IAST

President's Message

Dear Fellows:

I trust that this note finds you well and somehow negotiating the winter months however cold (or warm) it may be. I would like to announce that the next Academy Conference will be held in May 2024 at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida, Orlando Florida, USA, and as always it will be a great opportunity to meet Fellows and friends. This time, the Academy Conference will last four days and will be for Fellows and invited regional scholars only. Currently, in addition to the two business sessions, we are planning the usual wine and cheese get-together and a final Fellows dinner. Of course, during the conference, we will have the opportunity to explore Orlando's tourism offerings and learn more about some of our Fellows' great research activities.

Dan and I will be visiting UCF in a few weeks to meet with the local organizing committee to discuss and set the meeting dates and outline the meeting schedule. We will also visit Rosen Shingle Creek, the recommended hotel for our venue, which offers special rates for all meeting topics. Dan, our first Vice President in charge of the conference program, will provide additional information as a follow-up to the site visit in our next newsletter.

During the 2024 Academy meeting, the new Executive Committee will begin its work. Appointed at the last Leuven meeting, the Nominating Committee (David Airey (Chair), Sara Dolnicar, Aliza Fleischer, Cathy Hsu, Nelson Graburn, and Bob McKercher) began seeking candidates to serve on the Academy Executive Committee. The terms of the current President and first Vice President, who have served two terms, expire in 2024, and the second Vice President and Treasurer may be elected for another two-year term. As a matter of course, all members of the Executive Committee shall participate in setting the policies and actions of the Academy under the direction of the President. Within this body, the First Vice President usually takes the lead in preparations for the biennial meeting, the Second Vice President takes the lead in membership matters, including the admission of new Fellows and junior scholars, and the Treasurer keeps an eye on finances. In all cases, the Academy is supported by the Academy office, now hosted by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

I would also like to remind you that the ACADEMY-NET is officially up and running (as of January 1, 2023). It is intended for use by Academy Fellows and Fellows Emeriti only. You are free to use it in any way you see fit to further the mission of the Academy or your own research and educational efforts in tourism. I would like to remind you that you should include a brief descriptive title or subject line with your postings so that all Fellows can easily understand the nature of the posting and postings that are not of interest can be deleted. To post, send an email to: academy-net@hawaii.edu. Once again, the purpose of the ACADEMY-NET listserv is to promote intellectual debate and professional and personal narrative among all Fellows and Fellows Emeriti. Let's use it to stay in touch and discuss the many current issues among our very special network!

 

Cordially,

Karl

Karl Wöber
President,
International Academy for the Study of Tourism

IAST