Sustainable Narratives and Technologies in Tourism
This post will be updated in 2026 when full details of the
new textbook are announced by Routledge. The ISBNs and the main DOI are now available
for you to cite the new book in references and bibliographies:
Chowdhury, D., Mansfield, C. & Potočnik Topler, J. (Eds.) (2026). Sustainable Narratives and Technologies in Tourism. Abingdon: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781003747185.
Hardback ISBN: 978104125536 Paperback ISBN: 9781041255376 E-book ISBN: 9781003747185
And we are delighted to share the book cover design below:
Please login with your Gmail account and follow this page. Then please share with colleagues and post a Comment below.
What will tourism look like in the 2030s?
Tourism
destination development will take sustainability as a given. Social media and
emerging technologies will be integrated into the stories of co-created visitor
experience. This book for tourism, hospitality and heritage management explores
these converging areas in a way that will inform your own studies and research.
Local stakeholders as active participants
Local communities and local inhabitants are at the heart of
every tourism story as
sustainable tourism development is fundamentally dependent on the active
participation and endorsement of local communities. The locals are the best
protectors of the socio-cultural and ecological resources upon which the
tourism offer is developed. Their inclusion is not merely an ethical imperative
but a valuable necessity. True sustainability can only be achieved when the
interests, knowledge, and well-being of local populations are systematically
heard, observed, and integrated into all stages of planning, development and
management. When local stakeholders are engaged as
active participants rather than passive subjects, they are more interested to
support conservation efforts, help preserve authentic cultural heritage, and
ensure that economic benefits are equitably distributed, thereby promoting and
protecting long-term resilience. Exclusion of local
communities and stakeholders often leads to resentment, resource degradation,
and the erosion of social license for tourism operations, ultimately
undermining the essential pillars of sustainability.
Who has written this textbook for tourism?
A group of international research scholars and university
lecturers have collaborated with their local communities to write this textbook
for students and lecturers in universities across the globe. The chapters present
research studies that you can draw on in building your own picture of tourism as
it moves into the next decade. When you start your own research or dissertation
project then you will find that the methods can be readily replicated for your
tourism destination.
About the Editors
Dr Dababrata Chowdhury is a Reader in Digital Entrepreneurship in the Business School at Canterbury Christ Church University and Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Management at Ravensbourne University, London. Dr Chowdhury specialises in digital technology, knowledge management and marketing. He graduated in Computer Science and Engineering (BSc) from Hacettepe University, Ankara and completed an MBA and PhD at the University of Plymouth, UK. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has worked in higher education for over 20 years. Skills include improving student employability and entrepreneurial development. Having extensive knowledge of higher education, Dr Chowdhury has built strategic partnerships with stakeholders and communities across the globe.
Dr Charles Mansfield is an independent academic, teaching in universities since 1995. He is a freelance researcher and writer, regularly running summer schools for literary travel writers and destination managers. Charles completed a major, funded research project for the CNRS with the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in digital heritage management and was a research academic with the University of Edinburgh from January 2005 until July 2009 where he successfully completed an AHRC-funded research project to digitise mediaeval literary texts. He is the co-author of Travel Writing for Tourism and City Branding: Urban Place Writing Methodologies published with Routledge, Taylor & Francis.
Dr Jasna Potočnik Topler has been teaching at the University of Maribor, Slovenia since 2014. She completed her studies in English language and literature and in Journalism and obtained her PhD at the Ljubljana University. In July 2025, she was promoted to Full Professor. Her field of research includes cultural tourism with its subtypes, languages, literary tourism and media discourse, and communication. She is the author of monographs, scientific articles, conference lectures, and an editorial board member of many journals. She has been engaged in many projects with the local community, industry stakeholders, EU partners and students.
Reviews of the Book
Sustainable Narratives and Technologies in Tourism is a
forward-looking textbook that examines the convergence of environmental
responsibility and digital innovation as the industry moves toward the 2030s.
The work is structured to bridge the gap between academic theory and industry
practice, offering students a toolkit of methods and case studies that can be
replicated in their own research and dissertations.
Core Themes
- Narrative-Driven
Sustainability: The text argues that true sustainability
transcends technical measures like energy efficiency; it requires
"narratives" that connect tourists and host communities through
shared values and lived cultural experiences.
