Dimitrios Journeys

Siri the mobile travel agent [VIDEO]January 17, 2012 By Kevin May 6 Comments

http://www.tnooz.com/2012/01/17/mobile/siri-the-mobile-travel-agent-video/?utm_source=Tnooz+Mailing+List&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=54539f9a93-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN


Ever since Apple acquired virtual assistant technology Siri in early-2010, adding voice-activated travel search to mobiles has gained momentum as a concept.And now with Siri included as part of the latest Apple iPhone, some applications are emerging, including a system developed by social travel booking startup Bonvoy.In this clip, Bonvoy founder and CEO Mujteba Naqvi demonstrates how the system works, including integration into the existing Bonvoy search and booking system.The idea mirrors in part the winning entry to THack London in February 2011, developed by SITA Lab, using voice recognition on a Android mobile device.

ENTER2012 eTourism Present and Future Services and ApplicationsHelsingborg Sweden 24th to 27th of January 2012.
Look forward to welcome you to www.enter-2013.org in Innsbruck Austria 22-25 January 2013 
ENTER2012 was a great success and a very productive and enjoyable event
If you participated in ENTER please lets have your feedback on http://www.ifitt.org/congresses/website/enter2013/enter-testimonials

Also see online resources
Photos from the event http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifitt/Video from the streaming http://www.ustream.tv/channel/enter-2012-channel
Next year we celebrate the 20 Years of ENTER. Call for papers and also for industry and destination presentations are already out.
We look forward to welcome you to ENTER2013 Innsbruck 22-25 January 2013 www.enter-2013.orgJoin us http://www.enter-2013.org


Connect with IFITT on Social Media: 
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ifittorg (@ifittorg)
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/groups/ifitt
Linkedin Group http://linkd.in/xcUBHC
See IFITT and ENTER A/V material @Photos on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/ifitt
Twitter feed #enter2012 https://twitter.com/#!/search/enter2012
ENTER2012 Videos http://www.ustream.tv/channel/enter-2012-channel
YouTube Video http://www.youtube.com/ifittorg

ENTER2013eTourism Opportunities and Challenges for the next 20 years Innsbruck Austria 22nd to 25th of January 2013

http://www.enter-2013.org

ENTER 2013 celebrates its 20th birthday back home in Innsbruck Austria
Organized by the International Federation for Information Technology and Travel & Tourism (IFITT) the ENTER conference offers a worldwide and unique forum for attendees from academia, industry, government, and other organizations to actively exchange, share, and challenge state-of-the-art research and industrial case studies on the application of information and communication technologies to travel and tourism.
At ENTER 2013, the theme is eTourism opportunities and challenges for the next 20 years exploring information and communication technologies concepts, applications, and business models in travel and tourism. Issues to be covered at the conference include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• Advanced Distribution Systems
• Electronic Marketing
• Information Search and Retrieval
• Technology Acceptance
• Consumer Inspiration through ICTS
• Eno-Gastronomic Tourism
• Information Interfaces and Presentation
• Travel Search and Meta-Search
• Crisis and e-Tourism
• ICT Adoption, Use, and Value Creation
• Intelligent Systems

• Web 2.0 and Web 3.0
• Distribution Strategies
• ICT-enabled Partnerships and Segmentation
• Legal and Social Aspects
• Website Design and Evaluation
• E-Learning
• ICT and Sustainability
• Mobile Services
• Context-Aware Systems
• E-strategy and e-Business models
• ICT for Regional Development
• Recommender Systems

The conference brings together the research community with industry and it is organised in three streams namely, industry, destinations and research tracks. The conference also features 6 world class keynote speakers. All submissions to the research track is rigorously evaluated for novelty, significance, and soundness. Papers should clearly state the background, introduction, purpose, theory / issues, methodology, results, conclusions and managerial / industry / social implications of the study, and be fully referenced with appropriate citations.The conference celebrates 20 years of continuing contribution and ground breaking interactions within the IFITT community. All started in Innsbruck and we are back here to celebrate our 20th birthday. 
Lets make it a very special one ! Join us in Innbruck, Austria.
Professor Dimitrios Buhalis
IFITT President
http://www.enter-2013.org

Enjoy the ABBA Party and Awards Ceremony at #ENTER2012 - Lets show how the IFITT the eTourism Community can party 
DRESS FOR THE OCCASION !


http://www.enter2012.org

Dimitrios Buhalis reelected as President of IFITT

Following the elections for the IFITT Board earlier today at the AGM in Helsingborg Sweden , Professor Dimitrios Buhalis of the eTourism Lab Bournemouth University was reelected for one more term as President of IFITT.


The new IFITT Board includes:

Dimitrios Buhalis                        eTourism Lab Bournemouth University UK
Wolfram Hopken                       University of Applied Sciences Ravensburg-Weingarten Germany
Rodolfo Baggio                          Bocconi University Italy
Ulrike Gretzel                             University of Wollongong Australia
Tinkara Pavlovcic Kapitanovic    Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) Slovenia
Paul Baron                                  Tourism Victoria Australia
Dimitris Serifis                             Nelios.com Greece
Rosanna Leung                           HS Travel International Co. Hong Kong
Allessandro Inversini                   Ticinoinfo SA Switzerland
Nicholas Hall                              European Travel Commission (ETC) Belgium
Matthias Fuchs                           Mid Sweden University Sweden

Dimitrios said I am deeply honoured to be re-election as President of IFITT the global eTourism Community for the period 2012-2014. Having the responsibility and privilege to lead the IFITT Board in the 2010-2012 period I am really proud of our achievements and have realised the major contribution we can achieve globally. In my second term as IFITT President we will work closely with the Board, the membership and our partners to consolidate our achievements and strengthen the organisation in the global arena as an international force that sets the agenda by bringing together the eTourism industry and research communities. 

