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This paper analyzes tourism competitiveness in Latin America, providing a country-level ranking of tourism competitiveness. The study also identifies which areas of management to focus on in order to increase competitiveness in each case.

The study is based on the variables used by the World Economic Forum (WEF) to measure tourism competitiveness. The DP2 distance method is used to create a synthetic indicator. This method helps identify which areas best explain differences in competitiveness between countries.

In tourism, the most competitive Latin American countries are Costa Rica, Chile, Panama, Mexico and Uruguay. The areas that best explain the differences between countries relate to cultural and natural resources, the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICTs), international openness and transport infrastructure. These are therefore priority areas for tourism managers.

This paper provides detailed analysis for each country. The situation in each country is presented in terms of the key areas highlighted by the analysis. This approach can aid the individual decisions of companies and public managers, thus enhancing tourism competitiveness. This greater competitiveness can strengthen the tourism sector, which is crucial in uncertain times.

Based on a synthetic indicator, this research offers the first country-level analysis of tourism competitiveness in Latin America. The study is also novel in its ability to detect the areas where action should be taken to improve tourism competitiveness. This analysis offers an alternative to the WEF Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), which has certain weaknesses. The results can help enhance tourism competitiveness in Latin American countries through the specific recommendations presented in this paper.

Este documento analiza la competitividad del turismo en América Latina, proporcionando un ranking a nivel país. El estudio también identifica en qué áreas de gestión deben enfocarse los esfuerzos para aumentar la competitividad en cada caso.

La investigación se basa en las variables propuestas por el Foro Económico Mundial (WEF) para medir la competitividad del turismo. El método de distancia DP₂ se utiliza para crear un indicador sintético. Este método ayuda a identificar qué factores explican en mayor medida las diferencias de competitividad entre países.

Los países latinoamericanos más competitivos en cuanto a la actividad turística son Costa Rica, Chile, Panamá, México y Uruguay. Los factores que mejor explican las diferencias entre países se relacionan con los recursos culturales y naturales, la implementación de tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC), la apertura internacional y las infraestructuras de transporte. Por tanto, estas serían las áreas prioritarias de trabajo para los gestores turísticos.

Este documento proporciona un análisis detallado de cada país. La situación individual se presenta mediante un análisis de las áreas clave destacadas como responsables en mayor medida de la competitividad. Este enfoque puede ayudar a las decisiones tomadas por los gestores de las empresas y los administradores públicos, mejorando así la competitividad del turismo. Esta mayor competitividad puede fortalecer el sector turístico, que es crucial en tiempos de incertidumbre.

Basado en un indicador sintético, esta investigación ofrece el primer análisis a nivel país de la competitividad turística en América Latina. El estudio también es novedoso por su capacidad para detectar los ámbitos en los que se debe actuar para mejorar la competitividad turística. Este análisis ofrece una alternativa al Índice de Competitividad de Viajes y Turismo (TTCI) del Foro Económico Mundial (WEF), que tiene ciertas debilidades. Los resultados pueden ayudar a mejorar la competitividad del turismo en los países de América Latina a través de las recomendaciones específicas presentadas en este documento.

This study aims to examine the relationships between tourism destination competitiveness (TDC) determinants and tourism performance. This study specifically assessed the soundness of the TDC attributes and evaluated their ability in explaining tourism performance.

The Dwyer and Kim’s (2003) destination competitiveness integrated model (IM) was used. Secondary data of 115 nations available from the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) and other international reports were also used. The hypothesised relationships were tested via partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

This study confirms that the core resources, complementary condition, globalisation and tourism price significantly explain tourism performance. Results have shown differences in the competitiveness level and actual performance among nations, highlighting specific limitations of the current TDC model and TTCI report reliability.

Future study could segment the sample base on destinations characteristic and then analyse it based on smaller sub-samples of similar destinations. Moreover, drivers of destination performance in developed and less develop destinations are quite diverse.

The incorrect competitiveness ranking evaluation will affect inward investment decisions. This study framework enables policymakers to arrive at more informed decisions than merely relying on the original competitiveness rankings.

