New paper Boes, K., Buhalis, D., Inversini, A., 2016, Smarttourism destinations: ecosystems for tourism destination competitiveness”,International Journal of Tourism Cities, Vol. 2(2), pp.108 – 124 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-12-2015-0032

Posted . Filed under News, Research.

New research paper  Boes, K., Buhalis, D., Inversini, A., 2016, Smarttourism destinations: ecosystems for tourism destination competitiveness”,International Journal of Tourism Cities, Vol. 2(2), pp.108 – 124  http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-12-2015-0032

Abstract Grounded in service-dominant (S-D) logic, the purpose of this paper is to explore the core components of smartness to present a framework for the development of the smart tourism destination. The paper explores the core components of smartness through case study analysis of well-established smart cities.  The paper conceptualises smartness and argues ICT, leadership, innovation and social capital supported by human capital are core components of smartness. Although ICT is a critical enabler for smart tourism destinations, it is insufficient on its own to introduce smartness. The combination of hard and soft smartness components within a S-D logic ecosystem structure holds the potential for sustained competitive advantage and enhancement of quality of life of both residents and tourists in smart tourism destinations. Originality/value – The paper extends the application of S-D logic to the context of smart tourism destinations, specifically to examine the smartness concept as a means for competitiveness in tourism destinations.

Keywords ICT, Tourism competitiveness, Smart city, Smart tourism destination Paper type Research paper

http://www.academia.edu/27392229/Smart_tourism_destinations_ecosystems_for_tourism_destination_competitiveness

New paper by Janet E. Dickinson, , Julia F. Hibbert, Viachaslau Filimonau Mobile technology and the tourist experience: (Dis)connection at the campsite Tourism Management Volume 57, December 2016, Pages 193–201

Posted . Filed under Research.

New paper by Janet E. Dickinson, , Julia F. Hibbert, Viachaslau Filimonau  Mobile technology and the tourist experience: (Dis)connection at the campsite Tourism Management Volume 57, December 2016, Pages 193–201  doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2016.06.005

Highlights

•50% of tourists have some desire for mobile disconnection.
•Tourists have dilemmas regarding mobile connectivity.
•Digital engagement has a small effect on desire for mobile disconnection.
•Developers of digital solutions should not assume the tourist is ‘always connected’.

Abstract

Mobile technology is playing an increasing role in the tourist experience and a growing body of tourism research has focused on this area. There is often an implicit assumption that tourists embrace mobile connectivity and relatively little research has explored the tourist experience of disconnection, whether purposeful or imposed by technological limitations. This study explores the desire for digital (dis)connection during camping tourism. Data compiled using interviews and a survey revealed that the tourist is not ‘always connected’ and up to 50% have some desire to disconnect. There is ambiguity about mobile technology use in tourism with dilemmas regarding the value of connectivity versus the desire to ‘get away from it all’. The analysis found digital engagement had a small effect on desire for disconnection however, patterns were not marked. The findings have implications for mobile technology solutions in tourism.

Keywords

  • Mobile technology;
  • Smartphone;
  • Digital connection;
  • Tourist experience
Corresponding author.

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Janet Dickinson is a Professor at Bournemouth University. Her research interests focus on mitigation of and adaptation of tourism to climate change, digital technology, the sharing economy, social representations and time.

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Julia Hibbert is a Research Fellow in the Faculty of Management at Bournemouth University. Her research interests include the role of personal and social identity in tourism mobility, understanding travel behaviour and sustainable transport systems.

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Viachaslau Filimonau is Senior Lecturer in Hospitality Management at Bournemouth University (UK). His research interests include sustainable mobilities, environmental management and environmental impact assessment as applied in the context of tourism and hospitality.

Harry Mills studying BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management at Bournemouth University

Posted . Filed under Student Experience.

What are you studying currently and what do you enjoy most? 

“I’m currently studying BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management. In September I will be starting my placement year, doing Events and Fundraising for a Dorset based charity.”

harryWhy did you choose Bournemouth University?

“I chose BU because of the area, I loved that the beach was so close by and the fact that everyone at the University seemed really close. The course really appealed to me, over other Universities, and I liked the fact that the placement was in the 3rd year, instead of the 2nd year, like it is as so many other Universities. The practical element of the course also really appealed to me as I love to learn through hands on experience.”

How would you describe your course?

