ICFRRT

International Conference

For a long time, tourism has been considered a highly resilient industry. Since the 1950s, global tourism has been on a constant growth path that has made the industry one of the world’s largest economic sectors. As a result, tourism’s global and regional economic impacts have become increasingly important. Globally, tourism has been estimated to support every tenth job, and in South Africa, for example, the tourism industry represented seven percent of the total GDP and supported 1.5 million jobs in 2019.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed – at least temporally – the course of tourism development. Instead of being resilient, the tourism industry was considered a highly vulnerable sector to external pressures and shocks, such as the outbreak of the pandemic. In addition, research has indicated that the industry is vulnerable to many other elements in its’ operational environment, such as climate change, natural disasters and economic and geopolitical changes. All this has activated a need for recovery and building better resilience for the future industry and tourism-dependent communities. Ideally, resilience building would help the industry to undergo recovery transitions in a sustainable manner and cope and adapt to future changes. This transformation calls for developments and sustainability innovations in tourism research, education, learning, training, development policies, strategies and governance.

This conference, organised by the School of Tourism and Hospitality, the University of Johannesburg, and the University of Oulu, will focus on sustainable pathways for transforming the tourism industry, in the context of recovery and resilience building.

Themes of Sessions

We welcome abstracts related to conceptual and/or empirical aspects of sustainable pathways for transforming the tourism industry, education and employment. Abstracts may focus on (but are not limited to) the following themes:

Keynote Speakers

Practical Information

Abstracts and Conference Papers

Please send your abstracts of around 250-300 words before 15th May 2023. All abstracts are reviewed and those who are accepted will be notified by 30th May 2023. Please submit your abstract using https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/ICFRRT2023

There will be no conference proceeding. However, there is agreed journal publishing possibility for the papers based on conference presentations. All submitted papers will be considered in Special Issues in the following Journals:

African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure: https://www.ajhtl.com/

Development Southern Africa: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/cdsa20

GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites: https://gtg.webhost.uoradea.ro/publication.html

Tourism Planning and Development: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rthp21

Full information on publishing opportunities will be communicated to registered participants with accepted papers. Manuscripts should be written in English, and they will be peer-reviewed based on the normal editorial process of the journals.

Conference Fees

Important Dates

Publishing

Accommodation and Local Transport Information

The conference will be held at the Fairway Hotel, https://guvonhotels.co.za/fairway-hotel/. Special conference rates have been organised for delegates.

For additional information and submission enquiries, please email: sthconference@uj.ac.za

Prof Tembi Tichaawa, University of Johannesburg, tembit@uj.ac.za

Prof Jarkko Saarinen, University of Oulu, jarkko.saarinen@oulu.fi

International Scientific Committee

Prof. Tembi Tichaawa (Co-Chair), University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Prof. Jarkko Saarinen (Co-Chair), University of Oulu, Finland

Prof. Christian Rogerson, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Prof. Kaitano Dube, Vaal University of Technology, South Africa

Prof. Jennifer Fitchett, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

Prof. Karen Harris, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Prof. Haretsebe Manwa, North-West University, South Africa

Prof. Kevin Mearns, UNISA, South Africa

Prof. Thandi Nzama, University of Zululand, South Africa

Prof. Jayne Rogerson, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Prof. Adam Issahaku, University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Dr. Albert Kimbu, University of Surrey, UK

Dr. Siyabulela Nyikana, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Dr. Erling Kavita, Namibian University of Science and Technology, Namibia

Dr. Naomi Moswete, University of Botswana, Botswana

Prof. Maria Gravari-Barbas, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France

Prof. Joseph Cheer, Western Sydney University, Australia

Prof. C. Michael Hall, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Prof. Marina Novelli, University of Brighton, UK

Prof. Dallen Timothy, Arizona State University, USA

The Conference is sponsored by the University of Johannesburg, the University of Oulu, and Finland-Africa Platform for Innovation (SDG 9)(FAPI)