{"title":"Sustainable Development of Medical Tourism: The Case of Macao","authors":"Yan Feng, Ning Kang, Meiqi Zhang","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70078","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The medical tourism industry in Macao has witnessed significant growth in recent years. This study investigates the influence of pre-electronic word-of-mouth (pre-eWOM) and the medical tourism index (MTI) on the travel experience, medical service quality, perceived value, and post-electronic word-of-mouth (post-eWOM) intentions among 600 female medical tourists visiting Macao for HPV vaccine tourism. The results reveal that pre-eWOM and MTI interventions significantly improve the travel experience and medical service quality for medical tourists, and this subsequently positively affects perceived value and post-eWOM intentions. Macao's MTI score of 79.75, exceeding the average of benchmarked countries, demonstrates its attractiveness as a medical tourism destination. Our findings emphasize the significance of leveraging eWOM and enhancements in service quality to promote Macao's medical tourism industry. Insights from this study can assist policymakers and marketers in strengthening Macao's position in the global medical tourism market.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Funny Side of Tourism: Exploring Children's Engagement With Humour-Driven Interpretation","authors":"Farima Fehrest, Jenny Panchal, Anja Pabel, Laurie Murphy","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70072","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Engaging young visitors is crucial for a meaningful tourism experience. This study focuses on humour as a positive psychology practice, to explore how it enhances children's engagement with tourism interpretation. Using constructivist grounded theory, the research employed participant observation of tours operated for children in Iran. Children aged 9–12 years were specifically targeted. Results revealed that children responded most positively to silly, witty and clever humour, with smiling and laughter being the predominant reactions. Nature-themed humour proved most effective in fostering social, emotional and cognitive engagement. The study also identified five ways that humour influences children's engagement: promoting social interaction, enhancing enjoyment, sparking curiosity, alleviating fatigue and encouraging active participation. These findings extend existing frameworks on humour in tourism to include child-specific reactions and preferences, contributing to both theoretical and practical applications. The research provides valuable insights into effectively incorporating humour into interpretive programmes designed for child-focused tourism experiences.</p>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jtr.70072","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144514741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiubai Li, Jan N. B. Wong, Dongsan Kim, Jianen Qin, Yuan Yuan
{"title":"Sustainable Planning and Development of the MICE Industry With Tourism Evaluation Index: The Case of Indonesia","authors":"Xiubai Li, Jan N. B. Wong, Dongsan Kim, Jianen Qin, Yuan Yuan","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70075","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A growing number of global MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) events are adopting green practices. This study examines the development of a tourism evaluation index for Green MICE in Indonesia to guide sustainable industry growth. Five key indicators were analyzed through expert consultation using the Delphi method, SPSS, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The expert panel, comprising 10 professionals with extensive experience in Indonesia's MICE industry, participated in three rounds of surveys. The study focused on four major Indonesian cities: Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta, and Bandung. Results show that “event materials” ranked as the most significant factor, followed by “transportation” and “event venue”. Bali was identified as the most suitable location for Green MICE development due to its environmental awareness and relatively low carbon emissions, while Jakarta led in infrastructure and transportation. This study offers recommendations for policymakers and event organizers seeking to implement sustainable practices in the MICE sector.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144473243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correction to “Leave or Stay? Community Environment Change and Resident Mobility in Tourism Gentrification”","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70071","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Feng, Z., X. Li, L. Zhang, and L. Cheng. 2025. “Leave or Stay? Community Environment Change and Resident Mobility in Tourism Gentrification.” <i>International Journal of Tourism Research</i> 27, no. 3: e70035.</p><p>In “Funding” section, the text “Macau Faundation” was incorrect. This should have read: “Macao Foundation”. This correction is necessary to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented in our article. This error has caused confusion for readers and misrepresent the supporting institution. We deeply regret this error and any confusion it may have caused to the readers.</p><p>We apologize for this error.</p>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jtr.70071","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144473013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anirban Das, Diptiman Banerji, Sujoy Sen, Rama Koteswara Rao Kondasani
{"title":"What Drives Active Loyalty in Tourists? Exploring the Interplay of Tourist Interactions and Experiences, Place Identity, and Customer Perceived Value","authors":"Anirban Das, Diptiman Banerji, Sujoy Sen, Rama Koteswara Rao Kondasani","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70069","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Memorable Tourism Experiences (MTEs) and tourist interactions with (A) residents and (B) employees at destinations play a critical role in shaping place identity, customer perceived value (CPV), emotional experience, and active loyalty. This study, based on 295 responses analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), investigates the relationships between these constructs. The findings reveal that both MTEs and interactions significantly impact CPV, place identity, and emotional experiences, which in turn influence tourists' active loyalty. Drawing on Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory, the research highlights how external stimuli like MTEs and social interactions trigger cognitive and emotional responses, leading to loyalty. The study is one of the first to differentiate the effects of interactions with residents versus employees on place identity and emotional experiences. These insights provide valuable guidance for stakeholders seeking to enhance tourist loyalty by cultivating meaningful experiences and informed management strategies aimed at improving customer retention.