Rural tourism, which offers authentic cultural and nature-based experiences, is increasingly recognized as a vital tool for sustainable development. Ethiopia, with its rich rural landscapes and cultural heritage, holds immense potential for rural tourism, but the sector remains underdeveloped. This study assesses the facilitating conditions and challenges of rural tourism in Ethiopia using a mixed-methods approach. Results indicate that Ethiopia’s economic growth, improved rural infrastructure, large rural population, higher ethnic and religious diversity index, and 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites provide strong foundations for rural tourism. However, significant challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited marketing, restricted access to financing, ethnic conflicts, environmental degradation, and insufficient stakeholder cooperation hinder its growth. To address these barriers, the study proposes a model encompassing strategic investments in infrastructure, enhancing marketing and promotion, access to finance initiatives, conflict resolution strategies, sustainable tourism practices, enhancing stakeholder coordination, and supportive policy frameworks. By employing these strategies, Ethiopia can harness the full potential of its rural tourism sector, contributing to economic development and community well-being while promoting cultural preservation and environmental sustainability. Also, the proposed model is highly applicable to other developing economies that share similar contexts. Besides, given the importance of the seven fundamental pillars of the model, it remains relevant across tourism types like coastal destinations.

Sustainable development within music education is essential, particularly in ensuring that popular music can continually and effectively serve educational systems. This research aims to 1) examine pop music chord progression, 2) develop a chord progression book specifically for teaching music students, and 3) evaluate the effectiveness of this educational tool in improving music composition skills. A mixed-methods approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative research, was used. Research tools included an interview guide, Ioc forms, a textbook, and a performance assessment form. Interviews were conducted with five experts in pop music composition, while a group of 14 undergraduate music students participated in the experimental study. These methods evaluated how teaching popular music chord composition enhances students’ practical composition abilities. The findings indicate that 1) chord composition in popular music primarily involves five aspects: melody, rhythm, chord structure, music form, and melody development techniques, with melody and chord as the foundational elements; 2) the chord progression textbook for popular music differs from traditional composition theory texts, combining theory and practical application with a focus on chord progression techniques; and 3) instruction in popular music chord composition significantly enhances students’ skills in melody creation, production, and listening, ultimately fostering practical music creation abilities. This study supports the sustainable integration of popular music in both music infrastructure construction and music education system development, offering insights into how such integration can drive long-term advancements in music education.

With the development of the times and changes in the environment of traditional martial arts, Choi Lei Fut (a Chinese martial arts system), a Chinese state-level intangible cultural heritage, is facing many difficulties in its inheritance and sustainable development. Especially in the context of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures, the sustainable development of Choi Lei Fut is facing increasingly serious challenges. In order to understand the current situation of Choi Lei Fut’s survival and development in the new era, and to enhance the momentum and vitality of its sustainable development, this study combines questionnaire survey and field interviews to investigate and analyze the current situation. Based on this, it proposes strategies to promote the sustainable development of Choi Lei Fut. This study will not only provide methodological reference for the inheritance and development of Choi Lei Fut but also offer insights for the inheritance and sustainable development of other Chinese martial arts gyms and even martial arts practices elsewhere.

Urbanization and suburbanization have led to high population growth in certain city regions, resulting in increased population density and mobility. Therefore, there is a need for a concept to address congestion, public transportation, information and communication systems, and non-motorized vehicles. Smart mobility is a concept of urban development as part of the smart city concept based on information and communication technology. Through this concept, it is expected that transportation services will be easily accessible, safe, comfortable, fast, and affordable for the community. This research aims to analyze smart mobility and its relationship with regional transportation planning and the development of South Tangerang, as well as to design a policy strategy model for the planning and development of South Tangerang with smart mobility. The research method used in this study is a mixed method, including analyzing the relationships and weighting of relationships between variables using the Cross Impact Multiplication applied to a classification (MICMAC) matrix. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) with Promethee software is also used to obtain the necessary policies. The results of this research indicate that the measurement of relationships between variables shows that smart mobility influences regional transportation planning, smart mobility affects regional development, and regional planning affects regional development. This research also provides alternative policies that policymakers should implement in a specific order. First, ensure the availability of public transportation; second, improve public transportation safety; third, enhance public transportation security; fourth, improve public transportation routes; fifth, provide real-time information access; sixth, improve transportation schedules; and seventh, increase the number of bicycle lanes.

The small and medium tourism enterprises sector has experienced a decline in Indonesia’s economic conditions in recent years. This research aims to advise stakeholders regarding factors that must be considered and included in future policy formulation. The research methodology is a mixed method supported by the N-Vivo computer program, interview studies, and FGD. This research focuses on four tourism provinces in Indonesia. The research results using thematic analysis identified 133 codes, 19 categories, nine core themes, and one impact theme. This research’s novelty highlights that government policy’s effects on tourism SME marketing are not significant due to weak support. Apart from that, partnerships and collaboration between the central regional government and tourism SMEs are the main factors determining their development at the regional level. This research concludes that government intervention and support in encouraging the growth and sustainability of tourism SMEs are necessary. The Government must promote collaboration between tourism SMEs because increasing the number of tourists is crucial, as well as encouraging sustainable marketing practices and simplifying regulations. The recommendation is that the Government immediately simplify regulations, expand partnerships and collaboration, and promote innovation in tourism SMEs. By implementing these recommendations, policymakers can create an environment that supports the development of tourism SMEs, allowing the tourism sector to increase GRDP.

This study investigates the evolution of monetary policy in Ghana and explores the potential of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), specifically the e-Cedi, as a tool to enhance financial inclusion and modernize the country’s financial system. Ghana’s monetary policy framework has undergone significant transformations since the establishment of the Bank of Ghana in 1957, with notable achievements in stabilizing the economy and managing inflation. However, large segments of the population, particularly in rural areas, remain unbanked or underbanked, highlighting the limitations of traditional monetary tools. The introduction of the e-Cedi presents an opportunity to bridge these gaps by providing secure, efficient, and accessible financial services to underserved communities. The study employs a qualitative research design, integrating historical analysis, case studies, and thematic analysis to assess the potential benefits and challenges of CBDCs in Ghana. Key findings indicate that while the e-Cedi could significantly enhance financial inclusion, challenges related to technological infrastructure, cybersecurity, and public trust must be addressed. The study concludes that a balanced approach, which prioritizes digital infrastructure development, strong cybersecurity measures, and collaboration with financial institutions, is essential for maximizing the potential of CBDCs in Ghana. Recommendations for future research include a deeper exploration of the impact of CBDCs on financial stability and further analysis of rural adoption barriers.