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smart lifestyle travel & tourism

How Smart Tourism Experiences are Served by Technology

Today’s visitor journey is fragmented. Customer data can help brands unlock seamless, digitally-enabled guest experiences within connected smart destinations.

The concept of “smart destinations” or “smart tourism” has been advancing the guest experience for years, but there’s one piece of the puzzle that the travel and hospitality industry has yet to unlock: the integration of customer data for proactive insights that enable personalization.

Smart tourism defines travel experiences that are digitally enabled and connected to technology, allowing guests to efficiently navigate through foreign cities, book activities online and utilize their mobile devices to tackle their entire itinerary.

But smart tourism is entering a new era of seamless travel, served not only by technology, but also by customer data.  

“The future of smart tourism is travel experiences that are proactive,” says Mukundhan Sundaram, senior director of technology at Publicis Sapient. “You’re removing all points of friction and frustration by putting data in the hands of the customer to effectively guide their journey.”

Learn how the next era of smart tourism can build guest loyalty and how customer data will transform the end-to-end guest experience.

What smart tourism is—and what it isn’t

Smart destinations are often enabled by specific technology upgrades, like mobile apps or online booking platforms, but that’s not all it is. Smart tourism is tourism that transforms the end-to-end guest experience through interconnected physical and digital technology.

“Technology upgrades implemented in a vacuum aren’t truly ‘smart,’ because they’re not grounded in the end-to-end guest experience,” says Sundaram, travel and hospitality industry expert.

Smart tourism is not just luxury travel; it applies to mass-market or affordable tourism experiences as well. Smart tourism creates seamless and luxurious experiences enabled by technology, increasing convenience and accessibility for travelers.

The next era of smart tourism, sometimes referred to as “cognitive tourism,” goes a step further by utilizing first-party customer data to proactively recommend the next step of the guest experience, whether that’s a reminder to get to the airport, an invitation for a vacation activity or a coupon for a recommended restaurant. This means no more written itineraries that need to be carried around and the ability to plan a dream vacation at the click of a button, taking much of the thinking out of the process.

Why guests crave smart destinations now more than ever

Post-COVID-19, travelers expect and rely on technology to power travel experiences across every touchpoint of their journey. Understaffed travel and hospitality brands need to use technology to bridge the gap at formerly in-person touchpoints that are becoming overwhelmed with “revenge tourism.”

But the need for smart tourism isn’t just because of a lack of staff. As travel prices continue to rise and loyalty falls, guests will revisit brands that personalize products and messaging. Almost one-third of travelers are more likely to stay in hotels that offer contactless checkout and/or personalized digital offers, according to 2022 research. Digitizing the travel experience allows brands to further tailor marketing and recommendations to customers based on their data.

Smart tourism also enables more sustainable, regenerative travel experiences that appeal to younger travelers. Roughly two-thirds of Millennials and Gen Z say that sustainability is important to them when they travel, according to the same study.

How can smart tourism transform the end-to-end travel experience?

From booking to hotel check-in and travel activities, brands can allow customers to share first-party data through mobile devices for more personalized and efficient travel experiences.

Here’s how brands can integrate customer data across each step of the travel experience:

Booking the vacation  

  • Read blogs, forums and articles to research vacation options.
  • Manually enter log-in information on several different websites to receive points and discounts on bookings.
  • Fill out lengthy forms with contact information for each booking.
  • Go to the brand website to enter a virtual metaverse experience to explore and learn about the destination.
  • Scan a QR code from the website browser to give consent for the brand to automatically access all required booking credentials stored within a [decentralized digital identity], from payment information to contact information.
  •  Receive personalized recommendations for travel based on metaverse activity and decentralized digital identity.

smart lifestyle travel & tourism

  • Enter the airport well in advance of the flight to stand in a long line to check bags.
  • Check into flight via the website, and have to enter the flight number and remember to check in well in advance of the flight.
  • Enter the long TSA line for security, and have to show your passport/ID and boarding pass.
  • Airline app sends a notification to check in for your flight, and boarding information is automatically added to the app.
  • App recommends what time to get to the airport based on traffic flow and locations and also shows recommendations for food around the gate area, allowing passengers to place orders for products or food in advance with stored payment methods.
  • App allows passengers to check bags through a contactless method and use their phone to get through security and boarding with no queues.
  • Arrive at the front desk to wait in a long line.
  • Front desk staff member has to check multiple databases to locate guest check-in information as the guest waits with their family and luggage.
  • Guest has to juggle their ID and credit card and sign paper check-in forms and receives an envelope with room keys.
  • Receive an email on the day of check-in with instructions on how to check in.
  • Geo-sensing technology recognizes when you have reached the hotel property and sends a ping with the room information and room key.
  • App guides visitors to their rooms and provides recommendations for initial food, activities and added amenities based on demographic information and travel history.

smart lifestyle travel & tourism

  • Research and book the best activities near the hotel far in advance of the trip.
  • Separately research and book the most convenient transportation and food options to accompany the activity.
  • Check into each activity using a different ticket or pass, search deep in email inbox or print out the pass in advance.
  • Receive a realistic recommended travel itinerary for the trip based on geo-location, preferences, demographics and other traveler information.
  • In case of unanticipated events, the activities and overall itinerary are dynamic, with the ability to transition to new reservation times or plans depending on the situation.
  • Receive proactive activity reminders for timing, transportation and necessary preparation.

In order to bring smart and even cognitive tourism experiences to life, travel brands need to connect physical and digital technology, as well as customer data, across the entire travel ecosystem. This includes city governments, payment processors, airports, airlines, hotels and more.

How Publicis Sapient creates smart destinations

Through partnerships with key industry players, Publicis Sapient helps global travel companies utilize artificial intelligence, big data, information of things, augmented and virtual reality and decentralized identity solutions to create connected travel ecosystems.

“Publicis Sapient is a global leader in smart destination solutions across geographies and sectors,” says Sundaram, travel and hospitality industry expert. “Our approach to smart tourism is customer-centric and involves a variety of stakeholders in order to be truly seamless.”

Approaching smart and cognitive tourism as an entire ecosystem rather than a singular touchpoint or brand in isolation allows hotels, airlines and cities to create frictionless and delightful travel experiences. At the same time, it creates experiences that are scalable over time and able to onboard and integrate new partners or hybrid legacy architecture.

Publicis Sapient helps brands like Miral to store every piece of information needed for travel in one place, digitally.

Contact Publicis Sapient to design and deliver a customer-centric smart tourism experience below.

Mukundhan Sundaram

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The Future of Luxury Travel Will Be Defined By Smart Tourism

Publicis Sapient + Skift

Publicis Sapient + Skift

August 31st, 2021 at 10:00 AM EDT

As the world begins to recover from the pandemic’s effects and luxury travel evolves, there’s an opportunity to build new destinations from the ground up that implement cutting-edge technologies to usher in smart tourism and create bespoke experiences from day one.

Publicis Sapient

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

Luxury travelers increasingly want their trips to positively impact the people and places they visit as the global climate crisis continues to grow. Destinations have worked for years to make themselves more sustainable and encourage tourists to respect the environment while considering things like energy and water usage and food waste when traveling. Many luxury travelers have listened — and this group is key to influencing the growth of sustainable tourism.

Research from Altiant found that 44 percent of affluent consumers in Europe, Asia, and North America are prepared to spend 10 percent more on travel if it helps to protect the environment, and 39 percent would spend more than 10 percent extra. Another affluent traveler survey from Virtuoso found that nearly 70 percent of respondents feel traveling sustainably enhances the vacation experience.

As Varsha Arora, Skift senior research analyst, explained in Skift’s Sustainability in Travel 2021 report, “Destinations have started taking sustainability seriously with growing media pressure and traveler awareness, but have a long way to go to make significant reductions in emissions long-term.” However, new destinations and resorts that are serious about making long-term changes and exceeding luxury travelers’ expectations will have sustainability built into their design from day one. The future of tourism — especially in the luxury segment — is one where travelers don’t have to think about being environmentally friendly, since it’s already ingrained.

Everything from transportation, to hotels, to villas, will be designed to run entirely on renewable energy sources. Natural habitats will be closely monitored to ensure biological diversity and protect against invasive species. Construction will also be sustainable, with most buildings being assembled off-site to minimize the impact to animal habitats and human populations.

A high degree of digital connectivity will discreetly — yet powerfully — enable this sustainability and ensure that the destination can manage visitor flows and create low-impact, truly memorable experiences. It’s this marriage of sustainability and connectivity where “smart tourism” becomes reality.

Sooho Choi, executive vice president of Publicis Sapient, which recently published a content hub centered on smart tourism , explained: “Smart tourism — a concept driven by ‘smart cities,’ or destinations that are enhanced through digital tools — is essentially AI technologies embedded in a destination and its spaces. From airports, to hotels, to public areas, and beyond, a smart destination can better understand a traveler’s wants and needs and optimize the experience accordingly based on their preferences.”

WHAT’S SO SMART ABOUT IT?

Smart tourism is essentially about real-life experiences — the feelings evoked and memories made when one fully immerses themselves in a destination — rather than the technology itself. While technology will play a defining role in smart tourism, it’s only to enhance and elevate the traveler’s experience. Digital technology fuels every step of the journey, but it’s the destination and it’s offerings that are in the foreground. When done right, the technology should be a subtle companion to the traveler.

AUTOMATED BESPOKE

According to Choi, “Smart tourism can completely enhance the typical vacation experience by providing ‘​​automated bespoke’ offerings.” Smart tourism uses technology to acknowledge and build upon a traveler’s experience to ‘up-level’ the journey as it transpires, all while tending to their unique needs through a highly responsive digital end-to-end framework.

For example, travelers’ luggage could be automatically transported to their hotels without the traveler needing to collect their bags at the airport, which gets them to the destination faster and eliminates a touchpoint that doesn’t add value. Everything about the journey is sorted ahead of time, down to the last preference. From language barriers and dietary needs, to religious-based preferences and any other traveler requirement, the needs and personal preferences of every individual will be tended to, thanks to connected technology.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project is one example why automated bespoke is the backbone of smart tourism. A game changer for luxury travel, Red Sea will run on 100 percent sustainable solar and wind. The core of Red Sea’s operations is a smart destination management system that supports a variety of personalized digital services to its visitors.

SMART CITIES AND BEYOND

“Using human-centric design every step of the way creates real value for travelers,” said Choi. “Customers can immediately tell when something wasn’t designed with real people in mind or how they will experience something. The destinations that make these considerations will increasingly be rewarded in this new travel era.”

Going forward, luxury travelers will expect that the value they’ll get from their vacation will be higher than any previous trips they’ve taken. Even smart destinations can’t rest on their laurels — each visit must offer something new and build off previous experiences. Using an automated bespoke approach to ensure no two travelers receive the same experience so that they’re enticed to return is the key to making destinations stand apart from the competition.

To learn more about Smart Tourism, visit the Content Hub here

This content was created collaboratively by Publicis Sapient and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX .

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: artificial intelligence , luxury , publicis sapient , Red Sea Development Company , saudi arabia , SkiftX Showcase: Consulting , SkiftX Showcase: Destinations

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Decent Work and Economic Growth pp 1–10 Cite as

Smart Tourism and Smart Destinations for a Sustainable Future

  • Jorge Rocha 7  
  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online: 09 June 2020

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1 Citations

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ((ENUNSDG))

Definitions

Sustainable tourism plans to meet the needs of the current generation and of the following ones as it tries to find the best way of using the resources available and, at the same time, ensuring the economic development. Smart tourism uses Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to improve tourists’ experience and enhancing local quality of life. It connects to the concept of smart destination, which applies ICT to support tourists on planning their journey and choosing their destination in a convenient and sustainable way.

Introduction

Tourism industry has been emerging as one outstanding way for enhancing economic development. In 2016, this industry supplied the world economy with US$8.8 TN (10.4% of worlds Gross Domestic Product) (WTTC 2019 ). Moreover, in 2015 the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) predicted that in 2030 nearly 1.8 billion people will travel in tourism, but in 2019 this number reached 1.6 billion, and now WTO predicts 2.5 billion...

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Rocha, J. (2020). Smart Tourism and Smart Destinations for a Sustainable Future. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Lange Salvia, A., Wall, T. (eds) Decent Work and Economic Growth. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71058-7_88-1

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These Are Your Smarter Travel Choices for 2024

Posted: December 31, 2023 | Last updated: December 31, 2023

<p>Terms such as "sustainable travel," "eco-tourism" and "responsible travel" are nothing new – and with reports of the worsening climate crisis and overtourism filling our news feeds every day, they've never been more important. The good news? Traveling in a sustainable way doesn't have to be overly complicated or break the bank. Here are 31 concrete steps savvy travelers can take to minimize their impact and get more from their trip.</p>

How to travel more sustainably this year and beyond

Terms such as "sustainable travel," "eco-tourism" and "responsible travel" are nothing new – and with reports of the worsening climate crisis and overtourism filling our news feeds every day, they've never been more important. The good news? Traveling in a sustainable way doesn't have to be overly complicated or break the bank. Here are 31 concrete steps savvy travelers can take to minimize their impact and get more from their trip.

