Atna Journal of Tourism Studies

Investigating the Scholarly Landscape: Community-Based Tourism's effects on Quality of Life through Bibliometric Analysis

Christy George M J — 2025-07-16

The present study aimed to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of community-based tourism and its impact on quality of life. The Scopus database was used to find the articles and included 807 articles. Biblioshiny and VOS viewer software were used to conduct performance analysis and mapping techniques to examine the changes within the community-based tourism and quality of life literature. The results show that the ‘Sustainability (Switzerland)’ journal, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, and Tourism Management are three key sources indicating a growing interest in “community-based tourism” and “quality of life.” The most frequently referenced author in terms of total citation on the topic is Uysal M, and the most referred publication is by Andereck & Nyaupane. The most frequent author keywords are "tourism" and "quality of life." Since 2017, research on tourism and quality of life has been gaining momentum, focusing on sustainability, destination management, over-tourism, rural development, and local communities. Community-based tourism activities are connected with themes such as ecotourism, quality of life, and tourist development. Following the analysis of the findings, implications, limitations, and scope for future research were discussed.

Destination Sustainability Certification: Analysing International Standards Through the Lens of GSTC Criteria

Sindhu Joseph — 2025-07-16

Numerous certification standards have been developed as tools for the appraisal of sustainability and ensuring total quality management in destinations. These standards are widely adopted across various countries and have become a benchmark of destination performance. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is the apex organization responsible for designing global standards for destinations and tourism industry worldwide. Using the GSTC standard as a normative reference, many recognized and accredited certification bodies certify destinations and tourism businesses. With the growing number of standards and certification agencies available, destination boards face challenges in selecting the most appropriate certifier that aligns with their specific sustainable initiatives. This highlights the need for a comparative analysis of various standards, criteria and indicators of predominant certifiers. This study presents a detailed analysis of five major global certifiers whose full standards are publicly available. It aims to equip destination authorities with a comprehensive understanding of the various certification bodies to conduct self-assessments and determine how well they perform across various sustainability dimensions before choosing a certification program that best matches their sustainable initiatives and objectives.

Consumer Behaviour and Nutrition Trends in Dining at Restaurants, Cafes, and Kiosks: A Systematic Review

Bhavya Chopra — 2025-07-16

Background: The informality of eating out has been steadily increasing, and with consumers spending significantly, there’s a heightened demand for value. Beyond just the food, consumers now seek additional features, including efficient service, appealing decor, a pleasant ambiance, and high-quality, varied food options. Consequently, many food outlets are actively observing current dining trends to better serve their clientele. Objectives: The broad objective of this review article is to highlight the factors that influence consumer behaviour while dining at a food outlet. Specifically, this study aims to explore consumer behavior, prevailing nutrition trends, and the factors affecting consumer choices when selecting an eating establishment. Methodology: A comprehensive search using different databases was conducted for relevant literature on the topic. A final pool of 40 studies of the food establishment business was analyzed and discussed. Results: The reviewed studies indicate that due to increasingly busy lifestyles and a rise in per capita income, dining out has become a more casual and frequent occurrence. Consumers select food outlets based on various factors, including their lifestyle, income, age, location, and occupation. Therefore, an eating establishment can be effectively designed and planned by considering the lifestyle and income demographics of the population within a specific area.

From Temple Trails to Riverside Retreats: Mapping Youth-Centric Trends in Spiritual Tourism

Poushali Halder — 2025-07-16

From Temple Trails to Riverside Retreats: Mapping Youth-Centric Trends in Spiritual tourism

Abstract:

Historically renowned as a sacred city for elderly pilgrims, Varanasi is now undergoing a generational shift. In recent days, Young Indian tourists (18–35) are increasingly seeking emotional renewal and spiritual connection in Varanasi, moving beyond traditional spiritual frameworks, and influenced by post-pandemic mental health concerns and the pervasive impact of digital media. This study argues that these tourists are reshaping spiritual tourism through experiential practices such as walking under moonlight, listening to distant chants, photographing ancient ghats, engaging with locals, and savouring art and food. Though so-called non-spiritual, these practices are deeply reflective and transformative, remoulding spiritual tourism through an experiential lens where emotion, mindfulness, and digital expression converge. Employing a quasi-qualitative approach that combines in-depth interviews and digital ethnography via Instagram, this study analyses how youth-led narratives are reimagining Varanasi’s spiritual landscape. The study also identifies emerging trends, including riverside retreat tourism, and spiritual healing tourism, and categorizes them into mystical night tourism, experiential heritage tourism, and community-based tourism based on the spiritual experiences and activities, reshaping the tourism sector. Furthermore, this paper contributes to ongoing debates on youth-driven sacred engagement and the evolving dynamics of spiritual tourism, underscoring how immersive, affective experiences are shaping new trends in spiritual tourism and offering a fresh perspective on the reimagination of sacred spaces like Varanasi.

