Topics of Interest
The SOCRAT Academic Conference will cover a wide range of scientific and practice-oriented topics related to co-creating sustainable tourism. Each of them will be led by the members of the Scientific Committee.
Scientific topics
1. Cultivating Interdisciplinary Innovation Hubs
• Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary theoretical frameworks in sustainable tourism
• Co-creation methodologies in tourism
• Living labs and innovation ecosystems: concepts and impact evaluation
• The role of creative and cultural industries in tourism innovation systems
2. Enabling Sustainable Funding and Revenue Streams
• Sustainable business models in tourism – theories and evaluation
• Economic impacts of community-based and creative tourism
• Financial mechanisms for sustainable destination development
• Measuring the social, environmental, and economic value of tourism
3. Empowering Stakeholders through Enhanced Capabilities
• Development of competencies and human capital in sustainable tourism
• Educational models and lifelong learning in tourism
• Social innovation and the empowerment of local communities
4. Anchoring Tourism in Authentic Community Values
• Community-based tourism – concepts, models, and evaluation
• Authenticity, identity, and place-based development
• The impact of tourism on local communities
5. Enabling Policy Environments and Streamlined Governance
• Comparative analyses of sustainable tourism development policies
• Destination management models and carrying capacity management
• Participatory and multi-level governance
• Indicators and sustainability monitoring systems
6. Strengthening Networks and Fostering Effective Communication
• Network and collaboration theories in tourism
• Communication, storytelling, and the perception of authenticity
• Digital platforms and social media in tourism
• Knowledge and innovation transfer among stakeholders
Practice-oriented topics
1. Cultivating Interdisciplinary Innovation Hubs
• Examples of innovation hubs and living labs in tourism destinations
• Co-creation in practice: collaboration with local communities
• Creative and cultural projects as drivers of new tourism products
2. Enabling Sustainable Funding and Revenue Streams
• EU funds and Interreg projects in tourism – experiences from practice
• Financing local and community-based initiatives
• Public–private partnerships and alternative financing models
3. Empowering Stakeholders through Enhanced Capabilities
• Examples of successful community empowerment through tourism
• Education and training programmes for local stakeholders and entrepreneurs – examples of good practice
4. Anchoring Tourism in Authentic Community Values
• Best practice examples of involving local communities in tourism planning
• Development of authentic and experiential tourism products
• Community-based tourism: best practice examples
5. Enabling Policy Environments and Streamlined Governance
• Implementation of sustainable tourism policies in practice
• Management of tourist flows and seasonality
• Decision-making tools for destination management
6. Strengthening Networks and Fostering Effective Communication
• Destination networking through cross-border projects
• Best practices in communication with local communities and tourists
• Storytelling and branding of authentic destinations
• Participatory destination management