“I would say my course is incredibly challenging but at the same time rewarding. You can expect to be writing lots of assignments and essays and you can expect to be doing lots of group work. There is a huge amount of contact time, doing seminars and lectures and you will probably end up spending lots of your time reading and in the library, to support your studies. However, the end result really is worth it, you’ll learn so much more than you thought you would and if you put the time and effort in you’ll be rewarded with good marks.”

Are there any particular aspects of your course that you feel will help you succeed after graduating?

“Definitely! All the units on my course are geared to helping you succeed in industry. From the finance units to marketing and operations, they’re all units that you can apply in the real world. I’m particularly looking forward to the consultancy project and the Events and Conference Management in my final year.”

How would you describe your BU experience overall, so far?

“My experience at BU so far really has been life changing. I know it’s such a cliche thing to say but it really has. I’ve learned so much, not just on my course, but about myself and I’ve made some great friends. The social life here really is what you make of it, it’s all out there for the taking, you just have to go and seize it!”

What advice do you have for any students looking to study at Bournemouth University

“My advice to anyone looking to study at Bournemouth University would be to just come for an Open Day but also come and explore the town and the beach. As soon as you arrive you’ll know if BU is for you. It’s a great location and a great University and you definitely won’t regret coming once you’re here.”

Are you involved with any extra-curricular activities while studying, and what do you think you gain from them?

“Yes, I’m involved in a couple of extra-curricular activities. I’m currently on the BU Falcons, Bournemouth University’s multi award-winning cheerleading team. Before coming to University I never thought I would join a sports team or society. However, I would recommend it to anyone. BU has so many clubs, societies and sports teams that there is bound to be something you can get involved with. Being involved with something other than your course not only gives you that other group of friends but it ensures that your life doesn’t get too “University heavy”. And believe me, the socials are amazing! If you didn’t want to get involved with clubs, societies or a sports team the Student’s Union here offers some amazing other opportunities from RAG (Raising and Giving) to the Green Task Force. With so much going on, there’s no excuse not to get involved. I did LegIt last year, with two of my Cheerleading friends, we ended up in DisneyLand, Paris and it was one of the best weekends I’ve ever had!” harry2

Co-creating the future of tourism University of Aveiro, Portugal May 17th – 19th, 2017

Posted . Filed under News, Research.

International TOURISM conference: Co-creating the future of tourism

University of Aveiro, Portugal, 17–19 May 2017 http://www.ua.pt/invtur/#

International conference

invtur

cocreating the future of tourism

Co-creating the future of tourism

University of Aveiro, Portugal

May 17th – 19th, 2017

Tourism is becoming the world’s leading industry, topping the most important economic sectors. A new ecosystem is emerging that brings together economic, environmental, social and cultural resources to create value for all stakeholders. Tourism is one of the most influential drivers of change globally propelling prosperity and wellbeing for growing numbers of countries.

In spite of its potential there is still a wide gap between the industry and society. Tourism is a social and anthropological phenomenon that percolates civilization, and its infrastructure and equipment are built alongside all the other urban and rural developments. However, tourism knowledge and tourism as science are still overlooked by entrepreneurs and governments.

INVTUR is an internationally acclaimed conference that is now reaching its 4th edition. It is organized by the University of Aveiro (Portugal), since 2010, in cooperation with several foreign partner universities. Each of the previous editions were attended by more than seven hundred delegates, from five continents and more than 30 countries. INVTUR has become a ground of discussion and scientific interaction, held in a modern and lovely city and university, where people seek to improve knowledge. Besides its scientific contribution, INVTUR provides an unforgettable experience from a social point of view, granting opportunities to network and to relax.

The 2017 edition is devoted to fuel discussion and to induce new approaches aimed at exploring emerging paradigms of value cocreation in the marketplace that will fuel the foundation of the new tourism ecosystem. INVTUR 2017 will provide an interactive, dynamic and international platform for academics and practitioners to discuss how to enhance research applications and knowledge management through partnerships. Alongside the conference, a showcase of good practices coming from the tourism industry and organisations will take place. The BIT – Business Innovation Tank will be run in a large marquee, adjacent to the conference rooms, where more than 30 companies and organisations will present innovative experiences in the tourism industry. In parallel to the academic conference, debates among tourism businesses and organisations will take place, with the aim of bridging the gap between academics and practitioners. Participants will, also, have the opportunity to strengthen partnerships with various stakeholders, including academic researchers, industry professionals, and governmental entities, through dialogues on how to better use research outputs for the benefit of the industry.

