President's Message

Dear Fellows:

I want to share my first message with deep gratitude and a profound sense of responsibility as the newly elected president of the Academy. First, I want to thank all my fellow members for entrusting me with this significant role. Representing you and managing so many great ideas is a daunting task. I feel good that there is continuity with our new executive committee, including Alan Fyall as the returning 2nd Vice President, Ulrike Gretzel as the returning Treasurer, and Maria Gravari Barbas as the incoming 1st Vice President. Karl Wöber, past president, moves to the Board Chair to advise and support us.

I concur that the 2024 Biennial Academy conference “Transformational Tourism in Disruptive Times” was an enormous success in Orlando, FL. My heartfelt gratitude extends to UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management for their exceptional organization and steadfast support, which significantly enhanced the execution and overall enjoyment of the event. Thanks to Alan Fyall, Youcheng Wang, Abe Pizam, and the members of the host committee: Maksim, Karen, and Juliana, they were wonderful on all fronts.

Also, on behalf of the Academy, I extend our gratitude to Chair Karl Wöber and his past executive team members, including Dan Fesenmaier, Alan Fyall, and Ulrike Gretzel, for their sustained leadership and outstanding service over the past five years. It was apparent that the program platforms they presented sparked lively engagement and discussion among us. We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our distinguished former Board Chair, Bob McKercher.

Together, let us harness our combined expertise to venture into new realms of transformative research, education, and outreach. Together, we can shape the future of tourism, promoting responsible and inclusive practices that improve the well-being of both travelers and host communities.

Agenda for the New Executive

As part of our ongoing efforts to shape the future of our Academy together and address challenges, we, as the executive committee, have identified areas that require our attention for the next couple of years. These priorities stem from deliberations during our second business meeting and subsequent discussions on the Academy.Net platform.

1. We must revisit our bylaws to determine if any amendments or updates are necessary to better align with our current needs and objectives. For this, we formed a committee.
2. Criteria for Inviting Scholars, Nominated Scholars, and Emerging Scholars: We propose a thorough review of our criteria for inviting scholars and emerging scholars to ensure they accurately embody the values and objectives of the Academy. We suggest establishing two sub-committees to concentrate individually on defining criteria for Invited Scholars and Emerging Scholars. Alan Fyall, 2nd Vice President, will lead this initiative.
3. The conference program’s framework necessitates assessment, deciding what elements to eliminate and what to introduce afresh. Also, the Academy's expectations for the hosting organization are significant. The crucial factor lies in securing sponsorship at varying levels, whether from local groups or the institution itself. We should develop an evaluative set of criteria for selecting the proposal (Maria, 1st Vice President, will spearhead these issues).
4. We propose instituting two awards to enhance the Academy's visibility among students in the tourism/hospitality field and academic institutions: (1) an award for a best tourism essay competition and (2) an award for an educational institution that has made visible contributions to the advancement of tourism research. For these awards, we will seek sponsorship from educational institutions and publishers (the President and the Board Chair will lead this with the executive team and an ad-hoc committee will develop criteria for these awards and assess the submissions.).
5. We propose that the Academy publishes two edited books every three years. One book would center on the conference theme, as previously done, while the other would explore a selected topic pertinent to tourism. Professor Dick Butler will spearhead this initiative.
6. A continuous mentorship program for early career researchers and emerging scholars will be supported. This renewed initiative aims to encourage institutions to sponsor the Academy and foster a stronger connection between the Academy and recipients of emerging scholar awards. Ulrike Gretzel will oversee this effort.

You will hear in detail from us on these points mentioned in my message via the Office of the Academy Secretariat. Let me seize this moment to express my appreciation to Dean Kaye Chon for graciously hosting the Academy Secretariat at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Furthermore, I extend heartfelt thanks to Leslie Fung for her unwavering support and significant contributions during her time at the Office of the Academy Secretariat. Lastly, I warmly welcome Aria Ying Jin, who joins us as a first-year PhD student with the Academy Secretariat.

Our work has the potential to create positive change on a global scale, and I am confident that, with your support, we will achieve remarkable milestones in the years to come. Thank you and let us embark on this journey together.

Wishing you all the best,

Prof. Muzzo Uysal