Each year CAUTHE offers competitive bursaries for PhD Scholars and Early Career Researchers from Chapter Member institutions. For some bursary award winners, this might be their first ever conference or the first time sharing their ideas beyond their supervisors. Others may be nearing thesis submission and seeking feedback on their final conclusions. Past winners share their experiences below.

2022

Dr Lizette Olivier, The University of Newcastle, Australia

I would like to thank the CAUTHE for awarding me a ECR Bursary award, this enabled me to attend the much needed ‘CAUTHE annual conference fix’ which I desperately need each year. This opportunity gave me a chance to once again compete in the tough challenge of writing a contemporary tourism paper for peer review. This conceptual paper builds on my PhD mixed method research and offers a conceptual model to seek the consumer value in the ‘new normal in tourism and events’. I really value the opportunity to be amongst my mentors, academic heroes and friends each year! You inspire me, and the interest in my research and peer reviewing my work is a vital support that keeps me on track to continually strive to write and contribute to the field of tourism and events.

Since 2018, when I attended my very first CAUTHE conference, I have learnt and grown so much in my academic and research career. At this conference, I submitted my first paper and was honoured to be awarded the Bill Faulkner CAUTHE award for best PhD paper titled: Examining the antecedents and consequences of customer perceived value of periodic hallmark events.

CAUTHE has been a wonderful experience to build networks, friendships and meet new scholars. This year, I was blown out of the water when I was awarded the Professor Philip Pearce award for best full paper CAUTHE 2022 for the paper titled: Towards a conceptual model of expected perceived value in hallmark events in a ‘post-COVID-19’ marketplace. I encourage all fellow ECR’s to keep striving towards excellence and keep supporting CAUTHE events each year. CAUTHE has grown into a mighty academic network which brings together, tourism, hospitality and events academics like no other conference I have participated in. I am proud to be a member of CAUTHE for the past six years and look forward to seeing you all next year. Next time I truly hope it will be face-to-face.

Dr Phoebe Everingham, The University of Newcastle, Australia

This was my third CAUTHE conference and as always, I had a fantastic time with the CAUTHE community with whom I truly feel a great sense of belonging. I was honoured to receive an ECR bursary for my paper titled ‘Building Regenerative Futures: A more-than-tourism agenda for post covid-19 recovery’. Griffith University facilitated an excellent conference and hats off to them for having to shift it all online at the last minute due to the Omicron strain of Covid. While we were all disappointed not to see each other in the flesh, the conference facilitators did an excellent job of finding ways to connect us through their online platform. The PhD and ECR workshop day is always really interesting and useful for emerging scholars such as myself. Some excellent advice was given in relation to managing an academic career. The mentoring session is a really useful way to check in with more senior academics and learn from their experiences and knowledge. I always again a lot from the discussions.

The highlight of the conference for me was the incredible keynote by Dr Valerie Cooms, who was so generous in gifting us with some of her stories of her family and life from the perspective of the Nunukul people of Minjerribah, North Stradbroke Island, particularly in relation to leisure and recreation from an Aboriginal perspective. Her talk really revealed some of the issues and tensions related to the settler colonialism foundations of Australian recreation, and how important it is to have Aboriginal led land management in tourism and recreation.

As always, I had a wonderful and inspiring time at CAUTHE and I look forward to attending more in the future.

Sabiha Matin, PhD Candidate, The University of Newcastle, Australia

‘Will I fit in?’ ‘Am I smart enough?’ ‘What if my paper gets rejected?’ These were the questions that plagued my mind as I decided to join the CAUTHE 2022 conference and apply for a Phd Bursary. To explain how I feel after attending CAUTHE and winning PhD Bursary, I would like to share the situation I was in. Moving to a new country and starting my PhD at the University of Newcastle, I was initially felt anxious and feared settling down. I was in cultural shock and could not speak properly, even though I was an extrovert in nature. A smile was the only answer I could give most of the time. I was having self-doubt and almost lost my confidence.

