Tim Heap

Biography

Tim is an experienced academic in the field of tourism management and has worked in partnership with destinations in the UK and abroad to develop a range of initiatives and projects focused on the planning and management of tourism to ensure growth and economic impact. 

Prior to joining the University of Cumbria, Tim worked at the University of Derby  as Director of Programmes for Tourism, Events Management, Hospitality and Spa Management, and most recently as a Principal Tutor at Derby.

As well as lecturing on Derby's MSc programmes in Tourism, Hospitality, Events and Spa Management, he supervised a number of doctoral theses, and mentored new staff researchers and doctoral supervisors, providing university workshops for new doctoral students. 

He has worked alongside five different franchise overseas organisations in Switzerland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Greece and Israel, as well as working on locally based tourism projects with Vision Buxton, Matlock Bath Community Project, and the Buxton Town Team.

Qualifications and memberships

BA (Hons) Geography 1988 (2:1) Northumbria University (formally Newcastle Polytechnic). 

 

Doctoral research at University of Newcastle and Durham (1988-1990) ‘Reconstructing paleo-environments. A study into the little ice age – anthropogenic and/or climatic influences upon river systems in the North Pennines. (Work and financial constraints precluded completion) 

Academic and research interests

Research in Tourism, Hospitality, Spa and Event Management.

Exploring environmental strategies, management response strategies, global strategies and the end of globalisation, marketization, cognitive imperialism and de-colonisation of qualitative research in tourism. 

Research supervision

Tim has an established track record in PhD supervision.

He has supervised over 150 Masters Theses, 30 Doctorates (2 as second supervisor, 28 first) to completion, and 4 MPhils. 

Graduands have come from Libya (2), Thailand (2), Germany (1), Kenya (1), Ireland (1), China (5), Brazil (1), Spain (2), Italy (1), Malawi (1), Zimbabwe (1), Hungary (1), Austria (2), U.K. (9) 

Tim supervised the first doctoral thesis in Spa Management in the world. 

 

Most recent include – 

Title: ‘Spatial existential authenticity and the production of heteratopia. The case for second homes in China’. – Awarded May 2018 

Title: ‘E-Marketing as a development tool for Libyan crisis/post crisis tourism’ – Awarded July 2018 

Title: ‘A Conceptualisation of management based upon the lived experience of hospitality managers and employees.’ Awarded May 2019 

Title: ‘Identification of Tourism Developmental Success Factors Benchmarking the Malawi Tourism Industry’ Awarded July 2019 

Title: ‘Decolonising Tourism Anthropological Studies in Higher Education: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Thematic Analysis. – Ghana’. Submission September 2019.  

Title: ‘The influence of personality type and buyer behaviour in University choice’. Submission September 2019 

Title: ‘Studies in problem-based hospitality management education (In Netherlands) – PhD by publication’ – Submission November 2019  

Title: ‘Investigating hotel visitors’ motives when using a mobile hotel gamified application and understand what fun means for them’. Submission August 2019 

Title: ‘How can human resource managers improve attraction, retention and development of resilient talent in the hospitality sector’? Submission October 2019 

Title: ‘Contextualising convergent and divergent stakeholder theory within the events sector’.  No date as yet. 

Publications

Currently editing new book on ‘Extravagant Tourism’ for Goodfellow Publishing, and producing two chapters for this.

Rawlinson, S & Heap, T (2017) Ed’s. International Spa Management Principles and Practices, Goodfellow Publishing. 

Heap, T. (2017) ‘Future Directions’ . In: International Spa Management in the Spa Industry, Goodfellow Publishing.

Anthonisz, A & Heap, T. (2017) ‘Sustainable tourism in Dubai’. In: Climate Change and Coastal Tourism: Recognizing Problems, Meeting Expectations & Managing Solutions. CABI Publishing

Anthonisz, A. & Heap, T. (2017) ‘Brand Expectation and Authentic Service Experiences in the Hotel Industry in Dubai’. In: Tourism in the Arab World, An Industry Perspective. Channel View Publications

Anthonisz, A. Heap, T. & Baker, L. (2017) ‘Guest Service and Guest Journey’. In: International Spa Management: Principles and Practice, Goodfellow Publishing

Anthonisz, A. Heap, T. & Ramsbottom, O. (2017) Developing an Effective Human Resource Strategy’. In: International Spa Management: Principles and Practice, Goodfellow Publishing

Anthonisz, A. & Heap, T. (2017) ‘Strategic Management in the Spa Industry. In: International Spa Management: Principles and Practice, Goodfellow Publishing

Heap,T. (2016) ‘Deborah: Having a personal connection to what has variously been described as dark tourism, thanatourism, death tourism and macabre tourism’. In Thnantourism: Case studies in Travel to the Dark Side. Goodfellow Publishing.