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144367395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of National Ecotourism Coordination Zone on Regional Economic Synergy","authors":"Xiaohan Wang, Liyuan Liu, Zehua Li","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70070","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Taking China's Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi National Ecotourism Cooperative Zone as an example, this study explores the role played by the integration of ecotourism into regional coordinated development policy and practice. By considering the establishment of the collaborative area as a quasi-natural experiment, the double-difference method is empirically applied to verify the impact of ecotourism integration policies on inter-regional economic development, with special focus on the promotion of regional economic synergy. The results show that regional ecotourism integration can significantly promote the synergistic development of intercity economies. The heterogeneity test shows that during the construction of ecotourism collaborative areas, the central city can improve the synergy between a primate city and ordinary cities in terms of economic development. This paper illustrates the important role of ecotourism integration policy in the context of China's coordinated regional development and puts forward policy recommendations for the construction of cross-regional tourism integration.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144339548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Sentient Shift—A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda on Anthropomorphized Service Agents in Tourism and Hospitality Industry","authors":"Rehan Husain","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70063","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Fueled by advancements in generative and conversational artificial intelligence, automation, and evolving customer expectations, the rising integration of anthropomorphized service agents in the hospitality and tourism sector is redefining service experiences. Despite the growing prominence of anthropomorphized service agents (ASA), our understanding of these companions is still in its infancy, suggesting that we have only scratched the surface of meaningfully engaging with them. Prior studies were predominantly quantitative and geographically constrained, lacking cross-cultural and diverse explorations. Accordingly, the current study reviews 128 peer-reviewed articles using systematic quantitative and thematic qualitative analysis to examine the role of ASA (including anthropomorphized -robots, -service robots, -chatbots, bits, and humanoids) in the hospitality and tourism sector. Furthermore, the current review focuses on ASA's state of the art. It proposes future research directions followed by a conceptual framework for tourism and hospitality academicians, practitioners, brand managers, and marketers.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144339528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luís Filipe Silva, Francisco Carballo-Cruz, José Cadima Ribeiro
{"title":"Moral Norms in Action: Understanding the Interplay of Visitors' Motivations, Pro-Environmental Personal Norms, and Satisfaction in a Protected Area Context","authors":"Luís Filipe Silva, Francisco Carballo-Cruz, José Cadima Ribeiro","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70066","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Moral norms are vital for comprehending responsible environmental behaviour. When individuals perceive that their actions are aligned with these norms, they often experience feelings of pride, fulfillment, and satisfaction. However, the literature has not yet explored the potential role of pro-environmental personal norms (PEPN) in visitor satisfaction or whether visitor motivations can influence or activate them. This study investigates the link between visitors' motivations, PEPN, and satisfaction in a protected area (PA) context. Using PLS-SEM, our findings suggest that nature-related motivations significantly influence PEPN, which in turn influences satisfaction towards the PA. PEPN was found to be a complementary mediator in the motivation-satisfaction relationship, with education emerging as the only sociodemographic factor influencing PEPN. This study offers an important theoretical contribution to better understand visitor dynamics within PAs and contributes to the development of strategies that seek to balance environmental conservation with the improvement of visitor experiences.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144315257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Diana Filipa S. Ferreira, Rui Augusto da Costa, Adriana Fumi Chim-Miki, Metin Kozak
{"title":"What Emotions Trigger the Perceived Destination Image and Word-of-Mouth Recommendation in World Heritage Sites?","authors":"Diana Filipa S. Ferreira, Rui Augusto da Costa, Adriana Fumi Chim-Miki, Metin Kozak","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70065","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study identifies what emotions trigger the tourism destination's perceived image and affect the word-of-mouth recommendation of World Heritage Sites. We used PLS-SEM and Multigroup Analysis. Data were collected from 271 tourists visiting Porto City, Portugal. Results show that not all emotions affect the destination's image. Deeper feelings require more time at the destination. Multigroup analysis indicated that the length of stay enhances the impact of emotional response on the perceived image of both positive and negative emotions. However, the number of repeat visits did not change the emotional response. Our results challenge the conventional wisdom in the field but underscore the dynamic nature of visitor-destination relationships. The findings reinforce the potential of emotional attachment to generate an emotional response that can influence visitor engagement. Destination managers can use these findings to optimize market positioning, improving both the destination image and enhancing positive word-of-mouth.</p>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jtr.70065","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144315256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yufeng Dong, Xianyun Tian, Ziyang Zhu, Xuening Wang
{"title":"Exploring Features, Customer Emotions, and Evaluations of Airbnb Online Experiences: A Framework for Virtual Tourism Experiences","authors":"Yufeng Dong, Xianyun Tian, Ziyang Zhu, Xuening Wang","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70068","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study proposes a conceptual framework grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response theory (S-O-R) to investigate the relationship between virtual tourism experience features, customer emotions, and their evaluations. Through a hybrid approach combining automated aspect extraction and manual annotation, five key features of online experiences (OEs) are identified: host attributes, activity design and experiential value, technology and technical tools, value for money, and personalization. Leveraging deep learning-based emotion analysis, the research maps customer emotional states along a spectrum from positive (e.g., admiration, gratitude, approval, optimism) to neutral or negative (e.g., disappointment, disapproval). Empirical findings reveal that OE features systematically trigger emotional responses, as validated through sentiment classification techniques. Moreover, ridge regression analysis confirms that these emotional states are strong predictors of OE ratings, explaining a significant proportion of variance in customer evaluations. This work advances the theoretical understanding of virtual tourism experience design and offers actionable strategies for platform optimization.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144292749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}