Then the pandemic happened, and I could not get along with my tourism community’s peers and scholars. I knew that networking could bring out my potential in the tourism area but doing my PhD in lockdowns and the home office was hindering that opportunity. It wasn’t easy to adjust to this overwhelming situation. So, when I learned about CAUTHE and PhD bursary from my super supportive supervisor Dr Tamara Young, I was initially hesitant to apply for this bursary as I was self-doubting my abilities. Moreover, to apply for the PhD Bursary, I also had to write a full paper. Hence, I was trying to back off, but she constantly encouraged me to apply.

Finally, I decided to write a paper with my supervisors, Dr Young, Dr Paul Stolk, and Dr Jamie Carlson, from my PhD’s initial data findings and submitted it to the CAUTHE 2022 conference. The day I received the email from CAUTHE that I won the PhD Bursary, I was over the moon. I cannot explain how thankful and blessed I am in winning the CAUTHE 2022 PhD Bursary.

This not only gave me the financial support to join the CAUTHE 2022 conference but also helped me bring back my lost self-confidence. I was excited to present my paper “The elephant in the room: business event organiser’s perspective and challenges of virtual platforms” to a fantastic panel. In addition, I received some noteworthy appraisals from the panel and the audience.

The CAUTHE 2022 conference was held online, but the engagement we had in an online platform was worth mentioning. I made some friends and networked with marvellous experts in my area and remained in touch long afterwards through social media. At CAUTHE 2022, I listened to presentations and speeches from distinguished tourism academics and experts, took part in detailed discussions with my peers, and exchanged ideas in concurrent sessions that I enjoyed immensely.

I want to thank the CAUTHE 2022 organising committee for their tremendous effort in hosting such an unforgettable event. I am looking forward to joining CAUTHE 2023 with more confidence and energy.

2020

Van Huy Nguyen, Murdoch University

CAUTHE 2020 in Auckland was my first conference. To me, it is the biggest tourism conference in the world with more than 200 delegates from Australia, New Zealand and other countries. Being awarded a bursary facilitated my participation and brought me unforgettable and memorable life experiences. It was great chance for me to meet, learn and share knowledge, experiences with academics, industry experts, editors, researchers, publishers and colleagues.

The conference gave me direction, inspiration and stronger motivation towards my research and future career. Listening the keynote speeches, panel discussions and paper presentations helped me catch up with the current issues and latest trends of tourism research. Presenting part of my PhD work at the conference gave me valuable feedback to help improve my thesis.

The workshop helped my direction and career orientation and provided useful information about what examiners are looking for in the PhD thesis. The social events allowed me to build a network and enjoy the beautiful New Zealand scenery.

Thus, I must say, “If you are in tourism, you have to take part in CAUTHE”.  Take this chance, I would like to say big “thanks” to wonderful CAUTHE people.

Joann Schmider, Central Queensland University

Sincerest respect and thanks from me to the people of CAUTHE for awarding me a 2020 bursary. Respect from me for making such a provision available for students who have some challenges in being able to attend CAUTHE conferences, and thanks from me because attendance enables me to more deeply engage in practical and meaningful learning.

This was my second CAUTHE. My first was held in my hometown of Cairns in far north Queensland. I appreciated my first CAUTHE for its insights into “the academy” in this field, even to hands-on matters like what a conference poster looks like. Because of receiving the 2020 bursary, the CAUTHE conference for me was about practising consciously, with focussed concentration.

The bursary requires participation in the PhD / ECR workshop. As an Aboriginal person, it is cultural protocol for me to pay my respects to the traditional custodians of where I am, particularly if I am involved in doing “business” in their Country. Thank you to the conference organisers for ensuring cultural practice for all of we participants by having Maori AUT staff and local Elders culturally welcome us. It helped set my intent for the conference. It meant I was able to focus deep engagement, including in the sessions that day on “the examiner’s voice” and the research approach small group with senior academics, and beyond that day.

