European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation Feed

Sustainable management of Erfelek Tatlica Waterfalls Nature Park: Visitor experiences and evaluation of tourism potential

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Understanding and improving visitor experience is a priority for destination managers to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of tourism services. This study aims to analyse the experiences of tourists who visited Erfelek Tatlıca Waterfalls Nature Park between 2012 and 2024, based on comments made on www.tripadvisor.com, and to determine the region’s tourism potential and visitors’ perceptions. It aims to contribute to sustainable tourism management by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the nature park through visitor comments. The study population consists of tourists visiting Erfelek Tatlıca Waterfalls Nature Park, while the sample consists of all tourists (425 people) who visited Erfelek Tatlıca Waterfalls Nature Park between January 2012 and December 2024 and wrote comments about their visit on Tripadvisor. MAXQDA software was used to parse and analyse text-based data, and ArcGIS software was used to create maps. Visitor comments were divided into 6 main codes and 22 sub-codes in line with certain themes. As a result, it shows that Erfelek Tatlıca Waterfalls Nature Park is a destination that stands out with its natural beauties, but visitor experiences are not fully satisfactory due to some infrastructure and service deficiencies.

The impact of service quality on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty: An analysis of the KFC fast food chain company in Inner Mongolia in China

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The growth of the bustling fast-food sector of Inner Mongolia, China has underscored the competitive advantage of cultivating satisfied, loyal customers. This research endeavoured to evaluate how service quality and customer satisfaction influence customer loyalty, focusing on KFC establishments within Inner Mongolia. This study also explored the intermediary role of customer satisfaction in the relationship between service quality and loyalty. The study utilized convenience sampling to gather data from 353 customers at KFC outlets in various cities across Inner Mongolia, including Ulanhot, Hohhot, Baotou, Chifeng, and Tongliao. The data were then analyzed using SPSS software. The findings revealed significant correlations among loyalty, satisfaction, and high-quality service. It was confirmed that customer satisfaction acts as a mediator in the relationship between service quality and loyalty, supporting the study’s hypothesis. The insights gained are invaluable for managing quick-service restaurants, offering guidance on improving service standards and crafting strategies to sustain customer satisfaction.

Sustainable rural and language tourism for valorisation of farming communities, traditional vocabulary and culture of Madeira Island

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study aims to show the importance of rurality with its local intangible cultural heritage, including the linguistic heritage of Madeira Island, for sustainability and identity of agricultural places — preserving traditional Madeiran culture and the language that is inseparable from the community’s rural activities. The methodology used in this qualitative study involved collecting lexical data representing sociocultural realities: vocabulary of agricultural food products and traditional culinary practices, present in the written corpus of Silva’s (2021) book. Data processing was done through the traditional words referenced in the texts of local life stories of elders, collected through fieldwork in isolated localities of Campanario in Ribeira Brava municipality, allowing knowledge of Madeiran rural communities’ ancestral and actual vocabulary repertoire. The results show the importance of language for expressing and transmitting the heritage of farming places. The selected culture-loaded words and expressions from the two thematic groups of interrelated subjects were: 52 names of traditional agricultural practices, and 39 of culinary practices. The study highlights the richness of the linguistic and cultural heritage of Madeira’s rural communities and underscores the importance of valuing and safeguarding this Intangible Cultural Heritage to reinforce Madeira’s identity as a sustainable tourism destination, while diversifying the island’s tourism experiences and cultural offerings.

Extending the KAP framework: Food safety knowledge, attitudes, practices, and pathogen awareness among hotel service personnel

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Foodborne illnesses are a serious public health issue affecting millions of people worldwide every year. This problem is largely rooted in a lack of knowledge regarding food safety and errors made in practice. Frequency analyses, Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, regression, and mediation analyses were employed to examine relationships among food safety knowledge, attitudes, practices, training status, and pathogenic microorganism knowledge. Results indicated that food safety training was associated with significant differences across all measured variables. While food safety knowledge significantly predicted both attitudes and practices, attitudes did not significantly predict practices and did not mediate the knowledge–practice relationship. Pathogenic microorganism knowledge was also found to positively and significantly influence food safety practices. These findings highlight the importance of both general food safety knowledge and microbiological awareness in promoting safe food handling behaviours and suggest that comprehensive theoretical and practical training programmes are essential for hotel food and beverage personnel.

