On 28 June 2019, ATRA Tourism Forum was held at Taylor's University, Malaysia - Themed Tourist Gaze 3.0: The ASEAN Gateway, this forum emphasized on actual travel-related issues pinpointing them with relevant examples from the contemporary societies and emerging trends of the production and consumption of tourist places.
In a simplified definition, tourist gaze 3.0 emphasizes the contemporary tourists’ real perception and expectation from the tourism industry. The scholars of tourism gaze studies raised the issue of heavy dominance of tourists’ gaze studies from western paradigm and demography, leaving significant study gap from the east.
Theme of Panel Session 1
ASEAN’s Readiness on Transformational Entrepreneurship in Tourism
(from right to left), Panelists: Mr. Muhammad Imran Abdul Khani (TUI International Holiday, Malaysia), Mr. Kent Chua (Co-Founder, Rhombus Connexion), Mr. Steven Wong (Country Head, Tripfez, Malaysia), Mr. Khairolnizam Saad (Senior Principal Assistant Director of Tourism Policy & International Affairs Division, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC)) the Lead Speaker. Moderator: Prof. Datuk Seri Dr. Victor Wee (General–Secretary of ATRA and Professor of School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events Faculty of Social Sciences & Leisure Management, Taylor’s University), follow by Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan (President of ATRA and Executive Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management).
The increasing number of entrepreneurs are stirring to the possibility of combining the scalable tools and methodology of Technology Entrepreneurship with the world-centric value system of Social Entrepreneurship. Together they create a new type of entrepreneurship that could become the primary source of socioeconomic value creation. The emergence Transformational Entrepreneurship is timely to encourage creative, dynamic, societal and contemporary competencies that must be equipped by the modern day entrepreneurs. However, the readiness of ASEAN entrepreneurs to explore and develop niche areas of tourism is questionable.
Theme of Panel Session 2
Revolutionizing Tourism in the Digital Age “an ASEAN Tourism Experience”
(from right to left), Panelists: Mr. Uzaidi Udanis (Malaysia Tourism Council), Moderator: Dr. Rhokshad Tavakoli (Senior Lecturer of School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events Faculty of Social Sciences & Leisure Management, Taylor’s University),Mr. David Raj (Head of Sales, Malindo Airlines),Mr. Kavin Martinus (CIT Golf, Co-founder) the Lead speaker and follow by Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan (President of ATRA and Executive Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management).
The emergence of digital platform has revolutionized tourism industry. Transportation, accommodation and tour companies are the main stakeholders to utilize digital platform in their practices to engage communities and ensure their customers have the best possible away from home experience. In order to perform well and gain competitive advantages, these stakeholders always look for the newest and greatest ways to reach their potential customers. However, critiques always argue that digitalization of tourism has resulted in mass tourism, staged authenticity, carrying capacity issues against sustainable tourism attainment. The extent of digital tourism practice versus traditional tourism practice in ASEAN is not well captured scientifically.