Annals of Gastronomy and Tourism Studies (AGATS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. We follow the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, WAME, 2022). Where applicable, the journal also takes into consideration the recommendations on scholarly publishing and research ethics issued by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Research involving human participants should be conducted in accordance with the fundamental ethical principles set forth in the Declaration of Helsinki. This statement outlines the journal’s policies and practices to ensure responsible scholarly publishing.
Authors are responsible for the originality, scientific accuracy, and compliance of their submitted manuscripts with research and publication ethics. The same manuscript must not be submitted simultaneously to more than one journal, and previously published work must not be submitted as an original article.
Authors must avoid research and publication misconduct, including plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, citation manipulation, duplicate publication, and inappropriate authorship. All sources used in the manuscript must be properly acknowledged in accordance with scholarly citation practices.
Authors are required to disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that may create a conflict of interest at any stage of the research. Where research has received financial support, the relevant funding organization should be stated in the manuscript.
If authors identify a significant error or inaccuracy in a submitted or published work, they are expected to contact the editorial office and cooperate in the necessary correction process.
Reviewers must treat manuscripts and all related information as confidential. Unpublished information or data contained in a manuscript must not be used for personal, professional, or academic purposes.
Peer review should be impartial, scientific, constructive, and supported by clear reasoning. Personal criticism of authors must be avoided, and evaluations should focus on the scientific quality, methodology, originality, contribution to the literature, and presentation of the manuscript.
Reviewers should inform the editor if they do not have sufficient expertise to evaluate the manuscript or if they are unable to complete the review within a reasonable period of time.
Reviewers must disclose any conflict of interest involving the authors, their institutions, or the subject of the manuscript that may affect the impartiality of the review process and should withdraw from the review process when necessary.
If reviewers identify or suspect significant ethical concerns, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other forms of research or publication misconduct, they should inform the editor.
Editors are responsible for evaluating submitted manuscripts on the basis of scientific quality, originality, relevance to the journal’s scope, and academic contribution, regardless of the authors’ gender, sexual orientation, religious or political views, ethnicity, citizenship, institutional affiliation, or other personal characteristics.
Editors must ensure that the peer review process is conducted impartially, independently, and confidentially. Reviewer selection should take into consideration relevant expertise, impartiality, and, where possible, institutional diversity.
Editors must protect the confidentiality of all information and documents related to manuscripts under evaluation and must not disclose such information to unauthorized persons.
Where an editor has a conflict of interest concerning a manuscript, the editorial process for that manuscript should be handled by another editor.
Allegations of research or publication misconduct must be taken seriously regardless of whether the manuscript has already been published, and the procedures recommended by COPE should be followed where necessary.
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study.
All significant contributors must be listed as co-authors, while those who contributed in other meaningful ways (e.g., technical assistance, data collection, editorial support) should be acknowledged.
The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission.
The order of authorship and authorship-related responsibilities should be agreed upon by all authors before manuscript submission. Unless there is a justified and clearly explained reason, the addition or removal of authors after the review process has begun is not considered appropriate.
Authors, reviewers, or readers may submit complaints or appeals regarding editorial decisions, ethical concerns, or the peer review process by contacting the editorial office at editor@agats.org.
Complaints are handled confidentially, transparently, and in accordance with COPE guidelines.
The journal will investigate all allegations of research misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, image manipulation, and duplicate publication.
When misconduct is suspected, the editor will follow COPE flowcharts and may request explanations, contact authors’ institutions, or take corrective actions such as corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions.
Research and publication misconduct may also include data falsification, citation manipulation, inappropriate authorship practices, and other practices that compromise the integrity of the scholarly record.
Authors must disclose all financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence (or be perceived to influence) their research.
Reviewers and editors must also declare any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where such conflicts exist.
Authors are also encouraged to explicitly state in the manuscript when no conflict of interest exists.
Authors are encouraged to make research data available for verification and reproducibility.
Where possible, authors should deposit datasets in recognized repositories and provide links or access information in the article.
The journal supports transparency and reproducibility as essential components of high-quality research.