I had picked up in my first CAUTHE about potential learnings from presentations, both content wise and presentation methods. In CAUTHE 2020, focussed deep engagement for me was about carefully choosing sessions most relevant to my studies, even if it meant quickly moving between rooms. Each day’s plenary reinforced about diverse challenges in this field and about the richness of knowledges and experience amongst the range of participants including long term academics, middle and early career professionals and students. I even met some industry parties. Yes, I even managed some networking, though not nearly enough with Asian and other culturally diverse people. These aspects challenge me about being more disciplined in my scholarly approach so that it better impacts the contribution I can make to both my people and to this field.

Special thanks to my PhD tourism and Indigenous supervisors and to those in the CAUTHE network from whom I feel “my back is covered”. Penny Jose, please note my sincere appreciation for your guidance to me in managing the bursary details.

2019

Hongbing (Thomas) Zhu, Griffith University

It was a great honour to be awarded a CAUTHE 2019 PhD Bursary. CAUTHE 2019 at CQ University Cairns was my first time to attend such a great international conference. I have known that the CAUTHE conference is one of the best conferences in tourism from my supervisors and colleagues since I started my PhD at Griffith University. I have joined CAUTHE as a student member for two years, and often received useful information. Many of my friends have also attended this conference and gave an excellent appraisal.

The full paper extracted from my thesis that I submitted explored the value creation process in tourism. Just like my thesis research topic, I have gained lots of experience value from attending the CAUTHE 2019 in Cairns. I not only listened to many new and interesting research presentations, met some old friends, but also more importantly recognised many new friends.

The PhD/ECR workshop was really great, especially the Small Group Mentoring session. Our group’s two mentors were both very famous tourism scholars, who gave us many helpful suggestions on our future development.  I believe all of these activities will become the most memorable experiences that I’ll have in Australia. As one outcome, I have established a research platform using the popular social media WeChat, which contains around 100 young Chinese tourism PhD scholars studying abroad. I am very happy to share my experiences of the CAUTHE 2019 in the platform to encourage more scholars attending this great conference in future. Lastly, I just want to say a big ‘thank you’ to the organisation committee for their hard work and effort to make such a great conference.

Jing (Lydia) Li, James Cook University

It is a great honour to be awarded the PhD Scholar Bursary and the Best PhD Paper Award at CAUTHE 2019 conference. CAUTHE is special for me. I travelled overseas for the first time five years ago to attend CAUTHE 2014 in Brisbane. I was impressed by the wisdom and passion of a group of leading tourism researchers. The decision of doing a PhD in Australia was made at that time when I was a master’s candidate at Peking University in China.

I was at CAUTHE again five years later where I am now in the late stages of my PhD in Australia. It is incredible to recall the poster presentation I made five years ago while celebrating on the bursary and award I won in 2019.

The PhD/ECR workshop made the experience of CAUTHE 2019 more memorable, in addition to the wonderful keynote speeches, insightful presentations and engaging functions. It was exceptionally inspiring and enlightening for me as a beginning scholar. Senior researchers shared their experience, which is helpful for us to fit into future career by smartly balancing between academic research, teaching tasks, and industrial collaboration. The “fast dating” activity encouraged me to introduce myself and my research to strangers and inquire about theirs. On top of this, the mentoring session was very helpful, where senior mentors provided valuable instructions on how to improve our ability to do research and more importantly, live a happy PhD life.

The bursary facilitated my attendance at CAUTHE 2019. As a full-time student, I would be struggling with registration fee, accommodation and travel expenses without it. I really appreciate the financial support CAUTHE has offered.

