Bournemouth University School of Tourism at World Travel Market

Next week Bournemouth University’s School of Tourism will be exhibiting at the World Travel Market at the Excel Centre in London.

World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry – is a vibrant must attend four-day business-to-business event presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to UK and International travel professionals. It is a unique opportunity for the whole global travel trade to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business under one roof.

As well as exhibiting at the four day event, Professor Dimitrios Buhalis will be hosting two free seminars on eTourism and Tourism Futures during World Travel Market.

Professor Dimitrios Buhalis commented “Bournemouth University is committed to work closely with the international tourism industry and to creative innovation tourism solutions based on research and knowledge creation. Naturally we work closely together with the World Travel Market where we will be exhibiting demonstrating our courses, research and consultancy services and exposure the BU talent in terms of students, graduates and staff to the global tourism industry. We also share knowledge with the international community by organising two important seminars, one on eTourism and another on Tourism Futures. We very much hope to welcome you at the stand EM1592 and our events. “

For more information on the free seminars please see http://buatwtm.eventbrite.co.uk/#

Lorraine Brown and Immy Holloway publish Essentials of a Qualitative Doctorate

On 31st October, School of Tourism’s Lorraine Brown will see her book that she co-authored with Immy Holloway published.

Immy Holloway is professor emeritus in the School of Health and Social Care at Bournemouth University. As a sociologist she taught and supervised qualitative research for several decades. She was the founder member and a co-director of the Centre for Qualitative Research at Bournemouth University before retirement and still works there part-time. She is active in pursuing her interest in qualitative research by supervising PhD students as well as writing articles and books, some of which have been translated into several languages.

Lorraine Brown is senior lecturer in Tourism Education at Bournemouth University and head of postgraduate programmes within the School of Tourism. Her research interests include cross-cultural interaction, the impact of prejudice on the sojourn experience and the outcome of culture contact. She teaches qualitative research methods to masters and doctoral students and supervises doctoral students. She has published findings from qualitative studies in a range of journals, including event management, tourism and hospitality and education.

The book, titled Essentials of a Qualitative Doctorate, is a step by step guide to writing a qualitative Doctorate.

The book takes you through from selecting a research topic and writing a proposal, all the way through to completion

Lorraine commented “The book is a guide for students doing a PhD based on qualitative research. It breaks down the process step by step, including writing a proposal, deciding which approach to data collection to take, ethical issues and the role and location of the literature. Advice is also offered on the end stage of the research journey: writing up and dissemination of data.”

To order the book please see here

John Fotis has been invited to deliver a key note speech at the 11th annual “Tourism and Development” conference in Athens

BU’s eTourism Lab member and PhD student John Fotis has been invited to deliver a keynote presentation, among a number of distinguished speakers, at the 11th annual “Tourism & Development” conference in Athens, organized by the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE).

The conference is taking place on 29-30 October at Athenaeum Intercontinental, and the keynote panel consists of Mr Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship; Mrs Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries; Mrs Olga Kefalogianni, Minister of Tourism; Dr Andreas Andreadis, SETE President; and Mr George Drakopoulos, SETE Director General and President of the Affiliate Members Board of UNWTO.

John’s keynote will be entitled “Communication and promotional strategies for tourism enterprises and destinations: A low cost approach and ways of influencing travel related consumer behaviour”. The presentation will describe the role of social media in tourists’ “expanded trip”, their impacts on travel related consumer behaviour, and will suggest tactics and actions that destinations and tourism companies can incorporate into their marketing and communication strategies. The topic relates directly to John’s PhD research (under the supervision of Prof Dimitrios Buhalis, Prof Alan Fyall, and Dr Miguel Moital) on the role and impact of social media in leisure travel related consumer behaviour.

The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (www.sete.gr) represents 14 Panhellenic Unions of Tourism Enterprises & 485 Tourism Business Units, and aims at constantly boosting competitiveness and demonstrating the key role of tourism in the Greek economy. Their annual conference is considered to be the leading tourism forum in Greece.

 

Digital Destinations Project Launch Event

Dr Philip Alford networking with guests at the launch

Last week saw Bournemouth University’s School of Tourism host two launch nights for the ESRC funded Digital Destinations programme.

The aim of the project is to capture change in the adoption and use of digital technologies and to develop a strong, competitive local tourism economy. Through increased understanding and use of emerging digital technologies, tourism businesses will be in a position to increase their marketing and management effectiveness, and develop new products and services that will provide an enhanced experience for visitors to their destinations.

