The list of keynote speakers that will hold lectures at the Plenary Session:

New spaces in cultural tourism: a role for universities in innovation?

Rhodri Thomas
Leeds Beckett University, UK

Rhodri Thomas is Professor of Tourism and Events Policy and Dean of the School of Events, Tourism, Hospitality and Languages at Leeds Beckett University, UK. Originally trained as an economist, he now engages in multidisciplinary policy-related research in the context of the tourism and the events sectors. Current research is primarily concerned with the impact of academic knowledge production on non-academic constituencies within the context of (a) public policy debates about research funding and (b) notions of commercial or policy innovation. This work is complemented by an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded project on the role of intermediaries in generating impact (with D Parsons and N Ormerod). Rhodri has acted as a 'specialist expert' on policy issues for the OECD, the European Commission and for government departments and other agencies in the UK and elsewhere. He has completed several Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) grant and non-grant funded projects and is a member of their Peer Review College.  His Chair was, uniquely, supported by the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT) for five years. Rhodri is the Editor-in- Chief of the Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, a Co-ordinating Editor for the International Journal of Hospitality Management and Academic Editor for Sustainability. Read more...

Tourism and creativity in the European Capitals of Culture

Tamara Rátz
Kodolányi János University of Applied Sciences, Székesfehérvár, Hungary

Dr. Tamara Rátz is Professor of Tourism, and Head of Tourism Department at Kodolányi János University of Applied Sciences, Székesfehérvár – Budapest, Hungary. She received her PhD from Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration (currently Corvinus University of Budapest). She has extensive experience in teaching abroad: in addition to being Visiting Professor at Karaganda Economic University of Kazpotrebsoyuz, Kazakhstan between 2011-2014, Visiting Lecturer at HAMK University of Applied Sciences, Finland between 1995 and 2011, and Course Director at ITI, Norway in 2001-2002, she has taught various tourism-related courses in the DPRK, the Netherlands, Poland, Bulgaria, the Ukraine, Romania, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Turkey. She is the author or co-author of more than 180 publications on tourism, including a number of books on the impacts of tourism, attraction and visitor management, and health tourism and quality of life. Her current research interests include cultural and heritage tourism development, and creativity and innovation in niche tourism development.

Suburban neighbourhoods: hidden treasures for cultural tourism development

Milena Dragićević Šešić
UNESCO Chair in cultural policy and management, Faculty of Dramatic Arts, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Milena Dragićević Šešić is a former president of the University of Arts, Belgrade, where she now holds the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Policy and Management. Dragicevic-Sesic received master’s degrees in Theatre Studies (Paris VIII), Cultural policy (University of Arts Belgrade) and a PhD in Sociology of Culture (University of Belgrade).  Her research interest covers wide scope of topics in cultural policies and management, urban policies, cultural and media studies, popular culture. Dragicevic-Sesic is the author of 16 books and 150 essays, translated in 17 languages. She has been editor of numerous journals and book series. Member of National Council of Science (2006-2010); Member of Advisory Boards of Interuniversity Centre, Dubrovnik; European Diploma in Cultural Project Management, Brussels, etc. Expert in cultural policy and management for the EU, European Cultural Foundation, Council of Europe, UNESCO. She has guest lectured at numerous universities (Lyon, Grenoble, Moscow, Budapest, Krakow, CUNY and Columbia University NY, University of Buffalo, Jyvaskyla, Vilnius, Lasalle Singapore). Dragicevic Sesic is a civil society activist offering her volunteer support to the development of critical thinking and artivism in country and abroad. In 2002, she received the Commandeur dans l`Ordre des Palmes Academiques (the Ministry of National Education and Research of France).

Cultural infrastructure projects Within the project ‘Novi Sad - European Capital of Culture 2021’

Darko Polić
President of the Working Group for Capital infrastructure projects in the framework of the realization of the project ‘Novi Sad 2021 - European Capital of Culture’

Darko Polić is an architect and urban planner. From 2014, he was included into initiative that Novi Sad candidate for the European Youth Capital, and in the following 2015, he was appointed as member of the Organizing Committee of Novi Sad candidacy for European Capital of Culture. As a result, in 2016 Novi Sad became the first city in Europe that in one year won both prestigious titles: the European Youth Capital 2019 and the European Capital of Culture 2021. Additionally, Darko is team leader in Urban planning documents of the historical city core of Novi Sad; Urban design analysis of the derelict areas of Novi Sad; Research on listed structures and areas in Novi Sad and Strategy of general design development within urban area of Novi Sad. He participated in the international team in reshaping ferry terminal by the Santa Apolonia Railway Station, worked in cooperation with European collages in organization of IFHP(International Federation for Housing and Planning) meeting in Lisbon, Portugal (2007); Project in joint cooperation of the Government of Republic of Serbia- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and FAO- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2006) in producing Community Area development Plan of Velika Mostanica, Serbia; Research team of NGO EXPEDITIO (1998) in mapping cultural and built heritage potentials of the city of Perast in UNESCO protected bay of Kotor, Montenegro (1998).

Cultural Bubbles Inside Tourism Space

Aleksandra Dragin
Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences - University of Novi Sad, Serbia

Aleksandra Dragin is associate professor at the Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management – Faculty of Sciences (University of Novi Sad). She teaches the following courses: Culture and Communication in Tourism, Selective Forms in Tourism, Nautical tourism; Ethics and Tourism (master academic studies); The Impact of Demographic Trends on Tourism Development (Doctoral studies). She has been a reviewer of numerous papers in national and international journals, and she is the author or co-author of more than 150 publications in the field of tourism: over 140 scientific papers, 7 monographs and 4 books. Aleksandra has also participated in numerous research activities - conferences, seminars and round tables at home and abroad (Japan, Thailand, United Kingdom, etc.). She held invited lectures at scientific conference (Modern trends in tourism, hospitality and gastronomy 2008 - work in plenary session, the Danube Rectors' Conference (2010) and various other events. Until now, she took a part in 20 projects and education programs. Her current research interests include business ethics in tourism and the concept of socially responsible business. Great attention she paid to the issue of statistical monitoring of tourist traffic, as well as selective forms of tourism, especially in terms of positioning Serbia. Since 2006 she is a member of the Commission for the adoption of standards in the field of tourism and related services at the Institute for Standardization of Serbia within the framework of the International Commission for the standardization of tourism and tourism services ISO / TC 228. As a representative of science, she was a member of the Council for Tourism in APV-u (Provincial Secretariat for Economy, Employment and Gender equality). She is a member of the Working Group for statistical research within the National Council for Tourism (Serbia).