The 2016 Summer School of the UNESCO chair in ICT to develop and promote sustainable tourism in World Heritage Sites, established at USI – Università della Svizzera italiana (Lugano, Switzerland) is co-located together with IFITT (International Federation for IT and Travel & Tourism) doctoral summer school. IFITT is the leading independent global community for the discussion, exchange and development of knowledge about the use and impact of ICT in the travel and tourism industry and experience.

Besides representing a wide segment of the tourism market, cultural tourism is an opportunity for territorial development and cultural promotion. It points out, in fact, the very goal of tourism: to exit known territories in order to enter new spaces and encounter different human communities, cultures and lifestyles. In particular, sacred heritage needs to be considered, since it constitutes a major part within every culture. Information and Communication Technologies might play key roles in supporting and enriching cultural tourism, promoting a sustainable approach and enhancing the understanding of different cultures and traditions.

The Summer School program will includes lectures by leading international scholars, applied skills seminars lead by expert researchers, case studies, and group-work project on subjects such as:
– eTourism Communication
– Gamification and Informal Learning in Tourism
– eLearning and MOOC for Tourism
– The #eTourismMOOC experience
– Augmented Reality and other Tourism-related applications (hands-on workshop)
– ICT and Story-Telling
– Analysis of Online Travel Reviews
– Communicating Sacred Heritage: a Fine Arts and Literature Perspective
– Intercultural Communication in Tourism: a Semiotic Perspective
– Sustainable Tourism
– Localization of Destination Websites

When: August 29 – September 9, 2016

Where: Casa Dei Padri, Armeno(NO), Italy – nearby Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How to apply: Please send your CV and a one-page motivation letter to unescochair@usi.ch no later than April 30, 2016.

Fee: 1000 EUR (includes tuition fee; board and lodging for two weeks as well as social activities).

For more information: http://www.unescochair.usi.ch/activities-2/summer-school-2016