Sustainable Management of Land for Tourism

The University of Newcastle provides educational outreach to local and national communities on the sustainable management of land for tourism. Through free, publicly accessible citizen science initiatives and engagement with regional tourism practitioners, the University helps communities understand how responsible land management, environmental conservation and monitoring of natural landscapes contribute to sustainable tourism. In 2025, these activities included community participation in coastal monitoring and regional knowledge-sharing on sustainable land use in the Hunter Valley.

Citizen science and visitor stewardship

The University supports CoastSnap, a free, publicly accessible community citizen science program co-founded by University researcher Dr Michael Kinsela. CoastSnap provides local communities and visitors with opportunities to learn about the sustainable management of coastal landscapes through active participation in beach monitoring. By contributing repeat photographs of beaches, participants help researchers and coastal managers monitor shoreline changes caused by storms, sea-level rise and human activity. This hands-on educational outreach builds community understanding of coastal environmental pressures and the importance of protecting and sustainably managing beaches and surrounding landscapes that support tourism and recreation.

Vines and Vision - Hunter Valley

On 6 August 2025, the University's Institute for Regional Futures hosted Vines and Vision as part of the Hunter Insight Series. The event brought together more than 50 researchers, winemakers, tourism leaders and government representatives to consider the long-term sustainability of the Hunter Valley wine region. This community-facing forum shared knowledge relevant to the sustainable management of vineyards and the landscapes that underpin regional tourism.

Discussion explored challenges including climate variability, land use, environmental and social responsibility, labour and regional resilience. Tourism and wine-industry leaders shared insights on how the region can respond to environmental pressures while maintaining productive vineyards and attractive visitor destinations. Through knowledge-sharing and discussion of climate variability, land use and environmental responsibility, the forum provided educational outreach to regional tourism and wine-industry stakeholders on the sustainable management of vineyards and surrounding landscapes. These activities strengthened understanding of how responsible land management can support the long-term environmental sustainability of the Hunter Valley as a tourism destination.

Hunter Insights Series event for 2025, hosted by the University of Newcastle’s Institute for Regional Futures

Connecting tourism, communities and place

Through free community participation in CoastSnap and regional engagement with tourism and industry stakeholders, the University provides educational outreach that strengthens understanding of sustainable land management for tourism. These activities connect communities with practical knowledge about environmental stewardship, coastal monitoring and responsible land use, helping protect the natural and productive landscapes on which tourism destinations depend.

The University welcomes collaboration with tourism operators, industry groups, government, researchers and community organisations interested in building more sustainable and resilient destinations.

2024 supporting context

Free regenerative-tourism education

On 5–6 November 2024, the Newcastle Business School hosted the two-day Regenerative Tourism: Building Sustainable Futures Together workshop at NUspace, with free access both in person and online. The educational programme examined how tourism can be embedded within the social-ecological systems of destinations, with sessions on environmental stewardship, community engagement, destination management, responsible leadership and regenerative tourism policy.

The workshop drew on collaboration with tourism and education partners from Samoa and created a forum for researchers and practitioners to discuss how tourism can support, rather than deplete, the environmental, cultural and economic resources of destinations.

REGENERATIVE TOURISM: Building Sustainable Futures Together (online)

Evolving Dynamics of Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management

Focus

This research theme investigates the evolving dynamics of tourism, hospitality, and event management by exploring the intersection of technological innovation, cultural influences, and human behaviour in shaping these interconnected industries. It examines the impact of emerging tools like artificial intelligence on customer experiences and operational strategies, while analysing how cultural factors predict tourism preferences and promote eco-friendly behaviours. The theme emphasizes the design and measurement of memorable visitor experiences at festivals and events, alongside strategic communication and decision-making processes that connect events with local economies. It also explores the resilience of these sectors amid challenges like pandemics, revealing how behavioural traits and past experiences influence travel choices under restrictive conditions. By integrating gender perspectives in sports event management and reflecting on decades of research, this theme anticipates future trends to advance sustainable practices, enhance stakeholder collaboration, and align industry strategies with community values and long-term sustainability goals.

