Kevin Lyons

Biography

Kevin's research spans the fields of leisure, sports, recreation and tourism management and policy.  His published work is highly cited and has shaped and influenced leisure-related policies and practices of governments, non-government and private sectors who deliver leisure-related services. AN example of the impact of Kevin's research is evident in Kevin's work in the area of volunteer tourism. Volunteer tourism is one of the fastest growing area of research in leisure and tourism studies over the past two decades. Initial research in this area was largely descriptive and sought to champion volunteer tourism as a form of sustainable tourism that was helpful to host communities and volunteers alike. Kevin's work in this area has challenged this view. His published research has provided the conceptual frameworks and critical and empirical rigor necessary to transform the way that volunteer tourism is understood, not only by researchers and students but also tourism industry decision makers. The impact of Kevin's work on volunteer tourism research is exemplified in the content and impact of a recently published paper entitled: ‘Gap year volunteer tourism: myths of global citizenship?’ published in the A* ranked (ABDC) 'Annals of Tourism Research' – the internationally preeminent tourism journal. This paper presented a detailed critique of volunteer tourism challening conventional wisdom about the transformative value of youth  travel.  He has recently begun expanding this area of inquiry to examine related forms of youth-based tourism such global mobility programs being funded by governments and offered by Universities. Kevin has worked in close partnership with regional tourism in NSW and, more particularly, the Hunter region to develop and conduct research that has helped address the needs of the regional tourism industry. A notable example is the research that he has lead to produce the Hunter Valley Tourism Research Monitor for the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association (HVWTA). The fine-grained data from this research provides a detailed picture of the state of the regional tourism industry that has been disseminated through monthly and Annual reports. These reports have had national reach and are used and circulated by both state (Tourism Industry Council) and national (Tourism Australia) tourism organisations via their websites to the tourism industry nationwide. Kevin's research engagement efforts were acknowledged when he received the Gold award for ‘Contributions to Local Tourism by an Individual’ at the 2013 Qantas Link Hunter and Central Coast Tourism Awards.

Research Interest

Recreation, Leisure and Tourism Geography, Tourism