Destination attractiveness is a subjective concept that has raised discussions among academics and researchers within the field of tourism. Attractiveness has been studied from different approaches, and due to the importance of tourism in contemporary societies, it has also been studied within different disciplines of knowledge, without achieving an agreement on its definition, measure and creation. This thesis is an attempt to contribute to these discussions through the analysis of the case of Malaga, Spain, a city with a long and strong relation to tourism, but which for particular reasons and context, had to develop its tourism sector almost from the scratch over the course of recent decades, before becoming one of the most important urban cultural destinations in Spain. This thesis will explore the factors that influenced the creation of Malaga’s attractiveness and the strategies that supported this evolution.

This thesis analyses the potential of a complex adaptive systems (CASs) approach based on system dynamics modelling (SDM) to add value to the currently used assessment tools and monitoring practices for tourism sustainability in an effort to advance sustainable development in tourism destinations. While many different concepts and tools for the assessment of sustainability have developed, most of them do not take the complexity and dynamics of tourism destinations into account. It is argued in this thesis that these linear tools need to be complemented with new approaches that can deal with uncertainty, non-linearity and unexpected changes. New knowledge from ecosystem research, which is derived from complex systems theory, suggests that tourism destinations are indeed social-ecological systems, which need to be viewed and studied as CASs. In recent years tourism researchers have acknowledged the necessity to view tourism as a system with interconnected elements, and have discussed the unpredictability of these tourism systems. CASs approaches, which have been successfully applied by ecologists and economists in other areas, are indicated for tourism management, but have been rarely used in order to promote sustainable tourism development and planning. Appropriate methodologies and frameworks for the implementation of CASs approaches into the tourism context are still lacking. Therefore this thesis addresses the aforementioned challenges as follows: • A critical review of the concepts and tools currently used for the advancement and assessment of sustainability in tourism destinations is presented. The review evaluates the suitability of assessment tools for specific sites and situations, and develops guidelines for tool selection. It is concluded that for particular purposes linear assessment tools need to be combined or complemented with tools that can deal with complexity and dynamics. Tools covered include sustainability indicators, environmental impact assessment, life cycle assessment, environmental audits, ecological footprints, multi-criteria analysis and adaptive environmental assessment. • The use of sustainability indicator as one of the most promoted assessment tools for sustainable development in tourism destination is explored further. A systemic indicator system (SIS) methodology based on a CASs approach as an alternative to linear assessments is developed. This methodology is tested using a case study of a holiday eco-village near Lamington National Park in Queensland. The research findings suggest that the SIS has the potential to enhance system understanding and adaptive management of tourism destinations, and can foster collective learning processes amongst stakeholders. • A framework is developed for a Learning Tourism Destination (LTD) based on the concept of the Learning Organisation, and using SDM as a tool for strategic planning and the promotion of organisational learning. The concept of the LTD is discussed on the basis of 6 case studies, where SDM has been applied primarily for predictive reasons, and through evaluation of the potential of SDM as a tool for the implementation and enhancement of collective learning processes. The results reveal that SDM is capable of promoting communication between stakeholders and stimulating organisational learning. It is argued that the effectiveness of SDM may be greatly increased through incorporation in the foundation of an LTD. • A practical approach for the implementation of an LTD is presented. Preliminary results from a case study undertaken at the Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia are discussed. Surveys were conducted to verify if the LTD forms a useful framework for fostering consensus building, dialogue and collective learning processes amongst stakeholders. The preliminary results of the study suggest that the implementation of an LTD on the Ningaloo Coast will improve the capacity of the local industry to take more responsibility for the sustainable development, and thus has the potential to enable a more effective transition to sustainability in the region. Through its multi-methodological approach, this thesis demonstrates the importance of considering tourism destinations as CASs. New concepts and assessment tools for sustainable tourism are needed that acknowledge the complex and dynamic nature of tourism and tourism development. Together, the SIS methodology and the LTD framework provide an initial platform from which to conduct further research.

