Dr Albert Kimbu
Senior Lecturer
PhD, MA, BA
Academic and research departments
School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.Biography
Albert gained his BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Yaoundé (Cameroon), then obtained an MA in Heritage Management from the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus (Germany), picking up a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources Management along the way. He then completed his PhD in Tourism at Nottingham Trent University where he also worked as a Lecturer in Tourism and International Business Communication/Environment, before joining the University of Surrey in September 2010.
Areas of specialism
Development and social entrepreneurship; stakeholder networks; sustainability and inclusive development through hospitality and tourism.
University roles and responsibilities
- Director of Postgraduate Research SHTM
- Member of University Ethics Committee
Previous roles
Oct 2015 - Sept 2019
University Pathway Lead for ESRC DTP Development Studies Pathway
30 June 2015 - 01 August 2017
Programme Leader, BSc International Tourism Management
01 October 2015 - 30 September 2017
Early Career Researcher (ECR) Representative for SHTM
01 October 2013 - 30 September 2015
Academic Integrity Officer SHTM
01 October 2011 - 30 June 2013
Programme Leader, BSc International Tourism Management at Surrey International Institute – DUFE (China)
Affiliations and memberships
Higher Education Academy
Fellow
Royal Geographical Society
Fellow
Tourism Concern
Trustee
Business, industry and community links
ABTA
SHTM liaison with ABTA: June 2015 - Sept 2018
External Examining
- University of Sunderland UK: Oct 2015 - Sept 2019
Senior Research Associate
- School of Tourism & Hospitality University of Johannesburg, South Africa
News
In the media
These African women are driving the continent’s tourism industry – but they need support
co-author
World Economic Forum and The Conversation
Research
Research interests
My research mainly focuses on linkages between entrepreneurship and development. In this regard my research explores issues around development-led, social & women entrepreneurship, stakeholder networks and inclusive development through hospitality & tourism in developing countries. My work has been published in leading journals such as Tourism Management, Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Small Business Management, and Journal of Sustainable Tourism among others.
Research projects
Women’s Entrepreneurial Journeys through Tourism in sub-Saharan Africa
Researchers: and
Entrepreneurship is fundamental to economic development, leading to poverty eradication (SDG1). Entrepreneurship also advances gender equality (SDG5) and enables inequality reduction (SDG10) by generating avenues for women to undertake activism and leadership. Yet, the proportion of women entrepreneurs remains well below men, with many operating in the informal sector in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), even in tourism which is advocated as an accessible entrepreneurship gateway. There are significant gendered barriers influencing women’s potential to benefit from entrepreneurship in Africa. Additionally, women entrepreneurship literature is overwhelmingly Western-centric and constructs women entrepreneurship as linear journeys from latent, through nascent to established entrepreneurs, prioritizes ‘traditional’ forms of women’s entrepreneurship, and overlooks the role of context. This project aims to advance the understanding of women’s experiences of tourism entrepreneurship in two sub-Saharan African countries – Ghana and Nigeria. A mixed methods post-structuralist feminist approach will be utilized to generate complex insights into the ways different dimensions of context (e.g. institutional, geographic/spatial, culture) influence gendered and non-normative entrepreneurial pathways.
Source of Funding:
Duration: January 2019 - Sept 2019.
Dr Albert Kimbu (PI), Dr Anna de Jong, Dr Manuel Alector Ribeiro, Dr Cristina Figueroa Domecq (CIs - University of Surrey), Dr Issahaku Adam & Dr Ewoenam Afenyo-Agbe (CIs - University of Cape Coast Ghana)Dr Ogechi Adeola (CI - Pan Atlantic University Lagos Nigeria). QR Global Challenges Research Fund(Total value: £68K)
Women Entrepreneurship in Tourism (WomENt)
Researchers: and .
The study will analyse the different pathways women take in their entrepreneurship journey in a changing tourism industry, and how different environments, agents, policies and actions across different scales influence their opportunities, motivations and challenges in Spain and the UK; working closely with a number of policy and industry bodies in both countries. The study will also survey potential entrepreneurs, interview groups of men and women entrepreneurs and analyse their use of social media as a resource.
Source of Funding:
Duration: Sept 2018 - Sept 2020.
