World Tourism Day 2016 at Bournemouth University Department Tourism and Hospitality
Tourism for All – Promoting Universal Accessibility’ Going Beyond UN World Tourism Day
27th September 2016 Lees Lecture Theatre 10:00-12:00
The World Tourism Day aims to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide. Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day on September 27. Bournemouth University’s Department of Tourism and Hospitality will celebrate United Nations World Tourism Day (WTD) on Tuesday 27th September in an event that highlights research and best practice in making tourism more accessible. Tourism for All – Promoting Universal Accessibility’ is the theme of WTD 2016. In keeping with this, the University is bringing together the Family Holiday Association (FHA), National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA) and Bournemouth Tourism along with our students.
The event will review cutting edge research and best practice in making tourism more accessible. It will identify opportunities for strategic collaborative working between academics and practitioners in public, private and voluntary sectors with interests in making tourism more accessible. We will also explore how tourism students can engage with voluntary activity in support of initiatives to make tourism more accessible. The programme will include presentations and discussions of research from University staff including Professor Dimitrios Buhalis, Professor Stephen Page on how tourism can be made more accessible for people suffering from dementia and their carers, Dr Philip Alford and Dr Philip Long on how tourism can be made more accessible for families who are socially and economically disadvantaged.
‘Tourism for All – Promoting Universal Accessibility’ –Going Beyond World Tourism Day
Tuesday 27th September 2016 Venue: Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus
Lees Lecture Theatre 10.00-12.00
FREE event – please Register on http://bournemouthuniversitywtd2016.eventbrite.co.uk
Objectives
To review research and best professional practice in making tourism more accessible
To identify opportunities for strategic collaborative working between academics and practitioners in public, private and voluntary sectors with interests in making tourism more accessible
To identify how students can engage with activities in support of initiatives to make tourism more accessible
Provisional Programme
- 10.00 – 10.15 Welcome and Introductions, Dr Philip Long Chair
- 10.15 – 10.35 Making tourism more accessible in Bournemouth. Mark Smith, Director, Bournemouth Tourism
- 10.35 – 10.55 Making tourism more accessible in UK coastal destinations, Samantha Richardson, Director, National Coastal Tourism Academy
- 10.55 – 11.15 Making tourism more accessible: The role of the Family Holiday Association, John Kinnear, FHA
- 11.15 – 11.35 Academic research on making tourism more accessible, Professor Dimitrios Buhalis (You Tube); Dr Philip Long, Dr Philip Alford
- 11.35 – 12.00 Research and professional development needs – how can BU students and staff contribute to this agenda?
- Opportunities for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships….
Who should attend?
The event is very inclusive and everybody is invited and welcome
BU undergraduate and postgraduate Tourism Management students and staff
Stakeholders from private, public and voluntary sectors in Bournemouth e.g. YMCA, YHA, Public Health, Mental Health
Accessibility and Disability organisations
BU Health and Social Care staff and students + Bournemouth University Dementia Institute
Media
Official Message on World Tourism Day 27th September 2016 by UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai:
“Tourism for all!”
Tourism has experienced a revolution in the past 50 years. In 1950 there were 25 million international tourists; today there are around 1.2 billion people travelling the world. Travelling has become a huge part of many lives. When travelling, we come across new people, new sights, and new ideas. Often our perception of the world changes as we see more of it. However, we must not forget that for many, travelling can be quite a difficult process. 15% of the world’s population is estimated to live with some form of disability. That is 1 billion people around the world who may be unable to enjoy the privilege of knowing other cultures, experience nature at its fullest and experience the thrill of embarking on a journey to explore new sights.
Accessibility for all should be at the center of tourism policies and business strategies not only as a human right, but also as a great market opportunity. With the world’s population ageing, all of us will benefit sooner or later from universal accessibility in tourism. As we celebrate World Tourism Day, let us recall that all of the world’s citizens have the right to experience the incredible diversity this planet has to offer. We thus urge all countries and destinations, as well as the industry, to promote accessibility for all in the physical environment, in transport systems, in public facilities and services and in information and communications channels.
I wish you a very happy World Tourism Day and a future full of enriching and compelling travel experiences to be enjoyed by all.
Dr Taleb Rifai UNWTO Secretary General
‘Tourism for All – Promoting Universal Accessibility’ –Going Beyond World Tourism Day
Tuesday 27th September 2016 Venue: Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus
Lees Lecture Theatre 10.00-12.00
FREE event – please Register on http://bournemouthuniversitywtd2016.eventbrite.co.uk