<p>The world is a big place, but still select destinations are straining under the weight of ever-surmounting visitor numbers. Venice, Iceland, Peru’s Machu Picchu and Thailand’s Koh Tachai island are just a handful of places that have felt the full force of overtourism in recent years – the latter even imposed an outright <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/thailand-to-close-island-because-of-disturbing-tourism-activities-a7033126.html">tourism ban</a> in 2016. Go beyond the obvious hotspots and swap out typically crowded places for those more dependent on visitors. Local communities in the Caribbean are especially <a href="https://stacker.com/travel/countries-most-dependent-tourism">reliant on the GDP</a> that comes from tourism.</p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/galleries/67547/the-destinations-that-dont-want-tourists-where-to-go-instead?page=1">Explore more destinations that don't want tourists – and where to go instead</a></strong></p>

Consider the impact of overtourism

The world is a big place, but still, select destinations are straining under the weight of ever-surmounting visitor numbers. Venice, Iceland, Peru’s Machu Picchu and Thailand’s Koh Tachai island are just a handful of places that have felt the full force of overtourism in recent years – the latter even imposed an outright tourism ban in 2016. Go beyond the obvious hotspots and swap out typically crowded places for those more dependent on visitors. Local communities in the Caribbean are especially  reliant on the GDP  that comes from tourism.

<p>Some places are leaps and bounds ahead when it comes to protecting the environment, natural resources and local customs. Plump for a destination that champions sustainability and has a robust tourism management plan, so that both you and local residents will get more from your visit. A great example is <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/oceania/palau/passport-stamp-ecotourism-pledge/">the western Pacific archipelago of Palau</a> (pictured), which requires visitors to sign an eco-pledge upon their arrival. Other destinations, such as Jordan's Azraq Wetland Reserve and Normandy in France were recognized for their good practice in the <a href="https://www.greendestinations.org/green-destinations-story-awards-2023/">Green Destinations Story Awards 2023</a>.</p>

Plump for a sustainable destination

Some places are leaps and bounds ahead when it comes to protecting the environment, natural resources and local customs. Plump for a destination that champions sustainability and has a robust tourism management plan, so that both you and local residents will get more from your visit. A great example is the western Pacific archipelago of Palau (pictured), which requires visitors to sign an eco-pledge upon their arrival. Other destinations, such as Jordan's Azraq Wetland Reserve and Normandy in France were recognized for their good practice in the  Green Destinations Story Awards 2023 .

<p>Overtourism is a complex issue, and boycotting destinations that rely heavily on their tourism industry is not always the best option. If your heart is set on seeing Venice’s canals or drinking in Iceland’s volcanic landscapes and compact capital, consider traveling outside the peak season – Venice’s low season, for example, is between November and March (excluding major events), while it’s best to travel to Iceland outside of summer. This eases the pressure on the destination’s infrastructure and local residents, and ultimately makes for a more pleasant experience for the traveler too.</p>

Travel off peak

Overtourism is a complex issue, and boycotting destinations that rely heavily on their tourism industry is not always the best option. If your heart is set on seeing Venice’s canals or drinking in Iceland’s volcanic landscapes and compact capital, consider traveling outside the peak season – Venice’s low season, for example, is between November and March (excluding major events), while it’s best to travel to Iceland outside of summer. This eases the pressure on the destination’s infrastructure and local residents, and ultimately makes for a more pleasant experience for the traveler too.

<p>It’s not always possible, we know, but if you <em>can</em> reach your chosen destination by train rather than plane, you’ll dramatically reduce your carbon emissions. And if you're traveling within France, the country recently banned short-haul domestic flights where the same journey by rail can be taken in under two-and-a-half hours. Europe's railways are generally incredibly well-connected, with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2022/dec/13/the-best-new-european-train-journeys-for-2023">new routes for 2023</a> including the European Sleeper service from Brussels to Berlin and the Nightjet from Stuttgart to Rijeka in Croatia. If you’re in the States, Amtrak is set to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/04/06/984464351/as-biden-pushes-major-rail-investments-rail-amtraks-2035-map-has-people-talking">develop its growing network</a> over the next few years too.</p>  <p><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/galleries/131560/worlds-best-highspeed-trains-that-make-flying-redundant?page=1"><strong>Check out these high-speed trains that make flying redundant</strong></a></p>

Take the train

It’s not always possible, we know, but if you  can  reach your chosen destination by train rather than plane, you’ll dramatically reduce your carbon emissions. And if you're traveling within France, the country recently banned short-haul domestic flights where the same journey by rail can be taken in under two-and-a-half hours. Europe's railways are generally incredibly well-connected, with new routes including the European Sleeper service from Brussels to Berlin and the Nightjet from Stuttgart to Rijeka in Croatia. If you’re in the States, Amtrak is set to develop its growing network over the next few years too

<p>While multiple stopovers might help pinch some pennies, when it comes to the environment, a direct flight is generally the best option. This is because <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/climate/airplane-pollution-global-warming.html">around 25% of an aircraft’s emissions come from the take off-landing cycle</a> (including taxiing). If it’s possible to do so, skip the layover and settle in for the long haul.</p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/loveexploringUK">Love this? Follow us on Facebook for more responsible travel tips and features</a></strong></p>

Fly directly if you can

While multiple stopovers might help pinch some pennies, when it comes to the environment, a direct flight is generally the best option. This is because around 25% of an aircraft’s emissions come from the take off-landing cycle (including taxiing). If it’s possible to do so, skip the layover and settle in for the long haul.

<p>It’s no secret that aviation is a big pollutant, but some airlines are doing more to combat this negative environmental impact than others. According to CNN, the likes of Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Air Canada and easyJet are all aiming to hit <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/travel/sustainable-airlines-2022">net-zero carbon emissions by 2050</a>, while the latter was also the first airline in Europe to offer free carbon-offsetting to its passengers.</p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/news/152255/room2-chiswick-west-london-hotels-eco-hotels">This is what it's like to stay at the world's first 'net-zero carbon hometel'</a></strong></p>

Choose your airline carefully

It’s no secret that aviation is a big pollutant, but some airlines are doing more to combat this negative environmental impact than others. According to CNN, the likes of Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Air Canada and easyJet are all aiming to hit  net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 , while the latter was also the first airline in Europe to offer free carbon-offsetting to its passengers.

Rather than rushing between destinations, slow down and spend more time in a single place – even better, swap multiple city breaks throughout the year for one longer trip that truly allows you to get to grips with a country. You’ll save on travel emissions and get much more from – and ultimately give much more back to – the place you’re visiting.

Consider green modes of transport

It may sound obvious, but making use of public transport over taxis or a hire car is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint on the ground. Research metro systems, city buses and tram services before you set off and, if you fancy blowing off some cobwebs, check whether your destination has a bike-sharing scheme. In some cities,  UberX Share  is a great option too. If a hire car is your only choice, you could opt for a hybrid or electric model – EV-friendly road trips have never been easier.

<p>While buzzwords such as “eco” and “green” can sound impressive, it’s worth digging a little deeper to discover whether these descriptions ring true, or if they’re just deceptive marketing ploys. After all, these terms mean nothing if they’re not backed up by concrete actions. Don’t be afraid to ask for specific information about a company’s eco-friendly practices – if the answers seem vague or woolly, chances are the hotel or tour operator is not as “green” as it boasts. Consumers have the power to hold companies accountable for their misleading claims.</p>

Beware of green-washing

While buzzwords such as “eco” and “green” can sound impressive, it’s worth digging a little deeper to discover whether these descriptions ring true, or if they’re just deceptive marketing ploys. After all, these terms mean nothing if they’re not backed up by concrete actions. Don’t be afraid to ask for specific information about a company’s eco-friendly practices – if the answers seem vague or woolly, chances are the hotel or tour operator is not as “green” as it boasts. Consumers have the power to hold companies accountable for their misleading claims.

<p>Look for accommodations that employ local people, serve locally sourced food and have a written environmental policy: this could include things such as how they deal with wastewater, their approach to heating/cooling the premises and/or their involvement in local conservation projects. Accreditations including those from the <a href="https://new.usgbc.org/">US Green Building Council</a> (look out for properties that are LEED certified), the <a href="https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/">Rainforest Alliance</a> and <a href="https://www.green-tourism.com/pages/home">Green Tourism</a> (UK) are all great indicators. Pictured here is Six Senses Fiji, which is renowned for its sustainability efforts.</p>

Opt for accommodation with eco credentials and a responsible ethos

Look for accommodations that employ local people, serve locally sourced food and have a written environmental policy: this could include things such as how they deal with wastewater, their approach to heating/cooling the premises and/or their involvement in local conservation projects. Accreditations including those from the US Green Building Council (look out for properties that are LEED certified), the Rainforest Alliance and Green Tourism (UK) are all great indicators. Pictured here is Six Senses Fiji, which is renowned for its sustainability efforts.

<p>As with hotels, your choice of tour operator can have a significant impact on the destination you’re visiting. Operators like <a href="https://www.gadventures.com/">G Adventures</a>, for instance, work closely with local communities, hire local guides and champion local accommodation (such as homestays). Choosing these types of tours ensures more of your money will go back into the local economy, rather than to a travel industry behemoth from abroad. By spending time with those who live there, you’ll also have a better understanding of the place you’re visiting.</p>

Go local when it comes to tours

As with hotels, your choice of tour operator can have a significant impact on the destination you’re visiting. Operators like G Adventures, for instance, work closely with local communities, hire local guides and champion local accommodation (such as homestays). Choosing these types of tours ensures more of your money will go back into the local economy, rather than to a travel industry behemoth from abroad. By spending time with those who live there, you’ll also have a better understanding of the place you’re visiting.

<p>Before you settle on a tour operator, do some research into their green credentials. Find out, for example, if they’ve abolished single-use plastic, if they use green forms of transport, or if they’re heavily involved with/donate to local conservation efforts and environmental projects. Check they carry out their tours responsibly too, being mindful of fragile ecosystems (including in national parks and marine habitats such as the Great Barrier Reef) and respectful of local communities and wildlife.</p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/galleries/94665/these-images-show-the-true-impact-of-plastics-on-our-oceans?page=1">These images show the impact of plastic on our oceans</a></strong></p>

Do your homework before you book a tour

Before you settle on a tour operator, do some research into their green credentials. Find out, for example, if they’ve abolished single-use plastic, if they use green forms of transport, or if they’re heavily involved with/donate to local conservation efforts and environmental projects. Check they carry out their tours responsibly too, being mindful of fragile ecosystems (including in national parks and marine habitats such as the Great Barrier Reef) and respectful of local communities and wildlife.

The responsibility doesn’t sit squarely on the tour operator’s shoulders, though. Even if your tour falls short when it comes to sustainability, you can still take steps to ensure your visit leaves as little an impact as possible. Take any trash with you and (though it might be tempting to sneak a souvenir) leave natural phenomena including shells, coral and rocks where you found them. If you’re traveling independently, stick to the trails and keep a safe distance from wild animals.

Leave no trace

<p>If you’ve embarked on a tour that you feel has some legwork to do when it comes to sustainability, don’t be afraid to say so – and, if you can, encourage your fellow tour-goers to do the same. After all, if a company knows that tourists value responsible and sustainable travel, they’re much more likely to prioritize it in the future.</p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/galleries/159756/destinations-which-dont-want-tourists-forbidden-city-rome-italy?page=1">These destinations are limiting mass tourism – here's how</a></strong></p>

Give constructive feedback

If you’ve embarked on a tour that you feel has some legwork to do when it comes to sustainability, don’t be afraid to say so – and, if you can, encourage your fellow tour-goers to do the same. After all, if a company knows that tourists value responsible and sustainable travel, they’re much more likely to prioritize it in the future.

