Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Administratio Locorum

Spatial heterogeneity of tourist accommodation in the Baltic Sea region: geostatistical approach

2026-06-24T08:11:07+00:00

Motives: Open POI data from OpenStreetMap and GIS software enable comparative international analyses where access to national databases is limited.

Aim: Identify and interpret the spatial heterogeneity of accommodation (hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and campsites) across the Baltic Sea Region (seven countries) using geostatistical methods.

Approach: Kernel density estimation (KDE) was used to estimate the overall density for each accommodation type. Afterwards, the density values from four KDE rasters were processed with Raster calculator, to determine the dominant type of tourist accommodation, resulting in a raster dominance map.

Results: The study confirms spatial heterogeneity in tourist accommodation across all the analysed countries, both overall and within individual types of accommodation infrastructure. The raster dominance map shows the spatial dominance of hotels in Poland and southern Finland, while campsites dominate vast areas of Sweden and Denmark. Local clusters of guesthouses and hostels are mainly found in coastal areas and large cities. Open data enables repeatable and comparative international analyses of tourist accommodation.

Reinvigorating cultural meaning through spatial experience: A triadic model for place-based architectural learning

2026-06-24T08:11:06+00:00

Historical cultural environments are a repository of values and symbols that pass down across generations through spatial experiences. Despite their intellectual and cultural potential, their role in fostering belonging and identity has declined; they are often viewed as silent landmarks, isolated from lived experiences. This highlights the need for an integrated model that makes spatial experience a stimulating process for reinvigorating the meaning inherent in historical contexts and reconnecting the new generation with their cultural roots. This research aims to explore how cultural meaning in historical contexts can be reactivated through spatial experience. To achieve this, the study proposes a triadic model – physical encounter (PE), emotional connection (EC), and imaginative projection (IP) – as a framework. The study adopted a qualitative approach that explores a learning experience consisting of two interactive phases, one within a historical and cultural context, preceded by a formal educational environment, to track the transformations of the interpretive patterns. Students from the Department of Architecture are involved in this process, producing visual storytelling outputs analyzed by ‘MAXQDA Analytics Pro’. The results indicate that spatial experience enhanced spatial awareness and deepened their emotional response by transforming sensory impressions into symbolic meanings. Comparative pre-post analysis showed that after the on-site immersion, more spatial awareness (SA), atmospheric response (AR), symbolic meaning (SM), and transformative visualization (TV) became intensified, indicating more intense experience. Emotional Connection was a mediating dimension between embodied perception and imaginative reinterpretation, and transition of learning was realized through a multidimensional and not a linear process. Imagination contributed as a dynamic dimension, shifting towards context-rooted visualization. The research provides an interpretive framework that demonstrates how spatial experience can be transformed into a means of reinvigorating cultural meaning and enhancing awareness of identity. The triadic model represents an effective tool in education and training.

Inaccessible homes: how aging housing infrastructure affects older residents in southwestern Poland

2026-06-24T08:11:19+00:00

Motives: The progressive aging of society poses growing challenges for urban housing policy, particularly in post-industrial cities such as Wałbrzych and Jelenia Góra in southwestern Poland. Many older residents live in municipal housing that is technically degraded and poorly adapted to their mobility needs.

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the technical condition and housing standards of municipal residential buildings in central districts of Wałbrzych and Jelenia Góra, with particular attention to the needs of older residents. It also investigates local government initiatives designed to improve mobility and eliminate architectural barriers in public housing.

Results: The findings confirm that municipal housing units are characterized by significant deterioration and a lack of basic adaptations for people with reduced mobility. Public opinion surveys reveal a strong demand for architectural improvements and better access to mobility aids. The study underscores the broader relevance of these challenges in the context of aging societies and the need to modernize public housing infrastructure accordingly.

Urban heritage and destination management: A strategic analysis of regional development along Egypt's Holy Family Trail

2026-06-24T08:11:09+00:00

Motives: The Holy Family Trail in Egypt consists of twenty-five sacred sites across eight governorates, yet it operates more as a series of disconnected religious stops than as a coherent cultural heritage trail. Despite Papal endorsement and stretching across different bioclimatic zones ranging from Delta wetlands to Saharan caves, the Holy Family trail continues to receive limited scholarly attention and fragmented governmental support that is often confined to small-scale infrastructure improvements. Stakeholders promote differing development visions without any mechanism to align brand identity with reputation management. This disconnect has expanded the gap between policy ambitions and ground-level implementation. Recognising tourism trails as dynamic urban heritage infrastructures that include sequential narratives, not merely connected attractions, this study addresses the need to transform fragmented assets into a competitive cultural tourism ecosystem.

