ICE 2017 Keynote Speakers, Moderators, and Panelists
Introductory Keynote
Abraham Pizam, Dean, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida
Dr. Abraham Pizam is Dean and Linda Chapin Eminent Scholar Chair in Tourism Management in the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.Professor Pizam is widely known in the field of Hospitality and Tourism Management and has conducted research projects, lectured, and served as a consultant in more than 30 countries. He has held various academic positions, in the U.S.A, U.K., France, Austria, Australia, New-Zealand, Singapore, Israel and Switzerland, has authored more than 160 scientific publications and ten books, is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Hospitality Management and serves on the editorial boards of 20 academic journals. Professor Pizam has conducted consulting and research projects for a variety of international, national and regional tourism organizations.
Research and Grants
Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE, President and CEO, International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA World)
Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE, is the President & CEO of the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA World), which celebrates 62 years as the “Premiere Association Supporting and Enabling Festival & Event Professionals Worldwide” in 2017. The IFEA operates with a vision of a globally united industry that touches lives in a positive way through celebration and is the presenting body of the IFEA World Festival & Event City Award, which recognizes those global markets that provide and leverage the most positive partnerships between events and the cities that host them. Schmader also serves as the publisher and editor of “ie: the business of international events” and the Founding Director of the IFEA’s Event Management School at the Oglebay National Training Center in West Virginia. Schmader’s 40-year professional career includes the creation, management and production of large citywide festivals, sporting events, government events, parades, airshows and Millennium celebrations. In his role with the IFEA he works in partnership with global event professionals and organizations, government entities, sponsors, tourism agencies, media and academic institutions, to raise the bar and brand of our common industry, today and into the future. Schmader is an author and highly-rated speaker on industry issues and trends.
Sevil Sönmez, Chair, Department of Tourism, Events & Attractions; Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida
Dr. Sönmez is Professor in the Department of Tourism, Events, and Attractions in the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at UCF. She holds a doctorate from Penn State University, a Master’s degree from Clemson University, and a B.B.A. from Bernard Baruch College/City University of New York. Her research is interdisciplinary and applied and delves broadly into tourism management and the nexus of leisure, work, and health. Her work has evolved through several phases, beginning with a focus primarily on the management and mitigation of impacts of various natural or human-caused tourism crises. Her research later broadened to include health risks of vacation travel as well as other forms of population mobility—namely occupational. Dr. Sönmez’s current work focuses on the health-promotive role of vacations, including links between US labor policy, mandated vacations, and public health; occupational health of tourism and accommodation sector workers; travel and tourism health risk management and mitigation; and links between health, risk, and destination sustainability. She has recently begun incorporating complexity theory into her work by using a systems science approach to deconstruct the complex and dynamic nature of her research questions. Dr. Sönmez’s work has appeared at a wide spectrum of conferences (e.g., TTRA, I-CHRIE, NRPA, Active Living Research, European Conference on Travel Medicine, APHA, World Congress on Public Health), as well as in journals both within and outside her field (e.g., Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research, Tourism Management, Thunderbird International Business Review, Occupational Medicine, International Journal of STDs & AIDS, AIDS Education and Prevention, Ethnography), in addition to three edited books (Women as Producers and Consumers of Tourism in Developing Regions, Mediterranean Islands and Tourism Development, and Population Mobility and Infectious Disease) and various book chapters. She has worked in academic and professional settings in four countries, and with students of diverse backgrounds from Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and European nations. Prior to joining the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Dr. Sönmez served in various administrative capacities at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (2009-2015) and on the faculties of Zayed University, U.A.E. (2008-2009), European University of Cyprus (2006-2008), Emory University’s School of Medicine (2002-2006), Arizona State University (1995-2002), and Penn State University (1994-1995). Before beginning her academic career, she worked at the Hilton International Istanbul and the T.B.W.A. and Leo Burnett advertising agencies.
