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It is salient to be acquainted with the key elements that determine educational tourists’ decision in selecting an overseas destination while considering the rise of international competition amidst nations concerning international students. There has been a growth in the number of nations committed to attracting educational tourists. This issue is evident in countries involved in higher education (HE), such as Northern Cyprus, identified as an edu-tourism destination. Northern Cyprus can attract a whopping number of tourists, and the higher population is most likely to be made up of international students regardless of its interdiction on direct flights and political pressure. This chapter centres on analysing educational tourists’ motivators in selecting a tourism education destination abroad and on revealing effective recruitment and promotion plans towards attracting them. The chapter includes the descriptions and discussions of educational tourism, the HE industry over the years, globalisation and internationalisation of educational tourism, factors influencing educational tourists’ decision-making process and key elements influencing educational tourists’ decisions in HE institutions. At the end of the chapter, a case study is presented that reports the findings of interviews with educational tourists, overseas recruitment agents and Eastern Mediterranean University staff responsible for promoting the institution. The results identified eight factors affecting educational tourists’ decisions on study destination. Those factors comprise cost, ease of access, location, social factors, quality of education, instruction language, cultural environment and communication quality. The sub-factors of the main eight factors are scholarships, destination’s scenery, safety, friends’ and relatives’ influence and cultural differences. This chapter brings a significant knowledge about the motives that affect educational tourists in selecting at a particular HE destination. Based on the study’s findings, educational institutions may consider various recommendations to redesign their strategies towards attracting educational tourists more effectively. Generally, this study promotes an apprehension about the diverse elements that affect educational tourists’ selection of a destination study. An in-depth understanding of these factors will help education institutions’ decision-makers better develop plans of action to provide desired services to educational tourists, attract and keep them in return.

The purpose of this paper is to test a conceptual model that takes into account both edu-tourists’ perception and perceived service quality in explaining purchase intention of academic degrees from the foreign universities.

The study is based on an empirical examination with applying multivariate data analysis. The data were collected through survey questionnaires and analysed by using structural equation modelling procedure.

The survey result discovered that the relationship between perceived service quality and edu-tourist’s satisfaction was significant and positive. The relationship between edu-tourist’s satisfaction and intention to purchase was also significant and positive. Meanwhile, edu-tourist’s satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between their perceived service quality and intention to purchase. Nevertheless, this research also explored that the edu-tourist’s satisfaction plays a significant mediating effect in between the relationship of perception and intention to purchase.

This empirical study will contribute in understanding the behaviour of international students to construct the theoretical knowledge on the edu-tourism industry, which has been neglected in tourism research.

The paper will be of use to the management and policymakers in the higher education sector in understanding the customer’s expectation for the edu-tourism destination. This study contributes to the growing literature on education travel destination, where the researchers investigated the role of tourist’s satisfaction by using perception and perceived service quality towards their intention to visit a destination for education tourism. In addition, understanding the role satisfaction on the relationship between perception and perceived service quality towards the purchase intention will make both scientific and practical contributions for the decision-makers.

Based on stimulus-organism-response theory, this study aims to develop and tests a model of memorable heritage tourism experience (MHTE). The model proposes that experiencescape, experience co-creation, education and photography are important antecedents of MHTE, which is then a driver of place attachment.

Data for this study were collected using a Web-based questionnaire of people aged 18 years and over who had a heritage tourism experience during the previous three months (February–April 2023). The survey was distributed in May 2023 using Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). A survey link was posted on MTurk, which remained active for the first week of May 2023. Out of the 283 responses received, 272 were valid responses from individuals who met the participation criteria.

Experiencescape, experience co-creation, education and photography were found to be positive drivers of the MHTE, with a positive relationship between MHTE and place attachment.

Many studies linked to memorable tourism experience (MTE) mainly replicate Kim, Ritchie, & McCormick’s (2012) MTE scale, regardless of the specific study context. This study offers an alternative framework through which alternative antecedents and outcomes of tourists’ MTE can be identified.

