This study investigates how hospitality employees perceive and experience organizational ingratiation, a subtle and underexplored aspect of workplace behaviour that can shape professional dynamics and outcomes. Addressing a notable gap in organizational behaviour literature, the research focuses specifically on the hospitality sector—a highly interpersonal and service-driven industry where ingratiation may be especially prevalent. The study adopts a qualitative design, utilizing in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 26 hotel employees in North Cyprus. Interview data were thematically analyzed and further triangulated using Leximancer software to enhance validity and reduce researcher bias. The analysis revealed seven major themes related to ingratiation: Networking, Performance Rating, Self-Promotion, Career, Work Environment, Manipulation as well as Inequality. While some themes such as networking and career advancement—were associated with perceived benefits, others like manipulation, inequality, and negative impacts on the work environment highlighted critical drawbacks. By capturing the dual nature of ingratiation through employee narratives, this study provides practical insights for hospitality management and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of organizational behaviour in service-oriented industries.
The past decades witnessed the emergence of new tourism practices that generated a shift of tourists’ focus from mostly economic travel motivations to internal factors, such as the search for meaning and self-development. One of the most prominent forms of tourism, focused on internal-driven motivations, is represented by spiritual tourism, revolving around activities and experiences leading to individual growth and transformation. Based on a survey on 351 spiritual tourists, and using a TwoStep Cluster Analysis, this paper aims to provide a tourist segmentation based on favoured attractions, group size, frequency of spiritual travel, the diversity of destinations chosen, and the presence or absence of life-changing experiences. The paper aims to approach the complexity of spiritual tourism and has, therefore, also covered distinct features such as tourists’ life-changing experiences and interaction with already acknowledged spiritual attractions. The results show that, despite the general tendency of being considered a homogenous group, spiritual tourists actually tend to separate in clusters induced by the variables measured. The most important ones were the type of attraction visited, the frequency of visits, the size of the group, and expected travel experiences. Following the analyses, four main classes were identified: Soul trailblazers - predilection for religious and historical attractions, Kinship wanderers - preference for couple or family travels, Nature wanderers - who have experienced life-changing events and mostly visit natural attractions, Tribe seekers - preference for shared spiritual experiences within large groups. These findings contribute to expanding the taxonomy of spiritual tourism experiences advanced by Norman (2012) and provide practical solutions for the stakeholders in the field.
This study examines how residents’ economic dependency on tourism influences subjective well-being, satisfaction with tourism, community support, and pro-tourism behaviours. While economic reliance is often linked to greater tourism support, other studies highlight dissatisfaction stemming from perceived social and environmental costs, pointing to a nuanced and underexplored dynamic. Addressing this gap, the study explores the moderating role of economic dependency within the broader framework of resident-tourism relationships. Drawing on data from a representative sample of 1,524 residents in the Algarve, a region heavily dependent on tourism, this research employs partial least squares structural equation modelling with multigroup analysis (PLS-MGA). Results reveal that tourism economic dependency significantly moderates key psychological and behavioural responses to tourism, particularly by enhancing the positive influence of community support on pro-tourism behaviours. These findings underscore the importance of considering economic contexts when promoting sustainable tourism strategies and highlight the central role of community cohesion in fostering resident engagement with the tourism sector.
This study explores how sending organisations manage and coordinate voluntourists in voluntourism programmes. Through qualitative research, North-South voluntourism operations were explored by analysing publicly available organisational information and interviewing staff members (n=13) from (inter)national non-profit and for-profit organisations operating from Belgium or the Netherlands. Thematic analysis investigated managerial aspects and organisational contexts, using insights from human resource models on planning, recruitment, training, performance management, and retention strategies. Findings show diverse management approaches, ranging from passive to active and from more structured and formalised to more individually and personally adapted, with no clear distinctions by organisation types such as for-profit versus non-profit or international versus national sending organisation. Instead, differences emerge in the scale of voluntourism operations: between small-scale organisations offering voluntourism in only a few projects and/or countries and large-scale ones managing broad and diversified project portfolios. Generally, most sending organisations focus on pre-entry activities, with limited involvement during or after voluntourists’ trips. A more holistic management and coordination approach, emphasising ongoing support and long-term relationships with both voluntourists and local partners, could enhance the benefits for voluntourists and local communities.
