[Conference presentation] APTA 2026

The Asia Pacific Tourism Association Annual Conference (APTA 2026) was held from July 6th to 8th in Fukuoka, Japan.

From Wakayama University, CTR researchers, Prof. Yuji Yashima (Faculty of Tourism), Dr. Mohamed Elbarbary, and Dr. Ryutaro Yamakita, participated in this conference.

Dr. Elbarbary presented on how street art murals can be utilised as an alternative tourism product that stands apart from mass tourism consumption. Dr. Yamakita shared his insights on developing a theoretical framework to explain the sustainability of local events, drawing on a case study of a marathon that was revived by a group of committed local residents after being discontinued by the local government.

Furthermore, Professor Yashima and CTR Visiting Fellows presented research examining how interactions between organisers and participants can contribute to sustainable community tourism practices, based on the case of ‘Kyushu Orelu’.

（Left: Dr. Elbarbary, Right: Dr. Yamakita）

 

CTR has been a sponsor for the APTA Annual Conference since 2015. A desk for sponsors was set up, and CTR researchers actively promoted CTR during the conference. In addition, the Center's logo appeared on banners and pamphlets, providing many researchers with an opportunity to recognize CTR, and we will continue to contribute to the development of tourism research.

（CTR researchers and Visiting Fellows）

 

＜Presentation title by CTR researchers and students at Wakayama University＞

• The Valorization Of Urban Subculture: Street Art As An Alternative Tourist Product (Mohamed El-Barbary,　Ondrej Mitas, Licia Calvi)
• Why Events Come Back To Life: A Revelatory Case Of The Lucidophyllous Forest Aya Marathon (Ryutaro Yamakita)
• From Tourists To Co-Creators: Participant Involvement In Kyushu Olle (Jaewook Kim, Yuji Yashima, Shigeru Toyoshima, Hayato Nagai)
• Seeing And Being Seen: Stateless Bajau Laut Children And The Politics Of Visibility In Tourism Spaces (Shi Ching Wong, Adam Doering)

 

◆APTA2026 website　https://www.apta2026.org/