Tourism scholars and players of the sector alike are very interested in the motivations for the tourist’s journey, as they influence the demand—with regard to the choice of the destination and the organization of the trip—and the offer—with regard to the definition of the tourism product. Religious tourism is an important area of the scientific debate on the motivation to travel; part of the literature clearly distinguishes the cultural and laical motivation of tourists (which can be considered religious tourism) from the desire to live an experience of faith (pilgrimage), while today, the orientation of scholars is to bring back under the label “religious” spiritual, religious, and cultural motivations. This study analyzes the case of the city of Pompeii, and it aims to investigate the possible synergy that could be created between the historical-cultural and religious interests of the city, identifying possible strategies for sustainable tourism. The study develops a quali-quantitative analysis of the reviews of the “Pontifical Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii” on TripAdvisor and presents a content analysis on the most frequent words utilized by users to describe their touristic experience.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of awareness of the topic of sustainability among Italian consumers in the wine sector and their perception – that is, what does it mean to consumers – of this issue. Design/methodology/approach This paper develops a quali-quantitative study on a random sample of Vivino reviews analysed through content analysis. Findings Awareness of topic of sustainability among Italian wine consumers is currently low, although it is increasing. It is not among the main factors that influence the choice of wine among Italian consumers, who are still mainly attracted by organoleptic properties and characteristics linked to the terroir concept. Research limitations/implications The research utilises a random sample, and the analysis is limited to the perception of consumers using online word of mouth (WOM). Practical implications To develop a long-term perspective on sustainability in the wine sector, it is necessary to have the courage to make a distinction between sustainability and short-term commercial performance. In addition, a cultural change in wine consumers is necessary and requires a willingness to pay a premium price for sustainable products. Originality/value Research on the awareness and perception of Italian wine consumers diffused by online WOM through communities such as Vivino has not yet been carried out.

PurposeThis paper aims to find out if it is possible to consider live virtual tours, in the connotation assumed during the COVID-19 outbreak, as experiential tourism products. The paper focuses on Holbrook's “four Es” (“experience”, “entertainment”, “exhibitionism” and “evangelising”) to study the experience of live virtual tours.Design/methodology/approachThis article develops an exploratory analysis and presents a content analysis of 1052 reviews of 108 live virtual tours posted on TripAdvisor and Viator.FindingsThe findings show that live virtual tours are perceived as experiences, all “four Es” are covered and two more sub-categories emerge.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis is limited to the perception of tourists that are confident with the technology, to a small sample and a period of travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak.Practical implicationsLive virtual tours create a new segment, which “travels from home”. This does not preclude tourists from deciding to physically visit the places seen virtually.Originality/valueResearch on the analysis of the reviews of live virtual tours has not yet been carried out.

The development of Web 2.0 technologies and social media, along with the emergence of wikis, blogs, online communities, and social networks, has rapidly transformed e-commerce. This phenomenon is commonly known as social commerce, an evolution of e-commerce characterized by a strong customer orientation. The aim of this paper is to understand the support of social commerce for e-commerce. We conducted an exploratory analysis of the Italian wine market via in-depth interviews with experts in the wine business: three wine producers and three companies running an online wine business. The interviews were recorded with the consent of the interviewees and transcribed, and their content was analyzed through content analysis. In particular, an analysis grid was created, following a closed procedure, with an ex-ante definition of the categories of analysis. Our results reveal that the COVID-19 outbreak has given a significant boost to digital transformation and online purchases in the wine sector. While some operators in the sector have merely undergone this change, others have been riding the wave, trying to benefit from it.

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