This chapter examines how AI-driven sustainable marketing shapes consumer behaviour toward sustainable tourism, where effectiveness depends less on message frequency and more on perceived authenticity and transparency. AI enables personalised communication, real-time interaction, and data-driven messaging, influencing how consumers interpret and trust sustainability claims. Drawing on consumer behaviour and marketing literature, it explores how AI tools enhance practices such as green advertising, eco-branding, ethical destination branding, and heritage storytelling by improving message relevance, emotional engagement, and clarity, thereby strengthening trust and encouraging positive attitudes and behavioural intentions. It also addresses challenges like consumer scepticism and greenwashing, highlighting the importance of transparency, ethical AI use, data privacy, and reducing algorithmic bias. The present chapter adds to theory by proposing an integrative conceptual framework of AI-driven sustainable marketing in the sustainable tourism context.

The possession of digital marketing capabilities serves as a crucial factor in establishing a competitive advantage among hotels. Despite receiving increasing attention from both practitioners and scholars, there has been a lack of comprehensive scholarly investigation of the direct and indirect impact of digital marketing capabilities on service innovation in the hospitality industry. This paper aims to address this research gap by exploring the mediating role of marketing agility in the link between digital marketing capabilities and service innovation in the context of hospitality. It also explores the mechanism by which digital marketing capabilities may be connected to service innovation. Data were collected from managers using a unique multisource dataset gathered at two points in time. Findings revealed that digital marketing capabilities has a significant direct and indirect impact on service innovation. Marketing agility mediates the link between digital marketing capabilities and service innovation. Furthermore, results of conditional effects revealed that the impact of DMCs on service innovation is more pronounced when the values of technological dynamism and structural flux are higher. Moreover, the post hoc analysis revealed that the relationship between digital marketing capabilities and service innovation doesn’t vary between countries. Our study offers meaningful implications for theory and practice.

Given the rapid diffusion and adoption of AI-driven tools across numerous contexts, including tourism marketing, AI-based storytelling has quickly spread in tourism-related practices and communications. However, the theoretical understanding of its strategic communication and meaning construction remains underdeveloped. The current literature has been highly instrumental, prioritising viewpoints based on efficiency, scalability and personalisation, while leaving a critical theoretical challenge and gap regarding the roles of authenticity, narrative agency, engagement and advocacy behind. Consequently, this conceptual article fills this gap by theorising that AI-mediated storytelling is actively involved in the co-construction of destination engagement and evangelism. Different theoretical backgrounds and streams, including narrative theory, engagement theory and critical tourism marketing and communication research, form the foundation of this work. It outlines how narrative transportation moderates the relationship between AI-based storytelling and authenticity. It also points out the risks concerning narrative homogenisation and epistemic obscurity. Opening lines for future research, this article develops a conceptual framework in the context of narrative coherence and destination evangelism, contributing theoretically to the tourism and marketing literature as well as providing a systematic foundation for the analysis of AI storytelling as a strategy and ethically underlying communicative actions.

PurposeThis study aims to examine the use of augmented reality (AR) and its consequences in the water cultural heritage (WCH) destination. It introduces an integrative model to assess attitudes toward AR, intentions to use (IU) and its sequential impacts on destination visit intentions (DVIs) as determined by perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU). This study also tests the relationship between DVI and destination evangelism (DEV), with particular focus on the mediating variables of destination engagement and self-congruity (SC).Design/methodology/approachPartial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data collected from visitors to Egyptian WCH sites.FindingsFindings revealed that PU and PEU had a considerable effect on AR attitudes and intention to use AR. In addition, DVI was substantially related to DEV, where destination engagement and SC had a significant mediating relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThis work extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) to the AR-enabled WCH context by linking the TAM core variables to DVI and DEV and by incorporating destination engagement and SC as mediators. However, findings may be limited by sample scope and contextual specificity.Practical implicationsThis empirical research offers concise guidance for heritage destination managers and marketers on the use of AR to enhance visitor experiences and stimulate advocacy. It highlights the importance of designing AR applications aligned with visitors' self-concepts to strengthen engagement, increase visit intentions, and foster DEV in WCH sites.Originality/valueThe study expands the knowledge about the use of AR in heritage tourism and strategies that can be employed to increase engagement and advocacy behaviours.

