In this research, we employed multivariate statistical methods to investigate the perspectives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) concerning the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation and their apprehensions related to EPR compliance. The EPR regulation, which places the responsibility of waste management on producers, has significant financial and administrative implications, particularly for SMEs. A sample of 114 businesses was randomly selected, and the collected data underwent comprehensive analysis. Our findings highlight that a notable proportion of businesses (44.7%) possess knowledge of the EPR regulation’s provisions, whereas only a marginal fraction (1.8%) lacks sufficient familiarity. We also explored the interplay between opinions on the EPR regulation and concerns regarding its financial and administrative implications. Our results establish a significant correlation between EPR regulation opinions and concerns, with adverse opinions prominently influencing concerns, particularly regarding financial burdens and administrative workloads. These outcomes, derived from the application of multivariate statistical techniques, provide valuable insights for enhancing the synergy between environmental regulations and business practices. EPR regulation significantly affects SMEs in terms of financial, administrative, and legal obligations, thus our study highlights that policymakers may need to consider additional support mechanisms to alleviate the regulatory burden on SMEs, fostering a more effective and sustainable implementation of the EPR regulation.

The pressing need to redefine the tourism industry’s relationship with nature and local communities has never been more critical. Ecotourism, as a paradigm of sustainable travel, holds transformative potential—not only for preserving our planet’s fragile ecosystems but also for fostering local cultural and economic development. In this context, the integration of circular economy principles offers innovative pathways to enhance sustainability across the tourism sector. The application of circular economy frameworks in tourism not only reduces environmental impact but also enhances economic viability by creating closed-loop systems. My interest in this topic stems from a personal conviction: Tourism should leave a positive mark, one that enriches rather than diminishes the destinations we visit. This study delves into how the hotel industry can align itself with ecotourism principles by embracing innovative, sustainable practices that minimize environmental impact while delivering authentic, high-quality experiences for travelers. Through the lens of green energy, resource optimization, and cultural integration, the research demonstrates that sustainability is both an ethical responsibility and a pathway to long-term competitiveness in tourism. By supporting local economies and protecting natural heritage, the industry can shift from being a passive observer of environmental degradation to a proactive steward of change. This work serves as a call to action for stakeholders: Our choices today will define the landscapes and cultural legacies available to future generations.

This research aims to test the effect that the implementation of green practices at a major sport tourism event, the Badminton World Championships in Huelva (Spain), has on the future intention of spectators to return to similar sport events. A total of 523 spectators who attended the event were randomly selected and self-administered in the presence of the interviewer. A confirmatory factor analysis of the model and a multi-group analysis were carried out. Sporting events have a great impact on the environment in which they are organised, mainly when they are linked to tourism, whether at an economic, social or environmental level. The results indicated that green practices indirectly influence spectators’ future intentions through emotions and satisfaction, direct antecedents. In addition, green practices directly affect both image and trust, and indirectly affect satisfaction. In conclusion, green practices are a variable to be taken into account when planning the organisation of a sporting event that aims to consolidate itself in the tourism and sports services market.

Physical sampling of water on site is necessary for various applications like drinking water quality checking in lakes and checking for contaminants in freshwater systems. The use of water surface vehicles is a promising technology for monitoring and sampling water bodies, and they offer several advantages over traditional monitoring methods. This project involved designing and integrating a drone controller, water collection sampling contraption unit, and a surveillance camera system into a water surface vehicle (WSV). The drone controller unit is used to operate the boat from the starting location until the location of interest and then back to the starting location. The drone controller has an autopilot system where the operator can set a course and be able to travel following the path set, whereas the WSV will fight the external forces to keep itself in the right position. The water collection sampling unit is mounted onto WSV so when it travels to the location, it can start collecting and holding water samples until it returns to the start location. The field of view (FOV) surveillance camera helps the operator to observe the surrounding location during the operation. Experiments were conducted to determine the operational capabilities of the robot boat at the Ayer Keroh Lake. The water collection sampling contraption unit collected samples from 44 targeted areas of the lake. The comprehensive examination of 14 different water quality parameters were tested from the collected water samples provides insights into the factors influencing the pollution and observation of water bodies. The successful design and development of a water surface surveillance and pollution tracking vehicle marks the key achievements of this study. The developed collection and surveillance unit holds the potential for further refinement and integration onto various other platforms. They are offering valuable assistance in water body management, coastal surveillance, and pollution tracking. This system opens up new possibilities for comprehensive water body assessments, contributing to the advancement of sustainable and efficient water testing. Through careful sampling efforts, a thorough overview of the substances presents in the water collected from Ayer Keroh Lake has been compiled. This in-depth analysis provides important insights into the lake’s current condition, offering valuable information about its ecological health.

Many financial crises have occurred in recent decades, such as the International Debt Crisis of 1982, the East Asian Economic Crisis of 1997–2001, the Russian economic crisis of 1992–1997, the Latin American debt Crisis of 1994–2002, the Global Economic Recession of 2007–2009, which had a strong impact on international relations. The aim of this article is to create an econometric model of the indicator for identifying crisis situations arising in stock markets. The approach under consideration includes data for preprocessing and assessing the stability of the trend of time series using higher-order moments. The results obtained are compared with specific practical situations. To test the proposed indicator, real data of the stock indices of the USA, Germany and Hong Kong in the period World Financial Crisis are used. The scientific novelty of the results of the article consists in the analysis of the initial and given initial moments of high order, as well as the central and reduced central moments of high order. The econometric model of the indicator for identifying crisis situations arising considered in the work, based on high-order moments plays a pivotal role in crisis detection in stock markets, influencing financial innovations in managing the national economy. The findings contribute to the resilience and adaptability of the financial system, ultimately shaping the trajectory of the national economy. By facilitating timely crisis detection, the model supports efforts to maintain economic stability, thereby fostering sustainable growth and resilience in the face of financial disruptions. The model’s insights can shape the national innovation ecosystem by guiding the development and adoption of monetary and financial innovations that are aligned with the economy’s specific needs and challenges.

The Hungarian tourism and hospitality industry has faced serious challenges in recent years. The tourism and hospitality sector has been confronted with severe challenges in recent years. Even after the end of the pandemic, the industry has not seen the expected recovery, as rising inflation, declining discretionary income and a lack of foreign tourists have further hampered the industry. The hotel market in Budapest in particular has been significantly affected by these developments. Despite the difficulties, investors continue to see opportunities in the market. One example is the purchase by a group of real estate investors of an under-utilised leisure centre in District VII, which they intend to convert into a hotel. Our study is part of this project and its primary objective is to define the parameters of the future hotel and analyse the market opportunities and challenges. Our research focuses on the hotel market in Budapest and uses methods such as benchmarking, STEEP and SWOT analyses, as well as four in-depth interviews with key players in the market. The benchmarking examined the operations of hotels in the capital, while the in-depth interviews provided practical experience and insider perspectives. On the basis of the interviews and analyses, the study identifies possible directions for improvement and factors for competitive advantage.