Tourism Geographies: a Renaissance in the 21st Century

Evaluating Tourism and Leisure Geographies

D'Arcy DORNAN, M.A., Ph.D.Interim Director, Tourism and Hospitality StudiesAssistant Professor, Department of GeographyCentral Connecticut State University

AAG San Francisco, 2007

Outline1. Preface2. Programs:

• geography of tourism (CA)• tourism development professional program (CA)• geography of tourism (CT)• tourism and hospitality (CT)

3. ConclusionsBackground photo taken in the Roquefort Société Caves, Roquefort, France

Tourism Geographies1. Editor's Introduction - Alan A. Lew – A Place

called Tourism Geographies (1999). Should tourism be an academic discipline? Does it need to be one if geography exists already?

2. Guest Editorial - Allan M. Williams and Gareth Shaw –Tourism Geography in a Changing World (2000).

• RGS/I BG est. workgroup on the Geography of British Tourism in 1998. … organisational framework for addressing both the substantive and methodological challenges facing tourism geography

Background photo taken in the Vivendi Cyber Café, Paris, France

Tourism Geography Books

• H. Robinson - A geography of tourism

• Michael Hall and Stephen Page - The geography of tourism and recreation

Geography of Tourism

• Tourism studies designated emphasis in geography (UC Davis)– Academic capitalism

• Geography Graduate Group• University Outreach and International

Programs• Office of the Dean• Diverse graduate program interest

– Academic managerialism• Graduate Council

– Proposal evaluation» Participants, journal rankings, and bylaws

Background photo: Mondavi Performing Arts Center, University of California at Davis

Tourism Development Professional Program

• Professional certificate program (UC Davis Extension)

– Academic capitalism• Programmatic R&D• Conducted workshops

– Academic/professional managerialism

Geography and Tourism

• B.A. in Geography with tourism focus – CCSU (Est.1982)

Background photo: CCSU World Art Sculpture

Tourism and Hospitality Studies

• B.S. in THS (Est. 1999)• Interdisciplinary program Academic Capitalism &

Managerialism– Department of Geography (admin.)– School of Arts and Sciences– School of Business– Office of the President

Conclusions

• Tourism geography’s potential to anticipate and meet academic/industry needs/changes?

• Alan Lew’s impact - Geography for Travelers Podcast

• Questions of sustainability…

Industry/Academia Capitalism/Managerialism

Background photo: footprints on the beach, Ubatuba, Brazil

AAG - Chicago 2006

– Tourism geography: lost realities and prospective opportunities

•Identity problem•Academic and professional interest

– Challenges and opportunities

Background photo: travel agency in Montréal, Canada

Merci!et

Bon voyage!

Background photo: Osa Pennisula, Costa Rica