Similarity of GPS Trajectories Using Dynamic Time Warping: An Application to Cruise Tourism

The aim of this research is to propose an analysis of the trajectories of cruise passengers at their destination using Dynamic Time Warping algorithm. Data collected by means of GPS devices relating to the behavior of cruise passengers in the port of Palermo have been analyzed in order to show similarities and differences among their spatial trajectories at destination. A cluster analysis has been performed in order to identify segments of cruise passengers, based on the similarity of their trajectories. The results have been compared in terms of several metrics derived from GPS tracking data in order to validate the proposed approach. Our findings are of interest from a methodological perspective concerning the analysis of GPS data and the management of cruise tourism destinations

Cultural Tourism and the Enhancement of Quality-of-Life

This chapter examines how cultural tourism enhances the quality-of-life of the many types of communities it affects. While cultural tourism exists first and foremost for the benefit of tourists and the tourism industry, its building blocks are based on a community’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage assets. Much has been written about the adverse impacts of tourism on local communities, but relatively little research has examined how cultural tourism enhances quality-of-life. The chapter begins by contextualizing cultural tourism and identifying four different types of communities it affects. The main body of the chapter examines the impacts on economic development, conservation, nation building and national mythmaking, community well-being, and the provision of leisure and recreation facilities. Case studies from Hong Kong and southern China are used to explore key themes in greater detail.School of Hotel and Tourism Managemen

Are total, intensity- and domain-specific physical activity levels associated with life satisfaction among university students?

BACKGROUND: Thorough information about the relationship between physical activity (PA) and life satisfaction is still lacking. Therefore, this study examined the cross-sectional relationships between life satisfaction and meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) moderate to vigorous-intensity PA recommendations, total volume and duration of PA, intensity-specific PA (walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity), domain-specific PA (work, transport-related, domestic, and leisure-time), and 11 domain and intensity-specific PA types among university students. Additionally, we examined the associations between life satisfaction and gender, age, disposable income, community size, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), and self-rated health. METHODS: The study included a random sample of 1750 university students in Zagreb, Croatia (response rate = 71.7%; 62.4% females; mean age 21.5 ± 1.8 years), using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. RESULTS: Higher life satisfaction was associated with female gender (β = 0.13; p = <0.001), younger age (β = -0.07; p = 0.024), higher disposable income (β = 0.10; p = 0.001), and better self-rated health (β = 0.30; p = <0.001). No significant association was found between life satisfaction and size of community (p = 0.567), smoking status (p = 0.056), alcohol consumption (p = 0.058), or BMI (p = 0.508). Among all PA variables, only leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA was significantly associated with life satisfaction after adjustments for socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and self-rated general health (β = 0.06; p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated a weak positive relationship between leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA and life satisfaction, whilst no such association was found for other PA variables. These findings underscore the importance of analyzing domain and intensity-specific PA levels in future studies among university students, as drawing conclusions about the relationship between PA and life satisfaction based on total PA levels only may be misleading