The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way tourism activities are conducted. Restrictions on moving from place to place have likely limited the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus but have also led to economic crisis in many countries around the world. In this article, we assessed the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the activities of cultural heritage tourism sites in Europe. Scientific research was carried out in industrial heritage tourism sites associated with the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH). Analysis of the literature and the results of our own research indicated a strong impact of the pandemic on the examined sites, expressed in the limitation of the operating time of the sites, a decrease in the number of tourists attended to, and a decrease in revenues. No significant reduction in employment was noticed. These sites were not generally used in preventive actions during the health crisis. Only some managers took an active part in supporting emergency services in a difficult situation. We concluded that taking up innovative functions by tourism enterprises should be open innovation.
The article deals with the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the awareness of economics students as future managers responsible for the implementation of this idea in enterprises. Due to the fact that CSR is a source of many innovations today, the aim of the research was to learn about the awareness and opinions of students about CSR on such issues as: reasons for implementation, main activities, impact on profitability, and the need to explore and assess the usefulness of this knowledge. The research was conducted in 2019 among students from Poland and Georgia (as countries at various stages of advancement in the market economy). The results of the research were statistically analyzed in terms of obtaining answers to the hypotheses and research questions, checking the significance of differences in the answers due to nationality, and additionally, gender (chi-square test and test for two proportions). The primary contribution of this study is an exploration of the views of students on various issues of CSR and sustainability. The results showed that—according to students—ethical values, increased consumer awareness, and the desire to gain a competitive advantage are the most common reasons for the implementation of the CSR concept by companies. The vast majority of respondents indicated the need to enrich the knowledge of business ethics as an important aspect shaping the attitudes of employers and employees. The positive attitude of students regarding the impact of CSR on the company’s profitability was confirmed, although the authors expected more unambiguous results. Differences were also distinguished between the responses of students from both countries on some issues, such as: opinions on the developing ethical sensitivity, the need for the credibility of the EU economic policy, ecology and relations with the local community, as well as relations with the closest stakeholders of companies. The results of the conducted research suggest the need for intense activity in the field of public awareness and the requirement of personnel training for the skilful implementation of CSR principles in enterprises.
Making long-term decisions and developing successful policy is always a challenge for a governing body. Within the framework of causal mapping, we evolved a model for the problem of creating and reinforcing a city’s image. Then, the model was enhanced into a quantitative form and processed with a novel approach: the extended form of the Weighted Influence Non-linear Gauge System (WINGS). A real-life case study of the city of Katowice showed that the presented approach can be helpful for city authorities. It reinforces the understanding of the problem, facilitates choosing policy options, and supports sustainable city development.
The starting point of the presented research is the theory of destination marketing, in which the concept of destination branding is the key element. Destination branding models include the idea of visual brand identity, which includes the logo as a crucial element. Since the 1980s, the concept of sustainable development has shaped the society and global economy, including tourism. Tourists are increasingly guided by the analysis of the tourist area in terms of the importance of nature and the possibility of spending free time responsibly. They look for a sustainable tourist offer. Therefore, the aim of this work is to evaluate the tourist offers of Polish territorial units in terms of visual message—logo and its content, and to examine whether they comprise design components that reveal the sustainable development of the destination. The research method was content analysis of promotional signs. Sustainable development in tourism focuses on three pillars: nature, responsible tourist activity, and the historical remains protected in a sustainable way. The authors search for such images in the logos. In the conclusion, the authors summarize that elements of nature and historical heritage are strongly present in the logos, which does not mean that the tourist offer is a balanced offer.
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