Dr Maharaj Vijay Reddy from the School of Tourism was invited by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Paris Office to moderate an intergovernmental conference session on “Tourism Growth – Sustainable, Green and Inclusive?” at the 3^rd Annual Conference of Partners of the Global Partnership of Sustainable Tourism (GPST) on 26 March 2013.

Dr Reddy commented that “I was pleased to moderate the conference session advancing the green economy and tourism theme and we (the participants) came up with several priorities for consideration by the UNEP and its global partners in future. I see this as an excellent opportunity to highlight BU’s tourism reputation and develop fruitful partnership with these leading global organisations advancing sustainable tourism initiatives”.

Hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development in Bonn, this important conference and sessions were attended by partners and representatives from many organisations including the Tourism Departments of the Governments of Mexico, South Africa, Mozambique, France, Philippines, Thailand, Morocco, South Korea and Madagascar; and leading international organisations such as the World Tourism Organisation – UNWTO, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation – UNIDO.

A weekend of delicious food approved by the nutritionists at the University and fun activities from boot camp on the beach for the energetic, to organic wine tasting for those in favour of a more relaxing weekend!

This is aweekend for everyone who has an interest in good food and wine and how to make it more nutritious. A guilt free weekend of indulgence!

What does Bournemouth University bring to the weekend…

Dr Heather Hartwell from the School of Tourism at Bournemouth University is a registered nutritionist and will offer practical advice on a healthy eating lifestyle. This does not mean that you have to eat lettuce leaves all day, a holistic approach which is sustainable can include those feel good foods too – cookery demonstrations will provide tips and hints at ‘health by stealth’.

In addition you will be able to participate in a selection of challenging and fun fitness sessions. You can choose between a fitness class, jogging on the beach, or boot camp on the beach for those who want to try something a little different.

The fitness sessions will be run by representatives of Bournemouth University’s Academy of Performance Coaching; all instructors are qualified as Level 3 Personal Trainers and are members of the Register of Exercise Professionals.

For the full programme please see The Green House Hotel website

• Whether you are looking for the full detox and boot camp experience or the softer approach this weekend is designed to show you how to have great food with little guilt!

• With the experience of the Bournemouth University combined with the excellent service of the Green House team this promises to be an excellent weekend.

• Places are limited so please book when you can to avoid disappointment.

• Gift vouchers are available for that special birthday or Christmas present!

• The menus will be presented to each guest on arrival at the start of the weekend; we will need advance notice of any dietary requirements.

• Bournemouth University will require a Health and Safety questionnaire to be completed in advance of the day so we can ensure we take good care of you through out.

Please email  for more details oosullivan@thegreenhousehotel.com

Bournemouth University opening their stand with Zoltan Somogyi Executive Director, Marcio Favilla Executive Director, Frederic Pierret Executive Director and Xu Jing Regional Director Asian and Pacific from UNWTO

Last week the School of Tourism exhibited at the World Travel Market at the Excel Centre in London.

The School of Tourism was the only university that exhibited at the four day event and they showcased some of the exciting advances being made in tourism at Bournemouth University, as well showcasing their courses and business services that they offer.

The School of Tourism stand was officially opened by Professor Dimitrios Buhalis and  Zoltan Somogyi Executive Director, Marcio Favilla Executive Director, Frederic Pierret Executive Director and Xu Jing Regional Director Asian and Pacific from UNWTO

As well as exhibiting, Bournemouth University’s School of Tourism staff held three free seminars across the four day conference.

Professor Dimitrios Buhalis hosted a BU Tourism Futures Forum and Dr Janet Dickenson hosted a debate on “Is the travel and tourism industry taking responsibility for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions?”

The School of Tourism also worked closely with the World Travel Market’s charity, Just a Drop at the exhibition and collected money for them on the stand.

The exhibition was a huge success for the School of Tourism and their stand was busy throughout the conference.

For more information on World Travel Market please see http://www.wtmlondon.com/

Today we are sharing with news from a MSc Graduate, Christy Hehir who has recently got a new job at Visit Britain and is also seeing her first book published.

