Tourism research

Members of the Tourism Management Group, both staff and postgraduate students, have wide-ranging research interests and expertise in tourism, both within New Zealand and abroad. Our research seeks to deepen knowledge, address issues of relevance to the industry and policy-makers and to inform the future. Current research is centred on four major research clusters:

• tourist behaviour
• tourism management, strategy and economics
• destination management, planning and development
• tourism futures.

This research is published in leading international journals and books and presented to fellow researchers and practitioners at domestic and international conferences, meetings and workshops.

The Tourism Management Group has successfully led investigations and research into a number of contemporary issues for New Zealand’s tourism industry such as the legacies of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Tourism 2050 painted a range of pictures of the future using scenario planning to address the challenges and inform strategies. We have informed government and international agencies, with Dr Mondher Sahli offering economic and policy advice to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. We are pleased to host the secretariat of the International Association for Tourism Economics (IATE).

For more information about the research interests of particular staff see their profiles:

• Dr Mondher Sahli—tourism economics, economic development, foreign direct investment, sustainable development.
• Dr Christian Schott—youth travel, travel and self development, sustainable tourism and tourism education.
• Professor Karen Smith—volunteer management, HRM in tourism and event organisations, event management, volunteer tourism.
• Associate Professor Ian Yeoman—scenario planning, futures, revenue management and the tourist.

Postgraduate research

Tourism Management staff are able to offer supervision for Masters and PhD theses on a broad range of topic areas. Current or recent PhD topics include:

• Social interaction amongst international visitors and between hosts and VFR.
• Institutional change in national tourism administrations.
• Adoption of social media by regional tourism organizations.
• Hotel distribution channels in a transitional economy.

In addition to New Zealand, recent and current PhD and MTM students have come from and carried out research in Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Germany, Hungary, the Philippines, Tanzania, Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal and Vietnam. Further applications are welcome.

All new international students for the MTM must apply through Wellington University International PhD applications are to be made online through the Faculty of Graduate Research, prospective PhDs.

A range of scholarships are available for New Zealand and international students from the Faculty of Graduate Research along with details of the applications process.

For further information about postgraduate research in Tourism Management please contact: