Researching Destination Management, Policy and Planning

Location: Riga, Latvia
Period: 24.-25. September 2007
Deadline for papers: 13. July 2007
Open to: all interested

Culture(s) and heritage, both tangible and intangible are at the heart of the visitor experience of destinations.
At the level of policy making and planning, the importance of destinations' unique and distinctive cultural attributes for the tourism sector is commonly articulated, at least rhetorically. The management of cultural and heritage assets for tourism is also a critical issue for destinations. However, working connections and collaboration between agencies and stakeholders in these domains are often weakly developed in practice. Inter-disciplinary research at the interface of the complex linkages between these sectors and professional interests has much to contribute to terms of critical, reflective debate on key issues affecting the relationships between culture, heritage and tourism at the destination level.

Research in destination policy, planning and management also explores the competitive opportunities and pressures associated with the emergence of new and diverse international tourist markets. Such research makes a critical contribution in the development of creative and sustainable strategies for the culture, heritage and tourism sectors in destinations.

The aim of this conference is to bring together researchers who share interests in destination policy, planning and management in relation to culture(s), heritage and tourism. These research areas are also clearly relevant to professionals in destination management and the conference will provide a unique opportunity for researchers to share leading edge ideas, innovations and critical thinking with the professional destination manager participants at the European Union of Tourist Officers (EUTO) Study Visit to Latvia which coincides with the conference.
There will also be opportunities for delegates to participate in parts of the EUTO programme.

Theoretical and applied issues and themes to be explored at this conference include:

* Creative uses of cultural and heritage resources for tourism
* Cultural events and festivals as animators of place
* Transnational approaches to and conceptions of destination planning in urban and rural contexts
* Community participation in destination development
* Building sustainable partnerships and stakeholder relationships between tourism, culture and heritage in destinations
* Managing cultural heritage and sensitive sites for tourism
* Competitive advantage, new tourist markets and destinations
* New and emerging technologies in destination representation and marketing
* Destination image and branding

If you wish to submit a paper proposal, please send a 300-word abstract with full address and institutional affiliation details as an electronic file to Dr. Philip Long (p.e.long@leedsmet.ac.uk).
The deadline for the reception of abstracts is 13. July 2007.

Conference registration form

Daniela Carl
Faculty of Arts and Society
Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change
Leeds Metropolitan University, United Kingdom
The Old School Board, Calverley Street
Leeds LS1 3ED, United Kingdom
fax: +44 (0) 113 283 8544
e-mail: d.carl@leedsmet.ac.uk
website: www.tourism-culture.com