International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Research

15 pages, 739 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Tourism as a Source of Healthy Tourism

by Luna Santos-Roldán, Ana Mª Castillo Canalejo, Juan Manuel Berbel-Pineda and Beatriz Palacios-Florencio

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(15), 5353; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155353 - 24 Jul 2020

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 6343

Abstract

Even though the World Tourism Organization described Sustainable Tourism as a tourism form that could contribute to the future survival of the industry, the current reality is quite different, since it has not been firmly established in society at expected levels. The present [...] Read more.

Even though the World Tourism Organization described Sustainable Tourism as a tourism form that could contribute to the future survival of the industry, the current reality is quite different, since it has not been firmly established in society at expected levels. The present study analyzes which variables drive the consumption of this tourism type, taking tourist awareness as the key element. To this awareness, we must add the current crisis experienced by the tourism industry caused by COVID-19, since it can benefit Sustainable Tourism development, promoting less crowded destinations that favor social distancing. For this, the existing literature on Sustainable Tourism has been examined in order to create a model that highlights the relations among these variables. To determine the meaning of these relations, a sample of 308 tourists was analyzed through structural equation models using Partial Least Squares. The results show that there is a clear attitude on the part of the tourist to develop Sustainable Tourism, driven by the positive effects and motivation it entails, as well as the satisfaction the tourist perceives when consuming a responsible tourism type. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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16 pages, 10632 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Impact of Historic District Built Environment and Its Influence on Residents’ Walking Trips: A Case Study of Zhangzhou Ancient City’s Historic District

by Fen Zeng and Zhenjiang Shen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(12), 4367; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124367 - 18 Jun 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3132

Abstract

Walking maintains an indisputable advantage as a simple transport mode over short distances. Various situations have shown that when staying in a walk-friendly built environment, people are more likely to walk and interact with their surroundings. Scholars have reported some evidence of the [...] Read more.

Walking maintains an indisputable advantage as a simple transport mode over short distances. Various situations have shown that when staying in a walk-friendly built environment, people are more likely to walk and interact with their surroundings. Scholars have reported some evidence of the influence of neighbourhood environments on personal walking trips. Most existing studies of the correlation between the built environment and walking, however, have been conducted in the West and are cross-sectional, which leaves a gap in addressing the causality between built environments and walking under the intervention of regeneration measures. This study takes a historic district of a mid-sized city in China as the research area and reports the changes in the traditional residential district’s built environment caused by the implementation of urban regeneration. In this paper, we use physical and perceptual indicators to measure the walkability of the built environment. We identify the changed content of the built environment’s walkability and the change of residents’ walking behaviour through longitudinal and quasi-longitudinal methods. The conclusion shows that the implementation of a regeneration project of the historic district has greatly changed perceived walkability, which has significantly promoted residents’ recreational walking trips, especially among the population of middle-aged and elderly people in the district. The conclusion that the built environment’s change promotes recreational walking is contrary to the research performed in sprawling Western contexts such as in the US, and it provides a meaningful supplement for research on the topic in an Asian context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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12 pages, 600 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Eco-Friendly Edible Insect Restaurants in the Field of Sustainable Tourism

by Jinsoo Hwang, Hyunjoon Kim and Ja Young Choe

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(11), 4064; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17114064 - 07 Jun 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3157

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to apply the concept of a green image in order to explore how to form behavioral intentions in the context of eco-friendly edible insect restaurants. This study analyzed 444 samples collected in South Korea in order to [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study is to apply the concept of a green image in order to explore how to form behavioral intentions in the context of eco-friendly edible insect restaurants. This study analyzed 444 samples collected in South Korea in order to evaluate the theoretical model including 12 hypotheses. The data analysis results showed that a green image has a positive influence on attitude. In addition, attitude helps to increase desire, which in turn positively affects two sub-dimensions of behavioral intentions, such as intentions to use and word-of-mouth intentions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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20 pages, 1810 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Hierarchical Variance Analysis: A Quantitative Approach for Relevant Factor Exploration and Confirmation of Perceived Tourism Impacts

by Quang Hai Truong, An Thinh Nguyen, Quoc Anh Trinh, Thi Ngoc Lan Trinh and Luc Hens

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(8), 2786; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082786 - 17 Apr 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3588

Abstract

The issue of tourism impacts is one that has plagued the tourism industry. This study develops a quantitative approach using hierarchical variance analysis, which deals with the exploration of the relevant factors and the confirmation of their significant contribution to analyze the residents’ [...] Read more.

