Ethical Principles and Publication Policy
The Journal of Travel and Tourism Research (JTTR) is an international, double-blind peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by the Faculty of Tourism, Aydın Adnan Menderes University. The journal aims to contribute to the accumulation of scientific knowledge in tourism and related interdisciplinary fields. The following ethical principles and publication policies have been prepared in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Higher Education Council’s Directive on Research and Publication Ethics, and international standards (e.g., ICMJE). All stakeholders (authors, reviewers, editors, and readers) are required to comply with these principles.

Ethical Principles
In line with editorial criteria and the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), all manuscripts undergo an initial screening followed by a double-blind peer-review process, evaluating significance to the field, conceptual quality, methodological appropriateness, and clarity of expression. Publishing an article in a double-blind peer-reviewed journal is essential for building a consistent and reliable knowledge network. In this process, the content of the manuscript is evaluated rather than the reputation of the author(s). Therefore, it is of vital importance that all parties involved in the publication process (authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers) agree on the expected ethical standards. Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and that appropriate citations are provided when the work or words of others are used in any form.

About the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE, https://publicationethics.org/)
COPE provides guidance to editors and publishers on all aspects of publication ethics, including how to handle cases of research and publication misconduct. It also offers a forum for members to discuss individual cases. COPE does not investigate specific cases but encourages editors to ensure that appropriate authorities (usually research institutions or employers) conduct investigations. COPE members are expected to adhere to the ethical publishing principles outlined in its core practices.

Responsibilities of Editors
Publication Decisions: The editor is responsible for deciding which submitted manuscripts will be published. Manuscripts are evaluated without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, nationality, or political philosophy. Decisions are based on the manuscript’s significance, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope. Legal requirements concerning libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism must also be considered.
Reviewer Selection: The editor assigns at least two reviewers for each manuscript, selecting experts in the relevant subject area while avoiding any practices that might compromise anonymity. Reviewers with prior interaction with the author(s) are avoided. When possible, reviewers from countries different from that of the author(s) are selected. The editor considers objectivity and quality in reviewers’ evaluations and continues the process with additional reviewers if necessary.
Confidentiality: The editor and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher, as appropriate.
Conflicts of Interest and Disclosure: Editors and editorial board members must not use unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript in their own research without the author’s explicit written consent.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviewers who feel unqualified to review a manuscript or are unable to provide a timely review should immediately notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.
Promptness: All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.
Confidentiality: All manuscripts under review are strictly confidential. Reviewers must not share or discuss them with others unless explicitly authorized by the editor.
Objectivity: Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author(s) is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly and support them with well-founded arguments.
Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors. They should also indicate whether observations or arguments derived from other sources are properly cited. Reviewers are encouraged to notify the editor of any substantial similarities or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and other published work.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not evaluate manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the papers.

Responsibilities of Authors
Reporting Standards: Authors of original research must present an accurate account of their work and provide an objective discussion of its significance. The underlying data must be represented accurately, and sufficient detail and references should be provided to allow replication. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior.
Data Access and Retention: Authors may be asked to provide the raw data associated with a manuscript for editorial review and should be prepared to provide public access to such data, when possible, while protecting participants’ anonymity and legal rights. Authors must ensure that data remain accessible to qualified professionals for at least ten years after publication.
Originality, Plagiarism, and Citation: Authors must submit only entirely original works and appropriately cite the work and/or words of others. Influential publications relevant to the reported work should be properly acknowledged.
Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: Authors should not submit essentially the same research to more than one journal simultaneously. Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals constitutes unethical publishing behavior. Previously published and copyrighted material cannot be resubmitted. Manuscripts under review elsewhere must not be submitted.
Authorship and Contributions: Authorship should be limited to individuals who made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All significant contributors should be listed as co-authors. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors are appropriately included and that all have approved the final version of the manuscript.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: All authors must disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that might influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support must also be disclosed.
Fundamental Errors in Published Works: When authors discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate in issuing a correction or retraction.
Studies Involving Human Subjects: Research involving human participants must have received ethical approval from the authors’ institutional review board and comply with recognized standards such as the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent must be obtained from all participants. Authors must ensure that personal data remain confidential and that risks of harm are minimized.
Protection of Vulnerable Groups: Particular care must be taken in studies involving children, disadvantaged groups, prisoners, or minorities. Parental or guardian consent must be obtained for minors, and informed consent must be secured for all vulnerable participants.
Informed Consent for Publication: Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all research participants. Special protection must be given to vulnerable groups, ensuring risks are minimized.

Ethical Approval Requirement
Ethics committee approval is mandatory for research requiring such authorization, including:
- All studies involving data collection from participants using qualitative or quantitative methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, experiments).
- Research involving the use of humans or animals (including materials/data) for experimental or scientific purposes.
- Clinical research involving humans.
- Animal studies.
- Retrospective studies conducted in accordance with personal data protection legislation.