The conference welcomes works in areas such as:

» Tourism planning, policies and strategies;

» Geography and territory;

» Destination management and modelling;

» Economics of tourism;

» Internationalisation of tourism;

» Consumer behavior in tourism;

» New tourism products;

» Tourism marketing;

» Experience economy;

» Shared economy;
» Creative economy;

» Authenticity;

» Culture and heritage;

» Tourist gaze;

» Sociology of tourism;

» Food tourism;

» Anthropology of tourism;

» Demographics and Mobility;

» Post-modern tourist;

» Research and Education;

» Sustainability and ecotourism;» Hospitality;

» Tourism history;

» Innovation in tourism;

» E-tourism, ICT, and smart tourism;

» Accessible tourism;

» Gender in tourism;

» Tourism networks.

 

John Carmichael Deputy Director National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA) is a Bournemouth University graduate

Posted . Filed under Alumni News, News, Student Experience.

John Carmichael Deputy Director National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA) is a Bournemouth University graduate : “I have had a long and varied career in tourism since graduating in 1994.   Immediately after graduation, I was taken on by the English Tourist Board (the organisation with which I did my university placement year) to work on their national tourism awards and travel trade show. On leaving that role and travelling across the United States for a short period I then worked for the Heritage Lottery Fund assessing applications for funding. From there I moved into the area of visitor attraction sales & marketing working at The White Cliffs Experience (Dover) and LEGOLAND Windsor. I then moved out of the tourism industry for a period, taking on a corporate marketing role at Yellow Pages, developing sales materials and branding for the emerging Yell.com platform. The lure of tourism brought me back to the industry and I moved into destination management and marketing at VisitBath, (as Membership Manager, then Business Development Manager) and then onto VisitBrighton where I led the city’s destination marketing for over eight years.

John Carmichael image

I applied for my current role as  Deputy Director National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA) after seeing an advert on a Tourism Alliance e-communication. Having completed the various selection procedures I was offered the role as Deputy Director of the National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA) in early 2016. The aims of the NCTA are to accelerate growth in the coastal visitor economy focussing on improving the visitor experience, supporting industry and bridging gaps in research for coastal tourism development. My role is to help deliver these aims through engagement with the coastal tourism communities around England and to guide the development of the Academy as we move into our next phase.

I am definitely still using the skills & knowledge gained from my degree in my current role; not least due to the fact that the NCTA is a partnership between Bournemouth Borough Council and Bournemouth University!   Throughout my career I have applied my degree learnings to my job roles – having an understanding of tourism theory, the principles of marketing and the national framework for tourism have been particularly useful.

  • Throughout my late teenage years I completed a BTEC National Diploma in Leisure Studies at my local college and tourism was a module within this course that I very much enjoyed. I had also gained some basic practical work experience in the tourism industry by working as a room attendant / tour guide at a National Trust property. As I wanted to progress my education in tourism, I looked for suitable courses and Bournemouth (Polytechnic as it was then) seemed to be the perfect place to study.   Where better to study tourism than in a great tourism destination?! Going into the course I just wanted to increase my knowledge and understanding of the tourism business world, with the hope that it would lead me into a career than I enjoyed and found interesting. It soon became apparent that choosing Bournemouth as a place to study tourism was a wise move; several of my lecturers were clearly academic leaders in this industry having published papers and books on various aspects of tourism.
  • My course was varied.   In the early 1990’s there were very few places in the UK to study tourism so it was good to be part of something ‘unique’. The course itself covered several core disciplines including marketing, law, finance etc. but each of these were tailored to the tourism industry. In addition to these core disciplines were more specialist subjects embracing different aspects of tourism. The mix of the two was great. Like many others, going to university was the first time I had lived away from my family home. Living and studying by the sea provided something special that you simply couldn’t get inland. As a holiday destination Bournemouth provided everything you could want as a student; a friendly atmosphere, plenty of things to do and lots of places to eat, drink and dance!

My experience at Bournemouth University provided the ‘bedrock’ from which to build my career in tourism. Leaving university with a solid theoretical knowledge of tourism disciplines helped me greatly in my first jobs after my degree. I was fortunate enough to be given a job immediately after my graduation by the organisation at which I did my placement year, so the University provided my first ‘proper’ job too! Being from the Midlands studying in a town that had an amazing beach was very exciting! Bournemouth and Poole are towns that are great to get around by bike too, so I enjoyed exploring the area on two wheels.   The countryside around Bournemouth is also beautiful and gave great opportunities to explore whether on foot, bike or by public transport. I enjoyed the seasonality in Bournemouth too, whilst there were never many really cold winters it was always good to feel spring in the air and know that summer days were on their way!