PurposeThis study aims to explore how spiritual intelligence (SQ) shapes consumer perceptions, experiences and behaviours toward traditional food in Oman.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative approach, data were gathered, employing semi-structured interviews, and analysed through thematic analysis to uncover recurring patterns and themes.FindingsThe findings depicted different themes illuminating the profound role SQ plays in influencing consumer perceptions and experiences with traditional food, offering fresh perspectives on its impact on consumer behaviour.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper lies in two key aspects: the connection between SQ and consumer behaviour toward traditional food and the study's geographic focus. It contributes to the broader understanding of consumer behaviour within culturally rich contexts and underscores the potential of incorporating SQ into marketing strategies to deepen consumer engagement with traditional food experiences.

Purpose This study aims to propose and test a research framework that explores the impact of tourists’ perceived joyful experience (PJE) on destination attachment, which in turn affects their engagement, satisfaction and word-of-mouth (WOM) with religious tourism/travel destinations. The study also tested the moderating role of visiting duration on the association between destination attachment and tourist engagement. Design/methodology/approach Using a structured survey, data were collected from 255 tourists visiting the religious cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. The model was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings First, the results render the positive effect of tourists’ PJE on destination-attachment and engagement. Second, results uncovered that tourist engagement has a significant-positive impact on WOM and satisfaction. Third, the study identifies an indirect effect of PJE on WOM and satisfaction sequentially mediated through attachment and engagement. Finally, tourists’ visiting duration positively moderates the link between attachment and engagement. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on PJE, engagement, WOM and satisfaction. This study contributes to extant tourism marketing research and generates valuable opportunities for further research. Practical implications The findings offer actionable strategies for tourism managers and marketers in religious destinations to enhance tourists’ emotional connection and behavioral engagement by designing experiences that foster joy, attachment and extended visits. Originality/value This study provides new insights into the emotional and behavioral mechanisms driving religious tourism by emphasizing the role of joyful experience. It contributes to the literature by offering a nuanced understanding of how affective experiences in sacred destinations can foster visitor loyalty and advocacy.

PurposeGrounded in the job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, this study seeks to uncover the factors influencing workplace presenteeism and explore its impact on psychological withdrawal, focusing on the moderating role of job tension in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research design was adopted, utilising a survey to collect data from 256 employees across various service sectors in Oman, employing partial least squares structural equation modelling.FindingsThe analysis revealed that presenteeism is significantly influenced by time pressure and abusive supervision, whereas job insecurity did not show such an effect. Furthermore, a strong relationship was identified between presenteeism and psychological withdrawal, with job tension significantly moderating this connection. Notably, presenteeism was found to mediate the relationship between its predictors, excluding job insecurity and psychological withdrawal.Originality/valueGiven the importance of human capital, engagement and presenteeism at work, findings offer valuable insights for both academia and service industry managers to guide their management decisions and strategies.

Although brand evangelism has recently garnered increasing attention across various settings, its antecedents remain underexplored, particularly within the hotel industry in developing countries. Additionally, few studies examined how emotional brand bonding (e.g., delight, love, and attachment) influences brand evangelism in the hospitality sector. Consequently, this study integrates the stimulus-organism-response framework with attachment theory to explore the nexus between service quality, emotional brand-related factors, and brand evangelism, while considering the moderating role of surprise. Furthermore, it examines the mediating effects of customer delight, brand love, and attachment. Using PLS-SEM, 367 responses from hotel guests on Djerba Island (Tunisia) were analysed. The findings reveal that service quality positively influences customer delight, which drives brand love and attachment; however, it does not affect brand evangelism. The mediating roles of customer delight, brand love, and brand attachment in transforming service quality into evangelism behaviours demonstrate the emotional pathways that underlie these relationships. The moderating role of surprise is emphasised, showcasing its ability to amplify the effect of service quality on customer delight. This research provides novel insights for hospitality scholars and practitioners aiming to create exceptional customer experiences, providing practical strategies to boost customer evangelism in highly competitive hospitality markets.