Robertico Croes, Associate Dean, Administration & Finance, Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida
Dr. Croes is a Professor and the Associate Dean, Administration & Finance. He currently serves as the Interim Chair of the Tourism, Events & Attractions department as well as the Associate Director of the Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies at the Rosen College. Dr. Croes recently published his third book titled, “Poverty Alleviation through Tourism Development”. His other two book are on the challenges facing small island destinations (titled The Small Island Paradox), and on the application of demand models to a small economy and is titled Anatomy of Demand in International Tourism. Additionally, he is a contributor to several books. His fields of interest include: econometrics applications in hospitality, tourism demand analysis/forecasting, tourism economic impact, competitive and sustainable tourism in tourism development analysis, tourism development applied to poverty alleviation and tourism development in small islands and developing countries. Dr. Croes has lectured and made presentations on these topics throughout the world, including Armenia, the Netherlands, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Aruba, Curacao, the Bahamas, Ecuador, Barbados, Puerto Rico and Mexico. His research has also been presented in predominant industry and research conferences around the world including: South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Cyprus, Spain, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Turkey, Taiwan, and Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Croes received his doctorate from the University of Twente, the Netherlands. His dissertation focused on quantitative modeling of tourism demand, tourism development and government intervention. He has published various articles in such journals as the Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research, Tourism Economics, International Journal of Tourism Research, Tourism Management and International Journal of Hospitality Management. He has served on the editorial board of three journals. Professor Croes is the recipient of the 2015 Thea Sinclair Award as well as several other awards.
Leonardo A.N. Dioko, Ph.D., Professor, Director of IFT’s Tourism Research Center
Leonardo A.N. Dioko, Ph.D., or Don to many, is Professor at the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) Macau and Director of IFT’s Tourism Research Center (www.ift.edu.mo/itrc/welcome.html). Don lectures principally in the areas of marketing and management especially in the subjects of consumer behavior, research methods, tourism and hospitality marketing, service quality and strategic management. From 2001 to 2007 Don served as the Academic Coordinator for all degree programs offered by IFT. Prior to his work at IFT, he was Lecturer in the Department of Marketing, Faculty of Business Administration at the University of Macau. Don obtained his Phd in Organization and Management at ISCTE (Portugal), his MSc in Strategic Management from the University of Macau, and his BSc in Business Administration at the University of the Philippines (Diliman). Don is a Philippine national. Since 2003, and formally as Director of ITRC from 2007, Don has conducted a considerable number of policy research studies commissioned by the Macau S.A.R. Government or its agencies. These studies cover a wide-range of areas but are fundamentally related to Macau’s tourism policy development and social issues of significant public relevance. In addition to public policy research, Don’s scholarly investigations cover destination branding and tourism marketing, assessing and managing the impacts of rapid tourism growth, sustainable issues for cultural and heritage resources, and examining unique aspects of travel behavior and psychology. In brief, Don’s body of work has thus far encompassed: (a) Higher educational administration and leadership in a tourism and hospitality context, (b) scholarly research and research administration, principally of an applied and public policy-influencing nature, mostly addressing the context of rapid tourism growth and sustainability, but also tackling emergent theoretical research streams in consumer travel and tourism marketing, (c) curriculum, program and institutional innovation, development, advocacy and service, and (d) teaching and developing courses in the fields of marketing and management adapted in the tourism and hospitality domains. (On a personal note, neither any of the above nor the vitae that follows compares to Don’s multifaceted and enriching experience of raising three rowdy boys alongside a lovely and caring spouse, which he considers to be his most challenging and full-time occupation.)
Karin Weber, Associate Professor, Convention and Events Management Department, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Karin Weber is an Associate Professor in the School of Hotel & Tourism Management. Prior to joining the school in 2001, she taught in marketing and tourism at Monash University, Australia. A native of Germany, Karin received her Bachelor of Business (Hons) degree from Monash University, her M.Sc. degree in Hotel Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the United States, and her Ph.D. in services marketing from Griffith University, Australia. Karin has published on a wide range of subjects in leading international tourism and hospitality journals, and presented her research at international and national conferences. Her two major areas of research interest focus on service failure/recovery and business events. Karin is the lead editor and chapter author of a book on convention tourism that has been published by Haworth Press New York in 2002, and has chaired the first Convention and Expo Summit in Asia in 2003. She is the Co-Editor for the International Journal of Event & Festival Management, the Associate Editor for the Journal of Convention & Event Tourism, a Coordinating Editor for the International Journal of Hospitality Management and Regional Editor for the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Insights. In addition, she serves on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, and the International Journal of Event Management Research, and as an ad-hoc reviewer for numerous other tourism, hospitality and services marketing journals. Karin received an Emerald Literati Award for Excellence 2016 (Highly Commended), the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research "Best Article of the Year 2010" award, the Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing "Martin Oppermann Best Article of the Year 2010" award, the Meeting Professionals International World Education Congress 2016 Best Paper award, the 2011 UNLV Caesars Hospitality Research Center Grant and SHTM's 2011 Research Excellence Award. Karin is a member of the international Advisory Panel for the Joint Meeting Industry Council's 'Value of Meetings' Case Study Project. She is listed in Who's Who in the World and Who's Who in Asia.