<p>Especially if you’re an animal lover, you may be tempted to get up close to wildlife on your travels – but, as a general rule, wildlife-watching tours that allow visitors to pet, feed or even ride wild animals do not have the creatures’ best interests at heart. These experiences can also pose a danger to tourists. Elephant rides, which put physical and mental strain on the animal, are a definite no-no, as are experiences where creatures (such as captive bears, dolphins or orcas) are trained to dance or perform tricks.</p>

Know which animal experiences to avoid

Especially if you’re an animal lover, you may be tempted to get up close to wildlife on your travels – but, as a general rule, wildlife-watching tours that allow visitors to pet, feed or even ride wild animals do not have the creatures’ best interests at heart. These experiences can also pose a danger to tourists. Elephant rides, which put physical and mental strain on the animal, are a definite no-no, as are experiences where creatures (such as captive bears, dolphins or orcas) are trained to dance or perform tricks.

<p>It’s still possible to have incredible wildlife experiences on your travels, though. Swap tours that manipulate animal behavior for those that allow you to see creatures in their natural habitat. Make sure your tour is operated by expert local guides with strict guidelines (including maintaining a safe distance from animals), and plump for those that operate in smaller groups to minimize impact on the wildlife. Responsible Travel has <a href="https://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/wildlife">a huge curated collection</a> of ethical wildlife tours around the world, from spotting polar bears in Churchill, Canada to tigers in northern India.</p>

Be choosy when it comes to wildlife tours

It’s still possible to have incredible wildlife experiences on your travels, though. Swap tours that manipulate animal behavior for those that allow you to see creatures in their natural habitat. Make sure your tour is operated by expert local guides with strict guidelines (including maintaining a safe distance from animals), and plump for those that operate in smaller groups to minimize impact on the wildlife. Responsible Travel has a huge curated collection of ethical wildlife tours around the world, from spotting polar bears in Churchill, Canada to tigers in northern India.

<p>Genuine sanctuaries are there to care for animals that have been orphaned, rescued or injured, and are not there to entertain humans. That means you should be suspicious of places that allow visitors any sort of direct contact with the animals or have extra-long visiting hours. Reputable sanctuaries will generally not breed animals and will house them in large spaces as close to their natural habitat as possible. Look for accreditation from the <a href="https://www.sanctuaryfederation.org/">Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS)</a>, whose members must adhere to a strict code.</p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/news/145246/thailand-elephant-sanctuaries-elephant-nature-park-thailand-om-koi-evolution-responsible-tourism">Discover how tourism can support Thailand’s ethical elephant sanctuaries</a></strong></p>

Visit animal sanctuaries

Genuine sanctuaries are there to care for animals that have been orphaned, rescued or injured, and are not there to entertain humans. That means you should be suspicious of places that allow visitors any sort of direct contact with the animals or have extra-long visiting hours. Reputable sanctuaries will generally not breed animals and will house them in large spaces as close to their natural habitat as possible. Look for accreditation from the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), whose members must adhere to a strict code. 

<p>Done the right way, visiting Native communities can be an enriching experience for both parties – a chance for the traveler to learn about a new culture, and for the Indigenous peoples to share their heritage and traditions and earn money while doing so (pictured here are the Himba women of Namibia performing a dance at dusk). Done the wrong way, however, it can become an exercise in exploitation. Funds will likely fall into the hands of outside companies, rather than Native peoples themselves, and your visit will probably pass without any meaningful or beneficial exchange with the local community. </p>

Be mindful when visiting Indigenous communities

Done the right way, visiting Native communities can be an enriching experience for both parties – a chance for the traveler to learn about a new culture, and for the Indigenous peoples to share their heritage and traditions and earn money while doing so (pictured here are the Himba women of Namibia performing a dance at dusk). Done the wrong way, however, it can become an exercise in exploitation. Funds will likely fall into the hands of outside companies, rather than Native peoples themselves, and your visit will probably pass without any meaningful or beneficial exchange with the local community. 

<p>To avoid this, make sure you choose your tour operator carefully. Ask questions about the Indigenous community’s involvement in setting up the tourism project and how they benefit from it; read the company’s responsible tourism policy (if they don’t have one, that’s a red flag); and ensure that the Native community fully consents to you being there. When on the ground, listen carefully to information about local customs and respect these at all times. Pictured here is a scene from the 26th Annual Kahnawake Mohawk Pow Wow, held on the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in 2016. </p>

To avoid this, make sure you choose your tour operator carefully. Ask questions about the Indigenous community’s involvement in setting up the tourism project and how they benefit from it; read the company’s responsible tourism policy (if they don’t have one, that’s a red flag); and ensure that the Native community fully consents to you being there. When on the ground, listen carefully to information about local customs and respect these at all times. Pictured here is a scene from the 26th Annual Kahnawake Mohawk Pow Wow, held on the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in 2016. 

<p>In an age of smartphones and selfies, it’s all too easy to snap a quick pic without consideration for its subject. But, especially when visiting Indigenous communities, you should always ask first. You’ll ultimately get much more from the exchange if you do. It was also reported that, between 2011 and 2017, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-45745982">259 people died</a> in their quest to take a selfie. Needless to say, that Instagram-perfect shot of you perched precariously on a cliff or jumping into a lake without knowing its depth is simply not worth it.</p>

Be a considerate photographer

In an age of smartphones and selfies, it’s all too easy to snap a quick pic without consideration for its subject. But, especially when visiting Indigenous communities, you should always ask first. You’ll ultimately get much more from the exchange if you do. It was also reported that, between January 2008 and July 2021, that at least 379 people died in their quest to take a selfie. Needless to say, that Instagram-perfect shot of you perched precariously on a cliff or jumping into a lake without knowing its depth is simply not worth it.

<p>While it’s natural to want to “give something back” on your travels, the reality is – unless you have a specific and required skill set – your contribution could do more harm than good, ultimately taking work from local people or perpetuating neo-colonialism. Much has been written, for example, about the detrimental effects of <a href="https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/to-do-orphanage-tourism-blog/">volunteering in orphanages</a>. There are other ways to have a positive impact on the communities you’re visiting, though. Check out initiatives such as <a href="https://www.packforapurpose.org/">Pack for a Purpose</a>, which advises travelers with space in their suitcase on the specific supplies needed by local communities.</p>

Be wary of "voluntourism" initiatives

While it’s natural to want to “give something back” on your travels, the reality is – unless you have a specific and required skill set – your contribution could do more harm than good, ultimately taking work from local people or perpetuating neo-colonialism. Much has been written, for example, about the detrimental effects of volunteering in orphanages. There are other ways to have a positive impact on the communities you’re visiting, though. Check out initiatives such as Pack for a Purpose, which advises travelers with space in their suitcase on the specific supplies needed by local communities.

<p>There’s no escaping the fact that giant cruise ships can have a negative impact on both the environment and the communities they’re visiting –Venice has even placed a ban on cruise ships entering its historic city center. But some lines fare better than others when it comes to sustainability – and, if you're planning a cruise, it’s worth seeking them out. Hurtigruten, for example, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/articles/hurtigrutens-battery-powered-ms-roald-amundsen-sets-sail/">launched the world’s first hybrid-powered cruise ship</a> in 2019, while Havila Voyages' fleet can sail on battery power for four hours with zero emissions.</p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/news/174240/arctic-circle-cruise-havila-voyages-havila-castor-northern-lights-eco-cruising">Learn more about Havila Voyages, the eco-conscious Arctic cruise line</a></strong></p>

Choose your cruise liner with care

There’s no escaping the fact that giant cruise ships can have a negative impact on both the environment and the communities they’re visiting – Venice has even placed a ban on cruise ships entering its historic city center. But some lines fare better than others when it comes to sustainability – and, if you're planning a cruise, it’s worth seeking them out. Hurtigruten, for example, launched the world’s first hybrid-powered cruise ship in 2019, while Havila Voyages' fleet can sail on battery power for four hours with zero emissions.

If you’ve got sea legs, opt for a small-cruise vacation – the environmental impact of a smaller ship is much less, and they also allow you to visit more remote destinations that can’t accommodate large liners. There are fewer facilities on board and that means travelers are much more likely to spend time and money in the destination they’re visiting – rather than hopping off a giant cruise ship for an ice cream and a whistle-stop tour.

Consider a small-cruise holiday

<p>A delicious way to sample a destination’s culture – and benefit the local community you’re visiting – is to eat local. Abandon global chains and resort restaurants in favor of locally owned cafĂ©s, restaurants and street-food stalls that champion local produce and ingredients. You’ll be injecting your tourist dollars directly into that region's economy, and the food won’t have traveled for thousands of miles to your restaurant of choice either. Here men cook takoyaki, a traditional street food in Osaka, Japan.</p>

A delicious way to sample a destination’s culture – and benefit the local community you’re visiting – is to eat local. Abandon global chains and resort restaurants in favor of locally owned cafĂ©s, restaurants and street-food stalls that champion local produce and ingredients. You’ll be injecting your tourist pounds or dollars directly into that region's economy, and the food won’t have traveled for thousands of miles to your restaurant of choice either. Here men cook takoyaki, a traditional street food in Osaka, Japan.

The same goes for shopping. Don’t fill your luggage with cheap keyrings or emblazoned mugs from the hotel gift shop. Instead, support local makers by buying handcrafted items from independent businesses and local markets. One thing to be aware of, though: travelers should avoid buying “wildlife products” made from unsustainable (and unethically sourced) materials, such as coral and ivory. Be sure to ask questions and, if you’re unsure, leave it behind.

Shop local too

<p>Reduce the amount of single-use plastic you get through by making room for some reusable items in your suitcase. Staples include a reusable water bottle or canteen, a reusable coffee cup and a reusable shopping bag. Dispose of any excess packaging on new clothing or travel gear before you reach your destination too – it’s best to get rid of any trash where you’re familiar with the recycling and waste-disposal practices.</p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/gallerylist/86221/amazing-tourist-destinations-being-ruined-by-trash">These amazing tourist destinations are being ruined by trash</a></strong></p>

Be smart when it comes to plastic

Reduce the amount of single-use plastic you get through by making room for some reusable items in your suitcase. Staples include a reusable water bottle or canteen, a reusable coffee cup and a reusable shopping bag. Dispose of any excess packaging on new clothing or travel gear before you reach your destination too – it’s best to get rid of any rubbish where you’re familiar with the recycling and waste-disposal practices.

<p>Even if the tap water at your destination is undrinkable, you can still avoid purchasing multiple single-use plastic bottles. Beyond filling up on filtered water at your accommodation, you can also invest in water purification tablets or a water-filtering system of your own – <a href="https://www.katadyn.com/us/us/36839-SPPF-MP-Classic+3">Katadyn’s Steripen Classic 3</a> comes highly recommended.</p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/news/87233/travel-tech-better-your-trip-with-the-coolest-gadgets">Improve your next trip with these travel gadgets</a></strong></p>

Filter your own water

Even if the tap water at your destination is undrinkable, you can still avoid purchasing multiple single-use plastic bottles. Beyond filling up on filtered water at your accommodation, you can also invest in water purification tablets or a water-filtering system of your own – Katadyn’s Steripen Classic 3 comes highly recommended.

<p>The sun is shining and you’ve slathered on plenty of factor 50 to avoid a pink nose and peeling skin. But did you know that some ingredients used in sunscreens are harmful to marine life such as corals? Two of the main offenders are chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, so steer clear of sunblocks that contain these if possible. The offering from eco-conscious brand <a href="https://www.greenpeople.co.uk/">Green People</a> is a top pick. </p>  <p><strong><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/galleries/71959/the-best-free-attraction-in-every-state?page=1">Check out the best free attraction in every US state</a></strong></p>

Use ocean-friendly sunscreen

The sun is shining and you’ve slathered on plenty of factor 50 to avoid a pink nose and peeling skin. But did you know that some ingredients used in sunscreens are harmful to marine life such as corals? Two of the main offenders are chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, so steer clear of sunblocks that contain these if possible. The offering from eco-conscious brand Green People is a top pick. 

<p>Organizations like <a href="http://www.responsibletravel.com/copy/should-all-inclusive-holidays-be-banned">Responsible Travel</a> have spoken out about the negative impacts of all-inclusive resorts. Belly-busting buffets discourage guests from dining at local restaurants and travelers are less likely to prize themselves away from the pool to go in search of local attractions or tours. This means that mammoth resorts, usually owned by overseas companies, guzzle up money from tourists that could be going into the local community. However, experts also argue that all-inclusive resorts might be a <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/all-inclusive-resorts-sustainable-travel/index.html">highly sustainable way</a> to accommodate mass tourism – when done right.</p>

Avoid all-inclusive resorts? The jury is still out

Organizations like Responsible Travel have spoken out about the negative impacts of all-inclusive resorts. Belly-busting buffets discourage guests from dining at local restaurants and travelers are less likely to prize themselves away from the pool to go in search of local attractions or tours. This means that mammoth resorts, usually owned by overseas companies, guzzle up money from tourists that could be going into the local community. However, experts also argue that all-inclusive resorts might be a  highly sustainable way  to accommodate mass tourism – when done right.