This thesis analyses the potential of a complex adaptive systems (CASs) approach based on system dynamics modelling (SDM) to add value to the currently used assessment tools and monitoring practices for tourism sustainability in an effort to advance sustainable development in tourism destinations. While many different concepts and tools for the assessment of sustainability have developed, most of them do not take the complexity and dynamics of tourism destinations into account. It is argued in this thesis that these linear tools need to be complemented with new approaches that can deal with uncertainty, non-linearity and unexpected changes. New knowledge from ecosystem research, which is derived from complex systems theory, suggests that tourism destinations are indeed social-ecological systems, which need to be viewed and studied as CASs. In recent years tourism researchers have acknowledged the necessity to view tourism as a system with interconnected elements, and have discussed the unpredictability of these tourism systems. CASs approaches, which have been successfully applied by ecologists and economists in other areas, are indicated for tourism management, but have been rarely used in order to promote sustainable tourism development and planning. Appropriate methodologies and frameworks for the implementation of CASs approaches into the tourism context are still lacking. Therefore this thesis addresses the aforementioned challenges as follows: • A critical review of the concepts and tools currently used for the advancement and assessment of sustainability in tourism destinations is presented. The review evaluates the suitability of assessment tools for specific sites and situations, and develops guidelines for tool selection. It is concluded that for particular purposes linear assessment tools need to be combined or complemented with tools that can deal with complexity and dynamics. Tools covered include sustainability indicators, environmental impact assessment, life cycle assessment, environmental audits, ecological footprints, multi-criteria analysis and adaptive environmental assessment. • The use of sustainability indicator as one of the most promoted assessment tools for sustainable development in tourism destination is explored further. A systemic indicator system (SIS) methodology based on a CASs approach as an alternative to linear assessments is developed. This methodology is tested using a case study of a holiday eco-village near Lamington National Park in Queensland. The research findings suggest that the SIS has the potential to enhance system understanding and adaptive management of tourism destinations, and can foster collective learning processes amongst stakeholders. • A framework is developed for a Learning Tourism Destination (LTD) based on the concept of the Learning Organisation, and using SDM as a tool for strategic planning and the promotion of organisational learning. The concept of the LTD is discussed on the basis of 6 case studies, where SDM has been applied primarily for predictive reasons, and through evaluation of the potential of SDM as a tool for the implementation and enhancement of collective learning processes. The results reveal that SDM is capable of promoting communication between stakeholders and stimulating organisational learning. It is argued that the effectiveness of SDM may be greatly increased through incorporation in the foundation of an LTD. • A practical approach for the implementation of an LTD is presented. Preliminary results from a case study undertaken at the Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia are discussed. Surveys were conducted to verify if the LTD forms a useful framework for fostering consensus building, dialogue and collective learning processes amongst stakeholders. The preliminary results of the study suggest that the implementation of an LTD on the Ningaloo Coast will improve the capacity of the local industry to take more responsibility for the sustainable development, and thus has the potential to enable a more effective transition to sustainability in the region. Through its multi-methodological approach, this thesis demonstrates the importance of considering tourism destinations as CASs. New concepts and assessment tools for sustainable tourism are needed that acknowledge the complex and dynamic nature of tourism and tourism development. Together, the SIS methodology and the LTD framework provide an initial platform from which to conduct further research.

Achieving a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions has become a key challenge facing global society and its economies. Despite this, tourism policy and strategic planning rarely acknowledge carbon mitigation as a strategic objective and tourism as a sector is rarely recognised in low-carbon plans. This situation represents a substantial challenge, as tourism and travel have a high-carbon impact and carbon mitigation is hindered by lack of carbon data, and a continued drive for economic growth. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the effectiveness of carbon footprinting and scenario modelling to help examine the opportunities and challenges for implementing low-carbon tourism pathways in destinations, and to consider how the opportunities could be enabled. The 'REAP Tourism' footprint tool was used to investigate the carbon impact of visitors to destinations across South West England. The purpose was to estimate emissions, suggest a baseline footprint and offer alternative growth and mitigation scenarios of how tourism could more effectively reduce emissions. Through participatory workshops, evaluation questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, stakeholders identified the limitations and benefits of carbon modelling and the challenges and opportunities for a transition towards low-carbon tourism in destinations. The results demonstrated that the carbon footprint was a useful and informative indicator. The baseline data and scenarios provided a basis for constructive low-carbon dialogue with tourism stakeholders, which helped to challenge current thinking and facilitate the co-creation of ideas and potential interventions. A range of low-carbon opportunities and challenges were identified relating to the cultural, political and structural components of tourism governance. A conceptual low-carbon transition framework is proposed, to illustrate the opportunities. Stakeholder dialogue and debate, informed by quantitative and qualitative data, is central to the framework. Cultural, political and structural opportunities for change are also identified. Further investigation is needed to test the framework and examine the levels of influence and capabilities of different types of tourism stakeholders. The use of integrated environmental-economic indicators to inform national and local tourism policy and strategy, also require application. This thesis contributes to an emerging body of knowledge on the governance of low-carbon destinations, from a practical, methodological and conceptual basis.

