Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conceptually examine the phenomenon of wellness tourism under a holistic and systemic lens, focusing on the offer system and the main components necessary for the staging of wellness experiences. This approach to holistic wellbeing within the tourism sector has led to a broadening of the type of services and experiences that make up the value propositions that can positively contribute to people’s wellbeing. Design/methodology/approach This study identifies and defines the components of wellness tourism (including sectors not traditionally associated with it) through a review and analysis of the extant literature on “wellness tourism” and “wellbeing tourism” of the past two decades; the components were classified through an open coding process. Findings Wellness tourism, as a broad multidimensional concept, is composed by ten different components of the offer system: hot springs, spas, medical tourism, care of the body and mind, enogastronomy, sports, nature and environment, culture, spirituality and events. Each of these categories may represent a single touristic offer targeted to specific market segments, but they may also be one of several components within an integrated mix of tourism products proposed. Originality/value A holistic view of wellness tourism has implications for strategic marketing processes. Destination Management Organizations and company managers should segment their demand according to more innovative criteria than what has traditionally been adopted for wellness in terms of health care and medical procedures. Value propositions for tourists should be wellness-driven to satisfy the growing demand for wellness/well-being and should involve the participation of all the various actors and producers within the wellness tourism offer system at wellness destinations.

Esta tese é fruto de uma longa caminhada, a qual só foi possível com o apoio incondicional de meus familiares, minha namorada e de muitos amigos que fui cativando ao longo destes anos.

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PurposeThis paper aims to deepen understanding of the role played by new technological tools used in customer–travel agency (TA) interactions by analysing the TA owner/managers' perceptions, pre- and post-Covid-19, regarding the effectiveness of in-store traditional and innovative tools.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study is based on a questionnaire-based survey conducted among Italian TAs and distributed via email from September 2020 to January 2021.FindingsThe study highlights how, even among TAs, the role of in-store technology is gradually taking on greater importance, and it delves into the specific business and socio-demographic factors that seem to cause differences among agencies.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focuses on the Italian context, which does not allow for any generalisations. Furthermore, it is only the travel agent perspective that is observed and not the consumer's.Originality/valueIn addition to helping to bridge the literature gap, this study on in-store technologies focuses on the TAs sector, where human resources and human relationships play a decisive role in customer experience and interaction. The paper investigates the travel agents' point of view regarding the introduction of new in-store technologies; it also highlights their growing adoption and use, overall, despite the travel catalogue still remaining the main tool for interacting with customers. The study also shows how the advent of Covid-19 has increased travel agents' propensity to use digital technologies.

Studies about the zooplankton flux between the Santa Cruz Channel (SCC) -at Catuama inlet -and the Adjacent Continental Shelf (ACS) were carried out to quantify this exchange and to define the planktonic Decapoda transport mechanism and migration. Sampling were done at spring (05 and 06/08/2001) and neap (11 and 12/08/2001) tides, each 3 hours interval, during 15 hours at spring tide (n = 32 samples) and 24 hours at neap tide (n = 56 samples). The samples were collected in three fixed stations (Middle or Convergence, Continent and Island) in three depths (surface, middle and bottom). Each sample was obtained with a pump and the water was filtered through a plankton net (300 µm), from 3 to 5 minutes. After collection the samples were fixed with 4% neutralized formaldehyde. Simultaneous current velocity and direction data were obtained using an acoustic current profile (ADCP), besides temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen data. In laboratory, the samples were weighted to obtain the plankton biomass wet weight. Each sample was totally inspected under a estereomicroscope. The Catuama Inlet presented a high biomass data variability, with higher values mainly during the spring tide. The instantaneous biomass average transport was 98.10±75.92 mg.m .s -1 , during neap tide. Higher biomass transport levels were associated to high density of Brachyura, Calanoida and Sergestoida. In relation to the organisms average transport the values were 831.47±1192.53 org.m -2 .s -1 , during spring tide and of 342.33±445.80 org.m -2 .s -1 , during neap tide. Higher biomass and organisms transport were observed during the night (flood and ebb tides). The importation and exportation flux did not present significative differences (p>0.05), suggesting that in some periods of the year the values can have the same magnitude order. Probably, this was caused by a strong marine influence in the studied area due estuarine fronts in the SCC, and time of the year of low larvae liberation, besides strong impact by planktivorous fishes over the meroplankton. The statistical analysis showed significative zooplankton accumulation in the covergence zones only during the diurnal period, considering the three stations, showing that during the night, besides the convergence zones some taxa use other mechanism transport. It was identified 29 planktonic Decapoda taxa, outranking the first stage of Lucifer faxoni, Acetes americanus, Pinnixa spp., Ocypodidae Morphotype A, Uca spp., Petrolisthes armatus, Upogebia spp. and Alpheidae. Most registered taxa presented vertical migration in synchrony with tide and photoperiod. The SCC is, probably, a reproductive area to Sergestoida, as it was observed an important flux (both import and export), of all stages of this taxon. The role of the SCC tropical estuary as Decapoda larvae source to coastal areas was confirmed in the present research. Our data showed that Decapoda larvae are exported from CSC to the ACS, however the high number of first larval stages in most of identified taxa, suggest that these...