IFITT AGENDA FOR 2012-2014

• Expand IFITTs footprint globally and expand on membership
• Bring new benefits to members and membership Drive
• Expand as a global forum for tourism and technology on a global basis that brings together members that create and disseminate innovative knowledge in ITT
• An inclusive organisation where each member is equally informed about the key developments and opportunities available
• Depository of literature and contemporary developments on ITT
• Development of an eJournal or working papers
• Collaboration with Tourism and Technology Organisations globally
• Respect as an one stop shop where expertise can be found
• Strengthening ENTER to become THE tourism and technology event in the world
• Organising regional events on specialised issues
• Strengthening of regional chapters to support our global recruitment
• Strategic investment on ITT innovations
• Competitions to support excellence in Tourism and Technology
• Support for new/young researchers to follow Tourism and technology
• Empower PhD students in this areas
• Continue to leading from the heart with a passion for IFITT
• Facilitate more networking to the eTourism community
• Engage in conversation with partners and other international organisations

It is a great responsibility, honour and privilege to continue serving you as the IFITT President.

For more information see www.ifitt.org

ENTER 2012, the annual IT and Tourism conference, opens today in Helsingborg, Sweden.

Follow on Twitter #enter2012 and #ifitt

To follow please link to the IFITT Twitter account: http://twitter.com/IFITTorgour facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/ifitt/and our LinkedIn group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2020575&trk=hb_side_g
http://www.enter2012.org


Organised by IFITT, the leading international organisation for information technologies in travel and tourism, this conference is expected to be the biggest tourism IT and tourism related event of the year, attracting over 340 participants from more than 60 countries.



More than 150 presenters are expected to attend and discuss the present and the future of eTourism with some great names including Ed Parsons, the Geospatial Technologist of Google, Director e-Acquisition Viktor van der Wijk from Air France KLM, Olaf Schlieper, Head of Media Management at the German National Board and Diego J. Lofeudo from Expedia Travel. There will also be representatives from VisitSweden, Thai Tourism, European Travel Commission and VisitBritain participating to name just a few. Overall, the event will include 6 keynotes, 51 research papers, 59 industry presentations, 16 PhD students’ presentations and 14 Scandinavian day presentations.

Professor Buhalis stated, ‘This annual conference organised by IFITT explores the latest developments in eTourism through a variety of presentations and speeches from academics and industry professionals. It is a chance for officials, industry representatives, IT companies and consultancies from around the world to discuss the impact of information and communication technologies on the travel and tourism industry.’

Numerous awards will be sponsored by IFITT and presented during a special session including the Hannes Werthner Tourism and Technology Lifetime Achievement Award, Thesis Excellence Award, Outstanding Industry Contribution Award and for the very first time, Journal Paper of the Year Award. ENTER 2012 will also acknowledge the best research papers and PHD proposal.

IFITT is the only leading organisation to assemble global communities to discuss the latest technological advances and impacts of eTourism. Its members treasure the power of networking and through events such as ENTER, IFITT hopes to bring together organisations, researchers and practitioners to create the global eTourism knowledge network.

To register at the event, please visit http://www.ifitt.org/congresses/website/enter2012.


To follow please link to the IFITT Twitter account: http://twitter.com/IFITTorgto our facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/ifitt/and to our LinkedIn group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2020575&trk=hb_side_g flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifitt/) and to youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/IFITTorg)

We look forward to collaborate with you in the Bournemouth University's eTourism Lab.

http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/etourismlab

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI !  Happy, Healthy and Abundant New Year of the Dragon.



According to Chinese Five Element Astrology Calendar, 2012 is the Year of Water Dragon . 
The color of Water in Five Elements system is related to Black. Therefore we can say 2012 is a Black Dragon, Water Dragon or Black Water Dragon year. 
Chinese Astrology is a Balance Theory of Five Elements. Each animal can be converted into Five Elements. Dragon contains Earth, Water and Wood. It's a source of Water and It is also called the Water Dam in Chinese astrology. Since Water  of 2012 comes with Dragon. it implied Water from the sky makes a dam overflow. Therefore 2012 is a strong Water year.
Dragon is a legendary animal and it is symbol of emperor in China. Since the Dragon is coated with mysterious color, Chinese consider that the dragon is unpredictable, untouchable and people cannot see its head and tail at the same time. Therefore, we can might see something unexpected happening in 2012. Also a person with too many dragons in the Chinese astrology birth chart will become smarter, sly and unpredictable in the coming year.
Dragon is the transition year to the Fire Cycle. The energy of Wood is in the East side. The energy of Fire is in the South side. We never know what will happen when turning from East to South. That's another sign of unpredictable Dragon year. You can have either good luck or bad luck in 2012, and will have a chance to turn it into better or worse luck.
If your Lucky Element is Earth, Water or Wood, then 2012 will bring you some degree of luck. Since 2012 is Water Dragon, people whose lucky element is Water will benefit more in 2012. Fire is the opposite element of Water. People whose lucky element is Fire will have more impact in 2012.