Health implications of night and shift work on hotel workers

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Night work has existed since the dawn of humankind and, to keep up with the development of today’s society, it has become increasingly common. Traditionally, the hospitality and tourism sectors are labourintensive workplaces, which means they are particularly exposed to night and shift work. Working when the human being is physiologically designed to rest leads to lower performance and greater difficulty concentrating, making night work a risk factor for workers. Employees of four- and five-star hotel establishments are particularly prone to this type of schedule. The aim of this research is to answer the following questions: Are there health implications for hotel workers who work the night shift?; and ‘Are there safety implications for hotel workers who work the night shift?’ To this end, this study utilized a quantitative methodology. A questionnaire was used as a data collection tool and was completed by a sample of 111 workers from two 4- and 5-star hotels. Night workers feel that night work has an impact on their health, their safety and productivity. The perception of the negative impact that night work has on the health and safety of hotel workers was confirmed, in line with the existing literature.

Food allergies and intolerances: How prepared are restaurants in downtown Lisbon?

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Food allergies (FA) and food intolerances (FI) affect a considerable part of the world population and have a major impact on the daily lives of susceptible individuals. The present study aims to assess the knowledge and preparation of restaurant staff in downtown Lisbon regarding the needs of consumers with food allergies and/or intolerances.This study was an observational analysis that consisted of visits to restaurants and was attended by 34 employees, belonging to 17 restaurants. The employees answered a questionnaire, in digital format, containing questions about allergens, the concepts of FA and FI and cross-contamination.Among the respondents, 91% said they had never had any training about FA/FI. Regarding allergens, more than 90% of the employees considered egg to be an allergen, though 74% did not believe the same about celery. The concepts of FA and FI raised more doubts in the participants, with 24% and 21%, respectively, answering “I don’t know” when asked to evaluate factual statements about both.It can be concluded that, in these restaurants in downtown Lisbon, the staff has little training on FA/FI. Because of these demonstrated gaps in their knowledge, there is a need to invest in training on this topic to prevent the occurrence of adverse reactions in patrons.

Tourism as a local development factor in Fafe

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The aim of this study is to analyse whether tourism can be considered a factor of local development, taking the municipality of Fafe as a case study. Six semi-structured interviews were conducted with local stakeholders from both public and private sectors involved in tourism, culture, and hospitality, which were recorded for subsequent content analysis and thematic categorisation. A detailed SWOT analysis of the existing tourism potential was carried out, considering the periods 2012–2015 and 2018–2024, allowing for the identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats within the local tourism offerings. The findings highlight the distinctive characteristics of Fafe’s attractions, including its cultural, natural, and gastronomic heritage, such as the renowned Vitela Assada à Moda de Fafe, revealing significant comparative advantages and potential strategies for territorial enhancement. The study’s limitations relate to the small number of interviews and the exclusive focus on the tourism supply side, without addressing the demand perspective. It is concluded that the municipality has implemented strategies to promote the destination; however, clear opportunities exist for further improvement, particularly in diversifying tourism offerings, promoting authentic local products, and implementing innovative digital technologies. These findings contribute to the sustainable development of the region, providing a solid foundation for future research aimed at effectively maximising Fafe’s tourism potential.

Global standards and local authenticity: Cross-cultural leadership and employee behavioural adaptation in heritage-based hotels in Baghdad

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The hospitality sector in cities undergoing rapid post-conflict rehabilitation faces an unusual organisational problem: how do local employees perform global service standards without erasing the cultural identity heritage-based hotels were meant to preserve in the first place? This study examines the role of cross-cultural leadership (CCL) in predicting employee behavioural adaptation (EBA) and employees’ perceived integration of global operational standards with local cultural authenticity (employee-perceived global-local integration, GLI) in heritage-based hotels in Baghdad, Iraq. A quantitative, crosssectional design was used. Data were collected from 380 frontline employees and mid-level supervisors across nine heritage-themed hotels in Baghdad using a structured, bilingual questionnaire. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied using Smart-PLS 4, with 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Results show that CCL is positively associated with EBA (β = 0.543, p < 0.001), which in turn is positively associated with GLI (β = 0.470, p < 0.001). The indirect path from CCL to GLI through EBA (β = 0.255, p < 0.001) accounts for 58.2% of the total effect, a pattern consistent with partial mediation. These findings are consistent with an extension of Social Exchange Theory in which culturally intelligent leadership is associated with employees’ capacity to navigate the tension between globalisation and heritage preservation as an organisational resource, although the cross-sectional design does not permit causal claims. Practically, the study offers a culturally grounded framework for human resources (HR) practitioners and tourism policymakers in post-transition Middle Eastern markets.

