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Meet the Editors

Colleague spotlight | Professor Rhodri Thomas

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Rhodri is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, and Coordinating Editor for the International Journal of Hospitality Management and Sustainability. He is an editorial board member of nine journals, including Tourism Management, The Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, and the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

How do you judge the success of the journal?

I suspect the formal answer for many onlookers would relate to its metrics. In that respect, I am pleased that they are improving year-on-year. However, the greatest satisfaction from my editorial roles do not come from seeing improving metrics. Creating spaces for critical discussion, perhaps by supporting novel special issues, is far more important. We also try to create a degree of flexibility in how academics engage in debate (full research articles are just one way) and that’s important too. The growing number of readers is probably the most important source of satisfaction for me.

Are some topics discussed more than others?

Topics that relate to aspects of public policy relating to events and festivals are by far the most prominent. In fact, our top 10 most downloaded papers all relate to events as do 7 of our top 10 most cited papers. Within this broad category, examinations of legacy, socio-cultural, economic and environmental sustainability all feature prominently as they relate to arts, cultural, community and sports events.

What advice would you give to those submitting papers?

First and foremost, I would say don’t rush! The manuscript does not need to be perfect but submitting too rough a draft increases the chances of a desk rejection or rejection by reviewers. It is also worth knowing why you are submitting to this journal and not another. Although what is within scope remains broad, try to frame the introduction and conclusion in a way that helps the reader (and reviewers) understand why you have chosen to submit to the Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events.

Is there scope for those interested to get involved with the journal?

Yes, we are always looking for reviewers who are prepared to undertake the task rigorously. In addition, we are open to novel ideas for special issues especially on topics that are currently under-represented in the literature. If you have an idea, please email me. Finally, we reflect on the composition of our Editorial Board regularly. If you feel you would like to play an active part in furthering the journal’s aims via this role, please contact me.

Professor Rhodri Thomas

Professor / School Of Events, Tourism And Hospitality Management

Rhodri Thomas is Professor of Tourism Management. He has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in economics (Leeds) and two PhDs; one in management studies (Exeter) and one on public policy and small firms in tourism (LBU). He holds a PGCE (Leicester), is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) and Fellow of the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT).

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