The field of tourism sustainability in rural communities has gained significant attention in recent years due to the increasing spread of tourism development across new and less-travelled regions. This trend has led to substantial changes in areas that once effectively balanced tourism development, as the demand for authentic and lesser-known destinations grows. Many destinations that were previously considered exemplary models of sustainable tourism are now under pressure to expand their tourism activities rapidly. This has resulted in overtourism, which poses a greater challenge for rural areas compared to urban ones, primarily due to limited infrastructure capacities that are difficult to expand. For instance, the "Pragser Wildsee" in South Tyrol has become an Instagram hotspot, and despite measures like strict parking management and road closures, the problem persists. The current challenge is to find effective strategies for small rural destinations to regain control over their territories and manage the increasing visitor numbers, transport demands, and visitor behavior. There is a need to explore concepts such as tourism degrowth, demarketing, and the role of social entrepreneurs in addressing these issues.

This research topic aims to explore and develop strategies for ensuring tourism sustainability in rural communities. The main objectives include understanding how small rural destinations can manage the pressures of overtourism, identifying effective concepts for coping with increased visitor numbers and transport demands, and examining the potential of tourism degrowth and demarketing. Additionally, the research seeks to investigate the role of local communities and social entrepreneurs in promoting sustainable tourism practices. By addressing these questions, the research aims to provide insights into how rural destinations can achieve a balance between tourism development and sustainability.

To gather further insights into the challenges and opportunities of tourism sustainability in rural communities, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Sustainability and corporate social responsibility in rural tourism
- Overtourism in rural areas and its associated challenges
- Smart rural tourism destinations and local community development
- Rural community resilience to tourism crises and disasters
- Rural tourism entrepreneurship
- Food tourism and rural destinations
- Digital marketing and rural SMEs
- Home-based accommodations in rural destinations and quality management
- Women’s role in developing rural tourism.

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Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism

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