<p>We all do it – posting travel snaps on social media to 100-plus followers, gushing about how “idyllic” a place is. It may feel innocent at first, but it could result in more harm than we realize. <em>The Last Tourist</em>, a new documentary exec-produced by G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip, shows how word-of-mouth can turn once-unspoilt havens into destinations overrun with tourism. So, instead of sharing exactly where we go, maybe we can use our voices to transmit messages of more ethical, sustainable ways to travel instead. Remember: chase the experience; not the photograph.</p>

Think about how and what you share with others

We all do it – posting travel snaps on social media to 100-plus followers, gushing about how “idyllic” a place is. It may feel innocent at first, but it could result in more harm than we realize.  The Last Tourist , a new documentary exec-produced by G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip, shows how word-of-mouth can turn once-unspoilt havens into destinations overrun with tourism. So, instead of sharing exactly where we go, maybe we can use our voices to transmit messages of more ethical, sustainable ways to travel instead. Remember: chase the experience; not the photograph.

<p>While it’s only natural to want to soak up all the creature comforts that come with being on holiday, we also need to be mindful of the ripple effect our overindulgence can have on the places we visit and their people. For example, taking more showers – especially in destinations prone to drought – isn’t ideal. Not only does the actual act of showering or bathing use more water, but the resources required to launder fresh towels is considerable too, so refuse housekeeping when possible. After all, would you use a new towel every day if you were at home?</p>

Check your unconscious consumption

While it’s only natural to want to soak up all the creature comforts that come with being on holiday, we also need to be mindful of the ripple effect our overindulgence can have on the places we visit and their people. For example, taking more showers – especially in destinations prone to drought – isn’t ideal. Not only does the actual act of showering or bathing use more water, but the resources required to launder fresh towels is considerable too, so refuse housekeeping when possible. After all, would you use a new towel every day if you were at home?

<p>One of the best – and often most rewarding – ways to travel more sustainably is to rediscover the charms of your home country. A "staycation" means you'll have no need to take that long-haul flight, instantly lowering the carbon footprint of your vacation, and you'll no doubt save some money too. You just might be surprised by the hidden attractions you uncover on home soil. </p>  <p><a href="https://www.loveexploring.com/news/88824/5-ways-to-reduce-the-carbon-footprint-of-your-holiday-go-green-eco-travel"><strong>Now read on for five ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your vacation</strong></a></p>

Become a tourist in your own backyard

One of the best – and often most rewarding – ways to travel more sustainably is to rediscover the charms of your home country. A "staycation" means you'll have no need to take that long-haul flight, instantly lowering the carbon footprint of your holiday, and you'll no doubt save some money too. You just might be surprised by the hidden attractions you uncover on home soil. 

Now read on for 31 ways humans are negatively impacting Planet Earth

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Smart Tourism Technologies’ Ambidexterity: Balancing Tourist’s Worries and Novelty Seeking for Travel Satisfaction

1 College of Business, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL USA

C. Derrick Huang

Chul woo yoo.

2 College of Hotel & Tourism Management, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea

Tourists deal with two intrinsic, uncertainty-driven attributes of travel, tourist worries and novelty seeking, that simultaneously affect their transaction and travel experience satisfaction. Rapid technological advances coupled with uncertainties caused by momentous events such as COVID-19 highlight the increasing significance of smart technologies in the tourism industry. This study explores the relationships between novelty and worries and travel satisfaction, as well as examines how tourists enhance their quality of trips with the use of smart tourism technologies. We find the tourists’ novelty seeking would enhance the trip experience, leading to overall travel satisfaction. In contrast, tourist worries, particularly in trip planning, would negatively affect tourists’ transaction satisfaction, which in turn impacts the overall travel experience satisfaction. As a moderator in its ambidextrous role, smart tourism technologies help tourists to develop a sense of novelty when planning and visiting a destination and mitigate the worries emanated from the uncertainty of transaction made during the pre-trip planning. Insights and implications of such findings are discussed for both theory and practice.

Introduction

Travel involves the notion of “departure,” where people leave their normal place of work and residence for short periods of time for a limited breaking with established routines and practices of everyday life and allowing one’s senses to engage with a set of stimuli that contrast with the everyday and the mundane (Urry, 1990 ). The fact of departure from the relatively certain routine practices to an unfamiliar situation inevitably brings aspects of abnormal, uncertain environment which might otherwise remain opaque. Such uncertainties simultaneously give rise to an intriguing tension between novelty and worry in travel. On one hand, consuming travel goods and services would supposedly generate pleasurable experiences that are different from those typically encountered in everyday life. It speaks to us in ways that we look at the environment with interest and curiosity when we go away or at least as we anticipate doing so. On the other hand, travel, being the departure from familiarity and routines, inevitably causes tourists to worry (Jin et al., 2016 ; Larsen et al., 2009 ). In order for travel to happen, for example, purchasing and consumption of goods (e.g., luggage, travel gears and apparels, etc.) and services (flights, hotels, meals, admission tickets, etc.) is necessary. Such transactions are less certain than what people make on a daily basis and represent risks to tourists in the form of potential overpayment, incorrect purchases, ineffective arrangements, and so on. Advancing this view, we posit that travel by nature inevitably puts tourists in a situation where they simultaneously deal with worries and novelty seeking. In other words, while tourists would be worried about uncertainties in trip planning and booking, some level of “unknown” can be interesting for novelty seekers (Kim & Kim, 2015 ; Larsen et al., 2009 ) as it enriches their travel experience and satisfaction (Prebensen & Xie, 2017 ).

The literature has long identified and confirmed that these two uncertainty-related issues—tourist worries (Baron et al., 2000 ; Jin et al., 2016 ; Larsen et al., 2009 ) and novelty seeking (Assaker & Hallak, 2013 ; Jang & Feng, 2007 ; Kim & Kim, 2015 ; Toyama & Yamada, 2012 )—significantly affect tourists’ travel experience and satisfaction. The effort required to balance these two conflicting issues may discount the value of travel experience, as both cognitive and emotional control constitutes subjective costs, biasing choices away from effortful actions (Jin et al., 2016 ; Larsen et al., 2009 ). Literature in individual psychology also suggest that facing such conflicting expectations is considered aversive, since recruiting cognitive control to resolve conflict is effortful (cf., Freeston et al., 1994 ). Therefore, it is important to identify ways tourists can simultaneously address these two intrinsically conflicting, uncertainty-driven attributes of travel, and we posit that information technologies could be used in the contexts of cognitive effort involved in resolving such conflicts. Rapid technological advances coupled with uncertainties caused by momentous events such as COVID-19 highlight the increasing significance of smart technologies in the tourism industry. However, while smart tourism technologies (STT) have served as a key mechanism for managing against risks (Huang et al., 2017 ; Yoo et al., 2017 ) and enhancing tourists’ experience and satisfaction (Narangajavana Kaosiri et al., 2019 ; Narangajavana et al., 2017 ), the specific ways and mechanisms of STT tourists use to cope with these two uncertainty-driven factors simultaneously have not been empirically studied.

To bridge this critical gap, this current study sets out novelty seeking (defined as the individual’s drive to explore contrast between present perception and past experience ) and tourist worries (defined as the individual’s attempt to engage in mental problem-solving regarding tourist trip-related issues where outcomes are thought to be uncertain and contain possibilities for negative results ) as distinct concepts and explicitly explores the relationships between them and travel satisfaction. Specifically, the current study raises the question if the tourists’ novelty seeking enhance the trip experience and the travel satisfaction while at the same time tourist worries negatively affect tourists’ the overall travel experience and satisfaction.

Furthermore, this study attempts to investigate the facilitating role of smart tourism technologies as travelers deal with worries and novelty simultaneously. To this end, we intend to examine how tourists enhances the travel experience with the STT’s ambidexterity, defined as STT’s ability to mitigate worries from uncertainty when arranging and purchasing travel products/services while simultaneously allowing tourists to seek novelty in the trips . We examine how the STT’s ambidexterity takes place in trip satisfaction, how STT usage can mitigate worries during trip planning online (transaction satisfaction), and how it can encourage tourists to expand the expectations and experiences by seeking novelty and variety (Assaker & Hallak, 2013 ; Kahn, 1995 ; Kim & Kim, 2015 ). To empirically investigate STT’s ambidexterity in enriching travel experience and satisfaction, we model STT as a moderator in the relationships between tourists’ worries in the travel planning and their travel experiences and between tourists’ novelty seeking and their travel experiences.

Using the survey data collected from a travel club in South Korea, we conduct an individual-level study that offers important contributions to the current literature on smart tourism. First, we theorize and empirically confirm that there exists tension between positive and negative concerns in travel emanating from the uncertainty in tourists’ interactions with travel goods and services. Tourists attempt to address these uncertainty-driven concerns by using STT in pursuit of their travel satisfaction. This theoretical perspective is particularly appropriate in the era of smart tourism because STT are considered to be a means of facilitating tourist-information interactions (Gretzel et al., 2015 ; Ho et al., 2015 ; Werthner & Klein, 1999 ; Yuan et al., 2019 ). Second, we specify and examine the moderating roles of STT, yielding insights into potential ambidextrous effects of STT on two uncertainty-driven factors that directly affect individual tourists’ travel transaction and travel experience satisfaction. Given that prior research has primarily used the technology adoption perspective to examine the direct influence of STT on travel satisfaction (e.g., Chen & Chou, 2019 ; Huang et al., 2017 ; Prebensen & Xie, 2017 ; Ukpabi & Karjaluoto, 2017 ), our work contributes to the literature by deepening the understanding of situations under which the STT’s ambidexterity process takes place and offers actionable and prescriptive advice to travel agencies and providers regarding the management of tourists’ uncertainty with travel.

Research Background

Travel satisfaction and smart tourism technologies.

Smart tourism technologies, or STT, in this study refer to any forms of technologies that are associated with interconnection, synchronization, and concerted use for travel (Gretzel et al., 2015 ) and can include smartphone apps, websites of online travel agencies, destination smart infrastructure, to name a few. Literature suggests that STT aggregate and harness data derived from physical infrastructure, social connections, government/organizational sources, and human bodies/minds in combination with the use of advanced technologies to transform tourist’s travel experiences. Consistent with the conceptualization by Huang et al. ( 2017 ) and Yoo et al. ( 2017 ), we view that STT constitute four key attributes—informativeness, accessibility, interactivity and personalization—which tourists leverage for information search, transaction, communication, and content generation so as to enhance the usability and perceived usefulness of the technologies. Studies in smart tourism generally recognize that STT support the travel planning process by providing relevant information and services to users in an interactive manner, thereby facilitating tourist’s informed decision that can lead to the enhanced travel satisfaction.

Satisfaction is judgement that a user or consumer makes whether a product or service, in this case a tourism product/service attribute and/or entire trip, offers a reasonable level of fulfillment when consumed (Oliver, 1993 ). Satisfaction involves a continuing evaluation of a product, service, or an experience, based on the difference between the expected level and the actual level of performance of the product/service/experience (Oliver, 1997 ). In forming the decision on satisfaction, both cognitions (expectations and performance) and emotions can play a significant role (del Bosque & San Martín, 2008 ; Oliver, 1993 ). Extending this concept to the context of this research, we regard travel satisfaction as the perception affected by fulfilling the gap between the expected performance of travel products and services and what a tourist actually experiences on the trip.

Research has found that smart tourism technologies play an important role in travel planning and tourism experience (Gretzel et al., 2015 ; Koo et al., 2017 ; Lee et al., 2015 ). One stream of such research focuses on the influence of STT, which include all forms of online tourism applications, information sources (e.g., online travel agents, personal blogs, public websites, company websites, social media, smartphone apps) and other smart technologies (i.e., artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and Internet of Things), on different aspects of travel such as pre-travel planning, decisions, and purchasing of trips (Jeong & Shin, 2020 ; Kim et al., 2011 ; Yoo et al., 2017 ; Yoo et al., 2009 ), the expressing of loyalty (Wang et al., 2019 ), the triggering of electronic work-of-mouth (eWOM) (Luo & Zhong, 2015 ), customer engagement (Lee et al., 2021 ), and attitudinal factors (Gretzel et al., 2006 ; Huang et al., 2017 ). Recently, smart tourism studies have turned the attention to examining the STT’s role in tourists’ travel experiences. For example, various studies focus on discovering the relationship between STT and trip expectation (Narangajavana et al., 2017 ), place experience (Azis et al., 2020 ; Chung et al., 2017 ; Tussyadiah & Fesenmaier, 2009 ), and tourist satisfaction (Narangajavana Kaosiri et al., 2019 ). In the planning phase, it is theorized that four attributes of online tourism information sources—accessibility, information reliability, interaction, and personalization—are key to planning a trip (No & Kim, 2015 ). Travelers have found the Internet to be useful for all categories of travel decisions such as the destinations to visit, the locations to stay, and the activities to take on (Xiang et al., 2014 ). And new media such as social networks and smartphones help travelers to extend the focus of information search for travel decisions from travel products and services to information to improve travel experience (Chung & Koo, 2015 ; Wang et al., 2012 ; Xiang & Gretzel, 2010 ; Xiang et al., 2014 ).

