UPDATED: Public symposium to explore rural tourism, place, and identity
Rural tourism will be the subject of a public symposium on Wednesday, May 24, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, room 242 of UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall. All are welcome.
“Tourism, Place and Identity: Rural Tourism in Iceland and Prince Edward Island” will feature Ms. Gudrun Gunnarsdottir of the Tourism Research Centre in Akureyri, Iceland. She will be joined by a panel of PEI tourism authorities and practitioners.
Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of tourists visiting Iceland. Tourism density in this island nation now rivals that of Prince Edward Island. The nature of the tourism industry is broadly similar in both islands—generally seasonal, with a heavy stress on cultural and environmental resources. Also, in both islands there has been a concerted effort by policy-makers to utilize tourism as a community-development tool for rural areas. This has met with mixed success and has raised a whole new set of issues. There is benefit for both islands to share experiences, insights, and possible solutions.
Gudrun Gunnarsdottir, presently director of the Icelandic Research Centre at the University of Akureyri in northern Iceland, is a graduate of the MBA in Tourism Management program at the University of Guelph. She is a specialist in rural tourism. From 2011 to 2014, she worked on a study, “The Entangled Web: Tourism, Place and Identity,” exploring how three small Icelandic communities have embraced the ever-increasing role of tourism.
Dr. Edward MacDonald is a professor of history at the University of Prince Edward Island. His research focuses on the social, cultural, and environmental history of Prince Edward Island. The best known of his seven books is If You’re Stronghearted: Prince Edward Island in the 20th Century (October 2000). He is co-editor of Time and a Place, an environmental history of Prince Edward Island, co-published by Island Studies Press and McGill-Queen’s University Press. His current research project is the history of Prince Edward Island tourism.
Bill Kendrick of Experience PEI will talk about an “Experiential Approach to Rural Tourism.” He notes that on the Island, there is substantial potential to generate revenue for rural communities by leveraging local expertise and engaging individuals who might not normally be in the tourism business. Experience PEI’s recent awards include the 2016 President’s Award from the Tourism Industry Association of PEI and the 2016 Hilton Worldwide Best Small/Medium-Sized Tourism Business in Canada Award from the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.
Ann Worth is Executive Director of Meetings and Conventions Prince Edward Island, a group mandated to develop and attract meetings and convention business for Prince Edward Island. She has actively worked in developing relationships in Iceland for PEI companies in multiple sectors including tourism. Destination research and company matchmaking in Iceland has provided some valuable business insights about how Prince Edward Island and Iceland can continue to build partnerships and collaboration.
Following the presentations, there will be ample time for discussion and questions from the floor.
Members of the public are cordially invited to attend, and admission is free.
This symposium is one of a series of symposia organized by the Institute of Island Studies as part of its mandate to encourage a deep knowledge, understanding, and expression of Prince Edward Island; to contribute to the formulation of public policy on Prince Edward Island; to serve as a bridge between the University and Island communities; and to undertake comparative studies of Prince Edward Island and other islands.
The symposium is sponsored by UPEI’s Institute of Island Studies, Office of the Vice-President Academic and Research, and the Rural Policy Learning Commons. For further information, please contact 902-894-2881 or iis@upei.ca.
The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.
