The TTRA awards program was developed to encourage and recognize excellence in the field of travel and tourism research and marketing. Entrants are judged on quality, originality, creativity, usefulness, results, and benefits to the travel and tourism industry.
These pages list the winners of the TTRA awards presented at the Annual International Conferences and during Tourism Week 2020.
TTRA celebrates all of its historical award winners HERE.
2020 TTRA Conferences and Tourism Awards
December 2020
John and Joan Markham Tourism Marketing Award
2020 Winner: Clare Robinson
Clare received the award for her submission titled “Future Tourism Trends and their Significance on Destination Marketing Organizations”.
Clare is a Masters Student in Hospitality Management at Temple University.
2020 Award Sponsor:
Emerging Leader Rising Star Award
2020 Winner: Ladan Ghahramani
Ladan selflessly serves the tourism industry with a commitment to expand insights and understand the inner workings of the industry by analyzing and providing research at the statewide and national level.
Ladan is Head of Research for Travel Oregon.
2020 Award Sponsor:
J. Desmond Slattery Professional Marketing Award
2020 Winner: Erin Francis-Cummings
Erin has been the champion and face of the Coronavirus Traveler Sentiment Study hosting the webinars, going through the findings, and providing engaging focus groups that add additional insight for destinations to leverage. She also offers her team’s services to provide insights to internal stakeholders and boards to keep them abreast of travel perceptions.
Erin is President & CEO of Destination Analysts.
2020 Award Sponsor:
DK Shifflet Research Excellence Award
2020 Winner: Joe Black
In his current role, Joe has developed a robust research program, designed to track bookings, spending, and ROI generated by advertising spend and website visitation. Joe works with the internal marketing team and Visit Knoxville’s marketing agency to implement and develop an efficient marketing program that generates bookings with a high ROI.
Joe is Director of Market Research at Visit Knoxville.
2020 Award Sponsor:
Yesawich Award for Marketing Excellence
2020 Winner: Mark Ezell
Since joining TDTD in January 2019, Ezell has overseen such groundbreaking campaigns as “Kid Reviewed,” which used wearable technology in the effort to scientifically prove kids have more fun in Tennessee. The Department expanded its Tennessee Music Pathways initiative with a new “Country Music Pathway,” encouraging visitors to walk in the footsteps of history. Additionally, he established the department’s new Office of Rural Tourism to better assist rural counties through marketing, grants, education, and outreach.
Mark is Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
2020 Award Sponsor:
2019 TTRA Annual International Conference
June 25-27, 2019
Grand Hyatt ~ Melbourne, Australia
Best Graduate 3-Minute Thesis Award
Awarded to the best graduate colloquium paper presented at the conference.
Yawei Jiang (The University of Queensland). In Recognition of: “”Building Dynamic Capabilities in Tourism Organizations for Crisis and Disaster Management: Antecedents and Barriers”.
Best Illustrated Paper Award
Awarded to the best visual paper presented at the conference.
Leah Gibson, William Angliss Institute. In Recognition of: “What’s Old is New Again: Instagram as the New Slide Night”.
Best Research Paper Award
Awarded to the best research paper.
Yuhua (Melody) Xu, University of Florida. In Recognition of: “Spatial Effects of Crime on Peer to Peer Lodging Performance”.
Shifflet Award for Research Excellence
Marlise Taylor, Visit NC, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
Desmond Slattery Graduate Student Research Award
Awarded to a master or doctoral student to assist with the completion of their thesis or dissertation.
Awarded to a junior researcher (faculty with less than 5 years out of terminal degree) for the creative development of a research project, technique, or methodology.
Awarded to recognize the most significant work in the Journal of Travel Research during previous year.
Distinguished Researcher Award
Jeff Dalley, New Zealand Department of Conservation.
Lifetime Winner Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor given by the Travel and Tourism Research Association. This award is presented at the TTRA International Conference to the individual or organization who has made a highly significant contribution to TTRA as well as to the travel and tourism industry.
Sue Beeton, Independent Researcher.