Bournemouth University School of Tourism students scoop top prize Hospitality industry conference http://youtu.be/aasHdOnTZLM

2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM RELATED ISSUES 

NICE, FRANCE, SEPTEMBRE 20-21, 2012

• HOSTED BY
• CHAIPERSONS
• BACKGROUND
• RESEARCH IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM RELATED ISSUES
• TOPICS AND CALL FOR PAPERS
• PREVIOUS EDITION OF THE CONFERENCE AND PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITIES
• PRACTICALITIES

HOSTED BY         


Campus Universitaire St Jean d'Angély
24 avenue des Diables Bleus
06357 Nice Cedex 4
http://www.unice.fr/isem/

CHAIPERSONS Dimitrios Buhalis, Bournemouth University, Dorset, UK
Christian Longhi,GREDEG CNRS, Université de Nice, Sophia Antipolis, France
Marcello M. Mariani, University of Bologna, Italy
 

BACKGROUND Unlike many other industries, the tourism sector keeps on growing generating positive effects on both income and job creation. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) the tourism industry accounted for more than 9 per cent of world GDP in 2010. In addition, the United Nations World Tourism Organization estimates that international arrivals are expected to reach nearly 1.5 billion by the year 2020.
A number of major factors can explain this dramatic increase in demand for tourism: (1) the process of globalization; (2) the development of mass transportation and motorization (and the parallel decrease in cost of transportation due to improvements in technology); (3) the rhythm of increase of world GDP as well as the increase of income to be allocated to travels; (4) the introduction of new ICT applications in the work of public and private stakeholders in the tourism sector; (5) the general improvement of security and rights for tourists.
Every and each of the above mentioned factors is significantly contributing to shaping a different institutional landscape and economic environment for a number of economic players such as Convention Bureaus, Professional Conference Organizers, Destination Management Companies, Airlines, Hotels, Conference Venues, Congress Centers, Convention Centers, Exhibition Centers. Moreover, companies in the tourism sector are confronted with increasing managerial challenges and have to deal with a turbulent and fast changing environment.



RESEARCH IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM RELATED ISSUES Scholars dealing with tourism are trying to gain a thorough, articulated and clear cut picture of the major changes going on in the tourism sector, with a specific emphasis on major changes such as (1) a shift to sustainable tourism and CSR in the tourism sector; (2) the adoption of ICT applications in tourism, with a focus on social media; (3) a structural change in the style of consumption and fruition of tourist products and services according to a post-Fordist model of consumption; (4) the impact of several major economic, political and climatic events (such as the recent financial and economic downturn, the terrorist attacks and the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano) on the travelling and hospitality industry.
All of these issues (and more) require significant reflection and this conference will be an irreplaceable opportunity to tackle them in depth.



TOPICS AND CALL FOR PAPERS We invite contributions that focus especially, but not exclusively, on tourism, travel, leisure and hospitality management, with an emphasis on:

• Destination management
• Hospitality management
• Congress management
• Air transportation management
• Archeological sites management
• World Heritage and intangible cultural heritage management
• Urban and regional tourism planning
• Tourism policies
• Inter-organizational dynamics (e.g., mergers and acquisitions, joint venture, strategic alliances, coopetitive strategies, etc.) in the tourism sector 
• Tourism marketing
• Renewable sources of energy and tourism 
• Glocalisation: managing the global and the local in the tourism industry
• Ecotourism and sustainable tourism development
• ICT and tourism
• Managing the skies: air transportation after the Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption

The topics reported above are indicative and informative rather than exclusive. Other interesting work on tourism management and tourism related issues that is not closely related to the themes above will be taken into consideration.
We invite full papers, doctoral research papers, poster papers, abstracts, and research proposals on any of the aforementioned topics without any specific constraints in terms of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches.
To advance investigation on tourism management and to further expand its theoretical and practical bases and boundaries, we need to explore, apply and confront both conceptual and empirical wisdom and scholarship stemming from different perspectives. Therefore, both business practitioners and academics are invited to submit their contributions.
Those who are interested in presenting a paper should submit a one page abstract byMay 15, 2012 To be acceptable, proposals MUST only be submitted through this website !!!PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT

In case of acceptance, full papers will be requested by July 31
All accepted papers must be presented by at least one of the authors.

PREVIOUS EDITION OF THE CONFERENCE AND PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITIES You may find more information concerning the 2011 edition of this conference in the following website
http://www.eiasm.org/frontoffice/event_announcement.asp?event_id=789
The high quality of the papers presented on the occasion of the first edition of the conference allowed us to publish a special issue of the journal Anatolia titled “Managing Tourism in a Changing World: Issues and Cases” (Eds. Rodolfo Baggio and Marcello M. Mariani). Moreover, a number of papers will be included in the last 2012 issue of the journal Economia dei Servizi. Last but not least, a further collection of papers is under consideration for publication in a volume with a relevant international publishing house.
Also this Second Edition of the conference will provide opportunities for publication of the presented papers under the following forms:

• Publication of conference proceedings
• Publication of the best accepted papers in a number of relevant international tourism journals (following a double-blind review process)
•  Inclusion of the best accepted papers in print into a volume by a relevant international publishing house (following a double-blind review process)

PRACTICALITIES LOCATION
The Workshop will take place at

Campus Universitaire St Jean d'Angély24 avenue des Diables Bleus
06357 Nice Cedex 4The workshop will start on Thursday September 20 at 8:30 am to end around 5pm on the following day.

