To the Academy of Hope, on 6 Jul 2011, at 09:35, Lynn’s comments and Annette’s response summuarise the views of Generation T (of and for) Tourism 

This is what Lynn wrote about this conference.

Dear all, I would like to present to you 2 autoethnographic studies of tourism conferences in the UK, conducted by means of visual methods, according to a subjectivist paradigm and principles of co-creation. To ensure optimal dissemination these studies are open-access, and are now open for peer-review. Please direct your distinguished attention to: Exhibit  B*: http://www.flickr.com/photos/generationt/sets/72157627004237363/ 

*Structure lent from hand-outs (both pink and green) of Professor Keith Hollinshead, with thanks, with the aim of in-depth audiencing Excecutive summary: Generation T is carefully considering its disciplinary grounding. Many thanks to all of you who participated in these, and I hope to be involved in similar projects with all of you soon, Lynn

 This is Annette’s response: Super photos Lynn, I can’t think of anything intelligent or funny to add, but we all certainly had a great time, All best wishes, Annette

From us here: No Comments! 

JOURNAL SPECIAL ISSUE
We are planning a special issue in the Journal of Tourism and Peace esearch which is a peer-reviewed publication offered free of charge (making it accessible to less privileged communities of scholars and emerging researchers). The title of the special issue will be The Future of Tourism and Peace and we have decided on a broad theme to encourage wide ranging contributions (from theoretical and philosophical works to reflexive accounts and empirical studies). The deadline for submissions is 15 October 2011 and all papers should be sent to
omar.moufakkir@stenden.com and tomas.pernecky@aut.ac.nz.

For detailed guidelines please go to
http://www.icptr.com/index.php/instructions-for-authors/

Please remember that besides the special issue the journal is also publishing general submissions on Tourism, Conflict and Peace.

BOOK
We are also putting together an edited volumethat will critically explore the nexus between peace, events, tourism and hospitality. We have secured a publisher who is interested in this project. The book will consist of both theoretical/conceptual contributions as well as case studies. At this stage we are seeking expressions of interest and if this is something you would like to be part of (and we hope you will!) please send us a preliminary chapter title by 15 September 2011 (please email your chapter title to tomas.pernecky@aut.ac.nz and omar.moufakkir@stenden.com).  There will be a formal call announced later this year, but given that there was interest at the workshop and in the corridors, we thought we would give the CTS critical thinkers first opportunity. This is not a “closed club” of researchers, so if you didn’t manage to attend the workshop and want to join us in our efforts to tackle the issues of peace critically, we would love to hear from you. The final manuscripts will be due in mid/late 2012 to allow our colleagues who are under various pressures to publish in high ranking academic journals for the next round of RAE/PBRF to contribute as well.

If you have any questions we are only an email away!

Best wishes,
Tomas & Omar

Link to the IV CTS conference programme and workshop information:
http://www3.uwic.ac.uk/english/cardiff-school-of-management/research/critical-tourism-studies-conference/pages/conferenceprogramme.aspx

http://www.africandiasporatourism.com/ 

Most baby boomers remember LeVar Burton for his dramatic portrayal of Kunte Kinte in the award-winning television mini-series, Roots, which was based on the novel by Alex Haley. The younger generations know him from watching ‘Reading Rainbow,’ a PBS children television show that he once hosted. Today, the internationally acclaimed actor and show host is also a renown speaker, expert panelist and documentary host. Burton is set to be a keynote presenter at the upcoming Global Tourism, Progress and Peace Conference to take place on March 24-26, 2011 in Jordan. Burton, also a producer and director, is the host of the new documentary “The Science of Peace.” At the conference, he will discuss the documentary and conference attendees will get to preview the groundbreaking film. The Science of Peace documentary investigates the cause of violence and explores potential pathways to peace. The Global Tourism, Progress and Peace conference will be held at the Dead Sea Spa Hotel, just 50 minutes from Amman, Jordan’s capital.

Burton, said that he is honored to have the opportunity to present a preview of ‘The Science of Peace’ to a distinguished audience of global visionaries and thought leaders from academic institutions, public and private sector organizations and the media. “Tourism is a platform for people from different locations and viewpoints to meet; a platform for creating awareness, respect and understanding. It is truly a platform for peace and an important element that we wish to integrate into our documentary,” he said.

