Our events

The TRC regularly organises TRC Seminars following a traditional set-up and the more casual Tourism Research Sips, as well other outstanding events, as the TRC Symposium. Upcoming and past events in our TRC Seminar and Tourism Research Sips series along with information about the TRC Symposium are listed below. For more information on upcoming events, please contact trc@curtin.edu.au

Key events

Upcoming events

Upcoming events will soon be announced here. Alternatively, e-mail us at trc@curtin.edu.au to join our mailing list to receive information first-hand.

Past events

The Tourism Research Cluster co-hosted the Wangkiny Coolamon Research Gathering in 2023. The event took place in Perth as a component of the World Indigenous Tourism Summit held by the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance and the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council.

Due to ongoing travel restrictions, WITS had been postponed for 2023. For further information on the event, program and speakers and how to participate, please visit the symposium’s webpage.

This year’s TRC Symposium was co-hosted by Curtin’s Future of Work Institute and was held face-to-face in Curtin’s Perth CBD venue on 22 July, 2022. This year’s edition combined key industry and academic speakers to address focal workforce issues and solutions in the tourism, hospitality and events industry. Find out more about our biggest event of the year on the event page here.

The TRC partnered with the Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (Germany) and Australia’s South West on a series of carefully curated events.

The first component of the series, the Eichstätt Tourism Futures Event, took place online via Zoom on 27 April 2021 from 3 to 6pm (AWST) with a focus on recovery perspectives from Europe. A group of dedicated speakers discussed tourism recovery strategies across Germany, Slovenia, Italy, among other countries. Watch the full recorded event here.

The second edition, the Australia’s South West Tourism Futures Event, took place face-to-face in Yallingup, WA on 11 May 2021 from 2.30 to 5.30 pm (AWST) and was also streamed online. In this event, we presented evidence on the effectiveness of tourism recovery strategies and on resident support for tourism in challenging times. The event featured international perspectives from countries leading in post-COVID tourism recovery trajectory due to a high-paced vaccination roll-out or low infection rates, such as the UK, China, and the Maldives. Keynote speakers from each of these locations joined us to share experiences and observations with respect to tourism revitalisation in their countries and provided useful insights into pathways of tourism recovery.

Together with all our industry and government partners, we were thrilled to inform that this event featured the launch of the first annual report produced by the UNWTO endorsed Australia’s South West Sustainable Tourism Observatory, delivering evidence-based pathways to sustainable tourism in an iconic tourism destination. To watch the recorded event, please click here.

Curtin Corner is a seminar series that features a broad range of topics in a seminar and discussion format, to view other Curtin Corners, please click here. TRC members have presented insightful discussions in JCIPP Curtin Corner this year, which you can access online:

The governance and regulation of the Influencer industry

Associate Professor Crystal Abidin
Principal Research Fellow, ARC DECRA Fellow, Curtin University

Watch online presentation here.

Has COVID-19 killed the Airbnb business model?

Dr Mingming Cheng
School of Management and Marketing
Curtin University

Watch online presentation here.

View presentation slides

The Olympic Games: Winners, losers and legacies

Professor Kirsten Holmes
School of Management and Marketing
Curtin University

Watch online presentation here.

View presentation slides

Curtin University’s Tourism Research Cluster launched Australia’s first UNWTO-endorsed tourism observatory at Pullman Bunker Bay Resort, Naturaliste on Friday the 27th September 2019. Along with key partners Tourism Western Australia, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions – Government of Western Australia, Australia’s South West, Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association, South West Development Commission, Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia and Expedia, the TRC officially introduced the observatory to tourism stakeholders and the broader public.

To assist in launching this important observatory, Josh Whiteland from Koomal Dreaming and Gene Hardy from Cape to Cape Tours shared thoughts on tourism development, conservation and sustainability.

Event details:

Date: Friday, 27 September 2019, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Location: Windmills I & II, Pullman Bunker Bay Resort
42 Bunker Bay Road, Naturaliste WA, 6281 (map)

TRC Symposium

TRC x CRL Symposium – The Digital Future of the Tourism Industry in Western Australia

The Tourism Research Cluster’s Annual International Symposium was co-hosted by Curtin’s Consumer Research Lab on 18 February 2021 with a focus on the ‘Digital Future of the Tourism Industry in WA’.

Digital innovation has already disrupted the way tourism businesses operate. In times of global crisis and technological disruption, the 2021 TRC x CRL Symposium brought together key academics and industry leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges of digitalisation in tourism, foster digital readiness and strengthen digital resilience in the industry, and to discuss strategies to prepare the sector for the digital future.

Please visit the Symposium website for more information on the past event’s program and guest speakers.

