9th EDITION OF THE GABRIEL ESCARRER INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR TOURISM STUDIES THE SOL MELI CHAIR IN TOURISM

STUDIES In September 2002, the company Meli Hotels International and the University of the Balearic Islands (U.I.B.) created the Sol Meli Chair in Tourism Studies to promote education, research and the diffusion of information related to tourism. With a desire to bring the Sol Meli Chair in line with Meli Hotels Internationals policy of sustainability and to focus its initiatives on the concept of corporate social responsibility, notice is hereby given of the 9th Edition of the Gabriel Escarrer International Award for Tourism Studies, which has a single monetary award of 10,000 euros.

ENTRY RULES
1. Objectives, Themes and Entry Requirements

The prize shall be awarded to an original, hitherto unpublished research study, conducted during the last two years within one of the following fields:
a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. The defence and promotion of destinations tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Tourism and the management of diversity in human resources management. Sustainability and social responsibility as a competitive edge in the tourist sector. Creating value through sustainability in the tourist sector. Tourist sector child-protection strategies and programmes. Valuing intangible assets in tourism. New models of sustainable management in tourist facilities. Innovation applied to sustainability.

Unpublished shall be construed to mean a research study that has never been published in printed or digital form, neither wholly nor partially. Likewise, the study must not be bound by any publication rights. The entry shall not have been awarded a previous prize or be pending the outcome of any other competition, award or similar. 2. Monetary Prize. The monetary prize of 10,000 euros shall, if applicable, be subject to all corresponding legal deductions. If the winning entry has several authors, the cash prize shall be divided among them in equal amounts. 3. Submission of Entries The work may be presented in Catalan, Spanish, English or Portuguese, with a minimum length of 150 A-4 sheets of paper, typed with a double space. Two printed copies must be submitted, together with two computerized copies.

To guarantee the entrants anonymity, entries must be submitted as a single package as follows:
a. Two printed copies on paper. The cover of each one shall bear the following information: 9th Edition of the Gabriel Escarrer International Award for Tourism Studies, together with the title of the work, a pseudonym for the author, and the theme of the study as listed in point one hereinabove. Under no circumstances should the name and surnames of the author appear on the cover or any of the pages of the submitted work. b. A two (2) page summary of the submitted work, headed by the title and the authors chosen pseudonym. It should outline the works thematic and disciplinary contents, its methodology, and the achieved results. Likewise it should justify why it fits in with the theme indicated on the cover of the entry. c. Two computerized copies, identified with the authors chosen pseudonym. d. A sealed envelope must also be submitted, inside the package, with the following details:

The words 9th Edition of the Gabriel Escarrer International Award for Tourism Studies should be written on the outside of the envelope, together with the title of the work and the authors chosen pseudonym. Inside it, the envelope should contain the name, surnames, address, telephone number, e-mail and a photocopy of the passport or identity card of the entrant or entrants, plus a CV. Entries that do not comply with the above indications will be disqualified. 4. Place and Deadline for Submissions The work, together with the documents listed above, should be submitted in a single package by 2 p.m. of December 15th 2011 to the Vice-Rectors Office for Internationalization and Cooperation of the University of the Balearic Islands (address: Carretera de Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain) or by any of the methods authorized under Article 38.4 of Act 30/1992 of November 26th, which regulates the legal system of the Public Authorities and communal administrative procedures. 5. Evaluation Criteria In their evaluation of the entries, the jury shall assess the following aspects: The objectives of the work and clarity with which it is described. The relationship between the objectives and the themes listed in point one of these rules. The suitability and rigor of the applied methodology. Originality.

 The interest appeal for its field of application. The interest appeal of its scientific contributions. The validity and reliability of the results. Its internal coherence. Formal aspects. 6. Composition of the Jury and Adjudication Procedure The jury shall be composed of a joint committee, made up of two members of the company Meli Hotels International and two members of the University of the Balearic Islands. The said committee may seek any external advice that it deems necessary. The jury is entitled to declare the award void. Under no circumstances may any appeal be made regarding the jurys decisions. The author or authors of the prize-winning work shall be directly notified of the jurys decision. This official decision shall be published on the webpage of the University of the Balearic Islands International Relations Service (http://sri.uib.es). The two paper copies of all entries failing to win the award can be collected from the Vice-Rectors Office for Internationalization and Cooperation from the day of the official decisions publication. Any unclaimed work will be destroyed thirty days after the said date. Under no circumstances shall payment be made for any expenses incurred during the works creation or for the delivery costs of entries. 7. Prize Winner Obligations - To forward their express written acceptance of the award within 15 days of notification of the jurys decision. - To attend the prize-giving ceremony or appoint another person to collect it in their name. 8. Publication and Use of the Information The Sol Meli Chair in Tourism Studies reserves the right to make the award decision public through whatever form of the media it deems appropriate and to publish the award-winning work. To this end, in exchange for the received prize money, the author shall grant exclusive rights for the reproduction and distribution of the work to the Sol Meli Chair in Tourism Studies. Reproduction and distribution may be done on one or several occasions, on any type of support and in any language, on a worldwide level, during the maximum period permitted by law as from the jurys decision to award the prize. In being assigned these rights, the Sol Meli Chair in Tourism Studies incurs no kind of obligation whatsoever, and it is free to decide whether to exercise the rights it has been granted or not.

9. Acceptance of the Entry Rules Participation in this award automatically implies acceptance of all the entry rules applicable to this current edition. The jury of the International Award shall be responsible for interpreting and applying these entry rules. For all matters not contemplated in the said rules, the decision of the jury shall be binding. Palma, June 2011 Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Cooperation Catalina N. Juaneda