Education – International Institute of Tourism Studies

GW Students Supports COVID-19 Recovery Through Digital Capacity Building in the Caribbean Region

GW IITSSeptember 23, 2021September 23, 2021Leave a comment

“Digitalization” was already a buzzword in tourism before the COVID-19 global health pandemic began in 2020, but the topic has since taken on new life as destinations and businesses develop and implement recovery strategies. In a recent survey by Skift of more than 1,000 tourism industry leaders, just over 80% said that they considered digital transformation strategies much more important or somewhat more important in light of COVID-19. The shift to digital is no longer simply helpful, but a requirement to remain competitive as travel rebounds.

For many tourism stakeholders in the Caribbean, digital transformation was not a top priority prior to the pandemic. According to Faye Gill, Director of Membership Services for the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), “As we recover and evolve from the impacts the pandemic has had on tourism in the Caribbean, we have identified the need for small, medium and even micro- tourism enterprises to leverage training and tools that can help them to capitalize on the efficiencies gained from implementing online processes, and systems, which can ultimately improve their ability to effectively compete in today’s dynamic environment.”

To address these challenges head on, CTO partnered with George Washington University’s International Institute of Tourism Studies (GW IITS) to develop a set of resources that would address the urgent need for digital transformation. The project was led by two recent George Washington University Master of Tourism (MTA) alumni, Beth Wright and Monica Schmidt. The recent graduates took part in GW MTA’s consulting project in the summer of 2020, working with a small team of students to develop COVID-19 recovery and resiliency strategies for the Belize Ministry of Tourism & Diaspora Relations. Following the success of the student consulting project, the two drew upon their learning from their capstone project to develop digital capacity building resources at a wider scale for the Caribbean.

The outcome of the GW and CTO partnership, which took place in the spring of 2021, was the delivery of two new, ready-to-use, resources: 1) a tourism research dashboard for tourism destinations, to aid in the rapid dissemination of data digitally, and 2) a digital capacity building toolkit for small to medium-sized tourism enterprises. Both tools focus on practical frameworks and resources for destination managers and tourism business owners and operators to rebuild their online presence and communications that allows them to compete on the global tourism scale.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred new opportunities for graduate level university programs to tangibly contribute to real-world solutions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred new opportunities for graduate level university programs to tangibly contribute to real-world solutions. The hands-on graduate consulting projects, as part of the MTA program, are a successful model for strategic partnerships between higher education institutions and regional development organizations that can result in meaningful and timely outcomes. Focusing on scaling these resources further, GW IITS and the CTO will be rolling out more training and mentoring opportunities for tourism businesses in the Caribbean in the coming months.

To watch a recording of the workshop led by Beth and Monica outlining the resources they developed, click here.

The Digital Toolkit for Tourism Businesses can be downloaded at: https://www.onecaribbean.org/resources/digital-tourism-toolkit/

Students Rise to COVID-19 Recovery Challenges in Belize and Grenada

GW IITSOctober 7, 2020December 21, 2020Leave a comment

Every year, students from the George Washington University Master of Tourism Administration program (MTA) spend two weeks over the summer working on consulting projects for a travel destination. They tackle real life tourism challenges and assist countries beyond the U.S. in their sustainable tourism development aspirations.

Seleni Matus, Executive Director of GW International Institute of Tourism Studies explains: "the summer practicum provides MTA students with unique opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge and see for themselves the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable tourism." Matus has organized and led the short-term study away programs with GW students in prior years to Italy, Indonesia, Mexico and Cuba.

In pandemic 2020, traveling was out of the question, so digital strategy, adaptation and resilience were required. GW students who would have been traveling to Kazakhstan for on-the-ground experience performed instead in the first-ever virtual summer practicum assisting the Belize Ministry of Tourism and the Grenada Tourism Authority with COVID-19 recovery planning efforts.

By the time the international tourism consulting project began in May, tourism industries throughout the Caribbean were diligently preparing to begin reopening their borders, and there was an urgent need to help micro and small tourism businesses to prepare to reopen safely. To assist where Belize and Grenada most needed it, the students developed digital strategies for the most pressing needs.

