Organised by
The Department of Travel and Tourism
In collaboration with
Center of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism Innovation and Research
Introduction
The tourism industry is undergoing a paradigm shift with emerging technologies like the Metaverse and Big Data shaping the future of smart tourism. The integration of these technologies enables immersive virtual experiences, real-time data-driven decision-making, and enhanced customer engagement. This Faculty Development Program (FDP) aims to equip educators, researchers, and professionals with insights and practical applications of these innovations in tourism management.
This FDP explored these cutting-edge technologies, discussed case studies, and provided hands-on training to empower participants with the skills to integrate them into research, teaching, and industry collaborations. Given the rapid advancements in technology, faculty need to stay updated and integrate these emerging tools and concepts into our curriculum to benefit our students and institution.
Primary objectives
- Understand the metaverse and its practical applications within the tourism industry.
- Explore the strategic use of big data for effective tourism management.
- Examine how integrating the metaverse and big data can drive innovation in the tourism sector.
- Develop participants' skills in applying these technologies to real-world tourism challenges.
- Facilitate networking and knowledge exchange between faculty and industry professionals.
FDP Dates: 13 – 17th May 2025
FDP Time : 3:15pm - 5:15pm
Mode : Online
Audience: Faculties and research scholars from the domain of tourism, hospitality, aviation and other allied fields.
Registration fees: 300 INR
Organizing Team:
- Dr Chhabi Sinha – Dean, Humanities and Social Sciences (Organising chairperson)
- Dr. Aarti Suryawanshi - Head of Department, Travel & Tourism (Co-convener)
- Dr. Harshada Satghare - Faculty Member, Travel and Tourism (Co-convener)
- Mr. Remi Thomas - Faculty Member, Travel and Tourism (Organising Member)
- Mr. Nishant Sutare - Faculty Member, Travel and Tourism (Organising Member)
- Mrs. Madhavi Dachawar – Faculty of Science & Technology (Organising Member- Technical support)
Session details and resource persons:
|
SN |
Date |
FDP Topic |
Resource Persons |
|
1 |
Tuesday, 13th May 2025 |
Introduction to Metaverse and its Applications in Tourism |
Dr H Sandhya |
|
2 |
Wednesday, 14th May 2025 |
Fundamentals of Big Data in Tourism Management |
Dr Ganesh Narkhede |
|
3 |
Thursday, 15th May 2025 |
Integrating Metaverse for Smart Tourism |
Dr Sana Maidullah |
|
4 |
Friday, 16th May 2025 |
Practical Applications and Case Studies |
Dr Sana Maidullah |
|
5 |
Saturday, 17th May 2025 |
Future Trends and Opportunities in Smart Tourism Management |
Dr Aruditya Jasrotia |
Resource persons :
1. Dr H Sandhya
Dr. Sandhya H, Assistant Professor at Christ (Deemed to be) University, Bangalore, holds a Ph.D. in Tourism Management. A gold medalist during her studies, she has an extensive research portfolio with several SCOPUS-indexed book chapters and articles focusing on Smart Tourism, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Destination Competitiveness. Her notable works include publications on "Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Destination Competitiveness," "Smart Tourism Narratives: Maturity Matrix and Digital Transformation," and "Virtual Horizons: AI, Metaverse, and Industry 4.0 Revolutionizing Tourism," among others. Her research emphasizes the strategic role of data analytics and Metaverse in designing resilient and competitive tourism ecosystems post-COVID-19.
2. Dr Ganesh Narkhede
Dr. Ganesh B. Narkhede is a distinguished academician and researcher at Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology, Pune. A post-doctoral fellow at Amity University, Dubai, he holds a Ph.D. from COEP Pune. His research expertise spans Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0, sustainable manufacturing, and digital transformation of SMEs. His prolific output includes over 10 SCOPUS and WoS-indexed papers, notably on digitalization and sustainability, and he has actively explored how smart manufacturing and data-driven innovations reshape industries. His collaborative projects with Dublin City University and IIT Varanasi emphasize the darker side of Industry 4.0 and the socio-technical integration of Industry 5.0, aligning closely with smart and sustainable operational ecosystems that resonate with Big Data and Metaverse applications in tourism.
