Postgraduate students
The AUT Pacific Tourism Futures Research Group actively supports postgraduate research that advances scholarship and practice in Pacific tourism contexts. You can view current and recent postgraduate research below.
Interested in doing research with us? We welcome enquiries from prospective master’s degree and doctoral students with interests in tourism, hospitality and events in the Pacific. We encourage a range of methodological approaches, including applied, interdisciplinary and creative research designs.
Dissertations
Semester 1, 2024
Viola Latai Finau Havea
The Impact of Tourist Experience Attributes on Tourist Satisfaction and Behavioural Intention in Tonga: A Comparison between First-time and Repeat Visitors
Semester 1, 2025
Si’oto’ofa atu Sia’atoutai Kivalu
Evaluating the satisfaction levels of solo vs travelers with companions on cultural immersions in Tonga: A focus on cultural festivals and the local markets
Semester 1, 2026
Sooraj Mohan
Enhancing Enterprise Development in the Cook Islands: Strengthening Business Strategies to Improve Offerings and Attract Greater Tourist Spending
Nishadi Kaluthara Liyanage
Predicting Tourism Attitudes in the Cook Islands: A Quantitative Study of Cultural, Environmental, and Social Factors
Tashnuva Sumaiya Islam
Comparative Influence of TikTok and Instagram UGC on Consumer Dining Decisions: A Quantitative Analysis of the Intent to Book Restaurants in Fiji
Wanting Huang
Understanding Tourist Loyalty in Samoa: How Shopping Experience and Visit Type Shape Satisfaction and Behavioural Intentions
Saksham Khanna
Determinants of Business Confidence among Small Tourism Enterprises in the Cook Islands: The Roles of Workforce Diversity, Training Gaps, and Government Support
Yafei Liu
From Crisis to Recovery: Exploring Tourism Business Resilience in the Cook Islands Before and After COVID-19
Dehaine Silva
Tourism and Cultural Commodification in the Cook Islands
Applied projects
Semester 1, 2026
Mandy Zheng
Tourism in New Zealand: Trends, Challenges, and Implications
Skye Chen
Tourism in New Zealand: Themes, Evidence, and Future Directions
Yuzhou Tao
Tourism in the Pacific Islands: Themes, Evidence, and Future Directions
Xuri Gao
Tourism in the Pacific Islands: Trends, Challenges, and Implications
Zijun Pan
Sustainable Tourism in the Pacific Islands: Evidence, Challenges, and Future Directions
Shuang Li
Digital Marketing and Tourism Development in the Pacific Islands: A Review of Evidence and Practice
Zhen Gong
Social Media, Authenticity, and Sustainable Destination Branding in the Pacific Islands
Contact us
For general enquiries contact:
chloe.kim@aut.ac.nz