I am a Lecturer and Course Lead for Tourism and Hospitality at York Business School, where my current work sits at the intersection of technological innovation, social inclusivity and responsible management education. With a Doctorate from the University of Otago (Dunedin, New Zealand), my research career began by advancing scholarly understanding of global youth mobility, specifically the working holiday phenomenon among Chinese youth. Building on these socio-cultural foundations, I now advocate a more equitable visitor economy, focusing on how Artificial Intelligence and neuro-inclusive practices can enhance accessibility, participation, and experience design within tourism and hospitality.
I have established a sustained and internationally recognised research profile in Tourism and Hospitality, evidenced by over 20 peer-reviewed publications, including articles in top-tier journals such as ABS 4-ranked Annals of Tourism Research, ABS 3-ranked International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management and ABS 2-ranked Current Issues in Tourism as well as scholarly book chapter, including a contribution to the Handbook of Accessible Tourism. In addition, as a member of the Organising Committee for the Leisure Studies Association (LSA) Annual Conference 2025, I actively contribute to shaping international research agendas and scholarly networks.
My academic practice is deeply informed by an international professional and academic career spanning the UK, Canada, Thailand, New Zealand, and China. I bring this global outlook and applied industry expertise into my teaching practices. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and a Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE) accredited by the Chartered Association of Business Schools. I am also a Recognised Practitioner in Advising (RPA) with the UK Advising and Tutoring Association (UKAT), reflecting my commitment to inclusive academic advising, student wellbeing, and evidence-informed personal tutoring. At York St John University, I actively drive the research-teaching nexus through my role as Co-chair of the Visitor Economy and Experience Research Group.
As Course Lead, I have successfully led the strategic revalidation of the BA (Hons) International Tourism and Hospitality Programme to ensure explicit alignment with the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). The revalidated programme embeds the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), research-informed teaching, and the Work-Related Experiential Learning (WREL) framework at the core of the curriculum, strengthening commitments to equality, diversity and inclusion. Through this work, I am dedicated to shaping future graduates who are digitally fluent, ethically grounded, socially responsible and equipped to lead inclusively in diverse, global tourism and hospitality contexts.
Digital Research Profiles: Google Scholar, ORCID and ResearchGate
I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). I currently serve as Course Lead for the BA (Hons) International Tourism and Hospitality Management programme, where I have successfully led programme revalidation. Since January 2023, I have taught across both undergraduate and postgraduate modules at York Business School, encompassing module design and delivery, as well as the supervision of undergraduate dissertations and postgraduate capstone projects. I have previously taught on the BA (Hons) Tourism and Destination Management programme, BA (Hons) Events and Experience Management programme, and Master of Business Administration course. Through this breadth of teaching experience, I have made a sustained impact on programme delivery, curriculum development, and the student learning experience across the Business School.
As a lecturer and module leader, I have been responsible for delivering:
- BME4001M The Global Events Industry
- BMT4003M Hospitality in the 21st Century
- BMT4004M Hospitality and the Consumer Experience
- BMT4005M Hospitality in the Digital Era
- BMT4007M Delivering Excellence in Visitor Experience
- BMT5001M Destination Marketing
- BMS6002M Strategic Events Sponsorship
- MBB7007M Global Business Strategy
Research supervision:
- BMR6001M Research Investigation
- MBB7010M Capstone Project
I have presented my research at international conferences and published extensively in reputable peer-reviewed journals, including Annals of Tourism Research, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Current Issues in Tourism, and Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism. My research portfolio spans diverse areas within Tourism and Hospitality, including youth and backpacking tourism, the sharing economy, accessible tourism, and the development of equitable and inclusive visitor experiences. My work combines socio-cultural insights with applied approaches to the visitor economy, exploring how innovations such as Artificial Intelligence and neuro-inclusive practices can enhance accessibility, participation, and experience design. Currently, I serve as Co-chair of the Visitor Economy and Experience Research Group, where I drive collaborative research projects and contribute to advancing knowledge and practice in sustainable and responsible tourism.
Recent publications
Professional Memberships and Service
- Invited Speaker: Transforming Futures: Exploring York Business School, Teaching and Advising Conference, York St John University, York, 2026.
- Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE), Chartered Association of Business Schools, January 2026 – Present
- Recognised Practitioner in Advising (RPA), UK Advising and Tutoring Association (UKAT), November 2025 – Present
- Member, Leisure Studies Association (LSA), November 2023 – Present
- Fellow, UK Higher Education Academy (HEA), October 2023 – Present
- Member, Organising Committee of the Leisure Studies Association Annual Conference 2025, September 2024- July 2025
- Session Chair, Leisure Studies Association Annual Conference 2025, July 2025
- Member, International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE), November 2023 – December 2024