Special PhD Bursaries

Montira Intason, University of Otago

First, I would love to say “thank you so much” to the CAUTHE for awarding me the PhD bursary that gave me the opportunity to attend the CAUTHE Conference 2019 in Cairns, Australia. CAUTHE 2019 was my both my first international conference and also my first time of attending a CAUTHE conference. I had valuable experiences from attending the PhD workshop, which allowed me to connect with tourism academics from different universities. Furthermore, I gained interesting information and knowledge which benefits the current stage of my PhD study and my future academic journey. The mentoring session provided the opportunity to share experiences and ask questions about our personal PhD journeys; the mentors’ advice and suggestions was impressive and useful.

Attending different sessions during the conference has updated my tourism knowledge. For me, the highlight of this academic event was to meet and chat with the well-known academics whose works I have cited, as well as the debate, which was very fun and interesting! It was my first time to see the fun of the battle between tourism academics! I am looking forward to seeing the next topic in 2020!

Last, I have to thank you to my supervisors, Dr Willem Coetzee and Dr Craig Lee, who always support me. Certainly, attending CAUTHE and receiving the bursary are significant milestones on my academic journey.

Thi Quynh Trang Nguyen, University of Newcastle

I had a great and unforgettable time at the CAUTHE conference 2019 in Cairns, Queensland. I had opportunities to share my research with peers and researchers from other universities in Australasia, Asia, and Europe. I received much useful advice and constructive comments to improve the problems that I had been facing in my research and to survive my PhD life. I was very impressed and surprised with the enthusiasm and patience when experienced researchers answered enquiries and shared their experience and knowledge with PhD students and early career academics. Moreover, I know more theories and topics when attending the presentations of other speakers. There are so many exciting topics that I had never thought of. Interestingly, some useful ideals for my research popped up in my mind when I was listening to these presentations.

In social functions, I had wonderful and open conservations with everyone, which helps me understand more about the importance of social networking in the academic environment. I met some researchers from my home country and made friends with other PhD students. We even intend to collaborate in a research project relevant to our research area. Finally, I loved the culture show, food, and dancing at the Gala dinner. Although I have been in Australia for more than 2 years, this is the first time that I attended an Aboriginal show and met Aboriginal people. This makes me understand more about their life and culture.

I love CAUTHE and would like to say special thanks for the CAUTHE committee for giving me the bursary and the opportunity to learn and develop my academic experience. CAUTHE has created a wonderful forum and connection for everyone in all levels of academic career around the world, not only from the tourism sector but also other sectors, to learn and share knowledge.

2018

Dr Michael Volgger, Curtin University

It was a great honour being awarded the 2018 CAUTHE Award for Early Career Researcher Bursary for my paper on Smartly reconfiguring a tourism destination: Learnings from an innovation case. The 28th CAUTHE Conference in Newcastle was an inspiring event, which allowed me to get new stimuli for my research, meet new and interesting people and gather with friends. Although I am primarily research-focused in my daily work, I was motivated to expand my horizon by participating in several teaching-oriented sessions at the CAUTHE Conference. I found them particularly creative, innovative and enticing.

Similarly, the conference conveners Tamara and Paul did an amazing job in delivering on their conference promise (or was it a solicitation?): ‘get smart’. I personally found Day 1 with the ECR and MCR Workshops exceptionally helpful in becoming smarter academics. The day touched upon various paradoxes and possibilities at the crossroads between academia and industry and at the crossroads between old and new research quality assessments.

‘Smart’ is often about digital and new communication technologies. Interestingly though, for me the single most valuable element in the conference was an ‘old-fashioned’ face-to-face mentoring session with my senior mentor. I got the impression that the CAUTHE mentoring is a powerful format – timeless, valuable and smart. I can only hope that it will be retained for the future, so that others may have the opportunity to make the same insightful experience.

