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Article
Publication date: 27 October 2023

Filiz Gümüş Dönmez, Mert Gürlek and Osman M. Karatepe

This paper aims to explore work interfering with family (WIF) and family interfering with work (FIW) as the mediators linking psychological resilience to happiness.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore work interfering with family (WIF) and family interfering with work (FIW) as the mediators linking psychological resilience to happiness.

Design/methodology/approach

Data gathered from tour guides in Türkiye were used to test the aforesaid associations. In this paper, partial least squares structural equation modeling was performed to gauge the direct links and mediating impacts of WIF and FIW simultaneously in the link between psychological resilience and happiness.

Findings

Psychological resilience exerts a dual influence on WIF and FIW. Simply put, psychologically resilient tour guides balance their work demands with those of the family or vice versa and exhibit low levels of WIF and FIW. As hypothesized, WIF and FIW are the two mediating mechanisms relating psychological resilience to happiness.

Practical implications

It is important to create a family-supportive atmosphere where tour guides can avail themselves of family-friendly practices (i.e. family leave, flexible work schedules, breaks to be spent with family members after long tours and convenient working hours). Psychologically resilient tour guides, with the abovementioned practices, would experience alleviated conflicts between work and family roles and would therefore have heightened happiness.

Originality/value

Although the extant literature has presented plenty of empirical studies about the predictors and outcomes of WIF and FIW, evidence about the links of personal resources as third variables to WIF and FIW simultaneously is still scanty. In addition, there is no evidence linking personal resources such as psychological resilience to nonwork outcomes such as happiness through the mediating roles of WIF and FIW. This paper fills in these voids by gauging the links given above using data collected from tour guides, a population that has been subjected to limited inquiry in the WIF and FIW literature.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 January 2023

Mohamed Mousa, Hala Abdelgaffar, Islam Elbayoumi Salem, Ahmed Mohamed Elbaz and Walid Chaouali

This study aims to investigate the perceptions of female tour guides’ lower and top levels of management in travel agencies about how misunderstanding Islam and its culture may…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the perceptions of female tour guides’ lower and top levels of management in travel agencies about how misunderstanding Islam and its culture may engender the poor representation of women in the tour guide profession.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research method is used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 full-time female tour guides working at several travel agencies in Egypt. Thematic analysis helped extract main ideas from the transcripts.

Findings

The representation of female tour guides in travel agencies is shaped by the following three determinants: religious (familial obligations and marital status), contextual (nature of tour guide activities, poor representation of women in senior tourism-related jobs, cronyism, sexual harassment and spread of foreign female tour guides) and media influence. Understanding these three factors may enable a more comprehensive representation of female tour guides.

Practical implications

Female tour guides could work closely with tourism policymakers in Egypt to shape the media messages about them. This might include elaborating on the main challenges faced by female tour guides. Social support from families and friends may allow female tour guides more freedom and empowerment.

Originality/value

This study contributes by filling a gap in tourism, human resources management and gender studies in which empirical studies on the representation of females in travel agencies have been limited so far.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 35 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 23 February 2024

Erdim Kul, Bekir Bora Dedeoğlu, Fulden Nuray Küçükergin, Marcella De Martino and Fevzi Okumus

This study investigates to what extent the values perceived by tourists throughout cultural tours impact their overall satisfaction levels and behavioral intentions related to the…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates to what extent the values perceived by tourists throughout cultural tours impact their overall satisfaction levels and behavioral intentions related to the destination. This study further examines the moderating role of tour guide competency in the relationship patterns concerned.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical data were collected via a survey from 420 foreign tourists who visited Cappadocia and participated in guided cultural tours. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.

Findings

Study results reveal that the effects of quality, emotional, monetary and social value perceptions of tourists gained through cultural tour experiences on their overall satisfaction levels and the effects of overall satisfaction on recommendation and revisit intention are positive and significant. Furthermore, the moderating role of tour guide competency is significant and positive in the relationships between quality value and satisfaction and between satisfaction and revisit intention.

Originality/value

This study offers a critical analysis of discoveries concerning the pivotal role of tour guide competency within the cultural tour experience.

