Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

for the International Congress TOURISM & HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY (THI)

The International Congress THI is dedicated to presenting research on various areas of tourism and hospitality industry and its role in global economy.

The Editorial board is responsible for, among other, preventing publication malpractice. Unethical behavior is unacceptable and the THI does not tolerate plagiarism in any form. Authors who submit articles to the Congress Proceedings affirm that manuscript contents are original. Furthermore, authors’ submission also implies that the manuscript has not been published previously in any language, either fully or partly, and is not currently submitted for publication elsewhere.

Editors, authors, and reviewers, within the International Congress THI are to be fully committed to good publication practice and accept the responsibility for fulfilling the following duties and responsibilities, as set by the COPE Code of Conduct for Journal Editors (http://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines).

I DUTIES OF THE EDITOR

• Publication Decisions: Based on the editorial board's review, the editor can accept or reject the manuscript or can send it for modifications.
• Review of Manuscripts: The editor ensures that each manuscript is initially evaluated by the editor, who may make use of appropriate means, to examine the originality of the contents of the manuscript. After the manuscript passes this test, it is forwarded to two reviewers for double-blind peer review, and each of whom will make a recommendation to publish the manuscript in its present form or to modify or to reject it. The review period will be no more than 30 days.
• Fair Review: The editor ensures that each manuscript received is evaluated on its intellectual content without regard to authors’ sex, gender, race, religion, citizenship, etc.
• Confidentiality: The editor must ensure that information regarding manuscripts submitted by the authors is kept confidential.
• Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: The editor can not use unpublished materials, disclosed in submitted manuscript for his/her own research, without prior written consent of the author(s).

II DUTIES OF THE AUTHORS

• Reporting Standards: Authors should accurately present their original research, as well as objectively discuss its significance. Manuscripts are to be edited in accordance to the submission guidelines of the proceedings.
• Originality: Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original.
• Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publications: Authors should not concurrently submit the same manuscript for publishing to other journals, or conference proceedings. It is also expected that the author(s) will not publish redundant manuscripts, or manuscripts describing the same research in several publishing venues, after the initial manuscript has been accepted for publication.
• Acknowledgement of Sources: Author(s) should acknowledge all sources of data used in the research and cite publications that have influenced their research.
• Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited only to those who have made a significant contribution to conceiving, designing, executing and/or interpreting the submitted study. All those who have significantly contributed to the study should be listed as co-authors. The corresponding author should also ensure that all the authors and co-authors have seen and approved the final submitted version of the manuscript and their inclusion as co-authors.
• Data Access and Retention: Authors should retain raw data related to their submitted paper, and must provide it for editorial review, upon request of the editor.
• Disclosure of Financial Support: All sources of financial support, if any, should be disclosed.
• Fundamental errors in published works: When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her submitted manuscript, the author must immediately notify the editor.

III DUTIES OF REVIEWERS

• Confidentiality: Manuscript reviewers, the editor and the editorial staff must not disclose any information regarding submitted manuscripts. All submitted manuscripts are to be treated as privileged information.
• Acknowledgement of Sources: Reviewers of manuscripts must ensure that authors have acknowledged all sources of data used in the research. Any similarity or overlap between the considered manuscripts, or with any other published paper, which is in personal knowledge of reviewer, must be immediately brought to the editor’s notice.
• Standards of Objectivity: Review of submitted manuscripts will be conducted objectively. The reviewers shall express their views clearly, with supporting arguments.
• Promptness: If a reviewer believes it is not possible for him/her to review the research reported in a manuscript within the designated guidelines, or within stipulated time, he/she should notify the editor, so that the accurate and timely review can be ensured..
• Conflict of Interest: All reviewers should have no conflict of interest with respect to the research, the authors and/or the funding bodies.