Pragmatic data-driven AI-based approach for exploring the effects of important constructs on flight cancellations in disruptions and infectious diseases

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study presents a pragmatic real-world approach for exploring flight cancellations in disrupted situations and infectious diseases. The airline industry has been prone to disruptions, and a huge number of flight cancellations have been reported in recent years. In this study, an AI-based, data-driven approach is used to explore flight cancellation patterns in the wake of disruption. The correct flight information is important to save time, money and resources for airline customers. Data pertaining to the event of flight cancellation in disruption has not been properly presented in previous studies. Thus, in this study, the prediction power of artificial intelligence tools has been exploited for flight cancellations. Artificial intelligence tools, namely two-class neural network regression, two-class decision forest, a two-class locally deep support vector machine, and two-class logistic regression, were utilized for prediction. The precision, accuracy and recall performances of all the methods used are 100%. The confusion matrix depicts that all four methods correctly predict the outcome of flight cancellation. For the total of 549169 tested flights, 549168 flights have been correctly predicted. The only false positive instance shows that there is only one case where the flight was not canceled, but the methods incorrectly predicted it as canceled. Thus, for almost all the cases, the predictions are correct. The correlation calculated from the huge data of 2745847 flights reveals that flight cancellations have a frail positive relation with departure and arrival delays. Moreover, there is a fragile negative relationship with airtime, weather delay, carrier delay, security delay, NAS delay, and late aircraft delay. The lessons learned from planning and coping with disruptions can be used as preemptive preparation guidelines for handling emergency situations in the future.

Measuring the attractiveness of hunting tourism destinations with an AHP approach

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Many studies have examined hunting satisfaction and identified factors that influence hunting tourism behaviour. However, the attractiveness of hunting tourism destinations requires further exploration, and its key dimensions need to be defined. This study used the Analytical Hierarchy Process to assess the attractiveness of hunting tourism destinations, aiming to understand the contribution of their key elements and dimensions to overall appeal. The goal was to contribute to the hunting tourism literature through an expert evaluation of what makes a hunting destination attractive. Hunting tourism experts (hunting managers, hunting outfitters, hunting enterprises, and academic scholars) were asked to select between various pairs of items (six factors and 32 attributes). The results show that at the first level of the hierarchy, the most important criterion of attractiveness is hunting tourism infrastructure. The findings indicate that the attractiveness of hunting destinations is influenced by natural resources but also by the functionality of the destination. According to hunting tourism experts, the main factors for an attractive hunting destination are quality of game populations, a well-maintained hunting lodge, and easy access to the site.

Gastronomic mapping in Portugal: Definition, purpose, and essential contents

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Scientific literature demonstrates significant variability in the use of the term “gastronomic charter,” highlighting a considerable knowledge gap regarding its conceptualisation, purpose, and content. This study aims to explore the origins and objectives of gastronomic mapping in Portugal, define the concept of a gastronomic charter, and identify the essential elements such a document must include. Methodologically, a qualitative approach was employed, utilising triangulation through an exploratory literature review combined with a systematic and targeted bibliographic review to organise and analyse scientific literature on this subject. From a documentary sample collected from the SCOPUS database, the study found that: (1) there are few relevant publications on gastronomic charters, although their number is increasing; (2) the main publications originate from Italy, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States; and (3) the social sciences and agricultural and biological sciences are the fields most focused on studying the inventorying and preservation of a region’s gastronomic and food heritage. The integration of bibliographical reviews with thematic content analysis allowed for the establishment of guidelines for defining a gastronomic charter and identifying its fundamental contents. This pioneering study in Portugal provides a solid theoretical foundation and practical support for training professionals in gastronomy and tourism.

