It was a privilege to be involved with CAUTHE 2013 at Lincoln University, Christchurch last week for many reasons, including that it was the first CAUTHE conference outside Australia.

Tim Hunter Chief Executive, Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism, summed up the situation in Christchurch in his opening keynote presentation titled “The Challenges of Disaster Recovery” when he said ‘There is no event since WWII that has disrupted our tourism industry by so much and for so long”. Despite this, Lincoln University successfully hosted the largest conference to date since the major earthquake event in February 2011. There were 199 delegates, with 17 countries represented, including  Australia – 81, New Zealand – 81 (including 7 volunteers),  UK – 14 and a handful from the remaining countries.

Conference photos are at the CAUTHE Flickr and Facebook websites.

David Simmons, conference chair,  has provided media links to national radio media comment below.

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ONE FOR THE AGES

Despite your frequent protests, I am seldom lost for words but trying to compose an adequate summary of the CAUTHE conference has almost brought me to that state. As one leading participant observed, this was ‘one for the ages’ – four days of unrelenting conviviality, academic rigour and occasional singing. That all aspects came together so magnificently is a tribute to the spirit and perseverance (in the face of several quake-induced changes of plan) of more than two hundred attendees from all parts of New Zealand, Australia and at least fifteen other countries.

But more than anything it is a tribute to our incredibly efficient organising team from SSPRTS – David Simmons, Susanne Becken, Emma Stewart, Jo Fountain, David Fisher, Stephen Espiner, Kevin Moore, Tracy Berno, Mike Mackay, Michael Shone, various volunteers and a raft of Lincoln conference, catering and other staff. We promise photos next week when the team have had a decent sleep. In the meantime here is some of the publicity – David’s appearance on TV3 and the Radio New Zealand story.

Prof David G Simmons
Director Research Strategy and Development
Research and Commercialisation Office
and
Professor of Tourism
Faculty of Environment, Society and Design

Chair :  CAUTHE2013 conference : www.cauthe2013.com