IPB University Tropical Biodiversity Conservation Postgraduate Study Program Raise the Issue of Technology 4.0 in the Tourism Sector in an International Webinar Forum
Developments in the field of transportation, tourist facilities and infrastructure have increased carbon emissions which require a change in the paradigm of tourism development towards a more eco-friendly or green tourism (green tourism).
This prompted the Postgraduate Study Program (Prodi) of Tropical Biodiversity Conservation (KVT) under the Department of Conservation of Forest Resources and Ecotourism (KSHE), Faculty of Forestry and Environment (Fahutan) IPB University to hold an International Webinar with the theme ‘: Technology 4.0 in Tourism: Road to Responsible Tourism and Green Environment’. The implementation of this activity is also in collaboration with the KVT Student Association (Contoures) and Emerald Publishing.
“The implementation of Tourism 4.0/Smart Tourism is important as an initiative towards sustainable tourism and biodiversity conservation. This concept is very much in line with the outline of the IPB University Research Master Plan in the Field of Ecology. This step will make IPB University a research trendsetter in the field of conservation and ecotourism, also with the direction of Agro-Maritime 4.0 research,” said Dr Arzyana Sunkar, Secretary of the KVT Study Program, Department of KSHE Fahutan IPB University.
Dr Arzyana Sunkar explained, this webinar aims to explore the concept of industry 4.0 in the tourism sector and its implementation in Indonesia by presenting Prof Iis Tussyadiah, a professor in the field of Intelligent Systems in Service and Head of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Surrey. Another guest speaker, Dr Frans Teguh is an Expert Staff for Sustainable Development and Conservation at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf).
Prof Iis stressed the importance of technology for humans and that technology is more than just a tool. Even so, he also emphasized, “Not all technologies have to be implemented, so that the use of responsible and ethical technology is the key to achieving responsible and ethical tourism,” he explained.
Meanwhile Dr Frans emphasized the presence of technology with global connectivity. “The more digital, the more personal, the more professional and the more global. So digitalization keeps us connected to global action together but with local priorities,” he added.
This webinar managed to attract the attention of the public both nationally and internationally, as evidenced by the number of participants who registered as many as 240 with a composition of 64 international participants from Pakistan, the Philippines, China, Kosovo, Malaysia, Timor Leste, India, Vietnam and Turkey.
This international webinar is also a pre-conference for the 2023 International Conference on Responsible Tourism and Hospitality (ICRTH) which will be held by Fahutan IPB University through the KVT Postgraduate Study Program, on 21-23 August 2023 with the theme Reviving Tourism through Green Investment. This international conference will be held at the IPB International Convention Center (IICC) and the Dramaga Campus of IPB. (*/SHM/Rz) (IAAS/Res)