The main purpose of the study is to determine international leisure tourist perceptions with regard to crime, to assess the influence of demographic factors and to investigate the influence of prior, during and post-visit measures on international leisure tourists’ crime perceptions.

A personal intercept interview survey was used to collect the data at popular Cape Town (CT) tourist attractions via structured questionnaires. A generalized linear model was used to statistically assess respondents’ crime-related perceptions. Qualitative data was also generated via individual in-depth interviews, which were conducted among nine international leisure tourists.

The study found that international leisure tourists exhibited favorable sentiments regarding crime preparations; general safety information; post-visit crime related perceptions but were less positive about security safety information during their visit. International leisure tourists maintained that crime did not inhibit their activities and was not worse than anticipated during their visit. A majority of tourists indicated that they were not deterred by crime and would revisit CT.

The research was limited to a single city and to English-speaking international leisure tourists. The study was cross sectional in nature and the number of data collection sites was limited to four of the popular tourist attractions in CT.

The study showed that a relatively high number of international leisure tourists had either witnessed or experienced crime in CT. Hence, a separate South African Police Service tourism protection unit could be established to help circumvent crime in CT.

The study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide a comprehensive overview of international leisure tourist crime perceptions, which included prior, during and post-visit measures, of one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Additionally, this study is one of the few recent endeavors to assess the influence of a broad range of demographic and crime-related factors on international leisure tourists’ prior, during and post-visit crime perceptions in an African developing country.

With the rapid development of sharing economy, travelers are facing choices between conventional hotels and the peer-to-peer sharing accommodation in urban tourism. The purpose of this study is to examine how travelers form their preferences in such choice situations and whether/how their preference formation mode would change with the COVID-19 pandemic.

A relative preference model was constructed and estimated for both domestic and outbound tourists, based on two waves of survey data collected before and after the COVID-19. The results of this study were compared to derive the evolution of preference formation patterns.

A set of 15 key value attributes and personal traits was identified, together with their differential effects with the pandemic. Their divergent effects between domestic and outbound trips were also delineated. Based on these findings, the competitive edges and advantageous market profiles were depicted for both hotel and sharing accommodation sectors.

This study contributes to the knowledge of tourists’ preference between accommodation types and adds empirical evidences to the impact of the pandemic on tourist behavior patterns. Both hotel and sharing accommodation practitioners can benefit from the findings to enhance their competitiveness.

Features a realistic perspective of the current hospitality and tourism paradigm in Cuba. Previews the newly released hospitality and tourism education strategy to be rolled out in 2003. Provides an evaluation of the tourism and hospitality industry environment, education environment, workforce and change in policy. The authors made three research trips to Cuba in 1997, 2001 and 2002. A series of elite interviews were conducted in Cuba, Jamaica and the UK with senior Cuban policymakers. Current data and views from Cuban partners and practitioners are used to inform the discussion. Cuba continues to be one of the most mystical tourist destinations in the world with a phenomenal growth rate during recent years. The new tourism education strategy is a key for Cuba to once again become the number one destination in the Caribbean.

This paper aims to find answers to two research questions: What is the perception of the Moravia community on tourism in their neighbourhood? What are the conditions under which they can accept slum tourism?

The foundation of this paper was laid during a field trip to Medellin, Colombia, in March 2018. More than three weeks were spent in the neighbourhood of Moravia, one of Medellin’s “barrios” or slums, where a qualitative study was led. Semi-structured interviews with the local community were done around the neighbourhood.

The main finding of this research is the positive perception of slum tourism within the Moravia community. The researchers found that the locals are proud when outsiders visit to see their neighbourhood. The locals felt that, it breaks the prejudice surrounding their homes, and tourists are seen as spokespeople for the barrio. There are visible improvements made to the barrio owing to tourism. This research drew attention to the conditions under which this type of tourism can be accepted in the neighbourhood: community participation, interaction between hosts and tourists, education and respect of tourists and the visible improvements to the neighbourhood.