My degree is definitely relevant to my current job and has been relevant to many of my job roles throughout my career. Since graduation, I have now worked in the tourism industry for over 20 years and I still recognise the role my university studies played in my life. Particularly in the early stages of my career, having a tourism degree gave me a certain level of confidence in that I knew that I had a good knowledge to build upon. To me, the benefits of the course after graduating were holistic in nature. Having a mix of theoretical and practical knowledge (through my work placement year) provided me with ‘tools to work with’ in developing my career.  It may be a cliché, but my years at Bournemouth University were probably the happiest of my life!

At university I participated in a number of sporting teams and developed new friendships outside of my course network as a result which made my university experience more rounded. Whilst studying for my degree I continued to work at a visitor attraction in the summer months and offered my support to the marketing department in my free time; this enabled me to put into practice some of the things I learnt on my course. In one sentence please sum up your experience of Bournemouth University. It may be a cliché, but my years at Bournemouth University were probably the happiest of my life! Have you gone on to do any further study since graduating from BU? Since graduating from Bournemouth University I have completed various professional marketing courses.

I would advice recent graduates to take the opportunity to gain experience in whatever way you can. Do not be deterred from taking a job in an organisation / industry area that you want to work in if it is a short-term contract or part-time position. As someone who has moved into senior management and involved in recruiting staff, I always look for those graduates who have taken the opportunity to gain experience in whatever way they can. When applying for a job take time to show how the knowledge and skills you have developed at university can help the organisation you are applying to.   Be specific, open and honest; show your willingness to be flexible and continued desire to develop and learn.

Irena Paszkiewicz represents BU students at 2016 LARASA World Leisure Congress in South Africa

Posted . Filed under Student Experience.

Irena Paszkiewicz represents BU students at 2016 LARASA World Leisure Congress in South Africa

conferences, Global engagement, international, student research, Uncategorized

MSc Irena Paszkiewicz (Faculty of Management) was representing BU students at the first World Leisure Congress on the African continent which was hosted by the Leisure and Recreation Association of South Africa (LARASA) in Durban, from 27 – 30 June 2016. Bournemouth University was also represented by two members of academic staff, Dr. Lenia Marques and Dr. Dorothy Fox.

pic1The aim of the 2016 WLO Congress was to explore “Challenges, Choices and Consequences” by creating a platform for professionals from diverse fields to interact, share and present a context for leisure services and opportunities. Speakers and delegates represented many countries, communities and academic fields. The benefits of leisure has been widely documented and the congress highlighted the importance of an integrated approach using leisure services to improve the human condition, transform spaces and boost the econpic2omy (www.larasa.org.za).

Irena presented her MSc research, supervised by Dr. Lorraine Brown, with the topic “Food as a Leisure Social Practice among Polish Immigrants in the UK’, receiving positive feedback. The event also served as a good platform for Irena to increase her network around these topics (in the photo, Irena with Maliga Naidoo – President of Larasa and Chair of 2016 WLO Congress and Prof. Miklos Banhidi, responsible for many youth-related projects worldwide).

pic4Another important part of the experience, was the interaction with the international field school (with students from South Africa, Canada, Brazil and The Netherlands) about the Green Hub Project in Inanda Dam. The project involved a range of cultural tourism and ecotourism products in the area. The field school students, hosted by the Durban Grpic3een Corridor (DGC), organization that offers adventure and eco tours along the uMngeni River Valley, presented their recommendation for the Inanda community development at the congress.

Finally, on the 2nd of July Irena visited Durban July Races, a very colourful and important event in South Africa. This allowed the close involvement to research and data collection of a project lead by Dr Lenia Marques on the social dimensions of the event experience.

Altogether, it was a very challenging and valuable experience which hopefully will add to Irena’s future research work, but also professional and personal skills. This professional journey was only possible with the support of Global Horizons Fund from Bournemouth University.

(text by Irena Paszkiewicz)

ITT Research Student of the Year 2016 is again going to a Bournemouth University student : Well done Sarah Pyke

Posted . Filed under Featured, Research, Student Experience.

Another year with awards for Bournemouth University Department of Tourism and Hospitality students awards by the Institute of Travel and Tourism. ITT Research Student of the Year 2016 is again going to one of our students. Sarah Pyke pictured here with supervisor Professor Heather Hartwell.
ITT4
The award was presented at the annual ITT Summer Party on 20th July held on the Terrace at the Houses of Parliament. A fantastic evening and amazing opportunity to network with senior industry figures and the other award winners.