Details

International Hospitality Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2516-8142

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 November 2022

Pian Pu, Li Cheng, WHMS Samarathunga and Geoffrey Wall

Tour guides play a significant role in sustainable tourism development as leaders, mediators, resource managers and promoters of economic prosperity. This paper aims to show how…

1207

Abstract

Purpose

Tour guides play a significant role in sustainable tourism development as leaders, mediators, resource managers and promoters of economic prosperity. This paper aims to show how local Tibetan tour guides practice sustainable tourism in their encounters with Western tourists.

Design/methodology/approach

The data consists primarily of 15 in-depth interviews with native Tibetan guides,Content analysis of the data were undertaken.

Findings

It was found that the guides adopt sustainable tourism practices based on their local religious wisdom and experiences as they try to establish harmonious host–guest relationships. Western clients also encourage guides to adopt more proenvironmental behaviors. The “hosts” live by Buddhist concepts such as samsara that are in line with concepts such as altruism and benevolence. Most “guests” are well-behaved and try to build sincere mutual relationships with local people. Host and guest cocreate value for local sustainable tourism practice.

Practical implications

Tour guides can practice sustainable tourism in a leadership role or as mediators, resource managers or promoters of economic prosperity. They also maintain a sincere and kind relationship with their guests that goes beyond the instrumental host–guest relationship and might help to cocreate value for local sustainable tourism practices.

Originality/value

Tour guides’ sustainable practices have been examined in the past based on their roles as leader, mediator, resource manager and promoter of economic prosperity. But researchers have seldom examined circumstances in which the tourists and tour guides were from different cultures. This paper addresses this gap.

目的

导游作为领导者、中介者、资源管理者和经济繁荣的促进者, 在旅游可持续发展中发挥着重要的作用。本文展示了藏族导游在与西方游客的接触中如何实践可持续旅游。

设计/方法/方法

深度访谈15个对当地藏族导游, 对收集的数据进行内容分析。

研究发现

导游基于本土的宗教智慧和经验, 尝试与建立更加和谐的主客关系时, 从而实现可持续旅游实践。西方客户也鼓励导游采取更环保的行为。“主人” 的生活遵循佛教轮回等观念, 提倡“利他”、“仁爱”。大多数“客人” 都行为得体, 试图与当地人建立真诚的相互关系。主客共同为当地可持续旅游实践创造价值。

实践意义

导游可以作为领导角色或中介、资源管理者或经济繁荣的促进者实践可持续旅游。他们还与客人保持真诚和友好的关系, 这超越了工具性的主客关系, 可能有助于共同为当地可持续旅游实践创造价值。

原创性/价值

在过去的研究中, 导游的可持续实践基于他们作为领导者、中间人、资源管理者和经济繁荣的促进者。但研究人员对游客和导游来自不同文化的情境缺少关注, 我们的研究试图解答这一问题。

Propósito

Los guías turísticos desempeñan un papel importante en el desarrollo del turismo sostenible como líderes, mediadores, administradores de recursos y promotores de la prosperidad económica. Este documento muestra, cómo los guías turísticos tibetanos locales practican el turismo sostenible en sus encuentros con turistas occidentales.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Los datos consisten principalmente en 15 entrevistas en profundidad con guías tibetanos nativos. Los datos fueron analizados mediante el método de análisis de contenido.

Hallazgos

Se encontró que, los guías adoptan prácticas de turismo sostenible basadas en su sabiduría y experiencias religiosas locales, mientras intentan establecer relaciones armoniosas entre el anfitrión y el huésped. Los clientes occidentales, también alientan a los guías a adoptar comportamientos más proambientales. Los “anfitriones”, viven según conceptos budistas, como el samsara, que están en línea con conceptos como el altruismo y la benevolencia. La mayoría de los “visitantes” se comportan bien y tratan de construir relaciones mutuas sinceras con la gente local. El anfitrión y el huesped, co-crean valor para la práctica local de turismo sostenible.

Implicaciones prácticas

Los guías turísticos pueden practicar el turismo sostenible en un papel de liderazgo o como mediadores, administradores de recursos o promotores de la prosperidad económica. También mantienen una relación sincera y amable con sus huéspedes que va más allá de la relación instrumental anfitrión-huésped y podría ayudar a co-crear valor para las prácticas locales de turismo sostenible.