Slum tourism is an understudied topic in Colombia, especially in Medellin. By researching on the host perception on slum tourism, this paper contributes to literature on slum tourism from a new angle.

This paper aims to review the state of national biosecurity planning. The authors recognised tourist vectoring can increase the risk of invasive alien species (IAS) and disease; representing substantial biosecurity risk for tourism destinations worldwide. This research assesses the provision of biosecurity mitigation measures within national biosecurity plans and guidelines internationally. The author’s position in this issue contends that a lack of sufficient biosecurity risk management and planning in place for tourism could have severe impacts on a destination’s environment, society, and economy.

The authors systematically reviewed national biosecurity planning through a mixed-method research approach. Frist, essential criteria identified from international literature allowed for content analysis to assess specific national biosecurity plans and strategies. Second, qualitative data was then gathered by conducting semi-structured interviews within national governing bodies and organisations.

Planning for tourism biosecurity varies around the world with some destinations demonstrating highly evolved plans such as Hawaii, New Zealand, and Australia. However, this is not the case in Ireland where planning for biosecurity at a national level is severely limited. Biosecurity planning, pathway management, communication, quarantine and plans for tourism risk are inadequate to prevent the introduction and spread of IAS and disease in Ireland. Recommendations offer destinations globally and with “island status” an opportunity for biosecurity to be improved by using surveillance, communication, guidelines and specific capacities at the border stages within a specific national biosecurity plan.

This review on the state of national planning for biosecurity provides new knowledge specifically for tourism destinations worldwide, which can adopt the essential elements identified within this research for a national tourism biosecurity risk framework.

本文旨在审查国家生物安全计划的状况。作者认识到, 游客媒介可以增加外来入侵物种（IAS）和疾病的风险。代表了全球旅游目的地的重大生物安全风险。这项研究评估了国际上国家生物安全计划和指南中生物安全缓解措施的提供。作者在此问题上的立场认为, 缺乏足够的生物安全风险管理和旅游业规划可能会对目的地的环境, 社会和经济产生严重影响。

作者通过混合方法研究方法系统地审查了国家生物安全计划。第一, 从国际文献中确定的基本标准允许进行内容分析, 以评估特定的国家生物安全计划和策略。其次, 通过在国家理事机构和组织内进行半结构化访谈来收集定性数据。

在全球范围内, 旅游生物安全的计划各不相同, 有些目的地还展示了高度发展的计划, 例如夏威夷, 新西兰和澳大利亚。但是, 在爱尔兰, 情况并非如此, 因为在爱尔兰国家级的生物安全计划受到严重限制。生物安全计划, 途径管理, 沟通, 隔离以及旅游风险计划不足以防止IAS和疾病在爱尔兰的传入和传播。建议为全球目的地以及具有”岛屿地位”的国家提供了通过在特定国家生物安全计划内的边境阶段利用监视, 沟通, 指南和特定能力来改善生物安全的机会。

这项对国家生物安全计划状态的审查为世界各地的旅游目的地专门提供了新知识, 这些知识可以采用本研究中确定的国家旅游生物安全风险框架的基本要素。

Este documento tiene como objetivo revisar el estado de la planificación nacional de bioseguridad. Los autores reconocieron que la vectorización turística puede aumentar el riesgo de especies exóticas invasoras (EEI) y enfermedades; representa un riesgo sustancial de bioseguridad para los destinos turísticos de todo el mundo. Esta investigación evalúa la provisión de medidas de mitigación de bioseguridad dentro de los planes y directrices nacionales de bioseguridad a nivel internacional. La posición del autor en este tema sostiene que la falta de suficiente gestión y planificación del riesgo de bioseguridad para el turismo podría tener graves impactos en el medio ambiente, la sociedad y la economía de un destino.

Los autores revisaron sistemáticamente la planificación nacional de bioseguridad a través de un enfoque de investigación de métodos mixtos. Los primeros criterios esenciales identificados a partir de la literatura internacional permitieron el análisis de contenido para evaluar planes y estrategias nacionales de bioseguridad específicos. En segundo lugar, los datos cualitativos se recopilaron realizando entrevistas semiestructuradas dentro de los organismos y organizaciones nacionales de gobierno.

