Repurposing of reception shaft, Mumbai Coastal Road Project – Case study

As part of Mumbai Coastal Road Project-the connection between Nariman Point and Bandra Worli, a total length of 10.58 km-Package IV (MCRP4) includes submarine twin tube tunnels. Current Package's total length is 4,480 m, of which 2,008 m are excavated by means of one slurry shield and supported/lined by precast segments. Each tube will accommodate a three-lane carriageway, for an internal diameter of 11 m and an excavation diameter 12.19 m. To enable the launching and receiving of the TBM, two shafts were constructed at North end and South end of the package. The reception shaft is 42m long and 30m wide with a depth of 26m below the ground formation level at +3.0 msl. The intention was to disassemble the TBM after the first drive to reassemble and relaunch it from the original shaft – the "launch-ing shaft”. However, due to logistical constraints, given the project location in a dense urban setting, and due to time delays, because of stoppage of works during Covid lockdown, the Contractor of the project decided to relaunch the TBM from the reception shaft itself by rotating the TBM and save approx. 60-75 days. Due to this dynamic need of the project, reception shaft was repurposed for relaunching with additional ancillary structures (like Heavy weight modular gantry crane foundations, TBM reaction frame, Slurry treatment plant on surface etc.,) in and around the shaft which weren't foreseen during the excavation of shaft. This paper discusses design aspects with special focus on challenges which were needed for this repurposing of shaft. © 2023 The Author(s).

Labour market dualization and social policy in pandemic times: an in-depth analysis of private consumption services in Europe

PurposeThis article contributes to the debate on how social policies and labour market regulation have been used to limit the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic by focusing on one specific economic segment of European labour markets: private consumption services, such as trade, tourism, catering and other support services.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis combines mixed methods and a variety of sources. First, we built a set of indicators from the EU-LFS microdata for 2019 and the 2018 Eurostat "Structure of earnings survey” and performed a cluster analysis (k-means) on the dimensions and indicators considered. Second, we elaborated EU-LFS data covering 2019 and 2020 (by quarter) and OECD 2020 data, and finally we traced Covid-related policy reforms for the period March 2020–December 2021 and analysed documents and information collected in different policy repositories.FindingsThe paper shows the relevance and characteristics of private consumption services in different countries, demonstrating that so-called labour market "outsiders” are highly represented in this sector and illustrates the policies adopted to respond to the pandemic in different European countries. The paper asks whether this emergency has been a window of opportunity to redefine regulation in this sector, making it more inclusive. It demonstrates, however, that the common approach in Europe has been dominated by temporary, short-term and one-off measures, which do not represent major changes to the social security schemes that were in place before the pandemic.Originality/valueThis article builds on the literature on labour market dualization, but approaches the concept from a different perspective – one not centred on the nature of employment relations (stable/unstable) but on economic sectors/branches. This article does not, therefore, discuss in general terms what happened to labour market outsiders during the pandemic, but rather focus attention on a specific group of workers who are highly exposed to risks stemming from dualization: those employed in the private consumption services. The economic sector perspective is an integrative way of framing dualization which is still under-researched.

Effect of atropine 0.01% on myopia control in children aged 6-13 years during the 2022 lockdown in Shanghai.

