Tourism Management Faculty
Gordon Titchener, BA, MSc, PhD (ABD)
Office: CT 213
Telephone: 377 6165
Email: gtitchener@tru.ca
Teaching Areas: Gordon teaches a variety of courses in the BTM program, particularly requirements for the Entrepreneurship major. These courses have included Tourist Behaviour, Global Environment, Tourism Strategy, Information Technology and Tourism, as well as supervision of the Graduate Seminar research projects.
Work Related Experience: Gordon came to TRU in 2005 from Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua, New Zealand, where he was Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader of the BTM degree. Gordon previously taught geography and Latin American studies at York University, Toronto, and the University of Calgary. He has led overseas field schools to places like Greece, Australia, and the Caribbean. He has also sold (or attempted to sell!) cruises and vacation packages and consulted with small business owners and DMOs.
While overseas, Gordon helped form the Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter, a network of small businesses committed to improving the quality of life for residents and visitors. He is a Research Fellow of the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (nztri.org), a Green Globe 21 certified consultant and a member of TTRA and ISTTE. He has also convened and organized several international conferences including Islands of the World III in Nassau, Bahamas, the Healing Waters Conference on Spa and Health Tourism, and the 2004 New Zealand Tourism and Hospitality Research Conference.
Education: Gordon holds two degrees from the University of Calgary with a Masters thesis specializing in Eastern Caribbean shipping and trade, which included interviewing small business owners, visiting port authorities and occasionally riding the banana boats! He commenced PhD studies at York University, and is now working to complete a dissertation on cruise tourism and the rise of unique communities of consumption. This involves the use of empirical survey research, critical discourse analysis and most recently social network analysis.
Research Interests: The emergence of communities of consumption within special interest tourism, including cruising, spa and health, food and wine, and cultural heritage.
The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to form knowledge networks between small business operators and individual consumers.
Redefining destination strategy, education, and sustainable tourism development in a dynamic, global environment.
Publications or Personal Hobbies: Both are in progress!