The t-Forum and its conferences are all about transfer of knowledge/intelligence to and within tourism. The intent is to bridge tourism theory and practice (as was the case in the inaugural conference of The t-Forum. This is a call for presentations discussing the whys and hows of tourism intelligence mobility in all directions, among all tourism stakeholders/sectors, both public and private.

Industry-Driven Conference Streams are:

1.   Markets

2.   Management

3.   Futures

Examples of presentation topics supporting these streams, singularly or in combination, include:

Please submit a 500-word abstract/summary of your presentation in which the following points are covered: 

·         What makes the subject matter important.

·         Current and/or forthcoming applications of this intelligence within a sector (such as hotel) or in a mixture of tourism operations (such as a destination).

·         Concluding remarks and recommendations.

Submissions, if accepted, will be presented in concurrent “paper” sessions. In addition, proposal for themed “paper” , panel , or workshop sessions are also invited. In the case of “paper” and panel proposals, the chair and four participants are to be named. In the case of workshop proposal, it can be conducted by one or more persons. These proposals are +/- 1,500 words in length. Accepted proposal will be scheduled in 90-minute concurrent slots.

In the case of free-standing submissions accepted for presentation, each will be scheduled as a 15-minute PowerPoint talk in concurrent “paper” sessions:

1.   The opening slide provides information about the author(s) and their affiliations.

2.   Two minutes on the topic/its importance and methodology. A link to the source where details can be accessed listed at the end of the second slide.

3.   The third and subsequent slides discuss the findings, coupled with practical examples/recommendations and/or cases where these findings have born fruits.

4.   The final slide(s), two minutes, pulls the pieces together, hints to ways forward.

All accepted presentation summaries will be made available on the conference website in advance.

Publications Opportunities and Awards

Book. The t-Forum publishes edited volumes on the transfer and management of tourism intelligence. A limited number of 2018 conference papers will be featured in t-Forum’s publications.  The selection process will favor collaborative contributions co-authored by practitioners and researchers. After the conference, authors of 15-18 papers will be invited to prepare their manuscripts for possible inclusion in the t-Forum book, published by Emerald in its Bridging Tourism Theory and Practice series, with their 3,000-word versions appearing in The t-Intelligence Briefs, the official journal of the t-Forum.  If you wish your paper considered for the Valene L. Smith Prize and/or for publication in the Bridging Tourism Theory and Practice book series, it should have been prepared according to this Style. 

Periodical. The t-Intelligence Briefs will be the official organ of the t-Forum. The goal/coverage of this periodical is aligned with the visionary mission of the t-Forum:  transfer of intelligence to and within tourism. Its approach is to show how theory can inform and engineer the fields of tourism innovation and practice, and to incubate issues or questions for investigation. This way the seemingly separate fields of theory and practice are poured into a single structuring and structured stream. Preference will be given to short contributions (about 3,000 words) co-authored by stakeholders in tourism.

Awards. The t-Forum conference will award the “Valene  L.Smith Outstanding Tourism Student Award” to four top presentations delivered at the conference featuring theoretically-based applications of tourism intelligence.  Each recognition package will include a copy of Dr. Valene Smith’s Stereopticon: Entry to a Life of Travel and Tourism Research and €1,000 cash award.

The t-Forum website.  The t-Forum has a sophisticated website (presently under re-construction) serving its mission and objectives in the transfer of t-Intelligence. This platform facilitates contacts and collaboration among Forum members and broad audiences in tourism theory and practice. Its real-time The t-Intelligence Briefs will publish news and short articles on the generation, dissemination, and application of tourism intelligence, as well as operation-based cases presented at t-Forum conferences.

Submission Evaluation Criteria

Relevancy. How relevant the subject is to the global community of tourism theory and practice and to individual practitioners.  What is innovative in the presentation or the communication. How practitioners benefit from this analysis or treatment. If academicians get to know about industry-generated questions for investigation.

Feasibility. Whether the coverage is applicable in the fields of practice. What would be required to use the intelligence in terms of financial, human capital, and institutional/governance frameworks.  What changes are required. What the explicit and implicit costs are. What internal and external benefits are.

Leadership. On what basis the proposal can be adopted/tried out. Whether these are theoretical or practical considerations, or both. What the previous accumulated experience are. What sort of leadership and governance will be needed for this type  of innovation/implementation.

Clarity. Whether the contribution is easy to understand by the intended audiences. Whether the analyses, proposals, and methods are clearlyexplained for non-specialists. Whether the contribution is a well-structured communication?

Important dates

Letters of acceptance*  and letters for entry Visa to Spain**

·         Submission: Prior to 30 January 2018 (after this deadline contact presentation@tforum.today to inquire if you can still submit an abstract; requests will be considered case by case)  

·         Author notification: 10 February 2018

·         Submission of the final version: 5 March 2018

NB Your paper will be considered for the Valene L. Smith Prize and/or for publication in the Emerald book if its full version is received prior to 05 March 2018. 

* Those who must secure travel budget in advance are advised to make their submissions as soon as possible (the review process will be rushed accordingly).

**Those who must apply for entry visas to Spain will be assisted with the process after the conference registration requirements are met. If visa applications in your country  take more time, you need to act the soonest. 

 The t-Forum conference is a few short days away. As noted on its website, your paper will be considered for the Valene L. Smith Prize and/or for publication in the Emerald book if its full version is received not later than March 9 emailing to presentation@tforum.today. As to the format of your presentation, please follow the guidelines here!

For the date/ time of your presentation, see the new program here!

We are looking forward to your participation in and contribution to the t-Forum conference

For more information please write to : presentation@tforum.today