Purpose: To compare the myopic progression in children treated with 0. 01% atropine and those who discontinued atropine during the 2022-home quarantine in Shanghai. Methods: In this retrospective study, children aged 6-13 years with follow-up visits before (between January 2022 and February 2022) and after the lockdown (between July 2022 and August 2022) were included. Cycloplegic refraction and axial length (AL) were measured at both visits. The atropine group had continuous medication during the lockdown while the control group discontinued. The 0.01% atropine eyedrops were administered daily before bedtime. The types of spectacle lens were recorded: single vision (SV) spectacles or defocus incorporated multiple segments lenses (DIMS). Results: In total, 41 children (81 eyes) in the atropine group and 32 children (64 eyes) in the control group were enrolled. No significant difference was found in the demographic characteristics, spherical diopter, spherical equivalent (SE), AL, and follow-up time between the two groups before the lockdown in 2022 (all p > 0.1). After the home confinement, a greater myopia progression was observed in the control group (-0.46 ± 0.42 D) compared to atropine group (-0.26 ± 0.37 D; p = 0.0023). Axial elongation was also longer in the control group than that in children sustained with atropine (0.21 ± 0.17 vs. 0.13 ± 0.15 mm, p = 0.0035). Moreover, there was no significant change of spherical diopter and SE during lockdown in the atropine + DIMS combined subgroup (0.03 ± 0.033 D for spherical diopter, p = 0.7261 and 0.08 ± 0.27 D for SE, p = 0.2042, respectively). However, significant myopic shift was observed in the atropine + SV subgroup during the quarantine time (-0.31 ± 0.39 D for SE and 0.15 ± 0.16 mm for AL, both p < 0.001). Conclusion: Children treated with 0.01% atropine had slower myopia progression during the lockdown period in Shanghai compared with children discontinued. Moreover, the effect of atropine on myopic prevention can be strengthened with DIMS lenses.

Seeking thrills during a crisis? A TSR and hierarchy of effects perspective of the transformative potential of travel

PurposeThis study aims to theorise and empirically test a model based on the hierarchy of effects behavioural learning approach ("do-think-feel”) to explain how travel during a crisis assists consumer well-being. The paper also examines whether the effect travel has on well-being is serially mediated by perceived risk and resilience and moderated by the personality trait of sensation-seeking.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses a quasi-experimental design involving Australian consumers based on a sample of n = 307 who had travelled and n = 277 who had not during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 584). A replication study (N = 290) is also undertaken to assess the robustness of the hierarchy of effects uncovered in the main study. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) and Hayes PROCESS macro.FindingsThe results reveal travellers have significantly higher levels of both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being than non-travellers, suggesting the transformative potential of travel experiences during a crisis. The transformative potential of travel is driven by perceived risk and psychological resilience, which mediate the relationship between travel frequency and well-being. Further, spotlight moderation analysis demonstrates that the effect of travel on well-being is most profound for those with lower levels of sensation-seeking. These relationships are also confirmed in the replication study.Originality/valueThis research is among the first in transformative service research (TSR) to test the mediators of perceived risk and resilience together in a singular study, showing how experiences such as travel are potentially transformative. It also evaluates personality traits such as sensation-seeking as a moderating factor, which is uncommon in TSR. Further, this study empirically validates a do–think–feel behavioural learning approach, as opposed to other hierarchy of effects sequences that are dominant in TSR and the wider services marketing literature.

Empirical Analysis of the Cruise Shipping Network in Asia

The cruise shipping market has been growing dynamically in the past two decades. This study presented an empirical analysis of the Asian cruise shipping network (ACSN) in which the nodes are cruise ports and links are cruise routes connecting the ports, using complex network analysis. An analysis of 245 voyages operated by 16 cruise lines between 215 ports in 26 countries found that ports in the ACSN are connected by 704 links. The ACSN is a small-world network with a small average path length and a high clustering coefficient, and its degree distribution follows an exponential function. A small number of ports have high connectivity, and most ports have low connections. Most high-degree ports connect to low-degree ports. The important roles and properties of ports vary depending on centrality measures.

Hotel Recovery Post Pandemic: Is Rebranding Required?

