RESEARCH CLUSTERS
CLUSTER 1
Tourism has long been recognised as an essential tool stimulating economic development and growth. However, recent years have increasingly bought attention to the negative outcomes of unsustainable tourism growth and development principles and the subsequent unhealthy dependencies and marginalisation occurring as a result. This bought the phenomenon of responsible economic growth to the forefront towards achieving sustainability. The research work under this cluster is aimed at achieving ‘decent work and economic growth’ and ‘reduce inequality’ via the amalgamation of ‘industry, innovation, and infrastructure’ to promote responsible consumption and production patterns.
Tourism for Responsible Economic Growth
(Sustainable and Pro Environmental Behaviour – SDG #12)
Core Members
Prof. Kashif Hussain
Economic impact; Sustainable Development
Dr. Rupam Konar
Hospitality Services; Service Innovation
Dr. Jeetesh Kumar
Business Tourism; Economic Impact
Dr. Shantini A/P S.Thuraiselvam
Corporate Finance; Macroeconomics
Mr. Anshul Garg
Hospitality Service; Service Technology
Ms. Dhiya Hikmahana Bt Abdul Razak
Event Management; Event Marketing
Dr. Suresh N. Kannan
Tourism Economics; Business Tourism
Dr. Ruth Sabina Francis
Hospitality Management; Human Resources
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Balasubramanian Kandappan
Hospitality Innovation; Marketing
Ms. Lisa Tung Pei Pei
Business Tourism; Tourism Behaviour
Ms. Khairiah Binti Ismail
Event Management; Event Risk Management
Associate Members
Dr. Sotheeswari A/P A Somasundram
Entrepreneurial Studies; Regional Economics
Dr. Kizito Uyi Ehigiamusoe
Economic Development & Growth; Finance
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ratneswary A/P V Rasiah
Micro & Macro-Economics
CLUSTER 2
Tourism for Social & Community Development
(Heritage Tourism - Community Tourism – SDG #11)
Core Members
Dr. Puvaneswaran A/L Kunasekaran
Community-Based Tourism
Dr. Mayukh Dewan
Social & Cultural Anthropology
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Seyyed Mostafa Rasoolimanesh
Community & Sustainable Tourism; Heritage
Dr. Rokhshad Tavakoli
Virtual Tourism; Virtual Reality
Dr. Suresh Kumar Velayudhan Pillai
Traditional Medicine; Natural Products
Mr. Gopinath A/L Sangaran
Organisational Behaviour; Human Resources
Associate Members
Dr. Camelia May Li Kusumo
Urban Planning; Community Development
Dr. Keith Tan Kay Hin
Heritage & Conservation; Built Environment
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ng Foong Peng
Contemporary Malaysian Architecture
As much as tourism is recognised as an economic driver, it is also an important social driver that has a significant potential to tap into the creation of spaces that enable the betterment of local communities worldwide. Tourism has even been dubbed as an essential tool for peace and understanding within the ever vast global community. Under this research cluster, we aim to explore how to use tourism as a tool to achieve social and community development goals that are at the top of priorities for an equal world. These include goals of no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, and finally peace, justice and strong institutions.
CLUSTER 3
Amidst raising global concerns for rising environmental issues due to unsustainable development principles and practices, the tourism industry has also come under great scrutiny for its lasting impacts on destinations with issues of overtourism. Environmental protection remains a primary objective in all tourism industry related endeavours, but the ways to achieve environmental protection while maintaining balance of the social and economic aspects requires new ways of thinking and being. This cluster is aimed exploring the best practices towards the protection of clean water and sanitation, climate change, life below water, and life on land for future generations to come.
Tourism for Environmental Protection
(Climate Change and Tourism -SDG #13)
Core Members
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Seyyed Mostafa Rasoolimanesh
Community & Sustainable Tourism; Heritage
Ms. Joann Lim Phaik Sim
Green Economy; Environmental Management
Dr. Thanam A/P Subramaniam
Pro-Environmental Behaviour; Eco-Tourism
Dr. Wong Tziak Ze
Food Product Development
Associate Members
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chockalingam Aravind Vaithilingam
Sustainable Living; Power Engineering
Dr. Kizito Uyi Ehigiamusoe
Economic Development & Growth; Finance
Dr. Sundari Ramakrishna
Environmental Sustainability; Nature
Mr. Leong Boon Tik
Environmental Management
Dr. Thulasyammal a/p Ramiah Pillai
Health & Environment; Air Pollution
CLUSTER 4
Tourism and Policy Development and Governance (SDG # 17)
Core Members
Prof. Neethiahnanthan A/L M Ari Ragavan
ASEAN Tourism; Higher Education
Prof. Kashif Hussain
Economic impact; Sustainable Development
Prof. Victor Wee Eng Lye
Tourism Policy & Planning; Future of Tourism
Assoc.Prof. Dr. Seyyed Mostafa Rasoolimanesh
Community & Sustainable Tourism; Heritage
Dr. Joaquim Miguel Dias Soeiro
Professional Education; Hospitality & Culinary
Tourism policy plays an integral part in the implementation of actions towards all sustainability endeavours. Actors at local, national, regional, and international level need to come forward to push the agenda of sustainability via policy, and hence understanding how to maximise the sustainable development goals via governmental intervention is key to ensure all stakeholders of the tourism industry are aligned to a central set of visions. This cluster is focused on the best practices of developing partnerships amongst stakeholders.
