INTERNATIONAL DYNAMIC DESTINATIONS: A new initiative dedicated to the art and science of destination development, management and leadership
The School of Management at Swansea University is delighted to announce the establishment of this unique initiative at the first ever Wales national conference on digital tourism marketing at the start of an exciting Year of Adventure in Wales.
The purpose of INTERNATIONAL DYNAMIC DESTINATIONS (IDD) is to research, collate, disseminate and promote innovation and international best practice in destination development and place-making.
This initiative will support the successful development of tourism and the visitor economy globally, helping Welsh Government to achieve its vision for tourism here in Wales and, of course, assisting our city regions in delivering their newly articulated visions.
Destination management is now regarded as the most significant aspect of growing a sustainable tourism industry. As a result, IDD is entirely aligned to the UN World Tourism Organisation’s priorities and agenda for tourism development over the next decade.
Picture: Worm’s Head, Gower, Swansea: a major tourist destination in south Wales.
At the heart of successful destination development in the 21st century is the understanding and application of big data. This means that INTERNATIONAL DYNAMIC DESTINATIONS will be part of Swansea University’s ongoing strengthening collaboration with IBM, thereby ensuring that the work of IDD can be inspired by, and will contribute to, the global IBM Safer Planet and Smarter Cities endeavours, via the IBM Center for Resiliency and Sustainability – IBM’s lead for public private partnership initiatives.
The opportunity for INTERNATIONAL DYNAMIC DESTINATIONS will be located at the School of Management at the science and innovation campus of Swansea University, building upon the exciting work already taking place, which includes:
• Collaboration with the Global Wellness Institute, Linser Hospitality and the regional ARCH project to develop wellness tourism
• Developing the international destination benchmarking work of Professor Terry Stevens
• The pioneering work on the Economics of Identity led by Dr Alan Sandry and Syd Morgan in association with the University of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia
• The groundbreaking COLD WATER ISLANDS TOURISM programme with Denmark and Scotland
• The Peace Through Tourism programme with the International Institute of Peace Through Tourism and the Wales Centre for International Affairs
• The collaboration with the Maritime Heritage Wales and the promotion of the role of maritime heritage in destination development
It will have the following objectives:
• CREATING NEW NETWORKS AND COLLABORATIONS IN PURSUIT OF INNOVATION EXCELLENCE IN DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT; discussions are already taking place with tourism organisations, universities and research centres in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Galicia, Ireland, New Zealand and the USA to establish this centre for sharing knowledge and developing joint research activities
• PROVIDING A PLATFORM TO ENCOURAGE FRESH, INNOVATIVE, THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT TOURISM AND ECONOMIC GROWTH GLOBALLY AND LOCALLY, including research and teaching in ‘hot topics’ associated with the emerging global tourism agenda such as the use of big data, impacts of conflict and movements of refugees, the economics of identity, adventure tourism, city tourism and the rapid emergence of ‘blue economy’ tourism and the oceans
Professor Marc Clement, Head of Swansea University School of Management, said:
“I am delighted that the School of Management is to play the lead role in establishing this unique initiative. Tourism is a major economic sector, and IDD will help us identify opportunities, and position Swansea as a centre of expertise internationally.”
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