Keywords: Spiritual Tourism, Spiritual Experiences, Young Spiritual Explorer, Riverside Retreat Tourism, Spiritual Healing Tourism, Varanasi.

From a sacred place to a religious tourist destination: contribution of Bengali community of Varanasi in shaping the destination image

P. J. Shyju — 2025-07-16

Situated on the banks of River Ganga, Varanasi is an example of different communities migrated from different places settled here from ancient period. Bengali community, migrated from the erstwhile undivided Bengal, contributed in shaping the cultural identity of Varanasi. Employing qualitative research methods, this study is structured on a sociological perspective. The study used observations and in-depth interviews to gather the required data. Using purposive sampling, respondents were selected on the basis of their knowledge on the context of the study. Conclusions were drawn from the synthesis of observations by researchers and the content analysis of the interview transcripts. The findings present the interplay of historical events and its consequences on the socio-temporal-spatial dynamics which result in continuity of unique traditions amidst the social changes. Further, it presents the contributions of different generations of Bengali community of Varanasi in building up a pluralistic but religious identity which inspired devotees and tourists from the Eastern India to visit the city. The study helps in understanding the role of Bengali Community in enriching the cultural ethos and religious heritage of the city as a popular tourist destination.

Transforming tourism experiences: A literature mapping of Technology in Hospitality Industry

Dhanya Mohan P — 2025-07-16

The customer service sector in hospitality is undergoing a positive transformation with continuous evolutions. This study comprehensively reviews the literature published on technology transfusion in the hospitality industry and its impact on customer experience, operational efficiency, and competitive-edge. Authors used bibliometric study for the literature mapping. The layout of the paper is to scan literature published during the last two decades and finally propose new research. The authors identified key areas: emerging technology in hospitality, innovation, technology expectations and service failure risks, and studies on the sharing economy in hospitality. They include research focusing on customer experiences, popularity, and use of AI, blockchain and robotics across the country, as well as customer operated technologies (SST) and the use of such technologies by customers in the sector. Finally, for industry practitioners and policymakers, the study give insights, regarding the potential advantages and challenges of adopting and implementing various kinds of technology in the hospitality sector and thus providing actionable insights for strategic decision-making and in policy formulation.The study is the comprehensive review of the published literature till 2025 and puts forward directions for researchers in the technology and hospitality industry.

Mapping the Dynamics of Tourism Marketing: A Bibliometric Exploration

Shikha Garg — 2025-07-16

Tourism marketing is a dynamic and multifaceted field that plays a pivotal role in promoting destinations, attracting tourists, and driving economic growth. As this field continues to evolve, understanding its progression and future opportunities becomes crucial. To address this need, the study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of tourism marketing literature spanning from 1974 to 2024. Utilising data from the Scopus database, biblioshiny is employed to examine key bibliometric statistics, such as authorship patterns, cross-country evaluations, keyword analyses, and thematic evolution. The findings reveal a significant growth in research output. The influence of COVID-19 on tourists and tourism industry and the enhanced integration of the internet and technology, is explicitly depicted by thematic analysis. This indicates a flourishing research landscape and a significant change in consumption patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic. In summary, this paper offers significant insights into the trends, patterns, and dynamics of research in tourism marketing research. Overall, this research has contributed to a deeper understanding of the academic landscape of tourism marketing, enlightening future research directions and guiding strategic decision-making for academics, practitioners, and policymakers involved in this field.

Relation Between Perceived Tourism Impact, Quality of Life, Community Attachment, and Support for Tourism Development from Community Perspective: A Serial Mediation Analysis

Pawan Kumar Prasad — 2025-07-16

The study develops a conceptual theoretical framework based on the existing theories and examines the relationship between Positive Tourism Impact (PTI), Negative Tourism Impact (NTI), Quality of Life (QoL), Community Attachment (CA) and Support for Tourism Development (STD). A questionnaire survey was conducted among residents of two hill stations, Darjeeling and Sikkim, in India. A total of 308 responses were collected, and the Structural Equation Modelling technique using AMOS 26 software was employed for data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that CA significantly mediates the relationship between PTI and STD.Moreover, serial mediation analysis confirms that QoL and CA jointly mediate the relationship between relationship between PTI and STD. Additionally, PTI shows a significant association with residents’ QoL, CA, and STD,whereas NTI has no significant link with either QoL or STD. The study empirically supports Community Attachment Theory and Social Exchange Theoryand highlights its importance in community-based tourism research.The findings of the study indicate that destination managers should adopt a community-centred policy, developing community attachment and enhancing wellbeing of the resident, thereby strengthening residents' long-term engagement and commitment, which in turn result in sustainability of the destination.