3,4. Dr. Sana Maidullah
Dr. Sana Maidullah is a Ph.D. in Humanities & Social Sciences from the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. Her areas of interest are Tourism Marketing, Smart Tourism Technology, Tourism Operation Management, Travel and Tourism Laws, Regulation, Tourism Entrepreneurship, and Marketing Research. She has presented various research papers at international conferences and published several research articles and book chapters in Scopus-listed national and international journals. She has participated in MHRD-UGC ePathshala Project for the subject PG English as Content Writer for one module titled ‘Consumer Cultures’ for Paper XVI [Cultural Studies] and finalized it for INFLIBNET.
5. Dr Aruditya Jasrotia
Dr. Aruditya Jasrotia, Assistant Professor at Amity Institute of Travel & Tourism, Amity University Noida, specializes in Smart Tourism Destinations, Sustainable Tourism, and ICT interventions in tourism planning. A Ph.D. from Central University of Jammu, his doctoral research focused specifically on Smart Tourism Destinations in Himalayan cities. Dr. Jasrotia has authored over 15 SCOPUS-indexed papers and multiple ABDC-category publications on smart tourism, virtual tourism experiences, and technology adoption in tourism. His research on manifesting smart destinations, virtual reality in tourism, and post-COVID smart recovery strategies deeply engages with Big Data analytics and Metaverse concepts as tools for enhancing destination competitiveness and sustainability.
Rules and Regulations :
Participation is strictly by prior registration only.
All participants must complete the registration form and submit it before the specified deadline.
The participants must fulfil the following criteria to get the E-certificate:
- 80% attendance is mandatory
- 80% of assignments should be submitted
- 50% marks should be scored in the assignments.
The participants should fill out all feedback forms.
Session details:
Day 1 : Tuesday, 13th May 2025
Resource Person: Dr H Sandhay
Her session on "Introduction to Metaverse and its Applications in Smart Tourism" was truly engaging and informative. Through well-curated videos and real-world examples, Dr. Sandhya simplified complex concepts, making it easier for all participants to grasp the future-forward potential of the Metaverse in tourism.
The session witnessed enthusiastic participation, with a vibrant Q&A segment reflecting the curiosity and eagerness of attendees to dive deeper into this evolving domain.
Day 2 : Wednesday, 14th May 2025
Resource Person: Dr Ganesh Narkhede
We were privileged to have Dr. Ganesh B. Narkhede, a distinguished academician and researcher from Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology, Pune, deliver an insightful session on "Big Data and its Applications in Tourism."
Dr. Narkhede not only explained the core concepts of big data but also provided valuable insights into how it can be leveraged for tourism research. The session featured hands-on demonstrations using tools like R, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix, which added great practical value for the participants.
Day 3: Thursday, 15th May 2025
Resource Person: Dr Sana Maidullah
The sessions on Metaverse and its application in smart tourism dealt with the details regarding different metaverse techniques like blockchain, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT), extended realities and their applications for smart tourism.
Day 4: Friday, 16th May 2025
Resource Person: Dr Sana Maidullah
The session on cases and applications discussed in detail case studies of the metaverse and smart tourism. The case study of the Marriott hotel is discussed in detail. It made the understanding easy for the participants.
Day 5: Saturday, 17th May 2025
Resource Person: Dr. Aruditya Jasrotia
The session had a discussion on emerging research avenues in smart and immersive tourism, Career opportunities shaped by Metaverse and Big Data applications, and Curriculum enhancement for aligning tourism education with Industry 5.0. covering future research areas in the domain of smart tourism. Through understanding future career paths, faculty can encourage their students to discover these career paths.
From understanding virtual tourism environments to leveraging data analytics for personalized travel experiences, the FDP equipped us with actionable knowledge to reimagine tourism education and research.
Participant details:
A total of 67 participants across India registered for the FDP. Among them, 47 completed all the criteria and received the certificate of completion. The participants were from different states of India like Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. Thus, the FDP received an overwhelming response.