For hotel business to survive during COVID-19 Pandemic requires to conduct major adjustment in almost all aspects of operation. This qualitative study was conducted to assess the operation adiustment that may affect the hotel brand. Data was gathered from respondents comprising managers and decision-makers of 5-to-3-star hotels in Bali, Indonesia that remain open during the pandemic, using online survey and interview. The results show that during the pandemic, hotels have made major operation adjustment to survive;whilst, maintaining the same quality standard, applying meticulous CHSE (Cleanliness Health Safety Environment) protocol, and keeping the customers informed through online promotion platforms regarding the hotel's condition being ready to host guests. The adjustment made includes reducing operation cost, shifting target market into domestic market to maintain cash flow to cover operation, adjusting the rate and prices to adapt the weaker customer's buying power, applying flexible booking and refund conditions, human resource policy and planning rearrangement, reducing the quantity of room offered and menu list items in Food and Beverage outlets. The hotel business resilient was owned to the professionalism of hoteliers, thus hotel rebranding is not required as the quality of the products offered is the same with those before the pandemic;at post-pandemic, it would be simply sifting the target market back to pre-pandemic.

Domain-based ambidexterity for managing a dual business model in the hospitality industry in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic: an exploratory study

PurposeThis study aims to analyse how a hotel company manages ambidexterity when operating different business models in different markets located in the same country.Design/methodology/approachThis research was conducted using a qualitative case study, and the subjects were selected using the theoretical sampling technique. A corporation managing two hotel business units located in the same city but operating different business models – a premium and a low-cost business model – were selected as subjects.FindingsThe empirical evidence revealed that an ambidextrous business model can be realized through integration or separation of appropriate domains of business activities. The empirical findings further showed that exploitations are easier to integrate than explorations.Practical implicationsThe authors found that firms using structural separation for managing premium and low-cost business models can avoid market cannibalism and achieve synergies between different business models if business model ambidexterity is well managed.Originality/valueThis study extends research in the area of ambidexterity and business models. It responds to calls to examine how firms using structural separation implement business model ambidexterity in practice, particularly in service sectors. By analysing the details of activities within the business model, the authors advance the understanding of which domains are suitable for an integration or separation approach.

Technological Advancements and Elucidation Gadgets for Healthcare Applications: An Exhaustive Methodological Review-Part-II (Robotics, Drones, 3D-Printing, Internet of Things, Virtual/Augmented and Mixed Reality)

The substantial applicability of technological advancements to the healthcare sector and its allied segments are on the verge of questioning the abilities of hospitals, medical institutions, doctors and clinical pathologists in delivering world class healthcare facilities to the global patient community. Investigative works pertinent to the role played of technological advancements in the healthcare sector motivated this work to be undertaken. Part-I of the review addressed the applicable role play of advanced technologies such as Artificial intelligence, Big-data, Block chain, Open-Source and Cloud Computing Technologies, etc., to the healthcare sector and its allied segments. The current Part-II manuscript is critically focused upon reviewing the sustainable role of additional disrupting technologies such as Robotics, Drones, 3D-Printing, IoT, Virtual/Augmented/Mixed Reality, etc., to uncover the vast number of implicit problems encountered by the clinical community. Investigations governing the deployment of these technologies in various allied healthcare segments are highlighted in this manuscript. Subsequently, the unspoken challenges and remedial future directions are discussed thereof.

Quantifying the impact of COVID-19 on travel behavior in different socio-economic segments.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in substantial negative impacts on social equity. To investigate transport inequities in communities with varying medical resources and COVID controlling measures during the COVID pandemic and to develop transport-related policies for the post-COVID-19 world, it is necessary to evaluate how the pandemic has affected travel behavior patterns in different socio-economic segments (SES). We first analyze the travel behavior change percentage due to COVID, e.g., increased working from home (WFH), decreased in-person shopping trips, decreased public transit trips, and canceled overnight trips of individuals with varying age, gender, education levels, and household income, based on the most recent US Household Pulse Survey census data during Aug 2020 âˆ¼ Dec 2021. We then quantify the impact of COVID-19 on travel behavior of different socio-economic segments, using integrated mobile device location data in the USA over the period 1 Jan 2020-20 Apr 2021. Fixed-effect panel regression models are proposed to statistically estimate the impact of COVID monitoring measures and medical resources on travel behavior such as nonwork/work trips, travel miles, out-of-state trips, and the incidence of WFH for low SES and high SES. We find that as exposure to COVID increases, the number of trips, traveling miles, and overnight trips started to bounce back to pre-COVID levels, while the incidence of WFH remained relatively stable and did not tend to return to pre-COVID level. We find that the increase in new COVID cases has a significant impact on the number of work trips in the low SES but has little impact on the number of work trips in the high SES. We find that the fewer medical resources there are, the fewer mobility behavior changes that individuals in the low SES will undertake. The findings have implications for understanding the heterogeneous mobility response of individuals in different SES to various COVID waves and thus provide insights into the equitable transport governance and resiliency of the transport system in the "post-COVID" era.