Industry
Kathleen Canning, Executive Director, Orange County Convention Center (OCCC)
Kathleen “Kathie” Canning joined the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in 1985. Kathie provides invaluable assistance in the sales, service planning and development for the Center’s three expansion projects. In December 2002, Kathie was promoted to the position of Deputy General Manager. In this role, she assists in the operation and management of the Convention Center. In 2012, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs appointed Kathie to the executive director position. Canning will continue to direct and supervise all aspects of finance, marketing and operations of the facility. Kathie is an active member of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM) and Meeting Planners International (MPI). During her career, Kathie has devoted her time to many not-for-profit organizations including The United Way Leadership Club, Orlando Chamber of Commerce and the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau. Kathie graduated from York College in New York City with a bachelor’s degree in Education, and received her master’s degree from Adelphi University. In addition to her work at the OCCC, Kathie is an adjunct instructor at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen School of Hospitality Management in Orlando, Florida.
Suzanne Neve, CEO, Florida Festivals & Events Association
Upon graduation from the Pennsylvania State University, Suzanne began her professional career in the hospitality industry where she honed her organizational and marketing skills. Managing a high performing Marriott property, she garnered several awards including Manager of the Year, General Manager of the Year and Hotel of the Year. Prior to accepting the position with FFEA, Suzanne spent five years directing events for the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce. In her position there, she oversaw the production and execution of over 60 events per year, including the ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival. ArtiGras is one of the largest art festivals in the state of Florida and has been recognized as one of the top 50 art festivals in the U.S. and one of the top 20 events in the Southeastern U.S. During her time at the Chamber, their events earned several awards for advertising and organizational excellence. As the CEO for FFEA Suzanne is responsible for all operational aspects of the organization, including membership growth, multimedia marketing, and event management. FFEA's 600 members represent the industry's top leaders and the Association serves as a resource to help them perform at their peak through education, networking and the cultivation of the highest standards. In her role with FFEA, Suzanne and her team visit events throughout the state of Florida as they strive to connect, educate and advocate on behalf of FFEA's diverse membership. She and her husband Jeff have recently relocated to the Orlando area with their two children Matthew and Elizabeth and are enjoying being closer to their family (and Mickey Mouse of course!).
Jason Siegel, CEO, Central Florida Sports Commission
Jason Siegel has enjoyed 30 years of success and accomplishments in major and minor league professional sports and intercollegiate athletics. He is currently in his second year as CEO of the Central Florida Sports Commission after serving five years as the Orlando Solar Bears Managing Partner & President/CEO. Under his leadership, the Central Florida Sports Commission will host more than 150 events and is projected to drive more than $300 million in economic impact in 2016 and 2017. Anchored by marquee events such as the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship First and Second-Rounds, Copa America Centenario, and Wrestlemania 33, the commission serves one of the largest sports tourism regions in the country and drives impact for Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola Counties and the City of Orlando. Siegel was named one of Orlando Business Journal's CEOs of the Year in 2017. Siegel served as Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Community Development for the New Jersey Devils (NHL) from 2000-2007. Prior to establishing and bringing the Solar Bears to Orlando in 2011, Siegel served four years as Senior Associate Athletic Director at his alma mater, Binghamton University, where he was co-Executive Director of the department’s Athletics Board. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Jason and his wife Sarah Grafton now reside in Maitland, FL with their four children, Stephanie (16), Ryder (9), Bobby (7), and Joseph. Siegel is currently serving as Chairman of the American Diabetes Association's local Leadership Board and serves on a number of local community Boards including the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association, Boy Scouts of America, and the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness.