La planificación de la bioseguridad turística varía en todo el mundo, y algunos destinos demuestran planes muy evolucionados, como Hawai, Nueva Zelanda y Australia. Sin embargo, este no es el caso en Irlanda, donde la planificación de la bioseguridad a nivel nacional está severamente limitada. La planificación de la bioseguridad, la gestión de vías, la comunicación, la cuarentena y los planes de riesgo turístico son inadecuados para evitar la introducción y propagación de EEI y enfermedades en Irlanda. Las recomendaciones ofrecen a los destinos de todo el mundo y con el “estado de la isla” una oportunidad para mejorar la bioseguridad mediante el uso de vigilancia, comunicación, directrices y capacidades específicas en las etapas fronterizas dentro de un plan nacional de bioseguridad específico.

Esta revisión sobre el estado de la planificación nacional para la bioseguridad proporciona nuevos conocimientos específicamente para destinos turísticos en todo el mundo que pueden adoptar los elementos esenciales identificados dentro de esta investigación para un marco nacional de riesgo de bioseguridad turística.

The growth in the ecotourism industry has increased emphasis on sustainable practices. Despite the fact that ample research has been conducted on sustainable ecotourism practices, many ecotourism destinations fail to become sustainable. The growth of the ecotourism industry and the global population has called for greener practices to be incorporated in developing ecotourism destinations. Waterwheel, located in the Limpopo province of South Africa, is faced with this green development challenge and serves as a case study (located at the end of the chapter) for this chapter.

This chapter gives a brief overview of the green principles associated with developing ecotourism destinations. Green ecotourism destination planning is explained within the context of the tourists’ experience to highlight aspects necessary for sustainable ecotourism destination development.

Even though the green market is still in its infancy, tourists are increasingly demanding green accommodation. A green, sustainable ecotourism destination can only be developed if green principles are incorporated from the input phase. The input phase (e.g., building materials and infrastructure systems for water and energy) determines the output phase (e.g., operational materials, activities, suppliers, activities, and marketing) and, subsequently, the level of sustainability. It is therefore crucial to plan for these aspects and the level to which the destination aims to adhere to these aspects, as they are costly.

Even though research on the green economy is not a new phenomenon it has only recently trickled down to ecotourism development. This explains the lack of research currently experienced in the literature of ecotourism and a gap that should be addressed urgently. Although this chapter only briefly discusses green ecotourism development, the aspects highlighted in the chapter provides other researchers with research opportunities to pursue in an effort to bridge the gap.

Following the increasing trend of artificial intelligence (AI) research in hospitality literature, this critical reflection paper aims to identify AI-assisted mindfulness as a critical yet under-investigated issue and to contribute feasible directions for future research.

The authors first conceptualize a framework explaining the effects of mindfulness design in AI interventions on improving human mindfulness. The authors then identify opportunities for interventions in AI-assisted mindfulness for the tourism, hospitality and events industries. Finally, the authors propose potential themes for AI-assisted mindfulness research.

This study contributes three major conceptual works. First, we conceptualize a framework of AI-assisted mindfulness, showcasing that the scope of AI-assisted mindfulness spans from AI interventions to state mindfulness and then to trait mindfulness. Second, the authors offer two approaches to strategic thinking, one from mindfulness (i.e. mindfulness-focused niche markets and activities) and one from AI applications (i.e. AI-facilitated devices and platforms), to identify opportunities for AI-assisted mindfulness interventions. Third, for both management- and marketing-oriented AI-assisted mindfulness research, the authors propose 18 themes.

This critical reflection paper offers directions for future knowledge creation in AI-assisted mindfulness in the tourism, hospitality and events industries.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this critical reflection paper serves as the first in hospitality and tourism literature to systematically propose the research issue of AI-assisted mindfulness, offering directions and themes for future research.