Do emerging art market segments have their own price dynamics? Evidence from the Chinese art market

This study examines the nonlinear dynamics in the price series of Chinese art market segments between 2000 and 2019. We employ a hedonic price model to construct price indices of Chinese art market segments and analyze the nonlinearities and regime-switching properties of the individual segment using a series of Markov switching model specifications. We argue that occasional shocks would only temporarily alter their data-generating processes and have transitory effects. Moreover, we investigate the impact of COVID-19 on Chinese art market segments. Our findings have implications for market participants in identifying the price characteristics and dynamic behavior of art market segments. © 2022 The Author

Global warming in the minds of Mexican higher education students: an exploratory study

Purpose>The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 is at the core of many sustainability initiatives on Mexican higher education institutions (HEIs). Yet, progress to SDG 13 and the entire 2030 Agenda might today appear unlikely to meet. To change this situation, it is necessary to form professionals aware of the impacts of climate change and competent to respond efficiently to its adaptation and mitigation. In this context, the purpose of this study is to reveal the beliefs and concerns about global warming of Mexican students enrolled in engineering bachelor's degrees at higher education institutes that promote sustainability.Design/methodology/approach>In an exploratory study, engineering university students at six large public universities in Mexico answered questions regarding their beliefs and concerns regarding climate change. The study was carried out by using the Global Warming's Six Americas survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed by a research team from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication at Yale University to identify different audiences within the American public regarding climate change. Participants were recruited via convenience/snowball techniques which provided access to a diverse sample. Those who agreed to partake in the study were directed to an online platform via Google forms. Data were collected from January to April 2021. Coding and data treatment was conducted according to the developers' codebook and SPSS scripts. After running the statistical program scripts to determine the respondents' segment, a univariate descriptive analysis was performed for each item in the questionnaire to describe general properties in each variable. Subsequently, a series of correspondence analyses was conducted to examine the existence of clusters or patterns that could indicate relationships among selected questions.Findings>The findings of this study revealed that the majority of the Mexican engineering higher education students participating in the survey fell in the segment of alarmed, 47.3%, or the segment of concerned, 46.%. Furthermore, 78.6% of higher education students in the alarmed segment were extremely sure that global warming is happening. In addition, 98% believed that it is caused mostly by human activities. Furthermore, 89% stated that global warming would harm them personally significantly and 96% thought that future generations would be harmed considerably. About 78% believed that people in Mexico and the USA are currently being harmed by global warming. On the other hand, about 45% of students in the concerned group noted they were extremely sure. In addition, 96% of them thought that global warming is being produced mostly by anthropogenic activities. Furthermore, 39% said global warming will harm them personally to a great deal. However, nearly 80% noted that global warming would also hurt future generations. Although those students in the alarmed and concerned group show similar beliefs and concerns about global warming, the magnitude of concern was more significant for those in the alarmed segment.Research limitations/implications>There are several limitations to the study. First, the online questionnaire did not allow for clarification or follow-up on behalf of the respondents. Therefore, it could be possible that respondents misunderstood some