NWU - TREES

🚨 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥: 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡! 🚨

We are still accepting applications for the available Post-Doctoral Fellowship positions at TREES NWU - North-West University!🎓

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of South Africa’s leading tourism research teams and contribute to impactful research focused on economic development, environmental sustainability, and societal well-being.

📅 Application Deadline: 15 June 2026

📩 Applications and enquiries:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Don’t miss this opportunity to advance your academic and research career with TREES!

🎓 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
Apply now to compete in the Student-Led Tourism Innovation Summit (TIS) 2026!
Open to full-time Honours, Master’s, and PhD students based on the Potchefstroom campus with an interest in tourism, technology, and innovation.

✔️ Present your ideas
✔️ Engage with emerging research
✔️ Build your academic profile

👉 Apply and find info at https://sites.google.com/g.nwu.ac.za/tis-2026/home

Shape the future of tourism—apply now.

🤿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲: 𝗥𝗲𝗲𝗳 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝘇𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲

In May 2026, Campus World and an Erasmus-funded student, Filippo Gaffuri from DiSVA-UNIVIPM, visited us to collect reef-mapping data in the Maputo National Park, Mozambique. This trip is a continuation of a long-standing collaboration between DiSVA-UNIVPM and TREES. His master's thesis in Marine Science is coordinated by Proffs Camilla Roveta and Torcuato Pulido Mantas at DiSVA, in collaboration with Prof Serena Lucrezi at TREES, and focuses on monitoring subtropical reefs and their recovery following bleaching events and other anthropogenic pressures.

Diving deep for reasearch!

⛪ 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀𝟰𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮

From 12-15 May, Prof Lisebo Tseane-Gumbi, Dr Walter Wessels and Dr Michael Chambwe, who are part of the EU-funded SacredTravels4Growth project, recently gathered in Malta for an inspiring study visit which focused on religious tourism, pilgrimage heritage, sustainability, and higher education collaboration. Hosted by the University of Malta, the programme combined academic exchange, stakeholder engagement, and immersive field experiences across some of Malta’s most significant religious and cultural heritage sites.

What an experience!

💼 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 | 𝗡𝗪𝗨 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

The School of Tourism Management had the opportunity to host two engaging information sessions, during which prospective students learned more about the tourism programmes and the exciting career opportunities offered at NWU. Together with the NWU Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, they enjoyed connecting with prospective students and parents at our stall and sharing their passion for tourism.

They look forward to welcoming the next generation of enthusiastic and passionate first-year students to NWU in 2027!

🚨 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧! 🚨

𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 (𝟱) 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 are available at the TREES Research Unit on the North-West University Potchefstroom Campus. 🌍🎓

📩 For additional enquiries, please contact Prof. Elmarie Slabbert at:
[email protected]

We wish all applicants the very best with their applications! ✨

✨ 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Prof. Martinette Kruger and her research team recently conducted survey research at the renowned Suidoosterfees, contributing to tourism and festival research within one of South Africa’s leading arts and cultural festivals.

Through their involvement, the team engaged with festival attendees and stakeholders, gathering valuable insights that contribute to a deeper understanding of visitor experiences, cultural events, and tourism development. This engagement once again demonstrates TREES’ commitment to bridging academic research and real-world tourism experiences.

Thank you TREES team!👏

✨ 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺: 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗦 𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗧𝗖𝗢𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

We are proud to celebrate the outstanding participation of our postgraduate students at the MTCON 2026 conference as part of TREES’ Postgraduate Student Conference Initiative.

On 28 April 2026, 10 postgraduate students, together with Proffs Martinette Kruger and Adam Viljoen, presented virtually on a diverse range of tourism and hospitality topics. These dynamic papers explored themes such as cultural inclusion at arts festivals, conservation awareness, creative tourism and rural development, hotel brand management, visa regimes and destination choice, sustainability practices, domestic tourism challenges, event risk management, and safety and security in tourism destinations.

Congratulations to all presenters on representing TREES with excellence!

𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗘𝗥𝗦’ 𝗗𝗔𝗬

Today we recognise and celebrate the dedication, resilience, and contributions of workers across South Africa who continue to drive growth, innovation, and development in every sector. From frontline staff to industry leaders, your efforts shape our communities and economy.

🤖🌿 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺: 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗣

We recently hosted an engaging TRIP session, during which we had the privilege of welcoming Gijsbert Hoogendoorn from the University of Johannesburg as our guest speaker.

The session focused on an insightful discussion titled “An exploration of the potential use of service robots among Millennials and Gen Z’s in nature-based tourism destinations.” This sparked thought-provoking conversations around how emerging technologies, particularly service robots, could reshape visitor experiences in natural settings.

Beyond this, the session also opened broader dialogue on the rapid advancement of technology within the tourism sector, highlighting both opportunities and challenges for industry stakeholders and researchers alike.

A big thank you to Prof Hoogendoorn for sharing his expertise and to all who attended this intriguing session!