Originalidad/valor

Las prácticas sostenibles de nuestra guía han sido examinadas en el pasado en función de sus roles como líder, mediador, gestor de recursos y promotor de la prosperidad económica. Pero los investigadores, rara vez han examinado las circunstancias en las que los turistas y los guías turísticos eran de diferentes culturas. Abordamos esta brecha.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 29 December 2022

Kunio Shirahada and Alan Wilson

Given the importance of senior volunteers in an ageing society, this study aims to deepen the understanding of how seniors create well-being by volunteering as service providers…

1446

Abstract

Purpose

Given the importance of senior volunteers in an ageing society, this study aims to deepen the understanding of how seniors create well-being by volunteering as service providers in terms of motivations for volunteer participation and value co-creation/co-destruction in service provision.

Design/methodology/approach

Focussing on senior volunteers acting as service providers in the tourism sector, this study conducted a programme of qualitative research with 15 senior volunteer tour guides in Japan and the UK through the purposive sampling method. The data were analysed by the Gioia method to identify data structure and create a conceptual model.

Findings

Seniors start with a mixture of different motivations, not only symbolic and health ones. However, after a certain period of training, they become more aware of their volunteer role as service providers and may strive to maximise the benefits to their clients. The overall performance of such a role supports their well-being. They may also experience episodes of value co-destruction; such negative experiences may be overcome by building good relationships with their colleagues in the organisation.

Practical implications

The paper identifies organisational support ideas for senior service provider volunteers aimed at overcoming negative experiences and achieving well-being, in terms of training and improved communication between organisation members.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the transformative service research literature by constructing a model to showcase the relationship amongst expectations of volunteering as a service provider, service delivery and well-being creation. This paper also discusses the positive and negative effects of volunteer service delivery on senior volunteers' well-being.

Details

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, vol. 33 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-6225

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 October 2023

Katharina C. Husemann, Anica Zeyen and Leighanne Higgins

This study aims to explore the strategies that service providers use to facilitate marketplace accessibility, and identify the key challenges in that process. The authors do so to…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the strategies that service providers use to facilitate marketplace accessibility, and identify the key challenges in that process. The authors do so to develop a roadmap towards improved accessibility and disability inclusion in the marketplace.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted eight semi-structured interviews with service providers (curators, visitor service coordinators and access managers) at museums who run access programmes for customers with visual impairment (VI), along with an embodied duo-ethnography of those programmes.

Findings

Service providers foster autonomous, embodied and social access. Resource constraints, safety concerns and exposed differences between customers compromise access. To overcome these challenges, service providers engage in three inclusionary strategies – informing, extending and sensitizing.

Research limitations/implications

This service provider- and VI-focus present limitations. Future research should consider a poly-vocal approach that includes the experiences of numerous stakeholders to holistically advance marketplace accessibility; and apply the marketplace accessibility findings upon different disabilities in other marketplace contexts.

Practical implications

This study offers a roadmap for policymakers and service providers on: which types of access should and can be created; what challenges may be encountered; how to manage these challenges; and, thus, how to advance accessibility beyond regulations.

Originality/value

This study contributes a service provider perspective on marketplace accessibility that goes beyond removing “disabling” barriers towards creating opportunities for co-creation; an approach towards marketplace accessibility that fosters inclusiveness while considering the inherent challenges of that process; and an illustration of posthumanism’s empirical value in addressing issues of accessibility in the marketplace.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 57 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 February 2024

Ivana Rihova and Matthew Alexander

Tourists’ resource integration both offers opportunities and presents challenges to tourism service providers. Focussing on the tour guide perspective, the purpose of this paper…

Abstract

Purpose

Tourists’ resource integration both offers opportunities and presents challenges to tourism service providers. Focussing on the tour guide perspective, the purpose of this paper is to explore how tour guides experience knowledge/information-based asymmetry in encounters with tourists and identifies the roles and coping strategies used by guides to facilitate service co-production.

Design/methodology/approach

Critical incident technique is used in qualitative interviews with 47 tour guides in Scotland, broadly representative of the Scottish tour guiding context. 107 critical incidents were analysed, with an average of 2.32 incidents per interview. Narrative analysis of the incidents was performed inductively in four iterative steps using QSR NVivo.

