Focus and Themes

The SIG focuses on the emerging shift in thought in tourism and hospitality studies that emphasises interpretive, alternative and critical modes of enquiry.  A ‘critical approach’ involves a broad perspective which includes all enquiry concerned with deconstructing the cultural politics of tourism, hospitality and events research and the relation of this research to its wider political, economic, cultural and social contexts.

We believe there is no single critical approach to tourism, hospitality and events research, but rather a range of social-science perspectives and paradigms, such as postmodernism, poststructuralism, critical theory, critical realism, feminist/gender theory, race studies, and also methodologies like qualitative research, interpretivism, ethnography, phenomenology, feminist research, memory-work, indigenist research and critical discourse analysis.

Key Outcomes for Members

• Formal and informal networking with ‘likeminded’ colleagues in Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere
• Mentoring, contact and support for Early Career Researchers from more senior academics using critical approaches/methodologies
• Publishing and joint research opportunities
• An email network/contact base to aid communication among members
• Attendance or participation at annual symposium and annual CAUTHE conference workshop

Please email SIG Coordinator Erica Wilson if you would like access to the Critical Approaches in Tourism and Hospitality closed Facebook page.

Past activities

2026

• Meeting at the CAUTHE 2026 Conference on 11 February at 17:00–18:00 at the National Wine Centre, Adelaide on the theme: Beyond Frictionless: Rethinking Convenience and Care in Digital Tourism. Program highlights included sStructured small-group analysis of familiar digital tourism interactions (e.g. booking platforms, review systems, AI travel assistants) and whole-group discussion with theoretical integration and critical reflection. Download flyer

2025

• Meeting at the CAUTHE 2025 Conference at 16:00-17:30 on Wednesday 12 February titled A Critical Perspective on the ‘Publish or Perish’ Culture. SIG members discussed the impact of a ‘publish or perish culture’, re-looking at the issue in relation to the recent vibrant discussion on TRINET and the growing momentum to consider and address change. Hosted by SIG co-chairs Dr Jennie Small, Professor Erica Wilson & Professor Candice Harris. Download flyer.

2024

• Meeting at CAUTHE 2024 Conference, Hobart at 16:00- 17:30 on Thursday 8 February 2024 discussed Beyond pleasure: Underexplored spaces of hospitality, travel and tourism. For the past twenty years, Critical Tourism and Hospitality Studies has gone some way to disrupt the sanitised view of tourism, hospitality and the tourist experience as all leisure and pleasure. It has brought into focus tourist and host bodies which do not fit the beautiful image promoted by the tourism and hospitality industries. It has looked at social relationships that are far from perfect and the difficulties negotiating these ‘perfect’ tourism/hospitality spaces.
• In this workshop we considered what we might consider to be ‘silent spaces”, those that we might feel are ‘uncomfortable’ spaces/ those topics which remain underexplored. We considered the peculiar obstacles/difficulties in researching these spaces and disseminating knowledge about them. We asked participants to cast a critical lens on hospitality, tourism and travel interactions and consider, how real is it to keep selling and researching hospitality and tourism as largely accessible, inclusive, fun, relaxing and indulgent.

2023

• Dinner at CAUTHE 2023 conference. 7:00 PM on Wednesday, 8 February 2023 at Bathers Beach House Restaurant Fremantle, WA.

2022

• Mid-year meeting. Theme: Critical Scholar Resilience: How to Keep your Critical Voice Alive. Attendees are invited to share ideas and practices. We look forward to welcoming participants on Thursday 28 July at 2.30-3.30pm (AEST).
• The 2022 Critical Approaches SIG meeting held online on Monday 14 February at 13:00-14:00 (AEDT) with the theme ‘Collegiality in the Academic Career: An Oxymoron? The meeting explored the possibility of collegiality in the academic context where increasingly the focus is on metrics and output, competition is promoted, and the ‘hero’ academic is celebrated. The co-ordinators gave a brief presentation on collegiality which included current research and then opened the meeting for discussion.
• Attendees were encouraged to read the following piece prior to the meeting: James Arvanitakis (2017) On collegiality and civility – or 9 tips on not being a jerk academic. A plea for collegiality is in line with CAUTHE’s Be Kind Campaign and proposed Pledge.

Date founded: January 2009

SIG Coordinators