The 12-month project has a number of deliverables that will present exciting opportunities for the businesses involved:

  • Sixty businesses recruited and divided into 6 groups of 10 from across the Dorset & New Forest region;
  • Each group participates in a series of knowledge exchange activities including strategic online marketing workshops, webinars on best practice case studies in e-marketing, expert speaker presentations and exclusive access to resources and materials to enable them to stay ahead of the digital economy;
  • Participating businesses will work toward creating an online marketing strategy;
  • Each individual business will be evaluated and benchmarked against best online marketing practice and then monitored throughout the 12 months of the project. Each participant business receives an analysis of its online marketing performance and the goal is to demonstrate a significant increase in online customer engagement through the lifetime of the project;
  • The creation of online marketing business communities allowing exchange of knowledge between practitioners and leading experts and academics and also with other practitioners – the co-creation of knowledge in a practical setting;
  • A listing on the Digital Hub website where each participant will also be able to download research articles, best practice papers, video links, etc.;
  • A final year online marketing student from the School of Tourism allocated to each business to work on an online marketing project;

The launch nights were held at the Executive Business Centre on the Lansdowne campus. Businesses were invited to the launch night to hear more about the project before deciding if they want to fully commit to the year-long project.

Guests were given the opportunity to network with each other, whilst enjoying canapés and some live classical music, before the presentation began.

Dr Philip Alford gave the potential businesses a brief presentation on what to expect from being part of the Digital Destinations project before the businesses got the chance to ask questions about the project. There were plenty of questions indicating a highly engaged audience.

Two Bournemouth University School of Tourism Students Join FMI

Taken from http://www.fmigroup.co.uk/2012/10/girl-power-four-young-graduates-join-fmi-2/

FMI’s successful internship programme has triggered the careers of four women under 25.

Embracing fresh ideas and understanding emerging technologies are essential to advising our clients well. At FMI our successful internship programme ensures we keep on trend with the latest web and social media movements by bringing the best fresh, young talent on board.  “Working in the events and marketing arenas, it’s essential that we are ahead of the game,” says MD John Fisher. “Young graduates bring the latest approaches with them. This helps us drive our clients’ work through new, dynamic channels while keeping a firm eye on the bottom line.”

Over the past two years FMI seems to have followed a female-trend in this arena. “It hasn’t been intentional,” promises Fisher, “Just the way the CVs have fallen, and we are very impressed by our four new women under 25, all of whom are proving great contributors to the wider FMI team.”

Bev Fraser first came to FMI as an intern from her Events Management degree at Bournemouth University. She ended up running her own programmes, including trips to Marrakesh and working on a complex roadshow for LV. “My internship definitely contributed to me getting a first,” she says, “and I was thrilled to be asked to return as a permanent event executive this September.”

Korean-American student Jessica Lee had just completed her Masters in Linguistics at Oxford University when her CV hit Fisher’s desk. “We jumped at the chance to hire Jessica,” says Fisher. “With LG Mobile Europe as a key account, her fluent Korean has impressed our clients from Seoul. She also brings exceptional digital and research skills to our communications team.” Jessica has recently been promoted to an account manager role and, like FMI’s other new recruits, she is definitely a child of the digital age.  “It’s true, my brain can switch pretty easily between facebook, PowerPoint, twitter and The Financial Times,” she laughs. “FMI has a unique creative process that places an emphasis on engagement from beginning to end. I love how all our projects start as a collaboration by bringing our own background and knowledge to bear from the onset of an idea in order to arrive at innovative and engaging solutions. Our team is fantastic, and because everyone is so friendly and willing to listen to and incorporate your ideas, I find myself quickly learning—and constantly learning—about brand strategy, digital solutions, web-programming and events, all through a fun, social environment”

Fran Gilman found us through social media,” Fisher continues. “And that really says it all. An avid communicator with a passion for all things digital, her summer placement from The University for the Creative Arts, Farnham has since turned into a part-time permanent role.” Still studying from a degree in Advertising and Brand Communications, Fran supports FMI’s digital campaigns, bringing technical flair and social media expertise into the mix.  Both in and out of the workplace Fran says, “I’m like a sponge – soaking up information and knowledge at every opportunity.”

With three young women now settling into their new careers at FMI, a new intern has already been hired for 2012-13. Following in Bev Fraser’s footsteps, Lauren Moulsley will be with FMI until next summer. “Working for FMI has already taught me so much about the events industry,” she says. “I am given a lot of responsibility and am able to get involved with all stages of the event planning and execution process. I’ll be returning to Bournemouth University with an even bigger love for events, teamed with the knowledge and experience to become a good event manager.”

