Dr Natalie Semley
Associate Professor of Tourism and Destination Management
Dr Natalie Semley research focuses on the delivery of effective destination management and the application of regenerative tourism within the UK.
Most recently she has undertaken consultancy research to establish visitors’ perception of sustainable tourism, led knowledge exchange projects to determine the impact of technology on destination-based storytelling, and solidified her long-term cross-sectoral partnerships through a range of academic and action research projects.
Her national standing in the sector is reflected in her appointment as Head of Professional Development on the Board of the Tourism Management Institute, the UK’s leading professional body for destination management, where she helps guide learning, collaboration and knowledge exchange across the tourism sector.
Qualifications
Qualifications
| Year | Qualification | Awarding body |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | GDS-ICCA-CityDNA Certificate in Regenerative Destination Management | |
| 2012 | PhD in Tourism Management | University of Plymouth |
| 2006 | MSc Tourism and Hospitality Management | University of Plymouth |
| 2005 | Bsc (Hons) Business and Tourism | University of Plymouth |
Honors and awards
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Senior Fellow of the HEA |
Membership of external committees
Tourism Management Institute - Board of Directors - Head of Professional DevelopmentResearch Interests
Research interests and expertise
Natalie's research focuses on the delivery of effective destination management and the application of regenerative tourism within the UK. Her research is diverse, pertaining to the hot topics of destination managers. She is actively engaged with industry, and is currently working on a series of knowledge exchange projects based in Cornwall. Natalie also has an interest in specific forms of niche tourism, innovative methods of delivering stories, and developing the methodological approaches of tourism-related studies.
Areas of teaching
Natalie teaches on the Tourism, Festival, and Creative Event Management courses at Falmouth University. Her teaching centers around the subject of sustainability, and includes topics such as the development of tourism, event and festival tourism, the breadths of destination management, developing audience projects, and creating innovative products and services for the experience design sector.
Research Students
Current research students
Natalie has supervised a range of undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Each project has been positioned within the experience design sector, but the content has cut across the entire tourism sector. From an exploration of destination imagery, to understanding food tourism, and reviewing the impacts of tourism-related crime, Natalie is happy to engage with any topic that helps to advance knowledge within the tourism industry.
Research degrees examined
- Seventy-six UG dissertations to completion
- Twenty-two MSc dissertations to completion
- Two PhD theses to completion as co-supervisor
- One MPhil, Plymouth University 2017
Professional Engagement
Independent professional practice
- External panel member, FdA approval event, Staffordshire University, 2015
- External Examiner for Marketing, Innovation, Tourism & Events (MITE) subject area, The University of the West of Scotland
Engagement with professional associations and societies
- Fellow of the Tourism Management Institute (TMI)
- Member of the TMI CPD Working Group
- Member of the TMI Sustainability Working Group
- Member of the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT)
- Member of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
- Member of the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS)