This research note examines the phenomenological dimensions and methodological challenges encountered when empirically studying immersive consumer experiences. The study focuses on the use of Extended Reality (XR) technologies in a wine tasting context, with the objective of reflecting on the suitability of traditional experimental paradigms for capturing immersive experiences. We report findings from a mixed-methods study comprising a between-subjects experiment comparing two immersive formats (VR CAVE vs. VR headsets) with 111 participants, followed by interviews with a purposive sub-sample of nine participants. While XR environments offer promising opportunities for consumer engagement, the quantitative results did not support the hypothesized mediation effects, prompting a qualitative follow-up to explore underlying experiential and procedural factors. The qualitative analysis reveals that Immersion Inhibition Bias, social presence dynamics, and the temporal structuring of experimental procedures can significantly constrain participants’ ability to enter immersive experiential states. Rather than positioning the experiment as a definitive empirical test, this research note uses the study as a contextual background to expose methodological tensions inherent in immersive experience research. Based on these insights, we propose methodological directions for future studies, including hybrid experimental designs embedded in real-world settings, longitudinal immersion approaches, and multimodal data collection incorporating physiological measures. By advancing methodological reflection on immersive experience research, this research note contributes to ongoing debates on immersive experience design and measurement, with implications for both academic research and industry practice.
This study examines the positive and negative aspects of travellers’ memorable cycling experiences, as well as the underlying emotions, using photo-elicitation. Accordingly, semi-structured photo-elicitation interviews were conducted with 18 international cyclists, based on their selection of 82 photos. As a result of content analysis, themes of positive memorable experiences were identified as “accomplishments,” “discovery of landscape, history, and rural settings,” “local and authentic aspects,” “infrastructure and amenities of destinations,” and “socialising and support.” In contrast, negative memorable experiences included “infrastructure and amenities of destinations,” “challenging weather conditions,” “personal issues,” and “mechanical failures.” Underlying emotions for each theme are also presented. The research outputs offer a significant theoretical framework on memorable cycling experiences and the underlying emotions from a holistic perspective, aiding destination managers, policymakers, and service providers.
The aim of this study is to examine the influence of internal organisational practices, namely employee engagement, quality education, and data analysis and evaluation, on continuous improvement (CI) results in the hospitality industry through the mediating role of CI implementation level. A measurement tool was developed, piloted, and pre-tested, and principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to assess construct validity and refine the component structure. PLS-SEM was used to test the proposed structural model based on data collected from 244 senior and middle managers in medium and large hospitality organisations. The findings indicate that the level of CI implementation has a strong and significant impact on CI outcomes. Employee engagement and data analysis and evaluation can have significant direct effects on the CI level and significant indirect effects on CI results through the level of CI implementation. Quality education has no statistically significant direct or indirect effect. The contribution of this study is based on confirming the importance of CI level as a mediator in the relationship between organisational practices and improvement outcomes. This study extends the CI literature by identifying the organisational practices most strongly associated with CI implementation level and improvement outcomes in hospitality organisations within the European context.
Addressing sustainability challenges requires profound changes and transformations across all sectors, including tourism. Bound up in the operationalisation of transformation is the discursive aspects of change: the claims around how change can and should happen. This is a hitherto under-researched area, especially in sustainable tourism governance. This paper responds to this gap by investigating how two Swedish tourism organisations and their sustainability initiatives navigate and conceptualise change. Viewed as norm entrepreneurs, these organisations construct and disseminate narratives that shape sector-wide understandings of how sustainability should, and can, be achieved. The analysis explores their diagnostic and prescriptive framing strategies for addressing challenges in change (towards sustainability), focusing on the rationale, progress, and structure of change. Using a qualitative case study approach, the paper draws on semi-structured interviews (n=13) and document analysis to reveal contrasting change orientations: one initiative frames change as a journey, emphasising flexibility and incremental progress, while the other views it as a destination, focusing on well-defined targets and standardisation as shaping change. These orientations reflect underlying trade-offs between accessibility and rigour in achieving sustainability goals. The findings provide insights into how framing processes influence the communication and implementation of change, offering valuable lessons for sustainable tourism practitioners and researchers in Sweden and beyond.
