New Research Chair to Focus on Tourism, Hospitality
September 26, 2007 - News Release
The University of Guelph has created a special University Research Chair to focus on issues of importance and interest to the tourism and hospitality industry.
Prof. Marion Joppe, director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM), will be the inaugural chair holder. She has relinquished her current duties to take on the five-year position.
"This is a unique opportunity to position and advance collaborative research on a number of fronts of great concern to the industry," said Joppe. "These include the looming labour shortage, the environmental impact of travel, and the repositioning of Canada in light of rapidly changing consumer attitudes and motivations."
Joppe, who joined U of G in 2003, has an extensive research career that focuses on the planning, development and marketing of destinations, with particular focus on heritage, ethnic and wellness tourism. She is also interested in trade and incentive travel as well as e-commerce.
During her career, Joppe has received a number of prestigious awards and grants, including ones from the Society of Incentive and Travel Executives Foundation, the Ontario Hostelry Institute, the Ontario Accommodation Association and the HAFA/HTM Alumni Association. In 2007, she was appointed to a seat on the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council and is the current Chair of the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation. She also has a long-standing involvement with the Canadian Tourism Commission’s Product Enhancement and Innovation Committee.
"This appointment recognizes Marion's personal achievements as a scholar in tourism research and the importance of this field to the School and College of Management and Economics (CME)," said dean Chris McKenna.
"Through this research chair, Marion will continue to provide leadership in the tourism area, both in her research and through her involvement in several national and international organizations."
McKenna added that Joppe made many positive changes as HTM director, including boosting the reputation of its restaurant and programming, improving external relations and enhancing graduate programs. She also helped position the school as a leader in preparing students for industry.
Joppe has been teaching and working in the hospitality and tourism industry for more than 20 years internationally and in Canada. She worked for the provincial government as its senior policy adviser for tourism and was a faculty member with Ryerson University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo and received her master’s and doctorate from the Université de Droit, d'Économie et des Sciences d'Aix-Marseille III in France.
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