REMODEL PROJECT ONLINE SUMMER SCHOOL
SUSTAINABILITY & TOURISM CHALLENGES
Strengthening the Research Capacity of Turkey in Innovative Business Models for the Hospitality Sector (REMODEL) project is funded by the European Union Research and Innovation program. The aim of this project is to strengthen the Research and Innovation (R&I) capacity and skills of the members of Bursa Uludağ University (BUU). To achieve this goal, BUU will benefit from the experiences, knowledge, and state-of-the-art tools of its partners, Universidad de Leon (ULE) and Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in Ireland, who are leaders in higher education.
Within the scope of the project, each year, one project partner will organize a summer school with an intensive 2-day program. As a result, the project outcomes will be shared with research and scientific communities both in Ireland through ATU, in Spain through ULE, and in Turkey through BUU.
This report contains information about the implementation of the first REMODEL Summer School named “Sustainability & Tourism Challenges” organized by ULE on July 12th – 13th, 2023, as part of the activities conducted for the project. The report provides a brief explanation of the instructors and the topics covered in the summer school. Subsequently, it includes information and analyses related to the participants
SCOPE OF THE SUMMER SCHOOL
The Sustainability & Tourism Challenges summer school was conducted online and featured speakers of recognized international prestige and high competence. The general topics discussed are as follows:
- Understanding and predicting consumer tourism responses: The synergy of implicit measures and artificial intelligence
- The science of experiences from a consumer neuro-marketing approach
- Adapting models and frameworks to incorporate TBL-based sustainability
- Mind the Gap: How to communicate with the travellers of today
Thomas Zoëga Ramsøy
Thomas Zoëga Ramsøy is the CEO and Founder of Neurons Inc. A neuropsychologist by training and a Ph.D. in neurobiology and neuroimaging, Thomas is considered a leading figure in applied neuroscience. Through collaboration with leading universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, and Harvard, his work has focused on employing a combination of psychology and neuroscience to understand what drives our choices and behaviours. Thomas consults leading companies to employ the insights from neuroscience to drive strategic change, both in tech companies like Google and Facebook, retail companies like Lowe’s, IKEA, and Tesco, and in domains such as architecture, leadership, and clinical trials.
July 12th, 2023
Understanding and Predicting Consumer Tourism Responses: The Synergy of Implicit Measures and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
In his speech, Ramsøy aims to discover an impressive approach to measuring and predicting consumer responses in the tourism industry. In this approach, he examines the powerful synergy between implicit measures and AI techniques by combining them. He emphasizes that implicit measures provide valuable insights into subconscious consumer behaviour, while AI techniques allow us to use this data for accurate predictions and informed decision-making.
Furthermore, he explains how AI enhances the predictive capabilities of implicit measures, enabling researchers to develop accurate models for forecasting consumer behaviour in the tourism domain by extracting meaningful patterns.
This speech offers an in-depth understanding of how implicit measures and AI can be utilized to measure and predict consumer responses in the tourism industry. Attendees will learn how to use implicit measures to capture consumers’ implicit attitudes, emotions, and preferences related to travel experiences. Additionally, they will gain insights into how AI algorithms and predictive modelling can be employed to analyse implicit data at scale, uncover hidden insights, and predict future consumer behaviour. This will help businesses optimize marketing strategies and enhance customer experiences.
For the academic audience:
– Explore the theoretical foundations and practical applications of implicit measures in the context of consumer tourism responses.
– Understand the role of AI in enhancing the predictive capabilities of implicit measures and extracting meaningful patterns from implicit data.
– Gain insights into cutting-edge research at the intersection of implicit measures, AI, and tourism, and its implications for future studies.
For the industry audience:
– Discover how implicit measures can provide valuable insights into consumers’ subconscious attitudes and preferences in the tourism industry.
– Learn how to leverage AI techniques to analyse and predict consumer behaviour using implicit data.
– Understand the practical applications of implicit measures and AI in optimizing marketing strategies, personalizing experiences, and improving business outcomes in the tourism sector.
By the end of this talk, both academic and industry attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how implicit measures and AI can synergistically measure and predict consumer responses in the tourism industry. They will be equipped with valuable knowledge and strategies to integrate implicit measures and AI-driven methodologies into their research and business practices, fostering a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour and driving sustainable growth in the tourism sector.