Adrienne Six, Director of Event Sales, Topgolf Orlando
As Director of Event Sales, Adrienne Six, a Certified Meeting Professional, is responsible for Topgolf Orlando's Event Sales team. The team consists of 9 direct reports focused on providing the highest quality event experience to our guests. Adrienne was previously with Visit Orlando for 18 years, holding the position of Director of Destination Services for the past 10 years. She sat on the Ethics committee of Event Service Professionals Association, helping to offer insight for the creation of their ethics statement and is the local facilitator for the MPI Greater Orlando Area Chapter's CMP study group for the past nine years. She previously sat on the board of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, and on the development committee for the APEX (Accepted Practices Exchange)/ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) destination sustainable practices guidelines. She was a recipient of the Top #CMP30 Influencer Awards by the Events Industry Council. She started in the hospitality industry with a degree in Hospitality Management from New Mexico State University.
Kirk Wingerson, Creative Marketing & Communications Strategist, City of Orlando Venues
Kirk Wingerson is a creative marketing and communications strategist with extensive experience in live entertainment. As the Marketing Division Manager for Orlando Venues, he oversees all branding & communications for the Amway Center and Camping World Stadium along with the marketing of numerous events presented in those venues. Prior to joining the City of Orlando, he spent five years as Director of National Marketing for Broadway Across America where his diverse responsibilities included overseeing season subscription materials across 40+ markets, establishing branding campaigns and editing the national monthly e-newsletter. Before joining BAA, Kirk was Senior Director of Marketing at Florida Theatrical Association where he worked for nine years planning, budgeting and implementing marketing and promotional campaigns for season subscriptions and national touring productions at the Carr Performing Arts Centre. Kirk is on the Board of Directors for the Church Street District, the Board of Directors for the Event & Arena Marketing Conference where he also serves as vice president of agenda and he is involved with Full Sail University's Entertainment & Music Business Program Advisory Committee. He attended the University of Florida where he received Bachelor of Science degrees in both Telecommunications and Public Relations.
Curriculum
Donald Getz, Professor Emeritus of Tourism, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary
Don Getz is a professor in the Tourism and Hospitality Management program at the Haskayne School of Business. He holds a BES from the University of Waterloo, an MA from Carlton University, and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh. Before joining the University of Calgary, Dr. Getz began his teaching career as an assistant professor at the University of Waterloo in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. Don is an ongoing visiting professor of Events Management at Griffith University in Australia, and an ongoing visiting professor at Sheffield- Hallam University in England. Dr. Getz teaches international tourism, planning and policymaking, resort management and event management. His ongoing research involves special-interest tourism (i.e. wine) and event–related issues such as management, event tourism, and events and culture. The research that Dr. Getz conducts often has a particular focus on the effects or impacts of tourism and recreation on people, the environment, and the economy.
Deborah Breiter Terry, Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida
Dr. Breiter is a Professor in the Tourism, Events and Attractions Department with the Rosen College and holds the endowed position in Convention and Conference Management. Her teaching focus is conventions and trade shows. She spearheaded the introduction of the first Bachelor of Science in Event Management in the United States. There are now more than 1,200 students enrolled in this degree program. Dr. Breiter was awarded the Professional Achievement Award for Education by the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) in 2007, the Professional Achievement Award by the Greater Orlando chapter of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) in 2009 and the Stevenson Fletcher Award by the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education in 2005 for her development of convention and conference education. She has conducted research for the Orange County Convention Center, Kissimmee Convention and Visitors Bureau, PCMA and MPI. Dr. Breiter has been published in many well-respected journals in the field, including Tourism Management, Event Management, The Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, The Cornell Quarterly and the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Ubaldino Couto, Lecturer, Institute for Tourism Studies
Ubaldino joined IFT in 2006 and is Lecturer in Events Management. He delivers theory courses in festivals and events management, as well as practical courses where students are required to plan, implement, organise, manage and evaluate live, public events for charitable causes. He is also actively engaged in Institute-wide projects, and is an active member in the community where he provides advice to a number of local and international NFP organisations. He also actively engages in consultancy projects and is invited as visiting professor to deliver short courses and lectures abroad. He was recently invited to Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, to give advice to the local government and trade to develop Amakusa's local produce and rich Luso-Christian heritage into tourism products. He is currently reading for his Doctor of Philosophy degree in the United Kingdom. Ubaldino’s mixed ancestry is the force that motivates his quest in understanding the role of ethnic cultures in societies. He also advocates in equality and inclusion through research, specifically, in race, gender, sexuality and access issues. He's an aviation enthusiast and adores Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals.
