Taylor's University, Malaysia, James Cook University, Singapore and Universitas Pancasila, Indonesia recently co-organized the ASEAN Tourism Research Association (ATRA) International Webinar Series. Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan, Executive Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management and President of ATRA was invited to deliver the opening speech.
The webinar entitled “Storytelling in Tourism - The Power of Narratives in Revitalising Tourism in the ASEAN Region” attracted more than two thousand (2,000) virtual viewers from all over the world region. The webinar consisted a good mixture of people from academia and industry. Dr. Gianna Moscardo, Professor from James Cook University and Chair of Building Excellence for Sustainable Tourism (B.E.S.T) Education Network; Mr. Gary Bowerman, Director at Check-In Asia and Host of The South East Asia Travel Show; Mr. Valentino Luis, Travel Writer/Photographer were the distinguished speakers. The session was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Devi Kausar, Dean of Universitas Pancasila & Board Member of ATRA and hosted by Dr. Jenny H. Panchal from James Cook University & Deputy Secretary of ATRA.
The virtual knowledge sharing session explored the importance of storytelling in tourism. Story telling can be an effective tool that can create platform for the researchers and readers to understand the market or respondents on any emerging or changing trends. Various approaches and examples of storytelling in tourism were discussed in-depth by the speakers. The session was fruitful and timely as it integrated the influence of current pandemic into the main theme of the webinar.