Dr Figueroa Domecq (PI - Rey Juan Carlos University Madrid), Professor Williams (CI - University of Surrey), Dr Albert Kimbu (CI - University of Surrey)Dr Anna de Jong (CI - University of Surrey)EU Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship (Total value: €195K)
Coping with change: Livelihood transitions strategies and practices through tourism in marginalised communities
Researchers:
This research seeks to explore livelihood transitions from primary economic activities into tourism employment in marginalised communities. The aim is to investigate the developmental role of tourism within a sustainable development framework. Tourism is often offered as a panacea for development in areas where traditional activities such as agriculture and fishing have declined. This proposed research seeks to determine whether and how affected communities in the UK and South Africa cope with these changes, and what their coping strategies are, the role tourism has played in diversifying local livelihoods, if and how obstacles to participating in tourism are overcome, how capabilities are built, and its influence on gender and community relations. This research addresses an under investigated area concerning sustainable human resources and decent employment in tourism. It aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals 1 (poverty), 5 (gender) and 8 (decent work). It also is concerned with resilience in tourism.
Source of Funding:
Duration: Duration: March 2018 - March 2019.
Dr Irma Booyens (PI – Human Science Research Council S.A.), Dr Albert Kimbu (CI – University of Surrey) & Mrs Anke Winchenbach (Collaborator – University of Surrey).British Academy Newton Mobility Grant (Total value: £9K).
Women as Vectors of Social Entrepreneurship in Hospitality & Tourism
Researchers:
The main aim of the project is to explore the nature, motivations and extent to which female entrepreneurs in hospitality and tourism related sectors use their businesses as platforms for engagement in various forms of social entrepreneurship leading to value (co)creation, economic and community development in emerging tourism destinations of sub-saharan Africa such as Cameroon.
The findings will clarify the role and importance of women SE in hospitality and tourism, which is often overlooked and under-researched, and propose policy recommendations for maximising social value creation through women's participation in SE.
Source of Funding:
Duration: May 2014 - October 2015
Dr Albert Kimbu (PI - University of Surrey) & Dr Michael Ngoasong (CI - Open University)British Academy/Leverhulme SRG (Total value: £10K)
Supervision
Postgraduate research supervision
Current PhD Supervision
2018 - ongoing: James Ellerby: Investigating the critical factors for achieving success in independent restaurants in the UK. - Principal Supervisor with Prof Andrew Lockwood.
2019 - ongoing: Whitney Smith: Gendered media representations in airline employment. - Co-Supervisor with Prof Scott Cohen.
2019 - Ongoing: Tingyu Liang: The role of gender in the tourism decision making process of Chinese couples. - Co-Supervisor with Prof Gang Li.
2019 - Ongoing: Ikram Nur Muharam: Blockchain based P2P accommodation services in the sharing economy. - Co-Supervisor with Prof Iis Tussyadiah.
2021 - Ongoing: Mohamed Nageh Ibrahim: The antecedents and consequences of tourism enterprises’ support for sustaining heritage tourism destinations: A comparative study between Egypt and UK. - Principal Supervisor with Dr Manuel Alector Ribeiro.
2021 - Ongoing: Prosanjit Shaha: Evaluating the efficacy of tourism social entrepreneurship initiatives in creating social values: A participatory evaluation approach. - Principal Supervisor with Prof Allan Williams.
PhD Completions
2015 - 2018: Frederick Dayour: Backpacking and the digital travel economy: Exploring risk perceptions and risk reduction strategies - Principal Supervisor with Dr Sangwon Park
2014 - 2018: Julio Munoz: The Role of the hosts to VFR travellers: An inquiry into the influence of the hosts in the visitors' image and experience of a destination - Principal Supervisor with Prof Marg Deery & Dr Jason Chen.
2015 - 2019: Simon Kimber: The embodied gazes of young Chinese independent travellers and professional hosts: a performance perspective - Co-Supervisor with Prof Scott Cohen.
2016 - 2019: Claudia Eckhardt: An evaluative framework to measure processes and impacts of volunteer tourism - Co-supervisor with Prof Xavier Font.
