University of Florida Brought Together Prominent Academics and Professionals at ATA Fellows’ Unique Conference on Tourism and Hospitality in Armenia
Gainesville, FL, July 26, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Some of the best and the brightest academics and practitioners from around the globe gathered at ATAF’s one-off special meeting successfully organized and conducted in Yerevan, Armenia to discuss, generate, disseminate and exchange ideas for promoting peace through sustainable tourism across borders in the Caucasus Region, specifically between Turkey and Armenia. The goal of the meeting was to reexamine, review and evaluate the past and present status of tourism development in Armenia and the Caucasus in general, and strategically chart the way ahead for sustainable tourism development for peace.
“This is a very special and well-focused meeting with the cream of the crop speeches and discussions, supplemented with well-organized social activities for an excellent opportunity to experience Armenia and Armenian culture as well as to network and share information with colleagues,” said the ATAF Project Director Dr. Asli Tasci. “Attending this unique conference is the best way for the interested parties to learn from one another, make new connections locally and globally and get involved in potential future endeavors regarding the Caucasus Region, Armenia and Turkey.”
During the three-day conference, held June 28-30, 2013, ATA Fellows furthered their network, relations and communications with relevant publics in Armenia and around the globe. US Ambassador to Armenia John A. Heffern made the opening of the conference, emphasizing the importance of the ATA Fellows Project. Thought provoking and inspiring speeches and discussions were delivered by speakers including Dean Abraham Pizam, Dr. Fevzi Okumus and Dr. Robertico Croes from the University of Central Florida; Dean Kaye Chon from Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Dr. Muzaffer Uysal and Dr. Mahmood Khan from Virginia Tech; Mr. Armin Zerunyan, the Hilton Worldwide Country General Manager Full Service Hotels, Turkey, and Mr. Roland Loog, the Executive Director of the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau besides other faculty and students who shared the same passion that was fueled by this meeting. Armenian Industry represented at the meeting included Caucasus Research Resource Centers of Armenia, the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia, International Center for Agribusiness Research and Education of Armenia, Armenia Holidays, and HyeLandz Eco Village Resort LLC.
Critical themes of the sessions included Peace and Tourism, Tourism and Sustainable Development, Tourism Management and Corporate Responsibility, Sustainable Tourism Issues, Stakeholders, and Capacity Building as a Prerequisite for Sustainable Development. Speakers shared their cumulative knowledge, experience and opinions with the attendees, which included industry practitioners as well as students from Armenia, Turkey and some other countries. The University of Florida team including, Dr. Michael Sagas, Dr. Asli Tasci, Dr. Yong Jae Ko, Dr. Svetlana Stepchenkova, Dr. Kelly Semrad and Ph.D. student Semih Yilmaz contributed to the meeting by actively being involved in organizing the meeting as well as sharing their latest research and exchanging ideas. Their presentations included: peace driven projects conducted by UF, consumer behavior in sustainable tourism and hospitality, community based tourism consumer profile, the image of Caucasus and Turkey from the Americans’ perspective, mega events in improving destination image and consumer loyalty, tourism impact on reducing social distance and curriculum development for capacity building in sustainable tourism development. Led by Dr. Gurhan Aktas and Dr. Artak Manukyan, Turkish and Armenian teams of faculty and students presented several topics, including the need for open borders between Turkey and Armenia, sustainable tourism and hospitality for equitable economic development, curriculum development for capacity building and sustainable tourism issues and stakeholders.
Several interesting questions were posed and comments were made by both the speakers and the audience regarding tourism development in Armenia. Specific attention was brought to Diaspora tourism and winter tourism. Meeting was concluded with a brainstorming activity in an intimate environment that was created to formulate future plans for further development of the ATAF project and similar others. The participants formulated project ideas in the general areas of Policy development, Research, Product Development, and Image and Brand Development. One common comment mentioned by different attendees in this session was that ATAF group and their philosophy should be sustained into the future. ATA Fellows are eager to contribute to crystalizing these new project ideas in the near future. Dr. Sagas, the Director of the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management at UF reassured: “This was a great wrap up of a very meaningful and engaging three year project; I look forward to the ongoing activities to develop as a result of this meeting.” Dr. Tasci concluded: “ATAF appreciates and honors those who contributed to the meeting and made a difference.”
Detailed information, photos, proceedings and presentations can be accessed at: http://uftourism.org/atafellows/conf/index.shtml.