2019 TRC Symposium: ‘From Under-Tourism’ to ‘Just-Right-Tourism’: Asian, European, American and Australian Perspectives

Date: Wednesday, 20 February 2019 | 8.00 am – 8.30 pm

View event page

Speakers:

Paul Papalia MLA, Minister for Tourism
Libby Mettam MLA, Shadow Minister for Tourism
Professor Nigel de Bussy, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Business and Law, Curtin University
Dr Michael Volgger, School of Marketing, Curtin University
Professor Christof Pforr, School of Marketing, Curtin University
Professor Kirsten Holmes, Dean of Research, Faculty of Business and Law, Curtin University
Dr Dirk Glaesser, Director, Sustainable Development of Tourism, United Nation World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
Prof Harald Pechlaner, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany
Prof Bao Jigang – Sun Yat-Sen University, China
Ms Natalie Olbrich, Eurac Research, Italy
Ann Sherry AO – Executive Chairman, Carnival Australia
Guy Taylor – Brand strategist, Tourism WA
Claire Werkmeister, Tourism WA
Steve Crawford, Parks & Wildlife Service
Gavin Treasure, CEO, Mid West Development Commission
Rob Taylor, CEO, WAITOC
Prof Helene Cristini, International University of Monaco
Prof Geoffrey Wall, Waterloo University, Canada
Prof Sam Huang, Edith Cowan University, WA
Dr Meng Wei, South China Agricultural University, China
Kevin Brown, CEO, Perth Airport
Christine Cole, Tourism WA
Prof Peter Newman AO, WA Scientist of the Year, Curtin University
Michelle Reynolds, CEO, Rottnest Island Authority

2018 TRC Symposium: ‘Growing the Asian Market for Tourism in WA’
Date: 25 June 2018 | 9.00am – 2.30 pm

View event page on BCEC website

Speakers:

Hon. Paul Papalia MLA, Minister for Tourism
Professor Nigel de Bussy, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Business and Law, Curtin University
Professor Wolfgang Georg Arlt, China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, Germany
Associate Professor Jianhong (Cecilia) Xia, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University
Dr Michael Volgger, School of Marketing, Curtin University
Associate Professor Christof Pforr, School of Marketing, Curtin University
Dr Lesley Crowe-Delaney, Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute
Associate Professor Vanessa Quintal, School of Marketing, Curtin University
Ms Zorana Soldat, School of Marketing, Curtin University
Ms Lisa Shreeve, Busselton Jetty
Mr Yan Lyu, Bunbury – Jiaxing Business Office

Tourism Research Sips

Upcoming Tourism Sips

Details on upcoming Tourism Sips will be added to this page when available, do check back regularly for updates.

Past Tourism Sips

Tuning into Taste: Communicating About Wine
Speaker: Paul Edwards – Director and wine educator, Full Bottle

Cruise Ship impact on WA Tourism
Speakers: Mark Exeter – Industry Development Officer, South West Development Commission

TRC seminars

Past Seminars

Art for Art’s Sake? Unveiling Trends and Painting a Picture of the South African Festival Landscape for the Future (08/11/2023)

Even before the pandemic, national arts festivals in South Africa were at a crossroads, grappling with declining audiences, fierce competition for sponsors, and limited government backing. Critics argued that these festivals had strayed from their original purpose of promoting the arts, resembling commercial bazaars more than cultural showcases. In this seminar, the current state of five prominent national arts festivals were analysed. The idea was to examine their resilience strategies during the challenging pandemic and explore the hurdles they must overcome to remain relevant in an ever-changing cultural landscape. During the seminar, Prof. Kruger unravelled South African festivals’ past, present, and future and paint a vibrant picture of what lies ahead for these arts and cultural festivals in South Africa.

Speaker: Prof Martinette Kruger

Prof. Martinette Kruger is a distinguished Professor of Tourism Management at North-West University’s Research Unit, TREES (Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society) in South Africa. She is an established researcher with a prestigious C3 research rating from the National Research Foundation (NRF). In 2019, she received the Distinguished Young Woman Researcher Award for Humanities and Social Sciences at the South African Women in Science Awards. Prof. Kruger specialises in market segmentation, particularly in festivals and events. She has examined various event contexts, including arts, music, sports, culinary, and exhibitions, focusing on market needs, especially in developing countries and multicultural societies. She has published 120+ articles, and as a dedicated supervisor, she has guided 20 honours, 15 masters, and 15 doctoral students. Prof. Kruger received the “Research in Excellence” award for junior researchers (2012-2015 and 2019) and the “Most Significant Contribution to Research” award in 2020. She has represented North-West University at over 85 national and international conferences, serves on ICOT and ISCONTOUR scientific committees, and is an associate editor for the Journal of Convention and Event Tourism. Prof. Kruger is a respected reviewer for national and international accredited journals, advancing research in her field.

