We are pleased to invite you and your students to participate in the Summer School of Good Stories: Literary, Film and Wine Tourism, organised by the University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism in cooperation with 'The University of Zadar, Department of Applied Communication Studies, and held in Brežice, Slovenia.
Blended Intensive Programme
The Summer School is designed as a blended intensive programme (BIP) and focuses on storytelling as a key tool in contemporary tourism, with particular attention to literary, film and wine tourism. It brings together academic perspectives, practical workshops and field-based experiences, while encouraging international cooperation and co-creation.
The physical part of the programme will take place at the University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism in Brežice from 23 August to 29 August 2026. The virtual component will be held on 20th August and on 31 August 2026.
Please find attached the timetable and the Learning Agreement, which provide detailed information about the programme structure, learning outcomes and activities.
Administrative Contact: Dr. Tomi Spindler tomi.spindler AT um.si
SUMMER
SCHOOL OF GOOD STORIES TIMETABLE
Dates
of the Physical Part at the University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism in
Brežice: 23 August–29 August 2026
End date of the virtual component: 31 August 2026
BIP ID: 2025-1-SI01-KA131-HED-000323554-9
Introduction – Thursday, 20 August 2026
Virtual meeting with participants
09:00–11:00 Virtual presentation of the Summer School and its
objectives; online introduction of participants
Day 1 – Sunday, 23 August 2026
Welcome and introduction to the Summer
School
- 15:00–16:00 Participant registration and
welcome pack
- 16:00–16:30 Opening addresses (University
of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism; organisers of the European Film Festival;
Municipality of Brežice; journalists), media invited
- 16:30–17:30 Lecture: “Tourism as
Narrative: The Power of Story in Interpreting Place, or When Literature,
Film and Wine Meet”
(Prof. Dr Jasna Potočnik Topler) - 17:30–18:30 Virtual lecture: Travel
Writing and Storytelling – Introduction and Guidelines for the First
Assignment
(Dr Charles Mansfield) - 18:30 Reception
- 20:00–22:00 Visit to Brežice Castle
(guided tour and assignment within the travel writing module, Posavje
Museum Brežice)
Day 2 – Monday, 24 August 2026
Literary Tourism and Stories of Place
- 09:00–10:30 Lecture: “Literary
Tourism: From Writers to Literary Trails”
(Prof. Dr Jasna Potočnik Topler, FT UM & Jordi Arcos Pumarola, CETT-UB, Barcelona School of Tourism, TULE) - 10:30–12:00 Workshop with doctoral
student and President of the Association of Regional Tourist Guides of
Slovenia, Mateja Kregar Gliha:
“Place as Character – Creating a Literary Story for Tourism Interpretation” - 12:00–14:00 Virtual session with tourist
guides (Thailand, Moldova, Slovenia, Greece, Bahrain)
- 14:30–17:00 Field visit: “A Literary
Walk through Brežice” (in cooperation with Brežice Library)
- 18:00–20:00 Virtual lecture
(Prof. Dr Ivona Jovanović & Prof. Dr Andriela Vitić-Ćetković, University of Montenegro, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management) - 20:00–21:00 Visit to a wine cellar and
wine tasting
(Assist. Prof. Dr Vita Petek)
Day 3 – Tuesday, 25 August 2026
Film Tourism and Visual Storytelling
- 09:00–10:30 Lecture: “Film Tourism:
Places, Stories and Destination Perception”
(Assoc. Prof. Dr Maja Turnšek, FT UM) - 10:30–12:00 Virtual session: VR,
contemporary technologies and guiding (ARGOS)
- 12:00–14:00 Workshop: “From Scene to
Destination – How Film Creates a Tourism Product”
(Assoc. Prof. Dr Krešimir Dabo, University of Zadar) - 15:00–17:00 Heritage in Tourism
(Assist. Prof. Dr Anja Mlakar, University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism) - 20:00–23:00 Film screening and discussion
evening with filmmakers
Day 4 – Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Wine Tourism and the Culture of Tasting
- 09:00–10:30 Lecture: “Wine and Story:
Interpreting Wine Heritage in Tourism”
(Assist. Prof. Dr Vita Petek, University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism) - 10:30–12:30 Sensory storytelling
workshop:
“How to Taste Wine and Tell Stories About It”
(Assistant Tjaša Alegro, University of Maribor) - 13:00–14:00 Virtual session
(Rita Baleiro, University of Algarve, TULE Lab) - 14:00–17:00 Visit to a local winery (wine
tasting and discussion with the winemaker)
- 20:00–23:00 Film screening
Day 5 – Thursday, 27 August 2026
Travel Writing and Experience Creation
- 09:00–10:00 Discussion with filmmakers
from the European Film Festival
- 10:15–12:00 Travel writing workshop:
“How to Write the Journey – How to Tell the Story of a Place”
(creative writing, video recording) – Jasna, Vita, Tjaša, Hana - 12:00–13:30 Creative group work –
preparation of mini projects
(literary/film/wine itinerary) – Jasna, Vita, Tjaša, Hana - 15:00–17:00 Mentoring sessions and
presentation of project concepts
- 20:00–23:00 Screening of a selected film
and discussion on cinematic representations of place
Day 6 – Friday, 28 August 2025
Conclusion and Presentation of Results
- 09:00–12:00 Group work on itineraries
- 12:00–13:30 Lunch
- 13:30–16:00 Group project presentations:
“Good Stories as a Tourism Product”
Media invited – press conference and refreshments - 16:30–18:00 Final discussion:
“Connecting Art and Tourism: Challenges and Opportunities” - 18:00–24:00 Closing festival events
Day 7 – Saturday, 29 August
- 10:00 Group photograph and certificate
award ceremony
- 12:00 Departure
Monday, 31 August – Online Evaluation of
the Summer School
- 09:00–12:00 Summer School evaluation
REGARDING APPLICATION PLEASE WRITE TO: asist. Prof.
dr. Tomi Špindler tomi.spindler AT um.si (replace AT with @ for email)
Summer School Programme Committee:
Dr Jasna Potočnik Topler (University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism),
Dr Marjetka Rangus, Dean (University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism),
Dr Vita Petek (University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism),
Tjaša Alegro (University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism),
Dr Maja Turnšek (University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism),
Dr Anja Mlakar (University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism),
Dr Tomi Špindler (University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism),
Hana Kuhar (University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism),
Katja Kokot (University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism)
International Guest Lecturers:
Dr Charles Mansfield (Travel Writers Online),
Dr Krešimir Dabo (University of Zadar),
Dr Jordi Arcos-Pumarola (CETT Barcelona),
Dr Rita Baleiro (University of the Algarve),
Dr Andriela Vitić-Ćetković,
Dr Ivona Jovanović (University of Montenegro)
Local Guest Lecturers from Practice:
Mateja Kregar Gliha (Association of Regional Tourist Guides ARGOS),
Alenka Černelič Krošelj (Posavje Museum Brežice),
Jerneja Smole (European Film Festival),
Mojca Florjanič (Municipality of Brežice)
Summer School Organising Committee:
University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you. Please do a SHARE too...