Professor Sheela Agarwal

Qualifications

I completed a PhD at the School of Geography, Exeter University, UK in 1995 and before arriving at Plymouth University in 2000, I worked for the Centre for Tourism, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield as a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management.

Professional membership

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Former Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society / Institute of British Geographers

Former Co-opted Executive Member of the Association of Tourism in Higher Education (2003-2007)

Member of the Association of Tourism in Higher Education

Roles on external bodies

Former Trustee of Victim Support Devon

Co-opted Governor for St. Andrews Primary School, Cullompton, Devon

Teaching interests

Specialise in the teaching of tourism and the environment, tourist behaviour, sustainable tourism, tourism planning, tourism development and culture, heritage, screen and literary tourism, and disaster and crisis management in tourism and hospitality at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Staff serving as external examiners

External Examiner for BSc Tourism Degree, University of Ulster, Ulster

Former External Examiner for the BA Tourism Degree, Trinity College Carmarthen, Carmarthen

Former External Examiner for Tourism and Hospitality Undergraduate degress, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds

External Examiner for several PhDs (15 in total):

Research interests

I am interested in the ways in which space and place may be theorised. Beginning from primarily an economic foci, particularly around the effect, influence and consequences of processes of structural change on nations, regions and local areas, this line of research is expanding to explore other areas of geographic interest, notably the nature of tourism consumption and production, the changing role of the state, local governance, social exclusion, collaboration, collective action and other issues associated with the planning and sustainability of tourism. I have a wealth of expertise in socio-economic issues associated with seaside towns including multiple deprivation and inequality. In addition, I also have a developing interest in climate change and adaptation and mitigation strategies, in plastic pollution, disability, and in disaster and crisis management focusing in particular on security risk management and resilience.  

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

Ph.D completions: (13 in total):

• Ghatnekar, P. (2017) Persuasive Technology in Tourism Online Experiences and Implications on Tourist Buying Behaviour. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Business, Plymouth University, UK.
• Kroger, H. (2016) The role of sustainability in enhancing place performance through an identity-based approach to place branding.  PhD Thesis, Faculty of Business, Plymouth University, UK.
• Ali, M.F.S. (2015) Critical firm-based enablers-mediators-outcomes (CFMESO): a new integrated model for performance innovation, performance drivers in the context of US restaurants. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Business, Plymouth University, UK.
• Jakes, S. (2015) Social exclusion, resort decline and the English seaside. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Business, Plymouth University, UK.
• Wight, A.C. (2014) A discourse analysis of representations of genocide in museums and sites of memory. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Business, Plymouth University, UK.
• Elbaz, A. (2013) Actor network theory, tourism organisations and the development of sustainable community livelihoods. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Business, Plymouth University, UK.
• Semley, N. (2012) An evaluation of community perceptions of tourism and crime. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Business, Plymouth University, UK.
• Stansbie, P. (2011) Internship design and its impact on satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and student career choices. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Business, Plymouth University, UK
• Murphy-Underhill, C. (2005) The influence of nationality on interpretations of Ireland's destination imagery. PhD, Thesis, Plymouth Business School, Plymouth University, UK.
• Gutic, J. (2003) Stakeholder identification and assessment in a Venezuelan National Park. Ph.D Thesis, School of Leisure and Food Management, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.
• Yuksel, F. (2003) Centre-local relations and tourism planning in Belek, Turkey. Ph.D Thesis, School of Leisure and Food Management, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.
• Medeiros de Araujo, L. (2002) Stakeholder assessment and collaborative tourism planning. The Costa Dourada Project, Brazil. Ph.D Thesis, School of Leisure and Food Management, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.
• Yuksel, A. (2000) Food service experience and tourist satisfaction: implications for destination management. Ph.D Thesis, School of Leisure and Food Management, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.

Grants & contracts

Developing indicators of sustainable tourism (European Research Network of Sustainable Tourism, European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme, c. £30,000, with Whittlesea, E.)

Disability typology and differences in information needs (with Lee, B., 2011, Korean Research Foundation)

Global-local interactions in English seaside resorts (British Academy, 2003-2004, £3237)

Differential Economic Performance in Rural Areas (DEFRA, 2003-2004 £c. 80,000)

MARKETOWNS: the role of small towns in rural development (European Commission 2001-2004, 1.2 million Euros)

The South Yorkshire Tourism Business Development Project (European Union, Objective 2, 1998-1999).

Reports & invited lectures

I have been an invited key note speaker on many occasions all around the world, delivering presentations on various socio-economic aspects of coastal tourism and seaside towns.  

Conferences organised

Co-organised with South West Tourism, NECSTouR Sustainable Tourism Conference, 17th-19th June 2009, University of Plymouth, Plymouth.