In addition to the actual experience, travel satisfaction can be influenced by initial expectation and online searching and the arrangements and purchases of travel products and services such as flight, hotels, tours, tickets, etc. when travelers use STT for trip planning (Constantin, 2012 ; Filieri et al., 2015 ; Tseng, 2017 ). Such transactions are a significant part of travelers’ engagement in STT as an e-commerce platform for travel products and services, and, as such, we also separately examine “transaction satisfaction” as part of the overall travel experience satisfaction. To define transaction satisfaction in smart tourism, the current study refers to Buhalis’s notion of e-tourism that “reflects the digitalization of all processes and value chains in the tourism, travel, hospitality and catering industries” ( 2003 , p. 6). Based on this notion, forming satisfaction judgment for using STT for travel planning and transactions involves not only the purchasing and browsing experience on the e-tourism sites at the time of transactions but also the stages preceding and following the purchases. Thus, the current study defines the transaction satisfaction based on the comparison between pre-purchase expectations and post-purchase performance of the travel-related products/services, as well as the consumer online purchasing experience of the products/services.

Tourist Worries

To consume tourism products and services, travelers must leave their home location and move to a geographical different place and engage in activities different from their routines, bringing about some degree of uncertainty and unpredictability, especially at the stage of planning a trip. This leads to tourist worry, defined as “the individual’s attempt to engage in mental problem-solving regarding tourist trip-related issues where outcomes are thought to be uncertain and contain possibilities for negative results” (Larsen et al., 2009 , 261). Worry is different from risk; while risk measures the potential impact of certain adverse events (as the product of the probability of such events happening and the magnitude of their consequences), worry is a relatively uncontrollable chain of thought as a function of uncertainty concerning possible negative future events (Borkovec, 1994 ; Freeston et al., 1994 ). Tourist worries emanate from the uncertainty that tourists face when they cannot foresee the consequences of their purchase decisions (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2000 ). Perception of travel risk generates a feeling of anxiety (Reisinger and Mavondo 2005) and fear of unknown consequences (Dowling and Staelin 1994), which leads to tourist worries.

There are many worry-inducing factors, such as health and safety during a trip, financial costs associated with package tours, flights, accommodation, attractions, and activities, ability to complete the trip as planned, and so on. In particular, people tend to worry mostly about whether reservations and tickets may contain mistakes as compared to dangerous hazard, and the level of worry tend to be higher during trip planning than traveling in situ (Larsen et al., 2009 ). This study focuses on tourist worry also because it has positive effects in helping people finding better ways of doing things and determining priorities relative to the different strategies for reducing uncertainty (Baron et al., 2000 ).

Because tourism is an experiential good, travelers cannot try out or even perceive the quality of a trip in advance. Such uncertainty at the planning stage naturally leads tourists to worry about purchasing tourism products/services, because decisions can only made based on descriptions available (Werthner & Klein, 1999 ), and that it is difficult, if not impossible, to evaluate the value for money before the actual experience (Quintal et al., 2010 ). Worries can arise in the service process of travel bookings, be it through travel agencies, websites, or other intermediaries. For instance, when using an online booking service, travelers need to be presented with necessary information (e.g., user instructions and status updates) to accomplish service tasks (e.g., reservation for local events) and keep track of the service workflow (e.g., checking refund status). If information provided is incomplete or even incorrect, travelers may worry about if the desired services are booked correctly and if they will receive the service accordingly. Worries can also arise from the service-delivery channels themselves, such as the reliability of the service providers or the vulnerability associated with online transactions (e.g., technical problems and security risks). Taken together, tourist worries are likely to have a significant impact on travelers’ satisfaction towards travel-related transactions.

We can further examine the role of tourist worries through the lens of the uncertainty reduction theory (Berger, 1986 ; Berger & Calabrese, 1974 ), which posits that individuals employ three general categories of information-seeking strategies—passive, active, and interactive—to reduce uncertainty and increase the other party’s predictability. Passive strategies involve unobtrusive observations of target individuals to obtain information about them. Active strategies involve seeking information from third parties or through manipulation of the target person’s environment. Interactive strategies involve obtaining information directly from the target person through such communication methods as interrogation and self-disclosure. Although the concept of uncertainty reduction originates in interpersonal communication, it is also applicable to consumer service (e.g., Choudhury et al., 1998 ; Murray, 1991 ; Siehl et al., 1992 ), which is often characterized by incomplete and ambiguous information or evidence that consumers must use in evaluating the service (Siehl et al., 1992 ). In this sense, travelers worried about uncertainty in trip planning and travel transactions would attempt to determine the priorities and strategies of uncertainty reduction leading to an increase in predictability of the behavior of the other party (e.g. travel agents, tour providers, online reservation systems, etc.), which in turn decreases one’s worries of the interaction (Baron et al., 2000 ).

Because purchasing of travel products and services is considered risky (Huang et al., 2010 ), an active uncertainty strategy such as extensive information search can reduce worry about the risks associated with travel and thus enhance the quality of experience (Money & Crotts, 2003 ). Based on the conceptualization of tourist worries and the uncertainty reduction theory, we identify smart tourism technological attributes—i.e., informativeness, accessibility, interactivity, and personalization—that contribute to the means of tourist worry reduction. Use of, for instance, review sites such as TripAdvisor and virtual product experience in travel-related websites can help increase predictability of actual experiences from pre-travel arrangements as a major coping means of tourist worries. This need is in sync with the trend that STT play an increasingly important role in all phases of travel planning, such as pre-travel planning and decisions (Gretzel & Yoo, 2008 ; Yoo et al., 2017 ) and the final destination choices (Luo & Zhong, 2015 ).

Novelty Seeking in Travel

The notion of uncertainty often has negative connotations, but in the case of travel, uncertainty can bring about positive impact. A critical aspect of tourism and travel is that “they supposedly generate pleasurable experience which are different from those typically encountered in everyday life…When we go away, we look at the environment with interest and curiosity” (Urry, 1990 , p.1). In other words, travelers look for “novelty,” which is generally defined as the degree of contrast between perception at present and experience in the past (Pearson, 1970 ). The six dimensions of the novelty construct of a tourist (Lee & Crompton, 1992 ) —change from routine, escape, thrill, adventure, surprise, and boredom alleviation—are all associated, albeit with varying degrees, with the uncertainty nature of travel. Many tourists actively take advantage of such uncertainties and seek novelty in their choices to travel through, for instance, enjoyment in meeting people from other cultures and unexpected types of facilities and attractions of interest; they may purposely engage in “adventure tourism,” in which they step away from their usual, comfortable settings and explore the unique features of the local culture and environment. From a consumer marketing perspective, consumers have a desire for novelty or complexity in making choices (Kahn, 1995 ). In this study, we adopt the definition of novelty seeking as the individual’s drive to explore contrast between present perception and past experience (Cohen, 1979 ; Jang & Feng, 2007 ; Pearson, 1970 ).

It is widely acknowledged that novelty seeking is a central component of travel motivation and, therefore, influences tourists’ decision-making process (Assaker & Hallak, 2013 ; Kim & Kim, 2015 ; Toyama & Yamada, 2012 ). Prior research has shown that the travel experience meeting or exceeding the expectations for novelty can positively impact a tourist travel satisfaction. Perhaps the most direct support comes from a study by Toyama and Yamada ( 2012 ), in which it is found that novelty plays an important role in tourists’ perception and contributes to overall satisfaction. At a deeper level, emotional arousal and sensing seeking, both related to novelty of a destination, are found to positive influence a tourist’s liminal experience (Zhang & Xu, 2019 ), and a perceived “coolness” of a destination is positively related to traveler satisfaction (Chen & Chou, 2019 ). As a result, novelty seeking positively influences a traveler’s intention to revisit a destination (Jang & Feng, 2007 ).

The use of smart tourism technologies is related to novelty seeking in several ways. Conceptually, the inherent novelty seeking desire and behavior are indistinguishable from inherent innovativeness (Hirschman, 1980 ), paving ways for new and different planning and consumption patterns such as STT. As argued by Jansson ( 2002 ), tourism gaze has become increasingly associated with the use of media images, and, as such, STT allow for consumer-governed arrangements more suitable to traveler demands (Kim et al., 2017 ; Volchek et al., 2020 ). This may be because individuals often seek to experience a “reality” (thus travel satisfaction) that they already have imagined in their search (use of STT for novel destinations/activities) (Urry, 1990 ). It is noted that social media and travel reviews play an important role prior to travel by offering ideas and making it easier to visualize the destination (Gretzel & Yoo, 2008 ) and thus often make travel planning more enjoyable and exciting (Amaro et al., 2016 ). Further, individuals motivated by novelty are likely to seek out new and potentially discrepant information (Hirschman, 1980 ). For instance, sensation-seeking travelers are more likely to obtain information via the Internet and purchase travel products online (Park & Stangl, 2020 ; Pizam et al., 2004 ), and those who prefer serendipitous travel are more likely to use on-the-fly, real-time information sources such as mobile phones (Huang et al., 2014 ). As a result, the use of STT can enhance travelers’ novelty seeking experience or activities, which can lead to higher level of satisfaction.

Research Model and Hypothesis

This current study views novelty seeking and tourist worries, both related to uncertainty, as distinct concepts and sets out to explicitly explore the relationships between these and travel satisfaction. In this context, smart tourism technologies play an ambidextrous role for travelers to develop and discover novel destinations and activities when planning a trip, while helping them mitigate the transaction worries emanated from uncertainty of booking and purchasing decisions made for a trip. Our research model is depicted in Fig.  1 .

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Research model

Tourists worry about trip-related issues with potentially negative outcomes such as crimes in the destinations and whether reservations may contain mistakes (Larsen et al., 2009 ). At the core of worry is an intolerance of uncertainty about future events, which is a common characteristic of travel products and services since they are intangible in nature and cannot be seen or inspected prior to purchase (Holloway, 2004 ; Huang et al., 2010 ; Lui, 2019 ). When tourists worry about the decisions that they have made for travel-related purchases (for instance, when a traveler reports that “I don’t feel comfortable with the reservations that I have just made.”), they experience the post-purchase cognitive dissonance as a result of apprehension of possible undesirable outcomes (Cooper & Fazio, 1984 ; Oliver, 1997 ; Tseng, 2017 ). And such post-purchase cognitive dissonance has been shown to increase consumer anxiety and, in turn, may reduce their satisfaction towards purchase decisions (Hofstede, 2001 ; Jin et al., 2008 ; Tseng, 2017 ). Therefore, we argue that,

  • H1a: Tourist worries is negatively related to transaction satisfaction.

Many risk factors, such as hazards related to political instability of the destination, strange food, culture barriers, and crime, can induce tourist worries (Lepp & Gibson, 2003 ). In addition to prompting travelers to take on uncertainty reduction strategies, worry, as a cognitive state of mind, causes anxiety toward travel that leads to preoccupation with precautionary behavior and may limit the traveler’s satisfaction of the activities at the destination (Abubakar & Mavondo, 2014 ). For instance, in a study of Chinese tourists to Australia, it is found that the more tourists worry, the more they need to cope emotionally (Wu et al., 2020 ). We thus posit that tourist worries contribute to limiting the enjoyment of the travel experience and overall satisfaction.

  • H1b: Tourist worries is negatively related to travel experience satisfaction.

Novelty Seeking

Seeking variety, complexity, and novelty is a common consumer behavior that lead to consumption stimulation, and the resulting emotional arousal is a key determinant for achieving recreation satisfaction (Floyd, 1997 ). Despite the intrinsic uncertainty of travel due to the departure from familiarity of home location and/or daily activities, travelers seek novelty in a trip to alleviate boredom, change from routines, and escape from reality (Lee & Crompton, 1992 ). This is a particularly important aspect in certain styles of travels. For instance, the positive arousal felt by amusement theme park visitors leads to pleasure and satisfaction (Bigné et al., 2005 ), and the perceived “coolness” positively impacts Generation Y’s place attachment and satisfaction towards particular destinations (Chen & Chou, 2019 ). Although the explorer- and drifter-type travelers may be the most willing to forego the comfort of familiarity and seek out novel experience (Basala & Klenosky, 2001 ), novelty seeking in general has been found to be a direct, positive antecedent of the mid-term intention to revisit a destination (Jang & Feng, 2007 ) and has a positive effect on overall satisfaction (Toyama & Yamada, 2012 ). Therefore, we posit that,

  • H2: Novelty seeking is positively related to travel experience satisfaction.

