AIEST

03/09/2026

📣 We are delighted to see AIEST and our conference in St. Gallen featured in the Swiss media! 🇨🇭

🎥 Swiss regional broadcaster TVO joined us on 26 August at the AIEST Conference in St. Gallen and reported on an important question at the heart of our discussions: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 “𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦” 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 - 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞?

More than 80 years after a definition of tourism was formulated in St. Gallen, experts from around the world 🌍 came together in the same city to exchange perspectives on how tourism has evolved and how we might rethink its definition for the future.

▶️ In the comments, find the link to watch the TVO report (in German)!

💬 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 “𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦” 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞?

1941 wurde in St.Gallen der Begriff «Tourismus» definiert. Heute, viele Jahre später, braucht die Definition eine Überarbeitung. Denn Tourismus ist weit mehr als Ferienverkehr – auch Zweitwohnungsbesitzer gelten beispielsweise als Touristen. In St.Gallen haben sich deshalb Vertreter der Touris...

25/08/2026

Tourism is about sensory experiences as well. And the amazing sights and tastes of St. Gallen contribute to the excellent impressions the AIEST conference participants will take home.

24/08/2026

The AIEST way to appreciate conference participants' contribution 🔔

24/08/2026

And kick off of the 75th AIEST conference in St. Gallen, Switzerland!

23/08/2026

Welcome reception of the 75th AIEST conference at a venue with a view

17/08/2026

⏳ One week to go — and this one feels special.

In just seven days, we will meet in 𝐒𝐭. 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 75𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐈𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.
75 editions of research, ideas and questions. 🔬

75 editions of bringing together 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 — and 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭. 🌍

And this year feels even more meaningful: we're returning to where it all began.
📍 St. Gallen, Switzerland — the birthplace of AIEST and, 75 editions later, the place where we will celebrate this milestone together.

Because research is not only about finding answers.
It's about 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝. ✨

We can't wait to welcome familiar faces, meet new ones and spark the conversations that will shape the next chapter of AIEST.

🕛 The countdown is on! Stay up to date with the latest programme and conference information on the AIEST website.

More information in the comments!

One week to go. 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐭. 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧? 👀

06/08/2026

AIEST mourns the passing of Professor Egon Smeral, AIEST’s long-time Vice President and President of the TRC (Tourist Research Centre).

Professionally, Egon will be remembered as a sharp thinker with a flair for humour and a calm demeanour, but also as a wonderful colleague whose company was always a pleasure.

As a scientist and tourism economist, Egon leaves behind a lasting academic legacy; as a person, he leaves us with a sense of loss, but also with very fond memories.

Dear Egon: rest in peace. Our thoughts are also with your loved ones.