items. However, the research team took the following measures to limit confusion: (1) The questionnaire had been previously used in several studies. None of these studies reported problems related to confusion, so the research team took this fact as evidence of the acceptable reliability of the questionnaire. (2) A face-to-face pilot test was carried out with 30 university students where no problems of comprehension were reported. (3) The target population had adequate prior knowledge of climate change, so the possibility of misunderstandings was likely low. A second limitation relates to the nature of the study. Fighting to mitigate the global climate crisis is a positive social norm. Respondents may have provided answ rs in line with this social norm and presented themselves as more pro-environmental than they actually are. Second, because of our selection criteria, our data may overestimate the general public's "worldviews” on climate change. Finally, this study was carried on during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have impacted items' responses. These limitations constitute future opportunities for future research. Specifically, future research might ideally use a large-scale comprehensive study evaluating the broader Mexican public's beliefs and views about climate change. Furthermore, because our data showed that our respondents were very concerned about climate change, but did little in terms of behavioral mitigation, future research should continue to examine and explore differences in various measures of climate friendly behaviors among different segments of the population.Practical implications>This study's findings have at least twofold implications for university authorities and sustainability practitioners in their pursuit of meeting SDG 13. The first implication is related to academic life. Undoubtedly, having a high percentage of students believing in global warming and mainly that this phenomenon is by anthropogenic activities is a strong indication of their knowledge. But, indirectly, these results validate the sustainability teaching and research efforts in their HEIs, implying the commitment to sustaining and improving the quality of their sustainability-educational initiatives in all institutional areas. The second implication of our findings is related to HEIs' future commitments to address the target of SDG 13 during the present Decade of Actions. Results also lead us to reflect on the role of Mexican HEIs as agents of change, beyond offering good instruction on climate science as an agent of socialization to encourage positive mitigation and adaptation behaviors among the general population.Social implications>The social implication behind the environmental values of younger people found in this study is that a deeper understanding of these millennials' beliefs and concerns toward global warming will help Mexican policymakers implement policies in this regard and hopefully will be endorsed by a significant proportion of the Mexican population.Originality/value>The originality of this study is the application of the Global Warming's Six Americas survey questionnaire in higher education settings. Therefore, the knowledge generated determines the quality of the article. As findings in this study revealed, there is apparently little disagreement among the Mexican engineering higher education students about the belief of the existence of global warming and this phenomenon is being caused mainly by human-related activities. Nevertheless, a minority of students still believe that global warming is caused naturally or not occurring. However, it is not possible to claim victory, as these achievements should not be considered, in any way, a guarantee that students will carry out behaviors in their daily lives that impact a reduction in global warming. Nevertheless, the study provides insights to allow university authorities to ensure that the current beliefs and concerns will not fade in the post-pandemic times. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic should be taken a pivotal era toward the goal of increasing the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Modelling lifestyle-based segments of Indian wine consumers using the latent profile analysis approach