PurposeThis study draws on the self-determination theory (SDT) and theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to underscore the fundamental factors driving females' attitudes and intentions towards solo travel. Additionally, it investigates the mediating influence of attitude towards solo travel and the moderating impact of online psychological-social support.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative method was utilised, employing an online survey to collect data from 445 Egyptian females.FindingsUsing PLS-SEM, the results revealed that female attitude towards solo travel is influenced by novelty and relaxation, while self-actualisation and self-esteem showed no significant impact. Females' attitude acts as a mediator between novelty, relaxation and their travel intention, but not between self-actualisation, self-esteem and intention. Additionally, the moderating role of online psychological-social support was not upheld.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper offers numerous theoretical implications. By integrating SDT and TPB, it outlines the factors shaping Egyptian females' attitudes and intentions towards solo travel, highlighting the role of culturally specific motivators.Practical implicationsPractically, the results highlight the need for tourism marketers and destination managers to design and promote experiences that emphasise novelty and opportunities for relaxation, as these are key drivers of positive attitudes and intentions towards solo female travel. In addition, the findings suggest that digital communities currently play a limited role in fostering travel intentions, presenting opportunities to develop stronger online platforms that better support solo female travel.Originality/valueThe present paper is novel in its examination of solo female travel motivations and behavioural intention within a non-western context, an area underexplored in tourism literature, especially in the Middle East region. It introduces an empirically grounded behavioural model using data from Egypt, capturing culturally specific motivators, thereby enriching global tourism scholarship.

Purpose-Drawing on the social cognitive theory and place attachment theory, this research aims to investigate how environmental sustainability awareness influences environmental attitude and destination satisfaction, and how these factors impact destination evangelism. It also examines the moderating role of sustainable intelligence between destination satisfaction and evangelism. Design/methodology/approach-A quantitative approach was applied using PLS-SEM to analyse data gathered, through a self-administered survey, from tourists visiting tourist destinations in Oman. Findings-The findings indicated that environmental sustainability awareness significantly impacted environmental attitude and destination satisfaction; however, it did not affect evangelism. Apart from the reality of limits to growth, the remaining dimensions of attitude have no impact on destination evangelism. Additionally, the link between destination satisfaction and destination evangelism is significant; however, sustainable intelligence has no interaction impact on this link. Practical implications-From a practical perspective, this study offers guidance for relevant stakeholders, suggesting that improvements to environmental awareness, quality and increased sustainability could increase destination satisfaction and visitor evangelism. In addition, the research outcomes help shape decision-makers' practices to sustain the positive progress of the tourism industry, with specific reference to Oman. Originality/value-This work offers a novel contribution to tourism and destination marketing literature by uniquely examining how environmental triggers influence destination evangelism in Oman, with a focus on sustainable intelligence, offering valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for marketers and policymakers aiming to leverage sustainability in tourism destinations.

Airports face the pressing challenge of reconciling rapid growth in air travel with increasing demands for environmental sustainability. Balancing passenger expectations for safe, efficient, and affordable services while minimising environmental impact has become a universal concern. Thus, this study explores the influence of airports' green design and green practices on their green image and reputation, identifying the mechanisms through which sustainability initiatives contribute to enhancing passenger trust and fostering loyalty. Additionally, it examines how green image and reputation shape passengers' trust and, in turn, their loyalty. The research also evaluates the mediating effects among these variables and assesses the moderating role of airport safety perceptions. Adopting a quantitative approach, data were collected from airport passengers in Egypt and then analysed utilising PLS-SEM. The findings revealed that green design and practices affect green image and reputation, which in turn, boosting green trust and ultimately lead to airport loyalty. Green image, reputation, and trust act as mediators, linking sustainable initiatives to passenger loyalty in the airport context. Theoretically, this empirical work tests a structural model expanding the existing literature on airports by highlighting the pathways through which green practices and initiatives shape passenger behaviour. Practically, the findings guide airport managers in prioritising green initiatives, reinforcing passenger trust and loyalty.