Burton rose to fame in the late 70’s when he was only 19 years old for his portrayal in Roots as a young African tribesman captured and sold into slavery in America, a role for which he received rave reviews. Ten years later, Burton landed his second signature role as Geordi La Forge, the blind star ship engineer in the syndicated science fiction TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. For over 20 years, he served as host of the PBS children’s program Reading Rainbow, a show that he also produced. Burton worked as a director for many years for several movies and many television series including Star Trek: Voyager, Jag, Las Vegas and Miracle Boys.

Burton brings a unique voice and perspective to the conference as well as the Science of Peace Documentary with his wide range of experience and keen interest in transformation and helping to promote world peace. His star power and dedication to world peace makes him an asset to the conference. His style of storytelling allows audience to identify with what the Science of Peace film seeks to portray as he inspires a desire for participation in bringing about world peace. The documentary features pioneering physicists, biologist, philosophers and other experts who are established in the emerging field of peace as a science.  

An eloquent speaker, literacy advocate and published author, Burton is eager to share his views on the effects of media on children, literacy and pathways to peace.  He has won ten Emmy Awards, five NAACP Awards, and multiple nominations and awards for his work.  It was the Roots experience that awakened Burton to the powerful potential of the television and media to inspire, enlighten and educate. Today, he is a distinguished panelist and sought after public speaker. Burton was once appointed by President Clinton to the National Commission on Library and Information Services (NCLIS), a panel of experts who advise the President on policy for the storage, retrieval and dissemination of information in America.

Organizers of the conference are Sandy Dhuyvetter, Executive Producer of TravelTalkMEDIA and  Dr. Omar Moufakkir, founder of the International Centre for Peace through Tourism Research.  “We are extremely pleased to have Mr. Burton join our panel of globally recognized scholars and tourism industry experts,” said conference co-chairperson Dhuyvetter. “His stature as an entertainment industry icon and his ongoing commitment to the development of a more peaceful world will greatly enhance the quality of the event and its ability to attract influential participants from many countries and disciplines.”

The aim of the conference is to stimulate innovative thinking and applied research in the area of tourism and peace with the goal of optimizing the benefits of tourism and minimizing the costs – social, environmental, cultural or economic – for the benefit of all. Experts and scholars from different aassociations, research centers, universities, international organizations and other institutions from all over the world will participate in the conference. Local and international media and high-ranking decision-makers in political, economic and cultural spheres are also expected to attend the conference to help disseminate and promote the exchange of ideas beyond academic research.

The conference will be held in the Dead Sea region, the world’s lowest point on earth, 400 meters below sea level, one of the most spectacular and breathtaking landscapes in the world. Sparsely populated and serene, the area is surrounded by mountains to the east and rolling hills of Jerusalem to the west giving the Dead Sea its unique beauty.  The Dead Sea Spa Hotel is a health and well being destination situated along the sea shore with access to the largest private beach in the Jordan Valley, and sprawling grounds with ample areas to relax and rejuvenate.

For more information about Tourism Progress and Peace, the Conference, visit www.TourismProgressAndPeace.com. To learn more about the documentary that Burton is hosting, visit www.ScienceofPeace.com.  

About TravelTalkMEDIA

TravelTalkMEDIA brings visibility and focus on diplomacy, cultural exchange and economic sustainability through tourism. From studios based in San Francisco Bay Area and from remote destinations around the world, Sandy Dhuyvetter and the TravelTalkMEDIA team produce award winning radio programs, television programming and newsletters each week featuring informative travel news and relevant interviews with leading experts in the travel and tourism industries.

Audio and video segments are broadcast on conventional radio and TV stations in the US and around the world. A leader in the use of new media and social media since its inception in 2001, Archives of all recent broadcasts of TravelTalkRADIO and BusinessTravelRADIO are available at www.TravelTalkMEDIA.com

About International Centre for Peace through Tourism Research

The mission of the center is to work toward building bridges out of the walls: cultural differences, religion, traditions and lifestyles that, sometimes, keep us apart. The ICPTR’s objective is to conduct academic research to contribute to the development of tourism as an agent of peace. It is the first center to have peace and tourism as a focus of inquiry. The objective is to conduct scientific research projects to empirically assess the myths and  realities associated with peace through tourism; encourage debate about the place of tourism within peace and conflict studies; and participate in national and international networks that work on issues related to conflict management. For more information visit www.icptr.com.

 www.stenden.com

(Click on title to read more)

