Sustainable Development and Consumer Behavior in Rural Tourism—The Importance of Image and Loyalty for Host Communities

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Como observación, dentro de los detalles técnicos del estudio también debe aparecer el período de recopilación de los datos.

Author Response

Muchas gracias por su aportación. Queremos manifestar nuestro más sincero agradecimiento por sus comentarios, ya que gracias a ellos nuestro artículo ganará en calidad.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

I appreciate this opportunity to review this paper. I would like to suggest some comments for improving this manuscript:

 

1. Title – Please consider in adjusting the title having in mind the title of the Special Issue "Consumer Behaviour and Sustainable Development Goals"

 

2. Abstract

The stated objective is not anchored in the theme of the publication. The problem statement and the purpose of research should be clearly presented.

I suggest presenting which kind of novelty the paper introduces with respect to the actual literature.

The abstract part has difficulty in understanding due to the inappropriate use of English.

 

3. Introduction

52- Explain the link between nature tourism- rural tourism and Sustainable Development Goals number 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

114 – cannot see the connection with wine tourism here

 

General observation about Introduction – I cannot find information about:

• position of your approach, details about your specific research problem, highlights gaps in current understanding or conflicts in current knowledge
• the main objectives of your research,
• the originality of the research, the target readership, why the research was carried out and the novelty and topicality of the manuscript
• an overview of the paper's structure including some information about research methodology.

 

4. Conceptual Framework and Hypothesis – I do not understand why is 2.2 in front of this chapter name if there was only Introduction before?

 

5. Research Framework

200 – I think this is from a previous version of the manuscript

“It is observed that the previous??prior destination”

 

202-204 – Cannot see the link with sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals number 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

“These two variables (satisfaction and new destination image) influence loyalty and future visits to the tourist destination”

 

General observation about 2.1. Research Framework – the literature review is too long and does not provide additional information to the introductory part. It does not provide extra clarification about the connection between Sustainable Development Goals number 8 and loyalty and future visits to the tourist destination.

 

6. Research hypothesis

None of the hypothesis had something to do with the topic of this Special Issue of Sustainability Journal "Consumer Behaviour and Sustainable Development Goals".  I recommend you offer more information about the notions’ correlations. They need to be explained in detail. Please see below the requests of the Journal:

“this Special Issue proposes a large set of topics related to the achievement of the SDGs from the actions of sustainable organisations and a consumer behaviour based on sustainability values. The different variables that influence a responsible consumer behaviour process, steps in this process, and sustainable organisation strategies, ideas, and actions are of interest, as well as the adaptations that manufacturers and retailers must make to their businesses to meet new consumer demands. Finally, study the role played by entrepreneurs, who should be oriented in the generation of sustainable ideas and businesses, is a topic that will be covered in this Special Issue.”

Consider revising the hypothesis having in mind the topic of the special issue of the journal and the Sustainable Development Goals number 8.

 

7. Methods

The research seems to be part of another study. The approach and the analysis procedures were not presented in detail.

 

8. Survey Design

331 - Please offer more information about province of Soria (Spain) and about rural tourism in this area. I do not know the area and some statistics would be welcome to identify the usefulness of conducting such research in Soria.

The interview guide should be explained in detail. The authors’ efforts for increasing credibility and trustworthiness.

 

9. Discussion and Conclusions

508-510 – Please explain how an increased number of visits influence the economic sustainability of the area.

“This new destination image, a modification of the initial image, should be positive [78], since that will create loyalty to the destination, increasing the number of visits to the area and increasing the economic sustainability of the area.”

547-552 – Please offer more detail about how the conclusion of the research are linked to the Sustainable Development Goal 8

 

In conclusion, I do not think the concepts of sustainable development – sustainability (Sustainable Development Goal 8) - rural tourism - image and loyalty for host communities are properly linked. The authors should explain more clearly about how the interview contents are analysed and the core concepts are extracted and linked.

Furthermore, the results need to be highlighted more in the conclusions as well as implications. Put in evidence the final goal you achieved with your research and what differences with current literature concerning the topic.

The limitations and further research suggestions should be presented as they can provide further discussion for the readers.

 

Author Response

Thank you very much for your contribution. We want to express our sincere thanks for their great work. And we are going to make all the changes that it requires of us since we are sure that so the paper will improve in quality.