Details about ACCOMMODATION, REGISTRATION AND FEE will be posted soon.

John Kent Institute in Tourism at Bournemouth University - 
Interview with John Kent and Dimitrios Buhalis and John Kent Institute Students 
John Kent and Dimitrios Buhalis

Soo Hyun Jun , Heather J. Hartwell , and Dimitrios Buhalis 2012


Impacts of the Internet on Travel Satisfaction and Overall Life Satisfaction,

Hyun Jun, S., Hartwell, H., Buhalis, D., 2012, Impacts of the internet on travel satisfaction and overall life satisfaction in Uysal, M., R. Perdue and J. Sirgy. (Eds) (2012). Handbook of Tourism and Quality-of-Life Research: Enhancing the Lives of Tourists and Residents of Host Communities. The Netherlands, Springer, Dordrecht, 702 pages, Hardcover, ISBN 978-94-007-2287-3 pp.321 - 337.
http://bournemouth.academia.edu/DimitriosBuhalis/Papers/1283895/HYUN_HARWELL_BUHALIS_Chapter_19_Soo_Hyun_eta_al_2012



This chapter proposed two conceptual models which explored the impact of the Internet on travel satisfaction and overall life satisfaction. The first model (Fig. 19.4 ) focused on the Internet role when it was considered as a tool for travel planning at a pretrip stage, and the second model (Fig. 19.5 ) focused on the Internet role when it was considered as a social platform on a Web 2.0 environment where people shared travel information after a trip, communicated, and socialized

with others. This chapter found two signifi cant roles of the Internet in satisfaction formation and satisfaction modifi cation (Fig. 19.6 ). In terms of satisfaction formation, the greater amount of transparent and reliable information collected through the Internet at the pretrip stage helps individuals adjust expectations to be realistic, and the realistic expectation leads to reduce the negative satisfaction disconfirmation and maintain a higher level of satisfaction. In terms of satisfaction modification, postconsumption experiences at the social platform reconstruct previous memories and accordingly modify satisfaction. The modifi ed satisfaction eventually infl uences overall life satisfaction.

This chapter contributes to the QOL research because it suggests the alternative independent variables of travel satisfaction and overall life satisfaction, which are in fi ve need constructs and can be measured through survey research methods. Future studies should be conducted to test the two proposed models. The proposed models in this chapter focus on pretrip behavior and posttrip behavior. However, the Internet with mobile technology and location-based technology is increasingly
playing a signifi cant role in travel satisfaction at the during-trip stage. Future study should be conducted to explore the Internet role at this stage and its impacts on travel satisfaction and overall life satisfaction.

from BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16553108 FANTASTIC NEW TECHNOLOGY New interface controls challenge status quoBy Leo KelionTechnology Reporter, BBC News, Las VegasPuppet playing can only happen thanks to highly sophisticated bouncing light technologyContinue reading the main storyRelated Stories

