Associates

Dr Davina Stanford

Davina is a researcher with a first-class undergraduate degree, a Masters in Tourism and Leisure with Distinction and a PhD in Tourism Management. With TEAM, Davina regularly undertakes a range of research activities including desk-based research and policy review; case study preparation; consultations (telephone, face to face and workshops with both business and community consultees) and other primary research including observational studies and the design, implementation and analysis of surveys. Key TEAM projects include:

• Co-ordinating and researching a UNWTO publication 'A Guide to Destination Management'. The guide is intended as an authoritative reference handbook that addresses management frameworks, tools, practical guidelines and case study references concerning the full spectrum of activities involved in integrated destination management.
  
  
• Stakeholder consultations and desk-based research to assess the tourism potential of London's forthcoming Cultural Olympiad.
  
  
• Project management, research design and implementation of an innovative project in the Lake District National Park. The assignment explored visitor transport use in the Lake District for each of the area's visitor segments. Messages intended to promote alternative transport were then developed and tested.
  
  
• An audit of nature-based attractions in the North West of England.
  
  
• Facilitating workshops to inform the London Development Agency's Sub-regional Visitor Economy Development Plans.
  
  
• Davina has also worked on a number of audience development plans for Heritage Lottery Funding applications, from large urban parks to small museums.

Prior to joining TEAM, Davina was a Commonwealth Scholar, undertaking doctoral research at Victoria University of Wellington. The research looked broadly at issues of responsible tourism and visitor stewardship. Research techniques included policy analysis; in-depth interviews with a range of tourism industry stakeholders; and the design and implementation of visitor surveys. Summary findings and recommendations from the research were widely disseminated through industry seminars to tourism industry representatives including the New Zealand Ministry of Tourism, the New Zealand Department of Conservation, the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand and commercial tourism operators.

During her time in New Zealand, Davina also ran one of a series of workshops to enable Ngatiwhatua o Orakei sub-tribe members at Orakei Marae, Auckland, to critique tourism planning and development initiatives and options on their tribal lands.

Before departing for New Zealand, Davina worked at the Morecambe Bay Partnership. The partnership is a charity which advocates and promotes the sustainable development and integrated management of Morecambe Bay, a nationally designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. Here Davina was involved in a number of tourism projects, in particular an audit and assessment of tourism interpretation provision; and running community consultation workshops regarding local attitudes to tourism development. The role also involved partnership building with a range of stakeholders.

Davina has lectured in the UK and abroad: most recently guest lecturing at Victoria University of Wellington for courses on Tourist Behaviour and Sustainable Tourism Development. She has presented her research at conferences both in the UK and overseas and has recently published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism.

Key areas of expertise

Responsible tourism; research design; research management and delivery; questionnaire design and analysis.