On 7–9 May 2026, researchers from the Institute of Economics and Rural Development of the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences participated in the international conference “The 2026 International Conference on Management, Tourism and Technologies (ICMTT’26)” held at Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins in Santiago, Chile. The conference brought together scholars and practitioners from different countries to discuss contemporary challenges and innovations in tourism, sustainability, management, digital transformation, and regional development.
Dr. Goda Lukoševičiūtė, Dr. Vitalija Simonaitytė, and Dr. Erika Ribašauskienė presented the study “Trail-Related Tourism and Local Economies: Trail-Related Business Perspectives.” The research examined how small and micro businesses located near recreational trails perceive the economic relevance of trail-related tourism in rural Lithuania. Based on qualitative semi-structured interviews, the findings demonstrated that although trail visitors are rarely the primary customer group, they provide meaningful supplementary income for local enterprises, particularly during the tourism season. The study also revealed that the economic impacts of trail-related tourism vary across sectors, with food and beverage services benefiting most directly, while wellness, education, and event-oriented businesses experience more limited effects. Overall, trail-related tourism was perceived as a form of slow and low-impact tourism supporting local livelihoods and rural sustainability.
The ICMTT’26 conference served as an international platform for interdisciplinary exchange on tourism resilience, sustainability, technological innovation, and regional development. The event featured participants from Europe, Latin America, Asia, and other regions, fostering discussions on emerging tourism trends, governance challenges, climate adaptation, and digital transformation in tourism and management research.
Participation in the conference contributed to strengthening the international visibility of Lithuanian research in tourism economics, rural development, and sustainable regional innovation, while also expanding opportunities for future international academic collaboration and interdisciplinary research networks.
This project has received funding from the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT), agreement No S-MIP-24-43.
Project duration: September 2024 – August 2027
Project team: Dr. Goda Lukoševičiūtė goda.lukoseviciute@ekvi.lt
Dr. Vitalija Simonaitytė vitalija.simonaityte@ekvi.lt
Dr. Erika Ribašauskienė erika.ribasauskiene@ekvi.lt