<p>Globalna konkurencija u turizmu postala je izazov za mnoge zemlje koje se<br />takmiče da postanu poželjna turistička destinacija, te je razumevanje faktora koji<br />doprinose konkurentnosti destinacije od su&scaron;tinskog značaja za održavanje<br />postojećeg nivoa razvoja turističke destinacije, njenog rasta i vitalnosti. Zbog<br />toga, merenje konkurentnosti se može smatrati ključnim faktorom u<br />obezbeđivanju uspeha turističkih destinacija. Predmet doktorske disertacije je<br />identifikacija i utvrđivanje značaja faktora koji mogu imati uticaj na<br />konkurentnost ruralnog turizma Vojvodine. U radu su se, primenom anketnog<br />istraživanja, ispitivali stavovi interesnih grupa značajnih za razvoj ruralnog<br />turizma na strani ponude u Vojvodini i Mađarskoj (direktni pružaoci usluga u<br />ruralnom turizmu, zaposleni u turističkim organizacijama i turističkim<br />agencijama, zaposleni u op&scaron;tinskim i pokrajinskim službama, zaposleni u<br />ministarstvima, nastavno osoblje na fakultetima). Osnovni cilj istraživanja je da<br />se utvrdi koliko je Vojvodina konkurentna kao destinacija ruralnog turizma,<br />odnosno da se oceni trenutno stanje svih onih faktora koji utiču/mogu uticati na<br />konkurentnost Vojvodine. Naučni doprinos istraživanja doktorske disertacije<br />ogleda se u identifikaciji determinanti koje su od značaja za konkurentnost<br />destinacija ruralnog turizma. Kao rezultat toga, razviće se model za merenje<br />konkurentnosti destinacija ruralnog tuirzma koji će biti primenljiv na Vojvodinu<br />koja ima kapacitete da razvija ruralni turizam, ali i bilo koju drugu destinaciju<br />ruralnog turizma.</p> / <p>Global competition in the tourism industry has become a challenge for many countries that are competing to become a desirable tourist destination, so understanding the factors that contribute to the competitiveness of destinations is essential to maintain the current level of development of tourist destination, its growth and vitality. Therefore, measurement of competitiveness can be considered as a key factor in ensuring the success of tourist destinations. The subject of this dissertation is to identify and determine the significance of the factors that may have an impact on the competitiveness of rural tourism in Vojvodina. In the paper, survey research is used in order to investigate attitudes of stakeholders important for rural tourism development on the supply side in Vojvodina and Hungary (direct service providers in rural tourism, employees of tourist organizations and travel agencies, employees of municipal and provincial departments, employees of ministries, teaching staff at universities). The main objective of the research is to determine how much Vojvodina is a competitivedestination for rural tourism, or to assess the current state of all the factors that affect/could affect the competitiveness of Vojvodina. The scientific contribution of the&nbsp; doctoral dissertation research is reflected in the identification of determinants that are&nbsp; important for the competitiveness of rural tourism destination. As a result, the model will be developed to measure the competitiveness of rural tourism destinations, which will be applicable to Vojvodina, the province that has the capacity to develop rural tourism, or any other destination of rural tourism.</p>

Based on an analysis of the smart city and smart region concepts and case studies, the aim of the thesis was to identify the possibilities of their use in the tourism industry and to create a proposal for their application in selected tourist destinations. In cooperation with the selected destination of Písek, which endorses the smart city concept, and based on discussions with city representatives, the objective was narrowed down to the introduction of new iBeacon technology implemented in Písek through the eCulture project. This technology helps fulfil the concept of the smart city as a tourist destination. The main goal of applying this method is effective presentation of the City of Písek. Together with the destination company Píseckem, s.r.o., a total of 12 beacons were proposed in the historic city centre and three more in its immediate vicinity. First, the content of individual beacons was prepared in the practical part of the research, which was divided into basic and supplementary text. The basic text provides the main information, while the supplementary text is primarily designed to attract attention. Subsequently, the destination company was provided with graphic designs for display-ing information to end-users through selected beacons. To ensure effective presentation of the City of Písek through iBeacon technol-ogy, selected visuals were tested with an eye camera. Eye tracking is a modern research method in which the eye movements of participants (respondents) are monitored. The results were presented using heat maps, which show the intensity with which individual places in the graphic design are viewed by respondents. The proposal part of the thesis was prepared based on the results of eye tracking tests and subsequent in-depth interviews. A total of four graphic designs were created, namely beacon 01 (Great Square), beacon 02 (Town Hall Courtyard), beacon 03 (Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross) and beacon 05 (Bakaláře).

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This paper aims to show how User Generated Content can create value for Smart Tourism Destinations. Applying the analysis on 5 different cases in the region of Stockholm to derive patterns and opportunities of value creation generated by UGC in tourism. Findings of this paper is also discussed in terms of improving decision making, possibilities of new business models and importance of technological improvements on STD’s. Finally, thoughts on models are presented for researchers and practitioners that might be interested in exploitation of UGC in the context of information-intensive industries and mainly in Tourism.

The aim of the thesis was a proposal to form a tourist information center and its location in the village of Tři Studně. Based on the analysis of supply and demand of the tourist destination offers a service that will provide visitors information center. For tourist information center have been proposed two alternatives. The first draft took advantage of the current meeting room of the Municipal Office at Tři Studně without modification, and it only added new equipment and technology . The second proposal is already associated with structural modifications of the room. Tři Studně are due to its abundant natural potential tourists visited in the summer and winter months. It forms one of the most Important Recreational Areas in Vysočina. Tři Studně in the TIC will be one of the most important elements of marketing communication of the village and its vicinity.