(Pictured L to R below: PhD bursary recipients Dung Le, Richard Aquino, Sarath Munasinge, Kim Nelson)

Dung Le, Griffith University

Since I started my PhD at Griffith University, my colleagues kept telling me about CAUTHE and how amazing it is. That’s why when I knew that my paper was accepted for the CAUTHE 2018 conference, it was ‘a dream come true’. I was excited but also nervous to prepare my first presentation at such a big international tourism conference. Luckily, the first day was well-designed to just make me calm down. I had the opportunity to listen to experienced researchers sharing their experiences and even to be mentored by a great scholar, Associate Professor Pierre Benckendorff. Their advice and guidance were so valuable for PhD students like me in developing our academic careers.

The highlights of the conference were the inspiring speeches of Professor Sara Dolnicar and Professor Cathy Hsu. I felt a bit overwhelmed to find myself surrounded by leading tourism researchers. However, it was a pleasant surprise to find out how friendly and supportive they are. I did my presentation on the last day of the conference and got many constructive comments to improve my work.

After all, the gala dinner was a perfect ending with great music, good food and wonderful dance. I made so many new friends at CAUTHE 2018 conference and we can’t wait to meet again at CAUTHE 2019 conference in Cairns. I just want to say a big ‘thank you’ to the organisation committee for pulling off a great conference. It is my big honour to be awarded a CAUTHE 2018 bursary.

Richard Aquino, Auckland University of Technology

Being at the early stage of my doctoral studies, the CAUTHE Conference has given me direction, inspiration, and a stronger motivation towards undertaking the next steps of my academic journey. Participating in the PhD Workshops provided a better picture of what academic life is like, the rewards of being a tourism and hospitality academic, and the tangible and intangible actions for embarking on this career. The sessions updated my knowledge in the field, based on the recently developed work in Australasia and beyond. For me, the highlight of this academic event was the chance to socialise with a multitude of individuals, who are world-renowned experts in their respective fields. It was an honour to meet the ‘faces-behind-the-citations’ and inspiring to listen to their stories and professional advice. Likewise, attending this conference strengthened my motivation to move forward in my academic endeavours, because being awarded a PhD Scholar Bursary to attend this event was a significant milestone. My participation at the CAUTHE Conference is indeed one of my memorable life experiences. I am taking this chance to express my sincerest gratitude to my mentors for helping me make this possible, and to the CAUTHE bursary committee for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Thank you.

Sarath Munasinghe, Auckland University of Technology

My experience at CAUTHE 2018 has already made it one of best conferences that I have attended, and I have some good reasons to say so. To me, CAUTHE is a good example of an innovative and comprehensive academic conference – the content of the four-day programme is evidence of this. The PhD/ECR workshop was interesting and very useful for researchers; the expert panel members’ advice and the ‘meet the editors’ session invited re-thinking of how to connect our life-in-front of a computer screen with the industry and broader spectrum of academia. The session ‘No supervisors allowed’ added character to the conference experience as it not only allowed us as doctoral students to discuss personal and professional level issues we came across, but also provided an opportunity to learn from peers, of the personal strategies they employ to help them through highly stressful journeys.

The mentoring session was a new experience to me at a conference and the expert advice on diverse matters relevant to career advancement have life-time relevance and importance. Special interest group meetings and ample opportunities to network with like-minded people encouraged us to engage in collaborative research work. Also, the diverse topics covered in keynote speeches and concurrent paper presentations highlighted the paradoxes and opportunities that demand attention from both industry and academia now and in the future. Being thankful for providing me with an unforgettable conference experience, I wish CAUTHE all the success in its contribution to the development of global tourism and education.

Kim Nelson

CAUTHE 2018 was both my first conference and my first CAUTHE. I am from a regional university in NSW, in which I am the only tourism PhD student. Attending the 2018 CAUTHE gave me for the first time, total immersion in a space filled with people who were also deeply interested in understanding the phenomenon of tourism and how it shapes, and is shaped by our social, cultural, and natural environments. Each day of the conference I was greeted with a buffet of session options on offer, which allowed me to gain knowledge of a diverse range of research areas.