Judging by the experience of her predecessors, Lauren may well find her sojourn back to college is only short-lived. We’re proud that at FMI an internship often leads to that step on the career ladder that, in this economic climate, most students are struggling to find.

For more information about applying for an internship at FMI, visit email info@fmigroup.co.uk

BAEM and BALM Innovation Field Trips

Last week first year Events Management and Leisure Marketing students were taken on field trips as part of their Event Innovation and Leisure Innovation units, respectively.

With the aim of making the experience of developing a business case for a new event/product as realistic as possible, students are given a local client to work with.

After visiting the organisation at the beginning of the academic year, students go through the process of coming up with a new event/product, including its marketing plan.

It all ends with a presentation in April/May, where students have to present their idea/business case in a Dragons Den style pitch in front of the client.

This year’s clients include:

AFC Bournemouth

Haskins Garden Centre

The Bournemouth International Centre

Farmer Palmers

The Green House Hotel

The Littledown Leisure Centre

The O2 Academy

Demonstrator in Events Management, Kate Jones, took her students to the O2 Academy Boscombe, see picture. Kate’s group were lucky enough to see rapper Labrinth’s crew set up for his show in the evening.

It is hugely beneficial to students to be able to undertake a project on “real life” clients and students in previous years have said how valuable that aspect has been. The field trips that I went on with my students were really excellent and our clients are very encouraging of the work our students produce. We are hoping this year’s students will be as equally innovative with their event and leisure products!

Pearl Morrison, Events Tutor said: “The challenge has been set high again this year for our students to be creative and come up with some innovative new ideas for our external organisations. Students really enjoyed the tour of AFC Bournemouth with Black Label Events visiting the Radio Station and the new Bubbles Champagne Room.  Taking the students to venues off-site has worked really well to engage and motivate students over the last 4 years. Gail Collins, Marketing Manager of the BIC commented that the students ‘were the most focused group she has seen from Bournemouth University and was very excited about the Dragons Den presentations after Easter’

We will be keeping you up to date with the students’ progress on the Innovation Unit throughout the year.

 

Jo Hawkes visits Clarence House for World Osteoporosis Day

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall meets a group of Osteoporosis sufferers to offer her support prior to World Osteoporosis Day on Saturday. The Duchess is President of the National Osteoporosis Society. Larence House, London, UK, 18 Oct 2012. Guy Bell, 07771 786236, guy@gbphotos.com

Last week we bought you the story about Jo Hawkes, Associate Lecture in Sport and Coaching Science, being asked to be a Chance to Shine Ambassador for the National Osteoporosis Society (See here)

In that article, we mentioned that Jo had been invited to Clarence House to meet with Camilla Parker-Bowles for the International Osteoporosis Foundation ‘Unbreakable Embrace’ campaign. Today we are bringing you Jo’s response to meeting Camilla Parker-Bowles.

October 20th each year is World Osteoporosis Day (WOD) the aim of which is to highlight the impact of fragility fractures on people’s lives and help give a voice to those living with the ‘silent’ condition. 

Each year WOD has a theme and this year ‘The Unbreakable Embrace’ campaign was used to symbolise a continued worldwide solidarity in the fight against fragility fractures. 

Jo commented:

“On Thursday last week I was invited to take part in the campaign with the National Osteoporosis Society President Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House.  Other invited guests had also all experienced fragility fractures.

It was an amazing day which started with security checks at the Cleveland Row entrance to St James’ Palace and Clarence House after which we all waited in the house for the Head of the Household to come and brief us.  We then moved to the Garden Room of Clarence House which was stunning and filled with family photographs to which you obviously took a second glance as ‘the family’ were all quite recognisable!  Tea and biscuits followed (Duchy biscuits obviously) and just as we were starting to snoop around the room HRH entered.  We had all been briefed on etiquette and so handshakes, ‘Your Royal Highness’ and small curtseys were all carried out, after which you can call her “Mam as in jam not Ma’am as in arm”.  You could tell instantly HRH was passionate about the cause, understandably so as her mother had died of the condition.  She was incredibly well informed on the latest research and took great care in asking about each person’s experiences and was genuinely concerned about increasing awareness of the condition.  During her upcoming trip to Australia she will be visiting osteoporosis support groups to show her support for cause.  HRH and I discussed my experiences and the silent premenopausal epidemic which is building and more specifically my PhD research which provides a patient voice to the previously biomedical and quantitatively dominant research on the condition. 

With a cracking sense of humour (excuse the pun) HRH was an absolute pleasure to meet and the official photograph of all of us in an ‘Unbreakable Embrace’ is currently on the World Osteoporosis Day website.”

