Dr Victoria Eichhorn
Lecturer in Tourism
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Qualifications: PhD, PGCAP, MA (Distinction) (European Tourism Management), BA (Human Geography and Business)
Email: v.eichhorn@surrey.ac.uk
Phone: Work: 01483 68 3780
Room no: 24 MS 02
Office hours
During the semester, my office hours are: Wednesday from 10am 12pm and Thursday from 11am to 12pm.
Outside the semester, please send me an e-mail to schedule an appointment: v.eichhorn@surrey.ac.uk
Further information
Biography
Before joining the University of Surrey, Victoria gained extensive industry experiences by working for 4 years for the German National Tourism Board (GNTB) at the Headquarters’ Office as well as abroad. As Press Officer and Internet Marketing Manager for the GNTB in Madrid/ Spain, she held overall responsibility for all press and Internet related tasks, covering the Spanish and Portuguese Markets. Key responsibilities included the development and implementation of press and Internet marketing strategies, market analyses, evaluation of promotional plans, organisation of press conferences and FAM trips as well as the acquisition of business partners.
Victoria teaches across all levels (undergraduate and postgraduate) and her research is related to exclusionary practices in tourism, disability, accessibility and identity. Victoria’s doctoral research investigated the meaning of social exclusion in tourism, leading to a re-conceptualization, and its influence on identity positions of individuals with a disability.
Victoria also has wide-ranging experiences working for EU-funded projects. She worked for two years as research officer for accessible tourism on an eContent project designed to improve the information supply for people with access needs. Her role focused on researching and analysing the relevant business and market parameters for the development and delivery of an accessible tourism information service. Findings from this research have been published in Annals of Tourism Research. Victoria was also involved in the CETA project (Competitiveness for a European Tourism for All), aiming to enhance Europe’s competitive structure through the delivery of accessibility training programmes. Her latest project, worth €250k in total, aims at examining the current and future demand for accessible tourism. Travel patterns and behaviour of people with access needs are investigated, essential to establish the current and future economic contribution of accessible tourism. This will provide evidence why investments in accessible tourism are necessary to deliver economic and social benefits to both the industry as well as all individuals.
Research Interests
General Research Interests:
- Exclusionary Practices in Tourism
- Power Relations and Identity Positions in Tourism
- Accessibility, Disability and Tourism Destinations
- Destination Management and Marketing
- Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs)
Current Research Projects:
- Economic Impact and Travel Patterns of Accessible Tourism in Europe
Research Collaborations
Project Name: Economic Impact and Travel Patterns of Accessible Tourism in Europe
Researchers: Dr Victoria Eichhorn, Dr. Gang Li, Prof Graham Miller, Dr. Jason Chen
Project Summary: The main aim of the project is to improve Europe’s tourism sector competitiveness and the attractiveness of its destinations by examining the current and future demand for accessible tourism. Travel patterns and behaviour of people with access needs are investigated, essential to establish the current and future economic contribution of accessible tourism. This will provide evidence why investments in accessible tourism are necessary to deliver economic and social benefits to both the industry as well as all individuals.
Project Partners: GfK Significant (Belgium); Neumann Consult (Germany) and ProASolutions (Spain)
Source of Funding: European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry (Total value: €250K)
Publications
Journal articles
- . (2008) 'Enabling Access to Tourism through Information Schemes'. Elsevier Annals of Tourism Research, 35 (1), pp. 189-210.
- . (2006) 'The Accessibility Requiring Market in Europe: Socially and Economically Important'. The Journal for the Tourism Industry, Quarter IV (130)
Conference papers
- . (2012) '’Eine Europäische Perspektive – Brandenburg im Spiegel der Zeit‘ (A European Perspective – Reflecting on Brandenburg’s Opportunities and Challenges)'. Potsdam, Germany: Industry Forum for Accessible Tourism in Brandenburg
- . (2012) '’I won’t allow the situation to exclude me... I’m not having it‘ – Responses to Social Exclusion'. Trieste, Italy: From Discrimination to Empowerment
- . (2010) 'Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Requirements for Sustainable Tourism Development'. Falsterbo, Vellinge, Sweden: Competitiveness for European Tourism for All conference
- . (2010) 'Business Orientation to Accessible Tourism in Europe'. Falsterbo, Vellinge, Sweden: Competitiveness for European Tourism for All conference
- . (2010) 'Research on SMEs Requirements for Sustainable Tourism Development'. Brussels, Belgium: European Commission - Department for Enterprise and Industry
- . (2009) 'Denying the Development of Tourism Experiences – The Authoritative Discourse of Social Exclusion'. Aalborg, Denmark: ATLAS
- . (2006) 'Truly Inclusive? Accessibility Information Schemes for Disabled Tourists'. Guildford, Surrey, UK: Cutting Edge Research in Tourism – New Directions, Challenges and Applications
Book chapters
- . (2011) 'Accessibility – A Key Objective for the Tourism Industry'. in (ed.) Accessible Tourism: Concepts and Issues Bristol : Channel View Publications , pp. 46-61.
Reports
- . (2010) Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Requirements for Sustainable Tourism Development: Competitiveness for a European Tourism for All.
- . (2007) Training Accessible Tourism for All – Trends and Tools in Europe. in (ed.) Design For All Article number 2(6) , pp. 38-52.
- . (2005) Accessibility Market and Stakeholder Analysis. in (ed.) One-Stop-Shop for Accessible Tourism in Europe (OSSATE) Project Report
- .
(2005) Strategy for Commercial Exploitation, Branding and Promotion (‘eService Exploitation Plan’). in (ed.) One-Stop-Shop for Accessible Tourism in Europe (OSSATE) Project Report
[ Status: Unpublished ]
Teaching
Undergraduate:
- Business of Tourism (UG1)
- Business Environment (UG1)
- Tourism and Society (UG2)
- International Tourism Destinations (UG3)
Postgraduate:
- Tourism Services Marketing
- Event Services Marketing
- Destination Management and Marketing
- Tourism Social Sciences
Departmental Duties
Editor of the Tourism Subject Group Newsletter