In recent decades, environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB) has attracted significant attention across different disciplines. However, empirical studies investigating the key drivers of ERB within tourism destinations remain scarce in emerging countries settings. This gap is especially clear in under-researched regions such as Oman, where understanding the factors influencing ERB is crucial for promoting sustainable tourism development. As a result, this empirical work seeks to uncover the determinants of ERB in tourism destinations in Oman, concentrating on the role of sustainable intelligence (SI) in shaping destination social responsibility (DSR) and its subsequent impact on emotional solidarity and ERB. Using a quantitative approach and employing multiple non-probability sampling methods, data were gathered from 408 visitors across various Omani destinations and analysed through PLS-SEM. The empirical results revealed that SI positively influences DSR, which in turn enhances emotional solidarity and ERB. While emotional solidarity significantly drives ERB, its emotional closeness dimension does not. Additionally, DSR serves as a crucial mediator between SI and ERB. The R2 findings explain 56.2 % of the variance in ERB, proving a robust research model predictive capability. The research findings contribute to the academic and practical discussions related to ERB, destination management, and marketing strategies for fostering sustainable practices in tourism destinations. Some limitations concerning the study's context, variable scope, and its cross-sectional design are acknowledged, highlighting the need for further research employing longitudinal and multi-method approaches.

This study investigates the influence of work alienation and silence behavior on workplace frustration, considering the mediating role of organizational cynicism in the hospitality industry. PLS-SEM was used to analyze 520 survey responses from hotel service providers in Oman. The findings showed that work alienation and silence behavior did not significantly influence workplace frustration. Organizational cynicism significantly impacts workplace frustration and is influenced by work alienation and silence. The findings confirmed that organizational cynicism mediates the relationship between work alienation, silence behavior, and workplace frustration. This study provides insightful academic contributions and practical suggestions for concerned policymakers and hotel managers.

PurposeThis study builds on the value-attitude-behaviour theory to explore the relationships between customer value, social marketing (SM), attitude, word-of-mouth (WoM) and behaviour toward traditional food consumption in Oman.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative methodology was employed. Data were gathered through a survey of 493 people who had sampled Omani traditional cuisine. The data were evaluated via partial least squares structural equation modelling.FindingsThe results indicated that emotional value significantly influences customer attitude, while functional and social value do not. Attitude positively impacts WoM but has no significant effect on repurchase intention (RI). SM positively influences both attitude and RI. Additionally, WoM has a strong effect on RI.Originality/valueThis research extends the value-attitude-behaviour framework in the context of traditional food and highlights the unique roles of different customer values and SM. It offers new theoretical contributions by distinguishing the varied effects of emotional, functional, and social values on consumer attitude and behaviour.

Guided by the self-regulation theory and the technology acceptance model, this study tests the major drivers of AI facilitators’ usage in higher education (HE) by incorporating self-regulation, academic buoyancy, trust, and agentic engagement to predict the continuance usage intention of AI facilitators. Primary data were gathered from HE students in Oman. Employing PLS-SEM, the results revealed that self-regulation and academic buoyancy positively impact usefulness and ease of use, which positively affects their trust and agentic engagement, leading to the continuance usage intention of AI facilitators. Additionally, academic buoyancy significantly mediates the connection between self-regulation and continuance usage. Theoretical and managerial contributions are outlined.

