3
Archived Theses
0
DOIs Assigned
0%
DOI Rate
Discipline
Sürdürülebilir bir medikal turizm destinasyonu olarak Belarus
In recent decades, there has been a rapid growth in the medical tourism market in a number of countries. In this regard, the importance of studying the experience of the development of this phenomenon in various contexts increases. This research aims to investigate the medical tourism system in Belarus, a country where this industry is developing in the context of a universal healthcare system with a dominant public sector that accounts for a large part of medical tourists. Covering the experience of a destination with such a particular context contributes to the literature that has previously looked primarily at countries where in contrast the private sector plays an important role in providing medical services to tourists. This research presents the supply stakeholders' vision of the current situation in the field of medical tourism in Belarus and highlights some features and differences adherent to the system and development scenario. The study is carried out within a sustainability perspective and showcases the areas of medical tourism in Belarus that meet or contradict the principles of sustainable development. The data was collected through in-depth semi- structured interviews with main supply-side stakeholders of medical tourism in Belarus that were selected by using judgmental and snowball sampling methods. Descriptive qualitative approaches such as thematic analysis and content analysis were applied for the examination of the interview data. Several unique aspects in the development and structure of medical tourism in Belarus are highlighted, leading to theoretical and practical implications.
Sustainable tourism development via agritourism: The case of Gökçeada
Since the late twentieth century, there is a growing interest of various stakeholders worldwide, from policymakers to practitioners and tourists, in agritourism. However, limited research has been done to identify critical success factors for sustainable agritourism development, especially in the context of developing countries. Therefore, this research provides guiding information concerning the development of an agritourism destination within the principles of sustainability. It analyzes the specific example of Gökçeada as an incipient agritourism destination and thus highlights what factors are available and what factors are missing for the development of an agritourism destination in the island. A conceptual model that summarizes all of these factors is also proposed. Data collection is made through semi-structured in-depth interviews carried out with local authorities, organic farmers, agritourism providers and candidates of agritourism activities, selected via judgmental and snowball sampling techniques The research findings reveal the importance of a legal framework to develop sustainable agritourism destinations. This research also highlights the need for a definition of what is a working farm. Practical implications for policymakers and agritourism providers are also made.
The effects of sustainable restaurant practices on diner behavior
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of sustainable restaurant practices on green brand image (GBI) and sustainability-related diner loyalty (LOY) by providing a comparative analysis between two major types of restaurants [i.e., full-service restaurant (FSR) and quick-service restaurant (QSR)]. Additionally, the present study examines the moderating role of restaurant type (FSR vs. QSR) on the relationships between sustainable restaurant practices, GBI, and LOY. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The sustainable restaurant practices were measured using four dimensions, namely (1) food-focused sustainability practices (FfSP), (2) waste-reduction practices (WRP), (3) water- and energy-efficiency practices (WEEP), and (4) administration-focused sustainability practices (AfSP). A convenience sample of 656 Turkish restaurant customers were surveyed and a total of 623 useable questionnaires (316 FSR customers and 307 QSR customers) were analyzed. To analyze the data, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was performed. The results indicate that FfSP and AfSP positively influence GBI for both FSR and QSR customers. It was also found that FfSP, WRP and AfSP positively influence LOY for FSR customers. On the other hand, WEEP and AfSP were found to have positive effects on LOY for QSR customers. The study also reveals two significant results regarding the moderating role of restaurant type. While the positive effect of WRP on LOY was found to be stronger for FSR customers, the positive effect of WEEP on LOY was found to be stronger for QSR customers.