Prior to engaging with stakeholders, student teams conducted background research on their destinations and on global COVID-19 recovery best practices. Initial research done, the student teams proceeded to engage stakeholders virtually. They conducted surveys, business focus groups, and interviews with industry professionals.

The student teams created a COVID-19 Tourism Dashboard framework and a Digital Communications Toolkit for Tourism Businesses with specific advice for hoteliers. One of the team leaders, Monica Schmidt reflected, “Our team’s most significant contribution was initiating a deeper conversation around digital transformation for the Belize tourism sector.”

Reflections from other students on their experiences can be found here.

The challenges of conducting virtual practicums were real, but so were the students’ results, and the students’ products were very well-received. Being inside a country you are trying to assist in its tourism development efforts has obvious advantages, but the GW MTA students working virtually created and developed digital strategies for Belize and Grenada that prove mastery of the virtual space can be just as useful.

STUDENTS REFLECT ON THEIR VIRTUAL CONSULTING PROJECTS WITH THE BELIZE MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND GRENADA TOURISM AUTHORITY

GW IITSSeptember 16, 2020December 21, 2020Leave a comment

“We created a COVID-19 Digital Toolkit Video Series for tourism businesses in Belize to help them better position themselves using online tools and platforms in response to the pandemic. It was very meaningful to be able to create a useful resource and provide it directly to small and medium tourism businesses and the Belize Ministry of Tourism at such a critical moment.”

Beth Wright, Team Un-Belize-Able

“Our team’s most significant contribution was initiating a deeper conversation around digital transformation for the Belize tourism sector. I hope that conversations around the topics we recommended, including introducing digital payment systems and digitizing data collection, will continue in the coming months.”

Monica Schmidt, Team Un-Belize-Able

“Our Accommodations Toolkit provides the hotel sub-sector in Grenada with recommendations on how to react to the global pandemic and prepare for the reopening of tourism. The toolkit was signed off on by the CEO of the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association because of its great benefits for this industry."

Jess Wilson, Team Pure Grenada

“I appreciated that I got the chance to apply what I learned in the class to a real-world case by working with the Grenada Tourism Authority. Our team received invaluable feedback from our professor, classmates, clients and coaching panels throughout the consulting process. This experience gave me a realistic understanding of what consulting for tourism destinations is like."

Nuo Li, Team Pure Grenada

Overtourism Forum Draws Thought Leaders From Around the World

GW IITSOctober 18, 2018Leave a comment

In collaboration with our colleagues at the Center for Responsible Travel, on World Tourism Day—September 27th—the International Institute of Tourism Studies gathered industry leaders from around the world to share their approaches to the vexing challenges that stem from overtourism.

The forum, Overtourism: Seeking Solutions, was a great success in terms of attendance, media coverage and the sharing of ideas for possible pathways forward. As all presenters stressed, overtourism stems from a complex set of challenges; solutions will need to be multi-faceted and site-specific.

Francesca Street—who interviewed three of our panelists for her CNN feature Can the World Be Saved from Overtourism?—summarized the key takeaway as follows: “Speakers agree that government, locals and tourism companies working together is the best recipe for success. Events such as the World Tourism Day Forum also allow for cross-pollination and sharing of ideas on a wider scale."

Johanna Jainchill, in her Travel Weekly story Experts Talk Threat of Overtourism and Possible Solutions, said: "Among the clearest takeaways from the event was that governments worldwide need to step up and recognize they are the first line of defense in saving their historical cities and natural treasures from being "loved to death."

A few additional takeaways...

Recognize the tipping point: More isn't always better. Determine maximum capacity for your destination and monitor social media to determine whether it's on traveler hot lists.
Plan ahead: Make tourism part of comprehensive urban, regional and destination plans.
Stay flexible and adaptable: What works for historic sites doesn't necessarily work for beach communities, for example. Needs differ and change over time.
Rethink good governance and management: DMOs have a vital role to play beyond marketing; they need to participate in the sustainable management of destinations.
Redirect visitors: Encourage visitors to travel smarter, to seek out hidden gems and to contribute to the protection of the places they visit.