Caroline Jackson, Senior Principal Academic, Bournemouth University
I currently Chair the Association for Events Management Education (AEME) whose aim is to advance events education and research through its member organisations of UK Universities, Colleges and trainers. I am also Vice Chair of the Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP), the umbrella organisation that represents the leading trade and professional organisations, government agencies and other significant influencers in the business visits and events sector. My main roles for BVEP are to further enhance events education, to review the professionalisation of the industry and to identify its creative value. After working at senior level in a number of local authority leisure services, I joined Bournemouth University in 1992 and created an experiential events management unit on the BA (Hons) Leisure Marketing programme. This was followed by the creation of the MSc Events Management and BA (Hons) Events Management courses. The continued growth of events education and research culminated in the development of the Department of Events & Leisure in the Faculty of Management. Over 30 academics and postgraduate research students and 800 Bachelor and Master’s students studying events, leisure and project management form this internationally respected Department. My research and teaching interests relate to a greater understanding of the meanings associated with events and leisure experiences. My PhD, entitled 'the lived experience of the popular music festival-goer' took a descriptive phenomenological approach to investigating others’ music festival experiences. I am currently working with the University of Westminster, with support from the Events Industry Forum, to identify the creative intensity of the UK events industry. I am researching the development and nature of events education, particularly comparing China and the UK with a visiting scholar from Donghua University, Dr Liu Chunzhang. I am currently teaching Arts Marketing and Creative Media & Events.
Kelly Semrad, Assistant Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida
Dr. Kelly J. Semrad, currently serves as a faculty member in the University of Central Florida (UCF) Rosen College of Hospitality Management. She is the former associate director for the University of Florida’s Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute. Dr. Semrad possesses 15 years of professional experience in community event planning which includes having served on mega events’ host committees such as the World Series and Super Bowl Games. Dr. Semrad has presented over 65 research presentations at international conferences, has published in renowned academic journals, and has served on research teams that have provided evaluations and technical reports to tourism and hospitality organizations worldwide. She is an active team member for numerous grants representing socio-economic needs in developing countries. Dr. Semrad is the recipient of numerous research and teaching awards and has also served as an invited visiting professor at multiple universities abroad. Her teaching portfolio is extensive having taught more than 30 different hospitality, sport management, and event management courses (2001 – 2014). She is an active advocate for the continued development of degree programs that represent society’s growing educational needs. Thus, she has served as a degree underwriter for both the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida.
Editors
Fevzi Okumus, Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida
Dr. Okumus is a Professor in the Hospitality Services Department at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. He received his Ph.D. in Strategic Hotel Management from Oxford Brookes University, UK. He has a Master of Science degree in International Hotel Management from Oxford Brookes University, UK and a Bachelor of Science degree in hospitality and tourism from Cukurova University, Turkey. He worked in the hotel industry before becoming an educator. He joined the Rosen College of Hospitality Management in 2005 and was the founding Chair of the Hospitality Services Department from 2007-2013. Dr. Okumus’ teaching and consultancy areas include strategic management, leadership development, strategic human resources management, hotel management, international hospitality management and introduction to hospitality and tourism. His research areas include sustainability and green practices, strategy implementation, competitive advantage, knowledge management, hotel management, lodging operations, crisis management, cross-cultural management, destination marketing, information technology and developing countries. Dr. Okumus has widely published in leading journals, including Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, Service Industries Journal, Management Decision, International Journal of Hospitality Management, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management and Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research. He has over 180 academic publications (about 80 refereed journal articles, three books, 11 book chapters and 65 conference presentations, reports etc.). His publications have received over 2500 citations and he has an h-index of 26. Dr. Okumus has secured and completed research and consultancy projects over US$ 500,000 in different countries and received numerous awards and recognitions. He has recently received the Michael D. Olsen Research Achievement Award. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management (IJCHM), one of the top-tier journals in the hospitality field with an impact factor of 1.407. He also serves on the editorial boards of 18 international journals and is a frequently invited speaker at national and international conferences.
