TOURISM FUTURES CONVENTION 2023

until 12:30

Arrival at Heilbronn (Convention Venue: AULA Bildungscampus, for more information see above)

12:30 – 13:00

Registration & Coffee Reception

13:00-13:15

OPENING | TOURISM FUTURES CONVENTION 2023

Prof. Dr. Stephan Bingemer, Chairman TOURISM FUTURES CONVENTION, Institute Director, Institute of Tourism, Travel & Hospitality

Prof. Dr. Ralf Vogler, Vice Institute Director, Institute of Tourism, Travel & Hospitality

Prof. Dr. Christian Buer, Chairman Heilbronn Hospitality Symposium, Head of Tourism & Hospitality Department

„Generating Value“: Heilbronn Hospitality Symposium & Supporters

13:15-13:30

CONVENTION IMPULSE | Idea of the TOURISM FUTURES CONVENTION

Prof. Dr. Stephan Bingemer, Chairman, TOURISM FUTURES CONVENTION 2023, Director, Institute of Tourism, Travel & Hospitality (ITTH), Research Professor of Tourism Futures & Technology

The TOURISM FUTURES CONVENTION is a new format in Heilbronn. But what is its purpose? Why in Heilbronn? Why one day before the reputated Heilbronn Hospitality Symposium? - A short introduction on the WHY.

13:30-13.45

KEYNOTE | Science Fiction: Fiction or Reality?

Prof. Dr. Ian Yeoman, Tourism Futurist, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Tourism Futures, Professor of Disruption, Innovation and New Phenomena in Hospitality and Tourism at NHL Stenden UAS

In the Science Fiction films, The Children of Men (2006) explores a crisis of fertility, The Day after Tomorrow (2004) represents the impact of climate change and inaction, Contagion (2006) is a plot about a highly contagious virus and West World (1973) is about intelligent machines and artificial intelligence. The films represent the issues of demography, climate change, technology and pandemics, thus science fiction has become a reliable indicator of the future. Professor Yeoman explores tourism as a science fiction film plot, given the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of tomorrows tourism. He draws upon examples from his most recent book Science Fiction, Disruption and Tourism and other publications.

13.45-14.15

PODTALK | Science Fiction, Disruption & The Future of Tourism

Guest:  Prof. Dr. Ian Yeoman, NHL Stenden UAS
Host: Prof. Dr. Stephan Bingemer, Heilbronn UAS

Tourism has seen many disruptions in the close past, such as financial crises, natural diseases, or COVID-19. Throughout the Corona Pandemic there was a lot of discussion on how tourism should move onwards. Much of the discussion was limited to the closer future up to the next one or two decades. Ian Yeoman and Stephan Bingemer will discuss on the value of studying the future far ahead of us. 

14.15-14.45

Coffee Break (30min)

14.45-15.00

CONVENTION IMPULSE | Creating Value in the Future of Tourism - The Role of Start-Ups and Tech 

Prof. Dr. Sven Sterzenbach, Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Tourism, Munich UAS

Even though large companies spend a lot of money on innovation, we find startups to play an important role for new ideas, concepts, and products. Professor Sterzenbach is deeply rooted in Germany’s startup scene and will provide us with valuable insights concerning interesting startups in the tourism industry.

15:00 – 15:30

PODTALK | Creating Value in the Future of Tourism - The Role of StartUps and Technology

Guests:  Prof. Dr. Sven Sterzenbach, Munich UAS
               Andrea Diewald, M.A., Executive Director, German American Chamber of Commerce Inc., NY, USA
Host:      Prof. Dr. Stephan Bingemer, Heilbronn UAS 
 
Andrea Diewald and Sven Sterzenbach and Stephan Bingemer will exchange on how startups can and do impact the future of tourism. In the light of inflation prevention by the ECB it has become more and more difficult to gain funding as a startup. What are the reasons behind this? What can startups do? What innovations have potential for more? What can startups do to scale? In how far are German and American views on startups similar or different?

15:30-16:00

Coffee Break (30min)

16:00-16:15

CONVENTION IMPULSE | The Race for Space in Tourism - How is our perception of space changing?

Kristina Epple, M.A., Ph.D. student, Heilbronn UAS

This session is not about space tourism but about our perception of space. What is the defintion of space? What is space in tourism? How does it develop over time? What is the future of space? What spaces are to be explored? Kristina Epple will take us on a journey to discover the different notions of space from her personal and academic viewpoint.

16.:15-16:45

PODTALK | The Race for Space in Tourism - How is our perception of space changing?  

Guests:  Kristina Epple, M.A., Ph.D. student, Heilbronn UAS
               Dr. Daniel Thorpe, Manager of Science Dome and Observatory, experimenta gGmbH
Host:      Prof. Dr. Martina Shakya, Heilbronn UAS

Technology has advanced a lot in the past years. Mixed and virtual reality in conjunction with AI allow to produce a variety of virtual spaces. One of those spaces that has been discussed in theory and practice is the Metaverse. But how about our understanding of real spaces? How are real spaces connected to tourism and what can we learn for mixed realities, composed of real and virtual spaces? 

16:45-17:15

Coffee Break (30min)

17:15-17:30

KEYNOTE | Creating Value through Female Top Managers

Prof. Dr. Christina Kühnl, Chair of Marketing, University of Stuttgart

Prof. Dr. Christina Kühnl is a leading Marketing academic and Professor of Marketing at the University of Stuttgart. Apart from Customer Experience Management and Digital Marketing & Sales, her research interest focuses on gender effects in enterprises. In her talk, she addresses (1) how female top managers contribute to firm innovativeness and company success; (2) how the current and future situation looks like in the service industries; and (3) how female role models may affect students’ career paths and workplaces.

17.30-18.00

PODTALK | Gender & Diversity in the Future of Tourism 

In the past decades, societies in Western nations have become more open-minded and aware on the importance of diversity. Nevertheless, reality still looks different, e.g. the gender pay gap is a well-known but unresolved phenomenon. How can we achieve environments that fulfill the UNWTO SDG goals? How can we achieve a higher share of female top leaders? How does diversity enrich tourism & hospitality companies? How does this vary worldwide? In this discussion, Prof. Dr. Christina Kühnl will meet Sabrina Westphälinger who is responsible for Talent in Culture at Accor. We are looking forward to a true theory-practice talk!

18:00-18:15

Wrap Up & Take Aways

18:15-18:20

Closing TOURISM FUTURES CONVENTION 

Preview HEILBRONN HOSPITALITY SYMPOSIUM 

18:30

GetTogether, Alte Reederei, Heilbronn