An investigation on the Acceptance of Facebook by Travellers for Travel Planning

Due to the emergence of social media and web 2.0 applications within the last few years, tourists' travel behaviour and decision-making changed. This study investigates tourists' behavioural intentions to use Facebook for travel planning purposes. To address this objective, a combination of survey and 19 interviews provided qualitative and quantitative data. Results indicated that Information search, Sharing travel experiences and Trust were the main determinants of intention to use Facebook. In particular, travellers view Facebook as a tourism information source, they are more willing to share their experiences on their own profile rather than a providers page and that they trust other tourism related sites more than Facebook. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed

Living Happily in the Era of COVID-19: Philosophical and Positive Psychology Intervention in Secondary Education

In the coronavirus pandemic crisis, the mental well-being of adolescents was significantly burdened and, in this context, an innovative school intervention program was applied and its effect was investigated. The program involved a structured 11-weeks-long psycho-educational intervention on a sample of 11 Greek high school students (aged 16-17 years), combining principles of Epicurean and Stoic Philosophy with Positive Psychology techniques, aiming at promoting their mental well-being and the effective management of the psychological effects of the pandemic crisis. A qualitative methodology was used for data collection, including triangulation and data enrichment, self-referential demographic questionnaires, focus group and group interviews, semi-structured individual oral interviews and written descriptions and narratives. Before the intervention, the students’ needs and expectations were investigated through written narratives and, after the intervention, semi-structured individual oral interviews and group interviews recorded their personal experiences and evaluative judgments. The application of positive techniques of meaning in life, optimism, gratitude and the development of positive relationships, combined with a cognitive reconstruction based on the principles of Epicureanism and Stoicism, had beneficial effects on the participating students, including emotional state improvement, mental well-being enhancement, and improved aspects of quality of life, such as subjective health, cognitive and school performance, family and interpersonal relationships. The highlight of the study was the emergence of the supporting role of Philosophy in the effectiveness of the applied techniques of Positive Psychology in the management of the psychological and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Local community attitudes and perceptions towards thermalism.

Thermalism is enjoying a global resurgence of interest as consumers seek out ethical, natural, and place-based wellness experiences. In Europe, the ‘success rate of healing through thermalism has maintained the high reputation of thermal springs with curative powers’. However, thermalism has been culturally lost in the UK. This study focuses on a UK historical spa site currently undergoing restoration. Once restored, this will be one of three UK's only spa hotels with direct access to natural thermal mineral waters. An ethnographic case study design was used to explore community's perceptions and attitudes towards thermalism and the wellness tourism development model being implemented on location. Findings suggest that memories of the values and virtues of thermalism persist within the community and that, if harnessed, can play a significant role in supporting the local and national wellness agenda. However, findings also suggest that the reintroduction of thermal tourism in the location is perceived by the community as a luxury commodity reserved exclusively for the wealthy and elite members of society. Thermalism is a social and cultural resource and thus attention should be paid to ensure that any wellness tourism development model follows a cultural participatory logic and not solely an economic one

Contrapuntal and keyboard idioms in the Artificioso Collection (1641) of Giovanni Pietro Del Buono

Music in the early seventeenth century is marked by important stylistic changes. The co-existence of the art of 'strict' counterpoint and of the evolvement of the traits of the stile moderno and the experimentation resulting from Vicentino's theories constitutes a composite phenomenon in regard to music in southern Italy. Giovanni Pietro Del Buono is one ofthe composers who incorporates and merges all the above elements in a very artful and fascinating collection of seventy-two canons; twelve oblighi and fourteen sonatas, all based on the hymn Ave Maris Stella which is used as a cantllsfirmlls. The concept of artificioso compositions, which depicts music as an art with an important intellectual side, reflects the scientific development and supremacy of intellectual culture in the seventeenth century. Many collections containing pieces composed with particularly complex compositional techniques appeared at that time. In the present thesis a collection so far overlooked is examined and conclusions are drawn concerning Del Buono's particular compositional idiom. An analytical account of the canons and oblighi proves that they are not only products ofthe stile antico and ofthe Roman school, but have influences from both the traits ofthe stile moderno and the Neapolitan musical idiom. A detailed account is provided of some of the sonatas, revealing techniques related to hexachordal theory and Vicentino's theories concerning chromaticism. Also proved is the fact that the manuscript containing the resolutions ofthe canons and oblighi is not an original manuscript by Del Buono, as scholars have previously stated, but is, in fact, from a later date, written by an unknown scribe.In the second part ofthe thesis an edition is included of the whole collection in modern transcription

Accessible tourism futures: the world we dream to live in and the opportunities we hope to have

© 2015, Eleni Michopoulou, Simon Darcy, Ivor Ambrose and Dimitros Buhalis. PurposeAccessible tourism is evolving as a field of academic research and industry practice, set within a dynamic social context. The field is interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary. The purpose of this paper is to examine key concepts and global initiatives that will shape accessible tourism futures. Design/methodology/approachThree of the authors have extensive academic experience in the area and the fourth author is the Managing Director of the pre-eminent European Network for Accessible Tourism. In taking a limited Delphi approach to canvassing key areas likely to shape accessible tourism futures, the following concepts and policy initiatives were examined: motivations, dreams and aspirations of people with disability; demography; UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; destination competitiveness; universal design (UD); and the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. FindingsA discussion of each of the above areas was placed in context to accessible tourism futures and to contextualise the papers that were selected for the special issue. The latter part of the paper outlines the contribution of each empirical paper to the issue discussing the approach, findings and implications. Stakeholder collaboration was identified as the key common theme of the papers and the factor for developing accessible tourism solutions, recognising the value of the market and capitalising on it. A collaborative approach is required to recognise the complementary nature of the different paradigms; to re-shape and transform the future of the accessible tourism industry. To assist in the development of accessible tourism futures, UD principles should provide a foundation to enhance the future competitiveness of tourism destinations and organisations. Originality/valueThe paper’s examination of the concepts and global policy considerations provides a strong academic and practitioner foundation for considering accessible tourism futures. In doing so, accessible tourism futures are shown to be affected by key concepts related to core tourism considerations and major policy initiatives on accessibility and sustainability. Yet, accessible tourism futures also have the potential to create their own momentum and contribute unique learnings on the diversity of tourism markets that will shape tourism concepts and global policy initiatives in their own right

How to design hotel gamified applications effectively: understanding the motives of users as hotel visitors

The service sector including tourism and hospitality have recognized the need for a turn to a customer-centric approach that primarily values tourists’ needs, wants, preferences and requirements as major determinants in travel decisions. Considering that mobile devices are becoming travel buddies and that their use is profoundly influencing traveller’s journey highlights the need of Gamification. As a relatively new phenomenon in the industry, motives encouraging usage behaviour have yet to be researched. Identifying these motives could offer several advantages to hotels by providing relationship marketing, engagement and strengthening customer loyalty. This research tries to fill this gap and enlighten existing gamification research by understanding the motives of users’ continuance intention in adopting technology with gamification characteristics. Visual material based on the current definitions of gamification was prepared to create a hotel gamified application to help participants discuss their preferences