Projects presented at ATLAS 2023

7.11.2023 | VulkanTV.at

From 11 to 13 October, the international annual ATLAS conference took place in Bad Gleichenberg, Austria, hosted by FH JOANNEUM. Researchers Veronika Jánová and Linn Albert from the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) presented two projects.

The theme of the conference was "Quality of Life: Health, Tourism and Climate" and offered a multi-perspective view of tourism and a variety of current challenges. In the special track "Quality of Life, Well-Being, Climate Change: Bridging the Theory-Action Gap", Veronika Jánová presented the Interreg Alpine project BeyondSnow. The project is led by Prof. Dr. Marcus Herntrei and aims to increase the socio-ecological climate resilience of small snow tourism destinations and communities at medium altitudes in order to maintain their attractiveness for residents and tourists. In ten pilot regions in the Alps, adaptation strategies to climate change are being developed with the broad participation of local service providers. For the first time, a digital tool is being used to provide data-based solutions and concrete proposals to enable Alpine tourism regions to adapt and revitalise their tourism offer in the face of ecological change. The Resilience Decision Making Digital Tool will generate recommendations for the transition to sustainable tourism models and help preserve valuable regional resources.

As part of the special track "Good Practice in Learning and Teaching Tourism in Higher Education", Linn Albert presented the media and didactic oriented project XtraveL. Led by Prof. Dr. Sascha Kreiskott, the XtraveL team is developing an innovative and transferable teaching module that focuses on practical and theoretical skills for sustainable travel planning and hybrid excursions in higher education. Individual elements can be used by different stakeholders in higher education for planning trips, documenting events or trips, or for teaching and learning practical and future relevant skills.

This year's ATLAS Annual Conference was hybrid for the first time and offered a total of seven special tracks consisting of scientific presentations, simulation games and workshops. Circular Economy in Tourism and Hospitality, Cultural Routes, Sustainable Transport in Rural Areas, Urban Tourism and Well-being, Quality of Life and Climate Change, Good Practice in Learning and Teaching Tourism in Higher Education and Event Crisis Management were discussed intensively by participants from more than 20 countries. 

The Association for Tourism and Leisure Education and Research (ATLAS) is a membership-based network and research organisation. Its main objective is to promote tourism and leisure education and research through regular meetings and exchange of information between member institutions.

Bild (VulkanTV.at): Opening speech of Prof. Dr. Eva-Maria Adamer-König at the ATLAS Annual Conference 2023 in Bad Gleichenberg.