In a few years, the growing number of immigrants has transformed culture shock into culture unrest (Moufakkir, 2008, p.86), defined as “the context where two cultures live together, but at a level of acceptance that has developed from a state of euphoria, apathy, to annoyance, or even antagonism”, sometimes expressed verbally and even physically. In a destination image study, we found the Dutch perceptions of people of Moroccan origin living in the Netherlands to be overwhelmingly negative, confirming similar opinions expressed in the media (ref. Table 1, qualitative information). The social and political landscape of the Netherlands was infected by the murder of right wing politician Pim Fortuyn just before the national election in May 2002. Despite and/or because of his death, his party List Pim Fortuyn (LPF) won 17% of the national vote, making it the second strongest political party in the country. Besides a rising mistrust of politicians, Fortuyn’s success was attributed to the issue of ‘unsuccessful’ integration of ethnic minorities (Krouwel et al., 2006) or what Scheffer (2000) referred to as the “multi-cultural drama”. In addition to this, the murder in November 2004 of outspoken anti-Islamic opinion-leader, filmmaker Theo van Gogh, shocked the nation. In such a tragic environment, the fear of inter-ethnic polarization, as well as the need for effective measures for integration, appears to be a reality (Krouwel et al., 2006). During the March 2010 Dutch municipal elections the PVV won in Almere with 21.6 % of all votes, making it the biggest party in the city with nine seats in the municipal board. In Den Haag, winning eight seats, they came second to the PVDA (Labor Party) and became more popular than the CDA (Christian Democrats). More importantly, a public opinion poll (peiling) of 2500 voters undertaken by Synovate during the same period indicated that this ultranationalist party would be the third most important political party in the country with 24 seats compared to nine seats in 2006. The poll by Maurice de Hond, also a very well known poll group, indicated that the PVV would become the biggest party in the country with 27 seats. As was reported in the media, these results were a shock to Dutch people and to the world community, because of the reputation of the Netherlands as a multi-cultural society noted for its tolerance and multiculturalism.

The results of a study conducted by the Tourism for Peace (lectoraat) research group are (graphs below), no surprise because they simply confirm ”public opinion” perceptions about the Moroccan Allochtonen in the Netherlands which are overwhelmingly negative. The whys of this phenon is not the subject of this communication. Rather, it is noted that Dutch people who visited Morocco were found to be less prejudiced towards Moroccans than those who did not. Tourism, in the context of this study seems to reduce prejudice. Furthermore, as those who have visited Morocco appear to be less prejudiced than those who did not, it could be suggested that tourism has to some extent a positive impact on perceptions.  

In the 9^th century B.C. epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer observed: “a guest never forgets a host who has treated him kindly”. It is possible that as guests who have been treated kindly in Morocco, the Dutch return home as hosts whose prejudices towards Moroccans in the Netherlands have been positively mediated.

That is, because of the important relation between tourism, immigration, prejudice, cultural diversity and integration, the Moroccan minstry of tourism should work together with other ministries, especially the ministry of immigration. It is unfortunate that tourism in Morocco  has not yet evolved from destination selling and promotion, to destination branding, and nation branding. Again, the irony is that Moroccan nationals abroad, in a period of less than 60 years, are set to mirror “justly or unjustly” the Moroccan people and a culture of thousands of years. And it is this mirror and the seriousness of this irony that deserve more attention in the study and “doing” of tourism.

One of the biggest tests for the enlarged European Union, in the years and decades to come, will be how it manages the challenge of immigration. If European societies rise to this challenge, immigration will enrich and strengthen them. If they fail to do so, the result may be declining living standards and social division.

The face of immigration and hospitality has changed, and so have its challenges and opportunities. There is no need for argumentation; a quick scan in the media shows the actual immigration-integration climate in major Western European countries, be it in France, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweeden, Switzerland, Norway, Greece, the UK, Austria or Belgium. Although there is much ado in some countries than others, the overwhelming climate and discourse is rather negative. This is what we hear, what we have become conditioned to hearing, and what we most often expected to hear:

Madam President, we are losing our country. We are losing our Netherlands. We are losing it to mass immigration. We are losing it to the inflow which is no longer in control. We are losing it to a culture of backwardness and violence. We are losing it to the Moroccan thugs who go through life scoffing and spitting and beating up innocent people. They make the schoolyards and streets unsafe. They stick up their middle finger to funeral processions, threaten and abuse ambulance staff and beat up gay people and hiss ‘whore’ to women. They happily accept our benefits, our homes, our doctors. But not our standards and values (Excerpt from a speech Geert Wilders gave in Dutch parliament, September 2008).