For more information on the campaign please see their website

Bournemouth University Open Day

On Saturday Bournemouth University opened its doors to potential new undergrad students. The new potential students got the chance to have a look around the facilities including the new academic Kitchens and Sport Labs, as well as receiving campus tours.

The School of Tourism stand was very busy throughout the day with current students and staff greeting the visitors.

As well as having a presence on our stand, each undergraduate programme gave a talk at some point throughout the day so potential students could really get a feel for what to expect from a School of Tourism degree and from Bournemouth University.

If you attended the open day and have any unanswered questions please feel free to contact us on any of our social media platforms:

@SchoolofTourism

@BUEventsEd
@BULeisMkgtEd
@BUSportEd
@BURetailEd
@BUHospMgtEd
@BUTourismEd

Our next open day is on Saturday 27th October and for more information please see our website

Bournemouth University’s School of Tourism Hosts BU Tourism Futures Forum at World Travel Market 2012

Once again, Bournemouth University’s School of Tourism experts organise the BU Tourism Futures Forum at World Travel Market 2012. Chaired by Professor Dimitrios Buhalis the forum will engage leading tourism practitioners from around the world on an interactive discussion to examine the future of tourism.

The global challenges and opportunities for both tourism destinations and suppliers around the world require innovation in management and operations, calling for a major rethinking of both strategic and tactical Tourism Management. The Tourism Futures Forum will provide an insight into the future dimensions of the tourism industry. It examines major trends in tourism demand and supply and explores the strategic changes that lead to the international tourism industry restructuring.

Bournemouth University in partnership with the World Travel Market and the TravelDailyNews are organising this forum to facilitate debate about the key strategic changes and to engage in a discussion about the successful response of the industry. The event will involve two short research-based presentations to stimulate discussion. Chairman Prof Dimitrios Buhalis will encourage all participants to contribute to the debate and discussion. 

There will be a brief presentation from Jean-Claude Baumgarten World Tourism Travel Council (WTTC) before the forum opens for discussions. Confirmed Panellists for the forum currently include:

The Honourable Mr. Stephen Cadiz Minister of Tourism for Trinidad and Tobago

Nicolas Hall, SE1media 

Barbara Avdis, Historic Hotels of Europe

Gerard Brown, UBM Aviation, Routes UK 

Sofia Panayiotaki, Mediacofss

Claire Steiner The Institute of Travel and Tourism

Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation 

Theodore Koumelis, TravelDailyNews

Steve Page Bournemouth University 

Philip Alford Bournemouth University 

The Forum takes place on Thursday 8th 14.00-16.00 in the South Gallery Room 19 & 20.

 The event is FREE by registration on http://buatwtm.eventbrite.co.uk/ 

You will need to have access to World Travel Market – Please register in advance http://www.wtmlondon.com/

Dr. Richard Shipway hosts “Going for Gold: Leveraging the Olympic tourism legacy beyond 2012” as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science

The ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) funds research into the big social and economic questions facing us today and the annual ESRC Festival of Social Science is part of this.

Richard Shipway’s event will be held at the EBC in Bournemouth on November 9th and covers the theme of optimising Olympic tourism opportunities after the 2012 Games. The “Going for Gold: Leveraging the Olympic tourism legacy beyond 2012” conference will see keynote speakers discuss the main tourism opportunities that will fall in the years immediately after the Games.

Following the conclusion of the London 2012 Games, the conference will investigate the potential for the London Olympics to generate tourism benefits long after the hosting of the Games.

The workshop will look at issues surrounding the management, organisation and analysis of mega event sport tourism, building on the outcomes of a previous ESRC funded project (RES-810-21-0013) which explored the impacts and issues associated with sport tourism development. 

Drawing from the experiences of both academics and industry practitioners involved in both the London Games and other global mega sports events, delegates will debate potential strategies to optimise the success of managing tourism in the post 2012 era.

The conference is aimed primarily at tourism business communities across the South West and South of England (incorporating London), exploring the potential to leverage tourism benefits.

From an academic perspective, the aim of the event is to revisit the theme of Olympic tourism by inviting delegates to consider advances which are theoretically grounded in one or more of the core social sciences. Key workshop sessions will be facilitated by stakeholders involved with the delivery of the 2012 Games including Visit Britain, Visit London, London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG), European Tour Operators Association (ETOA), and leading academic tourism experts. 

If you would like to attend Richard Shipway’s event please contact Dr Rebecca Edwards on redwards@bournemouth.ac.uk or 01202 961206