AKTF-Jahrestagung 2012 in Trier

International Geographical Union Pre-Conference Symposium

Trier, 22–25 August 2012

Focus: Transforming and Managing Destinations – Tourism and Leisure in a Time of Global Change and Risks

Organised by:
IGU Commission on Tourism, Leisure and Global Change/UGI Géographie du Tourisme et des Loisirs et Changement Global and Working Group Leisure and Tourism Geography of the German Geographic Society/Arbeitskreis Freizeit- und Tourismusgeographie der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geographie

Constant change is typical of tourism as a spatial and social phenomenon. Tourist destinations, activities, products, segments, mobilities etc. are constantly changing and they are also transforming the physical, social, cultural and economic environment of tourism. This dualistic nature of tourism has contributed to regional development and economic growth, in general, but also created challenges and problems to environment. In addition, the intensified global change, including globalisation, has created risks for tourism development and tourist destinations. All this calls for better knowledge on tourism and tourism development and management, and also more sustainable practices in growth management.

The overall purpose of this symposium is to discuss the transformation of tourism as a geographical idea and the management of tourist destinations in a time of intensified global changes and evolving risks.

The symposium is organised in 11 sessions analysing the main idea under different angles and approaches:

I    Global risks and risk management in tourism
II   Challenges for the positioning of tourist destinations
III  Governance aspects in destination development
IV   ICT related challenges in tourism
V    War Memorials and Tourism
VI   Local communities and small tourism businesses: Inequalities and exclusion in tourism development
VII  Tourism in rural areas
VIII Innovations in tourism development
IX   Transformation processes in tourism destinations
X    Tourism heritage in change
XI   Achieving sustainability in tourism

The conference proceedings were published as volume 7 of the Studien zur Freizeit- und Tourismusforschung.

The programme as well as the book of abstracts and the registration form can be downloaded here:
Download Programme

Download Book of Abstracts

Sessions, presentations & presenters

I    Global risks and risk management in tourism

Chair: Hans Hopfinger (Eichstätt/Germany)

Tourism, sustainability and climate change: policy responses for climate change adaptation in Botswana (Jarkko Saarinen, Oulu/Finland)

Destination Management in a Time of Climate Change and Systemic Crisis – the Case of Majorca, Balearic Islands (Angela Hof, Bochum/Germany, Macià Blázquez-Salom, Palma de Majorca/Spain)

Summer ski areas in the Alps: first victims of climate change? (Marius Mayer, Würzburg/Germany)

A Comparison of the Trait of Tourist flows before and after Natural Disaster – case of the tourist flow to Jiuzhaigou before and after 8.0 Ms Wenchuan Earthquake, China (Jie Zhang, Nanjing/China)

II  Challenges for the positioning of tourist destinations

Chair: Werner Gronau (Stralsund/Germany)

Challenges for the positioning of destinations: Destination formation processes and territorial boundaries (Karlheinz Wöhler, Lüneburg/Germany)

Jordan’s Golden Triangle – new diversification strategies in response to current transformation processes (Markus Pillmayer & Nicolai Scherle, Eichstätt/Germany)

Self-imposed managements in Ogasawara Islands and their academic capitals against World Heritage (Takayuki Arima, Hachioji, Tokyo/Japan)

Gender, still a power issue for use of public space by visitors and tourists? (Dominique Vanneste, Heverlee, Leuven/Belgium)

How to make a successful cultural event: case of the Constantin Exhibition (Andreas Kagermeier, Trier/Germany)

III Governance aspects in destination development

Chair: Carolin Funck (Higashihiroshima/Japan)

Destination Governance – A New Management Concept for Tourism Destinations? (Anja Saretzki, Lüneburg/Germany)

Change management of destinations: a new model based on the concept of stakeholder networks and participation (Alexander Schuler, Berlin/Germany)

Comparison of management styles of cross-border destinations: Lake Constance, Upper Rhine and the Catlins (Tatjana Thimm, Konstanz/Germany)

Responsible Tourism Development at National Parks in Chile (Philip Griesser, Trier/Germany)

IV  ICT related challenges in tourism

Chair: Diana Marquardt (Emmerich/Germany)

Novel technologies as challenges for the positioning of tourist destinations: Bucovina as a new tourist destination in a globalised world (Heike Bähre, Berlin/Germany; Ulrike Fergen, Schwerin/Germany; Annika Kessler, Schwerin/Germany)

The Impact of Social Media on the Information Process of German Hotel Guests (Nadine Chehimi, Trier/Germany)

Social media in urban tourism and their impact on information search and spatial behavioural patterns (Fanny Raab, Trier/Germany)

V   War Memorials and Tourism

Chair: Rudi Hartmann (Denver, Colorado/United States)

Tourism and War: An Ill Wind (Richard Butler, Glasgow/Great Britain)

The transformation from ‘war landscapes’ to ‘tourism memorial landscapes’ (Myriam Jansen-Verbeke, Leuven/Belgium)

From triumph to reconciliation: rituals and tourism in Verdun (Sandra Petermann, Mainz/Germany)

