Jaka Godejša: Innovative Tourism – Exploring Research Experiences in Australia

On Thursday, February 28, ASEF, in collaboration with the Student Council of the University of Primorska, organized a popular science lecture as part of the ASEF Young Minds lecture series. The event focused on the presentation of innovative tourism, and the guest speaker was Jaka Godejša, a master’s student at the Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica and an ASEF scholarship recipient of the 2024 generation. He completed his research visit under the mentorship of Dr. Kaja Antlej at Deakin University.

The event was moderated by Lena Kogoj, also an ASEF Fellow of the 2024 generation, who began by introducing ASEF, the ASEF Young Minds lectures, and the speaker, Jaka Godejša. She then invited Lana Erjavec, President of the Student Council, to say a few words. Lana thanked Jaka for his presentation and emphasized:

“Events like these are extremely important for our University, and we are delighted to have been part of organizing this lecture.”

The main topic of the lecture was innovative tourism, specifically the impact of virtual cycling on the tourism experience. The presentation explored how technology can enrich tourism content and provide access to unique destinations in a completely new way. Key aspects of tourism include enhancing guest experiences, attracting attention, and strengthening competitive advantages, while also focusing on business optimization and sustainability.

Jaka structured his lecture into four parts:

1. Introduction – He shared his past tourism projects and explained how he became involved in innovative tourism.
2. Fundamental Concepts and Principles – He explained key theoretical concepts such as innovations, trends, and the EDIT model, which played a crucial role in his research.
3. Virtual Cycling and Research in Australia – He described his research based on virtual cycling in Kras, examining how users perceive this tool for exploring tourist destinations and whether virtual experiences can encourage tourists to cycle at actual destinations.
4. Life in Australia – He provided insights into everyday life in Australia, highlighting the most interesting tourist attractions and sharing his impressions of the things that fascinated him the most, with a special emphasis on an unforgettable road trip to Uluru.

At the end of the lecture, Jaka answered audience questions, with attendees eagerly listening to his experiences. He concluded by stating:

 “I was delighted to share my research experience from Australia and emphasize the importance of tourism as a serious discipline. Its impact is far-reaching—it shapes quality of life, society, and the environment—so it is crucial to approach it thoughtfully and responsibly.”

The project of disseminating research findings by young scholars across different locations in Slovenia after their ASEF research visits abroad is supported by the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth and the Office for Slovenians Abroad.