July 12th, 2023
Edel Moore
Edel Moore has been worked as a Marketing lecturer in The School of Design, University of Leeds. She conducts research focusing on decision-making in purchasing and retail user experience related to behavioural design, habits, addictions, and real-life situations. Particularly, she is interested in exploring the use of experimental psychology research, along with neuroscience techniques like EEG and MEG, to investigate design and consumer interaction in relation to sustainability goals.
Her researches are focused around the questions: “Why do we do what we do? Rational and irrational decision-making. How are we influenced to form habits and/or change our behaviour?”
Some of her main studies include an article titled “The Neuroscience of Irrational Consumer Decision-Making in Luxury Fashion”, a book chapter in the academic textbook “Fashion and Luxury Marketing” editing by Prof. Michael Solomon, and a presentation titled “Decoding the Early Neural Mechanisms of Crossmodal Emotion Construction” presented at the Society of Neuroeconomics – Consumer Neuroscience Satellite Symposium.
The Science of Experiences from A Consumer Neuromarketing Approach
The presentation on Consumer Neuromarketing – The Science of Experiences is organized under four main headings. Firstly, the concept of neuromarketing is explained, and the impact and significance of neuromarketing in understanding the influence of customers’ emotions, driving forces, decisions, actions/reactions, and satisfaction are discussed.
Next, the main neuromarketing tools used to measure psychophysiological responses and the additional benefits of integrating them with traditional consumer research methods are explained.
Thirdly, it showcases the pedagogical development of the field outside of the “Psychology Department” and provides links to teaching resources relevant to a wider faculty base.
In the final part of the talk, potential future research and collaborations between academics, students, and businesses are discussed, aiming to develop marketing strategies, business development, and support sustainability goals in the hospitality and tourism sector.
This presentation discusses the possibilities and challenges of utilizing consumer neuromarketing to aid consumer research. Neurotourism is an extremely new and exciting application of cognitive neuroscience techniques and theories to understand consumer decision making, behaviour, and experience perception.
Understanding the impact of the phenomenon of Neuromarketing on customers’ emotions, thoughts, satisfaction, and actions.
Learning about the fundamental Neuromarketing tools used to measure psychophysiological responses and integrating them with traditional consumer research methods.
Discussing the potential for future research and collaborations between academics, students, and businesses, and recognizing partnerships aimed at supporting marketing strategies, business development, and sustainability goals in the hospitality and tourism sector.
Neil Richardson
Dr Neil Richardson is an experienced marketing/business practitioner with over 20 years of private sector experience (in B2B Sales Management, Marketing and Customer Service), covering operational and strategic positions. He has worked for (and with) world-class companies in differing sectors. He has been a Director of a social enterprise as well as other SMEs.
In 2005, Neil was appointed Senior Lecturer at Leeds Business School (LBS) teaching undergraduate, postgraduate and professional students. Neil has taught over 9000 students and led 80 modules including Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and Masters level. His modules include Consumer Behaviour, Sales Management, Retail Marketing and Digital Marketing amongst others. In 2017, he became a Course Director (CD) initially for Professional and Post-Graduate Marketing programmes. More recently his CD role has focused on driving sustainability into the LBS curriculum. This role involves creating and supporting programmes and modules overtly dedicated to Sustainable Development. He has been the Lead Academic in bids for research funding (including Horizon and Leverhulme). He is Director of Studies for several Doctoral Tutees and regularly chairs meeting apropos annual progression and Confirmation of Registration.
His research focuses on Sustainable Marketing. He has been the lead author on several textbooks, many of which have been translated for differing international markets. He has also published chapters in seminal marketing books. Neil regularly presents papers to conferences, symposia and international institutions. He has also undertaken consultancy work for a diverse range of organizations and supports other professionals who seek advice about marketing..
July 13th, 2023
Adapting Models and Frameworks to Incorporate Triple Bottom Line (TBL) – Based Sustainability
In each topic, the traditional model and framework are explained, identifying the necessary changes, and ultimately creating a model and framework where the TBL is fully integrated. TBL emphasizes the evaluation of a company’s performance by considering three crucial dimensions: economic, social, and environmental impacts.
