6th Conference of the International Forum on Urbanism (IFoU) - TOURBANISM

TOURbanISM-toURBANISM is the title of the 6th Conference of the International Forum on Urbanism that will take place from January 25th to 27th, 2012, at the Catalonian Politechnic University (UPC) in Barcelona.

The Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB) and the Department of Urbanism and Regional Planning (DUOT) in collaboration with the Municipality of Barcelona, the Provincial Government of Barcelona, Casa Asia and the other participating universities of the IFoU network will organize the conference within the framework of the International Forum on Urbanism (IFoU).

Subject

Tourism is one of the leading global economic activities. According to the 2009 Edition of the “International Tourism Overview”, published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), its direct contribution to the global economy is estimated in 5%, ranging from 2% in the most developed countries to 10% in those that strongly rely on this sector. In 2008 global revenues generated by tourism, including transport of passengers, were about 3.000 million dollars, and its contribution to employment is estimated around 7% of the working population.

The amount of tourists has grown continuously since the middle of last century, from 25 million in 1950 to 922 in 2008. For 2020 the UNWTO foresees that the number of tourists will reach 1.600 million. Despite the changing trends that occurred from the second half of 2008 to the date, due to the global economic crisis (financial crisis, rising oil and raw materials prices, and sharp fluctuations in exchange rates) the sector growth has not ceased. In 2010 the UNWTO estimates a 4% increase in the number of tourists.

Over the last fifty years the global economy experienced several serious crisis and tourism has always proved to be a very strong economic sector. The current crisis has not significantly affected tourism. Consequently it has become the economic hope of many countries affected by the decline of economies based on raw materials or small profit industrial activities.

The map of the main tourism destinations has remained quite stable for many years. Europe is the largest and most mature destination in the world. 53% of tourists and 50% of revenues concentrate in this continent. The U.S. market (15.9% of tourists and 19.9% of revenues in 2008), that remains stable thanks to the domestic market, has been overtaken by Asia (20% of arrivals and 21,8% of revenues), that appears as an emerging area. Africa and Middle East are the two destinations with highest growth rates, although their absolute weight is relatively small.

Over the years tourism becomes a major engine that has transformed cities and territories, and an economic and social development bid for several countries. The aim of the 6th International Forum on Urbanism -IFoU- Conference is to reflect on tourism and especially on the changing processes as well as the instruments, plans, projects and strategies that arise in relation to it.
Aims

The conference aims to generate an exchange between the academic and the professional debate, to investigate opportunities and risks for the sustainable touristical development and to discuss visions, concepts and best practices. In this framework causes, reasons and dependencies of worldwide transformation processes will be analyzed and planning strategies and design concepts for a more sustainable development of tourism will be explored.
Target Groups

During the conference, scientific results, as well as design concepts and technical solutions will be presented; theoretical approaches will be discussed as well as professional experiences and best practices. With this in mind, the target group would include a range of different backgrounds: architects and urban planners; policy makers, students and researchers from different disciplines; managers and politicians, all of whom are involved in or interested in design, planning and the management of touristic developments.
Call for papers

Papers are invited for submission under the following sub-themes:

Tourism: Evolution and recent trends
A. From tourism as a social conquest to new types of tourism
B. World tourism trends (categories, destinations...)

Evaluation of "mature" tourist destinations
C. Impacts of tourism development
D. The recycling of the tourist areas

Potential of post-industrial territories
E. The recycling of historical tourism
F. The new holiday tourism. Tourism and economic development

Towards a new paradigm
G. Cultural tourism in "weak institutional contexts"
H. Responsible Tourism
I. Architecture, urbanism and tourism

Más información aquí.