ATA Fellows are energized with Eleanor Roosevelt's philosophy:
“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it.
And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
ATAF© (http://uftourism.org/atafellows/index.shtml)
“This is a very special and well-focused meeting with the cream of the crop speeches and discussions, supplemented with well-organized social activities for an excellent opportunity to experience Armenia and Armenian culture as well as to network and share information with colleagues,” said the ATAF Project Director Dr. Asli Tasci. “Attending this unique conference is the best way for the interested parties to learn from one another, make new connections locally and globally and get involved in potential future endeavors regarding the Caucasus Region, Armenia and Turkey.”
During the three-day conference, held June 28-30, 2013, ATA Fellows furthered their network, relations and communications with relevant publics in Armenia and around the globe. US Ambassador to Armenia John A. Heffern made the opening of the conference, emphasizing the importance of the ATA Fellows Project. Thought provoking and inspiring speeches and discussions were delivered by speakers including Dean Abraham Pizam, Dr. Fevzi Okumus and Dr. Robertico Croes from the University of Central Florida; Dean Kaye Chon from Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Dr. Muzaffer Uysal and Dr. Mahmood Khan from Virginia Tech; Mr. Armin Zerunyan, the Hilton Worldwide Country General Manager Full Service Hotels, Turkey, and Mr. Roland Loog, the Executive Director of the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau besides other faculty and students who shared the same passion that was fueled by this meeting. Armenian Industry represented at the meeting included Caucasus Research Resource Centers of Armenia, the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia, International Center for Agribusiness Research and Education of Armenia, Armenia Holidays, and HyeLandz Eco Village Resort LLC.
Critical themes of the sessions included Peace and Tourism, Tourism and Sustainable Development, Tourism Management and Corporate Responsibility, Sustainable Tourism Issues, Stakeholders, and Capacity Building as a Prerequisite for Sustainable Development. Speakers shared their cumulative knowledge, experience and opinions with the attendees, which included industry practitioners as well as students from Armenia, Turkey and some other countries. The University of Florida team including, Dr. Michael Sagas, Dr. Asli Tasci, Dr. Yong Jae Ko, Dr. Svetlana Stepchenkova, Dr. Kelly Semrad and Ph.D. student Semih Yilmaz contributed to the meeting by actively being involved in organizing the meeting as well as sharing their latest research and exchanging ideas. Their presentations included: peace driven projects conducted by UF, consumer behavior in sustainable tourism and hospitality, community based tourism consumer profile, the image of Caucasus and Turkey from the Americans’ perspective, mega events in improving destination image and consumer loyalty, tourism impact on reducing social distance and curriculum development for capacity building in sustainable tourism development. Led by Dr. Gurhan Aktas and Dr. Artak Manukyan, Turkish and Armenian teams of faculty and students presented several topics, including the need for open borders between Turkey and Armenia, sustainable tourism and hospitality for equitable economic development, curriculum development for capacity building and sustainable tourism issues and stakeholders.
Several interesting questions were posed and comments were made by both the speakers and the audience regarding tourism development in Armenia. Specific attention was brought to Diaspora tourism and winter tourism. Meeting was concluded with a brainstorming activity in an intimate environment that was created to formulate future plans for further development of the ATAF project and similar others. The participants formulated project ideas in the general areas of Policy development, Research, Product Development, and Image and Brand Development. One common comment mentioned by different attendees in this session was that ATAF group and their philosophy should be sustained into the future. ATA Fellows are eager to contribute to crystalizing these new project ideas in the near future. Dr. Sagas, the Director of the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management at UF reassured: “This was a great wrap up of a very meaningful and engaging three year project; I look forward to the ongoing activities to develop as a result of this meeting.” Dr. Tasci concluded: “ATAF appreciates and honors those who contributed to the meeting and made a difference.”
Detailed information, photos, proceedings and presentations can be accessed at: http://uftourism.org/atafellows/conf/index.shtml.
ATA Fellows are energized with Eleanor Roosevelt's philosophy:
“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it.
And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
ATAF© (http://uftourism.org/atafellows/index.shtml)
Contact
University of FLorida
Asli Tasci
352 294 1653
http://uftourism.org/atafellows/index.shtml
http://uftourism.org/atafellows/conf/index.shtml
Asli Tasci
352 294 1653
http://uftourism.org/atafellows/index.shtml
http://uftourism.org/atafellows/conf/index.shtml
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