Japanese pop culture events in Portugal: Bridging cultures and enhancing regional tourism

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Japanese pop culture events in Portugal have emerged as an important platform for fostering intercultural exchange, enhancing cultural appreciation, and supporting regional tourism. This study investigates their perceived impacts on local tourism dynamics and economic development through the perspectives of organisers, participants, and other stakeholders. Drawing on a qualitative approach, the study is based on 22 in-depth interviews, which reveal that these events are perceived to improve regional attractiveness for tourists, support local economic activity through visitor flows reported by interviewees, and help mitigate tourism seasonality. The findings underscore their perceived effectiveness in promoting cultural authenticity, strengthening community engagement, and attracting younger audiences. They also suggest perceived economic benefits associated with expenditure on local goods and services, thereby potentially supporting local businesses. By focusing on the Portuguese context, which remains relatively underexplored, this study provides new insights into the role of Japanese pop culture events in cultural tourism and community development. The study offers theoretical contributions to cultural event management and practical recommendations for stakeholders seeking to maximise the cultural and economic potential of these events.

Digital Co-Creation and the Transformation of Customer Experience in Moroccan Hospitality

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In Morocco’s rapidly growing hotel sector, digital co-creation is emerging as a key strategy to enhance the customer experience. Grounded in co-creation theory and the literature surrounding digital transformation, this study explores how Moroccan hotels use digital platforms to engage customers and foster service innovation. A qualitative research design, based on 27 semi-structured interviews with hotel clients, was employed. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis with NVivo 14, allowing patterns and key themes to emerge from participants’ narratives.Findings reveal that digital tools improve service personalization, facilitate feedback, and enable collaborative engagement through mobile applications, contributing to higher customer satisfaction and more effective service innovation. Persistent challenges include gaps in digital literacy and concerns regarding data privacy.The study contributes theoretically by providing contextual insights into how digital co-creation fosters personalization, engagement, and service innovation in Moroccan hotels. On a practical level, it offers empirically-grounded recommendations for hotel managers to design user-friendly digital interfaces, ensure data privacy, and support customers in adopting digital tools, thereby enhancing satisfaction and fostering customer loyalty.

The Narrative Surrounding the Metaverse in Tourism: Media Framing of Innovation in European News

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study examines how national news media frame the metaverse and immersive technologies (VR/AR/XR) in tourism across major European markets. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on 126 open-access digital news articles published between 2024 and 2025 in leading national newspapers from Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Portugal. Articles were retrieved using country-language keyword strings combining terms related to immersive technologies (e.g., virtual reality (VR), augmented reality, XR, metaverse, virtual tourism) with tourism-related descriptors. A codebook structured into three analytical dimensions (technology, marketing and tourism) with predefined subcategories was applied to each article. Two researchers independently coded the dataset, with disagreements resolved through consensus and intercoder reliability assessed using Cohen’s κ. The findings reveal a discursive hierarchy in which VR receives the greatest media visibility (n=72), predominantly framed as an operational and experience-enhancing tool within culturally legitimised contexts, particularly heritage and museums. In contrast, the metaverse appears less frequently (n=14) and is positioned in anticipatory and future-oriented terms rather than as a normalised tourism practice. These results highlight how journalistic framing shapes the symbolic positioning and perceived legitimacy of immersive technologies within tourism communication across European media contexts.

Transforming Journeys: Digital Pathways in Marketing, Tourism, and Hospitality

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Exploring Slow Tourism Marketing Strategies Based on Slow Movement Philosophy: Preliminary Insights from Rural Tourism Businesses’ Websites’ Communication

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This paper is based on ongoing research whose main objective is to explore tourism digital marketing strategies grounded in Slow Movement and Slow Tourism principles, focusing on rural accommodations entrepreneurs in Baixo Alentejo (Portugal). With a qualitative methodological approach, empirical research was initially based on a literature review. Also, it involved a systematic observation of accommodation businesses’ websites selected with a convenience sample from the Regional Registry Online Platform. The research involved content analysis considering a review sustained in slow tourism dimensions upon websites’ communication mission and values, presentation opening message, experiences, activities, and product offers. Research also included content analysis based on social media communication strategies (entrepreneurs’ commercial posts on Facebook).Preliminary findings indicate that some rural accommodations have adopted slow tourism activities, providing relaxed and immersive experiences that connect tourists to nature and local culture. In particular, companies share messages that can be theoretically related to slow movement and offer sustainable and local experiences, gastronomy, and tranquillity combined with rural tourism activities (e.g., wine and olive production), allowing tourists to slow down and appreciate the beauty and resources of the region.

