PhD student research in hospitality, tourism and events

The hospitality, tourism and events industries don’t wait around – and neither do our PhD students. From reshaping guest experiences for wheelchair users at beaches to defining Zealand’s contemporary culinary identity, their research dives into the issues shaping the future.

Our current PhD students

Chris Atkinson

Thesis title: Conceptualising dignity service for airline passengers living with Parkinson's disease
Supervisors: Alison McIntosh and Brielle Gillovic

Anh Minh Bui

Thesis title: Positive vs. Negative Gossip in the Workplace: Moderating Effects of Social Media and Deepfake Technology on Brand Citizenship Behaviour
Supervisors: Peter Kim, Dan Zhu and Warren Goodsir

Sabio Chai-Udom

Thesis title: Deciphering Shadows: Exploring the Lives of Sex Workers in Thailand’s Tourism Industry
Supervisors: Richard Ajiee and Heike Schänzel

Madz Crouth

Thesis title: Frontline Perspectives: Examining the Role and Readiness of Airline Employees in Combating Human Trafficking within New Zealand's Commercial Airline Sector
Supervisors: Alison McIntosh and Brielle Gillovic

Haozhe (Jason) Han

Thesis title: Disability with Age and Interdependence: A Phenomenological Study of Embodied Accessible Tourism Experiences among Chinese Diaspora Older Adults in New Zealand
Supervisors: Alison McIntosh and Claire Liu

Sophie Hayden

Thesis title: The embodied experiences of tourists using wheelchairs at beaches
Supervisors: Alison McIntosh and Brielle Gillovic

Prang Ittikul

Thesis title: イラマンテ- Amidst the Gods’ Hunting Ground: Expanding Food Sovereignty through Ainu hunting culture in Hokkaido, Japan
Supervisors: Tracy Berno and Welby Ings

Sarah Lee

Thesis title: Women in Wine in New Zealand: The missing voices of family winemaking businesses in West Auckland
Supervisors: Heike Schänzel and Paul Woodfield

Pauline Marie

Thesis title: Api-tourism as Regenerative Tourism in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A Value(s)-based Approach
Supervisors: Tracy Berno and Heike Schänzel

Qian Meng

Thesis title: Leading by the head or the heart: Unveiling the impact of paternalistic leadership on employee performance from a social comparison perspective
Supervisors: Peter Kim, Pola Wang and Dan Zhu

Elena Moshakova

Thesis title: Solo women travellers: Sharing of sexual harassment or assault experience on social media
Supervisors: Shelagh Mooney and Heike Schänzel

Tram Nguyen

Thesis title: Nocturnal placemaking: A multi-stakeholder perspective on night-time tourism development in Ho Chi Minh city
Supervisors: Tomas Pernecky and Abrar Faisal

Ashvini Pathirana

Thesis title: Freedom, belonging and gender in host-guest encounters between women in tourism contexts
Supervisors: Heike Schänzel and Rerekura Teaurere

Robert Richardson

Thesis title: Seeking the edible aesthetic: In search of New Zealand’s contemporary culinary identity
Supervisors: Tracy Berno and Fiona Amundsen

Mei Taniguchi

Thesis title: Dynamic Pathways of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content in Tourist Expression: A Longitudinal Model of Rational and Social Influences with Feedback Mechanisms
Supervisors: Heike Schänzel and David Williamson

Laura Upson

Thesis title: Uncovering the lived travel experiences of adults with endometriosis
Supervisors: Alison McIntosh and Brielle Gillovic

Vincent van Niekerk

Thesis title: Hidden Workforce: Neuroinclusive HRM in Hospitality and Tourism
Supervisors: David Williamson and Candice Harris

Bochen Xiao

Thesis title: Local Identity as a Governance Resource: Tourism Managers and Collaborative Heritage Governance in Shuhe Ancient Town
Supervisors: Alison McIntosh and Claire Liu

Qi (Kiki) Yang

Thesis title: Dynamic Pathways of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content in Tourist Expression: A Longitudinal Model of Rational and Social Influences with Feedback Mechanisms
Supervisors: Chloe Kim, Warren Goodsir and Peter Kim