Tourism research continues to reveal the dynamics between visitor experience, community involvement, and workforce well-being. Study 1 highlights how electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) significantly shapes destination image and revisit intentions in cruise tourism, emphasizing the emotional and cognitive connections that promote long-term loyalty. Study 2 explores weddings as staged experiences, where servicescape elements such as venue aesthetics and staff interactions influence guest satisfaction and online recommendations. Study 3 examines the mediating role of social sustainability, showing that while community participation alone may not guarantee support for tourism, its effects are shaped by factors like host-guest conflict and social acceptance. Building on this, Study 4 demonstrates that sustainable tourism fosters income diversification for local communities through the mediating effect of community empowerment, thus reinforcing the importance of inclusive development. Finally, Study 5 shifts the lens to tourism labour, revealing that family responsibilities impact job performance differently among migrant and non-migrant female hotel workers, highlighting the need for socially responsive employment policies. Collectively, these studies underscore that sustainable tourism growth depends on digital influence, experiential quality, empowered communities, and supportive labour practices.