Attending CAUTHE 2018 gave me the opportunity to present my work and receive valuable feedback which will be woven into my PhD thesis. Above all, what I found the most valuable part of my CAUTHE experience was the opportunity it provided for connection. From the PhD workshop day, which launched me into instant friendships with others on the PhD journey and a phenomenal mentor, to the informal chats in sessions and at lunch times with scholars of all levels who were all incredibly generous with their knowledge and experience. These experiences of connection and shared knowledge are what will shape my own research now and into the future. Attending CAUTHE 2018 has allowed me to become part of a network of tourism scholars who are committed to making an ongoing contribution to unpacking what is happening in tourism spaces.

2017

(Pictured L to R, Faith Ong, Phobe Everingham, Hongxia Qi, Ambrozio Queiroz Neto)

Ambrozio Queiroz Neto, Griffith University

Conferences usually provide the best moments during a PhD journey. In this sense, CAUTHE 2017 delivered the best that I could have: opportunity to learn, chance to spread my ideas, great networking and great social moments too. During the PhD/ECR Workshop, a special event that preceded the conference, I had the chance to learn how to overcome the issues during my PhD journey. Highly experienced mentors taught me about ‘personal online branding’ and ‘impact and online visibility’; and I was able to discuss with other PhD candidates in order to better assimilate the topics. Apart from all experience that you gain while attending very interesting presentations during the event, your own presentation is the moment that you really grow. In my case, I was both excited and apprehensive to discuss part of the results of my PhD Thesis. At the end of the presentation, I could not be more confident with my study. All remarkable achievements were only possible due to the great support from PhD Bursary that I received from CAUTHE. It is highly recommended that PhD candidates and scholars in tourism attend CAUTHE conference.

Hongxia Qi, Victoria University of Wellington

This is the first time for me to attend such an international conference in tourism field. I am so excited and happy to have the CAUTHE 2017 as a wonderful chance to broaden my horizon, network with other scholars, build my research profile, as well as gain invaluable comments from experienced academics to further my research. More importantly, I become more confident with the encouraging feedbacks from other researchers. My supervisors have highly recommended this excellent platform to me. I did enjoy myself, develop some productive relationships, and get valuable suggestions for both my PhD research and academic career direction. Winning the bursary is also special to me. Overall, it is a wonderful experience and I find it extremely rewarding to participate in this wonderful conference in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Phoebe Everingham, University of Newcastle

This was my first CAUTHE conference and it was a great experience. To engage with current research from such a diverse range of topics around tourism was exciting, as was the opportunity to network with other academics in my field of research. The Phd workshop enabled me to meet other PhD students and was definitely a highlight. The workshop also gave me insights into what I can expect by pursuing an academic career, advice on how to present my research and teaching experience when applying for jobs, and also valuable information regarding building an online identity – something which is really important in the era we are living in. PhD students can benefit so much from the conference and the opportunities it presents. I came away feeling I had extended my network of academic contacts, and broadened my mind around how important tourism research is in a contemporary global context. I also really enjoyed the Special Interest Group session where I have made invaluable connections with others in my field, and most importantly I have made friends along the way. I definitely feel part of the CAUTHE community and am looking forward to the next one.

Faith Ong, William Angliss Institute

As an early career academic, I am honoured to have been chosen to receive the 2017 CAUTHE ECR Bursary. This conference in Dunedin was my third CAUTHE conference, and one from which I benefited the most. Aside from the eminently useful PhD/ECR workshop that focused on future academic careers, the variety and volume of presentations made it a fulfilling and fruitful experience. The keynote speakers presented thought-provoking addresses, and the depth of discussion in some of the sessions I attended was inspiring. Presenting my paper the morning after the gala dinner could have been a daunting experience, but constructive feedback from the audience allayed that apprehension. Throughout the conference, my fellow attendees were warm and welcoming, ready to trade stories and candid advice over the frequent networking sessions built into the programme. I left the conference with renewed vigour for research, and an appreciation for the camaraderie evident in the CAUTHE community.

