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To apply for a research degree, please make sure you fulfill the entry requirements and then complete the online research degree application form and upload your supporting documents.

You should have a good honours degree (2:1 or above) or masters degree or equivalent in the relevant subject area.

International applicants should be aware of our research degree English language requirements

About INTOUR - research themes

About INTOUR

Research Themes

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The Institute for Tourism Research (INTOUR) at the Faculty of Education and Sport is one of the most widely respected institutes of its kind, with the highest RAE mark awarded to a university in 2001. Our dedication to top quality research was recognised as being world-class quality by the United Kingdom government through the Higher Education Funding Council in 2008.

An aspect of the Institute's dedication is the focus provided on four major themes. INTOUR's aim is to be the most established research institute within the four following themes:

  • Environment, sustainable development, poverty reduction and climate change
  • Economic impact and regeneration
  • Heritage and cultural interpretation
  • Social inclusion and community cohesion

Research and Consultancy

INTOUR can call upon a range of in-house academics with the knowledge and skills to provide practical solutions for tourism businesses, policy and planning issues.  Specific areas of specialty include:

  • Tourism development strategies at local, regional and national levels;
  • Sustainable tourism and poverty reduction;
  • Planning for ecotourism and protected areas;
  • Community-based tourism;
  • Visitor attraction management and interpretation;
  • Food tourism;
  • Cultural interpretation;
  • Climate change and environmental attitudes;
  • Airline economies and management;
  • Economic impact assessment; and
  • Market research, visitor surveys and business strategy.

The staffing at INTOUR includes two professors and all its members are qualified to doctoral level in their own disciplinary areas of geography, economics, environmental sciences, history, sociology and business studies.  The Institute can also request the services of other university academics for specific projects.

The geographical range of INTOUR's research and consultancy projects embraces the local and international.  Examples of research and consultancy work conducted by members of INTOUR include:

  • Tourism Marketing Strategy for Jordan (United World Tourism Organisation);
  • Tourism Development Strategy for Vologda Oblast, Russia (European Union);
  • Food-related Tourism and the Delivery of Social, Cultural and Environmental Sustainable Development in Rural Regions and Communities (Esmée Fairbairn Foundation);
  • Evaluating the Relationship of Social Well-being and Tourism in Annapurna, Nepal (Nuffield Foundation);
  • Analysing the Marketing Effectiveness of National Tourism Offices (British Tourism Authority);
  • Investigating Tourism Expectations and Experiences of La Palma, Canaries (TUI Thomsons); and
  • Feasibility Studies for Tourism Development in the United Kingdom, Turkey and Indonesia (Private Sector Clients).

INTOUR also has a vibrant PhD Tourism Program with distinguished alumni whom now have senior positions in academia, business and government ministries. 

Examples of research enquiry include: cultural identity; poverty reduction; sustainable tourism; post-disaster recovery; food tourism; environmental management and the hotel industry.

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