Adam B. Carmer

Despite the harshness of the COVID-19 crisis the concept of technology optimism has also emerged. This fosters a sense of optimism for the future, based on the implicit assumption that involving technology will almost always result in positive outcomes; in other words, technology is associated with success. In particular, the surprisingly active response of the global tourism industry to the Russia–Ukraine war since 2022 could also be attributed to an elevated level of technology optimism. Thus, this viewpoint investigates the ramifications of technology optimism in the context of the ongoing global tourism crises. This viewpoint paper is based on a general review of academic literature and online resources regarding the examples that could be attributed to technology optimism, during the ongoing COVID-19 and Russia–Ukraine war since 2022. Even though the roots of an unexpected active response of the tourism industry during the Russia–Ukraine war since 2022 are diverse, we trace it to the phenomenon of technology optimism, which has been bolstered by the current COVID-19 pandemic, and we believe it has significant implications for the tourism industry's resilience. To this end, this viewpoint paper tackles the idea that relying on technology could enhance creative solutions, build confidence and promote activism of the tourism industry in times of crisis. Additionally, we explore the idea that a shorter recovery period is possible in the case of a technology-intensive and hyperconnected tourism industry. Despite its enormous implications for the engagement of all stakeholders, technology optimism has been generally overlooked by crisis management in the tourism domain. This is the first research to propose technology optimism as an important element of tourism crisis management. By proposing these perspectives for further academic discussion at this critical juncture, we contribute to an optimistic discourse about future tourism development in challenging times. Article history: Received (June 5, 2025); Revised (September 14, 2025); Accepted (September 14, 2025); Published online (November 1, 2025)

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to examine the existing literature circa 2010–2023 of introductory wine education involving sensory experience components in an objective, transparent and replicable manner. Sensory experience education normally involves the usage of the five senses (smell, taste, sight, feel and hearing) as means to demonstrate, scaffold and illuminate introductory-level wine curricula. This study identifies the methodologies used in existing in educational wine sensory experience literature, identifies the pedagogical utilities of current wine research and explores findings useful for wine educators.Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) for literature review reporting.Findings: From the existing body of literature involving wine sensory experience in education (N = 20), five pedagogical utilities emerged from the dataset: wine sensory experience training (n = 7), wine sensory analysis techniques (n = 5), teaching environment (n = 5), wine and food pairing (n = 2) and psychological context (n = 1). Furthermore, experimental design is the preferred method (n = 14) of research related to wine sensory experience in education.Practical implications: This study provides utility for wine educators at the college and university level and may provide perspective and tools for firms seeking consumer engagement through wine education.Originality/value: To the researchers' knowledge, there are no literature reviews that explore wine sensory experience in education. Thus, the primary contributions of this study are threefold: identification of current gaps in wine education research, identification of future research questions and avenues of study, and resources for curriculum improvement of introductory wine courses.

This study addresses the motivations behind Generation Z’s attendance at conferences and aims to contribute to a better understanding of their conference-participation behavior. The study identified six latent factors that influence conference-attendance motivation: green and digital conference experience, educational and professional opportunities, conference costs, destination and conference stimuli, stimulating factors, and conference accessibility. These factors align with Generation Z’s unique characteristics and preferences, such as their environmental consciousness, their reliance on digital technologies, and their desire for continuous learning, career advancement, and experiences. The study also found that destination characteristics and educational and professional opportunities are significant motivators for conference attendance by members of Generation Z across different cultural contexts. Additionally, their strong interest in sustainability and financial challenges highlights the need for eco-friendly practices and affordable registration fees to make conferences more appealing and accessible. The study further explores the impact of socio-demographic characteristics, revealing gender and past-conference-attendance differences in motivation. Finally, the study discusses the implications of its findings for the conference industry and suggests areas for future research to enhance the understanding of conference-attendance motivation among members of Generation Z.

This study addresses the motivations behind Generation Z's attendance at conferences and aims to contribute to a better understanding of their conference participation behavior. The study identified six latent factors that influence conference attendance motivation: Green and Digital Conference Experience, Educational and professional opportunities, Conference costs, Destination and conference stimuli, Stimulating factors, and Conference accessibility. These factors align with Generation Z's unique characteristics and preferences, such as their environmental consciousness, reliance on digital technologies, desire for continuous learning, career advancement, and experiences. The study also found that destination characteristics and educational and professional opportunities are significant motivators for Generation Z's conference attendance across different cultural contexts. Additionally, Generation Z's strong interest in sustainability and financial challenges highlights the need for eco-friendly practices and affordable registration fees to make conferences more appealing and accessible. The study further explores the impact of socio-demographic characteristics, revealing the gender and past conference attendance differences in motivation. Finally, the study discusses the implications for the conference industry and suggests areas for future research to enhance the understanding of conference attendance motivation among Generation Z.

Local community members are considered as one of key stakeholder groups for sustainable tourism development, not only as service providers, but also as an important part of a decision-making process in tourism development. In respect to that, this...

Spiritual travel is increasingly viewed as an asset for the development of sustainable tourism. A great deal of research has been conducted on travel motivation to comprehend spiritually-motivated travel, but less is known about Generation Z’s travel motivation. This subject is relevant since Generation Z will represent the travel market of the future. Therefore, managers of spiritually-themed locations must understand the characteristics of their prospective visitors (Generation Z) in order to create more comprehensive tourism offerings. We use exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to validate the scale and inferential statistics to analyse the data regarding the main socio-demographic characteristics. Spiritual and Canonical Experiences, Escapism, Ascetic Life, and Social Interactions, Natural and Cultural Values, Religious Events, and Active Participation were identified as the main dimensions in this study. In our conclusion, the ramifications of the findings for destination management and marketing are examined.

At the destination level, destination branding may coexist with climate change communication. These two communication streams often overlap because they are both designed for large audiences. This poses a risk to the effectiveness of climate change communication and its ability to prompt a desired climate action. The viewpoint paper advocates the use of archetypal branding approach to ground and center climate change communication at a destination level while concurrently maintaining the uniqueness of destination branding. Three archetypes of destinations are distinguished: villains, victims, and heroes. Destinations should refrain from actions that would make them appear to be climate change villains. A balanced approach is further warranted when portraying destinations as victims. Lastly, destinations should aim at assuming the heroic archetypes by excelling in climate change mitigation. The basic mechanisms of the archetypal approach to destination branding are discussed alongside a framework that suggests areas for further practical investigation of climate change communication at a destination level.