Purpose>This study aims to identify and validate the different clusters of wine consumers in India based on the wine-related lifestyle (WRL) instrument. It also investigates how the identified clusters differ in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, income, education, employment and marital status.Design/methodology/approach>The authors conducted a survey using a structured questionnaire to collect data from wine consumers in India. The number of participants totalled to 432. The authors first identified the clusters using latent profile analysis. The authors then used the decision tree analysis based on a recursive partitioning algorithm to validate the clusters. Finally, the authors analysed the relationship between the identified clusters and socio-demographic characteristics using correspondence analysis.Findings>Three distinct segments emerged after data were subjected to latent profile analysis, namely, curious, ritualistic and casual. The authors found that the curious cluster had a high mean score for situational and social consumption while the ritualistic cluster had a high mean for ritualistic consumption. The findings also suggest that the casual cluster had more female wine consumers.Originality/value>This study makes methodological contributions to the wine consumer segmentation approach. First, it adopts a latent profile analysis to profile Indian wine consumers. Second, it validates the obtained clusters using the decision tree analysis method. Third, it analyses the relationship between the identified clusters and socio-demographic variables using correspondence analysis, a technique far superior to the Chi-square methods.

Selling lowbrow art and cultural goods in times of pandemic: The case of a provincial art market

This article examines the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on a provincial art market to shed light on how gallerists, auctioneers, and antique dealers have coped with this exogenous event. Provincial intermediaries, active in the lower ends of the art market, are characterized by economic properties that differ from those of the upper-end markets. Their location at the periphery of metropolitan centers, combined with the characteristics of supply and demand, are likely to affect their ability to face a global crisis. Based on 15 semi-structured interviews with provincial intermediaries, this research reveals the unexpected performance of local auction houses and antique dealers active in the secondary art market. We attribute this performance to the use value of lowbrow cultural goods, the willingness of local auction houses to embrace the benefits of online two-sided markets, and their ability to offset a pent-up demand, especially among Generation Y. Recommendations to prompt provincial art market players to sustain the positive externalities of the crisis in the long run are provided.

The mediation role of organizational strategy orientation on the effect of environmental uncertainty on the performance of travel agency companies

The global pandemic has had a significant impact on the economic sector and the tourism sector and its supporting businesses, where many market segments of the tourism industry, such as hotels, restaurants, and travel agents, have reached a saturation point. Companies need to determine a clear strategy in the face of a dynamic change in the business environment to achieve the expected performance and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage. The discussion of strategies also focuses on the discussion on the strategic orientation of the organization. Research on the orientation of organizational strategies in the tourism industry, especially in the travel agent sector, has yet to be widely studied in depth, and how the impact of the pandemic on the sustainability of the performance of travel agent companies. This paper aims to examine the mediation role of the organization's strategic orientation on the influence of environmental uncertainty on the performance of travel agency companies. The respondents in this study were the manager of a travel agency company throughout Indonesia and we used a purposive sampling technique with a sample of 75 respondents. The method of collecting data is using a questionnaire and then the data is analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results showed that Technology Uncertainty affects Market Orientation & Entrepreneurial Orientation, but only Entrepreneurial Orientation affects performance. It also showed that Market Orientation and Entrepreneurial Orientation fully mediate the Technology Uncertainty variable with Organizational Performance. Therefore, travel agent companies must be adaptive and innovative in facing technological changes that occur through the choice of organizational strategy orientation, Entrepreneurial Orientation and Market Orientation to encourage performance improvement.

Consumer segments according to their perception of the value of money after the coronavirus pandemic from the financial literacy aspect

Values are one of the most important consumer characters in determining the outcome of consumer decisions. It is no coincidence that a number of value system research methods have been adapted by Consumer Behaviour in order to gain a more nuanced understanding of the intrinsic context of consumer decision-making. The issue of money and the use of money has been particularly heightened during the pandemic. A values-based approach to consumer behaviour argues that a consumer's basic human values determine his or her attitude towards a product or service. In our research, we have sought to answer the question of which consumer segments can be characterised by individual value orientation and its imprint on money management. The changes caused by the pandemic and the transformation of consumer preference systems make it particularly justified to analyse the nuances of consumer decisions and, within them, the perception of money. In the framework of their primary research, we carried out quantitative data collection through a standardised online questionnaire survey. As a result of the research, distinct consumer segments were characterised, which may provide a good basis for service providers wishing to reposition their products and services after the pandemic. © 2022 IEEE.

Digitization experiences of large Hungarian companies in industrial maintenance

Industrial Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 have been increasingly prevalent in the manufacturing sector since the mid-2010s, and the COVID19 pandemic has only strengthened this trend. However, there is a wide variation between companies in the degree of industrial digitalization adopted and the deployment context. This is particularly relevant in the case of the industrial maintenance sector, one of the business segments with the highest potential for digitization. This paper analyses the work environment by looking at the differences in the digitalization experiences of large domestically owned and international companies according to maintenance professionals in Hungary. The benefits and challenges of implementing Industry 4.0 will be examined, highlighting the differences between various types of companies. © 2022 IEEE.

Do emerging art market segments have their own price dynamics? Evidence from the Chinese art market

This study examines the nonlinear dynamics in the price series of Chinese art market segments between 2000 and 2019. We employ a hedonic price model to construct price indices of Chinese art market segments and analyze the nonlinearities and regime-switching properties of the individual segment using a series of Markov switching model specifications. We argue that occasional shocks would only temporarily alter their data-generating processes and have transitory effects. Moreover, we investigate the impact of COVID-19 on Chinese art market segments. Our findings have implications for market participants in identifying the price characteristics and dynamic behavior of art market segments.

