PAST THINK TANK: THINK TANK XIV

DAVID SIMMONS PhD

Title: Sustainable tourism, market failures and the challenge of neo-liberal market economies
Date: 24. June 2014

David is the leader of Lincoln University's tourism programme and a founding staff member of the Social Science, Parks, Recreation and Tourism Group. He has been at Lincoln University since 1978 and a faculty member since 1980.

He is University Director of Research Strategy and Development, and Professor of Tourism.  He has recently completed two nationally funded programmes examining financial, economic, and sustainable dimensions of tourism yield, and their spatial effects. Prior to that, he led the investigation into a national government funded study into tourism planning, tourist flows and destination management.  Most recently he has been engaged as a member of the writing team for the New Zealand National Tourism Framework and annual state of sector reports.From 2008 – 2010 he was Director of Research for the Australian Federal Government’s ‘Sustainable Tourism CRC’ before returning to Lincoln University. 

David's presentation outlines the major market failures in tourism production and consumption and questions the changing role of (public sector) governments in market regulation and ‘economic’ development.  The presentation focuses specifically on the challenges of tourism governance in the growing neo-liberal economic philosophy.

DIRK GLAESSER PhD

Title: Current global initiatives to address the sustainability challenge in tourism
Date: 25. June 2014

Dr. Dirk Glaesser is Director for the Sustainable Development of Tourism Programme of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The programme addresses the generation of social, economic and cultural benefits for host communities resulting from sustainable development of tourism while minimizing the negative impacts upon the natural or socio-cultural environments. Dr. Glässer also supervises the UNWTO Consulting Unit on Biodiversity and Tourism based in Bonn (Germany) and is a member of the Extended Management Team of UNWTO.

Dirk is a banker by profession and Lieutenant Colonel of the German Airforce. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Lüneburg (Germany) and won the ITB scientific award for his work on Crisis Management. He is the author of a number of publications which have been widely translated.

A number of ongoing and new initiatives aim at the tourism sector with the intention of improving sustainability within the sector and through tourism in other economic and social activities. Dirk's presentation will reflect on UNWTO’s position and engagement in a selected number initiatives and the role they play for the tourism sector.