Mahnaz Doosti-Irani; Nader Jafari Haftkhani
Abstract
The present study tries to analyze the role of emotional intelligence of service providers in the trip process (before, during, and after) with a different view of sustainable tourism (from the perspective of tourist satisfaction) and emphasis on the human spiritual needs, to pave the way for further ...
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The present study tries to analyze the role of emotional intelligence of service providers in the trip process (before, during, and after) with a different view of sustainable tourism (from the perspective of tourist satisfaction) and emphasis on the human spiritual needs, to pave the way for further access tourist satisfaction and implementation of sustainable tourism. This is an applied exploratory research and has been done by content analysis and system thinking (to draw a conceptual model qualitatively and validated by experts). Data was collected through in-depth interviews with experts in sustainable tourism and spirituality. Experts were recruited through purposeful snowball sampling until data saturation and theoretical saturation. based on the findings, service providers' emotional intelligence plays an important role in improving the travel process by (A) helping the tourist in choosing the right travel package (before the trip), (B) creating a sense of calm, cheerfulness, and happiness in the tourist through responding to his spiritual needs (during the trip) and (C) impact positively in the mental evaluations and future decisions of tourist (after the trip). Based on systemic thinking, the results showed that paying attention to the tourists' spiritual needs through the employees' emotional intelligence is effective in achieving more sustainable tourism, so according to research findings and the widespread role of emotional intelligence in the travel process, training of service providers in the use of emotional intelligence is recommended to activists and planners in this industry
I Gede Sutarya
Abstract
In 2000, spiritual tourism began to develop in Bali. The development of spiritual tourism started to occur in Ubud, which is a rural tourism area. This spiritual tourism is an alternative to the mass tourism developing in Bali, which is in Denpasar and Badung. Mass tourism has brought various environmental, ...
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In 2000, spiritual tourism began to develop in Bali. The development of spiritual tourism started to occur in Ubud, which is a rural tourism area. This spiritual tourism is an alternative to the mass tourism developing in Bali, which is in Denpasar and Badung. Mass tourism has brought various environmental, social, and cultural problems to Bali, such as reducing green areas. During these environmental, social, and cultural problems, spiritual tourism has emerged that is pro-environment, pro-local communities, and pro-local economy. Therefore, this article will reveal spiritual tourism's potential, development, and role in sustainable tourism development. Tourist destination theory, life cycle theory, and sustainable tourism theory will be used to explain the phenomenon of spiritual tourism. This article results from qualitative research with data collection methods through literature study, observation, and interviews. The analysis technique is done qualitatively. The results show Bali has attractions, facilities, access, and management organizations to develop spiritual tourism. This spiritual tourism is a builder of sustainable tourism because it is pro-environment, pro-local community, and pro-local economy.
AHMAD PUAD MAT SOM
Abstract
When deliberating on the spiritual dimension of tourism, one key question is that how individuals are seeking for their life meaning and experiences of divine existence, as well as their connectedness as subjectively lived during their travel. In fact, tourism is closely connected to religion which ...
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When deliberating on the spiritual dimension of tourism, one key question is that how individuals are seeking for their life meaning and experiences of divine existence, as well as their connectedness as subjectively lived during their travel. In fact, tourism is closely connected to religion which has always been a powerful travel motivation from the time of early pilgrimages to contemporary journeys to sacred places. Religious sites, rituals, festivals and ceremonies are considered important attractions for both religious followers with special systems of belief and tourists with a casual interest. Perhaps, this characteristic of the tourism experience is the main reason for spiritual tourism experiences being recently popular among individuals who have started engaging in spiritualitydriven experiences and among persons aiming to develop their continuing sublime engagement by means of travel. There are various reasons for travelling for spiritual growth which is opposed to the traditional notions of pilgrimage and religious tourism. However, relatively few scholars have explored the multitudinous relationships between religion, spirituality, and sustainable tourism, despite the pervasiveness of religious tourism and spiritual connections to place. A subject that has received only scant attention in the literature is the negative social and ecological impacts of religious (mass) tourism. Several authors have noted the negative impacts of religious tourism on the commercialization of places and artifacts that were once held as sacred locations. The commodification of religious symbols and the economic implications of selling them should become of increased interest to researchers as the world becomes more consumption-oriented.