Wellness tourism, a rapidly expanding sector within the global travel industry, focuses on experiences designed to maintain or enhance individuals’ well-being. Building on Safety System Theory and Attention Restoration Theory (ART), this study investigates the dynamics of destination loyalty in the context of wellness tourism. Specifically, it examines the interplay between destination loyalty and tourist perceived safety at destinations (TPSD), tourist worry, tourist perception of restorative environments (TPRE), tourist well-being, and life satisfaction. An online questionnaire was administered to 237 wellness tourists who engaged in wellness experiences in Portugal. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), implemented in SmartPLS 4.0.8.2, to estimate and validate a complex model with second-order constructs. Results show that TPSD strengthens destination loyalty and that TPRE is key in enhancing tourist well-being, life satisfaction, and destination loyalty. While tourist worry negatively affects TPSD, it is positively associated with destination loyalty, inviting further exploration. The study advances the literature by empirically testing the Safety System Theory and ART in the context of wellness tourism, offering novel, destination-level evidence from Portugal. It also provides theoretical and practical implications for destination managers, wellness providers and policymakers.
Soft skills play a critical role in the tourism and hospitality (T&H) sector, shaping service quality, customer satisfaction, and overall competitiveness. While their importance is widely recognized, existing research has largely focused on industry perspectives, leaving a gap in understanding how tourists perceive soft skills – and how their views compare with those of managers. This study addresses that gap by directly comparing the perceived importance of soft skills among 100 tourists and 100 T&H managers. Using a dual-stakeholder survey design, both groups rated the relevance of commonly cited soft skills for frontline employees. Results reveal significant differences that cluster into two broad orientations: tourists emphasize outward-facing interpersonal attributes such as empathy, active listening, and understanding customer needs, whereas managers prioritize inward-facing organizational skills such as adaptability, leadership, and problem-solving. Demographic factors such as age and education further shape these perceptions. The study offers novel insights into employee training priorities and service design, contributing to workforce development strategies that better align internal competencies with evolving guest expectations.
Traditionally, tourism literature has systematically explored the relationship between tourism development and economic growth. The standard tool used for this purpose has been the Tourism-Led Growth Hypothesis (TLGH). However, more recent literature has shifted its focus from the effects of tourism on economic growth toward the true economic development of territories. Within this context, a recent article by Perles & Moreno (2024) develops the concept of Tourism as Optimal Choice Hypothesis (TOCH) that tests the optimal weight of tourism in the sectoral composition of destinations to maximize the well- being of their residents. Given the relative novelty of the concept, there are very few studies that empirically explore this hypothesis. Therefore, this study seeks to address this gap in the research. Specifically, it investigates the TOCH in Spain, evaluating the ideal share that tourism should have of regional economies and assessing the role of productivity in driving growth. Using static and dynamic panel data techniques for 17 Spanish regions (N=17) (all except the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla) for the period 2009-2021 (T=13), the initial results show that economic development may fall to its lowest level when tourism specialization levels are at 23–25%, with only the Canary and Balearic Islands nearing this range. On the other hand, optimal specialization is found to be at 11–17%, with regions such as Cantabria, Catalonia, Madrid, Valencia, and Asturias aligning at around 11–12%. Notably, the expected mediating role of productivity remains unconfirmed. From a practical viewpoint, the article provides policymakers with a framework to gauge the impact of tourism as a primary growth engine or in combination with other sectors to optimize development outcomes.