The Impact of Digital Marketing Strategies on the Performance of Rural Tourism Unities in Alentejo

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

At a time when electronic word-of-mouth produced at online travel agencies is of enormous importance to customers when choosing accommodation, a question that arises is: What can marketing do to increase the positive electronic word-of-mouth, decrease the negative and, indirectly, improve key performance indicators of tourism accommodation units? Our study examines how two digital marketing strategies — visibility and webcare — influence electronic word-of-mouth. It also explores these strategies’ indirect effects on key performance indicators for rural tourism lodgings in Alentejo. These lodgings represent an under-researched tourism venture that heavily relies on online travel agencies. To achieve our goal, data were collected using two techniques: netnography, using analysis of rural tourism lodging pages on Booking.com; and a questionnaire, administered to the managers of the analysed units. In the context of webcare, it was concluded that when a solution to the customer’s problem was included in the response to a review, there is a positive correlation with financial indicators of the rural tourism units. Regarding visibility, we found that adopting platform tools that increase the commission paid is positively correlated with key financial indicators. Results show that the regular use of digital marketing techniques can enhance electronic word-of-mouth and improve key performance indicators for rural tourism lodgings.

Artificial Intelligence and Tourism: A Bibliometric Visualisation Review (2015-2024)

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In recent years, technological advances have enabled the detection of changes in customer preferences and the review and adaptation of services in response. In this context, a tool that has been widely used in the tourism sector in recent years is Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI can be defined as a new trend that can solve many complex mathematical problems and algorithms, using comprehensive, computer-based systems to do so. In the tourism sector, this new tool has numerous applications: robots, chatbots, check-in/out or demand forecasting, among others. Therefore, this study, which employs bibliometric analysis, explores the relationship between AI and tourism to help policymakers and destination marketing organisations (DMOs) understand the main lines of research and identify the main applications of AI in tourism. Data were collected from 720 documents in the period 2015-2024 from the Web of Science database. VOSviewer software was used to create scientific maps showing the current and future lines of research in this scientific field. The results show evidence of research on ‘machine learning, deep learning and artificial neural networks in tourism’, ‘use of robots and AI in tourism’, ‘sustainability and AI in tourism’ and ‘acceptance of chatbots in tourism’.

Smart Agritourism: The Role of Digital Tools in Enhancing Visitor Experience and Farm Profitability

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In the context of economic and digital transformation, this study examines how digital technologies shape the economic performance of agritourism in Slovakia, with a particular focus on identifying the key drivers of farm-level profitability. The research applies a panel data regression model combining regional statistical indicators, survey-based measures of digital skills, and digital platform metrics for the period 2022–2023. The results provide robust empirical evidence that digital readiness is a stronger determinant of agritourism profitability than tourist volume. Specifically, the intensity of online booking usage and the level of farmers’ digital skills emerge as the most important predictors of income growth. Rural education and regional economic conditions reinforce this effect, whereas tourist flow is not a significant profit driver. These findings highlight that agritourism performance increasingly depends on the ability of farms to adopt and effectively manage digital tools rather than on destination attractiveness alone. The study contributes to the smart agritourism literature by empirically demonstrating the central role of digital capabilities and human capital in enhancing rural economic resilience and competitiveness. The results have important implications for agritourism practitioners, emphasizing the need for targeted support for digital transformation, digital skills development and rural digital infrastructure.

Digital Competencies for Future Tourism and Hospitality Professionals: A Higher Education Perspective

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The digitalisation of the tourism sector includes both traditional tools, such as global distribution systems (GDS) and metasearch engines, and more recent disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Due to the widening gap between the adoption of new technologies by tourism organisations and the digital skills of their workforces, this study aims to evaluate the digital literacy of future tourism and hospitality professionals. The specific objectives are to (1) assess students’ digital skills required for responsible interaction with digital content; and (2) identify any differences in digital competencies based on sociodemographic and fields of education and training. In 2025, a survey was conducted to collect 267 responses from tourism and hospitality undergraduates regarding their perceptions of their own digital skills. Results show that participants feel confident in basic digital tasks (e.g., searching, communicating, storing and assessing information). Over 50% of respondents indicated they had created playlists and videos and posted reviews, while a smaller proportion had designed websites. However, lower proficiency was reported in more advanced tasks (e.g., website design and document anonymisation). These findings highlight the importance of enhancing digital literacy training - particularly in practical, industry-relevant tools - to facilitate greater collaboration between suppliers and customers.