TTRA Canada Chapter Conference

THE CALL FOR PAPERS IS NOW CLOSED. THE INFORMATION BELOW IS FOR REFERENCE ONLY.

Submissions for presentations, papers, workshops, panels and student posters are invited relating to the overarching theme of Propelling smarter, bolder tourism. Submissions may be on a range of tourism-related topics and the Conference Program Committee also encourages presentations on topics that are outside the general theme – our goal is to provide content that is relevant, timely and of interest to our members. Accepted submissions will be eligible for one of three non-monetary awards for best paper (refereed abstracts), best presentation (non-refereed), and best student poster.

The full Call for Participation can be found HERE.

TTRA Canada will be running four award competitions this year. Details on each award can be found below.

Submission Deadline:
June 30, 2018

Submission Details:
Please submit your written nomination to:

TTRA Canada Awards Coordinator
Frederic Dimanche, Ph.D.
Director, Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Ryerson University
Phone: (416) 979-5117, Email: fdimanche@ryerson.ca

Award Presentation:
These awards will be presented in Halifax at the 2018 TTRA Canada Conference.

Evidence-based Experience Innovation

Rooted in research, Tourism Nova Scotia’s pilot EXCELLerator Program is an innovative approach to tourism experience development, and the focus of this roving case study through beautiful, historic downtown Halifax. With harbour views around every corner, participants will convene at key locations for insights on EXCELLerator Program research, development, deliverables and outcomes aligning with Tourism Nova Scotia’s focus on developing world-class experiences to motivate travel by first-time visitors.

From our “Dining on the Ocean Floor” inspiration for the EXCELLerator Program to strategically creating compelling visitor experiences showcasing Nova Scotia’s most competitive assets for our target markets, key challenges and opportunities will be highlighted. With an industry goal of doubling tourism revenues to $4billion, program objectives and learnings will be shared with delegates on elevating experiences at icons and key attractions to motivate travel to Nova Scotia now. After exploring downtown Halifax, delegates will gather over uniquely Nova Scotian refreshments to learn about recent tourism experiences developed across Nova Scotia, showcasing how research has informed innovation in Tourism Nova Scotia’s experience development approach.

Dr. Ulrike Gretzel

Dr. Ulrike Gretzel is currently a Senior Fellow at the Center of Public Relations, Annenberg School of Communication, University of Southern California and also serves as the Director of Research at Netnografica, a market research company that extracts insights from online conversations.

Her previous academic appointments include Visiting Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Professor of Tourism, UQ Business School, University of Queensland, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Wollongong, and Associate Professor of Tourism, Texas A&M University. She received her Ph.D. in Communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds a master’s degree in International Business from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Her research focuses on the impact of technology on human experiences and specifically looks at the structure of technology-mediated communication. Her work in tourism has addressed the ways in which tourists engage with each other and with tourism organizations through websites, mobile apps, and social media, and has analyzed how tourism experiences are represented online. She has also researched smart tourism development, tourism in technological dead zones, and the quest for digital detox experiences.

Session: Smart Tourism: Hype or Real Opportunity?

Smart Tourism: Hype or Real Opportunity?

Destinations around the world are eager to embrace smart tourism to gain competitive advantages but initiatives remain largely fragmented despite political pressures and funding opportunities. Only a few destinations have successfully adopted smart tourism as a development approach and management mindset. Looking at these best practice examples, this talk will explore critical dimensions of smart tourism development and typical roadblocks along the way to greater efficiency, security, sustainability and quality experiences.

Dr. Ulrike Gretzel, Senior Fellow, Center of Public Relations, Annenberg School of Communication, University of Southern California & Director of Research, Netnografica