The Power of Gamified Technology in the Tourism Experience

Speaker: Annika Aebli, Leuphana University Lüneburg (Germany)

Watch Webinar on Youtube

Tomorrow’s Travel Luxuries: Redefining “Luxury” for the Tourism IndustrySpeakers:

Xavier Sala Busquets (Market Manager – Perth, Expedia Group)
Li Ann Loo (Director of Sales and Marketing, The Ritz-Carlton Perth)
Sonia Beckwith (Proprietor, Live Ningaloo)
Guy Jeffreys (Executive Chef, Fogarty Wine Group)

Watch Webinar on Youtube

‘Blue’ to ‘Grey’? Australian Tourism Insights from Malta
Speaker: John Tunbridge, Carleton University (Canada)

Hosting Tourism on Magnetic Island: Place, Self and Narrative within Structures of Authority and Power
Speaker: Carol Mills, Curtin University

Breaking the “Crazy Rich Bogan” Stereotype: Opportunities, Challenges and Future of WA Film Tourism
Speakers: Mr Ian Brodie (Film Tourism Consultant), A/Prof Sean Kim (Tourism Scholar, Edith Cowan University), Ms Catrin Allsop (CEO, Australia’s South West), Ms Gabrielle Cole (Production Attraction & Services Coordinator, Screenwest)

Managing Tourism Flows and Quality of Life
Speaker: Professor Oswin Maurer

Balancing teaching, research and life
Speaker: Prof Karen Smith, Victoria University of Wellington and A/Prof Leonie Lockstone-Binney, William Angliss Institute

Introduction to real world labs
Speaker: Monika Bachinger, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg

Opportunities & Challenges of Peer-to-Peer Sharing in Nature-Based Tourism: Insights from the Black Forest National Park in Germany
Speaker: Monika Bachinger, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg

From ‘campaign-style governance’ to ‘daily governance’: A policy network analysis of scenic spots in China
Speaker: Dr Meng Wei, South China Agricultural University

Online booking portals and their significance
Speakers: Natalie Olbrich, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt

Developments in Aboriginal Tourism
Speakers: Robert Taylor – CEO, WAITOC and Tod Jones – senior lecturer and discipline lead for Geography, Curtin University

Current issues in management and development of regional airports
Speakers: Emma Heys, Dr Mirjam Wiedemann and Dr Piotr Niewiadomski

Industry connect: Promoting collaboration between academia and the tourism industry

Speaker: Professor Harald Pechlaner

The Clammy Hand of the Third Sector? Engaging the Voluntary Sector in Olympic Games Volunteering Legacies

Speaker: Associate Professor Leonie Lockstone-Binney

The Materiality Balanced Scorecard: Organisational change towards sustainability integration
Speaker: Mireia Guix

From Destination Governance to Destination Design: Old wine in new bottles?
Speaker: Prof Harald Pechlaner

Closing the gender gap: Identification of opportunities, barriers to career progressions and skills development for women in tourism
Speaker: A/Prof Jane Ali-Knight

Local government perspective in tourism development
Speaker: Nina Hewson

Tourism Research Australia: An overview
Speakers: Steve Matthews, Diala Raad

Selected issues about innovation in the accommodation sector: Cases from Europe
Speakers: Prof Harald Pechlaner and Michael Volgger

Cuba – ‘See it while you can’: Today’s tourist experience in a nation in waiting
Speaker: Dr Brian Shaw

Geotourism: An emerging opportunity for Western Australia
Speaker: Prof Ross Dowling

Things that make a difference: Exploring innovation in tourism destinations
Speaker: Michael Volgger

Is all tourism dark? A personal perspective
Speaker: Prof John Tunbridge

Testing the dimensionality of place attachment and its relationships
Speaker: Dr Haywantee (Rumi) Ramkissoon

Factors effecting engagement in indigenous tourism: An international perspective
Speaker: Campbell Fletcher

Anticipation, experiences and memories: A longitudinal study of mega event volunteering
Speaker: Dr Karen Smith

Destination governance and leadership
Speaker: Prof Harald Pechlaner

Film-induced tourism
Speaker: Dr Sue Beeton

Human resource development (HRD) in emerging tourism destinations
Speaker: Prof Tom Baum

Climate change and rainforest tourism in Australia
Speaker: Prof Steve Turton

Communicating World heritage
Speaker: Dr Lisa Marie-King

Assessing the benefits and challenges of alternative land use trajectories in dynamic multi-stakeholder settings
Speaker: Dr Brad Stelfox

Global and national trends for the business events industry
Speaker: Prof Margaret Deery

Agent-based modelling of tourism behaviour
Speaker: Dr Scott Heckbert

Cultural intermediaries and the construction of provenance: New ways to think about heritage in tourism
Speaker: Prof Jennifer Smith Maguire