Workshop Summary
On 7 September 2026, a workshop in Isfahan brought local tourism stakeholders together to consider how established tourism businesses and emerging models can interact with digital knowledge and collaboration platforms. The session was organised locally. TourismShift was not the host. It was used only as the working case study.
The session combined an introduction to that case study with a live platform walkthrough and an open discussion about its relevance to Iran’s tourism sector. The discussion generated practical questions about participation, international reach, platform functionality and local engagement. It also produced a concrete next step: a commitment from the Academic Association of Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch in Isfahan, to host a follow-up session for students and faculty.
Purpose of the Workshop
The hosts used TourismShift as a case study to examine the relationship between traditional tourism activity, emerging business models and the growing role of digital collaboration. The aim was to create space for local discussion and to hear questions, expectations and concerns from tourism stakeholders in Isfahan and the wider Iranian context.
- Use TourismShift as a practical example of an independent tourism knowledge and collaboration ecosystem.
- Explore how traditional businesses and emerging tourism initiatives can learn from and collaborate with one another.
- Understand local questions, expectations and concerns relating to digital knowledge platforms.
- Identify practical opportunities for continued academic and professional engagement.
Presentation and Platform Walkthrough
Nasim Khorsandi facilitated the session and presented TourismShift as the central case study. Using official TourismShift presentation materials, she explained the platform’s purpose, the industry challenges it responds to, the stakeholders it intends to connect and the potential value of participation.
A live walkthrough of a contributor dashboard showed participants how such a platform functions in practice. This helped move the discussion from the concept of the case study to questions about participation and use.
Discussion Themes
The discussion concentrated on four practical areas:
- Onboarding and participation, including how individuals and organisations can join and how the platform functions in practice.
- International reach, particularly TourismShift’s engagement across different countries and the development of its global network.
- Contributor-dashboard features and the functions available to platform participants.
- Local engagement, including how a platform of this kind could be introduced appropriately within Iran and connected with relevant tourism stakeholders.
Participant Feedback and Local Insight
Participants responded positively to the core concept illustrated by the case study and its potential to support professional connection, knowledge exchange and collaboration. The principal practical suggestion was to consider Persian-language support, reflecting the importance of accessibility when engaging Iranian users.
The session also suggested that universities with established tourism departments may be effective early conveners for conversations of this kind in Iran. Their academic networks can help bring students, researchers and tourism practitioners into the same discussion.
Outcome and Next Step
Following the workshop, the Academic Association of Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch in Isfahan committed to hosting a follow-up session. The proposed workshop will introduce the same case study to students and faculty and provide a further opportunity to explore the relationship between tourism knowledge, education and industry practice.
This outcome represents an encouraging early step rather than broad market validation. Its value lies in the opening of a relevant institutional pathway and in the practical feedback collected from the first local discussion.
What This Means for TourismShift
The Isfahan workshop showed how a locally organised session can use TourismShift as a case study and still generate useful, place-specific feedback. It also reinforced the importance of presenting TourismShift as more than a networking space. Its wider purpose is to connect knowledge, research, destinations, organisations and professional experience in ways that can support learning and meaningful collaboration.
Future workshops of this kind can build on the experience by recording attendance, collecting structured participant feedback and tracking follow-up interest. This will make it possible to compare engagement across locations and understand which forms of discussion create the greatest value.
Workshop Coverage
The workshop poster and event photographs were published by Marja-e Etela'rasani-ye Vizheh Javanan-e Esfahan, also described as the Isfahan Youth Information Center. The published material documented the date, location, presentation setting and discussion session.
Acknowledgement
TourismShift thanks Mr Estaki and the NGO Rooyesh Javaneh-haye Naghsh-e Jahan for organising and hosting the session, and acknowledges Nasim Khorsandi for facilitating the discussion in which TourismShift was used as the case study.
About TourismShift
TourismShift is an independent global tourism knowledge and collaboration ecosystem connecting research, industry, destinations, organisations, innovators and professionals. It is intended to complement existing institutions by helping relevant knowledge move beyond isolated conversations and into wider professional learning and collaboration.
Learn more: tourismshift.com