2016

Keji Huang, James Cook University

I was so lucky to participate in the PhD Workshop of CAUTHE conference. The workshop was very wonderful and I have learnt a lot from it. By discussing with other students and experienced mentors, I knew how to keep a good relationship with my supervisors and achieve a meaningful and productive PhD life as well. Meanwhile, the first time to present in such a big international conference made me excited and a little bit nervous too. But I became very confident in the process of presentation, because everyone in the meeting room was kind and friendly. And their comments were really beneficial for my further research work. Overall, this was a quite unique and impressive experience for me, and I’m willing to attend the conference again in New Zealand next year.

Laura Lesar, Griffith University

The CAUTHE conference proved a highlight in my PhD journey. The combination of thought provoking research, mentorship from accomplished scholars, and networking opportunities in formal and informal settings creates an unparalleled sense of community; it is an ideal opportunity for PhD scholars to network with experts in the field, acquire valuable research feedback, and receive career advice. I recently read an article entitled, ‘The Ten Things You Never Ask a PhD Student’, of which, alluded to all the ‘tough’ questions surrounding PhD research progress and future career aspirations. I can safely say that all of these areas were covered in the PhD/ECR workshop; however, the workshop offered an open, constructive, and enjoyable atmosphere to tackle these confronting issues. The mentoring sessions were among the highlights of the PhD/ECR workshop. The mentors offered valuable strategies to optimally navigate towards career goals and troubleshoot research issues. The workshop mentors and my fellow PhD scholars offered constructive advice to circumvent roadblocks stunting my data analysis progress. My PhD/ECR workshop mentor continued to offer support during the networking sessions; he initiated introductions to CAUTHE delegates that could offer further guidance surrounding my professional aspirations. This illustrates one of the many ways in which the CAUTHE delegates continued to surprise me with the genuine consideration and support in which they extended to PhD Scholars. Ultimately, I appreciated the raw, unfiltered, and constructive insight and guidance that the CAUTHE delegates shared; it has greatly assisted my research progress and professional endeavours.

Hafez E.L Mansour, Curtin University

Attending the 2016 CAUTHE conference was a very professionally rewarding experience for me. In addition to socialising with PhD students, doctors, associate professors and professors from Australian and foreign universities, I improved my knowledge about recent tourism trends via attending presentations during the conference. For example, there were very useful papers about the learning in the tourism area. Listening to lecturers during the 2016 PhD/ECR workshop informed me of how to write journal articles according to ABDC Journal Quality List, however, the interaction and discussions with PhD students and the lecturers during the PhD/ECR workshop inspired research ideas of my own, and exposed me to different styles of writing journal articles.

Sulistyo Utomo, Griffith University

CAUTHE 2016 in Sydney was very amazing, I was attending the PhD workshop and I met so many people who were expert in their field. So I can have a better idea on how to do my thesis in the right direction. Another important thing was I learnt the publication process and how to publish my thesis in a quality journal. This workshop was highly recommended for PhD students; we met other students who were on different stages, so that we can learn from each other and built the relationships. We can also talk to other students who have similar topic. During the conference, CAUTHE invited a number of prominent people in tourism industry; including the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events New South Wales, Stuart Ayres, his speech was very informative so we know the current condition of tourism in Australia and particularly in NSW. The last day of conference was the social event. This was an opportunity for me to talk directly to the experts in personal and dinner on the cruise by the opera house was really spectacular experience. This conference is a catalyst for my success and recommended for all PhD students and scholars in tourism.

