Dr Ian Joseph Morton

I have been a Lecturer in Tourism and Events at the University of Sunderland for the last three years. The majority of my work, in terms of teaching, research and external engagement concerns cities and tourism’s place within them. Specific areas on which I focus include: the role of urban public spaces in the life of the city, strategic policy and planning for tourism including specifically its symbiosis with urban spatial planning and the international development sector, how built heritage is used to develop stories and identities for urban areas that appeal to tourists, and the impact that popular contemporary movements within urban governance and spatial planning, such as the compact city agenda, have on the tourism sector.

In my work, I strive to understand, interpret and contribute towards developing the academic areas mentioned above in both their regional and international contexts. At the University of Sunderland, we are lucky enough to attract fantastic students to our courses from the north east of England, from across the UK and from around the world.

The tourism, hospitality and events sector plays a crucial role in economic diversification in the north east of England and some of our students will contribute to the future growth of the sector regionally. Other students will play a part in the development of the sector internationally, sometimes in countries with very established visitor industries, others where this is being developed for the first time.

My own research interests and external engagement see me work in the north east of England and internationally, particularly in Latin America. This experience helps me develop together with students an understanding of the globalised nature of the tourism, hospitality and events sector.