created. It includes records of 239 alien or cryptogenic taxa (192 Animalia, 24 Plantae, 23 Chromista) from 19 countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In terms of records, the most reported Phyla in descending order were Chordata, Mollusca, Chlorophyta, Arthropoda, and Rhodophyta. The most recorded species was Caulerpa cylindracea, followed by Siganus luridus, Magallana sp. (cf. gigas or angulata) and Pterois miles. The dataset includes records from 1972 to 2020, with the highest number of records observed in 2018. Among the records of the dataset, Dictyota acutiloba is a first record for the Mediterranean Sea. Nine first country records are also included: the alga Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla, the cube boxfish Ostracion cubicus, and the cleaner shrimp Urocaridella pulchella from Israel; the sponge Paraleucilla magna from Libya and Slovenia; the lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus from Cyprus; the bryozoan Celleporaria vermiformis and the polychaetes Prionospio depauperata and Notomastus aberans from Malta

Unpublished Mediterranean and Black Sea records of marine alien, cryptogenic, and neonative species

To enrich spatio-temporal information on the distribution of alien, cryptogenic, and neonative species in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, a collective effort by 173 marine scientists was made to provide unpublished records and make them open access to the scientific community. Through this effort, we collected and harmonized a dataset of 12,649 records. It includes 247 taxa, of which 217 are Animalia, 25 Plantae and 5 Chromista, from 23 countries surrounding the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Chordata was the most abundant taxonomic group, followed by Arthropoda, Mollusca, and Annelida. In terms of species records, Siganus luridus, Siganus rivulatus, Saurida lessepsianus, Pterois miles, Upeneus moluccensis, Charybdis (Archias) longicollis, and Caulerpa cylindracea were the most numerous. The temporal distribution of the records ranges from 1973 to 2022, with 44% of the records in 2020–2021. Lethrinus borbonicus is reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea, while Pomatoschistus quagga, Caulerpa cylindracea, Grateloupia turuturu, and Misophria pallida are first records for the Black Sea; Kapraunia schneideri is recorded for the second time in the Mediterranean and for the first time in Israel; Prionospio depauperata and Pseudonereis anomala are reported for the first time from the Sea of Marmara. Many first country records are also included, namely: Amathia verticillata (Montenegro), Ampithoe valida (Italy), Antithamnion amphigeneum (Greece), Clavelina oblonga (Tunisia and Slovenia), Dendostrea cf. folium (Syria), Epinephelus fasciatus (Tunisia), Ganonema farinosum (Montenegro), Macrorhynchia philippina (Tunisia), Marenzelleria neglecta (Romania), Paratapes textilis (Tunisia), and Botrylloides diegensis (Tunisia).peer-reviewe

Bird Watching and Ecotourism: An Innovative Monitoring System to Project the Species of Lesvos Island to Potential Ecotourists

Abstract. Ecotourists have high potentials to spread ecological awareness, while they maintain quality tourism and learn how to respect and preserve the natural environment. Knowledge is an important prerequisite to predict future attitudes and connect tourists with nature. Ecotourism focuses on areas with rare flora and fauna. Lesvos Island hosts rare species which attract numbers of bird watchers yearly. The current paper presents an innovative system that may record the movements of the birds and transmit the data to a mobile application available to potential tourists