Smart Tourism Technologies’ Ambidexterity

Smart tourism technologies play an ambidextrous role for tourists to mitigate the worries emanated from uncertainty of decisions and purchases made during the pre-trip planning, w hile enhancing their novelty seeking experience. One of important attributes of STT is informativeness. The use of STT for the evaluation and purchase of travel products and services—a significant improvement over the traditional processes of searching and booking with travel agents—counters tourist worries as it acts as the most important information source as well as the most convenient channel for booking transactions. Because tourism goods and services are difficult to physically inspect prior to the purchase, travelers look for other indicators to help them evaluate their values (Korgaonkar and Karson, 2007) and search for and read online comments to seek support for their decision (Fan and Zhang, 2015). In addition, with their accessibility, interactivity, and personalization, STT provide personalized recommendations, evaluations, and reviews from others who have already consumed the same or similar products or services to help travelers find those that meet their specific needs (Zhou and Yang, 2019; Chen and Xie, 2008). STT can also alleviate worries about reliability and performance, as consumers respond strongly to the perceived trust when making online purchase decisions (Kim et al., 2012 ). As a result, travel-related goods and services have been a leading application of e-commerce (Werthner & Ricci, 2004 ), and STT have become an essential tool for all phases of travel bookings, from selecting destinations, searching for vendors, comparing prices, to completing transactions (Xiang et al., 2014 ; Yoo et al., 2017 ). As evidenced in past studies, using STT in travel planning may thus help tame tourist worries about travel booking and reservations by mitigating the uncertainty and anxiety of tourists (Pana et al., 2021 ); as such, the negative impact of worries on transaction satisfaction will be weaker as the degree of STT use increases. Therefore, we argue that,

  • H3a: STT positively moderates the relationship between tourist worries and transaction satisfaction.

STT allow travelers to find the places to visit and prepare for the experience via personal commentaries, content sharing, and other forms of communications (Chung et al., 2017 ; Narangajavana Kaosiri et al., 2019 ; Narangajavana et al., 2017 ). STT such as social media enable travelers to obtain relevant, personalized information about a trip and even consult with those who have already experienced that destination (Huang et al., 2017 ). For example, using smart tourism apps and services in the destinations can save tourists from worrying about safety (Pai et al., 2021 ). Because tourists can obtain useful information to counter their worries in the destination and make informed decisions in pre-trip planning, it is likely that they are more satisfied with the whole trip experience. Such acts can significantly reduce a traveler’s doubts and worries about a trip so that the negative impact of tourist worries on travel experience satisfaction will be weaker as the degree of STT use increases. We therefore posit that STT plays a moderating role in the relationship between tourist worries and travel experience satisfaction.

  • H3b: STT positively moderates the relationship between tourist worries and travel experience satisfaction.

Beyond using STT for travel transactions, tourists’ level of satisfaction when it comes novelty seeking can be amplified because STT can enhance their experience in both pre-trip searches of and actual encounters with novel locations and activities. For example, travelers increasingly use the Internet to search for destination activities such as hidden attractions and shopping detours to enhance the trip experience (Xiang et al., 2015 ). Social media allow for a richer, deeper, and more interactive research on various aspects of a trip, create expectations for a destination, and make travelers more excited about a trip (Gretzel et al., 2015 ; Narangajavana et al., 2017 ). Smartphones increase the value of the trip, let users “imagine” and plan for new and novel activities, and greatly enable serendipitous travel (Narangajavana Kaosiri et al., 2019 ; Narangajavana et al., 2017 ). And online shared photos and videos mediate tourist experience by stimulating fantasies and providing pleasurable memories (Bradley et al., 1992 ; Narangajavana Kaosiri et al., 2019 ; Tussyadiah & Fesenmaier, 2009 ). The use of STT in pursuit of novelty also leads to tourist happiness resulting in travel satisfaction (Shin et al., 2021 ) and thus destination revisit intention (Pai et al., 2020 ). All such uses of STT can lead to an exotic location, an on-the-go schedule, or an off-the-beaten-path activity, all of which can enhance the overall travel experience in a novel way so that the positive impact of novelty seeking on travel experience satisfaction will be strengthened as the degree of STT use increases. We therefore hypothesize:

  • H3c: STT positively moderates the relationship between novelty seeking and travel experience satisfaction.

Aforementioned studies suggest that STT have a positive impact on various phases of travel. It is done through both the exploitation and exploration use of the smart tourism technologies (Huang et al., 2017 ). The key attributes of STT—informativeness, accessibility, interactivity, and personalization—allow travelers to efficiently and effectively search tourism products and services and complete transactions, as well as plan for and manage trip itinerary. We therefore posit the explicit relationships between STT and the travel satisfactions:

  • H4a: STT is positively related to transaction satisfaction.
  • H4b: STT is positively related to travel experience satisfaction.

Transaction and Travel Experience Satisfaction

Among the most important task in the trip planning stage is to search for and complete reservations and bookings for travel products and services. As the service literature indicates, service quality is critical to the satisfaction of the service, which in turn leads to the satisfaction of the overall experience when the service is performed (Baker & Crompton, 2000 ; Neal et al., 1999 ; Otto & Ritchie, 1996 ). In the context of tourism, it is also found that satisfaction with travel/tourism experience is a positive function of satisfaction with pre-trip (and other) services (Neal et al. ( 1999 ). Therefore, we argue that a better experience in travel transactions would lead to a better experience of the whole trip:

  • H5: Transaction satisfaction is positively related to travel experience satisfaction.

Research Methods

Data collection.

Data was collected through a survey conducted on the members of one of the largest online travel clubs in Korea, which served as our sampling frame that allowed us to gain access to a large group of people who may hold diverse interests, attitudes, beliefs, and values regarding the travel. While convenient and cost effective, such sampling frame approach may concern with random sampling and nonresponse rate tracking due to the anonymous nature of the Internet. We followed Andrews et al.’s ( 2003 ) approach to overcome this issue and used sample and participant selection quality criteria to maintain the random sampling process within artificially defined sampling frame. Specifically, we first of all came up a list of travel clubs as the result of the key word search with “travel club” from one of the most widely used search engines in Korea. We adopted this list as our sampling frame for the study. Then, we applied the criteria of access (i.e., open access for public participation), size (i.e., the highest number of registered members), and activity (i.e., the most active in terms of the highest number of posts within the past 30 days) to further define the sampling population, from which the travel club was selected for this study. We followed this elaborated process to ensure that the selected travel club appropriately reflected the sampling population that fitted well with the current study context of smart tourism.

Next, with the support of the club administrator, an invitation to participation in the survey was posted in the general notice section. After the definition of STT provided in the survey questionnaire, we asked respondents to choose one STT to complete the survey. With two “reminder” posts in one week apart, we received a total of 325 responses, of which 319 responses were valid without missing values and thus used for the further analysis. The demographics of 319 responses are summarized in Table  1 . Overall, the demographic characteristics of respondents in the data indicated a good representation of STT user community and deemed appropriate for the further analysis.

Demographic characteristics of respondents (N = 319)

Operationalization of Constructs

All latent constructs in this research were measured using multi-items adapted from prior studies. We used seven-point Likert rating systems, from 1 being strongly disagree to 7 being strongly agree. Appendix A provides the specific items used in the survey.

Consistent with the tourism literature (cf., Lieber & Fesenmaier, 1985 ; Neal et al., 1999 ; Swan & Combs, 1976 ), our model of travel satisfaction discerns between the transaction satisfaction and the experience satisfaction. We used five items to measure travel experience satisfaction and four items to measure travel transaction satisfaction (Neal et al., 1999 ). To properly respond to the criticism of inefficacy of using the psychometric measure for capturing the degree of satisfaction in travel (c.f., Brown et al., 1993 ; Cronbach & Furby, 1970 ; Lord, 1963 ; Teas, 1993 ), we followed Baker and Crompton ( 2000 ) and Huang et al. ( 2017 ) by employing a subjective disconfirmation measure for both transaction and travel experience satisfaction. Specifically, respondents were asked to record a single score from their own evaluation of satisfaction directly against their desired satisfaction level.

Tourists’ worries should vary as a function of situational factors and depend on the individuals’ expectations and experiences of such factors. Three items were adopted from Larsen et al. ( 2009 ) to capture individual’s state of being a tourist that pertains to the various uncertainties when travelling, as opposed to a personal disposition or a trait, as measured in generalized worry. We adopted three items from Kim and Kim ( 2015 ) to substantively capture various dimensions of novelty seeking (cf., Lee & Crompton, 1992 ) involving an altered routine as well as new experience and discovery by pleasant surprises.

Consistent with Huang et al. ( 2017 ) and Yoo et al. ( 2017 ), we measured smart tourism technologies as a second order construct consisting of four first order constructs, namely i) personalization, ii) informativeness, iii) interactivity, and iv) accessibility. They represent four distinct aspects of the smart tourism technologies while grouped under a single multidimensional construct (Law & Wong, 1999 ). We implemented the second-order factor as formative construct by aggregating in appropriate combinations to form a super-ordinate second-order construct STT because multiple first-order constructs and their measurement items are necessary in order to fully capture the entire domain of the STT construct; we do not anticipate the elements of a particular attribute to be necessarily correlated with each other.

Three items were used to measure the personalization aspect of STT, capturing the perception of travelers (respondents) if STT meet their specific needs or information. Three items were used to measure the informativeness aspect of STT. They captured how much travelers (respondents) perceive information obtained through STT as useful or relevant. We used three items to measure travelers’ (respondents’) perception about the interactivity aspect of STT, which aided real-time communication and information sharing among users. Three measures were used to capture how easy travelers (respondents) could access and use STT.

We included two control variables—years of experience in and self-efficacy of smart tourism technologies—in our model to control for possible influence on the travel transaction satisfaction. The number of trips and the length of trip were also included in the model to control their possible influence on the travel experience satisfaction.

Results and Analysis

We adopted Partial Least Squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method with the SmartPLS package (Ringle et al., 2005 ) for testing both the measurement model and the structural model. We chose the PLS techniques because the current study is more prediction-oriented by exploring the relationships among these uncertainty-driven constructs and the moderation effects in a unique setting of smart tourism than validating the nomological network of the model using the covariance-based SEM (Fornell & Bookstein, 1982 ). For that, SmartPLS provides the ability to model latent constructs even under conditions of non-normality and small- to medium-size samples (Ringle et al., 2005 ). Additionally, PLS is appropriate in this study because of its effectiveness of testing the model with a small sample size (Chin, 1998a ). The conservative sample size requirements for PLS models is 10 times either (a) the largest number of formative indicators in a block or (b) the largest number of independent variables impacting a dependent variable, whichever is greater (Chin, 1998b ). Our sample size of 319 exceeds the recommended minimum of 50 for adequate model testing. In addition, the PLS technique allows for our second order STT construct to be modeled as formative with four first-order constructs in the structural model.

Measurement Model

A thorough assessment of the measurement model was performed. First, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed and confirmed nine factors with high loadings of 0.7 and above, supporting the unidimensionality of the scales (see Table  2 ). Cronbach’s alpha of all constructs employed in this study were higher than 0.74, showing strong reliability of latent constructs (Nunnally, 1978 ). Next, the convergent validity of the measurement model was tested using composite reliability and average variance extracted (AVE) (Johnson & Wichern, 2007 ). Table  2 shows that composite reliability values are greater than the lowest of 0.76 and AVE ranged from 0.54 to 0.86, confirming the convergent validity of the measurement model (Fornell & Larcker, 1981 ).

Table 2

Factor and cross loadings (N = 319)

The results provided in Tables  2 and ​ and3 3 confirm the discriminant validity of the measurement model: 1) correlation between pairs of constructs is below the recommended threshold (Hair et al., 2009 ), 2) cross-loadings of all items have a higher value in the corresponding construct than in any other constructs, and 3) the square root of AVE for each construct is greater than its correlation level.

