IFT is hosting The 5th International Conference on Destination Branding and Marketing (DBM-V) from 3 to 5 December 2014. Themed “Building Enduring Place Brands”, the Conference attracted 70 delegates representing 20 countries and regions as well as more than 30 higher educational institutions in addition to several representatives of DMOs and creative agencies.
During the opening session of the Conference, President of IFT Dr. Fanny Vong delivered an opening address and welcome remark as the Chair of the Conference. The DBM-V gathered destination marketing experts from academia, industry and tourism agencies to discuss effective strategies to overcome the myriad challenges many destinations and communities now face in a moment-obsessed, social-media savvy world and where originality and lasting authenticity of place brands become increasingly difficult to achieve. Co-organisers of DBM-V included University of South Carolina, US, the Welsh Centre for Tourism Research, Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK and University of Surrey, UK.
During the Conference, speakers from around the world presented notable keynote addresses,that included:
Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of Macau Government Tourist Office, Macao
Leverage on Both Old and New Elements to Unveil Macao
Dr. Robert Govers, Managing Research Partner of Good Country Index
Nation Brands and Good Countries
Dr. Steven Pike, Associate Professor of Queensland University of Technology, Australia
A Narrative Analysis of the First 40 Years of Destination Marketing Literature: 1973 – 2013
Mr. Malcolm Allan, Managing Director of Placematters Ltd.
The Cork City Region Brand Proposition
Dr. Alan Fyall, Professor of Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida, US
Destination and Place Brands: Collaboration, Coexistence and Common Goals?
Dr. Nigel Morgan, Professor of School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Surrey, UK
The Wild Atlantic Way: Developing a Brand Proposition for the World’s Longest Drive-Tourism Route
Founded in December 2005 at IFT, the DBM conferences series has become one of the leading fora for practitioners and thinkers in the area of tourism destination branding and marketing. It has attracted a growing and very loyal following among its regular participants, which includes scholars, postgraduate students as well as industry practitioners in destination branding and tourism marketing. The first three biannual DBM conferences were held in Macao, and the fourth DBM conference was hosted at Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK.
Through organising and participating in international conferences, ITRC of IFT plays a more active role in fostering research locally and internationally. Its collaboration with other universities helps bring attention to the most relevant issues about tourism related developments as well as benefit the tourism development of Macao in the long run.