Postgraduate research supervision
Courses I teach on
Undergraduate
Postgraduate taught
My publications
Publications
KIMBU ALBERT NSOM, Adu-Ampong Emmanuel Akwasi (2020)Sustainable Tourism Policy and Planning in Africa Routledge
Kim Hye Rhim (2020)The effectiveness of online cause-related marketing message framing on hotel brand evaluation. University of Surrey
Kimbu Albert, Ngoasong Michael Z. (2016)How embeddedness enables women owner-managers of small tourism firms to operate in institutional voids, In: Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Annual International Conference - Nexus Thinking, London UK, 30 Aug. - 02 Sept. 2016. Royal Geographical Society
Munoz Julio R. (2020)The role of students as hosts to VFR travellers : towards a conceptual framework. University of Surrey
Kimber Simon (2020)The embodied gazes of young Chinese independent travellers and professional hosts : a performance perspective. University of Surrey
Dayour F. (2020)Backpackers' perceptions of risk towards smartphone usage and risk reduction strategies, Ghana. University of Surrey
Dayour Frederick, Park Sangwon, Kimbu Albert (2019)Backpackers’ perceived risks towards smartphone usage and risk reduction strategies: A mixed methods study, In: Tourism Management72pp. 52-68 Elsevier
Figueroa-Domecq Cristina, Kimbu Albert, de Jong Anna, Williams Allan M Sustainability through the tourism entrepreneurship journey: a gender perspective, In: Journal of Sustainable Tourism Routledge
Kimbu AN (2012)Tourism growth and societal transformation in Cameroon’s coastal resorts: Sex tourism and its implications for sustainable tourism development in Kribi and Limbe, In: Ronaldson M, Marais L (eds.), Small Town Geographies in Africa: Experiences from South Africa and Elsewherepp. 383-401 Nova Science Publishers Inc.
Kimbu AN (2013)Political instability in the Central African sub-region and its impact on the image of Cameroon as a tourism destination, In: Mihalic T (eds.), Tourism and Developments: Issues and Challenges(14)pp. 335-364 Nova Science Publishers Inc
Kimbu AN, Ngoasong MZ (2013)Centralized decentralization of tourism development: A network perspective, In: Annals of Tourism Research40pp. 235-259
Choe Jaeyeon, O’Regan Michael, Kimbu Albert, Lund Niels Frederik (2017)Social sustainability and quality of life in tourism destinations: a cross-cultural analysis, In: Visitor Economy: Strategies and Innovations, Bournemouth University UK, 4-6th September 2017 Bournemouth University
Kimbu Albert, Ngoasong Michael Z. (2017)Collaborative networks for human capital management in women tourism entrepreneurship., In: Sustainable HRM in Tourism in Africa, University of Johannesburg South Africa, 25-30 Sept. 2017. University of Johannesburg
Kimbu AN (2015)Cameroon, tourism, In: Jafari J, Xiao H (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Tourism Springer International Publishing
Kimbu Albert N, Ngoasong Michael (2015)Women as social entrepreneurs in the hospitality and tourism industry: Does (dis)empowerment play a role?, In: 10 Year CTS: Reflections on the road less travelled and the journey aheadpp. 71-71 Critical Tourism Studies
Kimbu AN (2009)Issues affecting data collection for tourism research in sub-Saharan Africa, In: PhD Networking Conference Proceedings
Choe Jaeyeon, Regan Michael O’, Kimbu Albert N. Filipino migrant workers’ leisure and subjective quality of life in Macao, In: World Leisure Journalpp. 1-19 Routledge
Kimbu AN (2012)Microfinance generation and tourism development in emerging destinations: Alternative mechanisms, In: Conference Proceedings
Kimbu Albert, Ngoasong Michael Z. (2016)Embeddedness & (dis)empowerment in women tourism entrepreneurship, In: School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Conference - Making an impact: Creating constructive conversations, Guildford-Surrey UK, 19 – 22 July 2016. University of Surrey
Hanna Paul, Wijesinghe Sarah, Paliatsos Ilias, Walker Carl, Adams Matthew, Kimbu Albert Active engagement with nature: outdoor adventure tourism, sustainability and wellbeing, In: Journal of Sustainable Tourism27(9)pp. 1355-1373 Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Kimbu AN (2009)The challenges of marketing tourism destinations in the Central African sub-region: The Cameroon example, In: ATMC Conference Proceedings
