Can destination image be ascertained from social media? An examination of Twitter hashtags

The role of Twitter hashtags in creating destination images is under-researched, and there is limited understanding of their usefulness in destination promotion. This paper examines the destination image of Rishikesh, India, based on an analysis of relevant tweets during the decade 2009–2019. The hashtags of resident, domestic and international Twitter users (about Rishikesh, India) were compared with the images of Rishikesh promoted by the relevant Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO: Uttarakhand Tourism) to identify and analyse any similarities or differences in the destination image promotion. The findings suggest that ‘yoga’ and ‘Ganges’ were the most prominent images associated with Rishikesh. However, the efforts of the RTO regarding promoting Rishikesh also focus on hashtags featuring adventure. This adventure image is also used by Indian Twitter users, whereas the residents and international Twitter users were less likely to use adventure-related hashtags that much. However, though residents, Indian and international Twitter users used almost similar natural landscape-related hashtags, RTO uses them unsubstantially. The results emphasise the importance of, and potential for, selected experiential and interpersonal hashtags when promoting destination images via Twitter, thus maximising the potential for destination marketing through this platform. At last, a hashtag strategy for destination promotion is also proposed based on the findings of this paper for focused exposure and increased searchability

“To use or not to use” - Mobile technology in nature-based tourism experience

This study investigates the role of mobile technology in the three stages (pre-visit, during-visit, and post-visit) of nature-based tourism (NBT) experiences. By employing collaborative autoethnography and reflexive thematic data analysis, this research explored the NBT experiences of four researchers who participated in a nature-based trek. The findings revealed that in the pre-visit stage, mobile technologies enhanced the NBT experience by enabling the flow of information for planning and mediating the anticipated experiences. Mobile technologies supported tracking well-being, documenting, and sharing the experience online in the during-visit stage. In the post-visit stage, mobile technologies allowed for reliving, reflecting, and sharing the experience. Using mobile technology in this NBT experience also led to some negative experiences, specifically interruptions that resulted in some participants' inability to truly immerse themselves in the experience. This study adds to the existing body of literature on NBT, highlighting the implications of technology, particularly mobile technology, for NBT experiences that can be capitalised on by visitors and destinations/service providers

“To use or not to use” - Mobile technology in nature-based tourism experience

This study investigates the role of mobile technology in the three stages (pre-visit, during-visit, and post-visit) of nature-based tourism (NBT) experiences. By employing collaborative autoethnography and reflexive thematic data analysis, this research explored the NBT experiences of four researchers who participated in a nature-based trek. The findings revealed that in the pre-visit stage, mobile technologies enhanced the NBT experience by enabling the flow of information for planning and mediating the anticipated experiences. Mobile technologies supported tracking well-being, documenting, and sharing the experience online in the during-visit stage. In the post-visit stage, mobile technologies allowed for reliving, reflecting, and sharing the experience. Using mobile technology in this NBT experience also led to some negative experiences, specifically interruptions that resulted in some participants' inability to truly immerse themselves in the experience. This study adds to the existing body of literature on NBT, highlighting the implications of technology, particularly mobile technology, for NBT experiences that can be capitalised on by visitors and destinations/service providers

A window into fungal endophytism in Salicornia europaea: deciphering fungal characteristics as plant growth promoting agents

Aim Plant-endophytic associations exist only when equilibrium is maintained between both partners. This study analyses the properties of endophytic fungi inhabiting a halophyte growing in high soil salinity and tests whether these fungi are beneficial or detrimental when non-host plants are inoculated. Method Fungi were isolated from Salicornia europaea collected from two sites differing in salinization history (anthropogenic and naturally saline) and analyzed for plant growth promoting abilities and non-host plant interactions. Results Most isolated fungi belonged to Ascomycota (96%) including dematiaceous fungi and commonly known plant pathogens and saprobes. The strains were metabolically active for siderophores, polyamines and indole-3-acetic acid (mainly Aureobasidium sp.) with very low activity for phosphatases. Many showed proteolytic, lipolytic, chitinolytic, cellulolytic and amylolytic activities but low pectolytic activity. Different activities between similar fungal species found in both sites were particularly seen for Epiccocum sp., Arthrinium sp. and Trichoderma sp. Inoculating the non-host Lolium perenne with selected fungi increased plant growth, mainly in the symbiont (Epichloë)-free variety. Arthrinium gamsii CR1-9 and Stereum gausapatum ISK3-11 were most effective for plant growth promotion. Conclusions This research suggests that host lifestyle and soil characteristics have a strong effect on endophytic fungi, and environmental stress could disturb the plant-fungi relations. In favourable conditions, these fungi may be effective in facilitating crop production in non-cultivable saline lands

ChatGPT and tourism academia

Highlights • ChatGPT outputs are as biased as human communication • Ethics guidelines for the use of large-scale language models in academia are needed • ChatGPT can be used within the bounds of academic integrity • large-scale language models can support interdisciplinarity in (tourism) research • large-scale language models may enhance equity in academic research and publishin

Virtual tours as a solidarity tourism product?

Highlights • The potential of solidarity tourism products is underresearched. • Possibilities of virtual tours as solidarity tourism products. • Equality, empathy, and sensitivity for touristic solidarity

World’s First Destination Loyalty Programme – Will It Work?

The Maldives launched the first nationwide destination loyalty programme in 2020 named ‘Maldives Border Miles’, officially implemented on 1st January 2021. This case study proposes a framework that can be useful to assess destination loyalty programmes. It further explores the potential success factors of the Maldives Border Miles. The analysis indicates that visitor and destination factors can make Maldives Border Miles successful, but the current loyalty programme structure and reward factors may not entice repeat visits

Conceptualising a tourism consumption-based typology of yoga travellers

This paper proposes a new conceptualisation for understanding yoga tourism through a refined typology of yoga travellers. After an extensive literature review, we employed a typological analysis method to evaluate six existing yet diverse yoga typologies. This conceptual paper proposes that yoga travellers can be understood through a new typology with seven categories informed by the Theory of Tourism Consumption. This typology proposes the following types of yoga travellers: Culture Focused Yoga Traveller (CFYT), Initiator, Explorer, Masters, Spirituality Focused Yoga Traveller (SFYT), Philomath Yoga Traveller (PYT), and finally, the Indulgent Yoga Traveller (IYT). This consumption-based perspective can inform and facilitate product development in yoga destinations through a refined understanding of the travel behaviour of yoga tourists

Yoga Tourism

Defines and elaborates yoga tourism in the present context