This is what we seldom hear and know:
All who are committed to Europe’s future, and to human dignity, should therefore take a stand against the tendency to make immigrants the scapegoats for social problems. The vast majority of immigrants are industrious, courageous, and determined. They don’t want a free ride. They want a fair opportunity for themselves and their families. They are not criminals or terrorists. They are law-abiding. They don’t want to live apart. They want to integrate, while retaining their identity (Kofi Annan, January 2004).

Clearly, the media plays a big role in affecting our judgements about immigrants and integration, and the discrepency between negative and positive news is outrageously and harfully too big.

Managing migration is not only a matter of opening doors and joining hands internationally. It also requires each country to do more to integrate [old and] new arrivals. Immigrants must adjust to their new societies – and societies need to adjust too. Only with an imaginative strategy for integrating immigrants can countries ensure that they enrich the host society more than they unsettle it (Kofi Anna, 2004).

The task undertaken by the research center and participating European reserarch groups is to develop a integration barometer with the objective to measure the traditonal as well as modern indicators of integration. Certainly, integration barometers exist, however, the proposed barometer is comprehensive in nature, in that, among others, unlike other barometers, it also includes perspectives about integration from the immigration sending country -a somewhat forgotten perspective, yet very important. Simply put, while it might be that a sending country would like and does encourage their people to keep their national identity for cultural and economic reasons, the receiving country, however, might be encouraging and seeking the assimilation of its new and old immigrants in the mainstream culture. Thus, the challenges of immigration and integration are big, and only through comprehensive research can we comprehend the big picture of diversity, and act accordingly (click on link below for pp presentation)
Immigration-integration-barometer

(For more information about the Comprehensive Integration-Immigration Barometer, contact us by e-mail or phone at:
omar.moufakkir@stenden.com
+31 (0)58 2441301

Click to view our presenation “Tourism and Peace: Myths, Realities and Progress” at the World Heritage Conference in Austria, June 3-5, 2009. austria_conference

L&R Sozialforschung/ L&R Social Research

To see the conference program, click on the following links:

heritage-tourism-conference; heritage-tourism2

The 1st European Conference on Peace and Tourism has received about 400 registrations, and attracted 190 participants from 35 countries. Press on the names of speakers to view their presentations. 

Welcome Address Louis D’Amore
Opening Ceremony Jannewietske de Vries
Opening Ceremony Edmund Bartlett
Plenary 1 Hon Gil da Costa Alves
Plenary 1 Hon N Nandi Ndaitwah
Plenary 2 Hon Phillip Savadoga
Plenary 2 Vasilis Morfopoulos
Plenary 2 John Hummel
Plenary 3 Catherine Rubbens
Plenary 3 Ginger Smith
Plenary 4 Janos Damon
Plenary 4 Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi
Plenary 4 Luigi Cabrini
Plenary 5 Dallen Timothy
Plenary 5 Irena Ateljevic
Plenary 5 Myriam Jansen Verbeke

Concurrent Session Speakers: 
Aditya Eggert
Akke Folmer
Albert Postma 3b
Anna E Papanicolaou
Anne Krupp
Apolonia Rodrigues & Aurea Rodrigues 2b
Armin Gemmer
Aviad Israeli
Ben Sherman
Brett Galimidi
Brigitte Nitsch
Chris & Mike McHugo
Constantia Anastasiadou
Daphne Lowe Kelley
Dion van den Berg
Francoise Tondre
Gopinath Parayil
Gordon Sillence
Ian Kelly
Jacob Henderson
Jacob Robinet
Jan te Kloeze
Janos Damon
Jovan Popesku
Kwame Neba
Max Haberstroh
Message from IIPT Caribbean for jamaican forum
Nick Welman
Noga Collins-Kreiner
Ole Pihl
Paul te Molder
Peter Singleton
Raed Saadeh
Sarah Siddiqi
Senija Causevic
Simon Tijsma
Tomas Cuevas-Contreras
Ton van Egmond
Valentina Dinica
Victoria Lindsay
Vikneswaran Nair
Willem de Bruijn
Willem Reynders
Yolande van Wijk
Yoram Krozer