PurposeThe purpose of the present study is to investigate travel agencies' social media usage and its perceived effectiveness by small- and micro-Italian travel agencies; the pre-pandemic period is compared to the forecasts for the post-Covid-19 period and different characteristics of firms and entrepreneurs are considered. Furthermore, the study analyses the expected benefits in terms of marketing objectives, such as improving brand image and/or personalizing the offer.Design/methodology/approachThe research was developed through a questionnaire administered electronically to travel agents (282 respondents). The resulting data was analyzed by applying the McNemar test, a pairwise t-test and the multivariate analysis of variance.FindingsThe results show that social media are strategically significant for travel agents, even though their adoption is influenced by different agency aims; the perceived effectiveness results are diversified according to varying agency typologies.Research limitations/implicationsThe two main limitations of the study are its focus on the Italian context only and the missing consideration of the consumer's point of view. The latter prevents an exhaustive assessment of future trends regarding the use of social media in the client–agency relationship.Originality/valueThe study, which focuses on a little debated topic concerning the relationship between social media and SMEs, organically explores various dimensions related to the adoption of social media by small agencies, also considering the impact of the Covid-19 on the perception of travel agents. As a further element of originality, the research takes into consideration the main social platforms separately rather than the set of tools as a whole.

Por meio de uma análise histórica e cultural da série televisiva Mad Men, atenta as suas representações como entendimentos particulares de mundo, buscou-se compreender como os figurinos e caracterizações pouco mutáveis da personagem Betty Draper estão relacionados com os meandros trágicos de seu arco dramático. Assim, para melhor compreensão, dividiuse a análise em momentos distintos. A primeira se refere em sua concepção como “Rainha do lar”, onde sua aparência fortemente delicada com vestidos rodados e cinturas marcadas, são entendidos sob o viés de encaixe narrativo, confortável às demandas patriarcais de seu papel de esposa e mãe de classe média, herdeira do período do pós-guerra no trato do homem como herói e cerne da família. Posteriormente, se articula seu desencaixe, em contraste com outras personagens femininas da trama, intencionadas em suas lutas por igualdade, trajando calças, camisas, minissaias e vestidos de cores fortes, o figurino e a caracterização de Betty pouco se altera, permanecendo no aspecto conservador e delicado de seus trajes, ressaltando sua silhueta frágil e delgada. Assim, percorrendo discussões no campo da História, estudos de gêneros, moda, figurino e comunicação, a investigação pretende contribuir para uma outra interpretação da personagem, não restrita as suas leituras antagonizadas, mas vinculada a uma perspectiva histórica, onde seus modos de vida são compreendidos em conflito com relações de forças de uma sociedade patriarcal.