Conferences and conventions are one of the fastest growing areas of the events industry. This is a substantially important sector yet research into many dimensions is in its infancy. This timely book, uniquely presents a ‘state of the art’ synthesis of the research on both demand and supply sides of the industry as well as insights into how current and future trends are affecting conferences and conventions. This volume provides a critical review of the players involved in conferences and conventions; destination image and impacts; and current and future trends. The players in the industry include attendees/delegates, professional conference organisers, and association meeting planners. On the destination side, conference venues and facilities, along with convention and visitor bureaux are examined, as well as how destination image can be developed and improved. Further, this section considers the economic, social and environmental impacts of conferences and conventions. The final section considers some of the major trends that are likely to impact on the industry, including climate change, new technologies and risk and crisis management. To reflect the sector’s international nature case studies and examples from different geographical regions are included throughout. By identifying gaps in our knowledge, and presenting a collection of themes to guide future research, this book not only adds to our current knowledge, but will underpin the advancement of knowledge in the future. This book is essential reading for all those interested in Events.

New approaches to tourism study demonstrate a notable ‘critical turn’ – a shift in thought that emphasises interpretative and critical modes of tourism inquiry. The chapters in this volume reflect this emerging critical school of tourism studies and represent a coordinated effort of tourism scholars whose work engages innovative research methodologies. Since such work has been dispersed across a variety of tourism-related and other research fields, this book responds to a pressing need to consolidate recent advances in a single text. Adopting a broad definition of ‘criticality’, the contributors seek to find ‘fresh’ ways of theorising tourism by locating the phenomenon in its wider political, economic, cultural and social contexts. The collection addresses the power relations underpinning the production of academic knowledge; presents a range of qualitative data collection methods which confront the field’s dominant (post)positivist approaches; foregrounds the emotional dynamics of research relations and explores the personal, the political and the situated nature of research journeys. The book has been divided into two parts, with the essays in the first part establishing a context-specific framework for engaging philosophical and theoretical debates in contemporary tourism enquiry. The second set of essays then present, discuss and critique specific methodologies, research techniques, methods of interpretation and writing strategies, all of which are in some sense illustrative of ‘critical’ tourism research. Contributors range from postgraduate students to established academics and are drawn from both the geopolitical margins and the ‘powerbases’ of the tourism academy. Their various relationships with the English-speaking academy thus range from relative ‘outsider’ to well-positioned ‘insider’ and as a result, their essays are reflective of a range of locations within the complexly spun web of academic power relations and social divisions.

Get an in-depth understanding of tourism education—worldwide! Global Tourism Higher Education: Past, Present, and Future extensively reviews tourism education on a global basis, focusing on the history, development, current status, challenges, and opportunities now present in various regions and countries. Leading international authorities discuss program administration, curriculum offering, faculty qualifications, and student learning in tourism higher education programs, exploring issues both specific to their own region as well as common to other areas around the world. This unique book offers educators and students a valuable informative view of the historical development, present situations, and future directions of tourism education. The main ingredient in successfully providing a quality tourism product is highly qualified, fully trained people. Global Tourism Higher Education compiles an impressive collection of interdisciplinary perspectives exploring various directions different countries are traveling on the road to quality tourism education. Chapters reveal the numerous challenges faced by developing regions as well as more mature tourism education locations. This book provides a useful overview of education strategies around the world, exploring educational issues that are common across borders. Countries and regions reviewed include Canada, the British Isles, Austria, Switzerland, Israel, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, and Australia. The book includes extensive references and graphs and tables to ensure understanding of research. Topics in Global Tourism Higher Education include: past, present, and future directions of tourism education in Canada, Hong Kong, and Taiwan five educational and tourism environments in the British Isles differences and similarities in tourism educational development in Switzerland and Austria accreditation processes of local academic programs in Israel reforms needed in Turkey’s higher education system the hierarchy of educational programs in China with suggestions for the future the problem of the quality of tourism graduates in Thailand the distinctive niche of Australian tourism education much more! Global Tourism Higher Education: Past, Present, and Future is timely, horizon-expanding reading perfect for tourism researchers, educators, students, higher education administrators, government education departments, and anyone around the world interested in developing tourism education programs.