Stockton institute plans academic journal on gaming, hospitality, tourism

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The Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University will establish a journal to bridge the gap between industry practitioners and academic researchers and educators this fall, the university announced Jan. 15.

The International Journal of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism, or IJGHT, will be a peer-reviewed journal publishing original research without financial, legal or technical barriers to access.

“IJGHT represents the fulfillment and expansion of LIGHT’s mission, and Stockton University’s commitment, to providing a forum for public policy discussions regarding the gaming, hospitality and tourism industries in New Jersey, and playing a central role in issues that are vital to the economic and social wellbeing of our community and beyond,” said LIGHT Coordinator and editor-in chief of IJGHT, Jane Bokunewicz in a statement.

IJGHT will address major trends and developments related to gaming, hospitality, tourism and event management.

“The hospitality and tourism industry is crucial to the economy of New Jersey and the nation, and has also been among the hardest hit industries during the pandemic,” said Alphonso Ogbuehi, dean of the Stockton School of Business, which houses LIGHT. “We look forward to developing a robust forum to address and analyze the challenges and opportunities ahead, and creating a space for varied and diverse viewpoints. The new International Journal of Gaming, Hospitality, and Tourism offers a unique outlet for scholars and practitioners to blend theory and practice.”

Despite a 17% hit to revenue during 2020 from the COVID pandemic, New Jersey casinos neared $1 billion in wagers in December alone, according to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.

And while stay-at-home orders and quarantine advisories limited visits from out-of-staters in 2020, 116 million visitors spent $46.4 billion in New Jersey in 2019 according to an economic impact study by Tourism Economics and VisitNJ. Visitor spending increased for the tenth straight year in 2019 by 3.8%; and they generated $5.1 billion in state and local taxes, equivalent to $1,580 in tax savings for every New Jersey household.

Representatives of the national and international gaming, hospitality, tourism and events management community are invited to contribute articles to the inaugural edition. The first issue’s theme is “Resilience and Revitalization.”

Submissions will be accepted for academic review through May 31.