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In this chapter, we present our findings and ideas regarding the involvement of external partners in challenge-based learning (CBL). In particular, we address two questions: Firstly, whether it is inevitably necessary and/or worthwhile to work with external partners. Secondly, in case external partners are to be included in CBL, what needs to be considered in order to make the cooperation rewarding for teachers and students. Therefore, we identify different roles external partners may assume as well as benefits and problems that can arise from this in terms of the implementation and learning process. Our insights are based on qualitative expert interviews with five teachers and three students from courses with and without external partners at the Hamburg University of Technology (a subsample of our larger quantitative and qualitative study on CBL implementation within the ECIU), our own experience in teaching CBL, as well as on literature reviews. Our findings suggest that roles and functions of external partners are various: They may come into play as a training partner, as a challenge provider, as an expert in the field and/or as a feedback provider. They may take over several roles at the same time or just one out of it; they may be defined as part of the team of learners or join in at special occasions only. While there are certain advantages unique to having external partners, some roles may also be covered without (permanently) involving externals. In any case, working with externals requires continuous communication and negotiation regarding role expectations, positions, and activities throughout the process. To facilitate this, the chapter introduces a model to systematically analyze and balance interactions with external partners.

This case study from The Gambia is based on the research project ‘Transnational Relationship Establishment: Diaspora Tourism and Circular Migration’. It introduces the development and problems of migration in West Africa and specifically in The Gambia. Beyond migration policy, it looks at the structures and motives of migration in one of the poorest countries in Africa, which is characterised by extreme dependence on remittances from the diaspora. Furthermore, The Gambia has a very high share of tourism in gross domestic product (GDP), which leads to a high dependence on tourists and tour operators from Europe. Taken together, these aspects pose major challenges to the country’s tourism policy in terms of contested ‘wicked problems’. The purpose of this chapter is to use qualitative analysis to describe the significance and impact of diaspora tourism and transnational relationships and circular migration of Gambians on their homeland. One focus is on examining the development potential of forms of tourism associated with members of the diaspora and their home countries. Another focus is on how plurilocal familial, economic and sociocultural ties can be shaped and maintained and remigration processes initiated through the study of transnational relations.

It is widely agreed that transformation processes that are triggered by crisis events can challenge conventional behavioural norms and stimulate new ideas and innovations that can assist in the preparations for future challenges. This impetus for transformation processes not only applies to the COVID-19 pandemic, but has also been seen in many other instances, such as the Global Financial Crisis in 2008 or the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, which have sparked significant socio-political change processes often with a global reach. The multitude of wicked tourism policy problems discussed in our book often occur in parallel, are of growing complexities, are often not well understood and indistinguishable from one another and exert pressure on the resilience of vulnerable political, economic and community-based systems. These circumstances often present as tipping points which can trigger necessary long-term transformations. However, this process of long-term change must be well planned and strategically implemented. Thus, future transformative destination management should be built on a holistic approach, underpinned by adaptive political leadership in which tourism is not only seen as a driver for economic growth and employment, but as a strategy which successfully integrates social, cultural and ecological goals.

According to Head (2008), wicked problems are not just wicked problems in the sense of complex challenges, but situations that are confusing, unique, diffuse, without clear responsibilities or accountabilities, and difficult to resolve. These problems stand out for their uncertain nature, lack of clear solutions and possible irreversible consequences of attempted interventions. Recognising the pertinence of wicked problems in contemporary public policy discourse, this chapter aims to explore and better understand political decision-makers’ handling of these issues, in a tourism-specific context. The discourse on wicked problems, in accordance with 10 characteristics outlined by Rittel and Webber (1973), remains relevant when examining policy responses to mega trends, such as indigenous disparities, sustainability, digital transformation and demographic change. Against this backdrop and positioned within current academic discourse, this introductory chapter briefly foreshadows the volume’s various contributions by academics from around the world who present a wide range of wicked problems in tourism from their respective perspectives and contexts.

This chapter aims to familiarize the reader with some of the important aspects of tourism geography in the German-speaking countries. It starts with a primarily historical-genetic perspective on tourism development and the theoretical traditions associated with them. The second section describes the structure of the discipline, with a focus on the institutionalization of the field in the universities including their research specialization. The chapter maintains that tourism geography plays a marginal role compared with other subdisciplines of geography, though this is reflected primarily in its institutionalization and less so in the research undertaken. The last section deals with the current challenges and future prospects in German-speaking geographies of tourism from a problem-centered perspective.

This chapter analyses the situation of gender research and education in tourism. It describes gender inequity as a wicked problem resulting from a deep embeddedness of gender stereotypes in social norms, values, and attitudes. Drawing on sociological theories, this chapter demonstrates that invisible power structures and interests of certain groups in society, in combination with prevailing gender-based stereotypes, result in vicious cycles of adapting behaviour to stereotypes and enforcing them by doing so. With its clear focus on appearance and easy-going lifestyle, the tourism industry still does not address gender issues, including sexual exploitation, appropriately. There is a need to systematically integrate gender-related topics into tourism studies and education curricula on a university level to create awareness among students and acknowledge how they can contribute to gender justice.