Adu-Ampong Emmanuel Akwasi, Kimbu Albert Nsom The Past, Present and Future of Sustainability in Tourism Policy and Planning in Sub-Saharan Africa, In: Tourism Planning & Development16(2)pp. 119-123 Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Ngoasong MZ, Kimbu AN (2016)Informal microfinance institutions and development-led tourism entrepreneurship, In: Tourism Management52pp. 430-439 Elsevier
Ngoasong Michael Z., Kimbu Albert (2017)Entrepreneurial innovations in small and medium-sized hotels: Does industry context play a role?, In: Critical Tourism Studies Proceedings: Proceedings of the International Critical Tourism Studies Conference VII, Mallorca Spain, 25 – 29 June 2017.2017/1 Digital Commons
Kimbu AN (2011)Challenges to the development of a sustainable tourism policy: A network analysis of tourism stakeholder relationships in Cameroon, In: TSS Conference Book of Abstracts
Font Xavier, Kimbu Albert, Eckardt Claudia (2020)Realistic Evaluation as a Volunteer Tourism Supply Chain Methodology, In: Journal of Sustainable Tourism28(5)pp. 647-662 Taylor and Francis
Ngoasong Michael Zisuh, Kimbu Albert (2019)Why Hurry? The Slow Process of High Growth in Women-owned Businesses in a Resource-Scarce Context, In: Journal of Small Business Management57(1)pp. 40-58 Wiley
Kimbu Albert (2017)Cameroon, In: Lowry Linda L (eds.), The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Travel and Tourismpp. 212-213 SAGE Publications, Inc
Kimbu Albert N., Tichaawa Tembi M. (2018)Sustainable development goals and Socio-economic development through Tourism in central Africa: myth or reality?, In: GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites23(3)pp. 780-796 University of Oradea, Romania
Kimbu Albert, Ngoasong MZ (2016)Women as vectors of social entrepreneurship, In: Annals of Tourism Research60pp. 63-79 Elsevier
Dayour Frederick, Adongo Charles A., Kimbu Albert N. Insurance uptake among small and medium-sized tourism and hospitality enterprises in a resource-scarce environment, In: Tourism Management Perspectives34100674 Elsevier
Lund Niels Frederik, Kimbu Albert Applying the Hollywood scriptwriting formula to destination branding, In: Current Issues in Tourism Taylor and Francis
Kimbu AN (2011)The role of transport and accommodation infrastructure in the development of eco/nature tourism in Cameroon, In: Tourism Analysis16(2)pp. 137-156
Tichaawa Tembi M, Kimbu Albert (2018)Unlocking Policy Impediments for Service Delivery in Tourism Firms: Evidence from Small and Medium Sized Hotels in SubSaharan Africa, In: Tourism Planning and Development16(2)pp. 179-196 Taylor & Francis
Kimbu AN (2011)Attainment of Millennium Development Goals through sustainable tourism in the Central African sub-region: Implications for local economic development in Cameroon, In: AHTMM Conference Proceedingspp. 736-742
Kimbu Albert Nsom, Ngoasong Michael Zisuh, Adeola Ogechi, Afenyo-Agbe Ewoenam (2018)Collaborative Networks for Sustainable Human Capital Management in Women's Tourism Entrepreneurship: The role of tourism policy., In: Tourism Planning & Development16(2)pp. 161-178 Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Kimbu Albert, Tichaawa Tembi M. Determinants of impact investing for tourism development in emerging destinations of sub-Saharan Africa, In: Development Southern Africa Taylor and Francis
Kimbu AN (2012)Attainment of MDGs through tourism in the Central African sub-region: Implications for local economic development in Cameroon., In: PASOS. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Heritage10(2)pp. 3-16
Dayour Frederick, Kimbu Albert, Park Sangwon (2017)Backpackers: The need for reconceptualisation, In: Annals of Tourism Research66pp. 191-193 Elsevier Masson
Kimbu AN (2011)The challenges of marketing destinations in the Central African sub-region: The Cameroon example, In: International Journal of Tourism Research13(4)pp. 324-336 Wiley
Kimbu AN (2010)The non-prioritization of the tourism industry and its impacts on tourism research, development and management in the Central African sub-region, In: Revista Turismo & Desenvolvimento1(13&14)pp. 51-62 Taylor & Francis
Zhang Carol X., Kimbu Albert, Lin Pearl, Ngoasong Michael Z. Guanxi influences on women intrapreneurship, In: Tourism Management81104137 Elsevier