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Dear Authors,

Thank you for allowing the evaluation of your paper. Overall I think you have done a very interesting work that can be published in Sustainability. For this I think you should consider the following suggestions:
1.- On line 42 you talk about tourist motivation. They should explain the motivations of tourists in general and rural tourists in particular, what makes them different.
For that reason, it should be better defined what is understood by Rural Tourism and Nature tourism that although  have points in common but they are different tourist segments. Talking about both segments as a single type can be misleading. They could add a scheme or diagram.
Sustainability is an international magazine, it would not be superfluous to include a location map of the studied area, Soria, as well as a brief description of the territory that should be included in the methodology.
Indicating the number of inhabitants and the number of tourists that the region receives is also a data that helps to dimension the work and its results.
3.- The relationship between rural tourism and wine tourism (and gastronomic tourism) is an important part of rural development. This topic should have a more exhaustive review so I recommend that you refer to the article by Zamarreño-Aramendia, G.; Cruz-Ruiz, E.; Ruiz-Romero de la Cruz, E. Sustainable Economy and Development of the Rural Territory: Proposal of Wine Tourism Itineraries in La Axarquía of Malaga (Spain) as well as the references included in it that may be of great use to you.
4.- Regarding the methodology, it should be indicated when (dates) the data sample was made and the places where it was carried out. Likewise, it is not clear who the interviewees were: local population, national tourists, foreign tourists... It is urgent to clarify this point since the relative validity of the survey depends on the groups interviewed. This information (if it exists) should be included in the sociodemographic characteristics of the sample.
5.- The survey should be included as an annex, as it would help to understand how it was carried out.
6.- The title should be reconsidered since we are dealing with a case study given that the universe of the sample is from Soria. The current title does not correctly reflect the research carried out.
7.- The discussion should be separated from the conclusions, they should not close the paper with the limitations, they can include them in the final part of the discussion.

I wish you good luck

Author Response

Thank you very much for your contribution. We want to express our sincere thanks for their great work. And we are going to make all the changes that it requires of us since we are sure that so the paper will improve in quality.

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Review Report:

Sustainable development, sustainability, and rural tourism.

The importance of image and loyalty for host communities

A brief summary:

The considered concept of sustainable development is well presented in the article as a conceptual framework for the study. The authors proposed a logical "theoretical model" that was effectively applied both to field research and to the generalization and interpretation of the results. This approach shows a clear connection between the theoretical framework and the applied methodology. The followed research, with the relevant techniques, data analysis, and drawn conclusions is perfectly implemented. The proposed methodology can be useful for studying any other rural tourism destination. In general, the aim of the article and its contribution to knowledge in the field of methodology and management of rural tourism destinations deserve a positive assessment.

Broad comments

Ratings.  The article includes:

• A comprehensive and adequate review of the positive sides of the sustainability concept as a basis for the study;
• Well designed “theoretical model” logically linking methodological approach with the field research and its outcomes;
• Perfectly designed field research, logically stated hypothesis and correctly applied wide range of statistical analysis, providing confirming quantitative data for the findings;
• Receiving valuable findings.

 

Recommendations:

• The authors provide a wide range of relevant literature, documents, and research sources to highlight the link between their case study and the concept of sustainability. However, the review deals only with the positive aspects of tourism sustainability. I think that the overview would be more complete if it also included short notes on the risks associated with the expansion of tourism in terms of its possible negative impact on the natural, cultural, and even economic environment (e.g. a possible conflict of territorial expansion of tourism with local agribusiness). Risk management is an important component of a destination’s sustainable development policy.
• Having the widely discussed concept of sustainability in the article, the research itself focuses on its very specific aspect - the importance of image and loyalty in relation to the host community (The title). While this approach is acceptable, the words “social sustainability” and “economic sustainability”, underlined as “keywords” (21-22), remain at the level of the review, and not as a specific subject of research. This casts doubt on the "key" status of these words in the article.

Specific comments

• Recommended article: “Participatory policy review: “Supportive Tourism” concept for hand-to-hand rural and mountain development” (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348944428_Participatory_policy_review_Supportive_Tourism_concept_for_hand-in-hand_rural_and_mountain_development)

Conclusion

Accept after Minor Revisions

 

Author Response

Thank you very much for your contribution. We want to express our sincere thanks for their great work. And we are going to make all the changes that it requires of us since we are sure that so the paper will improve in quality.

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

The second version of the paper is an improuved ine.