This study examines the role of small-scale tourism hubs in boosting entrepreneurship and sustainable innovation in the tourism sector through acceleration programmes and explores the qualities that make these hubs successful. Based on a qualitative case study design, the research draws on data collected through direct observation and indepth interviews with eight key informants (the project coordinator and seven startup founders) at the Costa del Sol Tourism Hub in Spain between February and June 2025. The sample was selected purposively to include core stakeholders of the acceleration programme. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach to identify emerging barriers and success factors. Findings reveal key challenges, including the immaturity of early-stage projects, weak integration with regional innovation networks, and limited post-acceleration funding. Success enablers include institutional legitimacy, sectoral focus, integrated mentoring and matchmaking, and sustainability-oriented selection criteria. In conclusion, the study highlights that small tourism hubs, when strategically embedded within institutional frameworks, can act as catalysts for sustainable tourism innovation and regional transformation.
This study aims to explain the decision-making process of hotel employees when purchasing a hotel vacation, focusing on the effect of occupational identity on tourist behaviour. Hotel employees represent a remarkably underexplored consumer group whose vacation purchasing behaviours warrant attention. Since they have extensive knowledge, experience, and professional networks within the tourism sector, being a hotel employee was anticipated to influence the vacation decision-making processes for the first time in this study. The hermeneutic phenomenological approach was utilised, and qualitative research data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling, and 19 hotel employees with prior experience in hotel vacations were interviewed. Data were analysed through deductive thematic analysis, and findings were evaluated within the five-phase decision-making framework of the Engel-Kollat-Blackwell (EKB) Model. The results revealed that hotel employees' need for vacations largely stems from work-related fatigue. During the information search phase, they rely on professional networks to identify suitable hotels. In evaluating alternatives, they focus on cleanliness and affordability, often seeking recommendations from colleagues to minimise decision-making efforts. They also prefer direct hotel bookings, which build trust and allow personalised offers. The level of satisfaction with the vacation hotel significantly affects their post-purchase behaviour.
This paper introduces humanitarian hospitality as a conceptual framework for understanding relational ethics and care practices in crisis-affected tourism. While volunteer tourism, disaster recovery travel, and solidarity-based travel bring individuals into crisis-affected destinations, the hospitality that unfolds in these non-commercial encounters remains under-theorised. Drawing on philosophical perspectives and exploratory qualitative insights from 145 Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and aid workers, the study examines how emotional labour, ethical care, and informal hosting are enacted in contexts of conflict and displacement. The findings both parallel and complicate conventional host–guest dynamics, highlighting the ethical and emotional complexities of providing care under conditions of scarcity and trauma. The proposed Humanitarian Hospitality Framework (HHF) positions humanitarian encounters as an underexplored domain of tourism and hospitality research. It extends hospitality theory by integrating principles of dignity, neutrality, and relational accountability into crisis-driven encounters. While not claiming empirical validation, the paper conceptually grounds the HHF as a starting point for future tourism scholarship, with implications for post-crisis recovery, volunteer mobilisation, and ethical engagement in vulnerable destinations.
This study explores the mediating role of mental well-being in the relationship between local food experience and destination loyalty. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining a quantitative survey of 420 domestic tourists in Türkiye with in-depth interviews of seven participants. The quantitative findings, analysed through PLS- SEM, indicate that local food experiences significantly influence both mental well-being and destination loyalty, and that mental well-being partially mediates this relationship. Qualitative data, analysed through interpretative phenomenological analysis, reveal six main themes: hedonism, social interaction, personal benefit, escape from routine, authenticity, and social benefit. These findings suggest that beyond sensory pleasure, meaningful social interactions and a sense of belonging contribute to well-being and encourage repeat visits. This research offers theoretical insights by integrating eudaimonic and hedonic perspectives of well-being into tourism behaviour, and practical implications for destination managers aiming to strengthen loyalty through culinary experiences.
