News 2006
December 2006
A report on the economic impact of tourism published
With this report an important research process has been initiated about evaluating the economic impact of tourism on a regional basis in Iceland. This report is about estimating the productivity of tourism revenue and is to guide policy towards the the places and issues reducing productivity. The methodology used and developed in this research is to be repeatable and useful for others in other settings and contexts. The ITRC thanks the authors, along with those that funded the research for making it all work.
The report can be downloaded here in Icelandic
Jobs available
Applications are invited for a joint position at the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre and Hólar University College. The successful applicant is expected to be based at Hólar University College and do teaching and research in the field of tourism and leisure studies. The position is divided equally between the ITRC and Hólar, with teaching obligations towards the latter and research obligations to the former. The appointment will commence subject to agreement and will run for three years with the possibility of tenure. The first six months are considered a mutual trial period.
The successful applicant is expected to have expert knowledge in one or more of the following fields of study: Environmental studies, natural sciences, cultural studies or leisure studies. Furthermore experience and knowledge of the tourist industry in Northern/arctic regions is expected. The Hólar University College Act governs the procedure for judging applicants' merits. Applicants should submit with their applications an account of their scientific experience, including publications and research, as well as documents certifying to their education and previous employment.
Three copies of scientific papers, published or unpublished, that the applicant wishes to be taken into account, should be included. The applicant should indicate clearly his/her present research interests and future research plans should he/she be appointed to the post. Moreover a recommendation from two to three academic peers may be included stating the applicants qualifications for the post.
Salaries are based on the pay agreement between the Union of University Employees and the Hólar University College.
The deadline for applications is 20th January 2006. Applications should be sent in triplicate (hard-copy or electronic) to the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, Borgum v/Nordurslod, 600 Akureyri.
All applications will be responded to and the applicants informed about the panel’s decision once made. Further information can be had from the director of the ITRC Dr. Edward H. Huijbens, edward@unak.is and the head of tourism studies at Hólar University College Guðrún Þóra Gunnarsdóttir, ggunn@holar.is.
November 2006
The ITCR participates in a project on Nordic local food
The Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, along with the Research Centre of the University of Akureyri and Hólar University College, has expressed interest in doing a project under the general call for projects in:
NEW NORDIC FOOD - Innovation in the food, tourism and experience industries
An expression of interest has been sent to the Nordisk Innovations Centre in collaboration with RAMK- Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences, Finnbarents, Övertorneå Utveckling AB and Bioforsk Nord.
The project is of great importance to the ITRC as it will delve into a topic long neglected within the Icelandic tourism industry. The project is to promote innovation and competitiveness of local food trough tourism, education and international cooperation. Therein we have a tripartite aim of equal importance and weight. We aim to strengthen the regional economy of communities and competitiveness of small local businesses in the Nordic countries through cooperation with local schools as well as the local tourism sector. Concomitantly we aim to improve the health of Nordic rural communities through working with different school levels on the basis of education and food supply to the youth. As well as we aim to strengthen the image of local regions as culinary destinations both in the minds of hosts and guests alike.
Contract signed
The Icelandic Tourist Board and the ITRC have signed a contract ensuring more funds for the ongoing research at the ITRC. In the contract it is stated that the Icelandic Tourist Board will guarantee a fixed annual amount that will be allocated to projects jointly decided upon by the two parties to the contract.
Dissertation reward awarded for the second time
The ITRC awards annually a student from any of the three Universities in Iceland teaching tourism studies, for an outstanding final dissertation. The reward entails a document stating the name of the person awarded and for what along with a cheque of 100.000 ISK. Eight dissertations were nominated by staff in two of the three respective faculties and were evaluated by the panel. The panel is the board of directors of the ITRC, along with the manager. The award this year goes to Ýr Káradóttir from the University of Iceland, who made an analysis of service management in Icelandic hotel corporations.