• New Intel chip on Motorola phones
• 'Affordable' 3D printers at CES

On screen two animated "puppets" are wriggling around.As the big blue hippo and thin red worm dance from side to side, on the bottom right of the screen their movements match shapes cast by images of two fluorescent green hands.These in turn mirror actions being taken by SoftKinetic's demonstrator which is gesticulating wildly just 15cm in front of the firm's new DepthSense camera.Gesture-controlled interfaces are nothing new. Microsoft's Kinect sensor became the world's fastest selling consumer electronics device when it was launched for the Xbox console in late 2010 - and this year's Consumer Electronics Show is jam packed with companies putting it to alternative uses.However, what makes SoftKinetic's device stand out is the fact that the user can be close to the sensor - making it suitable as a control mechanism for laptops and tablets."The technology is very different from what Microsoft is using," the Belgian firm's chief executive Michael Tombroff tells the BBC."We use something called Time-of-Flight which is our own patented technology which is more suited for close interactions."3D displaysThe system works by projecting light into space which then bounces back to the camera. The sensor calculates the light's "time of flight" to work out the how far away the various parts of the users' body are."We can adjust the illumination according to the distance," Mr Tombroff explains."The further you want to see objects the more illumination you need because they are far away, the closer they are the lower the illumination. Time of flight is very good for both ends of the spectrum."SoftKinetic say their device is "very different" to Microsoft's KinectThe firm's ultimate ambition is to shrink its camera so that it is small enough to fit into ultrabooks and smartphones, and license out the technology to manufacturers.Beyond hand puppet animations and gaming it suggests more serious applications such as computer aided design and the control of 3D displays."You will see objects coming out of the screen... and you will be able to grab and play with them," said Mr Tombroff.At the start of the Las Vegas trade show, the organiser - the US's Consumer Electronics Association - predicted that this would be "the year of the interface".It said the companies would aim to make operating devices a "seamless, natural experience" in which the technology involved would "move into the background."The proliferation of gesture-controlled devices on show has borne that out. Examples include booths in which shoppers can spin around avatars of themselves wearing virtual clothes and robots whose movements are controlled with a wave of the hand.Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteThe world has changed - people want to bring their digital lives into their cars”Robert PolicanoMercedes-BenzNew uses of voice recognition have been the other major development, albeit with mixed results.Windows Phone's senior product manager, Derek Snyder, had a nasty moment when his demo of the operating system's speech recognition facility briefly went awry in front of an audience of thousands at the firm's keynote presentation.Show-and-tells of Samsung's new voice controlled television set also proved glitchy at times, with misunderstood commands and the system refusing to acknowledge instructions if unapproved words were added to requests.These issues are likely to be worked out as natural speech recognition software advances.However, some firms have believe it is wise to resist the technology at present.Keeping it simpleDaimler's Mercedes Benz USA division has opted for a flywheel control for its new mbrace 2 dashboard system, unlike its rival Ford whose Sync system focuses on voice.Mercedes' "command controller" can be spun around and moved up and down to act as a toggle or cursor for its display unit which provides access to internet services including Facebook, Google, Yelp and Associated Press news.The new Mercedes SL-class will be the first model to be equipped with mbrace2 in April - with a wider roll-out happening next yearWhile the firm has used similar control mechanisms in the past, its key innovation is the interface it controls which strips down apps down to their basics.The company put together its own app development team in Silicon Valley's Palo Alto last year. It coded and designed the apps, while keeping in close contact with original developers such as Facebook to ensure they approved of its efforts to make the apps safer to use while driving.Mbrace 2 users can add Facebook status updates based on pre-written templates"If you want to post to your wall you can do that using a series of canned messages already plugged in there," explains Robert Policano, the firm's product manager of telematics services."The advantage of that is that you don't have to take your eyes off the road for more than a few seconds to access that."It will recognise where you are so you can use it to post your estimated time of arrival, where your ultimate destination is, or a [pre-programmed] cheeky message such as 'I'm stuck in darned traffic again.'"More elaborate messages can be written from scratch, but the system will refuse to accept them unless it detects the car has been parked, to protect the motorist and other road users.The firm's Google app also offers panoramic images provided by the search firm and other users to help motorists work out where to go. Pre-programmed menu commands can also hunt out nearby petrol stations or points of interest via the internet."Keeping [drivers] eyes on the road as much as possible is a top priority," Mr Policano says.Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteWe know exactly where you are looking all the time”John ElvesjoChief technology officer, Tobii"But the world has changed - people want to bring their digital lives into their cars, they have this craving for information whether it's the weather, the latest stocks, current traffic conditions or who is talking about them on their [Facebook] walls. So with that realisation we said how can we do this in the smartest way possible."Eye controlsAn even smarter alternative may be just around the corner.Swedish firm Tobii is attending CES for the first time to promote its Eye Tracking technology.Its sensors measure the position and movement of the users' eyes hundreds of times every second allowing desktop PCs and laptops equipped with its sensors to be controlled by gaze.Using the equipment feels like the computer has learned how to read your mind.Pages of text starts to scroll upwards as you reach the bottom part of the screen.A game of Asteroids can be controlled by flicking your eyes towards each space rock activating laser blasts to prevent the objects from reaching earth.And objects can be selected from a page full of images by staring at the relevant photograph until it is replicated at the top of the screen - glancing at this copy then expands the picture to fill the whole screen.The timeless classic arcade game Asteroids can now be powered by flicking your eyes"We know exactly where you are looking all the time," says the firm's founder and chief technology officer John Elvesjo."So you can have interfaces that adapt to your gazepoint. The simplest example is a screen that turns on when you are looking at it and is off when you are not looking at it."Or let's say in a car with a heads up display I can minimise the readouts in size and light intensity until you look at them - and then they grow bigger and brighter."Leaving the 'stone age'Tobii's technology is already used to help disabled people control computers, but its packages currently retail for around $6,000 (£3,910).It says costs and sensor sizes must be reduced if the technology is to enter the consumer market, but adds that virtually every games console and PC maker has bought and trialled its technology. China's Lenovo has already produced a concept laptop with the technology built in and Tobii predicts Eyetrack could go mainstream in as little as two years.It is attending CES to encourage software developers to start work on related apps."You have PlayStation's Motion and Xbox's Kinect when you are at a distance, you have touch when you are really up close, but on that middle distance where we are working all the time with our computers, you have nothing," says Mr Elvesjo."And you have like a stone age keyboard with a kind of stone age mouse - so it's up for innovation."Whether Eye Tracking, Time-of-Flight based gestures, voice or some other technology fills that space is still up for grabs.2012 may not yet be the year of the paradigm changing, glitch-free new interface for the masses - but the future feels tantalisingly close.

Guest Speaker Programme 2nd Term 2012Barnes Lecture Theatre – 3-4 pmOrganised by Simon Thomas 
Join us at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/tourism 