Findings

Three resource asymmetry incident categories are identified: probing – Guide-Oracle is questioned by inquiring tourists and copes through diverting, evasion, and follow-up strategies; learning – Guide-Magpie learns from expert tourists through acknowledging and co-delivery; and negotiation – Guide-Diplomat with greater knowledge helps misguided tourists save face through appeasing, following the official line and tactfully correcting.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to service co-production research in tourism by theorising about contexts where knowledge/information asymmetry exists between tour guides and tourists, particularly where fluid power relations between guides and knowledgeable tourists occur or where misguided tourists co-produce the service by prioritising own meanings. Findings highlight the importance of soft skills and other non-content capabilities of guides, and suggestions are offered for effective training and resource sharing/ learning initiatives for tour guiding services.

目的

游客资源整合为旅游服务提供商提供了机遇, 同时也带来了挑战。本文以导游视角为重点, 探讨了导游在与游客接触中如何体验知识/信息不对称, 并识别了导游用于促进服务共同生产的角色和应对策略。

方法

本研究采用关键事件技术(CIT)进行质性访谈, 对象为苏格兰的47名导游, 广泛代表苏格兰导游环境。分析了107个关键事件, 每次访谈平均2.32个事件。对事件的叙述分析在QSR NVivo中通过四个迭代步骤进行归纳性分析。

发现

确定了三个资源不对称的事件类别:1)探询 - 导游-神谕被询问, 通过转移、回避和后续策略来应对询问的游客; 2)学习 - 导游-喜鹊通过承认和共同交付从专业游客中学到经验; 3)协商 - 导游-外交官以更多知识帮助误导的游客保全体面, 通过安抚、追随官方路线和巧妙纠正来应对。

独创性

本文通过理论化导游和游客之间存在知识/信息不对称的情境, 特别是在导游和知识丰富的游客之间存在流动权力关系的情况下, 或者误导的游客通过优先考虑自己的意义来共同生产服务的情境, 为旅游服务的共同生产研究做出了贡献。研究结果强调了导游的软技能和其他非内容能力的重要性, 并提出了关于为导游服务提供有效培训和资源共享/学习倡议的建议。

Propósito

La integración de recursos de los turistas ofrece oportunidades y presenta desafíos para los proveedores de servicios turísticos. Centrándose en la perspectiva de los guías turísticos, este artículo explora cómo los guías turísticos experimentan una asimetría basada en conocimiento/información en encuentros con turistas, e identifica los roles y estrategias de afrontamiento utilizados por los guías para facilitar la coproducción de servicios.

Metodología

La técnica de incidentes críticos (CIT) se utiliza en entrevistas cualitativas con 47 guías turísticos en Escocia, ampliamente representativos del contexto de los guías turísticos escoceses. Se analizaron 107 incidentes críticos, con una media de 2,32 incidentes por entrevista. El análisis narrativo de los incidentes se realizó de forma inductiva en cuatro pasos iterativos utilizando QSR NVivo.

Hallazgos

Se identifican tres categorías de incidentes de asimetría de recursos: 1) Sondeo: los turistas interrogan a Guide-Oracle y lo afronta mediante estrategias de desvío, evasión y seguimiento; 2) Aprendizaje: Guide-Magpie aprende de turistas expertos a través del reconocimiento y la entrega conjunta; y 3) Negociación: el guía-diplomático con mayor conocimiento ayuda a los turistas descarriados a salvar las apariencias apaciguándolos, siguiendo la línea oficial y corrigiendo con tacto.

Originalidad

El artículo contribuye a la investigación de la coproducción de servicios en el turismo al teorizar sobre contextos donde existe asimetría de conocimiento/información entre guías turísticos y turistas, particularmente donde ocurren relaciones de poder fluidas entre guías y turistas conocedores, o donde turistas equivocados coproducen el servicio priorizando propios significados. Los hallazgos resaltan la importancia de las habilidades interpersonales y otras capacidades de los guías no relacionadas con el contenido, y se ofrecen sugerencias para iniciativas efectivas de capacitación e intercambio de recursos/aprendizaje para los servicios de guías turísticos.

