President's Message

Dear Fellows,

Greetings from Amherst, MA!

Time flies. I hope that wherever you are in the world, you are enjoying the changing seasons, whether you are heading into summer or winter. Those of us working in educational institutions remain perpetually busy with mentoring, advising, teaching, research, and, for some, administrative duties. The cycle continues. There isn’t a day that passes without a conversation about AI and its growing impact on our work. It is here to stay. We are all witnessing remarkable transitions and transformations across both academia and the business world. How fitting, then, that the theme of the upcoming Academy Meeting, Tourism Transition, captures this spirit of change. We look forward to gathering in Hong Kong, June 1–4, 2026, to explore these evolving dynamics together.

The Academy program for the Hong Kong meeting is coming together well. If you have not completed the survey or responded to the call for submissions, please do so by November 21: https://hkpolyushtm.asia.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3wNOy3wmxZrEXPM.

For panels or research presentations, contact the Academy program chair, Prof. Maria Gravari-Barbas. Updated details, including the Wine and Cheese Reception (June 1, 2026), are on the Academy website.

With that noted, please allow me to give you an update:

Fellow Professor Marina Novelli’s nomination as Chair of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics has been approved by Member States, beginning her four-year term. UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili congratulated her on the appointment. We extend our heartfelt congratulations as she assumes this leadership role. The Committee, an independent UN Tourism body, promotes and monitors the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, ensuring tourism development reflects fairness, inclusion, and respect for human rights, the environment, and cultural heritage. More information is available here: https://www.untourism.int/news/un-tourism-confirms-marina-novelli-as-new-chair-of-the-world-committee-on-tourism-ethics.

One of our distinguished Fellows, Prof. Douglas Pearce, has recently published a novel titled An International Mystery: Lepans’ Shadow (Opilu, 2025). Some of you may have already had the pleasure of reading it. It is a wonderful choice for holiday reading; you might even find a touch of yourself in its pages. Highly recommended!

We would like to share a short history from our Fellow, Prof. Tanja Mihalič, about the European Master in Tourism Management (EMTM), a program in which several IAST Fellows have taught. “The EMTM has been a landmark initiative in shaping tourism transformation, and it is with pride in its achievements and sadness at its conclusion that we note its final graduation ceremony, held in Girona in September 2025. As mentioned in the 2023 (Edition 2) Newsletter, where IAST expressed its concern and support for the program’s continuation, EMTM was co-created by the University of Girona (Prof. Jaume Guia), the University of Ljubljana (Prof. Tanja Mihalič), and the University of Southern Denmark (Prof. Janne Liburd). A strong link with IAST was forged through the participation of 15 Fellows as teachers. EMTM’s legacy endures through 17 cohorts and 430 graduates from 82 countries, whose impact will continue to shape tourism scholarship and practice”. With gratitude and admiration, we thank Tanja, Janne, and Jaume for their extraordinary contributions to tourism worldwide.

The following eight guest scholars: Anna Mattila, Penn State University, USA; Billy Bai, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; Graham Miller, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal; Iis Tussyadiah, University of Surrey, UK; Regina Scheyvens, Massey University, New Zealand; Robertico Croes, retired, University of Central Florida, USA; Wineaster Anderson, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Xinran Lehto, Purdue University, USA; and three emerging scholars: Api Movono, University of the South Pacific, Fiji; Carol Xiaoyue Zhang, Nottingham University, UK; and Claudio Milano, University of Barcelona, Spain have been invited to the Academy Meeting. Thanks, Alan, and thanks to the committee for bringing this to a conclusion.

The Academy Executive is pleased to announce a Research Essay Competition for Ph.D. students. In keeping with IAST’s mission to recognize and celebrate outstanding tourism research, this initiative extends that commitment to future scholars. The competition will award one Essay Competition Winner and up to two Honorable Mentions. The winner will receive a scholarship to attend the 2026 Academy Conference, covering registration and hotel accommodation. Essays should address the conference theme, Tourism Transitions. Winning entries will be invited to submit as Perspective Papers to Tourism Review. Application details and deadlines will be announced soon. Please share this call widely and encourage your Ph.D. students to apply. Special thanks to Ulli for leading this initiative.

As Fellows of the Academy, we play a vital role in tourism research, advancing knowledge of sustainable practices and destination management. Our work guides policy, drives innovation, and helps address critical challenges, including overtourism, climate change, and evolving traveler expectations.

Hoping for greater peace and stability in the world, I send my best wishes to all travelers, destinations, and the tourism community.

Prof. Muzzo Uysal

muysal@isenberg.umass.edu
President,
International Academy for the Study of Tourism