Bernd Eisenstein, Tim Harms, and Lisa Naschert participated in the International Tourism Week symposium “Tourism Futures: Reimagining Travel for a Thriving Tomorrow,” organized by NWU TREES, exchanged ideas with other participants from academia and the industry on the future of tourism research, prospects for sustainable tourism, and potential collaborations.
In addition to interesting presentations by international guests and South African students, our colleagues also contributed their insights:
In his presentation titled “Measuring Social Sustainability in Tourism – Development and Introduction of the Tourism Acceptance Value,” Bernd Eisenstein presented the tourism acceptance studies conducted in Germany. These studies are now used as a basis for international discussions and comparable studies and could also serve as a valuable tool in South Africa for involving the local population more closely in tourism development, thereby contributing to a “Thriving Tomorrow.”
In his presentation “The Image of the Hiker in Germany: Outdated or Fit for the Future?”, Tim Harms spoke about the changing image of hikers in Germany. The discussion that followed highlighted additional interesting aspects: ranging from the potential effects and opportunities for the inbound market in South Africa to the status quo in South African society and the potential for the domestic market.
The in-depth discussions in South Africa have shown us once again how valuable international exchange between research and practice is for working together on the future of tourism. We look forward to incorporating the insights we gained into our work