The issue of tourism impacts is one that has plagued the tourism industry. This study develops a quantitative approach using hierarchical variance analysis, which deals with the exploration of the relevant factors and the confirmation of their significant contribution to analyze the residents’ perception of tourism impacts. Hierarchical variance analysis includes three mathematical procedures: Cronbach’s alpha tests, the exploration of relevant factors, and a hierarchical factor confirmation. Data are collected using a structured questionnaire completed by 452 surveyed residents living in Ly Son Island, Vietnam. The significant effects of socio-demographic variables on the overall impact assessment are observed. The bilateral and simultaneous relationships are analyzed using a one-factor ANOVA. A two-factor ANOVA shows the significant contribution of each socio-demographic variable on the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts. Interaction between factors such as “Education level”, “Type of work”, etc. are hierarchically confirmed. The findings allow a better understanding of the residents’ perception of the effects of tourism on society, the economy, and the environment. This provides a scientific basis to help define problems and promote legal regulations for community participation in tourism planning in a small island destination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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15 pages, 1014 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Effects of Information System Quality and Relationship Quality on Continuance Intention in E-Tourism

by Ni Wayan Masri, Jun-Jer You, Athapol Ruangkanjanases, Shih-Chih Chen and Chia-I Pan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(1), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010174 - 25 Dec 2019

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 5746

Abstract

The advance of electronic commerce has resulted in successful e-travel services. Through the development of e-travel information, consumers can plan their trip without time and space limitations. This study proposes a model regarding the formation of the relationship quality (customer satisfaction and trust), [...] Read more.

The advance of electronic commerce has resulted in successful e-travel services. Through the development of e-travel information, consumers can plan their trip without time and space limitations. This study proposes a model regarding the formation of the relationship quality (customer satisfaction and trust), information system quality, perceived value, and customers’ intention to continue in the e-tourism environment. The study is based on 351 e-travel users in Taiwan. The result shows that customer satisfaction has a positive effect on continuance intention. Information system quality has a positive relationship with customer satisfaction, trust, and customer continuance intention. Furthermore, the perceived value has an effect on customer satisfaction and trust. However, the perceived value is partially related to customer continuance intention through customer satisfaction. The managerial implications of this study are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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30 pages, 2764 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evaluation Method of Low-Carbon Scenic Spots by Combining IBWM with B-DST and VIKOR in Fuzzy Environment

by Aijun Liu, Taoning Liu, Xiaohui Ji, Hui Lu and Feng Li

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(1), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010089 - 21 Dec 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2632

Abstract

With the concept of sustainability gaining popularity, low-carbon tourism has been widely considered. In this paper, a multicriteria group decision making (MCGDM) process based on an uncertain environment is proposed to study the evaluation problem of low-carbon scenic spots (LSSs). In order to [...] Read more.

With the concept of sustainability gaining popularity, low-carbon tourism has been widely considered. In this paper, a multicriteria group decision making (MCGDM) process based on an uncertain environment is proposed to study the evaluation problem of low-carbon scenic spots (LSSs). In order to minimize the influence of subjective and objective factors, the traditional Vlse Kriterjumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method is expanded, using the improved best and worst method (IBWM) and Bayes approximation method, based on Dempster-Shafer Theory (B-DST). First, in order to make the evaluation process more professional, a number of evaluation criteria are established as effective systems, followed by the use of triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (TIFNs) to evaluate alternatives of LSSs. Next, according to the evaluation results, the weights of the criteria are determined by the IBWM method, and the weights of the expert panels (Eps) are determined by B-DST. Finally, a weighted averaging algorithm of TIFN is used to integrate the above results to expand the traditional VIKOR and obtain the optimal LSS. The applicability of this method is proven by example calculation. The main conclusions are as follows: tourist facilities and the eco-environment are the two most important factors influencing the choice of LSSs. Meanwhile, the roles of management and participant attitudes in LSS evaluations cannot be ignored. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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15 pages, 371 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impacts of Different Air Pollutants on Domestic and Inbound Tourism in China

by Xiaowei Xu, Daxin Dong, Yilun Wang and Shiying Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(24), 5127; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16245127 - 15 Dec 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3327

Abstract

Previous studies have reported that air pollution negatively affects the tourism industry. This paper attempted to answer the following question: among different air pollutants, which one acts as the most adverse factor? The study was based on a sample of panel data covering [...] Read more.