Recognizing Students' Attention in a Virtual Class through Facial Expressions using Machine Vision

The COVID-19 has resulted in schools to pause face-to-face classes in traditional classrooms and shifted to online classes in virtual classrooms across the globe. Unfortunately, students' ability to pay attention in class is uncertain. Hence, this study developed models that detect student attention in a virtual class through facial expression. In this study, for every 15-second video segment, statistical values such as the mean, median, and variance of Facial Action Units of each volunteer participant were extracted. Same video segments were labeled independently by three domain experts with attentive or inattentive to form the dataset. Such dataset was then split into 80-20 training-testing split ratios. Results showed that the model developed by the Decision Tree classifier using the Information Gain split criterion gave the best performance with an accuracy of 90.00% and a kappa of 0.796. The presented rate of the accuracy implies a high percentage of correctly predicted observations, while the high kappa value implies a very strong agreement between our human annotators and the machine in labeling students' level of attention. © 2022 IEEE.

INFLUENCE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM AND MEASURES OF CREATING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN UZBEKISTAN

The Covid-19 pandemic plunged the whole world into a protracted economic crisis, dealing a significant blow to all branches of human activity. Some areas have suffered serious losses, in particular, the tourism industry. This article discusses measures to restore and strengthen the tourism and hospitality sector after the pandemic in the Republic ofUzbekistan. A Safe Tourism program has been developed in the Republic of Uzbekistan;tourists will use tourist services, follow the sanitary and hygienic rules during trips. This project will provide travelling individually, choosing a destination and booking what they need during travelling online. The purpose of the article is to analyse the situation in the world and Uzbekistan as well, during the pandemic, as well as to develop practical measures to rehabilitate the tourism sector from the consequences of the economic crisis associated with the pandemic. New offers are being considered in the tourism market to attract tourists to our country. The primary attention in the paper is focused on the development of electronic platforms for the formation of "online tourism", architectural sights and monuments combining the history of different peoples and religious denominations. The article also provides information about alternative medicine, and lists of several of treatment methods used by our ancestors and actual nowadays. The report summarizes some of the study results, concluding that the tourism business of Uzbekistan needs to radically rethink existing business models through innovation and digitalization of tourism. Examples of the development of such market segments as agro and eco-tourism are given. This segments are currently beginning to develop and are of interest to tourists. It is mentioned that Uzbekistan is among the top 10 countries in terms of security.

A Sustainable Approach for the Development of Innovative Products from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products

The waste generated by small-scale ultra-fresh juice producers, such as bistros and restaurants, has been little studied so far, mainly because it is unevenly distributed and dissipated in the economic ecosystem and would require high costs associated with transportation and subsequent recovery of bio composites. The present article seeks to offer solutions by providing sustainable methods to reduce their waste losses to a minimum and transform them into valuable products, with affordable equipment and techniques. The study focuses on the preliminary phase of quantitative analysis of fruit and vegetable by-products generated on a small scale, the results showing a mean 55% productivity in fresh juices. Due to the high amount of remnant water content in waste, a new process of mechanically pressing the resulting squeezed pulp was introduced, generating an additional yield in juice, ranging from 3.98 to 51.4%. Due to the rising trend in healthier lifestyle, the by-products were frozen or airdried for conservation in each of the processing stages, and the total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity were analyzed in order to assess the traceability of these bioactive compounds to help maximize their transfer into future final products. The polyphenols transferred into by-products varied between 7 and 23% in pulps and between 6 and 20% in flours. The highest DPPH potential was found in flours, up to three-fold in comparison with the raw material, but the high dry substance content must be accounted for. The results highlight the potential of reusing the processing waste as a reliable source of bioactive compounds.