Tuesday 17th January - CH&Co:  http://www.chandco.net/ CH&Co are one of our most successful placement companies and over the years have been great supporters of BU and our student development. They operate in the very competitive market of contract caterers, delivering a wide range of brands predominately situated in London and the surrounding area. Their clients range from high profile law firms and Buckingham Palace, through to major businesses and enterprise organisations. They also operate a very successful event brand operating in locations such as the Natural History Museum. Alison Gilbert, Human Resources Director and Josh Light, Learning and Development Manager will be joined by their current placements students to give you an insight into their business and the opportunities with CH&Co.
Tuesday 24th January – AITO: http://www.aito.co.uk/ Kate Kenward, Executive Director of AITO has been a long standing supporter of BU and keeps her finger firmly on the pulse of her sector and the latest developments. The Association of Independent Tour Operators offers an unrivalled collection of financially protected quality holidays from award-winning specialist independent tour operators. The sector has been experiencing healthy growth over the last few years and is certainly worth considering.
Tuesday 31st January – Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons: http://www.manoir.com/web/olem/le_manoir.jsp Le Manoir, nestled in the picturesque Oxfordshire village of Great Milton, is renowned as one of Britain's finest gastronomic experiences. It is also one of the country's most intimate and original hotels, with 32 individually designed guest rooms. Created by celebrated chef Raymond Blanc, Le Manoir has been delighting guests since 1984. A year later it was awarded two Michelin stars, which it has now held for a remarkable 28 years.
Emma Tomlin, Human Resources Officer will be presenting opportunities at Le Manoir and the student experience to date.
Tuesday 7th February – Poole Tourism: http://www.pooletourism.com/ Poole Tourism has the enviable task of marketing and managing a bustling Quay, the best beaches in England and a stunning harbour that make Poole a natural first choice for a trip to the South Coast. Graham Richardson, Tourism Manager for Poole, will explain the range and complexity of managing the relationships between all interested business partners in order to keep Poole a destination of choice.
Tuesday 14th February – Tourism and Hospitality Research at BU This presentation will give an insight into the great work being undertaken at BU by Prof Dimitrios Buhalis: http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/tourism, http://www.buhalis.com and the PhD team. The scope and range of their research, which many of you have used in your own research for assignments, is cutting edge and entails new developments in social Media. A session that shouldn’t be missed and will certainly be helpful for the remainder of your degree.
Tuesday 21st February – Blue Arrow Catering and Blend: http://www.bluearrowcatering.co.uk/  Blue Arrow Catering & Blend is the premier provider of temporary, contract and permanent recruitment solutions to the catering and hospitality sector. Blue Arrow Catering & Blend employs specialist recruitment consultants with experience across all areas of the catering and hospitality industry. With an in-depth understanding of both clients’ and candidates’ needs, Blue Arrow Catering & Blend is uniquely positioned to provide the best consultative service in the industry.Rodney Burt, Branch Manager Southampton & Guildford will explain the finer details surrounding client relationships and the nature of the service they provide in an increasingly important and confusing employment market. Blue Arrow have been our most successful company to date in terms of the number of students they have employed from BU, with many returning after graduation to begin their career in earnest.  
Tuesday 28th February – Goodwood Estate: http://www.goodwood.co.uk/goodwood-estate/goodwood-estate.aspx Goodwood Estate has been the home of the Dukes of Richmond for more than three centuries. Whether its motorsport, horseracing, golf, art or fresh seasonal menus - everything they do offers a truly unique English experience.
However, as you will see from their website, the Goodwood Estate offers so much more. Natalie Goldring, Senior People and Development Advisor at Goodwood, will explain the diverse but highly successful business model and hopefully entice you to enquire about a career at Goodwood.
Tuesday 6th March –Convivial London Pubs: http://conviviallondonpubs.com/    Kris Gumbrell, CEO at Convivial London Pubs and Bournemouth graduate from 1988 will deliver an informative and insightful presentation on running a small business. Kris is a typical entrepreneur, balancing his role at Convivial with being a Non Executive Director at Country Food & Dining and Managing Director at Eclipse Business & Management Services Ltd. He was Operations Director at Greene King Plc from 1999-2007 and was previously Retail Development Manager at Scottish & Newcastle from 1996-1999. Kris is clearly a very driven and successful entrepreneur who has employed BU placement students for a number of years and has taken some on as graduates in a range of different roles.  
Wednesday 14th March – Careers Forum (Note date of day)This is an exciting and unique event happening at BU. The School of Tourism will be hosting a Careers Forum, including key note speakers, workshops and a Careers Fair focused on the Hospitality and Events industries. The event has been organised by current level I Events students as part of their degree. They have done a great job in putting together a great programme for the day and have benefited immensely from engaging with industry in a highly professional manner.
Key note speaker representing the Hospitality industry is Michel Roux Jr: http://www.michelroux.co.uk/ notable for his recent hosting of ‘Masterchef The Professionals’ and ‘Service’ on BBC television but he is also a two-star Michelin Chef at the London restaurant, Le Gavroche. There will also be a keynote speaker representing the Events industry still to be confirmed.
Further details will be available soon through regular updates and marketing campaigns. Please bear in mind that spaces will be limited as there will be invitations to external organisations and educational establishments as well, so please book when available.       

  

The MSc in eTourism at Bournemouth University aims to demonstrate how tourism professionals can use Information Technology strategically to improve the competitiveness of their organisations. Technology is increasingly used strategically to enhance profitability and competitiveness for tourism organisations and to facilitate the planning, managing and marketing of destinations.



This course aims to explore the strategic and operational use of information technology in the tourism, travel and hospitality industries for both destinations and organisations. It examines the range of available technologies and explains how they can contribute to the operations and competitiveness of particular tourism, travel and hospitality organisations. The course also explores how tourism organisations in each sector of the tourism travel and hospitality industries can develop and use Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 technology to engage with stakeholders in order to maximise their performance, efficiency and effectiveness.

This is an exciting new course which is currently being developed through our course approval process. This page will be updated to give you full and comprehensive information about what we will be offering once the approval process has concluded.