This study explores the complex and emotionally layered experiences of diaspora tourism among Bulgarian Turks, a regionally situated diaspora shaped by forced migration and cultural proximity. Using a qualitative methodology based on 34 semi-structured interviews, the study investigates how return visits to Bulgaria influence identity formation, intergenerational memory, and emotional belonging. Findings reveal significant generational differences: while first-generation migrants perceive return visits as emotionally charged acts of reconnection, younger generations view them as symbolic rituals shaped by familial obligation or cultural curiosity. The study highlights the gendered dynamics of diaspora tourism, with women often assuming roles as cultural transmitters and emotional caretakers. Participants also encountered linguistic barriers and cultural unfamiliarity, leading to fragmented belonging and emotional ambivalence. By examining diaspora tourism through the lenses of transnationalism, gender, and post-memory, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of return travel as both an act of remembrance and a negotiation of identity. This study advances existing diaspora tourism frameworks by demonstrating that return travel is not only shaped by transnational mobility or long-distance displacement but also by regional trauma, state-imposed assimilation, and intergenerational silence.
Determining the factors influencing behavioural intentions and visitor behaviour is significant for predicting sustainable tourism practices. The concept of Willingness to Pay (WTP) is studied as one of the dimensions of behavioural intentions, and it is increasingly researched in sustainable tourism literature. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the WTP for tourism sustainability in nature parks and determinants that can affect it differently. This study aims to determine whether visitors' WTP varies among dimensions of tourism sustainability in nature parks regarding their perception of sustainable tourism importance and satisfaction with nature parks' attributes. To ensure the robustness and diversity of the data, the research included 690 visitors in three nature parks in Croatia, dominated by domestic visitors (96.81%). Applying the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test, the study shows that visitors' WTP for certain dimensions of tourism sustainability differs regarding their perception of sustainable tourism importance, whereas no such differences were found with regard to satisfaction with nature parks' attributes. The highest WTP was detected for the dimension of improving the quality of the environment, and the lowest for the quality-of-life improvement of the local community, given visitors' positive perception of sustainable tourism importance. A specific contribution of the study is to deepen understanding of differences in willingness to support tourism sustainability from the perspective of predominantly domestic visitors, who form the foundation of year-round sustainable and resilient tourism.
This study explores the differing experiences of LGBTQ+ Spanish travellers when travelling solo versus in groups. By examining how these contexts affect tourist satisfaction, perceived value for money, and word-of-mouth behaviours, the research aims to provide a nuanced understanding of LGBTQ+ travellers dynamics. Through an online survey of 510 LGBTQ+ Spanish travellers, our research identifies significant differences between solo travellers and group travellers. The results reveal the complexities of LGBTQ+ travel and suggest directions for future research to encompass more diverse and comprehensive perspectives, ultimately fostering a deeper understanding of LGBTQ+ travellers' experiences.
This study applies Prospect Theory to examine how star rating classification affects the relationship between price dispersion, price fairness, and customers' decisions when choosing a hotel and booking channel. Data were collected from 207 hotel customers using Trivago's metasearch engine in a scenario-based experimental design to test the hypotheses. The findings show that star ratings significantly influence hotel booking choices, with customers favouring cheaper options in wide price dispersion scenarios and more expensive options in narrow price dispersion scenarios. This study contributes to the literature by extending Prospect Theory to metasearch platforms and revealing how star ratings moderate the effects of price dispersion and fairness on the booking channel. The results provide valuable insights for hotel managers and online travel agency practitioners in developing effective marketing and pricing strategies.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the changes in the business environment, such as technological developments, have transformed tourism employment. Simultaneously, the complexities of tourism employment and workforce input have been overlooked in tourism research. This study aims to increase overall understanding of how tourism companies and their workforce see the present main discourses of employment together with its challenges and solutions. The context of the study is a niche tourism destination in Northern Europe, Finland where micro-size companies dominate the sector. In this qualitative research, data consisted of ten semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis was performed to capture the attached patterned meanings. The findings confirm that tourism employment has different nuances in different contexts with attracting and retaining a skilled workforce as the major concern. Employing people with specialist skills and upskilling are the key issues strongly interlinked with business growth, competitiveness, and renewal. Business and product development, establishing work ecosystems, innovative means of promoting vacancies in collaboration with authorities, and developing an inclusive organisational culture are suggested as the main solutions to approach employment challenges.