During the training “TBL Based Sustainability, importance of Sustainability in Business, overview of traditional models and framework, identifying gaps and challenges in traditional approaches, integrating TBL principles into existing models and benefits of incorporating TBL into models and frameworks” were the most debated topics.
The main topic of the speech is to adapt well-established models or frameworks to incorporate the TBL It mainly focuses on customer loyalty and the consumer decision-making process.
The fundamental outcomes of the training can be summarized as follows.
To determine the potential of integrating TBL with existing models and frameworks.
To explain sustainable practices, responsible decision-making processes, and the process of creating long-term value.
To demonstrate how organizations can enhance their overall sustainability efforts by integrating TBL principles into their existing strategies and frameworks.
July 12th, 2023
Dolores Semeraro
Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and tourism marketing professional. Italian by origin, she is fluent in Chinese and English with a bachelor’s degree in translation and interpreting. Before becoming a tourism keynote speaker, Dolores started her career in hospitality and travel in China in 2003, where she worked for 7 years as PR and Marketing Manager. Dolores was a key member of the pre-opening team of the first member of Design Hotels located in Beijing ahead of the Olympic Games in 2008. Later on, she also joined the pre-opening team of one the biggest hot spring and golf resorts developed by IHG in the southern China province of Guangdong.
After she consolidated her hotels and resorts pre-opening experience, together with a deep knowledge and understanding of the Chinese hospitality and travel industry, Dolores then stepped into island luxury hospitality by moving to the Maldives in 2010. During her 6 years residency in the Maldives, Dolores was in charge of the Marketing, Communication, and PR for the region with LUX* Resorts and Hotels overseeing the re-branding of their flagship Maldivian island at first, then looking after the company’s new opening projects in China and the Middle East. Thanks to her knowledge of the Chinese media, Dolores was able to successfully position the luxury brand in China and was instrumental in the consolidation of the long-lasting media liaisons that the company was able to benefit from when China tourists approached the Maldives in 2011.
In 2016, following her relocation to Mauritius, Dolores started her tourism and hospitality marketing consultancy entrepreneurship working closely with the Mauritian luxury hospitality sector as a digital marketing trainer and consultant. While in Mauritius, Dolores worked with most of the 5-star hotels and resorts companies creating customized training and workshop programs on digital marketing, hospitality PR and communication, and social media marketing. Shortly after she arrived in Mauritius, she became a certified trainer by the Mauritius Quality Assurance Authority and delivered marketing communication training programs to a variety of service industries such as Mauritius Duty-Free Paradise Co Ltd, Rogers Capital Mauritius, and Rogers Hospitality.
Mind the Gap: How to Communicate with the Travelers of Today
To create resilient marketing strategies, the changes that industry operators need to make and the importance of developing a traveller-centric mind-set have been explained.
The impacts of global uncertainties on travellers’ brand trust, market positioning, and the desired financial outcomes of tourism and hospitality operators have been discussed.
The benefits of communicating on the value-point instead of the price-point of sustainability choices for travel and tourism has been highlighted.
Additionally, interesting information was shared about Metaverse traveller experiences and techniques for accessing the Metaverse.
In the scope of this speech, considering the recent global events that have deeply shaken the tourism and travel industry, the determination of how the future of travel training program should be structured has been made.
Going beyond the typical “who is your ideal customer” question in the tourism sector and developing a trustworthy and inspiring approach in post-pandemic travellers.
Learning the necessary changes in the travel and tourism industry and the evolving corporate communication strategies following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Identifying the distinct characteristics, concerns, and expectations observed in post-pandemic travellers.
Analysing the intricacies of communicating with evolved travellers.
First Day
Participants
The summer school began with a speech by Thomas Zoëga Ramsøy in the morning of the first day. A total of 43 participant actively participated for the first day. But unfortunately, Edel couldn’t deliver her speech during the training hour because of some health problem and she shared her speech with the participants as a video.
Second Day
Participants
On the second day of the summer school, at 10:00 am, Neil Richardson conducted a presentation titled “Adapting Models and Frameworks to Incorporate Triple Bottom Line.” In the afternoon, Dolores Semeraro shared information and experiences on how to communicate with travellers. A total of 37 participant actively participated for the second day of the summer school.