Keywords 

Sustainable tourism, Event management, Digital innovation, Cultural influences, Experience management

Outcomes

  • Sigala, M., Goh, E., Leung, X., Rasoolimanesh, S.M., Su, C.H.J. and Tham, A., (2025). 30 Years of contribution and future directions in tourism, hospitality, and events research: A Quo Vadis perspective from the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 62, pp.258-265.
  • Agapito, D. and Sigala, M. (2024). Experience management in hospitality and tourism: reflections and implications for future research. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 36(13), pp.57-76.
  • Cheah, J.H. & Sigala, M. (2024). Tell me about your culture, to predict your tourism activity preferences and evaluations: cross-country evidence based on User Generated Content. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research,
  • Sigala, M., et al., (2024). Understanding the impact of ChatGPT on tourism and hospitality: Trends, prospects and research agenda. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 60, pp.384-390.
  • Olivier, L., Carlson, J., Rahman, S. & Rosenberger III, P. J. (2023). Measuring tourist festival experience: development and validation of the PHF-tx model. Journal of Travel Research, 62(7), 1530-1549
  • Hong, S., Rasheed, M. I., Sigala, M., & Ahmad, M. (2023). Is there a bright side of COVID-19? The influence of conscientiousness and extended TPB on the tourists’ eco-friendly behaviour. Current Issues in Tourism, 1-5.
  • Thomson, A., Hayes, M., Hanlon, C., Toohey, K., & Taylor, T., (2022). Women’s Professional Sport Leagues: A Systematic Review and Future Directions for Research, Sport Management Review.
  • Kim, J., Park, J., Kim, S., Lee, D. C., & Sigala, M. (2022). COVID-19 Restrictions and Variety-Seeking in Travel Choices and Actions: The Moderating Effects of Previous Experience and Crowding. Journal of Travel Research, 61(7), 1648-1665 (A*)
  • Carlini, J., O'Neil, A., Thomson, A. & Green, A. (2022). Understanding the interplay between event communications and local business decision-making using signalling theory: The case of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, European Sport Management Quarterly.
Sustainable Tourism, Community Perspectives, and Place Identity

Focus

This research theme investigates the dynamic interplay between tourism development, local communities, and the preservation of cultural and environmental identities. This research explores how sustainable tourism can empower marginalized voices, such as Indigenous communities, by integrating their perspectives into tourism planning and management. It also examines the roles and identities of key stakeholders, such as adventure tour operators in national parks, and highlights the significance of cooperative networks and "coopetition" in building resilient, sustainable destinations. Additionally, it advocates for human-centered, citizen-driven approaches to tourism research and explores how diverse economic models in volunteer tourism can foster peace and justice. Together, this theme emphasizes balancing economic growth with social equity and cultural integrity to enhance community well-being and strengthen place identity.

Keywords

Cultural tourism, Indigenous tourism, Host communities, Place identity, Social justice

Outcomes

  • Calvin, S., Young, T., Hook, M., Nielsen, N., & Wilson, E. (2024). Are our voices now heard? Reflections on Indigenous tourism research. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 59, 81-85.
  • Wang, P.Y., Lyons, K. and Young, T., 2024. Role identities of adventure tour operators in national parks. Current Issues in Tourism, 27(18), pp.3017-3029.
  • Hardy, A., Young, T., Cheer, J., Scheyvens, R., & Movono, A. (2022). Humanising research: A citizen social science agenda, Annals of Tourism Research, 96.
  • Nguyen, TQT, Johnson, P. & Young, T. (2022). Networking, coopetition and the sustainability of tourism destinations. Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management, 50, 400-411.
  • Everingham, P., Young, T., & Wearing, S. (2022). A diverse economies approach for promoting peace and justice in volunteer tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 30, 618-636.