Where research data cannot be shared due to confidentiality, personal data protection requirements, ethics committee restrictions, or legal reasons, authors should clearly state this limitation where appropriate.
Research involving human participants must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and receive approval from an appropriate ethics committee.
Research involving animals must comply with institutional and international guidelines on the ethical treatment of animals.
Authors must confirm compliance with ethical standards in their submissions.
Where informed consent is required, authors are responsible for ensuring that appropriate consent has been obtained from participants and, where applicable, that this information is stated in the manuscript.
Authors retain copyright of their work but grant the journal the right to first publication.
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to use copyrighted material (e.g., figures, tables, images) in their manuscripts.
Previously published material must be appropriately cited, and any permissions required for reproduction or adaptation must be obtained by the authors before publication.
The journal welcomes post-publication commentary and discussion. Concerns about published articles may be submitted to the editorial office.
If errors are identified in published work, the journal will publish corrections, clarifications, or retractions as appropriate, following COPE guidelines.
The journal has clear policies for issuing corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern when necessary to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.
Retractions will follow COPE standards and will clearly state the reasons for retraction.
The journal actively monitors for issues such as plagiarism, citation manipulation, falsification, and fabrication of data.
Manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection tools prior to publication.
Any confirmed cases of misconduct will be addressed in accordance with COPE best practices.
AGATS – Policy on the Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies
These policies have been developed in response to the growing use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in scientific writing. Their purpose is to provide clear guidance and promote transparency for authors, reviewers, editors, readers, and contributors. The journal will monitor developments in this area and update these policies as necessary.
This policy applies only to the writing process, not to AI tools used for data analysis or research methodology.
AI and AI-assisted tools may only be used to improve readability and language. Authors must maintain human oversight and carefully review all AI-generated content.
Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the manuscript.
Disclosure is mandatory: Any use of AI in writing must be clearly declared in the manuscript under a section entitled “Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Writing Process”. Example format:
During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication.
Authorship: AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Only humans can be authors, as authorship carries accountability for the content and final approval of the manuscript.
Generative AI may not be used to create or alter images in manuscripts. Minor adjustments (brightness, contrast, or color balance) are acceptable if they do not obscure or remove information.
Exceptions: If AI is integral to the research methodology (e.g., AI-assisted imaging), its use must be clearly described in the Methods section, including tool name, version, and manufacturer.
AI-generated artwork for graphical abstracts is not permitted. Use of AI for cover art requires prior permission from the editor and full rights clearance.
Manuscripts must be treated as confidential. Reviewers must not upload any submitted manuscript or review report to generative AI tools.
Peer review requires human judgment. AI cannot be used to assess scientific content. Reviewers remain fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of their reports.
AI may be used by the publisher internally (e.g., plagiarism checks, reviewer selection) in ways that protect confidentiality.
Manuscripts and all communications are confidential and must not be shared with AI tools.
Editorial decisions require human assessment; AI may not be used for manuscript evaluation or decision-making.
Editors remain fully responsible for the editorial process and final decisions.
Publisher-managed AI tools may assist with workflow tasks (plagiarism checks, reviewer suggestions) while respecting data privacy.
1. Can AI be credited as an author?
No. AI tools cannot be authors. Only human authors may take responsibility for the work.
2. Does this policy cover grammar checkers or reference managers?
No. Tools like Grammarly, Mendeley, EndNote, and Zotero are not subject to this policy and do not require disclosure.
3. Can AI be used in research methods or data analysis?
Yes. AI may be used for research purposes but must be described in the Methods section with details of the tool used.
4. Where should authors disclose AI use in writing?
At the end of the manuscript, immediately above the references, under the heading:
“Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Writing Process”.
5. Can AI be used to create or modify images?
No, except when part of the research methodology, and with full disclosure in the Methods section. Minor image adjustments for clarity are acceptable.
6. How is copyright handled?
AI tools cannot hold copyright. Authors who use AI must disclose this, and copyright is handled according to the journal’s standard publishing agreement.
Note: Generative AI refers to AI technologies capable of producing content, including text, images, audio, or synthetic data (e.g., ChatGPT, NovelAI, Jasper AI, Rytr AI, DALL-E).