Previous studies have reported that air pollution negatively affects the tourism industry. This paper attempted to answer the following question: among different air pollutants, which one acts as the most adverse factor? The study was based on a sample of panel data covering 337 Chinese cities for the period between 2007 and 2016. Four pollutant indicators were inspected: PM

_{2.5}

(particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or less in size), PM

_{10}

(particulate matter 10 micrometers or less in size), SO

_{2}

(sulfur dioxide), and NO

_{2}

(nitrogen dioxide). It was found that PM

_{2.5}

had a significantly negative impact on both domestic and inbound tourist arrivals. Regarding the other three pollutant indicators, except for the negative influence of NO

_{2}

on inbound tourist arrivals, no statistically significant impact was found. This study suggests that tourism policy makers should primarily focus on PM

_{2.5}

, when considering the nexus between air quality and tourism development. According to our estimates, the negative impact of PM

_{2.5}

on tourism is substantial. If the PM

_{2.5}

concentration in the ambient air increases by 1

μ

g/m

^{3}

(= 0.001 mg/m

^{3}

), domestic and inbound tourist arrivals will decline by 0.482% and 1.227%, respectively. These numbers imply an average reduction of 81,855 person-times in annual domestic tourist arrivals and 12,269 in inbound tourist arrivals in each city. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

16 pages, 637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Integrated Approach to Determining Rural Tourist Satisfaction Factors Using the IPA and Conjoint Analysis

by Yanchun Jin and Yoonseo Park

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(20), 3848; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16203848 - 11 Oct 2019

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4242

Abstract

Rural tourists satisfaction has a pivotal role in the development of sustainable rural tourism. As a method of identifying critical satisfaction factors, an importance and performance analysis (IPA) technique has attracted growing interest from academics due to it being able to deliver the [...] Read more.

Rural tourists satisfaction has a pivotal role in the development of sustainable rural tourism. As a method of identifying critical satisfaction factors, an importance and performance analysis (IPA) technique has attracted growing interest from academics due to it being able to deliver the importance and performance of a product’s attributes from the standpoint of customers. However, IPA is based on the presumption that a linear and symmetrical relationship exists between the performance and overall satisfaction, which has been criticized by many researchers due to its deviation from the facts. On measurement of importance, researchers have not reached an agreement on whether direct or indirect approach should be applied. To measure satisfaction more effectively, this study presents a revised IPA method that integrates IPA, conjoint analysis and importance grid analysis. Based on mathematical psychology and psychometrics theory, the conjoint analysis method can be used to analyze multi-attributes of various products and derive relative importance of attributes in customer satisfaction research. The importance grid analysis method has been applied to categorize attributes by many researchers. It can be used to measure the nonlinear relationship between the performance of attributes and overall satisfaction. In this paper, an empirical study on rural tourists’ satisfaction was undertaken using this integrated method. The results show that the integrated approach is more responsive to attribute performance, thus allowing for improvement of a certain target attribute in the customer satisfaction enhancement process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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11 pages, 611 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Improving Cycleway Environment on the Recreational Benefits of Bicycle Tourism

by Chun-Chu Yeh, Crystal Jia-Yi Lin, James Po-Hsun Hsiao and Chin-Huang Huang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(18), 3460; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16183460 - 17 Sep 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4458

Abstract

Bicycle tourism is one of the popular physical activities for sport tourists. Since the physical environment may affect bicycling behavior, it becomes an important determinant for cyclists to choose a cycleway. Exploratory factor analysis is performed to extract the perception of environmental quality [...] Read more.

