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This chapter offers an insightful exploration into the burgeoning field of eco-tourism, focusing on the expectations and motivations of tourists gravitating towards green destinations. Eco-tourism, while not a novel concept, has seen a significant resurgence in interest over the past few decades, with its roots tracing back to the wildlife reserves of Kenya in the 1960s. The narrative then transitions to an in-depth examination of what constitutes a green destination, emphasizing its foundational pillars, such as environmental conservation, sustainable tourism practices, active community engagement, educational initiatives, and the pursuit of certifications that affirm their commitment to sustainability. A central theme of the chapter is the nuanced expectations of eco-tourists who are increasingly seeking destinations that not only offer the tranquillity and beauty of nature but also adhere to sustainability principles and cultural authenticity. These expectations are intricately linked to the motivations driving tourists towards green destinations, including the desire to connect with nature, contribute to conservation efforts, and engage in travel practices that are both responsible and enriching. By weaving together theoretical insights and empirical evidence, the chapter provides a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic interplay between the demand for green destinations and the supply of sustainable tourism experiences, ultimately highlighting the critical role of eco-tourism in paving the way for a more sustainable and ethical travel industry.

This study investigates the consequences of anthropogenic disturbance caused by dolphin-watching boats on the local spinner dolphin population in Lovina, Bali. It proposes recommendations for developing sustainable destination practices that influence boatmen and tourists to minimise the negative impacts of tourism activities on the dolphins.

Data was collected on boat-dolphin distances, boatmen's behaviour, dolphin behaviour, and underwater noise levels using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a hydrophone. The triple-bottom-line framework was applied to analyse the findings and propose recommendations for developing sustainable destination practices.

The study reveals a consistent breach of national and international guidelines, with boats approaching dolphins at distances well below the recommended minimum. Undesirable boatmen’s behaviours and signs of distress and avoidance in dolphins were frequently observed. The findings highlight the need for stakeholders to develop and implement sustainable practices that influence boatmen and tourists to minimise their impact on the dolphins.

This study provides novel insights into the anthropogenic disturbance caused by dolphin-watching boats in Lovina, Bali. It proposes actionable recommendations for developing sustainable destination practices that influence boatmen and tourists. It contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable wildlife tourism management.

In the era of new technological revolution, seeking to survive and guarantee business sustainability in their digital internationalization, enterprises choose to become environmentally oriented. The need for new green business models has become evident in recent years, and enterprises offer green services in creative and eco-friendly ways. However, does the display of a green label on hotels' websites really promote the eco-conscious tourists' online booking intention? This study aims to examine the impact of the perceived label on the online sustainable hotel booking intention of the eco-conscious tourists, using the foundations of signal theory.

This study adopted a structural equation model to integrate several constructs with a sample of 349 validated responses.

The empirical results highlight, the importance of the green label perception on the eco-conscious tourists' booking intention of online sustainable hotel and the role that green trust and green perceived risk play as a mediating variable between the perception of the exposed label and the booking intention. Indeed, when booking a sustainable hotel online, the tourists may be sensitive to the exposure of a green label. Therefore, this signal decreases the perceived risk of unsustainability and ultimately increases the trust in hotel's sustainability.

The first limitation is related to the sample employed in this study. Given that most of the participants were residents of France, the results of this study may not be generalized to the entire population. Secondly, a range of other factors can affect the eco-conscious tourists' intentions to book online a hotel with green label, such as their attitude, social media influence, tourists' satisfaction, etc. Indeed, other variables and/or signals could be adopted to study online booking intention in the pandemic era.

In light of these results, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed. The findings make an important contribution to SMEs sustainability and internationalization by exploring new ties. This study considers how SMEs and specifically hotels start following green practices (e.g. adoption of an eco-label) relevant to their international environment where they operate and in response to global pressures. SMEs can survive better in the highly competitive global environment where they need to employ more green practices, however, managers should consider how green trust and green perceived risk can affect customer behavior. It also adds to the existing literature by dealing with customer perceptions about the green label of sustainable hotels and its subsequent effect on booking intention.

This study had shown the importance of the display of green label on the eco-conscious tourist's online booking intention.

