Tourism
The main research centre under this research cluster is the Welsh Centre for Tourism Research (WCTR)
Tourism is now widely recognised as the world's largest industry and as a new source of wealth creation in deprived regions and developing nations. At the same time its growth is creating rapid social, economic and environmental changes which require detailed understanding and measures to manage it. Recently, emphasis on the economic benefits of tourism (and its associated sectors of hospitality and events management) has been countered by increasing concerns relating to the uneven nature of such economic development, questions regarding the environmental sustainability of the tourism industry and disquiet at the negative social and cultural impacts of tourism. Tourism itself is now a major area of academic study. At UWIC our researchers focus on how tourism as an industry and a research field can contribute to a more equitable and sustainable world. We offer critiques of tourism settings, relationships and institutions which confirm inequalities and advance work which advocates the promotion of human dignity and just and sustainable societies in tourism policy arenas. Our tourism, hospitality and events management research is inherently interdisciplinary and we strive to produce theoretically-informed studies that engage with professional and policy issues. Our work aligns with (but is not restricted to) four major themes: (i) Sustainable destination development (including place branding, sustainability, human resource planning, service quality, the application of ICT, the SME economy and the hospitality and events sectors); (ii) Social, cultural and spatial policies of inclusion, citizenship and social justice; (iii) Critical interpretations of the interplay between tourism, representation, landscape and social structures, experiences and identities; (iv) Interpretative and critical modes of tourism inquiry.
This research cluster is co-ordinated by Annette Pritchard. Research mentors include Professors Professor Eleri Jones and Nigel Morgan.
Research-active staff associated with this centre include:
See 'People' for more details on current activities and research
