On 15 February, the School of Sport and Service Management and the Centre of Sport, Tourism and Leisure Studies (CoSTaLs) celebrated the world-leading research on cruise tourism being conducted at the University of Brighton.

As the fastest growing sector of the global tourism industry, cruise tourism is a significant research area and the CoSTaLs event provided an opportunity for staff and students to listen and discuss current research in this area.

Judith Römhild-Raviart shared her PhD research which is critically examining issues of sustainability awareness, values and attitudes both at home and on-board.

Judith’s research is taking an innovative approach by using netnography to determine factors that influence consumers’ social, economic and environmentally responsible behaviour.

Jennifer Holland shared her PhD research which is exploring how perceptions of risk influence consumer decision-making for a cruise holiday.

Jennifer’s research is using image elicitation to understand how people conceptualize risk for cruise holidays, while situating the research within a wider ‘culture of fear’ distinct to western societies in recent times.

Dr Clare Weeden also celebrated her recent publication Cruise Ship Tourism (2nd edition), co-edited with Professor Ross Dowling of Edith Cowan University, Australia, which contains contributions from her colleagues in the school – Dr Nigel Jarvis, Dr Jo-Anne Lester and Dr Ioannis Pantelidis.

This publication will surely become a valuable and useful resource for many as a result of its diverse and comprehensive collection of recent significant research in cruise tourism.

Afterwards, wine and nibbles were enjoyed by all.