The School of Tourism is the only university School in Australia to be certified by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation and is an active member of the UNWTO Education Council. It is the only member of the Australian Group of Eight universities to feature comprehensive programs in travel and tourism management, event management and hotel and hospitality management. The School of Tourism is located within the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law at The University of Queensland St Lucia campus. As a research higher degree student (RHD) in the School you will be able to take advantage of our close links with government and industry.

The School’s research strengths are recognised by industry and government with academics and researchers attracting contracts and grants to conduct innovative research that contributes new knowledge to the fields of tourism, hospitality and events. This new knowledge is communicated to a wide audience via industry and government reports, national and international conference presentations, participation on advisory committees, and high quality scholarly publications.

The School’s research strengths come under two broad themes: Visitor Experiences and Tourism Policy and Planning.

For further research group information click here. Below is a list of past and present PhD Students and their research topics.

For a list of topics for potential RHD Candidates please click here.

Baggio   Rodolfo Network analysis of a tourism destination
BuddhabhumbHitak                 Ketwadee The impact of international backpackers on the host society: a case study of backpackers in Pai, North Thailand
Fallu    Michael The potential of leisure to help overcome problems faced by people with intellectual disabilities and the community as a result of deinstitutionalisation
Lim                Chui-Soo   (Charles) Island tourism management process: Implications for optimisation
Trauer    Birgit Special Interest Tourism: The nature of adventure tourism experiences
Hughes   Karen Using wildlife tourism and post-visit support to enhance families' conservation learning: A case study of Mon Repos Conservation Park
Jewell   Bronwyn The Role of Culture in influencing attitudes towards heritage: An American and Japanese study 
Taufatofua   Rosemary Understanding socio cultural resilience to holiday tourism and visiting friends and relatives in the Pacific: A Samoan case study
Yaghmour  Samur Interorganizational Collaboration Characteristics and Outcomes: A case study of the Jeddah Festival
Bendle Lawrence Community level serious leisure networks
Cheng  Hui-Ping (Eva) Serious leisure, leisure satisfaction and gardening by older adults
Yutyungyong    Tranakjit Tourism and Thai people: Social represenatations of tourism development and its social impact as preceived by Bangkok residents
Kang       Eun Jung Experience and benefits derived from a dark tourism site visit: the effect of demographics and enduring involvement 
Dabphet   Siriphen Diffusion of the concept of sustainable tourism development: A case study on Kret Island Thailand.
Ahmad  Rozila Strategic human resource management: HR practices system differentiation and its outcomes
Mogd Nor   Nor The contribution of the community based homestay program to sustainable community development in Malaysia 
Shakeela  Aishath Tourism education and local employment as factors contributing to the sustainable development of tourism in SIDS. The case of the Maldives.
Ashton  Ann Suwaree Hotel restaurant co-branding: The relationship of perceived brand fit, perceived risk and perceived value with the intention to purchase
Shihab   Aminath A framing analysis of the British news media'scoverage of the Maldives during the tsunami: Towards a crisis communications model
Abdullah    Nawal Hanim Stakeholder identified benefits and costs of a mega-event and support for collaborative planning: The case of the Monsoon Cup International Regatta, Malaysia.
Adsett     Rosemary The pilgrimage to Hillbilly Heaven - an analysis of how the relationship between country music and the city of Tamworth city has developed into a major tourist attraction
Alonso      Marisol Discovering the event attendee profile: A sustainable tourism approach
Bond    Nigel Exploring the Centre: Contemporary pilgrimage and its significance and implications for religious tourism management
Chen   Julia Wildlife Tourism Experience and Conservation Learning in Chinese Visitors
Cheng     Kai-Yun (Kevin) Towards a collective knowledge-based tourism disaster management framework: barriers and enablers in the process of knowledge acquisition
Damayanti      Maya Dynamics of tourism networks as a result of collective innovation
Dickson      Chantal Establishing international benchmarks for sustainable policies & practices in Event Management
Forrest                     Regan Design factors in the museum visitor experience
Gao             Lihua (Grace) The living regeneration of intangible cultural heritage in the situation of a modern city: A case study of Suzhou, China
Goh     Edmund Choice of public and private tertiary institutions: examining customer choice behaviour using the theory of planned behaviour and theory of reasoned action
Gration  David Emotion and place: Understanding why consumers return to hallmark tourism events
Hood    Anna The "Why" of HR Practices: Employee attributions regarding HR practices and resulting effects on service climate and employee attitudes
Hsu      Fu-Chieh (Jay) Strategic marketing management for the food tourism industry
Hsu      Wei-Lin (Maggie) Emerging concept of cultural tourism development and gastronomy
Jiang     Shan ( Jaki) The motivation and satisfaction of Chinese outbound leisure tourists
Lee   In-Sun (Sunny) The role of multicultural festivals in a society in transition: from being ethnically homogeneous to becoming multicultural 
Lee               Kuan-Huei A cross-cultural study of Slow Food members' food consumption preference and destination preference
Lenggogeni  Sari City marketing related to the response of disaster and terrorist country image impacts in Indonesia
Li          Sichao (Lisa) How sport presentations enhance sport marketing through cultural programs: Lessons from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
Ma          Jianyu   (Jenny) Tourists' Experience in Urban Coastal Zone (Case Study - Shanghai, PR China)
Mann            Judy The role of socio-cultural factors in visitor environmental learning in a free choice learning facility
McLennan  Char-lee The Tourism Transformation Process: An inquiry into the three main process phases
Mei      Xiang Ying The role of the national government in facilitating innovation within the tourism industry: A case from Norway
Rastegar     Hamidreza Ecotourism approach for community development in Bafgh protected area - Iran
Sharifpour     Mona (Romina) Risk perception, tourist knowledge and travel intentions: the case of Australian travellers and the Middle East
Singh     Paul Absorbing knowledge in regional tourism organisations: How does absorptive capacity create competitive advantage in regional tourism organisations?
Uthayan    Chawannuch (Terri)  Medical Tourism: Destination Competitiveness
Wang   Jie Planning for the inevitable: an examination of the strategic crisis planning in the Australian accommodation industry
Wan Omar   Wan Rabiah  A Social Ecological Approach:         An Investigation to Promote Increased Walking Behaviour in Kuala Lumpur
Widyaningsih  Yulia  Authentic sacredness: the sustainability of religious sites
Wiriyapinit  Sutthanuch (Nune) Cultural Sustainability of Community based Tourism: the case study of Amphawa District, Thailand.
Wu    Yah-Shan (Sammi) Seeking positive consumer experiences: An exploration of sport spectatorship associated with a professional baseball league in Taiwan.
Xu                     Ping Understanding the environmental awareness and attitudes of Chinese visitors to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Province, China 

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