The award will be presented at the annual Tourism Conference held by the Icelandic Tourist Board, in Hotel Loftleiðir, Reykjavík on the 16th of November. Ýr will be congratulated and awarded by the minister of transport and tourism rt.hon. mr. Sturla Böðvarsson.
pictures of the event: introduction - Ýr Káradóttir
October 2006
The ITRC participates in a project on hunting tourism in the North
The Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, along with the University of Akureyri Research Institute and the Environment and Food Agency of Iceland, is now participating in a project entitled:
Sustainable development of hunting tourism in the NPP area.
An application for the project is underway through the Interreg III B Northern Periphery Programme along with parties from both N. Sweden and Finland.
The project is of great importance to the ITRC as it will delve into a topic long neglected within the Icelandic tourism industry. The presence of hunting tourism in Iceland is barely recognised albeit most clearly there. The way in which it manifests and the infrastructural dynamics of this particular branch of the industry are clearly within the competencies of the centre as, drawing on our own research into differing infrastructural dynamics of the tourism sector in Iceland, we can claim both experience and insights. Through on-the-ground experience and wide recognition amongst practitioners within the industry, the centre has great networking capacities that will serve well in researching a hitherto un recognised marketing domain.
The 15th Nordic Symposium in Tourism and Hospitality Research
September 2006
The ITRC on the news
The Icelandic Tourism Research Centre has been prominent in the national media the week from 4th till 8th September. Fyrst there was an article in Morgunblaðið which can be viewed here. Next there was an interview in the newspaper Fréttablaðið, wednesday 6th September but the paper can been seen here, this article later sparked debate on the broadcasted media NFS which can be seenhere.
August 2006
Ongoing research
The ITRC is now starting a fresh academic year in research after the summer holidays and with the appointment of a new director fully employed. Numerous projects are already well underway and more are being added. The ITRC is currently involved in:
Research into the impact of cruise ship arrivals to Iceland during the summers of 1993-1995 and 2004-2006.
An analysis of survey data into the management practices of Icelandic tourism companies.
A Nordic joint research venture into innovative tourism marketing.
A Nordic joint research venture into hunting related tourism
A research into the practices of jeep tourism in Iceland and domestic mobility afforded by jeeps.
The organisations of an international conference on space, art and the environment of the North in 2008.
The publication of a book based on an international conference on space, art and the environment at the University of Iceland in the spring of 2006.
A development project around academic tourism at Svartárkot in Bárðardalur, NE Iceland.
An analysis on the tourism cluster project in N. Iceland.
A proposal for the continuation of research into the carrying capacity of specific tourist destinations in Iceland.
Setting up research facilities for postgraduate student of tourism studies at ITRC.
More projects are being moulded as are applications for the funding of more posts at the ITRC underway. News will be published once these have taken shape.
June 2006
A new director of the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre
In a board meeting the 14th of June 2006 Edward H. Huijbens was appointed for a year to take over the directorship of the ITRC. Edward will be fully employed for a year but an advertisement announcing the permanent hiring for the post will go out around new-year 2006-2007.
Edward is a geographer who completed his B.Sc. in the year 2000 from the University of Iceland. he completed an MA a year later at Durham University, geography dept. and early in 2006 graduated with a Ph.D. from the same dept. Along with completing his Ph.D. Edward taught and did research at the faculty of economics and business administration and the faculty of science at the University of Iceland 2004-2006. Edward has mostly focused his research on the study of space in all its varying urban and natural manifestations. He has written peer reviewed articles and given numerous talks at international conferences worldwide. He has edited a books and organised an international conference on space, art and the environment at the University of Iceland. He is also currently the chairman of the Association of Icelandic Geographers.
More information and a full CV is available upon request from: edward@unak.is.
The 14th Nordic Symposium in Tourism and Hospitality Research
March 2006
The annual conference of the Geoinformation and Cartography Institute at the TU in Vienna is to be held in Münster, Germany 19th-20th september 2006.
Norðurslóð 2 (E-building- 206)
600 Akureyri, Iceland
