Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes: Volume 15 Issue 1

Themed editorial: How could rural tourism provide better support for wellbeing and socio-economic development?

Richard E. Teare

Introduction: how could rural tourism provide better support for wellbeing and socio-economic development?

Ardhendu Shekhar Singh, Sanjai K. Parahoo, Madhavi Ayyagari, Thanika Devi Juwaheer

In this viewpoint, the theme editors provide an overview of the theme issue that aims to address the role of rural tourism in supporting the wellbeing and socio-economic…

Phygital rural cultural heritage: a digitalisation approach for destination recovery and resilience

Kaewta Muangasame, Eunice Tan

This study examines a phygital approach to rural cultural heritage tourism, adopted by a rural community in Sapphaya, Chai Nat Province, Thailand, in response to the Covid-19…

Female economic empowerment through tourism training in the United Arab Emirates

Mohit Vij, Amitabh Upadhya, Kakul Agha, Vazeerjaan Begum, Basma Waleed Kashmoola, John Roy Senior

The issue of female economic empowerment in the Middle East and the North Africa region (MENA) has attracted significant attention; however, its potential in the tourism sector…

Wine tourism in rural areas – hopes and fears amongst local residents

Elisabeth Kastenholz, Arminda Paço, Ana Nave

The study analyses residents' impact perceptions and attitudes towards wine tourism development in a Portuguese hinterland region. It additionally assesses heterogeneity within…

Integrating indigenous knowledge and rural tourism in Kongthong, the “whistling village” of India

Saurabh Kumar Dixit, Kimberley Camelia S. Langstieh, Abijith Abraham

This paper aims to derive insights from Kongthong village, popularly known as the “whistling village,” a low-key rural tourism destination that has often gone under the radar. As…

Tourism as a transformative economic agent in regional Australia: a case study of operators' use of social media

Eliza Vlasich, Diane Lee, Catherine Archer

This study utilises a case study approach to explore how local tourism providers in the Shire of Collie, Western Australia (Collie), a coal-mining region, use social media to…

Rural tourism in India: case studies of resilience during crisis

Rajesh Aithal, R.K. Anil, Dechen Angmo

This paper aims to study organisations involved in rural tourism during the COVID-19 crisis and draw out lessons for similar organisations.

Rural and traditional cafes and restaurants: a new emerging trend in domestic tourism

Wlla Obeidat

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the latest phenomenon emerging from rural towns and villages, where a surge in traditional cafes and restaurants has spurred a new trend in…

Conclusion: how could rural tourism provide better support for well-being and socioeconomic development?

Ardhendu Shekhar Singh, Sanjai K. Parahoo, Madhavi Ayyagari, Thanika Devi Juwaheer

This concluding paper summarizes the articles presented in this issue and the significant themes that emerged from the authors' contributions. The main objective of this theme…

Reflections on the theme issue outcomes: How could rural tourism provide better support for well-being and socio-economic development?

Richard E. Teare