Mathilda Van Niekerk, Assistant Professor, Tourism, Events, and Attractions Department, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida
Dr. Van Niekerk currently works in the Tourism, Events and Attraction (TEA) Department at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida, USA. She has a PhD in Tourism Management (2004) and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA)(2013). Her research areas include festivals and event management, tourism destination marketing and management and strategic management. She has over 100 academic publications (refereed journal articles, books, book chapters, case studies, encyclopedia entries, training manuals, industry reports and conference papers). She has taught 28 postgraduate and undergraduate courses in tourism management, destination marketing, event marketing and event management. She received the 2015 University Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award from Rosen College. Dr. Van Niekerk serves on the editorial boards of several academic journals and is the Managing Editor for the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management (IJCHM). Before joining Rosen College, Dr. Van Niekerk held senior management positions at different institutions in both higher education and local government in South Africa. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, she served as the cluster leader in Nelspruit, one of the host cities responsible for marketing, communications, events and tourism. Recognizing her leadership and contribution to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Nelspruit, South Africa, she received the Premier Protea Hotel Nelspruit/Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism - Tourism Personality of the year award. Her commitment and competence as an event organizer, visionary and leader are also evident in her success as an owner and director of a business enterprise in the private sector, for which she was named a national finalist for South Africa’s ABSA Business Woman of the Year award.
Alan Fyall, Orange County Endowed Professor of Tourism Marketing, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida
Dr. Alan Fyall is Orange County Endowed Professor of Tourism Marketing at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida. He has published widely in the areas of tourism and destination marketing and management including 20 books and over 150 journal articles. Dr. Fyall is a former Member of the Bournemouth Tourism Management Board (DMO) and Board of Solent Synergy Limited in Southern England, and has conducted numerous consulting and applied research projects for clients in the UK, European Union, Africa, the Caribbean and South East Asia. Alan currently teaches International Tourism Management and Destination Marketing & Management and to date has examined 27 PhDs in the UK, India, South Africa, Australia, Hong Kong and Malaysia. He has organized a number of international conferences and workshops for academic, professional and governmental audiences and is frequently invited to deliver key note addresses. He is Editor of Elsevier’s Journal of Destination Marketing & Management and sits on the editorial boards of Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Heritage Tourism, International Journal of Tourism Research, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Regional Statistics, Anatolia, Journal of Business Research, PASOS Heritage Tourism, International Journal of Health Management and Tourism and Place Branding and Public Diplomacy.
Judith Mair, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, The University of Queensland
Judith Mair is a Senior Lecturer in Event Management in the UQ Business School, University of Queensland, Australia. Her research interests include pro-environmental behaviour and resilience both in tourism and events; the impacts of events on community and society; consumer behaviour in events and tourism; the relationship between events and climate change; and business and major events. Her PhD investigated decision-making in the events context and was completed at the University of Strathclyde. Judith is working on a number of projects including investigating the potential for events to act as a catalyst for encouraging pro-environmental behaviour change; researching the links between events and social capital; and assessing the potential impacts of climate change on the tourism and events sector.
Rhodri Thomas, Professor, Tourism and Events Policy, Dean, School of Events, Tourism, and Hospitality Management, Leeds Beckett University, UK
Rhodri Thomas is Professor of Tourism and Events Policy and Dean of the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University, UK. Originally trained as an economist, he now engages in inter-disciplinary policy-related research in the context of the tourism, hospitality and events sectors. Rhodri has acted as a 'specialist expert' on policy issues for the OECD, the European Commission and for government departments and other agencies in the UK and elsewhere. He has completed several Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) grant and non-grant funded projects and is a member of their Peer Review College. His Chair was supported by the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT) for five years. Rhodri is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, a Co-ordinating Editor for the International Journal of Hospitality Management and an Academic Editor for Sustainability. He sits on the Editorial Boards of several leading journals including Tourism Management and the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