2018 TTRA Annual International Conference
June 26-28, 2018
The Biltmore, Miami~Coral Gables, Florida USA
J. Desmond Slattery Graduate Student Research Award
Awarded to a master or doctoral student to assist with their thesis or dissertation.
Presented to Seojin Lee, Ph.D. Candidate, Arizona State University for “Adoption and Rejection of Service Innovations by Travelers in the Sharing Economy”.
Award sponsored by TTRA.
Keeling Dissertation Award
Awarded to a doctoral student for their completed thesis or dissertation.
Presented to Rawan Nimri, Griffith University, for “Positive versus Negative Framing: Triggering Pro-Environmental Behaviour in Hotel Guests“.
Award sponsored by TTRA.
Shifflet Award for Research Excellence
The Shifflet Award for Research Excellence recognizes a practitioner or their DMO for research that resulted or contributed to key decisions or actions for their organization and/or its constituents.
Presented to Stephen Schwer, Tourism Central Australia Inc., for the “Tourism Central Australia Membership Review“.
Award sponsored by D.K. Shifflet and Associates.
Charles R. Goeldner Article of Excellence Award
Awarded to recognize the most significant work in the Journal of Travel Research during 2017.
Presented to Fred Bronner, University of Amsterdam; and Robert de Hoog, University of Twente for “Tourist Demand Reactions: Symmetric or Asymmetric across the Business Cycle?“.
Journal of Travel Research, vol. 56, 7: pp. 839-853
Award sponsored by Sage Publications.
Best Research Paper
Awarded to the best research paper presented at the Annual International Conference.
Presented to Alana Dillette, Ph.D., San Diego State University and Stephanie Benjamin, Ph.D., University of Tennessee, Knoxville for “Tweeting The Black Travel Experience: Social Media Counter-Narrative Stories as Innovative Insight on #TravelingWhileBlack”.
Award sponsored by The University of Queensland.
Best Visual Paper
Awarded to the best visual paper presented at the Annual International Conference.
Presented to Ye (Sandy) Shen, University of Guelph, Michael M. Lever, University of Guelph; Marion Joppe, Ph.D. University of Guelph for “Determining Visitor Guide Appeal Using Eye Tracking and in-depth Interviews: The Case of Ottawa, Canada“.
Award sponsored by Hainan University-Arizona State University International Tourism College.
Best Graduate Colloquium Paper
Awarded to the best graduate colloquium paper presented at the Annual International Conference.
Michael Lever, University of Guelph; Ye (Sandy) Shen, University of Guelph and Marion Joppe, Ph.D., University of Guelph for “Using Eye-Tracking Technology to Segment Tourism Brochure Reading Typologies”.
Award sponsored by Tourism Review International.
Chapter Achievement Award
The Travel and Tourism Research Association’s Chapter Achievement Award is presented to the chapter that best furthers the mission of TTRA through spirit, innovation, effectiveness, and creativity.
Presented to the CenStates Chapter.
Award sponsored by TTRA.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor given by the Travel and Tourism Research Association. This award is presented to the individual or organization who has made a highly significant contribution to TTRA as well as to the travel and tourism industry. The award is based on significant, long-term contributions to the industry and/or TTRA.
Presented to Dr. John L. Crompton, Texas A&M University
Award sponsored by TTRA.
2017 TTRA Annual International Conference
June 20-22, 2017
Hilton Québec City, Québec City, Canada
J. Desmond Slattery Graduate Student Research Award
Awarded to a master or doctoral student to assist with their thesis or dissertation.
Presented to Florian Kock, Ph.D. Candidate, Copenhagen Business School
Charles R. Goeldner Article of Excellence Award
Awarded to recognize the most significant work in the Journal of Travel Research during 2016.
Presented to Ding Du, Alan A. Lew, and Pin T. Ng (Northern Arizona University) for “Tourism and Economic Growth.”
This article was published in Volume 55, Issue no. 4.
Best Research Paper
Presented to Jason Stienmetz, University of Surrey for “Destination Value System Taxonomy for Smarter Tourism Management.”