Article
Publication date: 21 June 2023

Wen-Shiung Huang, Yung-Sen Lin and Chiung-Lin Tsao

Based on the mentoring literature, this study aims to explore the mentoring functions developed by the travel industry and develop a multiple mentoring function scale (MMFS) for…

Abstract

Purpose

Based on the mentoring literature, this study aims to explore the mentoring functions developed by the travel industry and develop a multiple mentoring function scale (MMFS) for tour leaders.

Design/methodology/approach

Study One of this research involved in-depth interviews with 23 tour leaders for establishing the initial question bank and pilot test scale. In Study Two, the initial scale was pilot tested by 225 tour leaders for identifying the factor structure through exploratory factor analysis. In Study Three, the model was verified through confirmatory factor analyses of 251 calibration samples. In Study Four, cross-validation was verified by 227 validation samples.

Findings

In Study One, through the content analyses, an initial question bank of 51 questions was established. The question bank was reviewed by 15 experts, resulting in the development of a pilot test scale of 36 questions. In Study Two, 16 questions were retained after the initial scale was pilot tested, and four dimensions were identified, including career competency, reverse mentoring, career development and psychosocial functions. In Study Three, the model was verified through confirmatory factor analyses and confirmed to have good reliability and construct validity. Finally, a first-order, four-factor scale that consisted of 16 questions was established. In Study Four, cross-validation was verified.

Research limitations/implications

MMFS establishment underwent a rigorous development process, and the scale’s reliability and validity are supported. It is suggested that future research should develop and construct a multifunctional model for tour-leading professionals based on the MMFS to evaluate the long-term impact of the MMFS.

Originality/value

Previous studies have mainly focused on typical mentoring functions. Multiple mentoring functions derived from the characteristics of tour leaders and guides have rarely been discussed. This research can fill the gap in the application of mentoring system to human resource management research in the tourism industry. As a result, this four-dimensional multiple mentoring functions scale provides a progressive perspective and be regarded as the first version of the scale development in the tourism industry.

研究目的

基于师徒文献, 本研究探讨了旅游业的师徒功能, 并为旅游领队发展多元师徒功能量表(MMFS)。

设计/方法/途径

研究一, 涉及与 23 位领队的深度访谈, 以建立初始题库和预试量表。研究二, 初始量表由225名领队进行试测, 通过探索性因素分析确定因素结构。研究三, 通过验证性因素分析251个校准样本以验证模型。研究四, 由 227 个验证样本进行复合效化。

结果

研究一, 经过内容分析, 建立了51道题的初始题库。初始题库由 15 位专家审阅, 最终形成36 个问题的预试量表。研究二, 预试量表进行预试后, 保留了16个问题, 确定了四个构面, 包括职业能力、反向师徒、职业发展和社会心理功能。研究三, 通过验证性因素分析对模型进行验证, 证实具有良好的信度和建构效度。建立了一个由 16 个题项所组成的一阶四因素量表。研究四, 复合效化获得验证。

原创性/价值

过往的研究主要集中在典型的师徒功能上。很少有人讨论基于领队和导游的特点而衍生出的多元师徒功能。本研究填补了师徒制在旅游行业人力资源管理研究中的应用空白。因此, 这四个构面的多元师徒功能量表提供了一个渐进的视角, 被视为量表发展的旅游业第一版。

研究限制和意义

MMFS的建立经历了严格的开发过程, 量表的信度和效度得到支持。建议未来的研究应基于 MMFS开发和建构旅游领队专业人士的多元功能模型, 以评估MMFS 的后续影响。

Objetivo

Basándose en la bibliografía sobre la mentoría, este estudio exploró las funciones de mentoría desarrolladas por el sector de los viajes y elaboró una escala de funciones de mentoría múltiple (MMFS) para guías y jefes de grupo turísticos.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

En el Estudio Uno de esta investigación se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad a 23 guías turísticos para establecer el banco de preguntas inicial y la escala de prueba piloto. Estudio Dos, la escala inicial fue sometida a una prueba piloto por 225 guías de tours para identificar la estructura factorial mediante un análisis factorial exploratorio. Estudio Tres, el modelo se verificó mediante análisis factoriales confirmatorios 251 muestras de calibración. En el Estudio Cuatro, la validación cruzada se verificó mediante 227 muestras de validación.