The widespread acknowledgment of the importance of competitiveness for a tourism destination's success suggests that there is a crucial need for sound benchmarking of countries’ competitive capabilities. The proposed competitiveness determinants aid the policymakers in identifying the best competitiveness and tourism performance predictors, as well as how to identify crucial factors affecting the rankings.

This paper aims to deal with the myths of tourism in regard to the tourism available data and their mythical interpretation in relation to top tourism countries, tourism economic contribution and competitiveness and to argue that there is yet no such thing as globalisation of tourism demand. For many decades, tourism researchers have tried to present the true tourism situation, yet – seduced by the available tourism data and rankings – they might have failed to produce the accurate or generally true description.

This paper uses a transformative research approach which aims to break existing scientific paradigms in the field of tourism knowledge. Thus, this paper challenges the ever going elaboration of established tourism meanings by asking whether tourism understanding of its development, rankings and competitiveness is justified under the present circumstances.

The paper presented some existing anomalies in the understanding of tourism global system which are based on existing data, methodologies, geo-political structure of sovereign states and tourism research values. This implies a limited applicability of current tourism understandings to a universal level.

For the time being, the discussion on accuracy of the authors’ tourism knowledge remains under the notion of “tourism myths” and the doors for more research on what new approaches, values and methodologies would enable tourism researchers to obtain the accurate tourism rankings, remain wide open.

This paper can mobilise for improvements in data gathering, accessibility, interpretation and methodology to improve tourism policy, planning and management. In this regard, the paper mobilises for “cosmopolitan responsibility” for tourism surveys and understandings which will provide tourism researchers with a value system that meets the globalised tourism development.

This paper shows the possible impact on tourism knowledge, new tourism paradigms and then on tourism policy and management.

This paper’s originality is in opening up new approaches to understanding what tourism researchers a while ago would never have considered relevant.

COVID-19 has resulted in unprecedented changes in the tourism industry and brought tourists' safety and security issues more important. The travel and tourism competitiveness of India as a tourist destination ranked remarkably high in natural and cultural resources, and price competitiveness but relatively low in safety and security. The research aims to evaluate safe tourism in India with an objective view and suggest directions to restore confidence and restart tourism in India after the pandemic. The research studies on safe tourism are assessed, and the importance of safety and security issues in tourism is addressed. It also analyses India as a safe destination and suggests more focus should be on safety to consolidate the tourist destination image of India. A tourist safety framework composed of safety education, safety technology, safety system and safety regulation is suggested with a case study of South Korea. Focus on domestic tourism, a phased approach for safe tourism, 3S Indian campaign, and networks between public and private sectors are suggested for safe tourism in COVID-19. The research would provide a rationale for safe tourism in India and help government and tourism marketers develop policies, set standards or guidelines for tourists and plan coordination with other bodies or industries.

Competitiveness has been the objective of investigation in tourism in general, and particularly in hospitality, by many researchers in the past decades. The purpose of this study is to identify which main factors are considered crucial for the increase of competitiveness in hospitality, by applying the Porter’s diamond model to this sector.

The methodology used in the study required the use of primary data from which the authors obtained 285 responses from companies related to hospitality in Portugal. In the processing of data, the authors used a structural equation model.

The results showed that “government policies”, “factor conditions”, “related and supporting industries” and “cooperation and innovation” were determinant factors of the competitiveness of the sector.

Despite the importance of competitiveness in hospitality, the number of studies focused on the empirical validation models of competitiveness, applied to the hospitality industry, is still incipient. This study contributes to fill this gap.

Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques are decision support systems that provide systematic approaches to solve hospitality and tourism (H&T) problems while minimizing the risk of failure. However, less is known about the application of MCDM techniques in H&T research. This study aims to systematically assess the use of MCDM techniques in H&T research to classify its current application and determine its application potential for H&T research.

This study used bibliometric analysis to examine all published MCDM studies focused on H&T industries, since 1997. In addition, topic modelling was used to discover key concepts. Finally, top cited studies in terms of total citations per year and total citations were qualitatively reviewed for more insights.

