Environmental Responsibility and Sustainable Tourism: Emerging Trends and Research

Dr. Ante Mandić is Associate Professor of Sustainable Tourism at the University of Split, Croatia, Research Fellow at the Cornell University, and Affiliate Faculty at Colorado State University, USA. An internationally recognized expert in destination management and tourism policy planning, he works at the intersection of research excellence and policy innovation, advancing tourism as a catalyst for climate action, biodiversity conservation, and community resilience. His influential books, including the Handbook on Managing Nature-Based Tourism Destinations Amid Climate Change (Edward Elgar, 2024) and The Routledge Handbook of Nature-Based Tourism Development (Routledge, 2023), together with a broad body of peer-reviewed research published in leading international journals, have positioned him as a trusted voice for academics, policymakers, and practitioners navigating the complexities of sustainable tourism. In 2025, he was included in the Stanford–Elsevier global list of the top 2% most-cited researchers worldwide. In Croatia, he has advised the Ministry of Tourism and Sports on the national Strategy for Sustainable Tourism through 2030, co-authored destination management and carrying capacity guidelines, and led master planning across Dalmatia’s most visited regions, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites. On the global stage, he shapes tourism and conservation agendas as Vice-chair and Coordinator of Knowledge Development within the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (TAPAS Group) and lead author of the landmark IUCN Issues Paper on Tourism, Biodiversity and Community Resilience (2025), while also serving as an accredited Expert Trainer with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). His expertise is sought by international organizations such as IUCN Mediterranean, Plan Bleu, and the Croatian Institute for Tourism, and he is a frequent speaker at high-level forums hosted by, among others, the European Commission, the Union for the Mediterranean, and Cornell University. With a forward-looking vision, Dr. Mandić champions a model of tourism governance that is pragmatic, innovative, and transformative, inspiring destinations worldwide to confront climate challenges while securing long-term sustainability and prosperity for future generations. Dr Lidija Petrić is a full professor at the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, University of Split (Croatia). Her main research interests include tourism economics, tourism and development, destination management and planning, and cultural tourism. She has authored and co-authored an extensive body of scientific and professional work, including journal articles, studies, reviews, conference papers, and books.Throughout her career, Dr Petrić has participated in and coordinated numerous projects across different levels—from local and regional initiatives to national programmes—as well as highly competitive international projects, including the EU-funded HORIZON 2020 Smart CulTour Project. She has collaborated with renowned international organisations such as UNDP, UNESCO, GEF, WWF, and UNEP, as well as with a wide range of domestic public, private, and non-governmental institutions.In addition, she serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals and contributes to the scientific committees of international conferences. Dr. Petrić is also an active member of professional and academic organisations, including the European Regional Science Association (ERSA) and the Scientific Committee for Tourism and Space of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

• Introduction.- From Crisis to Recovery: Tourism Resilience in the European Union.- Access and Accessibility in Sustainable Beach Management.- Nature Park Tourism and Sustainable Livelihoods.