Introduction
ITSA is the first China-based global academic association on tourism research in the world. The Association is founded in Hangzhou on August 15th 2006 by19 founding members all over the world, and headquartered at Peking University in Beijing. ITSA got registered as a non-profit organization in Hong Kong in March 2008(Certificate No.38941626-001-02-08-2).
The first few years of the 21st century have witnessed tremendous changes in Asia as elsewhere. Developments in China and India are increasingly the focus of analysis as the evolving economic and political landscape in Asia begins to have a profound impact on international relations. These developments are also likely to have a major influence on the scale and organization of global tourism in the coming years. As China continues its rapid development and is poised to become the leading destination for international tourism, as well as one of the most important tourism generating countries, it is fitting that this tourism academic association is set in China.
As a nonprofit organization, the objectives of ITSA is to bridge the gap between West and East in tourism and hospitality research, to provide a forum for exchange of research ideas and good research practices in tourism studies among scholars around the world with a particular focus on the developing countries and to diffuse research findings for the benefits of the tourism industry. Membership of ITSA is open to all tourism academics and practitioners in both developed and developing countries. There will be three types of membership – invited members、general members and student members. The members will enjoy the following benefits: receiving free quarterly Association Newsletters, attending ITSA Bi-annual conference with a reduced registration fee and free access to the Association’s expert database for research and consultancy purposes. The membership fees will be reviewed in every three years.
The annual conference of ITSA is “Tourism and the New Asia International Conference” (TNAIC). The 1st TNAIC is held in Beijing on August 9-12, 2006. Over 300 delegates from 30 countries and regions all over the world participated in this international academic conference, focusing on the dynamic economic, geopolitical and social developments taking place within Asia and their likely impacts on international tourism. The conference offers an opportunity for researchers, policy makers, industry practitioners and community representatives from across the globe to engage in a constructive dialogue on tourism in the context of New Asia.
The association is governed by a Distinguished Scholars Group, and Executive Committee (Standing Committee) and A Country Representative Group. The Distinguished Scholars Group consists of world renowned scholars in tourism research, and the role of the Distinguished Scholars’ Group is to advise on the strategies, policies and directions of the Association. The Executive Committee is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Association and it consists of 10 members who are elected from both the Distinguished Scholars Group and Country Representatives Group. Country representatives are elected by the delegates from the same countries who attend the annual ITSA conferences.
About ITSA