Best Visual Paper
Presented to Jyoti Sood, Deepak Chhabra, and Kathleen Andereck (Arizona State University) for “Sustainable Promotion of Homestay Tourism in the Remote Himalayas of India.”
Best Graduate Colloquium Paper
Presented to Yu-Hua (Melody) Xu, Jin-won Kim, and Lori Pennington-Gray (University of Florida) for “Exploring the Spatial Relationship between Airbnb Rental and Crime.”
Chapter Achievement Award
Presented to the SouthEast TTRA Chapter
Distinguished Researcher Award
Presented to Sara Dolnicar, Ph.D., The University of Queensland
Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented to Dee Ann McKinney, Missouri Division of Tourism
2016 TTRA Annual International Conference
June 14-16, 2016
Vail Marriot Mountain Resort, Vail, Colorado USA
J. Desmond Slattery Graduate Student Research Award
Awarded Awarded to a master or doctoral student to assist with their thesis or dissertation.
Presented to Becky Liu for: Developing Effective Crisis Responses.
Keeling Dissertation Award
Awarded to a doctoral student for their completed thesis or dissertation.
Presented to Ye Zhang for: Self-Determined Travel Facilitation with Primed Mental Construal.
Charles R. Goeldner Article of Excellence Award
Awarded to recognize the most significant work in the Journal of Travel Research during 2015.
Presented to Sara Dolnicar, Tim Coltman, and Rajeec Sharma for: Do Satisfied Tourists Really Intend to Come Back? Three Concerns with Empirical Studies of the Link between Satisfaction and Behavioral Intention.
Travel Research Grant
Awarded to a junior researcher for the creative development of a research project, technique, or methodology.
Presented to Emily Ayscue for: Airbnb: Assessing Its Engagement and Sustainability in Athens, GA
Best Research Paper
Presented to Ye Zhang, Peter Ricci, Ed.D., and Anil Bilgihan, Ph.D. for: Agent-Based Modeling of Destination-Based Tourist Interactice Evolution
Best Visual Paper
Presented to Jason Stienmetz and Dan Fesenmaier for: Validating Volunteered Geographic Information: Can We Really Trace Visitors Digital Footprints?
Best Graduate Colloquium Paper
Presented to Jennifer K. Young for: Non-Travel: The Role of Design in the Experience of Contemporary Travel
Chapter Achievement Award
Presented to the Asia-Pacific Chapter
2015 TTRA Annual International Conference
June 15-17, 2015
Portland, Oregon USA
Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: Dr. Rick Perdue, Virginia Tech Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Pictured with Rick are past award winners: Dr. Dan Fesenmaier, Dr. Jim Burke, Dr. Chuck Goeldner, Dr. Pauline Sheldon, John Markham, and Dr. Peter Williams
Boeing Master Student Research Award
Winner: Ibrahim Nasreen, College of Innovation, Thammasat University
Boeing Master Student Research Merit Award
Winner: Fei (Evelyn) Ye, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Pictured with Fei: Dr. Lori Pennington-Gray and Dan Mishell
Best Research Paper Award
Winners: Jeongmi Jamie Kim and Dr. Dan Fesenmaier, University of Florida
Pictured with Dr. Fesenmaier: Dr. Rick Perdue, Dr. Marion Joppe, and Dan Mishell
(Jeongmi Jamie Kim not pictured)
Best Illustrated Paper Award
Winner: Dr. Pete Parker, Vancouver Island University
Pictured with Pete: Dr. Cynthia Messer, Dr. Dan Erkkila, Dr. Sue Beeton, and Dan Mishell
Charles R. Goeldner Article of Excellence Award
Winners: James Higham (University of Otago), Scott Cohen (University of Surrey), and Christina Cavaliere (University of Otago)
Pictured with Christina: Dan Mishell, Dr. Dan Fesenmaier, and Dr. Rick Perdue
(James Higham and Scott Cohen not pictured)
Best Graduate Colloquium Award
Winner: Jake Jorgenson, University of Montana
Pictured with Jake: Dr. Marion Joppe and Dan Mishell