Dawn Gibson

Biography

Dawn Gibson is a Senior Lecturer of Tourism and Hospitality in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. She spent many years overseas living and working in London, New York and Los Angeles, and returned home to Fiji in 1991. She has been fortunate to have travelled extensively from childhood, hence her keen interest in tourism and hospitality. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Tourism Studies and Management and Public Administration, a Post Graduate Diploma in Tourism Studies, a Master of Arts in Tourism and Hospitality, and a PhD in Tourism Studies which were all awarded by The University of the South Pacific. Her PhD was concerned with the challenges indigenous owned businesses face delivering consistent quality services in the backpacker/budget accommodation sector in the Yasawas Islands in Fiji.     She also has a Postgraduate Certificate in Online and Distance Education of the Open University in the United Kingdom. She was responsible for the development of the B.Com. in Hotel Management degree programme and courses, and more recently new courses for the M.Com Tourism and Hospitality. She is also responsible for the development of print materials for Tourism and Hospitality courses and is currently working with colleagues to convert all tourism and hospitality courses to blended/online mode. Dawn Gibson is a Senior Lecturer of Tourism and Hospitality in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. She spent many years overseas living and working in London, New York and Los Angeles, and returned home to Fiji in 1991. She has been fortunate to have travelled extensively from childhood, hence her keen interest in tourism and hospitality. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Tourism Studies and Management and Public Administration, a Post Graduate Diploma in Tourism Studies, a Master of Arts in Tourism and Hospitality, and a PhD in Tourism Studies which were all awarded by The University of the South Pacific. Her PhD was concerned with the challenges indigenous owned businesses face delivering consistent quality services in the backpacker/budget accommodation sector in the Yasawas Islands in Fiji.     She also has a Postgraduate Certificate in Online and Distance Education of the Open University in the United Kingdom. She was responsible for the development of the B.Com. in Hotel Management degree programme and courses, and more recently new courses for the M.Com Tourism and Hospitality. She is also responsible for the development of print materials for Tourism and Hospitality courses and is currently working with colleagues to convert all tourism and hospitality courses to blended/online mode.

Research Interest

Sustainable tourism and the challenges of indigenous/community based tourism operators. Entrepreneurship and innovation, community based tourism and beach fale tourism in Samoa. Cross-cultural management and employee empowerment, especially concerning South Pacific communities. Sustainable development and alternative livelihoods with a focus on increasing linkages to tourism. Challenges of delivering high quality consistent service. Online and flexible distance learning education in the South Pacific region. Emerging trends in South Pacific tourism with a focus on Fiji. Import substitution and linking agriculture to tourism, ‘farm to table’, agritourism, culinary tourism, and gastronomy. Retail tourism. Strata title and its impact on local ownership of tourism plant in Fiji.