Personal profile
Research interests
• Women as Providers of Tourism, with a focus on gender equality, access to opportunities, leadership and policy. • Women as Travellers, with a focus on travel behaviour, inventory analyses, and product development and market segmentation. • Strategic Destination Marketing, with a focus on technology in tourism, tourism strategy, tourism assets analyses, tourism product development, scoping studies and situation analyses. • Travel behaviour and demand for tourism Selected Project Experiences (e.g. Family Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Wellness and Wellbeing Tourism, Solo Travel, Vanlife Travel, Gastronomy Tourism)
Research Profile
Professor Catheryn Khoo is a distinguished scholar in the field of Tourism and Hospitality and Editor-in-Chief of a leading journal, Tourism Management Perspectives. As #thetourismprofessor, she is renowned for her comprehensive research portfolio and significant contributions to the industry. Consulting for the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Asian Development Bank, she drives pioneering research on positive tourism outcomes. With an Asian postcolonial lens, her research focus on marginalised voices in tourism. Professor Khoo's research includes consultations for governments and tourism businesses. Notably, she led the authorship of the influential UNWTO Regional Report on Women in Tourism, and co-authored the 2019 UNWTO Global Report on Women in Tourism. Her impactful research appears in 100+ international publications. A strong advocate for gender equality in tourism, she founded Women Academics in Tourism (WAiT), advises World Women Tourism, and is an Advisory Board member of the International Tourism and Investment Conference. Professor Khoo's exceptional scholarship continue to shape the trajectory of tourism research and policy worldwide. She spearheads a global initiative called "Contested HERitage," aimed at reshaping the historical narratives of men's accomplishments in public spaces, while also championing inclusivity through the transformation of memorials and place names.
External positions
Consultant & Gender Expert, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
1 Oct 2021 → 1 Oct 2022
Special Advisor, World Women Tourism
1 Nov 2020 → …
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 5 Gender Equality
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SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
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SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
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SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Advancing contemporary tourism: Exploring the interpretation of digital nomads from an embodied theory perspective
Yang, Y., Khoo, C., Li, J. & Zhen, Y., Jun 2026, In: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. 67, 101478.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Airlines are facing higher fuel costs and cutting fares at the same time. How does that work?
Manfreda, A., Bisson, A., Khoo, C. & Lee, C., Apr 2026, In: The Conversation.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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Bridging disciplines: a forward-looking agenda for tourism and wellbeing
Tiwari, R., Khoo, C. & Smith, M. K., 2 Aug 2026, In: Tourism Recreation Research.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Conclusion - Envisioning Sustainable Luxury Tourism and Hospitality Research: An Agenda for Future Research
Khoo, C., Manfreda, A. & Melissen, F., 10 Feb 2026, Sustainable Luxury in Tourism and Hospitality: Contemporary Principles and Evolving Practices. Manfreda, A., Melissen, F. & Khoo, C. (eds.). Channel View Publications, p. 228-234 7 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
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Ethnography in/for sustainable tourism: tensions, challenges and opportunities
Mura, P. & Khoo, C., 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of Sustainable Tourism.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Press/Media
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Travelling solo? Three Australian women share their experiences and tips for going it alone
13/04/24
1 Media contribution
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WHAT DOES POST-COVID-19 TOURISM LOOK LIKE FOR AUSTRALIA IN 2023?
8/03/23
1 Media contribution
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https://www.afar.com/magazine/the-power-of-women-in-travel
5/05/21
1 item of Media coverage
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