Multi-Stakeholder Innovation in Tourism Marketing: A New Paradigm of Tech-Driven Engagement and Sustainable Growth

This track focuses on multi-stakeholder innovation in tourism marketing, investigating how technology is leveraged to foster engagement and drive sustainable growth from the perspectives of businesses, platforms, governments, and consumers. We aim to explore novel approaches that bridge diverse interests and capabilities to create a more dynamic, resilient, and responsible tourism ecosystem. This session welcomes rigorous academic research and insightful case studies that demonstrate how technological advancements are reshaping marketing strategies, enhancing interactive experiences, and contributing to long-term sustainable development in the tourism and leisure sector. It aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, and industry experts to share insights, methodologies, and practical findings.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

· Tourism and Destination Marketing

· Tourism and the Ageing Society

· Tourist Behaviors in the New Socio-Economic and Geopolitical Environment

· Technology-Enabled Multi-stakeholder Collaborative Co-creation, Platform Governance and Marketing Innovation

· Analytics of multimodal tourism data

· Experiential Marketing Innovations

· Sustainable Development of Tourism and Leisure Industry through Technological Innovation

· Cultural Understanding and Authentic Tourist Experiences

· Tourism, leisure and wellbeing

· Sustainability-Oriented Tourism and Leisure MarketingSustainability-Oriented Tourism and Leisure Marketing

FT50 & UTD24 Journal Paper Workshop 

To further support participants in publishing high-impact research, this track will feature a dedicated FT50 & UTD24 Journal Paper Workshop. This workshop is designed for scholars aiming to submit their work to top-tier business journals (as listed in the Financial Times 50 or UTD 24 selections). Among the submissions to the Tourism and Leisure track, the committee will select no more than three standout articles to receive exclusive, one-on-one mentorship. This session provides a unique opportunity for authors to gain in-depth guidance from senior scholars with proven track records of success in these elite outlets.

Specific Objectives

· High-Level Mentorship: Matching early-career researchers with established mentors to bridge the gap between conference papers and top-tier publications.

· Strategic Guidance: Navigating the specific requirements and "storytelling" techniques required for FT50/UTD24 journals.

· Networking: Building collaborative relationships between emerging scholars and senior leaders in the field.

Industry Panel Dialogue Session 

To enhance in-depth exchanges between academia and industry, this special track features an in-person in-depth dialogue session between tourism academia and industry practitioners. Government professionals in the cultural and tourism sector and academic researchers will be invited to jointly explore a new paradigm for the sustainable growth of Asia-Pacific tourism marketing driven by emerging technologies.

Important Dates

Paper Submission Deadline: January 1 – March 31, 2026

Notification of Acceptance: April 15, 2026

Submission Guidelines

When submitting your paper, please follow the steps below to ensure it is directed to the correct mini track:

· Select [D (Thematic Cluster Submissions)] as the submission category.

· Enter “Prof. Li” as the Chair of the Group Submission.

· Enter “Prof. Li(PDW)" as the Chair of the Group Submission if you want to apply join the Journal Paper Workshop

· Enter “Tourism Marketing” as the Topic of the Group Submission.

All submissions will undergo a peer-review process. Accepted papers will be included in the conference proceedings, and at least one author is required to register and present the paper at the conference.

Chair

李想教授（ Xiang Robert Li）

Professor Li is the Fung King Hey Memorial Professor of Tourism Management and Director of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School. A leading expert in destination marketing and tourist behavior, Professor Li has authored nearly 270 publications, including over 80 papers in top-tier journals, and has received more than 30 research awards, including the Charles R. Goeldner Article of Excellence Award (twice). He has been consistently ranked among the most cited and productive scholars in tourism and hospitality, including being listed among the top 2% of researchers worldwide since 2019. Professor Li serves on the editorial boards of 14 journals and has edited 11 special issues. His research has been featured by major media outlets including The New York Times, Forbes, Time, and The Economist. In 2024, he was elected Second Vice President of the Travel and Tourism Research Association, beginning a four-year leadership term.