Editorial and Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to Advances in Tourism Studies (ATS) undergo a double-blind peer review process. The review focuses on two main aspects: relevance to tourism studies and the contribution to theoretical or practical knowledge.

Editors and reviewers are committed to providing constructive feedback to support the author(s) in improving the quality of their manuscript. The Editor-in-Chief holds the final authority to determine which manuscripts are accepted for publication.

Review Workflow:

1. Online Submission: Authors submit manuscripts exclusively via the ATS Open Journal System (OJS).
2. Initial Desk Evaluation: The Editor-in-Chief conducts a preliminary screening to ensure the manuscript aligns with ATS focus, scope, and formatting guidelines. Non-compliant manuscripts are returned or rejected without review.
3. Plagiarism Check: All manuscripts are screened using Turnitin. Submissions with similarity scores above 25% are automatically rejected without further evaluation.
4. Section Editor Assessment: Manuscripts passing the plagiarism check are evaluated for relevance, novelty, and academic merit. Articles lacking significant contribution are declined. Qualified manuscripts proceed to full peer review.
5. Double-Blind Peer Review: Each manuscript is reviewed by a section editor and at least one external peer reviewer. The Editor-in-Chief then makes a publication decision based on their recommendations.

Decision Outcomes:

• Rejected: The manuscript is not accepted due to reasons such as poor quality, lack of novelty, or topic mismatch.
• Accepted with Major Revisions: Significant changes required, including theoretical framework, methodology, or data analysis. Authors are given 4–12 weeks for revision.
• Accepted with Minor Revisions: Minor formatting or language issues. Authors are given 1–4 weeks for revision.
• Accepted as Is: The manuscript is accepted without revisions but will undergo final proofreading before publication.

Post-Review Process:

1. Authors receive reviewer comments and are required to revise their manuscript accordingly.
2. Revised manuscripts must be submitted along with a detailed Response to Reviewers Form.
3. If revisions are not submitted within the specified time without notice, the submission will be considered withdrawn.
4. Accepted manuscripts will be scheduled for publication.