Aim: The study develops a strategic destination management framework through a dual-matrix analytical method, including the Corporate Brand Identity Matrix (CBIM) and the Corporate Brand Identity and Reputation Matrix (CBIRM). A five-round Delphi process, conducted between December 2023 and February 2024, engaged twenty-three experts representing different stakeholder groups (e.g., cultural experts, tourism industry professionals, local community, and government officials) through iterative rounds were designed to build strategic coherence. The core aim of this study is to bridge the persistent execution gap by formalising a stakeholder-led brand identity while integrating reputation-governance mechanisms capable of translating the Holy Family trail heritage potential into sustainable tourism development.

Results: Participants reached a strong consensus despite differing perspectives. They identified the enhancement of Unique Selling Propositions as the most effective mechanism for improving recognition of the trail. Three competitive strengths were highlighted as central: its formal designation as a Christian pilgrimage route, the bioclimatic landscapes diversity, and its grounding in local community life. The resulting matrix-based framework provides policymakers with practical guidance for repositioning the trail within international tourism networks and offers a transferable methodology for managing heritage trails in other emerging economies.

The evolution of participatory budgets in Polish local governments: The case of the Lodz Participatory Budget

2026-06-24T08:11:21+00:00

Motives: The article examines the evolution of participatory budgeting (PB) in Poland over more than a decade, using the Lodz Participatory Budget (LPB) as an example. It explores the origins of PB, tracing it back to Brazilian Porto Alegre and how it has been adapted within the Polish local government system. It analyses the changing logics and drivers of PB, showing how, under specific formal and informal institutional conditions, PB has evolved into a tool balancing administrative efficiency, citizen participation, and local democracy.

Aim: The study is based on the example of Lodz, which has continuously implemented PB since 2012. It aims to highlight key transformations in local governments and to demonstrate how PB influences democratic participation.

Results: The article reveals that the most significant changes are driven by institutional factors, particularly amendments to local legal regulations. These modifications shape the scope and effectiveness of PB, determining how it functions as a mechanism for involving residents in decision-making and fostering engaged local democracy.

Safe playgrounds: An analysis in the context of regulations and selected design principles

2026-06-24T08:11:22+00:00

Playgrounds are intended to provide children with safe and welcoming spaces for recreation. In many countries, including Poland, safety requirements are governed by specific standards and regulations. Unfortunately, these regulations are not always observed, which undermines the function of playgrounds as secure environments for play. This study, conducted in Wrocław on a residential estate dating from the 1970s–1980s, aimed to assess whether the design and infrastructure of playgrounds comply with legal safety requirements and incorporate appropriately planned greenery. The analysis considered, among other factors, the distance of playgrounds from streets, parking lots, and waste collection points; the presence of fencing; certified equipment with designated safety zones; the type of shock-absorbing surfaces; access to sunlight and shade; as well as biologically active areas and plant species composition. The findings reveal that the examined playgrounds largely fail to meet applicable standards and regulations: 100% of sites were equipped with unsuitable loose surfaces, 80% displayed inadequately designated safety zones around equipment, and play areas consistently lacked shade. The results highlight the gap between current knowledge, legal requirements, and the actual safety and comfort of playground use. They also provide practical insights for managers and designers seeking to improve the quality and safety of playground environments.

Historical background and stages of the evolution of art objects in the urban environment

2026-06-24T08:11:20+00:00

Motives: The integration of art is crucial for adapting the urban environment to globalization and social fragmentation. Artistic objects shape urban identity, improve quality of life, and stimulate creative industries. This study substantiates their role in promoting social interaction and creating sustainable urban ecosystems where technology and culture achieve a harmonious balance.

Aim: The research aims to analyze the evolution of art objects in the urban environment, to determine their functions in the context of historical, socio-cultural and technological transformations. The tasks include systematizing the historical background and identifying the stages of evolution of art objects, assessing their impact on the formation of the identity of the urban environment, and identifying modern forms of art objects related to interactivity, digitalization, and participatory nature.

Results: Four stages of the evolution of art objects are identified: Emergence – integration of art into the object-spatial environment; Formative – search for a balance between function and aesthetics; Formation – experiments of modernism and postmodernism, open form concept; Development – interactivity, digitalization, Smart City concept. It has been established that contemporary art objects are transforming from static forms into dynamic systems that activate social interaction. The study proves that art integration contributes to the formation of open cultural systems, enhancing urban competitiveness, social cohesion, and sustainability.

Evaluation of water resources use management whitin the Răut River Basin (Republic of Moldova)

2026-06-24T08:11:16+00:00

Reason: The management of water resources in the Răut River Basin is of major strategic importance for the Republic of Moldova, taking into account that it includes the longest river flowing entirely within the country. The national legal context, through the Water Law, that partially transposes the EU Water Framework Directive and imposes the “Basin Principle” – makes it necessary to rigorously assess the use of water resources in order to ensure regional sustainability and alignment with the Sustainable Development Objectives and the Association Agreement with the EU.

