About Me

I am an academic researcher specialising in the impacts of mega events on tourism development in Japan and the legacies of such events. My research is highly interdisciplinary, spanning cultural studies, tourism studies, and social sciences disciplines.

I am currently engaged in a longitudinal project exploring the long-term legacies of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and former host cities’ ongoing leveraging of the event for community placemaking and tourism place branding.

I am also interested in the ability of such events to diversify tourists’ destination choices, particularly in the context of growing concern over Overtourism and the need for sustainable tourism development.

Broadly speaking, my research interests are:

• Japan’s destination image, global inbound tourism campaigns, and Self-Orientalism
• Tourism diversification and sustainable tourism development through (sports) mega events
• (Mega) events legacies and sports heritage
• Placemaking, sense of place, and placebranding