War Memorials on the Western Front: British tourists and the embodiment of memory (Stephen Miles, Dumfries/Great Britain)

National Visitation on the Western Front: A Study of Some Great War Cemeteries (Caroline Winter, Victoria/Australia)

VI  Local communities and small tourism businesses:Inequalities and exclusion in tourism development

Chair: Nicolai Scherle (Eichstätt, Germany)

Addressing Inequalities and Exclusion in South Africa’s Tourism Economy: The Tourism Enterprise Partnership (Christian M. Rogerson, Johannesburg/South Africa)

Small scale and community-based tourism in the Mid-Rift region, Kenya: Current realities and future possibilities (Gesa Kobs, Trier/Germany)

Improving Sustainability of Tourism Development through Enhancing the Role of Local Communities – The Case Study of County-based Rural Tourism in Yangshuo, China (Xiaoyang Yang, Göttingen/Germany)

Space, Place, and Community: Seven Important Factors of the Resident Experience in Mountain Resorts (Kathleen Scherf, Kamloops, British Columbia/Canada)

VII Tourism in rural areas

Chair: Felix Jülg (Wien/Austria)

Rural destinations between tourism development and general public services (Monika Rulle, Greifswald/Germany)

Rural Tourism as a Means to Mitigate Economic Disparity in Japan (Munehiko Asamizu, Yamaguchi/Japan)

The Impact of World Heritage Tourism upon the Local Rural Area: The Case of Horse-Riding Tourism in the Villages around Lashihai Lake, Lijiang (Guoqing Du, Niiza-shi, Saitama/Japan)

Second Home Owners’ Relation to Rural Destinations: A Swedish Perspective (Dieter K. Müller, Umeå/Sweden)

VIII Innovations in tourism development

Chair: Monika Rulle (Lüneburg,/Germany)

Agrifood meets Agritourism – Outlining a new trend in Cypriot tourism Industry (Werner Gronau, Stralsund/Germany)

Cultural routes – an aspect of creating receptive offers for city marketing and tourism in Barsinghausen by public transport (Stephan Kinsner, Barsinghausen/Germany)

Professional complaint management as a challenge for tourism industry (Natalie Stors, Trier/Germany)

The Innovative Potential of Inbound Tourism in Japan (Carolin Funck, Higashihiroshima/Japan; Malcolm Cooper, Jumonjibaru/Japan)

IX  Transformation processes in tourism destinations

Chair: Macià Blázquez-Salom (Palma de Majorca/Spain)

Tourism landscapes and heritage in change. Tallinn/Kadriorg case (Estonia) (Tiit Kask, Tallinn/Estonia)

20 Years of Latvia in the Global Tourism System: Changes of Spatial Structures, Cluster Formation, Significant Destinations and Their Branding (Maija Rozite & Aija van der Steina, Riga/Latvia)

Developing step tour and ecotourism along the Silk Road (Obidjon Khamidov, Tashkent/Uzbekistan)

Morphology, Governance and regulation of coastal tourist destinations – guidelines for planning and conflict mitigation (Carlos Cardoso Ferreira, Lisboa/Portugal)

X   Tourism heritage in change

Chair: Takayuki Arima (Tokyo/Japan)

Historic gardens as touristic areas of relaxation and tranquillity with great potential for the future (Tim Harms, Trier/Germany)

Dinosaurs, Mammoths and other Heavy Weights at Paleontological Heritage Destinations: The Question of Critical Mass in Educational Tourism Development (Rudi Hartmann, Denver, Colorado/United States)

Language, Heritage and Tourism in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo (Alan Lew, Flagstaff, Arizona/United States)

Jewish Hiloulas and Pilgrimages in Morocco: Essay about a less known form of religious tourism in Morocco (Brahim Elfasskaoui, Meknès/Morocco)

XI  Achieving sustainability in tourism

Chair: Jarkko Saarinen (Oulu/Finland)

Shifting the Discourse from Growth to Sustainability: New Approaches to Governance in Resort Destinations (Alison M. Gill, Burnaby/Canada)

The Greening of South Africa’s Hotels – An Exploratory Analysis (Jayne M. Rogerson, Johannesburg/South Africa)

Environmental management and sustainability in the hospitality business: the case of the Ecolodge Atlas Kasbah Agadir, Southwest Morocco (El Boudribili Youssef, Agadir/Morocco)

Ecolabelling in the Tourism Industry- A Step towards Sustainable Tourism Development or Marketing Tool? (Steinbach, Anne & Dirk Reiser, Cologne/Germany)

Closing session

Das ruhig gelegene Tagungshotel „Stadtwaldhotel“ als Rahmenbedingung für intensiven wissenschaftlichen Austausch
Vorträge, intensive Diskussionen…
… aber auch angeregte Gespräche an den Abenden…
…einschließlich einer Fahrt auf einem originalgetreu nachgebauten Römerweinschiff

… aber auch eine Exkursion zur Inwertsetzung des römischen Kulturerbes an der Mosel gehörten zum Programm.