ISTB
The Image, Satisfaction and Tourist Behavior (ISTB) research group was created in 2013 at the Escola Universitaria Mediterrani, a center attached to the University of Girona (UdG) and is directed by Dr. Elena Puiggròs Roman, coordinator of the Degree in Tourism of the Mediterrani University School.
ISTB is recognized in 2017 by the Governing Council of the University of Girona as a Research group of the UdG with the code GRAD0004. In 2022, an SGR 2021 SGR 01369. is presented as part of an Interdisciplinary Territory and Society (TiS) research group directed by Daniel Paül from the University of Lleida.
In the research group, collaboration agreements are established with other universities or entities, public or private, to carry out projects or studies on the tourism sector.
It is currently collaborating with Erasmushogeschool Brussel to carry out the COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) project, with the Sant Antoni Calonge Department of Gastronomy, Culture and Tourism, with Air China, the Col legi Major Ramon Llull of the University of Barcelona , the Museu d’Art Precolombí Barbier- Müeller- Barcelona and with Social Media Rest, a study carried out by our researcher professor Dr. Gaspar Berbel.
Lines of research
The image of destinations, products and services is a key element both in the purchase decision and in visitor satisfaction.
This aspect is essential both from the point of view of marketing and that of land use planning, since innovations, variations and fluctuations are extraordinarily dynamic.
Cultural heritage, tourism and leisure come together as an integrated whole and are becoming increasingly important not only for international or national tourists, but increasingly also for citizens of the same territory. Even more so, since COVID-19 they value the (re)discovery of their own territory.
Changes in today’s society indicate that the boundaries between leisure and shopping are becoming increasingly blurred, as the European Commission points out in the document “Transition pathway for tourism” in the area of resilience in topic 26 Tourism services for visitors and residents.
Innovations are increasingly changing and must be analysed in depth as they affect both the destinations themselves, their commercialisation and forms of consumption. From robotisation to Smart Cities to augmented reality, it is essential to analyse the impact of all these innovations and trends.
ISTB is interdisciplinary in such a way that other lines of research within the sociological, geographical and holistic approach have their place.
Team
Dra. Elena Puiggròs
Director of the ISTB Research Group
Dra. Anna Buj
Member of the ISTB Research Group
Dr. Arnaud Laygues
Member of the ISTB Research Group
Dra. Najat Tort
Collaborator of the ISTB Research Group
Iratxe Aragón
Collaborator of the ISTB Research Group
Do you want to collaborate with us? Do not hesitate to write to us
Publications
2025
Fondevila-Gascón, J.F., Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Torras-Puy, O. y Zarco-González, A. (2025). Turismo gastronómico y apps culinarias: opciones de negocio. Revista Internacional de Turismo, Empresa y Territorio, 9(1), 18-32. https://doi.org/10.21071/riturem.v9i1.18458
Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Gassiot-Melian, A., Copeiro-Fernández, M. y Krause-Jarauta, S.A. (2025). Marketing olfativo y uso de aromas como refuerzo experiencial en los hoteles en España. Anduli, Revista Andaluza de Ciencias Sociales, 28, 1-30. https://doi.org/10.12795/anduli.2025.i28.01
Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Berbel-Giménez, G., Fondevila-Gascón, J.F. y Sánchez-Rodríguez, A. (2025). La sostenibilidad como factor determinante en las decisiones y preferencias de los consumidores del sector de la restauración en Barcelona y su área metropolitana. Documents d’Anàlisi Geogràfica, 71(2), 241-260. https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/dag.981
Alabart-Algueró, J., Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Fondevila-Gascón, J.F. y Valderrama-Guasch, M. (2025). Percepción de Ibiza como destino turístico desde la perspectiva de residentes, turistas y potenciales visitantes. El Periplo Sustentable, 48, 179-200. https://doi.org/10.36677/elperiplo.v0i48.24723
Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Gassiot-Melian, A., Alabart-Algueró, J. y Campos-Roig, M. (2025). Análisis holístico de la comunicación interna y externa de los grupos castelleros. Pasos, Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural, 23(1), 243-258. https://doi.org/10.25145/j.pasos.2025.23.016
2024
Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Gassiot-Melian, A., Berbel-Giménez, G. y Rapisura-Chipongian, L.J. (2024). Influencia de las redes sociales en las decisiones de viaje de la población millennial y centennial taiwanesa. El caso de los jóvenes de Taichung. Revista Internacional de Turismo, Empresa y Territorio, 8(2), 71-87. https://doi.org/10.21071/riturem.v8i2.17711
Espinet-Rius, J.M., Gassiot-Melián, A. y Coromina, L. (2024). Advance booking pricing strategies: A comparison of the pre- and postCovid-19 situation in the cruise industry. Tourism Management Perspectives, 52. 101260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2024.101260
Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Gassiot-Melian, A., Bauyon-Esguerra, T.L. y Dlugosz, K.A. (2024). Impacto de los vlogs de viajes sobre la elección de un destino turístico. Revista de Marketing y Publicidad, 9, 7-30. https://doi.org/10.51302/marketing.2024.19399
