Stages of Rural Transformation in the National Strategic Tourism Area of Borobudur

The Borobudur area has grown into a world-class tourist destination. With the existence of Borobudur, Mendut, and Pawon temples, the area was appointed as National Strategic Tourism Area (NSTA). The condition influences the villages surrounding it. Borobudur village, Wanurejo, and Candirejo have developed into alternative tourist villages. During their development, these villages have undergone several transformation stages, which are interesting for further observation. In this background, the study aims to identify the transformation stages of the tourist villages in the Borobudur area, from the beginning as a people settlement to become tourist villages, and what causes the development of these stages. This study used a multiple-case study method with diachronic time series analysis, with three village units of analysis: Borobudur, Candirejo, and Wanurejo. Therefore, it will produce the stages of the village's transformation, especially, those related to tourism activities in the Borobudur area. It is expected that the results of this research will provide tourism development guidelines at each stage of the transformation of tourism villages so that they can be the basic for proper tourism planning for the government in rural tourism, especially in the development of tourism villages in NSTA. In addition, it can also be the basic of a scientific approach in researching the development of tourist areas, especially tourism village.

Marine recreational fishing at Phuket, Thailand

Recreational fishing can produce visitor satisfaction and generate revenue at some global resorts. Yet, government officials seem reluctant to promote angling on tourism websites. Perhaps this is due to a weak linkage with ecotourism, a term often used by developing countries for attracting international visitors to nature-based settings. To learn about fishing experiences in Phuket, Thailand, this study analyzed 100 angler reviews posted on TripAdvisor, a popular source of user-generated content. Reviews consisted of positive (n=878) and negative (n=237) comments. Promotion of fishing tourism requires a multibenefit approach, more than simply catching fish. Billfish anglers are a promising target market since these ecotourists practice catch-and-release fishing, thus aligning visitor experiences and sustainability with economics.

Perceptions of Generation Y on Social Aspects Involving Sustainable Tourism in Romanian Destinations

Sustainable tourism destination management requires the simultaneous and multidirectional pursuit of interactions. One of these are tourists, which are structured differently, based on socioeconomic and psycho-formative criteria. Taking into account the general features of Generation Y, the study aims at analyzing their perception regarding social aspects demanded in sustainable tourism destinations in the case of Romania. The research is focuses on the survey method, which relies on a semi-structured questionnaire applied online in 2020. The answers were modeled, using data analysis tools or graphics functions in IBM-SPSS v.28. Study findings highlight the interesting social perceptions of Y tourists in Romania (RGY), with an emphasis on their desire for conflict-free destinations, to spend time with friends or family, but also to make carefully chosen friends. The perceptions regarding the acceptance of interactions with hosts varies by their socio-demographic characteristics, depending especially on the issues that require their active involvement. These reveal a predominantly interest on professional services, largely excluding creative activities for the acquisition of local traditions. In conclusion, RGY considers that their social inputs as neutral in the tourist areas. However, more attention should be focused on the management of tourism products, in order to come up with specific offers for a highly skilled, but stressed generation, as well as on finding ways able to boost through motivating solutions the young people's interest for social dimension of the sustainable tourism development.

Could COVID-19 Boost Greece’s Village Revival?

In the last decades, Greek villages, especially in mountainous and remote areas, are gradually depopulated and suffer from youth out-migration, school closures and unemployment. During this COVID-19 outbreak, there is an increasing trend of villages as destinations for domestic tourism for short holidays or longer stays. At the same time, this pandemic leads to a significant increase of remote working practices. This article explores the prospect for the revival of traditional villages via an Albergo Diffuso (AD) model with adjustments for both visitors and temporary distance-working residents. We analyze the AD concept as it has been employed in Italy, make minor adjustments to it, and investigate the applicability of such a model in order to overturn the current depopulation of rural and mountain villages in Greece and improve the wellbeing of the local communities. To this end, we present a comprehensive SWOT analysis and discuss the findings. Our approach lays the groundwork for further research that is required to successfully implement AD in mountainous villages.

Good Practices and Sustainable Tourism of Marginal Mountain Areas. The Case of Wine Cannonau in Mamoiada, Sardinia – Italy

Mountain regions have been modified by human activity for centuries, which lead to more or less of significant changes in their ecosystems and consequently in landscapes. Some of these changes have been generated by traditional farming practices, such as the viticulture, giving distinctive shapes and identities of the space. Even if in many areas, the farming traditions have been abandoned as the consequences of technological progress applied in agriculture, Sardinia is a good example of vineyards cultural heritage preservation. Thus, linking this cultural heritage to the wine tourism, and promoting good practices at local initiatives, Sardinia limited the depopulation of the mountain areas. A very successful example of the increasing of positive tourism impact on territory planning, over the past few years, is the municipality of Mamoiada, in central Sardinia. The paper highlights the role of the using of environmental, cultural and identity tourist resources of Sardinian territory as far as they are part of good practices and furthermore, they could be the basis of sustainable development strategy. Moreover, the aim of our work is to investigate how the cultural, identity, landscape and socio-economic impact on the wine sector plays an important role for the rural community of Mamoiada.