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Professor Rhodri Thomas

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  3. Professor Rhodri Thomas
Professor Rhodri Thomas
Contact Details

Dean of School

School Of Events, Tourism And Hospitality Management

0113 81 23462 R.Thomas@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

About Professor Rhodri Thomas

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.

Selected Publications

Journal articles (69)

Books (2)

  • Thomas R (2018) Questioning the Assessment of Research Impact Illusions, Myths and Marginal Sectors. Springer.
  • Thomas R (2009) Managing Regional Tourism: A case study of Yorkshire, England. Ilkley: Great Northern Books.

Chapters (2)

  • Thomas R; Morpeth ND (2009) Who does what? Tourism governance in Yorkshire. In: Thomas R Managing regional tourism: A case study of Yorkshire, England. Ilkley: Great Northern Books, pp. 78-91.
  • Thomas R; Long J; Parsons D; Jameson S (2002) Old Skills in New Heritage: An analysis of skills supply, demand and utlisation in the UK's heritage sector. In: Andews N; Flanagan S; Ruddy J Tourism Destination Planning. Dublin: DIT, pp. 3-23.

Conference contributions (11)

  • Thomas RW (2013) Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Tourism Committee Paris .
  • Li S; Blake A; Thomas R (2013) Modelling the economic impact of sports events under conditions of imperfect competition Ljubljana .
  • Thomas R (2012) Professionalism and the professionalisation of events management in the UK . Norway:
  • Thomas R (2011) Business Elites, Universities and Knowledge Exchange in Travel . UK:
  • Thomas R (2011) Evaluating the Impact of Events: Directions for Research . UK:
  • Thomas R (2010) Events strategies, local governance and universities . Leeds Metropolitan University:
  • Thomas R; Bowdin GAJ; McElhinney S; Bell S (2009) Professionalism and Professionalisation in the Events and Festivals Sector University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield .
  • Thomas R (2009) Making an impact: PhD research and 'stakeholder' engagement . University of Nottingham:
  • Thomas R (2009) Moving and Shaking: Urban Tourism and Events Policy Formation . University of Warsaw, Poland:
  • Bowdin GAJ; Thomas R; Wood EH; Robinson L (2007) The Contribution of Community Festivals and Events to the Local Area and the Welsh Economy Bournemouth University, Bournemouth 10/01/2007.
  • Thomas R; Wood EH; Bowdin GAJ; Robinson L (2006) The Contribution of Community Festivals and Events to the Local Areas and the Welsh Economy Wales .

Conference proceedings (1)

  • Wood EH; Thomas R; Robinson L; Bowdin GAJ (2005) The Contribution of Community Festivals to Tourism: An assessment of the impacts of rural events in Wales. In: Assessing The Impact Of Tourist Events Universite Nice, TMP Research Group, Juan Les Pins, France 08/12/2005 00:00:00. : , pp. .

Lectures (2)

  • Thomas RW (2008) Tourism Policy & Policy-Making in Yorkshire (inaugural lecture)
    View Repository Record
  • Thomas RW (2006) Expending Energy: Physical Activity for Health and High Performance Sport (Inaugural Lecture)

Reports (11)

  • Parsons D; Thomas R; Fletcher TE; Kachel U (2014) Evaluation of the Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability and Sustainable Society (BRASS). ESRC.http://www.esrc.ac.uk/files/research/evaluation-and-impact/centre-for-business-relationships-accountability-sustainability-and-society/
  • Li S; Bowdin G; Heslington E; Jones S; Mulligan J; Tara-Lunga M-O; Tauxe C; Thomas R; Wu P-Y (2013) The Economic Impact of the UK Meeting & Event Industry. Meeting Professionals International.http://www.mpiweb.org/UKEIS/ReportFinal
  • Thomas R (2011) Research Report: An Economic Impact Assessment of the Engage Super League Grand Final. Leeds: Rugby Football League (RFL).
  • Thomas R; Woo EH (2011) Research Report: An Economic Impact Assessment of Showzam!. Leeds: Visit Blackpool.
  • Thomas R (2011) An Economic Impact Assessment of Blackpool's Major Events Portfolio. Research Report for Visit Blackpool.
  • Thomas R (2010) Flexible Working Practices in Travel and Tourism. London: Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT).
  • Thomas R (2010) Engaging business elites from the travel and tourism sector. Swindon & Hertfordshire: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC): Swindon, Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT): Herts.
  • Thomas R (2010) An Economic Impact Assessment of the Northern Rail Blackpool 9s and Engage Super League Grand Final. Leeds: Rugby Football Leagie (RFL).
  • Thomas R (2010) Economic Impact Assessment of the Engagement Super League Grand Final and the Northern Rail Blackpool 9s Tournament. Leeds: Rugby Football League (RFL):.
  • Thomas R; McCullough N (2009) An Economic Impact Assessment of the Northern Rail Blackpool 9s. Leeds: Rugby Football Leagie (RFL).
  • Thomas R; Vanel D (2008) Attitudes to climate change: A survey of travel agents and tour operators. London: Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT).
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