Presentations of the Institute for Tourism and Leisure - University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons

Abstract: Das 21. Jahrhundert ist stark von den sogenannten "Global Grand Challenges" wie Ressourcenübernutzung, Klimakrise, soziale Ungleichheiten etc. geprägt. Darüber hinaus durchdringen hochdynamische Entwicklungen wie Globalisierung und Digitalisierung zunehmend unseren Alltag und stellen uns vor neue Herausforderungen. Zukunftsfähige Lösungen können nicht von oben diktiert werden, sondern müssen im Dialog zwischen Wissenschaft, Politik und Gesellschaft entwickelt und erprobt werden. Die Gestaltung des Dialogs erfordert neue Denk- und Arbeitsweisen, die eine Beteiligung und Mitwirkung aller Betroffenen ermöglichen, um die Zukunft verantwortungsvoll für ein gutes Leben für alle zu gestalten. Beim Global Goals Design Jam beziehen sich die Herausforderungen auf die Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) als Teil der Agenda 2030 für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Wie bei einer Jam-Session in der Musik kommen Menschen zusammen, um zu forschen, zu experimentieren und zu kreieren. Der Global Goals Design Jam ist eine innovative, hochgradig partizipative Lehrmethode, die den Teilnehmer:innen die Möglichkeit bietet, neue Möglichkeiten zu finden, aktiv zu werden. Der Jam dauert einen ganzen Tag, ist querschnittsartig für alle Studiengänge geeignet und folgt den Ansätzen und Methoden des Design Thinking Prozesses.

Abstract: Many mountain regions and communities have been facing serious economic crises and population decline. The overall aim of this paper is to identify transition drivers for reviving such mountain regions and building their resilience. The leading question is "What constitutes a new model of “Alpine urbanism” or “live-work-play” in the Alps?" We present the success story of Ostana, Piedmont, Italy, by visual narratives, social networks and providing design solutions.

Abstract: Live in the Arctic is existent in both indigeneous and non-idigeneous communities. Increasing political and industrial pressure for energy and tourism challenge life in the Arctic; while this development may threaten traditional life and the environment, it may also provide for new opportunities of economic development and social wellbeing. We assess resilience to environmental change in the Arctic community of Longyearbyen on Svalbard (Norway), and reflect on potential pathways for other, indigeneous communities. In Longyearbyen, there are no indigeneous people, and there are only few permanent residents in part due to the isolation and extreme environment, in part due to the fact that noone can privately own land. The economy is based on coal mining, research and a fast growing tourism industry. Most tourism industry staff go there for adventure and quick money, while only a few business owners have been living there for 20 to 40 years. One consequence is a lack of attachement to the place. What can we learn from resilience of a community that is existent only for business and fun? Does the increasing global pressure for energy and tourism push indigeneous communities into a similar direction, thus making Longyearbyen somewhat a blueprint for future Arctic communities? Where are the threats, where the opportunities for anticipating change and resilience in other Arctic communities?

Abstract: The pressure to innovate in the tourism industry is increasing. Increasing global competition, new challenges and opportunities in the field of digitalisation as well as the dynamic development of society challenge the players in the tourism industry to increase the competitiveness of their own company and the destination. The tourism industry differs from other industries in the tertiary sector in particular in that it is highly fragmented. This results in the necessity of coordinating heterogeneous providers for the provision of services to guests. The Swiss tourism industry is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often face numerous challenges in terms of the commercial exploitation of products or the implementation of ideas. This limited ability not only to generate new ideas, but also to implement them, will be referred to as the "Service Innovation Gap". In our poster, we describe the procedure of an explorative study in the Swiss context with the aim of exploring and better understanding the Service Innovation Gap. Furthermore, we aim to identify success factors for the resource-efficient implementation of innovations in tourism SMEs in an action research approach together with the stakeholders.

Abstract: There has been a general lack of theoretical thought in tourism–apparent across most disciplines but especially in economic geography–with many contributions evolving from a largely quantitative base with little relation to theoretical underpinnings made in the ‘original’disciplines. In this paper the authors aim to offer a different perspective on researching the economic system of tourism by developing a new research agenda based on the commodity chain concept (CC). Drawing on earlier CC research in manufacturing and agriculture, this paper gives a conceptual outline of the use of CC in tourism research and highlights the potential of this approach to fill current gaps in the economic geography of tourism, especially offering new insights on the tourism as a system.

Abstract: Dank markanter Fortschritte mobiler Technologien und quasi ohne zeitliche und örtliche Einschränkungen kommunizieren und bewegen sich heute immer mehr Menschen in digitalen Räumen. Auch der Ferienhotellerie bieten sich so vor, während und nach der eigentlichen Urlaubszeit unzählige ideale "Touchpoints" mit ihren Gästen. Nebst technischen Herausforderungen stellt sich auch die Frage des Zeitaufwandes. Die schnelle und flexible Kommunikation zur Gewährleistung einer möglichst individualisierten Optimierung der Gästebindung braucht Zeit und Aufmerksamkeit von Gastgeberseite. Bleibt in Zukunft zu wenig Zeit für den wichtigen persönlichen Kontakt mit den Gästen vor Ort?