- Email: [email protected]
International Conference Small Firms in the Tourism and Hospitality Sectors
Tourism Management 24 (2003) 495–498
Conference reviews International Conference Small Firms in the Tourism and Hospitality Sectors 12 and 13th September 2002, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds This was the second small firms in the tourism and hospitality sectors conference to be organised by Rhodri Thomas, Xavier Font and their colleagues at Leeds Metropolitan University, the first being held in 1996. These conferences exist within a portfolio of initiatives undertaken by the Centre for the Study of Small Tourism and Hospitality Firms within the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. Their initiatives are to be commended, particularly given the enduring numeric dominance of small firms within these industry sectors, and the continuing need to stimulate more evidence based, grass root, research to more accurately inform policy and practice. In recognition of the importance of the conference theme, the regional tourist board and the UK Small Business Service supported it, along with academics drawn from South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Scandinavia. Although a small conference of approximately 60 delegates, the defined parameters and robust paper refereeing procedure resulted in presentations, discussion and debate that were highly focused and consequential knowledge outcomes were of commendable depth. Furthermore, the presence and active participation of industry and government bodies
enhanced the linking of academic research to small business policy. Six years on from the 1996 conference it would be gratifying if it could be said that, for example, the body of knowledge had consolidated and progressed, or that a clearly definable scholarly community had emerged strongly. However, evidence of such was not clearly apparent. This represents a significant concern as young researchers or those new to the field follow well-trodden research routes as though duty bound to tread the same paths of academics that have gone before them. Alternatively, they could begin their journey from the summit of existing knowledge to reach new horizons. In recognition of this alternative a special interest group has been set up under the auspices of ATLAS and was formalised at this conference. Its aim is to move forward a consolidation of small hospitality and tourism firm existing knowledge, identify the range of academics internationally that are actively contributing to the field of study, and to formulate research themes that have the potential to reach new knowledge horizons. Those interested in participating in this special interest group should contact [email protected] or hans.holmengen @hil.no. Alison Morrison The Scottish Hotel School, University of Strathclyde, 94 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0LG, UK E-mail address: [email protected]
doi:10.1016/S0261-5177(02)00118-8
Rethinking of Education and Training for Tourism This Conference Celebrated 40 Years of Tourism Education and Training Provision by the Graduate School of Economics and Business at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and ran from 18 to 20th April 2002 The central theme of this conference was reflection on the content of global tourism education in it’s many guises and was organised by students in the Graduate School of Economics and Business, under the auspices & of Professors Boris Vukonic! and Nevanka Cavlek. Plenary sessions comprised the following speakers. Boris Vukonic! , who outlined the development of tourism at the Graduate School over the last forty years; in fact tourism economics were included in one course as far back as 1954 although the first Master’s degrees were
not awarded until 1963. Eduardo Fayos-Sola! discussed the relationship between globalization, tourism policy and tourism education in the light of a new business paradigm which presents the features of globalization, flexibility and super-segmentation. Bill Gartner’s keynote paper on tourism trends and their implications for rethinking tourism education in the USA was informed by a review of the reasons for tourism now being offered as a field of study; for traditional recreation courses, in the 1980s, tourism was seen as a means of survival whereas for hospitality courses it was a matter of some academics diversifying with Jafari, for example, establishing Annals of Tourism Research. Perhaps the most significant point made by Gartner, in rethinking tourism education, concerned the need to involve children at a young age in issues of tourism, from primary school on, so
Conference reviews International Conference Small Firms in the Tourism and Hospitality Sectors 12 and 13th September 2002, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds This was the second small firms in the tourism and hospitality sectors conference to be organised by Rhodri Thomas, Xavier Font and their colleagues at Leeds Metropolitan University, the first being held in 1996. These conferences exist within a portfolio of initiatives undertaken by the Centre for the Study of Small Tourism and Hospitality Firms within the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. Their initiatives are to be commended, particularly given the enduring numeric dominance of small firms within these industry sectors, and the continuing need to stimulate more evidence based, grass root, research to more accurately inform policy and practice. In recognition of the importance of the conference theme, the regional tourist board and the UK Small Business Service supported it, along with academics drawn from South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Scandinavia. Although a small conference of approximately 60 delegates, the defined parameters and robust paper refereeing procedure resulted in presentations, discussion and debate that were highly focused and consequential knowledge outcomes were of commendable depth. Furthermore, the presence and active participation of industry and government bodies
enhanced the linking of academic research to small business policy. Six years on from the 1996 conference it would be gratifying if it could be said that, for example, the body of knowledge had consolidated and progressed, or that a clearly definable scholarly community had emerged strongly. However, evidence of such was not clearly apparent. This represents a significant concern as young researchers or those new to the field follow well-trodden research routes as though duty bound to tread the same paths of academics that have gone before them. Alternatively, they could begin their journey from the summit of existing knowledge to reach new horizons. In recognition of this alternative a special interest group has been set up under the auspices of ATLAS and was formalised at this conference. Its aim is to move forward a consolidation of small hospitality and tourism firm existing knowledge, identify the range of academics internationally that are actively contributing to the field of study, and to formulate research themes that have the potential to reach new knowledge horizons. Those interested in participating in this special interest group should contact [email protected] or hans.holmengen @hil.no. Alison Morrison The Scottish Hotel School, University of Strathclyde, 94 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0LG, UK E-mail address: [email protected]
doi:10.1016/S0261-5177(02)00118-8
Rethinking of Education and Training for Tourism This Conference Celebrated 40 Years of Tourism Education and Training Provision by the Graduate School of Economics and Business at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and ran from 18 to 20th April 2002 The central theme of this conference was reflection on the content of global tourism education in it’s many guises and was organised by students in the Graduate School of Economics and Business, under the auspices & of Professors Boris Vukonic! and Nevanka Cavlek. Plenary sessions comprised the following speakers. Boris Vukonic! , who outlined the development of tourism at the Graduate School over the last forty years; in fact tourism economics were included in one course as far back as 1954 although the first Master’s degrees were
not awarded until 1963. Eduardo Fayos-Sola! discussed the relationship between globalization, tourism policy and tourism education in the light of a new business paradigm which presents the features of globalization, flexibility and super-segmentation. Bill Gartner’s keynote paper on tourism trends and their implications for rethinking tourism education in the USA was informed by a review of the reasons for tourism now being offered as a field of study; for traditional recreation courses, in the 1980s, tourism was seen as a means of survival whereas for hospitality courses it was a matter of some academics diversifying with Jafari, for example, establishing Annals of Tourism Research. Perhaps the most significant point made by Gartner, in rethinking tourism education, concerned the need to involve children at a young age in issues of tourism, from primary school on, so