The Professorship Platform and Expertise Network Sustainable Urban Tourism (ENSUT) have presented their strategic agenda, Urban Tourism: A Call to Action. This research agenda aims to deepen the understanding of transformative urban tourism and foster collaboration among all involved parties. Only through such cooperation can the potential of tourism be harnessed to improve the quality of urban environments and enhance the well-being of both residents and visitors.
Core Points of the Agenda
- Integrating theory and practice
- Adopting a holistic, system-oriented perspective
- Moving beyond solutionism and over-participation
- Collaborating from a transparent academic foundation
- Contributing to education
Ko Koens, Professor of New Urban Tourism at Inholland University of Applied Sciences and initiator of the professorship platform and expertise network, stated, “Our ambition is to create dynamic partnerships among academics, local communities, and national and international stakeholders. We aim to encourage them to learn from each other and share experiences. The platform focuses on fostering an open dialogue on regenerative urban tourism and creating an environment where all parties can contribute to developing sustainable tourism practices.”
Regenerative Story Bench
During the agenda presentation at Inholland University’s Amsterdam location, the Regenerative Story Bench was also unveiled. This bench, designed and crafted by Glenn Ederveen, serves as a storytelling bench where narratives about sustainable urban tourism can be heard. It is intended to invite both residents and visitors to learn from one another’s experiences and engage in dialogue about sustainable urban development. Currently, the story bench is part of an exhibition surrounding the research agenda at Inholland Amsterdam but will later travel to other locations where more stories can be shared and collected.
For more information, to listen to the stories, and to download the research agenda, please visit this link.
About the Professorship Platform for Sustainable Urban Tourism
The Professorship Platform for Sustainable Urban Tourism currently includes 16 professors and researchers from 12 research institutions, focused on exploring how tourism can contribute to a sustainable urban environment. Together with local and (inter)national partners, they work based on a joint research and innovation agenda. The platform is associated with the Expertise Network Sustainable Urban Tourism (ENSUT).