The chapter contains an in-depth analysis of contemporary risks confronting terrestrial ecosystems and examines prominent strategies for biodiversity preservation, sustainable tourism, and ecological management. Agroforestry parks and ecological corridors emerge as central mechanisms for safeguarding biodiversity and enhancing habitat connectivity. The chapter delves also into the urgent task of combating desertification, exacerbated by climate change and unsustainable practices, with a particular emphasis on the challenges inherent in the realm of tourism. Within the context of tourism, the chapter identifies nature and adventure tourism as catalysts for fostering biodiversity conservation through emotive engagement, thereby stimulating visitor support for conservation policies. The imperative of sustainable tourism practices, underscored by a dedicated commitment to attenuating adverse impacts while optimizing positive outcomes, assumes paramount importance in this pursuit. The chapter underscores the strategic significance of managing visitor influxes, exemplified by techniques such as access limitations and temporal restrictions, as a key approach to mitigate issues of overcrowding and ecological deterioration.

This paper aims to investigate the relationships between key mediators, namely, Muslim-friendly context and the intention of tourists to revisit edu-tourism destinations in Terengganu.

The study engages tourists and visitors who have explored seven distinct edu-tourism destinations, with a total sample size of 384 participants. Data analysis is conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and Analysis of Moment Structures for structural equation modeling.

Findings indicate that Muslim-friendly does not mediate the relationship between tourism operators, events and investment concerning tourists revisiting Terengganu. However, it plays a significant mediating role between local communities, educational institutions and tourism organizations.

Despite valuable insights, limitations arose due to a lack of Terengganu-specific literature on Muslim-friendliness in edu-tourism, leading to reliance on studies about Sharia-compliant hotels, the broader tourism industry and Islamic tourism.

The thriving halal tourism industry’s growth has heightened awareness of Muslim-friendly destinations, like Terengganu. The state actively promotes diverse halal services for Muslim travelers, encouraging operators to prioritize Sharia-compliant facilities. Strategic marketing and government support for Sharia-compliant edu-tourism investments aim at fostering economic growth and ensuring sustainability.

Social implications stress the need for inclusivity and cultural sensitivity in Terengganu’s tourism. Prioritizing Muslim-friendly services not only boosts economic growth but also fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment for diverse travelers. Government support for Sharia-compliant edu-tourism investments aligns development with cultural and religious values, promoting a harmonious and inclusive society.

This research explores Terengganu’s innovative edu-tourism approach, prioritizing Muslim-friendly services for diverse travelers. By emphasizing Sharia-compliant facilities and investments, the region aims to foster economic growth and create an inclusive cultural environment.

This study aims to investigate the evolving travel intentions of tourists in the aftermath of the relaxation of international mobility restrictions in 2022. It aims to understand how the concept of “revenge travel” – travelling with the intent to make up for lost time during crisis periods – impacts tourists' travel intentions in the post-crisis era.

Employing a quantitative approach, the study uses Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Data were collected through a survey of 320 respondents in 2022. This methodology enables a comprehensive understanding of travel intentions, including motivations, perceptions of destination safety and the influence of revenge travel.

The findings reveal that revenge travel is a significant predictor of travel intentions post-crisis. The results indicate that tourists are less concerned with health and safety and are more driven by the desire to compensate for lost travel opportunities. This shift suggests that travel intentions in the post-crisis era are not predominantly fear-induced. The study also offers insights into how these intentions can inform the recovery and sustainable planning of the tourism industry.

This paper recognises the impact of revenge travel on travel intentions following the lifting of crisis-related mobility restrictions. It provides novel insights into tourists' post-crisis travel behaviour, extending the understanding of travel motivations in extraordinary circumstances. The findings are valuable for tourism practitioners and researchers, offering guidance for future tourism development and marketing strategies within a post-crisis context.

Informality in the tourism sector of the Philippines is a pervasive phenomenon, yet only few studies have explored the former's contribution to the latter, especially at the local level. Hence, this chapter utilizes a tourism value chain model developed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization and Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation (DEVCO) to determine the presence and examine the role of the informal sector in various spheres of Binondo's tourism industry. Findings reveal that informality is thriving in the areas of transportation, food and beverage, handicraft, leisure, excursion, tours, and support services. Conversely, they are inexistent or less visible in the accommodation and tourism assets in destination segments. Moreover, the fragmented tourism value chain of Binondo is heavily shaped by three primary challenges, namely, difference in perception between decision-makers and economic actors, resistance to change by the informal sector, and lack of relevant data to support evidence-based policymaking. To address these issues, the local government of Manila City may hence consider the following policy options: (i) mainstream a “whole-of-locality” approach, (ii) conduct an industry mapping of Binondo's tourism value chain, (iii) facilitate linkages between formal and informal businesses, (iv) develop shared infrastructure and extend capacity-building to the informal sector, and (v) employ a regulatory sandbox approach.