Elaine Chiao Ling YANG, Griffith University (TTF Scholarship winner)

I found it extremely rewarding to have participated in CAUTHE 2016. I have benefited greatly throughout the conference, which was started off with the highly engaging and encouraging PhD/ECR workshop, facilitated by experienced mentors. The keynote speeches, panel discussions, and paper presentation sessions were great learning platforms to gain insights into the current issues that are investigated or debated in the tourism academe and industry. I truly enjoyed the fun and sparkling social events which were held in various landmarks in Sydney. These events allowed me to network with other like-minded researchers as well as to build lifelong friendships. Through this conference, I have learnt to pitch my research and have received invaluable feedback to further enhance my PhD study. I would strongly recommend other PhD students to attend the next CAUTHE. Finally, I would like to thank Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) for the bursary support that has made this amazing experience possible.

2015

Jane Godfrey, University of Technology, Sydney

This year’s workshop highlighted the importance of quality over quantity when it comes to research outputs. It was really reassuring and encouraging to get such positive feedback as well as some really helpful comments and suggestions to build into my thesis. The presentations I attended were really interesting and thought-provoking, such as whether genome testing influences destination choice. The social events are a good chance to chat to other PhD students and academics in a more informal setting and holding the conference right by the beach was a bonus.

 

Mizuki Yamasaki, University of Tasmania

We had to discuss ‘what are you going do after your PhD?’, which I have always avoided answering! Talking to other PhD students who face similar problems was a great way to start. It was the first time I have presented my research and I was very apprehensive and my hands were shaking. But through the experience, I learned presentation skills, the importance of networking, and of talking about my study to a wider audience. In fact, I developed more confidence with my study as I received great comments from other researchers who have similar interests.

 

Mohammad Yousuf, Federation University, Australia

The workshop was very interactive and effective, particularly the mentoring session which gave me the chance to get valuable career advice from the best in the field. It was fantastic networking with other PhD students and able to share my research with experienced scholars who have undertaken research in my field. Winning the bursary award was very special, but the experience and exposure I got was invaluable. There was never a dull moment, and I just loved every aspect of the conference. The CAUTHE conference is an excellent platform to learn and share ideas and, therefore, a must-go conference for any tourism PhD scholars.

 

 

2014

Faith Ong, Victoria University

A research degree can be isolating, and my attendance at CAUTHE 2014 served to highlight that research and academia can have an enjoyable, social component too. Aside from the pleasure of meeting other researchers in my field, I also benefited from the group mentor session with senior academics during the PhD/ECR Workshop, where our discussions touched on the issues we faced in the final stretch of our PhD and how to develop our careers as early career researchers. The collegiate atmosphere at the CAUTHE conference provides an encouraging environment for first-time attendees, which is particularly helpful if one is seeking feedback for their research. The social events such as the Welcome Cocktail and Gala Dinner are also integral parts of the CAUTHE experience as you get to interact with everyone in a more relaxed setting. To make the most of this experience, prepare an elevator pitch about your research – it is a great way to introduce yourself to a stranger at a conference, and provides an avenue for further conversation if they share similar research interests.

Simone Grabowski-Faulkner, University of Technology, Sydney

The annual CAUTHE conference is one of the best networking events for PhD students studying tourism and hospitality. I have found the conferences to be extremely useful in providing students the opportunities to meet academics in their areas of research interest, to engage with other students from around the world, and to develop communication and presentation skills. Before attending CAUTHE I felt quite timid presenting to a large audience and now I feel confident that my message is being communicated. The PhD workshops that are provided prior to the commencement of the conference have helped me think about, manage and develop many components of research process including time management, procrastination, effective communication, and succinct writing skills. All PhD students should attend CAUTHE so that they too can benefit from the content that is presented and, more importantly, from the new relationships that will prosper well into their academic careers.

Madelene Rose McWha, La Trobe University

I would highly recommend other PhD scholars attend and present their research at CAUTHE to gather insights into current issues and debates as well as receive helpful suggestions from experienced and respected academics. CAUTHE conferences are always held at interesting destinations and welcoming universities and provide an excellent professional platform to share your research ideas and/or findings, fun social events and wonderful networking opportunities in a friendly, collegial and supportive environment.

 

 

 

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