Talented Brighton student wins place at leading world tourism forum
Published 26 February 2013
A student from the school has had the high quality of her work recognised by a leading international forum dedicated both to building sustainable tourism for the future and developing the talent of the next generation of industry decision makers and managers.
Chantelle Cowlishaw, who studied for the International Travel Management (top up) BA (Hons) at the university’s Centre for Tourism Policy Studies, submitted an essay based on her undergraduate dissertation to the World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTFL). Under the supervision of Pete Burns, Professor of Tourism and International Development, Chantelle was involved with Pete’s ongoing research into climate change in relation to the tourist industry. Her essay on the way in which the aviation industry communicates its climate change and environmental message to the public was considered by the evaluation group of WTFL to be one of the best research papers submitted.
Chantelle was one of just seven winners from tourism partner universities in the UK, Switzerland, Canada, Hong Kong and Australia to be invited on an all-expenses-paid trip to the forum in April. Selected by virtue of their high standard of research, the winners are chosen to take part in WTFL’s Young Talent Programme.
During the three-day trip to Switzerland, Chantelle will network with 400 top level tourism and travel executives and take part in interviews with recruitment agents Korn Ferry to help further her career. She will also give a presentation on her essay and attend an award ceremony at a special gala dinner.
Chantelle, who won the university’s Dean’s Prize for best tourism dissertation student in 2012, said she was excited and honoured to be part of the prestigious event.
She said: “I’m really looking forward to gaining further innovative and insightful information regarding contemporary issues in tourism, and to sharing the findings and insights that I have gained from my research. The forum will include three days of conferences on contemporary tourism issues, including the idea of green growth in tourism.”
She continued: “It’s an honour and a privilege to be noticed as one of the promising top young talents in tourism from the worldwide tourism partner universities, and [at the forum] we will get the chance to contribute our innovative information and ideas on tourism.”
Professor Burns was delighted with Chantelle’s well-deserved success. He said: “Chantelle’s work shows that students can act as valuable researchers in their own right, helping lecturers and professors by undertaking independent studies. It is essential that we not only acknowledge their capabilities but also recognise their talent and include them in our projects.
“It’s a two-way process and there are benefits for the students, too. When they go into the world of work, research experience such as this gives them all kinds of relevant skills, including accurate reporting, good communication and the ability to work to deadline.
“In the case of Chantelle, it has been delightful working with such an exceptional young talent and also someone with such a positive frame of mind. I wish her well in her career.”
Chantelle is now waiting to hear if the findings from her dissertation will be published in the renowned Journal of Sustainable Tourism.
