post

Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management

responsibilities

Course Leader MA International Tourism: Management and Development

brief biography

I-Ling gained a Bachelor degree in Tourism Studies from Providence University, Taiwan; then worked in a travel agency and a tour operator in the area of sales, operation, tour leading and guiding, before becoming a free lance tour leader taking tour groups from Taiwan to destinations including west coast of US, Europe, Middle East and Australia. I-Ling gained an MSc in Tourism Planning and Development from the University of Surrey in 1996. In 2003, I-Ling completed her PhD, thesis entitled “The use of visitor management techniques to protect a fragile environment: A case study of practices in the New Forest”. After completion of the PhD, I-Ling moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to take up the post of Assistant Professor at the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, and taught various subjects, including statistics, to both hospitality and tourism students.

In October 2006, I-Ling returned to the UK to take up employment at the London Metropolitan University. In February 2008, she assumed the responsibility of Course Leader of MA International Tourism Management (MAITM) then Course Leader of MA International Tourism: Management and Development (MAITMD) in September 2010.

From an early stage, I-Ling has been active in engaging in various activities within the Tourism, Sports and Creative Industries, TSCI subject group as well as in the wider University community. In addition to lecturing, tutoring and academic advising, I-Ling has been involved in course organisation and restructuring, working closely with relevant colleagues. In addition to teaching and the associated administration work, I-Ling is very active in student recruitment, both international and home-based.

key teaching areas

I-Ling teaches at both UG and PG levels these include

• Research and Dissertation (Level 6);
• Tourism and Economic Development Policy (Level 6);
• Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism (Level 7);
• Principles of Tourism Management and Development (Level 7);
• Sustainable Tourism Management (Level 7).

I-Ling also supervises UG projects and dissertations in the area of Events Management and Tourism Management; PG dissertations and research students' thesis; she is also an examiner for PhD candidates.

research interests

I-Ling’s main research interests are in managing and developing tourism in protected areas, including national parks and geoparks. Specifically, her research expertise is in visitor management, interpretation and communication, resource conservation and utilisation.

publications

Referred journal papers

• Kuo, I. (2002). The effectiveness of environmental interpretation at resource-sensitive tourism destinations. International Journal of Tourism Research, 4(2), 87-101.
• Kuo, I. (2007). Where West meets the Middle East: Jumeirah Mosque visit. Tourism Recreation Research, 32(3), 31 - 38.
• Mason, P. and Kuo, I. (2007). Visitor attitudes to Stonehenge: International icon or national disgrace? Journal of Heritage Tourism, 2(3), 168 - 183.
• Ruban, D.A. and Kuo, I. (2010). Essentials of geological heritage site (geosite) management: a conceptual assessment of interests and conflicts. Natura Nascosta, 41: 16 - 31.

Conference presentations

• Kuo, I. (2004). Managing tourism in natural environment via effective visitor management - A case study of the practices in the New Forest. Conference Proceedings: Tourism State of the Art II, 28 - 30 June 2004, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
• Kuo, I. and Mason, P. (2006). Sacrificial site or sacred icon: visitor attitudes to Stonehenge. Conference Proceedings: Cutting edge research in tourism - new directions, challenges and applications. 6-9 June 2006, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK.
• Kuo, I. and Senior, I.S. (2009). Locals’ presence in tourism and hospitality: agents to showcase tradition, culture and heritage - a case study of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Traditions and Transformations: Tourism, Heritage and Cultural Change in the Middle East and North Africa Region. 4-7 April 2009. Amman, Jordan.
• Kuo, I. (2011). Interpretation and environmental education: the key to achieving sustainable tourism and resource conservation. 7th Atlas Africa Conference - Sustainable Tourism and Environmental Education: a natural link, 6-8 June 2011, Kampala, Uganda.
• Kuo, I. (2011). Interpretation: how to communicate complet or scientific geological information to audiences in geosites? 10th European Geoparks Conference: sustainability through knowledge communicating geoparks. 16-20 september 2011, Langesund, Norway.
• Kuo, I. (2011). Management strategies in geotourism sites - a comment. In: Lin, J.C., (ed.) Landscape Conservation. Department of Geography, National Taiwan University: 143-156.International Conference on Landscape Conservation, 3-4 October 2011, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Refereed book chapter

• Mason, P. and Kuo, I. (2006). Visitor management issues at Stonehenge. In: A. Leask and A. Fyall (eds.) Managing World Heritage Sites. pp. 181 - 194. Oxford: Elsevier.

professional practice and consultancy

• Reviewer for journal manuscripts
• Reviewer for books
• Reviewer for book proposals
• PhD examiner
• EthnoMagic Going Global (EGG) project, an EU funded, 2-year project