The proliferation of innovative digital technologies is increasingly evident in the domains of culture and tourism. This trend, characterized by significant a potential for experimentation and practical application, necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the emerging tools that are enhancing the cultural tourism sector. Central to this evolution is the emergence of cultural startups that are leveraging advanced technological solutions to revolutionize market dynamics. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely impacted the cultural sector, there is a pressing need for innovation. This study combines the concept of cultural tourism startups with the notion of ‘phygital’—a blend of physical and digital realities—aiming to augment the existing, yet limited, body of research in this field. This research seeks to provide insights into the market trends shaped by cultural startups, focusing on tourism. By examining case studies of Italian cultural tourism startups that are implementing innovative and engaging ‘phygital’ strategies, we aim to offer theoretical contributions to the discourse on phygital applications in culture, as well as practical recommendations for the managers and founders of cultural tourism startups that are venturing into new business models. The selected startups are primarily engaged in enhancing the experiences of incoming tourists, improving customer and partner interactions, and promoting the conservation of Italy’s cultural heritage.

Purpose: This study explores how intrinsic and extrinsic service attributes influence customer satisfaction in the online food delivery (OFD) industry. The research focuses on markets with varying levels of competition, analyzing customer reviews from Trustpilot (for Just Eat, a competitive market) and Café Bazar (for SnappFood, a non-competitive market). Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative netnographic approach was employed to analyze user-generated content. The study systematically categorized intrinsic attributes (e.g. delivery timeliness and reliability) and extrinsic attributes (e.g. promotions and app usability) to understand their impact on customer satisfaction across different market conditions. Findings: The results reveal that in competitive markets, intrinsic attributes are crucial in mitigating dissatisfaction, while extrinsic attributes enhance loyalty. Conversely, in non-competitive markets, extrinsic factors such as cost efficiency and menu variety play a more dominant role in driving customer satisfaction. These findings highlight the need for OFD platforms to tailor their service strategies based on market dynamics. Originality/value: This study provides novel insights into how service attributes function in competitive and non-competitive OFD markets. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of netnography in capturing detailed customer perceptions. The findings offer practical guidance for OFD providers seeking to optimize customer satisfaction and strategic positioning.

There has been a growing interest in start-up companies and their potential to disrupt traditional industries in recent years. At the same time, the spread of tourism and the new forms of its provision require increasingly innovative and disruptive business ideas. Therefore, it seems appropriate to cross the two topics of start-up and tourism. This paper aims to provide a systematic literature review (SR) on tourism start-ups through a detailed and replicable process for analysis to examine the role and impact of tourism start-ups in the global tourism industry. The review begins by exploring the definition and classification of tourism start-ups, highlighting their distinctive features and entrepreneurial skills. It then delivers the results of a subsequent SR that shows various theoretical and empirical frameworks that indicate the need for further study with on-field research. The review methodology of this work has two preparatory phases. The first phase concerns a generic look at the most evident literature to identify variables to implement a systematic review process through R Studio software. Through this investigation, the authors attempt to provide scholars and practitioners with signs of how start-ups are emerging in the tourist business and input for future research.