PurposeThe primary objective of this investigation is to explore the factors that lead to entrepreneurial re-entry. The study examines the influence of social support and resilience on re-entry intention through the lens of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB).Design/methodology/approachTo test the study model, data were collected from 255 failed Omani entrepreneurs accessed during a rehabilitation and incubation programme.FindingsKey findings indicate that social support boosts the confidence of failed entrepreneurs to start anew and enhances their resilience, ultimately leading to the development of re-entry intentions.Originality/valueThe field of entrepreneurship research has expanded significantly in recent years. Nevertheless, there remains a dearth of studies focusing on entrepreneurial re-entry. This research provides a unique perspective on the cognitive processes that influence re-entry entrepreneurial behaviour, highlighting the roles of social support and resilience among entrepreneurs in this process.

Tourism and hospitality producer-consumer dynamics require social technology. Online reviews significantly influence restaurant service and encourage repeat visits and referrals. In response to online reviews, this qualitative research examines tourists' perceptions of a Green Customer-Love Service system in restaurants, based on artificial intelligence (AI) and human co-creation. The originality of this research lies in the proposed framework, which suggests responding to both positive and negative reviews to build customer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty. Findings indicate that 'green customer-love service' requires strategic communication, operational efficiency, and personalization. Sustainable practices in food tourism emphasize authenticity and transparency. Human-machine collaboration, particularly in AI-driven feedback management, could strengthen the connection between technology and sustainability.

There is a paucity of empirical research exploring the antecedents and underlying dynamics that contribute to enhancing supply chain resilience among digital service Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and (MSMEs). The current study has threefold objectives: (a) explore the effect of employee resilience on innovation orientation and techno-insecurity, (b) examine how techno-insecurity influences innovation orientation and SCR, and (c) assess the impact of innovation orientation on SCR. We used supply chain resilience theory to empirically investigate these objectives in the context of digital services SMEs and MSMEs in Brazil. Data was collected from 442 senior managers working in the Brazilian digital services firms in the field of technology-based innovation and analyzed in two phases. In phase 1, PLS-SEM was done using SmartPLS 3 software followed by an artificial neural network (ANN) analysis using IBM SPSS 29 in stage 2. Results suggest techno-insecurity and innovation orientation as significant predictors of supply chain resilience in digital service firms. Also, findings provide empirical evidence suggesting that resilient employees are better equipped to mitigate the negative impacts of techno-insecurity, as opposed to previous findings, and contribute to a resilient supply chain. The findings provide valuable insights for supply chain practitioners and contribute to the broader understanding of resilience within the digital service firms in modern supply chain management.

PurposeGrounded in social exchange theory, this paper aims to unveil how supervisor incivility and job insecurity influence academics' engagement in knowledge sabotage, while also examining the moderating effect of workplace envy on these relationships. Besides, it uncovers how the two facets of knowledge sabotage and job insecurity contribute to academics' intentions to leave their roles within the higher education setting.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research design was used to gather data through an online survey distributed to academic personnel working in higher education institutions across various countries. To analyse the collected data and evaluate the proposed hypotheses, PLS-SEM was used.FindingsThe empirical results reveal that supervisor incivility and job insecurity both exert a strong and significant positive influence on the two identified forms of knowledge sabotage. Moreover, these sabotage behaviours, along with job insecurity, play a crucial role in driving academics' intentions to leave their positions. While workplace envy was generally not found to have a moderating effect, interestingly, the tendency to envy others was significantly associated with a stronger relationship between supervisor incivility and knowledge sabotage directed at co-workers.Originality/valueThis empirical work distinguishes itself through its novel examination of the primary antecedents and consequences of knowledge sabotage in higher education, incorporating a wide range of perspectives from faculty members across multiple nations. Furthermore, as far as the authors are aware, it is the first research to unveil how psychological factors (e.g. workplace envy) may act as moderators, potentially triggering acts of knowledge sabotage within academic institutions worldwide.