Tourism Research Seminar: Prof Metin Kozak :Consumer behaviour and travel narratives: implications for tourism research and Dr Dilya Woodward : Development of Digital Tourism Platform for Kazakhstan

Posted . Filed under Guest speakers, Research.

Wednesday 27th July 11:00-13:00 CREATE LT Fusion Building BH125BB
 
Welcome to Professor Metin Kozak, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey to the Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Bournemouth University. He will spend two months with us working with Professor Dimitrios Buhalis on a research project funded by the Turkish government The Establishment of Joint Cross-border Destination Marketing. The study objectives include 1) the identification of potential instruments/organisations taking place in a cross-border collaborative destination marketing between Greece and Turkey; 2) suggesting solutions for any possible barriers that may hinder a successful implementation of cross-border collaborative destination marketing; and 3) the discussion of possible benefits/advantages for both parts in order to be successful for marketing in international tourism.
 
Metin is a specialist in quality management, benchmarking, destination management and marketing, consumer behaviour, competitiveness, and branding. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Cukurova University (Turkey), Master’s from Dokuz Eylul University (Turkey) and Ph.D. from Sheffield Hallam University (UK); all relating to tourism and hospitality management. He has published a wider range of articles in top-tier journals such as (i.e. Annals, TM, JTR, IJHM, Cornell Quarterly, JTTM), conference papers in more than 40 countries and books released by Elsevier, Routledge, CABI, Emerald, Cambridge Scholars Publishing among others. He is the co-editor of Anatolia and serves an editorial board member of over 25 journals including Annals, JTR, JTTM, JBR and TA. In addition, he was a Research Fellow in 2005-2006 at the University of Namur (Belgium) and as Visiting Professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong SAR).kozak
 
He is involved in several tourism-based national and international research projects, particularly with his partners based in Europe and the US. Developing such partnerships has resulted in publishing quality journal papers, conference presentations and book chapters. As of September 2015, his works have received over 300 citations in ISI-referenced journals and over 6,000 citations counted by Google Scholar. Recently, he was ranked among the top 25 prolific tourism researchers in terms of the number of publications from 1985 to 2004 (Zhao & Ricthie, 2007) and from 2000 to 2009 (Park, Phillips, Cantr & Abbott, 2011). He was also ranked among the top 50 prolific scholars in terms of the frequency of cited articles (McKercher, 2008). He was elected as the Fellow of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism (Hong Kong) and Tourist Research Centre (Austria).
 
In addition we will have the pleasure of a seminar by Dr Dilya Woodward (Associate Professor, Faculty of Tourism and Recreation Geography, Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty Kazakhstan) who will also speak on the Development of Digital Tourism Platform for Kazakhstan.

Kara Birrell graduated from Bournemouth University to become the General Manager at the Passford House Hotel at the New Forest

Posted . Filed under Alumni News.

Kara Birrell graduated from Bournemouth University to become the General Manager at the Passford House Hotel at the New Forest. Kara says “I studied Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management at Bournemouth University.  I am now the General Manager of the Passford House Hotel, a 50 bedroomed Country House Hotel in Lymington. My studies gave me a great grounding to the basics of hotel management.  It was great to get hands on experience in both the kitchen and the Thomas Hardy restaurant.  The accountancy part of my course still rings true to this day when I’m working with chefs and managers with regards to costings and GP targets. The course was varied and interesting, never boring, just like the industry itself!  I very much enjoyed the varied aspect of this course, especially the mix between hands on learning and learning in the class room.  I also got a great deal out of my placement in outside catering.

KARADuring the course I had too many part time jobs in hotels (3 different ones to be precise!) to pay for my time at Uni to have time for much else. The course gave me great confidence when I stepped into the real world of employment.  I was very lucky to have worked with the Roux brothers restaurant manager in the Thomas Hardy restaurant, I found this hands on coaching from a professional in the industry priceless with my first position as Restaurant Manager at the Master Builders House Hotel in Bucklers Hard.

I would suggest to recent graduates to go into a new position at ground level, and work your way up, don’t expect to walk straight into a management position.  It is a much easier way to understand the business and the team in place, it is very hard to manage a team of staff if you don’t fully understand their jobs, what is expected of them and what hurdles they face.  I also feel you will get a greater respect from your team if you have proved that you are happy to muck in with the team and get your hands dirty when needed.