NEWSLETTER #36 - January 2026
NEWSLETTER #36 - January 2026
Submissions for the Tourism, Hospitality & Events International Conference (THE INC 2026) are extended until 1 March 2026.
The conference addresses key debates and emerging directions in tourism, hospitality, and events research, with a focus on personalised and immersive experiences. Know more about this
conference's themes here.
Researchers are invited to submit a 500–700 word abstract aligned with the conference themes, contributing critical, innovative and interdisciplinary perspectives. Take this opportunity to submit your work!
Patrícia Pinto, CinTurs Integrated Researcher, formally assumed the position of Vice-Rector for Partnerships and the European University (SEA-EU) at the University of Algarve on December 17th. The ceremony took place at the Grand Auditorium Caixa Geral de Depósitos, at Gambelas Campus, marking a significant institutional milestone for the University of Algarve and its international and European engagement. CinTurs congratulates Patrícia Pinto on this achievement and expresses full confidence that her leadership and strategic vision will decisively strengthen institutional partnerships and advance the European University’s mission.
Luís Nobre Pereira, CinTurs Integrated Researcher, was appointed as Director of the Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo (ESGHT), following the inauguration ceremony held on 22nd December, at the Ludgero Sequeira Amphitheatre, in Penha Campus. This appointment marks the beginning of a new leadership cycle and recognises a professional trajectory characterised by academic rigour, institutional engagement and a strategic outlook aligned with the future of higher education. CinTurs extends its congratulations and wishes him a mandate defined by consistency, impact and service to the academic community.
CinTurs is pleased to highlight the recent academic distinctions awarded to its members. At the TMS Algarve 2025 conference, the paper “Economic Nutrition Label: Advancing Sustainable Tourism and Local Economies through Mediterranean Diet Products” was distinguished as Outstanding Paper. Authored by Alexandra Rodrigues Gonçalves (Integrated Member), Ana Isabel Martins, Manuel Serra (CinTurs PhD Student), and Dolores Santos, this paper will be published in an upcoming volume by Springer. Additionally, at the DSOTT 2025 conference, the Best Paper Award was granted to “Creative Tourism as a pathway to Social Inclusion for older artisans”, authored by Hilal Akdemir (Collaborator Researcher), José de São José (CinTurs Co-Coordinator), and Alexandra Rodrigues Gonçalves.
CinTurs reinforces its scientific leadership in sustainable tourism with the appointment of Hugo Pinto, Integrated Researcher at the Centre, as Coordinator of the Technical Unit of the Algarve Sustainable Tourism Observatory. In this role, Hugo Pinto will lead the implementation of the Observatory’s activities, ensuring its regular operation and reinforcing its contribution to evidence-based policymaking in tourism. Established in 2019, the Observatory is the result of a partnership between regional and national institutions and operates through a decision-support system integrating economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and governance indicators.
The POSEIDON project is strengthening
joint research on sustainability in the Blue Economy within the SEA-EU
alliance, bringing together teams from the University of Algarve and the
University of Malta.
Led by Hugo Pinto and Lisa Pace, the
project explores how coastal stakeholders perceive and negotiate
pathways towards more sustainable and socially just ocean futures.
Funded by the SEA-EU Research Seed Fund
2025, POSEIDON adopts an interdisciplinary approach that bridges
ecological, economic, and social dimensions, aligning academic research
with real-world coastal challenges in regions
such as the Algarve and Malta.
CinTurs announces Luciano Viverit, CEO of Hotelnet and Travelbrain, as a new member of its Advisory Board. Holding a PhD in Physics from the Niels Bohr Institute, Luciano Viverit combines a strong background in complex systems and quantum physics with extensive experience in applying advanced data science to hospitality and tourism. His academic work includes publications in leading international journals and collaborations with renowned European institutions. His integration into the Advisory Board reinforces CinTurs’ strategic focus on scientific excellence, internationalization, and effective knowledge transfer between academia and industry.
CinTurs has formally established internal working groups to strengthen strategic areas of activity.
These work groups are:
- Science Communication
- Internationalisation
- Knowledge Transfer
- Societal Impact Monitoring
- Institutional Agreements
- Industry-Academia Engagement
Each group brings together researchers
and collaborators with complementary expertise, reflecting a structured
and collaborative approach to institutional development, impact
generation, and external engagement.
THE INC 2026 conference will generate two Special Issues in internationally recognised journals, reinforcing its academic relevance and publication impact. One Special Issue will be published in Tourism Geographies (ABS 2*), focusing on “Geographies of Personalisation and Immersion in Tourism Experiencescape,” while a second Special Issue will appear in the Event Management journal (ABS 2*), entitled “Personalisation and Immersive Experiences in Events”. Researchers are invited to submit abstracts of 500-700 words by 1 February 2026, with full paper submissions due by mid to late March 2026, depending on the journal.