If you would like to order a copy of the book or for more information please contact christyhehir@googlemail.com @christyhehir

Christy will be joining Visit Britain as a Research and Evaluation Specialist. Christy commented “I am delighted to soon be working for the national tourism agency. My role will involve market intelligence, including the latest inbound visitor statistics, tourism trends, forecasts, analysis and commentary. I am looking forward to playing my part in attracting international visitors to GREAT Britain and working in an office adjacent to Buckingham Palace.”

Christy also shared with us a brief history of her education that led to her publishing her first book:

“My AVCE in travel and tourism led me to the BA(Hons). I have always been curious as to the impacts of travelling to remote destinations, hence my undergraduate study titled, ‘Young People as Antarctic Ambassadors?’ In 2007 I became the UK’s student representative of International Polar Years 2007-2008, and as such was invited on a journey of a lifetime inside the Antarctic Circle. Antarctica heightened my awareness of the serious fragility of that continent and how essential it is that tourism companies operating there do this in an ethical and responsible way, managing not only their operations but the tourists they deliver to this region. Despite graduating as UWIC’s ‘Tourism Student of the Year,’ I felt my undergraduate study was only scratching the surface, so I continued my studies with an MSc.

My MSc dissertation titled, ‘The future of Antarctica. Is tourism an ally or an enemy?’ was a follow-up study to my under-graduate work, looking into the ways in which exposure to different fragile environments changes tourists’ environmental perceptions, attitudes and behaviours and how time is a major factor upon these changes. The second half of the study compared Antarctic tourists to the control group (of non Antarctic visitors) and confirmed the previous visitors to Antarctica had significantly stronger environmental attitudes and environmental behaviours. I am delighted that my dissertation has been very well-received both academically and within the travel industry.

My thesis won the titles of, “the most outstanding MSc Dissertation” at Bournemouth University, and the ‘ITB Science Award – German Society for Tourism Science: Best International Thesis.’ I travelled to Berlin in March 2010 to receive my award and present my findings at the ITB trade show. The Association for Tourism in Higher Education awarded me ‘Best Masters Student of Tourism 2008/2009,’ and I was nominated for: The Leisure Studies Association ‘Dissertation of an exemplary standard.’ My work has also been requested by and sent to the British Antarctic Survey, Royal Geographical Society, and Polar Scott Research Institute for their library resources.

Since my MSc Tourism success, I have continued my polar research and extended my study to the Arctic. In 2010 I contributed to the British Council’s ‘Action for the Arctic’ Seminar Report which discussed the Arctic’s engagement – communication – partnership. In July 2011, I was invited by Dr. Peter Prokosch, Managing Director UNEP/GRID-Arendal to participate in a 7-day training and research expedition in Svalbard, subsequently leading to my first book ‘Arctic to Action’, published in September 2012, looking at tourists’ heightened environmental actions since visiting the Polar Regions.”

The book, “Arctic Reflections: Moments of inspiration, a life time of action”, is a result of seventeen young people from twelve different countries that visited Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic, as part of an expedition funded by the European Union’s Youth in Action programme, and organised by the British Council in partnership with UNEP GRID – Arendal.

Through personal testimonies collected by Christy as part of her PhD research, and photographs taken by Luka Tomac of the sights witnessed, the book goes beyond simple impressions and acts as a poignant reminder that our planet is at great environmental risk. Importantly, it also offers positive examples of young people taking action, something the Youth in Action Programme strongly encourages. Doug Allan, prominent wildlife and documentary cameraman, experts from UNEP GRID – Arendal and Dr. Dirk Notz, a polar scientist from MaxPlanck Institute, have also contributed by adding their personal insights and knowledge, highlighting the need for urgent action necessary to save the Arctic.

It is hoped that this book will not serve as yet another coffee table piece, but rather as an inspirational handbook which encourages you and the decision makers to take real action.

Christy commented on the book release “2012 is set to see the 1billionth passenger – and whilst this is a cause for celebration and success in the travel sector, should it also not come with a warning? At 25 I have already visited all 7 continents and stepped foot on both the Polar Regions – yet it is exactly these experiences that have opened my eyes to the pace of development and fuel my passion to preserve the last remaining wilderness.

Arctic Reflections aims to give readers an expert opinion, highlight through photography the Arctic’s sensitivity and importantly share examples of young professionals, like me, determined to make change.

