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Professor Rhodri Thomas

Dean of School

Rhodri Thomas is Professor of Tourism and Dean of The School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University.

Rhodri 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).

Rhodri has secured grant and non-grant research funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as well as from the European Commission, OECD, British government departments and various other agencies. Much of this work has been concerned with understanding (i) public policy designed to influence the practices of small firms in tourism and (ii) knowledge acquisition in tourism and the impact of academic knowledge production on practitioners.

Rhodri is currently guest editing a special issue of the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management with Jeeyeon Jeannie Hahm (Rosen College, University of Central Florida, USA), Karin Weber (Hong Kong Polytechnic University) and Donald Getz (University of Calgary, Canada). The special issue is dedicated to the memory of Dr Mathilda van Niekerk. Rhodri is also part of a School-based research team led by Professor David Parsons on digital skills in tourism.

In addition to dissemination via academic journals and books, Rhodri has made invited keynote presentation to academic conferences in China, numerous European countries, and the USA. He has also accepted invitations to speak at major international practitioner events including those in Argentina (International Congress and Convention Association), Malta (Association of Independent Tour Operators), Spain and Italy (Institute of Travel and Tourism) as well as in the UK (e.g. Association of British Travel Agents [ABTA] and Association of British Professional Conference Organisers [ABPCO]).

Rhodri is Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events (ESCI listed; ABDC B), Co-ordinating Editor for the International Journal of Hospitality Management (ABS 3* SSCI IF 6.701) and Academic Editor for Sustainability (SSCI IF 2.576). He sits on the Editorial Advisory Boards of eight journals including Tourism Management, Tourism Management Perspectives, and the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

Current Teaching

PhD Supervision

Research Interests

Current research is primarily concerned with the impact of academic knowledge production on non-academic constituencies within the context of public policy debates about performance-based research funding.

0113 81 23462
R.Thomas@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Macaulay Hall, G05, Headingley Campus

Ask Me About

Tourism
Events
Economics

Selected Outputs

Thomas R (2018) Questioning the Assessment of Research Impact Illusions, Myths and Marginal Sectors. Springer.

Yeung E; Thomas R (2021) The ‘long tail’ of event management research: evidence from the field’s main journals. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, pp. 1-8.

https://doi.org/10.1080/19407963.2020.1862855

View Repository Record
Tomassini L; Font X; Thomas R (2020) Narrating values-based entrepreneurs in tourism. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, pp. 1-17.

https://doi.org/10.1080/14766825.2020.1793991

View Repository Record
Thomas R (2020) Problematising ‘The impact of tourism research’ : A reply to Brauer, Dymitrow, and Tribe (2019). Annals of Tourism Research, pp. 102968-102968.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2020.102968

View Repository Record
Thomas R (2020) Affective subjectivation or moral ambivalence? Constraints on the promotion of sustainable tourism by academic researchers. Journal of Sustainable Tourism

https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1770262

View Repository Record
Tomassini L; Font X; Thomas R (2019) The case for linguistic narrative analysis, illustrated studying small firms in tourism. Tourism Geographies

https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2019.1619824

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Kornilaki M; Thomas R; Font X (2019) The sustainability behaviour of small firms in tourism: the role of self-efficacy and contextual constraints. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 27 (1), pp. 97-117.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2018.1561706

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Li S; Cang S; Thomas R; Hyun S (2017) Residents’ perceptions of convention centres: A distance decay analysis. Event Management: an international journal, 21 (6), pp. 729-746.

https://doi.org/10.3727/152599517X15073047237241

View Repository Record
Yaning Li N; Wood EH; Thomas R (2017) Innovation implementation: harmony and conflict in Chinese modern music festivals. Tourism Management, 63 pp. 87-99.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.06.009

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Thomas R; Ormerod N (2017) The (almost) imperceptible impact of tourism research on policy and practice. Tourism Management, 62 pp. 379-389.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.02.009

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Thomas R; Ormerod N (2017) Founts of knowledge or delusions of grandeur? Limits and illusions of tourism research impact: A reply to Wood. Tourism Management, 62 pp. 394-395.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.04.009

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Thomas R (2017) A remarkable absence of women: a comment on the formation of the new Events Industry Board. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 9 (2), pp. 201-204.

https://doi.org/10.1080/19407963.2016.1208189

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Koens K; Thomas R (2016) "You know that’s a rip-off": Micro-enterprises and poverty alleviation in South African township tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism

https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2016.1145230

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Kosmaczewska J; Thomas RW; Dias F (2015) Residents’ perceptions of tourism and their implications for policy development: Evidence from rural Poland. Community Development

https://doi.org/10.1080/15575330.2015.1110189

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Thomas R; Wood E (2015) The absorptive capacity of tourism organisations. Annals of Tourism Research, 54 pp. 84-99.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2015.06.004

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Koens K; Thomas R (2015) Is small beautiful? Understanding the contribution of small businesses in township tourism to economic development. Development Southern Africa, 32 (3), pp. 320-332.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0376835x.2015.1010715

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Fu Y; Thomas RW; Long P (2014) Guanxi and the organisation of Chinese New Year festivals in England. Event Management, 18 (3), pp. 247-263.

https://doi.org/10.3727/152599514X13989500765682

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Thomas RW; Wood E (2014) Innovation in tourism: Re-conceptualising and measuring the absorptive capacity of the hotel sector. Tourism Management, 45 pp. 39-48.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2014.03.012

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Thomas R; Thomas H (2014) 'Hollow from the start'? Professional associations and the professionalisation of tourism. Service Industries Journal, 34 (1), pp. 38-55.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2013.763346

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Thomas R; Thomas H (2013) What are the prospects for professionalizing event management in the UK?. Tourism Management Perspectives, 6 pp. 8-14.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2012.11.005
Thomas RW (2013) Research and scholarship with impact: a British perspective. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 5 (3), pp. 277-282.

https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-01-2013-0001
Li S; Blake A; Thomas R (2013) Modelling the economic impact of sports events: The case of the Beijing Olympics. Economic Modelling, 30 (1), pp. 235-244.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2012.09.013
Thomas R (2012) Business Elites, Universities and Knowledge Transfer in Tourism. Tourism Management, 33 (3), pp. 553-561.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011.06.009
Sampaio A; Thomas R; Font X (2012) Why are some engaged and not others? Explaining environmental engagement among small firms in tourism. International Journal of Tourism Research, 14 (3), pp. 235-249.

https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.849

View Repository Record
Sampaio A; Thomas R; Font X (2012) Small Business Management and Environmental Engagement. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 20 (2), pp. 179-193.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2011.602193
Walmsley A; Thomas R; Jameson S (2012) Internships in SMEs and career intentions. Journal of Education and Work, 25 (2), pp. 185-204.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2011.573774
Thomas R; Shaw G; Page S (2011) Understanding Small Firms in Tourism: A perspective on research trends and challenges. Tourism Management, 32 (5), pp. 963-976.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011.02.003
Thomas R (2011) Academics as Policy-Makers: (Not) Researching Tourism and Events Policy from the Inside. Current Issues in Tourism, 14 (6), pp. 493-506.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2010.534770
Laing W; Xu H; Thomas R (2011) Study on the Motivations and Objectives of Life-styled Tourism Businesses in Dali Ancient City. Tourism Tribune, 2 pp. 47-53.

http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-LYXK201002015.htm