Introducing the 2022 PhD Student representative

It is my great pleasure to be the 2022 CAUTHE PhD Student Representative! My name is Li Xie-Carson and I am a mid-year PhD candidate from the UQ Business School, University of Queensland.

I graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Hotel Management from Griffith University and a Master Degree in Tourism Leadership from the University of Queensland. Prior to receiving a scholarship to commence my PhD journey, I have had a number of frontline and managerial positions in the tourism and hospitality industry spanning over eight years.

My current research interests lie in non-human influencers, virtual influencers and influencer marketing in tourism. Supervised by A/Prof Pierre Benckendorff and A/Prof Karen Hughes, my PhD research explores Instagram users’ engagement with virtual influencers in the tourism context.

Having started my PhD research right before the pandemic hit Australia, I understand how difficult and frustrating it can be to go through the research journey amid uncertainties. With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, I look forward to supporting CAUTHE student members to connect and engage both online and offline. I will be involved in the development and promotion of CAUTHE programs for student members. Please feel free to reach out and share your ideas and suggestions!

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