The Japanese Society for Geographical Sciences will hold the 2020 academic symposium as follows. We would like to invite you to join us. The presentations and discussions will be in English.

I. Theme: Tourism Transformations: Resilient Islands and Revitalized Communities

II. Date: November 28, 2020 (Sat) 11:50-17:30 Japan Standard Time (JST),  (GMT+9)

III. How to participate: In-person or zoom. (see below for the information on how to apply)

IV. Venue: Hiroshima University Central Library Hall (1-2-2 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima City)

http://opac.lib.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/portal/maps/higashihiroshimamap.png

V. Participation fee: Free

VI. Organizers: Carolin Funck, Rie Usui (Hiroshima University, Japan), Alan A. Lew (Northern Arizona University, USA), Joseph M. Cheer (Wakayama University）

VII. Objectives of the symposium:

This symposium examines the relationship between tourism and the resilience and revitalization of island environments and island communities.

Islands command a strong position in tourism due to their special environmental and cultural appeal. However, they are also vulnerable due to their isolation from large continental resources and connections. When global and regional economies and social conditions are healthy, tourism tends to be strong and supportive of island-based tourism economies. Under such conditions, island communities may feel a sense of revitalization and strong resilience. But when regional and global conditions are weak, for whatever reason, island tourism economies will often be among the first to suffer, thereby coming to realize their resilience challenges as they seek revitalization.

The COVID-19 pandemic has, in many ways, made the entire planet earth an island of shared challenges. How the planet responds to, and recovers from, this crisis has lessons for how smaller island environments and communities can better manage their limitations and opportunities. This symposium will draw upon examples from Japan and other Asian countries to examine how island tourism and tourism communities have been affected by, responded to, and ultimately been transformed by significant changes – global ones such as the COVID-19 pandemic or local and regional changes. 

The symposium will contribute to the understanding of the multiple links between tourism and islands - how tourism on small islands might adjust to unfolding crises, how tourism can act as a tool for revitalizing small island communities and how small islands should adjust to changing tourism and travel dynamics.

VIII. Schedule of the program:

Introduction　11:50-12:00 Dr. Carolin Funck (Hiroshima University, Japan)

Paper Presentation- First session

12:00-12:30 Dr. David Nguyen (National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED), Japan; Tohoku University, Japan): Ogasawara Islands: Sustainability versus Resiliency

12:30-13:00 Dr. Chin-Cheng Ni (National Tsinghua University, Taiwan): Impact and Resilience of Island Tourism under COVID19 —Lesson Learned from Taiwan Island

13:00-13:30 Dr. Shenglin Chang (National Taiwan University, Taiwan): Could Blockchain technology transform the Lanyu Island tourist industry into resilience for the Tao culture and society?

13:30-14:00 Dr. Rie Usui (Hiroshima University, Japan): Island tourism resilience in the case of wildlife tourism destinations

Comment for the first session 14:00-14:10 Dr. Alan A. Lew (Northern Arizona University, USA)

Short Break 14:10-14:30

Paper Presentation- Second session

14:30-15:00 Andrew McCormick (Hiroshima University, Japan) and Meng Qu (Hiroshima University, Japan): Community resourcefulness under pandemic pressure: Japan's island tourism entrepreneurs

15:00-15:30 Yao Ji (Keio University, Japan): Community resiliency in times of crisis: The case of Kamijima

15:30-16:00 Dr. Macia Blazquez Salom (University of the Balearic Islands, Spain): How resilient are insular mono-functional tourism territories? Analysis of the Balearic Islands, Spain

16:00-16:30 Dr. Stroma Cole (University of the West of England, British): Island Tourism and Covid-19: A gender perspective.

Comment for the second session 16:30-16:40 Dr. Joseph M. Cheer (Wakayama University, Japan)

Final Discussion 16:40-17:20 (40 mins)

Closing Remark 17:20-17:30 Dr. Carolin Funck (Hiroshima University)

IX. How to apply: If you would like to participate, please copy and paste the following application format, and send an e-mail to shukai@chiri-kagaku.jp (Japanese Society for Geographical Sciences). Mail title: “Tourism Symposium Nov. 28”. Participants must apply in advance. You will receive a confirmation email after applying.

X. Application format

-------------------------------- Copy and paste the following into the body of the email

I request to participate in the symposium of Japanese Society for Geographical Sciences on November 28th, 2020.

・Your preferred participation option:  in-person or zoom (Please select one by deleting the other)

·Full name  ______________________________

·Residential address   ______________________________

-----------------------------------End of copy and paste

XI. Note

·The application deadline is at the end of October.

·Please send one application per person.

·The maximum number of participants for zoom is 300 including the presenters. We accept on a first-come, first-served basis.

·We restrict the participants who wish to come to the venue exclusively to those who live in Hiroshima prefecture or Chūgoku region.

·To reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, we will limit the number of in-person participants to about 50 at the venue, which is half the maximum capacity.

·Depending on the COVID-19 situation and the emergency level of the university, we might switch to Zoom entirely. Slots for in-person participants will be reserved for zoom participation.

XII. Contact address

 shukai@chiri-kagaku.jp