Fondevila-Gascón, J.F., Puiggròs-Román, E., Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó. y Galindo-Reyes, J. (2024). Análisis de las estrategias de marketing digital para el Park Güell. Rotur, Revista de Ocio y Turismo, 18(1), 25-40. https://doi.org/10.17979/rotur.2024.18.1.9970
Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Espinet-Rius, J.M., Gassiot-Melian, A., Pérez-Muñoz, A. y Ribas-Boadella, A. (2024). Satisfacción laboral y COVID-19: el caso del sector de los cruceros. Revista de Estudios Empresariales, Segunda Época, 1/2024, 169-194. https://doi.org/10.17561/ree.n1.2024.8132
2023
Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Gassiot-Melian, A., López-Corbillón, M. y Sánchez-Giménez, M.A. (2023). Motivaciones turísticas de los millennials y centennials de Taiwán. El caso de la ciudad de Taichung. Ara, Revista de Investigación en Turismo, 13(1), 132-151. https://doi.org/10.1344/ara.v13i1.43500
Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó., Gassiot-Melian, A. y Martín-Guerrero, L. (2023). Impacto del turismo deportivo sobre la masa social y la economía de un club de fútbol. El caso del F.C. Barcelona. Investigaciones Turísticas, 26, 183-206. https://doi.org/10.14198/INTURI.23073
Fondevila-Gascón, J. F., Lopez-Lopez, D., Puiggròs-Román, E. y Perez-Cubero, P. (2023). On the capture and use of private conversations on mobile phones for marketing purposes: A case in the tourism sector. En Martínez-López, F.J. (edit.) Advances in Digital Marketing and eCommerce: Fourth International Conference DMEC 2023 (pp. 185-215). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31836-8_22
Guillén-Pujadas, M., Fondevila-Gascón, J.F., Gutiérrez-Aragón, Ó. y Vilajoana-Alejandre, S (2023). Perfil de los usuarios del servicio del transporte de pasajeros: Taxis y Vehículos de Transporte con Conductor (VTC) en España tras la pandemia del COVID-19. INNOVA Research Journal, 8(2), 67-82. https://doi.org/10.33890/innova.v8.n2.2023.2227
2018
Laygues, A. (2018). Le français du tourisme en Europe. Sociolinguistica, Internationales Jahrbuch für europäische Soziolinguistik / International Yearbook of European Sociolinguistics / Annuaire International de la Sociolinguistique Européenne. Vol. 32, Issue 1, Ed. De Gruyter, 43-56. https://doi.org/10.1515/soci-2018-0005
Laygues, A. (2018). De l’influence des pratiques professionnelles sur l’enseignement des langues. Sociolinguistica, Internationales Jahrbuch für europäische Soziolinguistik / International Yearbook of European Sociolinguistics / Annuaire International de la Sociolinguistique Européenne. Vol. 32, Issue 1, Ed. De Gruyter, 239-252. https://doi.org/10.1515/soci-2018-0020
2017
Fondevila J.F., Puiggròs, E.., Muñoz, M. i Berbel, G. (2017). Cultural Tourism In Barcelona: An Empirical Analysis Of Information From Different Types Of Establishments. International Journal of Scientific Management and Tourism, 3 (1), 111-121
2016
Fondevila-Gascón, J.F, Mir-Bernal, P., Puiggròs-Román, E., Muñoz-González, M., Berbel-Giménez, G., Gutérrez-Aragón, Ó., Feliu-Roé, L., Santana-López, E., Rom-Rodríguez, J., SORRIBAS-MORALES, C., Crespo, J.-L., Marqués, J. (2016). Semantic Fields to Improve Business: the hotels case. Fronteiras: Journal of Social, Technological and Environmental Science, 5(2), 47-60. https://doi.org/10.21664/2238-8869.2016v5i2.p47-60
Fondevila-Gascón, J.F, Berbel, G., Muñoz-González, M., Mir-Bernal, P., Puiggròs-Román, E., Sierra-Sánchez, J., Tena-León, M., Santana-López, E., Rom-Rodríguez, J., Ordeix-Rigo, E. (2016). Business tourist segment: empirical analysis in Spain about the influence of social media and smartphone in reservations for hotels. Advances in Economics and Business, 4(5), 261-267. https://doi.org/10.13189/aeb.2016.040506
Fondevila Gascón, J. F., Puiggròs, E.., Muñoz, M., Mir Bernal, P., Berbel, G., Gutiérrez, O., Feliu, L., Santana López, E., Rom Rodríguez, J. (2016). Use of social networks for hotel reservations in young people: empirical analysis. International Journal of Scientific Management and Tourism (IJOSMT), 2(1), 55-61.
2015
Fondevila-Gascón, J.F. y Mir-Bernal, P. (2015). Online Reputation Study: Empirical case on the reliability of online opinion platforms in hotel industry. Journal of Asian Business Research (JABR).
Fondevila-Gascón, J.F, Puiggròs-Román, E. y Tort-González, N. (2015). Innovación, turismo y TIC: el caso de los museos de Barcelona. PASOS. Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.25145/j.pasos.2017.15.042
Fondevila-Gascón, J.F., Mir-Bernal, P., Crespo, J. L., Santana-López, E., Rom-Rodríguez, J. y Puiggròs-Román, E. (2015). La introducción de Facebook en el aula universitaria en España: la percepción Del estudiante. RELATEC: Revista Latinoamericana de Tecnología Educativa, 14(3), 21-30. https://doi.org/10.18844/gjcs.v5i2
Fondevila-Gascón, J.F., Berbel-Giménez, G., Muñoz-González, M., Mir-Bernal, P. y Puiggròs-Román, E. (2015). Using smartphones reservations for hotels in Barcelona for a business segment: Empirical analysis. Global Journal of Computer Sciences, 5(2), 60-67. https://doi.org/10.18844/gjcs.v5i2
Ulacia-Oviedo, Z., Berbel-Giménez, G. y Fondevila-Gascón, J.F. (2015). Factores que inciden en la calidad de la experiencia alojativa en hoteles de ciudad 4 y 5 estrellas en La Habana. Revista de la Escuela Jacobea de Posgrado, 8, 31-56.
Memoirs