Tourist Motivation and Heritage Site Visitation: A Case Study of ASI Monuments of Himachal Pradesh, India

Rahul Kaundal — 2025-07-16

This study empirically investigates the factors influencing tourists’ motivations to visit heritage monuments in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. With a focus on cultural and psychological dimensions of heritage tourism, the research aims to identify core motivational drivers shaping tourist behaviour. Three hundred fifty responses were collected through structured questionnaires administered at 11 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected heritage sites within the district. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in SPSS, four dominant motivational dimensions were extracted: TMF1 (Holistic Enrichment through Experiential Tourism), TMF2 (Rejuvenation and Social Fulfilment), TMF3 (Personal Autonomy and Social Identity), and TMF4 (Self-Discovery and Inner Well-Being). The findings suggest that tourists are primarily driven by the desire to engage with the region’s rich cultural and historical heritage. At the same time, the surrounding natural beauty serves as a complementary attraction. Demographic variables such as age, education, occupation, and travel companion significantly influenced these motivational factors. These insights provide a basis for targeted marketing strategies and customised tourism experiences. Additionally, the study highlights the potential for establishing a regional heritage tourism circuit, which could enhance visitor flow, generate economic benefits, and promote sustainable tourism development. The findings offer practical implications for tourism planners, heritage managers, and policymakers to optimise heritage site management and improve visitor engagement in emerging cultural destinations.

METAVERSE IN TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY RESEARCH – A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Unnikrishnan T — 2025-07-16

This research paper consolidates the current literature on the convergence of the Metaverse, Tourism, and the Hospitality sector. Using a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA framework, the study thoroughly examined 137 papers from the Scopus Database, eventually selecting 22 relevant sources. A content analysis was used to investigate the subtle details of studies connected to the Metaverse in the context of tourism.The study revealed that there was a strong emphasis on conceptual and qualitative approaches, which indicates that the integration of the Metaverse in these businesses is still in its early stages. The findings notably emphasise a lack of research in essential sub-domains such as MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), cultural heritage, and tourism marketing. This highlights the necessity for additional exploration and empirical research in these domains to fully comprehend the diverse influence of the Metaverse on the tourist and hospitality industry. This research enhances our understanding of the changing interactions between the Metaverse and traditional sectors, providing valuable insights for academic researchers and industry professionals.

Explaining the linkage between Contactless Practices and Consumer Behaviour: An Empirical Investigation on Hotel Services

Prince — 2025-07-16

Corona Virus Infections Disease 19 (COVID-19) has forced the hotel community to adopt contactless services practices. In this reference, the current study aims to examine consumer awareness, expectations, and experience with Contactless Services Practices (CSP) and their impact on consumer satisfaction and perceived performance outcomes. The association between contactless practices and hotel performance outcomes is examined, along with the role that customer satisfaction plays as a moderator. Structural equation modelling, SEM-PLS is used to analyze a total of 337 responses using the SPSS 22 version. The results indicate that contactless practices have a significant impact on customer satisfaction and performance outcomes in terms of length of stay. The results also showed that the relationship is mediated by customer satisfaction between contactless service practices and perceived performance outcomes. The study adds to the understanding of how "innovative service design" can improve customer satisfaction, passionate connection, and mental assessment of accommodation brands. The novelty of this study is showing the relationship between contactless practices and consumer behaviour in hotel services during the pandemic.

Recent Trends on Destination Marketing in Tourism: A text mining and Network Analysis of Literature.

Gaurav Katoch — 2025-07-16

The aim of this study is to identify the recent trends on Tourism in Destination Marketing. The Destination Marketing literature has grown, but a systematic analysis of lessons learned, and future research prospects is required. This is accomplished through a bibliometric analysis of literature and network analysis. The study's data is based on Scopus-published English Scholarly publications. After reviewing, collecting, and sorting papers from 1184 publications, it was determined that 728 articles were relevant to the study's scope of work. This article adds to the literature by offering a different way of evaluating the impact of Destination Marketing research on tourism.

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