Dr. Aleš Gacnik
Assistant Professor and Head of Department of Cultural Tourism and Cultural Heritage – Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turstica, University of Primorska
Head of the Centre of Gastronomy and Wine Culture – University of Primorska
Dr. Aleš Gačnik is an IGCAT expert (International institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism) since 2016. He is Assistant Professor of social sciences and humanities in tourism and lecturer in the field of cultural heritage, and cultural and gastronomy tourism. As a researcher, he focuses his work in the fields of cultural heritage, art and tourism, heritage and cultural tourism, museology, wine and culinary culture, agriculture, regional development, wine and gastronomy tourism.
He has been the (co)organizer of several national and international conferences, (co)editor of several scientific and professional monographs and journals and has received several national and international awards. His bibliography comprises more than 720 publications.
He is a member of The EnoTourism Academy, of the expert council of The Slovenia Restaurant Award and of two expert groups at the Ministry of Agriculture: Council for development of agriculture and Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2021.
His research is directed at a wide range of projects in the field of research and communication of heritage and culture and incorporating them into various forms of social, cultural, economic and social development. In last decade he focus on the strategic research and developmental partnerships between heritage, tourism and hotel industry (heritage tourism, cultural tourism). His bibliography comprises more than 540 units, with numerous publications in scientific and professional articles in domestic and foreign journals in the field of cultural heritage, tourism and development, hotels; executed over 80 projects in the field of cultural heritage and the (regional) development and (co-) author of several than 20 museum and gallery exhibitions and heritage projects. In last three years he organise more than 120 event in our own production in the field of heritage, arts and wine culture in the Art & Heritage hotel – Park hotel Ptuj (1513) (& more than 60 projects in coproduction).
The main research fields:
– cultural heritage
– heritage tourism
– cultural tourism
– gastronomy
– wine culture
– museology
– phenomenon of collecting
– mask culture (traditional and carnival masks and carnivals, carnival tourism)
– art & heritage hotels
– small boutique hotels
He is member (former or active) of various national and international associations and clubs.
In connection with cultural heritage:
– Slovenian Ethnological Society (president)
– UNESCO/ICOM – ICOFOM, ICME
– Federation of European Carnival Cities
In connection with humanitarian activities:
– Lions Clubs International – District 129 Slovenia (former)
– Order of St. George – A European Order of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine
In connection with gastronomy and tourism
– Word Federation of Travel Journalist and Writers (FIJET)
– Society for the Recognition of Sautéed Potato and Onions as an Independent Dish
– Honorable wine convent of St. Urbanus
– International gastronomic association Chaine des Rotisseurs (1248-1950)
Receiver of several national and international awards:
– 1993: I collect, therefore I am/On the phenomenon of collecting and private collectors – Matija Murjo award of Slovene ethnological society.
– 2000: “Ptuj – the city at the crossroads of European civilization” (“Ptuj – City on the Crossing of European Culture”) – International Competition organized by IFPRA along UNEP.
– 2002: Cultural and Information Center for Carinthia – 2 places for the project in the competition for the renovation of library
– 2009: Craftattract project – Traditional crafts, new attractions for cultural tourism – Croatian Museums Award for the best international project
– 2009: WIne Culture in Slovenian – Award of the International Office of Wine (OIV)
– 2009: Samaritan – 39th Prize International design competition “Creativity Annual Awards”
– 2009: Park hotel Ptuj, hotel without walls – Finalist Sower 2009 for creative and innovative projects in tourism
– 2010: Jubilee medal FECC (Federation of European Carnival Cities)
– 2010: Craftattract project – Traditional crafts, new attractions for cultural tourism – Award of European Heritage Association and Certificate of membership in ‘Excellence Club’
– 2013: A great contribution towards achieving the mission of ZOTK on the field of youth research work – Silver Award from Association for Technical Culture of Slovenia.