Now published, the next plan is to launch the book at the European Parliament in Brussels at the end of Jan 2013 and distribute copies to policy makers and key influencers across Europe. In 3 weeks time, participant Stijn Otten will be sitting across the table with Dick van Benschop (CEO Shell Netherlands). A nice person to give this book to, I think.”

If you would like to order a copy of the book or for more information please contact christyhehir@googlemail.com @christyhehir

Today we are bringing you the final article that was published in the latest edition of the Bournemouth Rsearch Chronicle: Dr Janet Dickinson and Dr Viachaslau Filimonau article on Green Tourism:

Each year our desire to get away from it all contributes to around 5% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. Ignoring the impact of tourism on the environment would be equivalent to ignoring the carbon emissions of a developed industrialised nation.

This is why Dr Janet Dickinson and Dr Viachaslau Filimonau from BU’s School of Tourism are working on ways to reduce the carbon footprint of holidaymakers. Rather than developing punitive taxes or penalties, the research is looking at how to give people good incentives and strategies to cut down on unnecessary travel.

The BU team is starting close to home by studying the behaviour of holidaymakers at a Dorset campsite, where up to 300 people stay each week during the summer peak season. “The aim is to try to revolutionise the travel decision making process,” says Dr Janet Dickinson, senior lecturer in BU’s School of Tourism.

“The idea is to give people visibility of transport options in their immediate future through social networking and through smart phones so they can see there are opportunities to share transport, or opportunities to avoid making journeys,” she says.

The study is part of a wider Sixth Sense Transport Project – a collaboration between BU and colleagues from the Universities of Southampton, Lancaster, Edinburgh and Salford.

“We are looking at a campsite, but the same approach could be used in any holiday community – a hotel, group of cottages or caravan park,” Dr Dickinson explains.

“You have a community in the same place often all doing things at the same time and there’s a huge potential for people to make better use of travel resources. You have an awful lot of congestion in the areas linked to tourism.”

The idea is to use social networks so people can reveal anonymously to their fellow campers where they are and what they are doing. At the same time they can see what everyone else on the campsite is up to, what their immediate plans are, and what the weather and travel conditions are like.

“If you are heading to the beach tomorrow, and you know 50 other people are too, it allows you to make contact and share travel – or find out about bus routes – or warn of congestion. You might need just one item from the shops – and this could allow you to ask someone already at the shops or heading off there to pick it up for you,” suggests Dr Dickinson.

The project is first assessing holidaymaker’s attitudes to sharing. The team are finding out more about holidaymaker’s habits, what sort of information they are willing to share and how prepared they are to join forces. Then they will experiment with real life holidaymakers at the campsite, inviting them to try out smart phone applications designed to help them on their break.

Other parts of the project are looking at social networking in schools to help parents share transport and promote ‘walking buses’, which would see supervised groups of children walking to school on predetermined routes. Another is looking at reducing the carbon footprint of the logistics industry – the moving around of goods by lorry and train.

“The project is not about developing an application for a smart phone, but finding out about people’s travel decision making and whether their behaviour can be changed if they realise 200 other people living alongside them are about to make the same journey,” Dr Dickinson explains.

To read the full BRC please see http://buresearchchronicle.org.uk/

The UNOG conference received invited attendees from different parts of the world from several international organisations (e.g. UNDESA, UNESCAP, UNEP, UNESCO, and UNDP), many national and international funding agencies (e.g. World Bank, DFID, AUSAid), research institutes and leading universities. Key areas covered in the discussions include: the Global Economic Crisis, Nature in the Market-World, The Social Dimensions of Carbon Trading, Economic Growth, Social Divides and Sustainable Development, Climate Change, Double Injustice and Social Policy, The Global Political Economy, Governance in Environmental Policy, Realizing Pro-Poor Development in the Carbon Commodity Chain, The Potential and Constraints on the Payment for Ecosystem Services Markets, Agriculture and Rural Development, An Institutional Analysis of Biofuel Policies and their Social Implications in Developing Countries, and Future Research and Directions for Rio+20.

To tackle these key global sustainability and climate change challenges, the United Nations is organising the next major world summit, the Rio+20 conference in 2012 (http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/). It is expected that around 50000 participants including the heads of many govenments, leading UN agencies and policy agencies will attend the forthcoming significant Rio+20 summit.