Research
The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management has a world-class reputation for its research in hospitality, tourism and events.
Our excellent facilities and vibrant research culture attract professors, undergraduates and doctoral students from around the world, creating a diverse, creative and stimulating research community.
We conduct research through the Centre for Research and Enterprise, bridging academia and industry to maximise the quality and impact of our research.
Research groups
Our research is focused into three research groups, each supported by a full-time research fellow.
Sustainability and wellbeing in the visitor economy
Sustainability and wellbeing are key concerns of many organisations and destinations.
This research group aims not only to help reduce the negative impacts and enhance the positive impacts of the visitor economy, but also to critically engage with existing theory, research and practice.
Ultimately, this group is focused on developing an evidence base to inform key policy agendas in the UK and globally, while working with industry stakeholders to advance a sustainability and wellbeing agenda.
Competitiveness in the visitor economy
Labour is a key part of competitiveness in hospitality, tourism and events, so it is a central focus of this research group.
We aim to address equality and diversity in employment and conduct studies of future labour markets, career mobilities, skills, flexible employment and entrepreneurial migration.
We also aim to maintain our world-leading position in demand-forecasting research, which provides a scientific foundation to support businesses’ and governments’ decision-making to improve their competitiveness.
The digital visitor economy
This research group explores the impacts of newly emerging digital platforms and human-technology interactions, particularly around smart phones, social media and hospitality, tourism and events decision-making and experiences.
It also examines the rapidly evolving relationships between tourism product development, customer experiences and social media.