Table 3

Construct correlations

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Bolded diagonal elements are the square root of average variance extracted (AVE)

Common Method Bias

We followed the suggestion by Podsakoff et al. ( 2003 ) to adequately address the possible common method bias. First, two different response formats were employed for independent variables and dependent variables to control the possible methodological artifact in the response process (Podsakoff et al., 2003 ). For example, we use seven-point Likert scale to measure predictor and moderator variables, whereas the subjective disconfirmation measure is used for both dependent variables of travel transaction and travel experience satisfaction. Second, Harman’s one-factor test (Podsakoff et al., 2003 ) and Lindell and Whitney’s ( 2001 ) marker variable test were conducted to gauge the threat of common methods bias. The results of the Harman’s one-factor test showed no dominating single factor with the first factor accounted for only 22.15% of the total 78.44% variance. In addition, using a three-item latent construct, need for cognition (α = 0.78), for which there exists little theoretical basis for a relationship with our research variables, we performed the Lindell and Whitney ( 2001 ) marker variable test. The results showed that the maker variable’s average correlation with the research variables in the model was low ( r  = 0.08) and insignificant. Taken together, we conclude that common method bias is not a serious threat in this study (Podsakoff et al., 2003 ).

Structural Model

The assessment and estimation of the structural model was conducted using SmartPLS (Ringle et al., 2005 ). A bootstrapping procedure with resampling of 500 subsamples was conducted to determine the statistical significance of the parameter estimates. Based on the results of this procedure, the precision of the magnitude, statistical significance of the path coefficients, and R 2 in the structural model were assessed. Overall, the results suggest a satisfactory fit of the model to the data with the R 2 values of the two dependent variables: 0.49 and 0.74 for travel transaction satisfaction and travel experience satisfaction, respectively. The results of the PLS analysis are provided in Fig.  2 .

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We first note that the results of tourist worries were mixed. It was significantly and negatively associated with travel transaction satisfaction (β = −0.335, p < 0.01), supporting H1a. However, the relationship with travel experience satisfaction, albeit a negative association, showed statistically insignificant. Thus, H1b was not supported. The interpretation of these interesting results is discussed in the next section. Novelty seeking was significantly and positively related to travel experience satisfaction (β = 0.261, p < 0.05), supporting H2. Consistent with the literature, the relationship between travel transaction satisfaction and travel experience satisfaction was strongly significant and positive (β = 0.585, p < 0.001), supporting H5. Overall, the results confirm our view that the tourists’ novelty seeking would enhance the trip experience, leading to the tourists’ overall travel satisfaction. In contrast, tourist worries would negatively affect tourists’ travel transaction satisfaction.

Second, the STT’s ambidexterity in moderating the relationships between two intrinsic, uncertainty-driven attributes of travel—tourist worries and novelty seeking—and the travel transaction satisfaction as well as travel experience satisfaction panned out well as hypothesized. Our interaction terms are modeled with the STT acting as “quasi” moderators (Carte & Russell, 2003 ; Sharma & James, 1981 ), because the STT is also hypothesized to directly impact both travel transaction satisfaction and travel experience satisfaction. In other words, our interaction terms take the form y  =  x  +  z  +  x * z , where y is travel transaction satisfaction or travel experience satisfaction, x is two intrinsic, uncertainty driven variables (tourist worries and novelty seeking), and z is STT. The moderation effect of STT on the negative relationship between tourist worries and travel transaction satisfaction was significant and positive (β = 0.352, p < 0.001), in addition to its significant and positive direct effect on travel transaction satisfaction (β = 0.393, p < 0.001), supporting H3a and H4a. This indicates that STT positively affect the tourist’s travel transaction satisfaction by mitigating worries emanated from the uncertainty of transaction (during pre-trip planning or in situ). However, the role of STT on travel experience satisfaction was mixed. The moderation effect of STT on the insignificant negative relationship between tourist worries and travel experience satisfaction also turned out to be insignificant, not supporting H3b. However, the moderation effect of STT on the positive relationship between novelty seeking and travel experience satisfaction was significant and positive (β = 0.395, p < 0.05), in addition to its significant and positive direct effect on travel experience satisfaction (β = 0.378, p < 0.05), supporting H3c and H4b. This indicates that STT positively affect tourists’ travel experience satisfaction by allowing and enabling them to seek and explore variety and excitement on their trips. Lastly, all the control variables turned out to be insignificant.

The current study conceptualized the tourist uncertainty with two constructs, tourist worries and novelty seeking, since reducing worries and promoting novel expectations about travel destinations or overall travel experience have been core parts of planning and preparing the travels (Cohen, 1972 ; Fennell, 2017 ; Huang et al., 2010 ). We explicitly explored their relationship with travel satisfaction and examined how the attributes and the ambidextrous role of smart tourism technologies play in forming tourists’ transaction and travel experience satisfaction. The research model is extensively supported with the empirical analysis, and our findings yield a rich set of critical insights and important contributions to theory development in the use of smart technologies in tourism.

First, we reframed the travel uncertainty with two different and opposing aspects of the tourists. More often than not, uncertainty is associated with negative expectations, such as an important antecedent of risk (Fennell, 2017 ; Williams & Baláž, 2015 ). However, we noticed that in the domain of tourism, uncertainty due to departure from routine and familiarity also plays a positive role in promoting travel satisfaction by encouraging and enabling the various tourist gazes with curiosity and new discovery through ways of encountering or experiencing the novelty in the tour destinations (Chen & Chiou-Wei, 2009 ; Chen & Chou, 2019 ; Pizam et al., 2004 ; Urry, 1990 ; Williams & Baláž, 2015 ). Advancing this view, this study theorized two constructs (i.e., tourist worries and novelty seeking) in the uncertainty framework and empirically demonstrated that they both significantly and simultaneously influence transaction satisfaction and travel experience satisfaction. Specifically, tourist worries negatively influence transaction satisfaction (cf., Borkovec, 1994 ; Jin et al., 2016 ; Larsen et al., 2009 ), whereas tourists’ novelty seeking positively impacts travel experience satisfaction (cf., Assaker & Hallak, 2013 ; Jang & Feng, 2007 ; Kim & Kim, 2015 ; Toyama & Yamada, 2012 ). This unique theoretical frame that identified and confirmed two intrinsic, uncertainty-induced factors co-existing and impacting travel satisfaction in opposite ways not only extends the extant tourism literature on uncertainty associated with travel but also offers additional research opportunities to the future studies in this domain.

Second, this theoretical frame about travel uncertainty also prompted us to explore tourist behaviors to counter worries—the negative side of tourist uncertainty—while seeking novelty—the positive side of tourist uncertainty—in order to increase travel satisfaction. We examined this possibility extensively with the role of smart tourism technologies, as the spread of STT has critically changed the landscape of tourism by providing accessible and personalized information in interactive platforms (Gretzel et al., 2015 ; Xiang & Gretzel, 2010 ; Xiang et al., 2015 ). Our study examined the direct relationship between STT and travel transaction and experience satisfaction, and our findings were consistent with the extant literature (e.g., Huang et al., 2017 ; Koo et al., 2015 ; Neuhofer et al., 2015 ; Wang et al., 2012 ; Yoo et al., 2017 ). More important, this study provided a nuanced picture of how STT interact with the tourist’s efforts in managing worries and seeking novelty to enhance travel satisfaction. Our findings show that STT attributes significantly moderate the relationships between tourist worries and transaction satisfaction and between novelty seeking and travel experience satisfaction. Figure  3 shows the interaction plots as to how the travel satisfaction, given tourist worries and novelty seeking, changes at different levels of correspondents’ STT use.

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Interaction plots

Our post hoc analysis clearly shows that the respondent groups of high- and low-level use of STT have different slopes in two interaction plots. Specifically, the degree of travel transaction satisfaction (TTSAT) drops drastically in the respondent group with low STT use as tourist worries creep in. However, even with growing tourist worries, the travel transaction satisfaction of the group with the high STT use shows a flattening pattern (albeit still decreasing slightly). This indicates the mitigating impact of STT on tourist worries, especially for those tourists with high level of worries. The plot of novelty seeking shows that the travel experience satisfaction goes upward as tourist’s novelty seeking increases. In particular, the travel experience satisfaction of the group with high level of STT use increases more quickly than that of the group with low use of STT. This result indicates that even though novelty seeking in general increases overall travel experience for all, the group with high-level use of STT seems to be able to enhance their trip experience through excitement and variety more than those with low-level of STT use. This finding not only asserts the importance of using STT in travel planning, consistent with literature (Steinbauer & Werthner, 2007 ), but also provides insight into the mechanism of how such impact takes place.

It is interesting to further examine STT’s ambidexterity that mitigates the negative side (i.e., tourist worries) while enhancing the positive impact (i.e., novelty seeking) of travel uncertainty with respect to existing literature. Given that most of recent studies explore the theoretical aspects or the simple relationship between STT and satisfaction (Ahani et al., 2019 ; Kirova & Thanh, 2019 ), this study tests the moderating role of STT empirically to uncover how STT interact with other existing variables to produce satisfaction as outcomes. Interestingly, travelers often cope with considerable uncertainty in pre-trip decisions, caused not by the lack of information but by cognitive overload from too much information, as it is difficult, if not impossible, to navigate and examine numerous alternative products and services as well as a variety of promotional deals (Xu & Schrier, 2019 ). Well-designed STT with pictorial metaphor and virtual product experience in travel-related websites such as TripAdvisor and Airbnb, for example, can help reduce the traveler’s cognitive effort and induce a simple and effective decision (Hopf et al., 2020 ; Mirsarraf et al., 2018 ; Steinmann et al., 2014 ), as well as minimizing undesirable outcomes or post-purchase regret (Riquelme & Kegeng, 2004 ; Román, 2010 ). Our study also confirms the findings in the information systems (IS) literature, suggesting that IS plays an important role in addressing uncertainty issues. For example, IS has been found to critically reduced the uncertainty in e-commerce, an important factor that hinders transactions (Pavlou et al., 2007 ). At the same time, IS also provides playfulness and hedonic values to users (Lowry et al., 2013 ). STT, as an advanced form of IS, can be a game changer in dealing with both positive and negative aspects of travel uncertainty simultaneously (cf., Werthner et al., 2015 ).

Conclusion and Future Research Direction

With the clear evidence that travelers’ use of smart tourism technologies enriches their travel experience and satisfaction by reducing worries and facilitating novelty seeking, especially in the travel planning stage, our study not only advances theory development in smart tourism but also offers important implications to the tourism providers and promoters. Except for the more complicated products and services (such as cruises or tours), travel transactions have largely moved online. In addition to being more convenient and efficient than the traditional face-to-face meetings or phone calls with travel agents, use of STT in completing transactions also alleviates tourist worries, leading to higher level of transaction satisfaction. Based on the findings of this study, travel vendors can expect more positive reactions from travelers by taking on measures to further ease their worries about bookings and reservations. As an example of such worry-reduction applications, United Airlines specifically prints “Book without worry; Cancel for free within 24 hours of booking” right below the “Confirm” or “Continue” button on the reservation page to encourage immediate booking.

The findings of this study also imply that travel bureaus and tour promoters can take measures to call upon travelers’ intention to seek novelty in trips through STT by increasing the exploration and uniqueness aspect of a tour or destination on the promotional websites, social media pages, and apps (Assaker & Hallak, 2013 ; Jang & Feng, 2007 ; Toyama & Yamada, 2012 ). As Urry ( 1990 ) suggested, the tourist gaze is structured by culturally specific notions of what is extraordinary and therefore worth viewing. On the travel destination page, for instance, in addition to the usual topics such as “where to eat,” “where to stay,” and “what to do,” focused coverage of a few unusual activities and unique spots with photos and videos shared by previous travelers can stimulate daydreaming and anticipation for travelers seeking escape from familiarity and routines with personalized itineraries (Neuhofer et al., 2015 ; Volchek et al., 2019 ). Such practices offer opportunities for novelty-minder travelers to explore destinations, gaze at particular objects, in the company of various types of people.

COVID-19 has significantly increased the travel risk perception to the extent that negatively impacts the intention to travel (Sánchez-Cañizares et al., 2021 ), and the STT’s ambidexterity may have even greater implications in the post-pandemic era. On the one hand, the use of STT can help alleviate such uncertainties: It is found, for instance, that COVID-9 has caused tourists to increase their intention to use smartphones, especially to when making payments for purchases (García-Milon et al., 2021 ). On the other hand, STT allow travelers to engage in novel-seeking activities via “virtual travel” before or even in lieu of actual physical trips (Atsiz, 2021 ; Zhang et al., 2022 ). Applying and extending the findings of the current study on STT’s role in travelers’ perceptions, behaviors, and satisfactions amid uncertainty can significantly contribute to tourism research and practice after COVID-19.