Scope: The study aims to assess the use and management of water resources in the Răut River Basin, applying an interdisciplinary and integrated approach at the basin level. The central objective is to obtain a precise framework of the dynamics of water infrastructure and resources in the period 2016–2023, through analyzing key indicators: the length and density of the aqueduct network, the total volume of water supplied by consumer categories (population, budgetary institutions, economic agents). The methodology included descriptive statistical techniques, comparative analysis and cartographic methods (QGIS software) to identify trends and visualize spatial variations.

Results: The analysis has highlighted a deeply heterogeneous dynamics and a sharp polarization in the development of infrastructure. Although the total length of the aqueduct network increased by over 1320 km, the development was concentrated, with critical stagnation in certain areas. The total volume of water distributed almost tripled (from 9023.1 to 22,859.2 thousand m³), supported by major projects. The structure of consumption changed radically: the share of the population fell below 5%, while the consumption of economic agents increased by over 11 times, reaching 54.2% of the total in 2023, with 94% concentrated in the Bălți municipality. These results underline the need for a strategic approach to reduce structural disparities and ensure equity in the distribution of water resources within the Răut River Basin.

Nature therapy and sustainable rural tourism development. A planning concept for Wola Komborska

2026-06-24T08:11:15+00:00

Motives: The article addresses the need for sustainable tourism development in rural areas with high natural value. With increasing interest in health and wellness tourism, nature-based therapies such as forest therapy, apitherapy, phytotherapy, hippotherapy, and terrain therapy offer opportunities to enhance both the attractiveness of rural destinations and the well-being of tourists. There is a growing necessity to integrate the therapeutic uses of nature with tourism infrastructure while preserving environmental integrity.

Aim: To develop a spatial concept for local tourism based on the principles of sustainable development and therapeutic interaction with nature, using the village of Wola Komborska as a case study. The research aims to demonstrate how nature therapy can be integrated into rural tourism to support both human well-being and the long-term attractiveness of natural areas.

Results: The study proposes a spatial tourism development concept based on GIS analysis and field assessment to the natural conditions of Wola Komborska, including proposed infrastructure such as walking paths, viewpoints, and small-scale services. It emphasizes the therapeutic potential of the local landscape, microclimate, vegetation, and animals, proposing their sustainable use in health-promoting tourism forms such as agritourism and qualified tourism. The findings underline the importance of preserving natural resources to ensure the longevity and sustainability of rural tourism.

The relationship between non-financial factors and technological innovation expenditures (CAPEXtech) and the level of technological innovation (TI Index) in logistics companies. Panel analysis for international markets

2026-06-24T08:11:05+00:00

Motives: The growing importance of sustainable development and corporate responsibility positions ESG factors (environmental, social, and corporate governance) as key determinants of investment decisions. Companies increasingly incorporate non‑financial, ESG‑related performance measures into strategic and operational decision‑making processes, which raises an important research question. The analyses examined the impact of environmental, social, and corporate governance factors (ESG, ENV, CSR, CG), alongside financial variables (CR, asset turnover), on firms’ investment decisions. Two parallel econometric approaches were applied: fixed‑effects panel models (FE) and system SUR (Seemingly Unrelated Regressions) models.

Aim: The aim of the article is to provide an empirical assessment of the relationship between innovation and technology‑related expenditures (CAPEXtech), the level of technological innovativeness measured by the TI Index, and disclosures in the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) domains. The analysis covers logistics companies operating in Europe, the Asia‑Pacific region, and North America (the United States and Canada) over the period 2017–2024.

Results: The results indicate that managers should shift their focus from capital‑intensive investments to qualitative, modernization, and digital projects that align with growing ESG requirements and ensure higher capital efficiency. Strong corporate governance effects confirm the need to strengthen oversight mechanisms and increase selectivity in investment decisions. Investment strategies should be regionally tailored and managed holistically, taking into account interdependencies between different types of investments, which enables firms to respond more effectively to market volatility and build competitive advantage.

Industrial activity, renewable energy, and institutional factors as drivers of CO₂ emissions in ten high-emitting economies

2026-06-24T08:11:17+00:00

Motives: Carbon emissions in the world’s major emitting economies remain high despite progress in renewable energy deployment and institutional reforms. Investigating how industrial activity, population growth, foreign investment, and governance shape emission trends is important for developing effective environmental policies.

Aim: This study investigates the determinants of carbon dioxide emissions in ten high-emitting economies from 1995 to 2023 using the Pooled Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG-ARDL) and the Dynamic Common Correlated Effects estimator (DCCE), which capture both long-run equilibrium relationships and short-run dynamics while accounting for cross-country interdependence.

Results: Renewable energy consistently reduces emissions in both the short and long run. Manufacturing and research activity increase emissions, reflecting carbon-intensive industrial and innovation processes. Population growth reduces emissions in the long run, suggesting demographic-related efficiency gains. Foreign direct investment alone lowers emissions, but its interaction with regulatory quality raises emissions, showing that weak institutional frameworks can offset environmental progress. These findings support coordinated industrial, investment, and governance policies to achieve sustainable reductions in emissions in high-emitting economies.