We are thrilled to be hosting the 50th Conference of TTRA International in 2019 at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne, Australia, one of our premier conference venues. This conference brings together ALL travel and tourism researchers, users and vendors of research to discuss and share the latest studies and approaches.
Who Is It For?
From leading academics developing longitudinal, complex research to consultants responding to the immediate and ongoing needs of the industry with technological innovations and understanding, everyone benefits. For those with questions that need answers, such as DMOs, STOs, RTOs, and tourism operators, this conference delivers in a way that no other can.
What Is On The Agenda?
You can hear about the best ideas coming out of marketing research while meeting the researchers themselves. It is also the conference where researchers can network with colleagues and clients, learning about the critical and invaluable new tools and techniques.
The program is shaping up to be one that anyone engaged in any capacity with tourism research really cannot miss, from thought-provoking general sessions to specialized concurrent break-out sessions, workshops and more. Our keynote speakers include:
Conference Mascots
I’d also like to introduce you to Kanga and Roo, our Conference Mascots. They have already had a series of adventures in Miami and will continue to help us with the conference here in Australia. Please have a look at their Facebook page.
TTRA Tours
In addition, we are pleased to provide you with some details of three very special TTRA Tours where you can not only extend your enjoyment of being with like-minded travel and tourism researchers but also experience some of our remarkable country. Here is the ‘famous’ Super Bowl video from Tourism Australia which covers some of the places we will be visiting (and most likely some of the characters we will be meeting!):
Program Outline
The Program is continually being updated as we secure our speakers and sessions. Below is a broad outline of some of what you can expect (we have more surprises and great speakers to announce!). We expect the full program will be online in May.
We begin the conference with two breakfast opportunities for you to meet up with colleagues, old and new:
- DMO, Vendor and Researchers’ Breakfast where all Destination Marketing Organisations, State Tourism Offices, Regional Offices, Welcome/Visitor Centers can come together in a relaxed environment.
- Academic Roundtable and Breakfast where academics can meet each other and discuss some of the issues they face and set the agenda for further discussions during the conference.
Then, come and witness the leading-edge research of PhD students at the PhD Colloquium, where they will present their work in three minutes! Following their presentations is a mentoring workshop for the students with Professors from around the world.
After lunch, a series of Professional Development sessions are being developed for both practitioners and academics, including our popular and inspirational Qualitative Research Roundtable.
As attending such a conference for the first time can be daunting, all newcomers are invited to meet the Board and other like-minded people at a special Welcome for First-Time Attendees.
In the evening, join all delegates for the Cocktail Reception hosted by the City of Melbourne. This will include a very special welcome to country from Ilbijerri Theatre Company, created for TTRA.
The first of our two international keynote speakers, past Australian of the Year Tim Flannery, will address the group, setting up some questions and themes that will be teased out throughout the conference. Tim will also be speaking later in the day in conversation with other researchers and industry personnel.
Before and after the conversation session is a series of concurrent breakout sessions with participants presenting their research on a range of topics that have been identified by our members and past conference participants.
Late afternoon sees the popular Ideas Fair, where researchers present their work in an open forum of visual presentations that is always interactive, fun and informative.
Following the Ideas Fair, you are free to explore the great range of Melbourne restaurants with your new and old friends. There will also be a social gathering for our Emerging Leaders and the Melbourne-based Young Tourism Network.
After Chapter Meetings over Breakfast where you can learn more about specific regions of TTRA, we move on to our second Keynote speaker, Pauline Sheldon, TTRA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
Further concurrent breakout sessions will be held with participants presenting their research on a range of topics along with special research topics.
A general session after lunch on Understanding Connections to Land brings together social researchers, land managers and indigenous speakers in a conversation about their roles in relation to the land and tourism.
The conference concludes in the evening with a Gala Dinner and presentation of our major awards, where you can kick up your heels with new and old friends, and make plans for 2020.
At various points in the program, there will be some short, sharp personal tales presented by TTRA members revolving around their own research experiences.
There are many rooms and spaces that will be available for informal meetings throughout the conference.