The findings revealed an ongoing interest in applying MCDM techniques in H&T research. Specifically, the extension of fuzzy theory in MCDM techniques is burgeoning among H&T researchers. However, a certain number of MCDM techniques seem to be ignored in this field with a repetitive application of MCDM techniques in particular areas.

The data for the current research was solely retrieved from Scopus and other databases were not included. Therefore, future research is called for to re-examine the study by considering data from various databases.

This study contributes to extant H&T literature by identifying the most prolific and influential countries, journals, publications and trends by applying MCDM techniques in H&T research, and elucidating the implications and characteristics of MCDM techniques in H&T research.

The purpose of this study is to systematically identify and examine the challenges and opportunities of ecotourism development in Wondo Genet and its vicinity, southern Ethiopia and thereby forward suggestions to pertinent ecotourism stakeholders.

This study uses a mixed-method research approach and collects primary data from 412 research participants (400 survey respondents and 12 interviewees). Descriptive and inferential statistics and content analysis are used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, respectively.

The research findings unfold several constraints that deter successful ecotourism development along with opportunities that can be used in future development. Ecotourism is suggested as a complementary form of tourism development in Wondo Genet and its vicinity, as the area is known for its natural and cultural resources.

The findings offer substantive insights to policymakers, private investors and local communities about the existing challenges and opportunities of ecotourism development in the context of emerging destinations. Given time, budget and human resource are acute restraints in developing countries; the current study is relevant in terms of highlighting the most pressing challenges that demand urgent action to unleash the development of a sustainable tourist destination.

The findings of this study also provide crucial practical implications to various stakeholders about the complementary nature of ecotourism and sustainable placemaking to conserve destinations’ environmental resources while improving socioeconomic conditions.

Despite Wondo Genet's immense ecotourism resource potential as one of the prime destinations both in the country and in the region, a huge gap exists in the current literature, where the current study intends to bridge in a comprehensive manner.

The euphoria of tourism development in Indonesia as one of the leading industries of the country’s economy requires proper planning and an advanced strategy to maintain its sustainability. This chapter discusses strategies used by the Indonesian government for the implementation of sustainable tourism development. The strategy comprises three tourism programs: sustainable destination, sustainable observatory, and sustainable certification. The discussion developed in this chapter stresses that sustainable programs require serious commitment from the government and a carefully developed framework that suits the Indonesian context. Further, the proposed programs have to be introduced in closely monitored stages and are perhaps best developed through a certification program that may encourage positive impacts.

The purpose of this study is to investigate benefits tourist seek when visiting a nature-based tourism destination to develop a benefit segmentation framework.

The study used quantitative research methods, with 400 self-administered survey administered to a sample of 400 tourists visiting the Kruger, Panorama, and Lowveld areas in Mpumalanga.

Cluster analysis produced two benefit segments. Binary logistic regression benefits that emerged from the cluster analysis were statistically significant predictors of the attractions tourists visited and the activities in which they participated during their stays in Mpumalanga. Factor-cluster analysis and binary logistic regression results were used to develop a benefit segmentation framework as a marketing planning tool.

The study was only based on Mpumalanga Province and therefore, the results cannot be generalised. The study was conducted over one season, the Easter period

The proposed benefit segmentation framework provides a tool that destination management organisations can use to plan effectively for marketing.

Effective marketing may lead to increased tourism growth which can have a multiplier effect on the destination.

This article is based on a master’s study conducted in Mpumalanga and results are presented on this paper.

This study aims to examine the commonalities and contrasts in the tourism objectives and strategies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, thereby revealing the foundations and pillars underlying the strategic initiatives implemented.

This exploratory study applied the resource-based view (RBV) lens to the country level. A comparative analysis of the tourism strategy in each GCC country was undertaken to determine commonalities and contrasts between the different strategies and to classify them into clusters. In the next stage, in-depth interviews were carried out to validate the findings.

Four distinct clusters were identified in this paper: lifestyle glamor, emerging giant, sports-induced country branding and eco-friendly regional-based strategies.

The findings and cluster classification are pertinent to policymakers and industry marketers in crafting tourism development plans.

This study analyzed the economic diversification strategies adopted by GCC countries as new entrants in the tourism sector and classified them into four clusters.