- Community-Centric
Development: A recurring focus is the ethical and
practical necessity of including local inhabitants at every stage of
planning to ensure long-term resilience and the protection of authentic
heritage.
- Emerging
Technologies: Several chapters explore how cutting-edge
tools—including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain (NFTs), and
Augmented Reality (AR)—are being utilized to co-create visitor experiences
and manage destinations more effectively.
Conclusion
This
volume distinguishes itself by its practical "re-usability". By
providing example questions for assessment and PowerPoint resources for
lecturers, it functions as a comprehensive core text for a full module. The
collaborative effort of international scholars ensures the content is globally
relevant while remaining grounded in the specific socio-cultural needs of local
communities. Sustainable Narratives and Technologies in Tourism is a
vital resource for the next generation of tourism professionals. It
successfully demonstrates that the future of the industry lies not just in
"green" practices, but in the intelligent application of technology
to tell deeper, more inclusive stories of place.
❦
Professor Mohamed Abdel-Maguid, Professor of Smart Systems and Pro Vice-Chancellor at Canterbury Christ Church University UK
Overview
As the global
tourism industry gears up to meet the demands of a digitally transformed,
sustainability-conscious world, the intersection of smart technology and
authentic local storytelling is becoming a critical lever for growth. Sustainable
Narratives and Technologies in Tourism is a timely and valuable resource.
It offers a forward-looking roadmap, arguing that authentic sustainability is
not just about carbon metrics, but also about the emotional atmosphere created
by inclusive narratives and co-created, globally connected local experiences.
In more depth
One of the
notable threads in the book is the challenge to the idea that technology and
tradition are opposing forces. Instead, it presents them as potentially
symbiotic in contemporary tourism, a position that strongly resonates with my
own convictions. The book covers technologies expected to shape the next decade
of the tourism industry. For example, Dr Yassine Mountije’s chapter on
blockchain technology (BCT) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) moves beyond the
hype to show how these tools may reshape ownership and engagement in
hospitality. By positioning NFTs as mechanisms for value co-creation, it
invites readers to consider how travellers might participate in building the
digital legacy of destinations.
Smart tourism
is explored not as a replacement for human service, but as an enabler of more
responsible resource management and better visitor experiences. Dr Ousanee
Sawagvudcharee’s chapter focuses on sustainable information systems
development, highlighting how digital systems can support resource managmant,
ethical decision-making, and the competitiveness of destinations seeking to
elevate themselves in responsible travel destinations.
The editors
emphasise that sustainability is superficial without the active participation
of local residents, and this is brought to life through the case studies.
Pascoal and Tallone’s examination of the Guggenheim Effect in Santo Tirso is
particularly interesting, showing how a small-scale cultural initiative can
support low-density, high-engagement experiences while avoiding the typical
drawbacks of over-tourism.
Notably, the
book also highlights often-overlooked narratives. Dr Senka Šekularac-Ivošević’s
work on the Bay of Kotor addresses underrepresented maritime heritage,
proposing the SEA approach (Sensemaking, Embodiment, Alchemy) as a way to weave
maritime identity back into destination marketing and management. This emphasis
on reframing local stories to preserve and mobilise culture is a strong thread
throughout the book.
The book is
designed to support university students, and the inclusion of
student-originated work is refreshing, in my view. Wondemsew Mesafint’s Green
Hike Eco-Trail chapter presents a 2030s eco-tourism model and a usable teaching
tool, complete with structured learning materials. Similarly, the Walk in My
Shoes platform by Anshul Nicholas Lewis shows how classroom debate can evolve
into postgraduate research. Together, these features make the book useful for
lecturers designing modules and assessments.
Conclusion
Sustainable
Narratives and Technologies in Tourism is a robust resource that brings
together key theories, case studies and teaching toolkits. The case studies are
diverse, though many lean towards European contexts. That said, the frameworks
are portable and there is scope for future research to test these approaches
more widely, including in the Global South where the sustainability challenges
can be even sharper. The book is also structured to support teaching, with
re-usable project examples and assessment-oriented materials that lend
themselves well to module design.
For academics,
students and practitioners, this book offers a triangle of culture, ethics and
technology, making it a valuable resource for readers interested in the future
of hospitality, events and heritage management.
———————————————————
Very nice cover and interesting topic. Looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment. More news in the New Year
DeleteLooking forward to reading this - and looking at the cover I now fancy a swim!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment.
Delete