Next start dates: September 2012, September 2013

School: School of Tourism, Bournemouth University (Talbot Campus)

Duration: 12/15 months full-time or 2 years with placement option; 2 years part-time

http://courses.bournemouth.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-degree/etourism/msc/3562/

Delivery method:Full-time, Part-time
Entry requirements: A qualification equivalent to a UK Honours Degree, 2:1 or above. Applicants are encouraged to provide details of relevant work experience.
Preferred subjects: All subjects are considered but related subjects may prove advantageous.
If English is not your first language:IELTS 6.0 (Academic) or above.
International entry requirements
Course reference: MSETF
Related courses:Tourism, Hospitality and Events

A hierarchical model of technology adoption for small owner-managed travel firms: An organizational decision-making and leadership perspective

Andrew J. Spencer b,*, Dimitrios Buhalis a, Miguel Moital a
a School of Tourism, Dorset House, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, UK
b Department of Management Studies, University of the West Indies, Mona


This article assesses the diffusion of innovation theory and the technology acceptance model, and explores the factors influencing the decision to engage in technology adoption in small owner-managed travel firms. This is done through the use of the overarching theory of organisational decision-making to identify concepts and constructs which relate to the decision to adopt. The work aims to identify the genesis of adoption decisions in particular where owners are themselves the managers and provide leadership for the organization. After the distillation of factors it was found that due to simple hierarchical structures and decision-making processes which were further exacerbated by immediate self interest, leadership was the most significant driver. This article goes further to identify leadership typologies at each level of technology adoption in firms.

technology adoption for small owner-managed travel firms: An organizational decision-making and leadership perspective Andrew J. Spencer b,*, Dimitrios Buhalis a, Miguel Moital a a School of Tourism, Dorset House, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, UK b Department of Management Studies, University of the West Indies, Mona a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 26 May 2011 Accepted 10 November 2011 Keywords Technology adoption Decision-making Leadership Diffusion
Highlights► This study is new to mainstream research and to the tourism context. ► Leadership typologies for technology adoption along an adoption hierarchy are illustrated. ► New categorizations are: resistors, enforcers, stabilizers, reactors and converters. ► Findings show why some firms are at higher levels of technology adoption than others.Keywords: Technology adoption; Decision-making; Leadership; DiffusionArticle Outline

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Literature review: theoretical framework
• • 2.1. Innovation diffusion and leadership
  • 2.2. Firm leadership
  • • 2.2.1. Transformational versus transactional leadership
    • 2.2.2. Concepts and issues in leadership theory
    • 2.2.3. Transformational leadership and organizational context
  • 2.3. Firm ownership
  • • 2.3.1. Entrepreneurship
  • 2.4. Classical approaches to technology adoption
  • • 2.4.1. Adoption perspectives
    • 2.4.2. The post-Internet phase
  • 2.5. Travel intermediaries
  • • 2.5.1. The travel context
• 3. Methodology
• • 3.1. Data collection
• 4. Findings
• • 4.1. Qualitative data
  • • 4.1.1. Education
    • 4.1.2. Previous work experience
    • 4.1.3. Technology experience
    • 4.1.4. Risk aversion
    • 4.1.5. Family composition
    • 4.1.6. Intellectually stimulating traits
• 5. Discussion
• • 5.1. The leadership typologies
  • • 5.1.1. Resistors
    • 5.1.2. Enforcers
    • 5.1.3. Stabilizers
    • 5.1.4. Reactors
    • 5.1.5. Converters
• 6. Conclusions and implications
• References
• 
  

The convergence of leadership and technology adoption in itself is not new however the identification of distinctive characteristics of leaders who stimulate each new level of adoption along an adoption hierarchy in firms is one step closer to understanding the determinants of technology adoption. This was previously lacking particularly for small, owner-managed travel firms. The final product which has emerged is new in concept and in context. Conceptually this is the first study to design a model that creates and illustrates new leadership typologies at each level of technology adoption along an adoption hierarchy. This type of study is new to mainstream research and even more so to the tourism context. The emphasis on travel agencies has now opened up avenues for similar research on small tourism supply firms such as small owner-managed hotels. This kind of research is also completely new in the Caribbean and will no doubt influence a wave of e-tourism research in the region. In the final analysis this study has developed an applicable set of classifications which consider more technologically related variables to be advanced from a leadership perspective in order to understand why some firms are at higher levels than others. It must be noted that this model is transferable only to the extent that firms are small, owner-managed and operate in a common context as it relates to the digital divide and culture. This means that comparative research across cultures or societies may require different conceptualizations.

The management implication and recommendation is that small travel firms, which are not engaging in multiple platform distribution, should assess whether this decision is one that is driven by solid market research or the intuition and preferences of leaders, which have been shaped by their own personal experiences. This will require independent assessment which goes outside of the unilateral decision-making approach. The firms without a formalized board of directors should seek to institute boards in an effort to ensure that decision-making is sound and driven by singular personalities. This may or may not lead to increased technology adoption, but it will provide more logical and rational decision processes which are needs-based.


http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011.11.011

The future of Tourism - Bournemouth University Forum at the World Travel Market
Chaired by Professor Dimitrios Buhalis

The future of TourismChaired by Professor Dimitrios Buhalis Invited Presentations
Dr Marcio Favila, United Nations World Tourism Organisation, Global Tourism Trends
Professor Adele Ladkin Human Resources trends and Tourism
Dr Richard Shipway Olympics, Sport Tourism and Legacy