Resultados

Estudio Uno: a través de los análisis de contenido, se estableció un banco de preguntas inicial de 51 preguntas. El banco de preguntas fue revisado por 15 expertos, lo que dio lugar a la elaboración de una escala de prueba piloto de 36 preguntas. Estudio Dos, se retuvieron 16 preguntas, tras la prueba piloto de la escala inicial, y se identificaron cuatro dimensiones, que incluían la competencia profesional, la mentoría inversa, el desarrollo profesional y las funciones psicosociales. Estudio Tres, el modelo se verificó mediante análisis factoriales confirmatorios y se confirmó que tenía una buena fiabilidad y validez de constructo. Por último, se estableció una escala de primer orden y cuatro factores que constaba de 16 preguntas. En el Estudio Cuatro, se verificó la validación cruzada.

Originalidad/valor (límite 100 palabras)

Los estudios anteriores se han centrado principalmente en las funciones típicas de la mentoría. Rara vez se han tratado las funciones múltiples de mentoría derivadas de las características de los guías y jefes de grupo turísticos. Esta investigación puede llenar el vacío existente en la aplicación del sistema de mentoría a la investigación de la gestión de recursos humanos en la industria turística. Como resultado, esta escala de funciones de mentoría múltiple de cuatro dimensiones proporciona una perspectiva progresista y puede considerarse como la primera versión del desarrollo de la escala en la industria turística.

Limitaciones/implicaciones de la investigación (límite 100 palabras)

El establecimiento de la MMFS se sometió a un riguroso proceso de desarrollo, y la fiabilidad y validez de la escala están respaldadas. Se sugiere que en futuras investigaciones se desarrolle y construya un modelo multifuncional para guías profesionales de turismo basado en la MMFS para evaluar el impacto a largo plazo de la MMFS.

Book part
Publication date: 16 August 2023

Gül Erkol Bayram, Jeetesh Kumar and Anukrati Sharma

Tourist guides, one of the important service providers of tourism, have effected greatly by smart tourism technology during the COVID-19 period. It is thought that this trend will…

Abstract

Tourist guides, one of the important service providers of tourism, have effected greatly by smart tourism technology during the COVID-19 period. It is thought that this trend will continue to increase in the future. Also, there are some challenges of smart tourism post pandemic on tour guides. In this context, the study aims to examine the levels of utilization of smart tourism applications by tourist guides, their activities in the COVID-19 period, and the transformation that tour guiding will undergo in the future. Within the scope of the study, existing smart tourism applications used in tours were examined with opportunities and challenges sides. In addition, the reflection of the guided cultural tours in the future was evaluated.

Details

Resilient and Sustainable Destinations After Disaster
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-022-4

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 July 2023

Jorge Rivera-García, Asunción Fernández-Villarán and Ricardo Pastor-Ruiz

Free guided walking tours are one of the most successful tourism segments in the digital platform economy. It is beginning to be associated with negative impacts in some of the…

Abstract

Purpose

Free guided walking tours are one of the most successful tourism segments in the digital platform economy. It is beginning to be associated with negative impacts in some of the destinations where it is spreading rapidly. Although the platform economy is generating increasing academic interest, the free tour model remains largely unexplored area in the literature. This study aims to examine how such activity affects cultural destinations.

Design/methodology/approach

Focussing on the largest Free Tours platform operating in Spain, GuruWalk, the methodology used analyses its impact in six cultural destinations on two of the sustainability dimensions: the territorial dimension and the governance, through an exploratory study.

Findings

The findings help to understand the differences that such activity generates in each destination depending on the phase of its life cycle, and to implement, if necessary, corrective measures. The research confirms that the impacts differ according to the tourist destination’s maturity, concluding that such activity contributes to the increase of tourist agglomerations and the overcrowding of cultural destinations in their middle and mature life cycles. The findings highlighted the importance of the role of local governance on free tour activity.

Originality/value

The main contribution is the association of the impacts they produce (especially in terms of massification) with destination life cycle phases. There were no similar precedents with a spatial or territorial analysis to reliably demonstrate not only that this activity has an impact on the territory but also what type of impact is produced.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. 9 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

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