Story from a NHTV master graduate and his journey around the tourism world

My 2010/11 TDM experience launched me into the multifaceted world of tourism certainly.

Since my decision to join NHTV, I have embarked on some fantastic adventures… from writing my thesis in Australia and living and working in the country for 2 years, to presenting the findings at a conference at the Hong Kong Polytechnic and putting all the above into practice at a tourism research centre in Northern Germany.

A year ago destiny led me to Scotland, a fascinating country made of spectacular sceneries and open-hearted people (with their magical accent!). More precisely I am located in the vibrant city of Glasgow, having been offered a position as Researcher at the Moffat Centre for Tourism and Development, a recognized consultancy organization based at Glasgow Caledonian University GCU.

My actual job includes regular meetings with VisitScotland, the Scottish national board responsible for the national tourism sector; face to face consultation with the tourism local authorities delivering regional data for their monitoring and planning; developing an econometric model that integrates fast moving tourism variables like attendance at visitor attractions, weather and traffic by air, sea and road with economic National Accounts (the foundation of the Tourism Satellite Accounts if this rings a bell to you) to provide bang up-to-date and geographically narrowed data for tourism operators; attending events around the country for Economic Impact Analysis purposes and, last, the involvement as university partner for an exciting EU-funded programme to develop a new yacht cruising tourism route between Ireland and the Arctic Circle areas of Norway.

Along with my work appointment, Glasgow Caledonian University is funding me to undertake a PhD on the application and use of technologies in the Scottish tourism industry. So here I am, enjoying an all-round view on the tourism industry that bridges gaps between the two worlds, theory and practice, each of them often deemed too detached from the other.

I consider the combination of theory exposure and hands-on experience an explosive one for tourism, just like the structure of our beloved TDM! Backing up your conclusions with both theoretical frameworks and best practices from the real world is what makes your outcomes look solid and sound.

What I feel like sharing here, based on my personal experience is …

.. Keep following your passion and then commit yourself to it, even though things will not go as you have visualized most of the times. You have got to be patient and sweat it out. You may find empty shells along the journey and bump into other unexpected catches but, after all, you will get your oyster, yes you will get it!

So never forget… The world is your oyster!

Cheers!

Giancarlo Fedeli

uk.linkedin.com/in/giancarlofedelitourism                                          gcal.academia.edu/GiancarloFedeli