Copyright and Licensing Policy
The copyright of all content published in JTTR belongs to the authors, and the works are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Third parties may copy, redistribute, remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially, provided that proper attribution is given, a link to the license is included, and any changes are indicated. Authors retain the right to use their works freely. No royalties are paid to authors. Submission to JTTR implies acceptance of these conditions.
[License details: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0]

Open Access Policy
JTTR is a free, open-access electronic journal with no author, submission, or article processing charges, supported by the Faculty of Tourism, Aydın Adnan Menderes University. In line with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI), JTTR provides immediate open access to its content, enabling unrestricted reading, downloading, copying, distribution, printing, searching, linking, or use for any lawful purpose without financial, legal, or technical barriers.

Plagiarism Detection
To ensure academic integrity, all submissions to JTTR are checked using plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate, Intihal.Net). Before review, similarity analysis is performed excluding references. The total similarity rate must not exceed 20%, and no single source should exceed 5%. Manuscripts exceeding these thresholds are rejected. Even within limits, reports are manually examined. Editors may re-check for plagiarism during revision. Final decisions regarding plagiarism remain with the responsible editor.

Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Writing
The use of AI tools in manuscript preparation must comply with scientific ethics. While AI can facilitate research, it poses risks of misinformation, bias, and fabrication. Therefore:
- AI may be used as a supportive tool but cannot replace human intellectual contribution.
- AI-generated text cannot be published without human oversight and responsibility.
- AI systems cannot be listed as authors, as accountability lies solely with human researchers.
- Authors must disclose any use of AI, specifying the purpose, method, and stage of use.
- Manuscripts may be rejected or sent for revision if inappropriate AI use is detected.
Submission implies acceptance of these conditions.

Repository Policy
- Preprints: Authors may share preprints at any time. Once accepted, authors should update preprints with the DOI of the official version.
- Postprints and Published Articles: Authors may archive the final published version (publisher’s PDF) in personal or institutional repositories, provided proper citation and DOI linking are included.
- Authors may also deposit articles in public, subject-based, and non-commercial repositories.

Archiving Policy
JTTR content is electronically preserved via the Dergipark platform. Even if the journal ceases publication, all articles will remain accessible. All published content is archived on Dergipark and complies with the I4OC standards for open citations.

Article Withdrawal Policy
Submitted manuscripts undergo significant editorial investment (plagiarism checks, cross-checks, citation style reports). Therefore, authors may not withdraw manuscripts while under review. After editorial decisions are made, withdrawal requests may be considered. Manuscripts cannot be simultaneously submitted to other journals. Violations of these rules will be treated as ethical misconduct, and necessary actions will be taken.

Appeals and Complaints Policy
JTTR ensures transparency and protection of rights through a structured appeals and complaints mechanism:
-Scope: Appeals may concern editorial bias, conflicts of interest, breaches of confidentiality, suspected ethical violations, or procedural errors.
-Submission Channels: Complaints can be filed via the Dergipark "Contact Us" section, the manuscript submission system, or by email. Submissions must include: applicant’s full name/contact details, manuscript title, detailed explanation, and supporting documents.
-Confidentiality: All documents are confidential and accessible only to the relevant committees and Editor-in-Chief. Records are stored for at least five years.
- Process: Acknowledgment is provided within two business days. Preliminary review is completed within 15 business days, possibly with external expert input. Final decisions are made by the -Oversight Committee within 45 business days. If unsatisfied, the applicant may appeal to the JTTR Appeals Committee (acting as Ombudsman), whose final decision is binding and communicated within 15 business days.

Advertising Policy
JTTR does not accept advertisements to preserve editorial independence and scientific integrity.
- Separation from Content: All advertising or sponsorship offers are excluded from the peer-review process.
- Rejection Protocol: Offers are formally rejected within 10 business days with a written explanation reinforcing editorial independence.
- Academic Sponsorships: In rare cases of academic event sponsorships, proposals are evaluated solely on scholarly merit, with no financial transactions involved.
- Record Keeping: All offers, notes, and correspondence are archived for at least five years.

Direct Marketing Policy
JTTR communicates only with individuals who have given prior consent, limited to:
- Calls for papers,
- Manuscript review updates,
- Biannual newsletters.
Consent is collected during submission or via Dergipark. Recipients can unsubscribe instantly.

Publisher Policy
JTTR is published by the Faculty of Tourism, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, which assumes full administrative and financial responsibility. Editorial independence is ensured, with no institutional or commercial interference in editorial decisions. Publisher details, including full contact information, are clearly displayed on the journal’s pages.

Publication Schedule Policy
JTTR publishes two issues annually (June and December). Accepted manuscripts are prepared in accordance with announced deadlines. Early View articles are published online with DOI numbers before official issue release. Any schedule changes (e.g., staff changes, technical maintenance) are announced at least one month in advance via the website and Dergipark. All issues remain permanently archived.