This chapter elucidates the significance of innovation in fostering green entrepreneurship and cultivating a resilient, eco-friendly economy. It underscores the three categories of innovation available to green entrepreneurs: product innovation, process innovation, and business model innovation. These avenues empower green entrepreneurs to craft sustainable products and services, enhance operational efficiency, and establish novel markets for eco-friendly goods and services. This chapter also explores green entrepreneurs’ challenges, including lack of funding, limited market demand, and regulatory barriers, provides strategies to overcome these challenges, and discusses the role of public–private partnerships (PPPs) and cross-sector collaboration in promoting green entrepreneurship and sustainable development. It also highlights the benefits of these collaborations, such as access to funding and resources, technical expertise, market development, networks, collaboration, and shared knowledge and expertise. Finally, this chapter emphasizes that green entrepreneurship can be supported through partnerships that combine the strengths and resources of multiple sectors, such as the government, private industry, non-profits, and academia. Ultimately, this chapter provides a roadmap for green entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and leverage collaborations to create sustainable products and services, improve efficiency, and develop new markets for sustainable goods and services.

This research aims to analyze the customer satisfaction associated with experiences from 14 ecological hotels in Ecuador by exploring online guest reviews and classifying the most influential factors.

This study applied big data exploration, semantic network analysis, EFA and linear regression. It processed 22,629 online reviews from Google/travel, extracting 100 words with the highest frequency. In addition, CONCOR analysis built a comprehensive structural model gathering essential keywords. Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis and regression were conducted to explore the elements that best express customer satisfaction in ecological hotels.

The words such as green, sustainable, recycle, environment and ecological were not found among the main attributes extracted. Nonetheless, the keywords obtained reflect customer satisfaction, revealing that green practices do not affect comfort and the guests' experience. CONCOR analysis displayed four categories associated with satisfaction: tangibles, experience, location and empathy. Then, EFA restructured and revealed the factors: facilities feature, assurance, reliability, location and experience. Lastly, the regression disclosed location, assurance and facilities features as the most significant factors for customer satisfaction in the 14 ecological hotels. The terms related to the hotel area, staff care and hotel amenities were decisive for guests.

This study demonstrated that employee courtesy and location are the keys to enhancing customer experience and satisfaction. Hotel managers must promote green attributes and practices to increase customer awareness through constant staff training and information disclosure in common areas.

These findings provide insight and empirical evidence for hoteliers to understand how and what guest perceive to be green practices. By identifying the main features or concepts associated with satisfaction in Ecuador's green hotels, hoteliers could address new strategies to respond to expectations, effectively satisfy customers and provide a superior experience.

This study aims to reveal residents’ individual perceptions of nature-based destination development and preferences for infrastructure and tourism superstructure development among communities that rely heavily on wildlife tourism.

A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was used among the Maasai community based in the villages and towns near the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The attributes included type of tourism accommodation, location of tourism accommodations, types of access roads (tarmac or marram), tourist numbers and desired land-use options (between tourism development, livestock grazing and agriculture). A DCE analysis with hierarchical Bayes estimation was performed.

It revealed that the introduction to land-use restrictions and the location of tourism accommodations were the most important attributes for the respondents, with average importance values of 30.36% and 24.02%, respectively. A significant less important attribute was the types of access roads with an average importance of just 8.38%. Cluster analysis revealed widespread heterogeneity in preferences.

The survey-based DCE was conducted in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, and therefore may not be relevant in other contexts. The focus was also only on the residents’ preferences. The findings broaden the knowledge on tourism developments and residents’ support for development and management of protected areas.

For policymakers, conservation practitioners and tourism businesses, this study provides a source of reference for understanding the development preferences of the Maasai community. In general, the study contributes to a better understanding of local communities in relations to tourism development and residents’ support for developments and management of protected areas (PAs).

This study fills the gap in the literature on tourism development and residents’ support for developments in PAs by presenting some limits of acceptable and desirable use of PAs among a community that has a complex coexistence with a wildlife tourism destination. It provides an alternative perspective for future research by examining residents’ choice towards destination development and preferences for infrastructure and tourism superstructure development using an experimental approach.