For those unable to attend the forum in person or via livestream, we've posted video recordings of the entire day on the International Institute of Tourism YouTube playlist.

MTA Students Consult on Geopark Project in Mexico

GW IITSJuly 6, 2016December 11, 2017Leave a comment

We've just returned from Mexico, where fifteen students from The George Washington University School of Business spent two weeks working on a tourism consulting project with the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí. The course, offered every year, is a unique and intensive opportunity to experience an international consulting project first-hand.

Check out the slideshow for photos from our trip and see more on Facebook!

Photo credits: Jill Christmas, Wendy Li, Zi Li, Michelle Wang

GW Scholars to Present Research and Applied Methodologies on Urban Planning During 3-Day Exec Institute

GW IITSMay 26, 2016Leave a comment

Did you know that Washington, D.C. is a national model for good urban planning, thanks to the proliferation of its Walkable Urban Places (WalkUPs)? Ranked higher than New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago, the country’s capital boasts dozens of pedestrian-friendly zones, extending from the district’s downtown to its outlying suburbs. Given current problems in places like Barcelona and Venice, where the influx of tourists is undermining the cities’ livability, visitor-friendly urban planning is becoming increasingly important and of particular interest to GW scholars along with city planners, real estate developers, hotel owners, and others interested in city planning.

GW’s International Institute for Tourism Studies (IITS) and its Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis (CREUA)—which have been conducting cutting-edge research on urban walkability and tourism—will be offering a three-day Executive Leadership Institute on September 21 to 23 at the GW School of Business.

The program will cover GW’s current research findings, research methodologies, and practical strategies and tools for enhancing a city’s appeal and quality of life. It’s particularly designed for real estate developers, government officials, nonprofits and place-based institutions, such as business improvement districts, neighborhood associations, historic preservation districts, and cultural heritage routes.

Professors Don Hawkins and Salvador Anton Clavé are two of the program presenters. Dr. Anton Clavé, a Visiting Research Scholar at the IITS and a Full Professor of Regional Geographical Analysis at the Rovira i Virgili University in Catalonia, Spain, has been studying new models for WalkUPs that can promote economic development and create positive relationships between locals and visitors. His work dovetails with that of Dr. Hawkins, founder of the IITS, who has been collaborating with the CREUA on the development of a methodology that analyzes the particular advantages of WalkUps.

For more information and to register for the program, click here. You can download the program’s PDF brochure here.

Tourism Plays Key Role in UN Sustainable Development Goals

GW IITSApril 27, 2016Leave a comment

How will we tackle the great, global problems of poverty, hunger, and social inequity over the next fifteen years? Or the threats posed by climate change, biodiversity loss, and unstable governments?

The United Nations' game plan is the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Adopted last September and endorsed by 150 world leaders, the SDGs place tourism as part of the solution to worldwide social and environmental problems. Goal 8, Goal 12, and Goal 14, which address economic growth and employment; sustainable consumption and production; and ocean and marine conservation all have tourism-related targets. That’s right—well-managed tourism is now widely acknowledged as a powerful development tool.

Not only that, but the UN declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Next year promises to offer an incredible opportunity for people working in the tourism field.

For students, professionals, and government officials who would like to participate in tourism-related UN development projects, George Washington University and the UN World Tourism Organization Themis Foundation are offering the comprehensive training course Tourism and International Cooperation for Development this summer and fall in Washington, D.C.

According to the description, “This intensive course trains university graduates, industry professionals, and government officials in subject areas related to international cooperation and development through tourism.”

Instructors include Dr. Don Hawkins and Professor Seleni Matus of GW’s Master of Tourism Administration program. The first half of the course is online from August 15 to September 25, and the on-site component takes place at GW from October 8 to 20.

Registration deadline is June 30, 2016. You can apply online. For more detailed information, click here: GW 2016 Course Brochure.

Photo credit: John Shedrick