Although this study was conducted based on sound theories and valid methodologies, it is not without limitations. First, we collected data from tourists in South Korea. Therefore, we can assume that the results of the study reflect the sample group. Tourists with different nationality or ethnicity may have different travel motivations, gazes, and travel planning (Kozak, 2002 ), thus leading to different types of satisfaction (Lee et al., 2004 ). Therefore, to generalize the findings of the study, future studies can be done with data from other countries and various backgrounds. Second, we designed a second-order construct, STT attributes, with four formative first-order constructs, informativeness, accessibility, interactivity, and personalization in the study. Although this design shows significant results, other facets of STT can be also considered. In addition, we used STT as an umbrella term. It is possible that if the STT is defined in a narrow scope (such as mobile apps or payment systems only), different aspects of STT can be studied individually. Future studies can take that approach to extend the understanding STT attributes. Third, the current research explores the STT’s ambidexterity by taking a snapshot of the informants who already completed the trips. However, STT may work differently in different phases of travel. For example, travel satisfaction may change weeks or even months after the completion of a trip through sharing pictures and dialogues with friends and family. As such, different attributes of STT may impact travel satisfaction at different phases of travel. Therefore, we believe that dividing travel phases further with multiple data collections will provide more complete picture of STT and travel experience in future research. Lastly, this study examines the role of STT from a single traveler’s perspective. When there is more than one person planning the trip, such as in the case of a couple or a travel group, the balance between tourist worries and novelty seeking could be determined by the difference in personalities, and the moderating role of STT can therefore be different. Examining the STT’s ambidexterity in the existence of multiple decision makers in travel planning is an interesting and useful extension of the current study.

Survey Items

Note: * Seven-point Likert scale (1 being strongly disagree and 7 being strongly agree)

Declarations

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Contributor Information

Jahyun Goo, Email: ude.uaf@oogj .

C. Derrick Huang, Email: ude.uaf@gnauhd .

Chul Woo Yoo, Email: ude.uaf@cooy .

Chulmo Koo, Email: rk.ca.uhk@ugtemleh .

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Vietnam: Ministry of Culture and Tourism unveils digital ecosystem to boost travel

Vietnam travel app, a smart tourism card, an electronic ticketing system etc to revolutionise travel as vietnam's smart tourism ecosystem takes center stage.

Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism's Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) has announced that the sector is actively pushing forward digital transformation via building a smart tourism ecosystem, a strategic move designed to improve state management and the overall tourist experience.

Vietnam: Ministry of Culture and Tourism unveils digital ecosystem to boost travel (File Photo by AFP)

According to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), key components of this ecosystem include platforms such as the Vietnam travel management and business system, the Vietnam Travel app, a smart tourism card, and notably, an electronic ticketing system.

Most recently, the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts has collaborated with the VNAT's Tourism Information Technology Centre to launch an electronic ticketing system. It eliminates the necessity for visitors to queue at counters for ticket purchases, offering a streamlined experience with various user-friendly self-check-in options.

Previously, this system was deployed at the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Presidential Palace relic site and Quan Thanh Temple.

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Why The Dominican Republic Is Redefining Sustainable Luxury Travel

Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism

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A trend towards sustainable tourism is marking a paradigm shift in the luxury traveler segment as they increasingly seek out environmentally-conscious experiences and amenities—even if they come at a hefty premium.

Data from Euromonitor finds luxury travelers will now pay between 30% to 50% more for sustainable features, like energy-efficient amenities or services.

But what is sustainable tourism, exactly? The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines it as “fully consider[ing] current and future economic, social and environmental impacts while addressing the needs of visitors, industries, the environment and host communities.” Put simply, the trend is about much more than resorts recycling cans or airlines becoming more fuel efficient—it’s an aspiration to minimize the environmental impact of travel as a whole for generations to come.

The Dominican Republic appears to be taking this imperative to heart, rapidly advancing an array of offerings for those seeking to minimize their footprint while maximizing their luxury lifestyle.

Below, discover the Caribbean country’s impressive options for eco-conscious travelers who don’t want to sacrifice luxury—and learn why it’s becoming a top destination for sustainable tourism worldwide.

A Six-Prong Model Of Sustainable Tourism

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development identified six tactics in the Dominican Republic’s sustainable tourism strategy.

  • Diversification At the top is the development of diverse tourism products that strengthens business through the use of local resources. Visitors may be drawn to the Dominican coastline, but it is a land full of surprises with topography for diverse explorers. Mountains, beaches, dunes, caves, waterfalls, abundant marine life, and flora await when visiting the country. Investment from the government has been allocated to serve the scientific as well as birdwatching tourism and rural agrotourism.
  • Keeping It Local The Dominican Republic has worked to develop regional brands that enhance the value of participating regions. Since 2016, at least 31 local community businesses have seen notable strengthening, offering more than 100 new products and at least 85% increase in sales as well as a booming 94% increase in local participation.
  • Promotion What plan works if it doesn't include promotional strategies? Not many. Promotional materials improve sustainable tourism positioning and that’s what lands it third on the list of elements to implement.
  • The Human Component None of this would be possible without the appropriate manpower. Fourth on the list is the development of human resources responsible for promoting sustainable community tourism at various levels.
  • Govern To Support Supporting strengthened governance that in turn supports local tourism establishments has contributed to success in this initiative.
  • Resilience The Dominican Republic’s tourism ministry has keenly observed travel trends and how they shift is key as a means to forging resilience. Emerging preferences for travelers post Covid-19 include conscious and slow travel: the notion of being where you can avoid crowds, city hustle and bustle, alternative transportation and avoiding pollution for extended periods of time.

Building Coalitions For A Positive Impact

Sustainable tourism and ecosystem preservation efforts in the Dominican Republic didn’t start recently, nor have they been spearheaded in isolation. The Dominican Republic’s participation in a global development initiative between 1994 to 2005 saw the completion of Pedernales, a program to conserve biodiversity in the region.

The restoration of historical buildings, streets and cities in collaboration of the U.S. Agency for International Development promoted tourism in the Colonial Zone beginning in 2014 and stretching to 2020, while in the same year the United Nations Development Programme formed a sustainable tourism model project that was implemented by the Dominican Tourism Ministry in the provinces of Montecristi and Samana.

Sustainability That Combines Public And Private Forces

The Dominican Republic’s tourism ministry is partnering with private companies, public organizations and non-profit groups to advance climate-conscious tourism practices that preserve the country’s natural beauty, as well as its vibrant culture.

One such example is a public-private coalition with the Punta Cana Group , which champions models of sustainable tourism to protect the environment and support local communities. The coalition has resulted in projects like preserving 3,100 square miles in the Southeast Reef Marine Sanctuary, one of the largest protected areas in the Caribbean.

Additionally, a joint project with Cornell University—which involved prestigious education centers including Harvard University, Roger Williams University and others—spearheaded the creation of the Dominican Republic’s Center for Sustainability, which helps to protect marine wildlife and other unique species native to the country, as well as to preserve and restore the area’s ecology.

Becoming A Zero-Waste Vacation Destination

The Dominican Republic also supports a zero waste initiative in one of its most popular destination cities, Punta Cana. There, tourism business partners and residents alike participate in a recycling program that reduces the amount of waste going to landfills—supporting a cleaner, healthier environment for all.

And it doesn’t end there: The Dominican Republic advocates a slew of other social impact initiatives, conservation projects, environmental educational programs and more that are actively supporting a better planet—and allowing travelers from far and wide to enjoy sustainable, restorative and eco-conscious vacations.

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6 of the most unusual Russian churches

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1. The Temple of All Religions in Kazan

Source: Wikipedia.org

Although the roof of this edifice is crowned by domes with Muslim crescents and Christian crosses, the "Universal Temple" was not conceived as a place for people of different religions to pray together. 

Ildar Khanov, an artist and philanthropist from Kazan, built the temple hoping for the eventual end of religious conflicts and the invention of universal monotheism as a religion for all the people of the world, so no services are held here. Since the artist's death in 2013, the unconventional landmark has become a popular tourist attraction, maintained at the expense of private sponsors.   

2. The Church of Our Lady of Vladimir in Bykovo

Photo credit: Lori/Legion-Media

This two-story neo-Gothic castle in the settlement of Bykovo 40 kilometers away from Moscow looks nothing like your average village church. Its construction was ordered at the end of the 18th century by General Mikhail Izmailov, the master of the Bykovo estate. To build it, he hired architect Vasily Bazhenov, the one who had displeased Empress Catherine II with his design for her Moscow residence, Tsaritsyno. In the 1930s, the church was desecrated: After being looted, it served as a warehouse. Later, it housed a sewing factory. After its renovation in 1989, the church has been open every day, with services held on Saturdays and Sundays.   

3. The Church of Our Lady of the Sign in Dubrovitsy

Photo credit: Lori/Legion-Media

Prince Boris Golitsyn, a supporter of the young emperor-to-be Peter I, erected the Church of Our Lady of the Sign in 1703 in Dubrovitsy, one of his estates near Moscow (60 kilometers away). The church, which is the same age as St. Petersburg, was turned into a museum in the early 20th century, survived the wave of cathedral demolitions in the 1930s and did not reopen its doors to believers until 60 years later.   

4. Kostomarovo Cave Convent

Photo credit: RIA Novosti/Ilya Pitalev

Historians have not come to a unanimous conclusion as to who dug the caves and built the churches in the chalky rock of the Voronezh Region (800 kilometers away from Moscow): The local community of hermit monks in the 17th century or the Christians who came here from Byzantium in the age of Iconoclasm in the 8th century. Kostomarovo Convent is one of the oldest strongholds of Christianity in modern Russia. 

After the revolution of 1917, the convent was closed, but many of the hermits continued living in caves secretly. Two and a half decades later, WWII engulfed the convent: the surrounding area was occupied in 1942-1943, and locals came to seek refuge within its walls. 

In 1997, the convent resumed religious services: in summer, they are held in the Cave Temple of the Savior, and in winter, they are held above ground, in the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos.  

5. The "Easter Cake and Paskha" Church in St. Petersburg

Source: Wikipedia.org

The unconventional design of this 18th-century church was no architect's whim – it was ordered by the commissioner, Prince Alexander Vyazemsky. Consisting of a church and a belfry, the ensemble imitates the shapes of traditional Russian dishes: Paskha , a pyramid-shaped dessert made with tvorog , and kulich , the Easter cake, a sweet-dough pastry with a spherical top. These dishes are cooked only once a year - at Easter.   

6. The Beaded Church of St. Anastasia the Pharmakolytria in Crimea

Source: mitrofanova-m.livejournal.com

In the Tash-Air Gorge, on a mountain slope near the cave town of Kachi Kalyon in Crimea (1500 kilometers away from Moscow), a tiny priory bearing the name of Saint Anastasia of Sirmium is nestled away from prying eyes.  Just travel for 15 minutes up the slope from the foot of the mountain along a narrow path paved with old car tyres through thick shrubs on the edge of a precipice - and you’re there. 

Like most churches in the USSR, it suffered a fatal blow - it was detonated in 1932, and the renovation was begun only in 2005. The entrance shaft, neglected for decades, contained very humid air that was quickly destroying the paint on the walls. This is why the monks have decorated the cave temple by encrusting it with thousands of beads and multicolored stones, each of them unique. 

Since the 8th century, Crimea has seen many changes of residents and authorities, but St. Anastasia Church has survived all of them: It was admired by 19th-century travelers and is still cherished by modern-day explorers of the peninsula. 

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Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

IMG_5767

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

IMG_5859

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Screen Shot 2015-04-01 at 5.17.53 PM

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

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Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

IMG_5826

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

Mayakovskaya station

Mayakovskaya metro station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

IMG_5893

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

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January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

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December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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Wildberries spoke about the condition of the goods after a mass fight in the warehouse

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Wildberries: no goods were damaged during the mass brawl at the warehouse in Elektrostal

The goods were not damaged during the conflict between workers at the Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal near Moscow, the marketplace’s press service told Lenta.ru. They also answered the question about further cooperation with the perpetrators of the brawl.

“Those employed at the warehouse must comply with the legislation of the Russian Federation. The issue of further cooperation with the perpetrators of the conflict will be considered after all the circumstances have been established. At the moment, the warehouse is operating as normal,” Wildberries commented on the incident. At the same time, the company promised to conduct an internal investigation.

A mass brawl at a Wildberries warehouse in the Moscow region became known on Thursday, February 8. It is known that a fight broke out between the security guards of the premises and its employees. Previously, one of its participants sprayed pepper spray.

According to law enforcement, the fight in the warehouse occurred after one of the employees violated the rules for collecting goods. The regional Ministry of Internal Affairs added that they have identified 13 participants in the fight and are questioning them. An investigation into the incident has been launched.

Source: Lenta.ru

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