Bicycle tourism is one of the popular physical activities for sport tourists. Since the physical environment may affect bicycling behavior, it becomes an important determinant for cyclists to choose a cycleway. Exploratory factor analysis is performed to extract the perception of environmental quality of cyclists into five main factors, including safety, light facilities, lane design, landscape, and environment cleanliness. The contingent behavior method (CBM) is adopted to measure the quality improvement projects in different scenarios of light facility and landscape improvement. The results showed that the improvement projects increased the intended number of trips and the recreational benefits of cyclists. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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17 pages, 1682 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nonlinear and Spatial Effects of Tourism on Carbon Emissions in China: A Spatial Econometric Approach

by Chao Bi and Jingjing Zeng

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(18), 3353; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16183353 - 11 Sep 2019

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 3184

Abstract

Reducing carbon emissions is crucial to the sustainable development of tourism. However, there are no consistent conclusions about the nexus between tourism and carbon emissions. Considering the possible nonlinear and spatial effects of tourism on carbon emissions, this paper employed spatial econometric models [...] Read more.

Reducing carbon emissions is crucial to the sustainable development of tourism. However, there are no consistent conclusions about the nexus between tourism and carbon emissions. Considering the possible nonlinear and spatial effects of tourism on carbon emissions, this paper employed spatial econometric models combined with quadratic terms of explanatory variables to explore the nexus between them using Chinese provincial panel data from 2003 to 2016. The main results are as follows: (1) There is a significant inverse U-shaped relationship between tourism development and carbon emissions. In the provinces whose tourism receipts are relatively low, the effects of tourism on carbon emissions are positive but decrease gradually as the tourism receipts increase and then shifts to negative and continues decreasing gradually when the tourism receipts beyond the critical value. (2) For the geographical proximity and industrial relevance, one province’s tourism development not only affects its carbon emissions but also affects its neighbors’ carbon emissions through spatial lag effect (indirect effect) which is also inverse U-shaped. (3) Carbon reduction policies, sustainable education, and transportation infrastructure all have significant moderating effects on the relationship between tourism and carbon emissions, but the moderating effect of the management efficiency of tourism is not statistically significant. Furthermore, improvements to the sustainable education and transportation infrastructure not only strengthen the direct negative effect of tourism on carbon emissions but also strengthen the indirect negative effect of tourism on carbon emissions. This study not only advances the existing literature but is also of considerable interest to policymakers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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16 pages, 7319 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Establishment and Application of an Evaluation Model for Orchid Island Sustainable Tourism Development

by Han-Shen Chen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(5), 755; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16050755 - 02 Mar 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4070

Abstract

Global warming and climate change increase the likelihood of weather-related natural disasters that threaten ecosystems and consequently affect the tourism industry which thrives on the natural attributes of island regions. Orchid Island, the study area, is home to the Yami (Tao) tribe—the only [...] Read more.

Global warming and climate change increase the likelihood of weather-related natural disasters that threaten ecosystems and consequently affect the tourism industry which thrives on the natural attributes of island regions. Orchid Island, the study area, is home to the Yami (Tao) tribe—the only indigenous people of Taiwan with a marine culture. The island possesses rich geological and topographical features (such as coral reefs) and distinctive biological and ecological resources (such as the green sea turtle, flying fish, and Orchid Island scops owl), and organizes traditional festivals and activities (such as the flying fish festival) as well as tribal tourism activities. These factors contribute to its immense potential to become the new tourism hotspot. To study the factors enhancing tourist experiences, a random utility model was constructed using a choice experiment method (CEM) for the tourist resort on Orchid Island. The study results demonstrated that: (1) Limiting tourists to 600/day; employing professional tour guides; providing better recreational facilities; introducing additional experience-enhancing activities; and lowering contributions towards the professional ecosystem conservation trust fund will improve the overall effectiveness of attracting tourists to Orchid Island. The evaluation results from both conditional logit and random parameter logit models were similar; (2) the analysis results from the latent class model demonstrated that island tourism has significant market segmentation. The socioeconomic backgrounds of tourists, their experiences, and their preferences exhibit heterogeneity, with significant differences in willingness to pay for island tourism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Tourism and Its Environmental and Human Ecological Effects)

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