Post-Smart Tourism Destinations (PSTD) need a sense-of-place approach based on uniqueness and thematic differentiation to deliver authentic and valuable experiences. Information and communication technology (ICT), digital technology adoption, sustainable development, community empowerment and local wisdom, and destination uniqueness are keywords that will be further explored in the development of tourism villages in Kenderan as the most important tourism destination development at the village level. The development of smart tourism, proof of the disruption of digital technology in the tourism sector, has become the objective of almost every tourism destination in the world today, be it an urban or rural area. Since its initial emergence, the smart concept in tourism development has evolved. In the beginning, it focused on ICT and the adoption of digital technology. Along with the pressure of the global requirement to apply sustainable development, the focus of smart tourism later included sustainability in the application of smart technology, which made smart tourism development (STD) become smart and sustainable tourism development (SSTD). The post-smart tourism concept arose because many critics suggested that destinations tend to place too much focus on technology adoption and lack attention to local wisdom, inclusivity, and local indigenous aspects of destination development. Applied research implemented mixed methods in the form of qualitative research through expert judgment and quantitative research through structural equation modeling analysis. The results of this research show that creative events for the local aspects of a tourist village, digital competence, and sustainability practice are the building blocks for a post-smart tourism village, while digital competence and sustainable practice have a significant mediating effect of locality on post-smart tourism villages. To ensure a tourism village possesses sustainable competitive advantages, the village must explore and promote its locality aspects to differentiate itself as a tourist village by identifying its valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable tourism resources. The implication of this research is that to develop wise and distinctive smart tourism destinations, tourist villages should explore their local values and resources, embed them into their basic components and core resources of tourism, and co-create, distribute, deliver, and promote them to the global market through technology adoption and global sustainability value.

Smart destinations require a management system that provides convenient real-time use of digital technology in creating, communicating, and delivering value to visitors. Research related to smart island destinations is still limited, let alone those that utilize blockchain technology to create the smartness of the destination. This research is an empirical study that captures the perceptions of stakeholders in the blue economy on smart islands and the use of blockchain technology in order to build smart islands, a destination that consists of many islands that lack connectedness, such as the Seribu Islands in Jakarta, Indonesia. Data were collected using qualitative and quantitative approaches (mixed methods). Qualitative data were collected from scientific journal publications and followed up with VOS viewer analysis, and quantitative data with the questionnaire survey responses from 150 blue economy industry players in the Seribu Islands and structural equation modeling showed that good digital literacy and blue economy management have significant influence on blockchain technology and impact smart islands. This study indicates that, for islands that have challenges in accessibility and connectivity, the presence of blockchain and smart technology is needed to integrate various resources from each stakeholder so that the blue economy in the islands can be developed more effectively and efficiently, while at the same time ensuring the achievement of sustainability.

In the context of Southeast Asia, Muslim-majority nations Indonesia and Malaysia had pioneered the development of halal tourism. Nevertheless, Malaysia has outperformed Indonesia in cultivating its halal tourism industry. The research sought to investigate the political economy factors contributing to this discrepancy. The research posited that the emergence of Islamic identity, the intensification of Islam’s politicization, and the varying degrees of capitalizing on Islamic values are three crucial determinants influencing the relative success of Malaysia’s halal tourism industry compared to Indonesia’s. Firstly, the perception of Islamic identity in Malaysia is less threatening compared to that in Indonesia. Secondly, the politicization of Islam is less pronounced in Malaysia than in Indonesia. To examine these assertions, the research utilized a methodological blend of primary and secondary data, incorporating interviews with policymakers and stakeholders of halal tourism in both countries. In addition to identifying the critical factors shaping the development of halal tourism, the research contributed by offering several recommendations concerning the innovative aspect of halal tourism branding. It was argued that within the growth of halal tourism in a nation, debates surrounding the emergence of Islamic identity in aspects of halal tourism can potentially obstruct the advancement of cultural tourism commodities. Consequently, the research enhances our understanding of the complex interplay between political economy factors and the evolution of halal tourism from an academic perspective.

Tourism has become one of the biggest industries in the world. Many people carry out tourism activities for relaxation, fulfilling curiosity, gaining new experiences, and entertainment purposes (pleasure). This study analyzes the effect of capability, business innovation, and competitive advantage on a smart sustainable tourism village and the impact this has on the management performance of independent tourism villages on Java Island. The methods used in this study include descriptive statistical tests and structural equation modeling (SEM) tests operated through the AMOS program. The sample included 360 respondents who were managers of tourist villages on the island of Java. The questionnaire was determined based on the probability sampling method and non-probability sampling, namely, simple random sampling and convenience sampling. From various aspects and criteria, the data proved that the average value generated from the research unit produced a score of 4, which means good. The results revealed three influential variables: tourism village capability having a positive and significant effect on the smart sustainable tourism village; the smart sustainable tourism village having a positive and significant effect on tourism village management performance; and business innovation having a positive and significant effect on tourism village management performance.

Vocational education, especially at the higher education level, is highly valued these days since it is regarded as a means by which to reduce unemployment and increase national production—outcomes that both contribute to national wealth. Given Indonesia's demographic surplus, all stakeholders in the education system—particularly the government and institutions offering vocational higher education—should ensure the accessibility of vocational higher education and the quality of vocational curricula. Achieving this goal is expected to be a major turning point in Indonesia's development as a country. With consideration for these issues, this study examined Indonesia's options for transforming its vocational higher education sector on the basis of the literature and a case study. The findings indicate that the government must act immediately to persuade all relevant stakeholders, especially the business community, to collaborate with the vocational education sector and focus more intensively on elevating the quality of standards and curricula, bridging the skills gap, and promoting the growth and incubation of vocational programs in the industrial ecosystem. In addition, products and innovations can be incubated, tested, and accelerated for release into the market and society by using living laboratories as platforms and hubs for vocational and professional stakeholders. Based on Indonesia's success story, this study has practical implications for developing nations with little assistance and support from the private sector by serving as an alternative model for the development of vocational higher education.

The implementation of a carbon tax in the transportation sector aims to reduce carbon emissions and encourage the transition to sustainable mobility amid increasing urbanization. The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors of carbon emissions in Indonesia, requiring effective policies to reduce its environmental impacts. Therefore, this study aims to find a more optimal carbon tax formula that is in accordance with Indonesia’s socio-economic conditions. The approach used includes analysis of transportation emission data, the economic impact of different carbon tax schemes, and tax revenue allocation strategies to support green infrastructure and sustainable transportation. The results of the study indicate that an adaptive carbon tax formula in the transportation sector is able to balance the economic burden, emission reduction targets, social justice, behavioral changes, and revenue allocation for green infrastructure, thus ensuring a just and sustainable transition. A progressive carbon tax, based on vehicle emission levels and fuel types, can encourage the transition to low-emission vehicles without excessively burdening low-income communities. With this approach, carbon tax policy functions not only as a fiscal instrument but also as a transformative strategy in creating an environmentally friendly and equitable transportation system.