Announcement: 6th Deidesheim Talks on Tourism Science

10th anniversary of the cooperation between FH Westküste University of Applied Sciences and the city of Deidesheim The German Institute for Tourism Research based at FH Westküste University of Applied Sciences, the city of Deidesheim and Tourist Service GmbH Deidesheim are looking back on the 10th anniversary of their successful cooperation this year. This will be celebrated at the 6th Deidesheim Talks on Tourism Science, which will bring together experts from all over Germany in Deidesheim from November 8 to November 10, 2023. The Deidesheim Talks on Tourism Science are part of the cooperation that has linked the three partners since 2013. Since then, this series of events has been held in Deidesheim every two years. The concept of the Deidesheim Talks on Tourism Science is something special: it is a conference to which academics and practitioners are specifically invited. This allows the selected current topics to be discussed in a very focused manner in a small group – a benefit for science and practice alike. Since 2015, the Deidesheim Talks have also included a public section in which interested members of the public, service providers and experts can talk to each other. For the anniversary year, the organizers of the Deidesheim Talks have decided not to concentrate on a specific overarching theme, but rather to revisit focus topics from previous events and look at developments. Aspects such as demographic change and accessibility, sustainability, experiences and resilience will once again be the focus. The talks will be complemented by presentations and discussions on the two current topics of “Artificial intelligence (AI) in tourism” and “Tourism and quality of life”. Quality of life and sustainability in tourism will also be on the agenda in the public part of the event. All interested parties are cordially invited to this certainly interesting and free exchange of views on Thursday, November 9, at 5.30 pm at the Hotel Ritter von Böhl (Weinstraße 35-39, Deidesheim). Deidesheim’s mayor Manfred Dörr is already very much looking forward to the event: “In a globalized world, it is important to abandon parochial thinking and keep an eye on current topics such as artificial intelligence and its possibilities for tourism. This is the only way we as a small destination can survive the competition. I am therefore once again looking forward to a fruitful exchange between science and practice and wish the 6th Deidesheim Talks on Tourism Science every success!” In addition to the Deidesheim Talks on Tourism Science, the cooperation also thrives on a close exchange between the three partners. For example, the FH Westküste University of Applied Sciences has taken up current issues from Deidesheim for topics in student theses, while the city and Tourist Service GmbH have been able to benefit from current research results, for example in the field of slow tourism, or from participation in research projects.

Christian Eilzer, member of the Executive Board of the German Institute for Applied Tourism Research at the FH Westküste University of Applied Sciences, sees the cooperation as beneficial for all partners: “The transfer of research results for practical application is an important topic for the university, as is picking up on practical needs and integrating them into teaching and research. This cooperation works extremely well. I look forward to the next few years of collaboration and further joint projects.” To the program