Invited Panelists include :
Marcio Favila, United Nations World Tourism Organisation
Dermot Blastland TUI UK
John Kent YouTravel & Aquis UK and Greece
Jens Thraenhart DragonTrail.com China
Dmitry Khrapov tutu.ru Russia
Gerard Brown, UBM Aviation, Routes UK

31 Cited Documents Save list DeleteTotal Citations <2009 200920102011Subtotal >2011  Total 25296124150370116331 2000  Marketing the competitive destin...88373028951832 1998  Strategic use of information tec...561719205621143 2008  Progress in information technolo...152743755814 2002  The future eTourism intermediari...38101110311705 2004  eAirlines: Strategic and tactica...24775191446 2004  The perception of small and medi...1175517287 2003  ICTs and Internet adoption in Ch...734411188 2002  Outsourcing IT for small hotels:...543411169 2006  E-Commerce in China: The case of...4245111510 2010  Progress in tourism management: ...27911011 1993  RICIRMS as a strategic tool for ...9111012 2009  Information technology applicati...2681913 2001  Tourism in Greece: Strategic ana...51214914 2008  Enabling access to tourism throu...1426715 2007  Customer empowerment in tourism ...2145716 2008  Performance measures of net-enab...1124417 2010  Network analysis and wine routes...33318 2008  Usability of Chinese destination...33319 2006  Response quality of e-mail inqui...111220 2011  A hierarchical model of technolo...0021 2011  To what extent are regional tour...0022 2011  The Formation of a Tourist Desti...0023 2011  Search engine marketing: Transfo...0024 2010  An analysis of academic leadersh...0025 2010  Digital divide in tourism0026 2008  Accessible tourism introduction ...0027 1999  'Agenda 2010: For small business...0028 1995  Eurotourism: Research and perspe...0029 1994  Eurotourism: research and perspe...0030 1994  Urban tourism & city trips, Rott...0031 1993  Tourism and the environment: a s...00

Tourism Climate Change and Sustainability
Bournemouth University
13 - 14 September 2012



The International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research (ICTHR), Bournemouth University, is pleased to announce this important conference with an aim to debate the broader conceptual ideas and contested relationships between climate change, sustainability and tourism as well as to examine worldwide responses and exchange cutting-edge research.

This conference will feature keynotes from high-level policy makers from international agencies including UNWTO, UNESCO, UNEP, European Commission and leading research institutions.
This tourism conference is expected to be crucial for researchers interested in Green Economy and Sustainability aspects as it will follow the Rio+20 UN Summit.
Themes for abstracts
Advancements in sustainable tourism; climate change and sustainability - common ground; green economy; ecosystem services; indicators and planning; small island developing states; sea-level rise; natural disasters; protected areas and heritage conservation; road transport and aviation; hospitality and green issues; greenhouse gases; climate change adaptation; climate change mitigation; emerging techniques; and future research implications.

Keynote speakers
Mr Luigi Cabrini, Director UNWTO Sustainable Tourism
Dr Ishwaran Natarajan, Director UNESCO Division for Ecological Sciences
Dr Richard Butler, Emeritus Professor, University of Strathclyde
Dr Stephan Harrison, University of Exeter & Oxford University
Representative from the UNEP DTIE SCP Branch, Paris
Representative from the Tourism Unit European Commission, Brussels
Panel Discussion: policy agencies and key industry players.
Organisers
Dr Vijay Reddy and Dr Keith Wilkes

Key dates
Abstract submission last date: 30 April 2012
Early bird registration closes: 30 June 2012

For queries related to abstracts and registeration
Please contact Mrs Karen Ward, Email: kward@bournemouth.ac.uk,
Tel: +44 (0)1202 961650

We look forward to welcoming you to Bournemouth in 2012!

Happy New year and Welcome to ENTER2012 Helsingborg Sweden  www.enter2012.org
We are very excited with all the developments happening and look forward to welcome you to Sweden IFITT AGM AND ELECTIONS

• IFITT AGM will be on Wednesday 25th January 2012 in Campus Helsingborg of Lund University, Campus Helsingborg, Universitetsplatsen 2, SE-251 08 Helsingborg, Sweden MAP       Time 18:30-19:30  Room U202  [AGM only for those who are members by that time. If you are not a member yet register today on http://www.ifitt.org/home/registerNewUser 
•  Board Elections - See Candidates background and intentions on http://www.ifitt.org/home/view/boardelections

VOTE FOR THE BEST JOURNAL PAPER

• Please Vote for the best journal paper   http://www.ifitt.org/home/view/IFITT-Prizes  - Prizes will be announced at Gala Dinner

ENTER2012 CONFERENCE

• Our programme is great : View and Download the detailed ENTER012 Provisional Programme
• Information for your arrival is available here http://www.ifitt.org/congresses/website/enter2012/arrive
• Maps and locations are marked here http://www.ifitt.org/congresses/website/enter2012/Conference_Location
• See our keynote speakers and join the discussions
• Celebrate Chinese New Year at the ENTER Reception on Wednesday 25th January
• ABBA Mamma Mia Conference Dinner Thursday 26th January - DRESS ABBA FOR THE OCCASION !!! Lets make this a night to remember !
• Fantastic Social Programme  http://www.ifitt.org/congresses/website/enter2012/SocialProgramme

Look forward to welcome you all to Helsingborg, Sweden !
             Prof Dimitrios Buhalis              IFITT President