Anthonisz, A. Heap, T. & Rawlinson, S. (2015) 'Repositioning the authenticity of the 5 star service experience in Dubai' CHME Conference. May

Anthonisz, A. & Heap, T. (2014) ‘A Preliminary discussion of the strategic challenges facing the 5-star hotel industry on the run up to EXPO2020' EuroCHRIE Conference Paper.

Anthonisz, A. & Heap, T. (2014) ‘The Dubai Dilemma – assessing the impact of the EXPO2020 on 5-star hotels in Dubai’. CHME Conference Paper, May ISBN: 9780901437754  

Heap, T. J. (1997) The North Pennines – employment, tourism and the community, Proceedings of the Atlas International Conference, Tourism, Leisure and Community Development

Heap, T. J. & McCabe, S. (1997) Reading between the lines: a comparison of the tourism policies as tools for socio-economic development. Proceedings of the Atlas International Conference, Tourism Leisure and Community Development.

Hoolam, D. Faithorn, R. Heap, T. J. & Wood, R (1997) Developing a guidance infrastructure in managing guidance in higher education for HEQC.

Heap, T. J. McCabe, S. & Thompson, C. (1996) Loved to death: A comparative analysis of the management of national parks in Australia and the UK – Proceedings of the Asia Pacific Tourism Association ’96 Conference – James Cook University, Lismore, Australia.

Thompson, C. & Heap, T. J. (1995) A monumental task: Sustaining Prague for and from Tourism, at the Urban Environment – Tourism – International Conference, South Bank University.

Heap, T. J. & McCabe, S. (1995) Using National Parks UK as a model for potential future success/problems in Australian National Parks, Association of Tourism and Hospitality Management Conference, Southern Cross University.

Macklin, M. Heap, T. J. & Rumsby (1992) A flood alleviation and entrenchment: Holocene Valley Floor Development in the British uplands. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America.

Towner, J. France, L. & Heap, T. J. (1991) Tourism and employment, Alsoton Moor. Proceedings of the Innovative Rural community Conference, Ontario, Canada.

Heap, T. J. (2005) Peak District Walking Festival. An appraisal of the 2005 event. Submitted to the Peak District National Park Authority, September 2005

Heap, T. J. (2005) The Bollsover Food Festival. An appraisal of the 2005 event. Derbyshire Management Partnership November 2005. Concentrating upon economic multiplier using the Do-It-Yourself kit devised by Julie Jackson et al, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.

Heap, T. J. (1996) Pride Park the only choice: An academic appraisal of the project’s potential sustainability, for the Millennium Commission.

Heap, T. J. & Wylie, R. (1992) A volume of employment attributable to tourism and leisure day activity in the North Pennines AONB: Report for the North Pennines Tourism Partnership.

Heap, T. J. (1991) Historic Flooding, Holocene Valley floor Development: Paper presented to the Glasgow Conference of the British Geomorphological Society.

Passmore, D. Macklin, M. & Heap, T. J. A geoarchaelogical Investigation of late Holocene Alluvial Fills and Valley Side Sediments at ‘Habitancum’ Roman Fort, West Woodburn, Northumbria: A re-evaluation of the Pierce Bridge Formula. 

Recent external roles

Peer Reviewing (Recent) 

Chair of validation panel University of Surrey – Tourism masters franchise 

Validation MSc Decision Management - Luton University 

Academic advisor – combined subject programmes – University of Worcester

Reviewer for ‘Tourism Naturally Conference’ 2019 and proceedings text book 2018. 

Journal (proceedings) and conference articles for Council for Hospitality Management (CHME) 2017/18/19.  

Event Management Journal 2017/18 (including special edition). 

Tourism Geographies (2017) 

Association for Events Management Education (AEME) conference proceedings 2018

Previously also reviewed articles for Tourism Management, Tourism Concern, Tourism Geographies, International Journal of Sustainable Tourism (including special edition), Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing. 

Reviewed book proposals for Pitman publishing, Oxford University Press and Goodfellow publishing. 

Current Consultancy and Practice (last 5 years) 

1.4 mn Euros raised for planning, designing, building and opening Cambrai Tank Museum, Flesquires – Northern France – opened November 2017. European funding, Region Du Nord Pas de Calais, Apartment de Cambrises. Joint project with Friends of Deborah U.K. and France. Jointly led with Philippe Goryzinski MBE

25k for consultancy Llangollen International Eistedfford – Welsh government award. Review and relaunch of new strategic direction for the festival. Initial project 2013, review 2018.

Three Gorges Cruises – Yangste river cruises – new product development. Linking geomorphology with tourism product development. 2016.

Research and consultancy for Traffic management for Kingsbridge and Totnes in Devon. 

Research and consultancy for management strategies for two hotels in Jersey and one on Guernsey (using value at risk models, using adapted Monte Carlo simulation) 2014/15/16. 

Visiting Scholarships and Lectureships 

Visiting Lectureship at Swiss Education Group in Montreux. 2014-present 

Previous at Zimbabwe College Harare (2009), and Tel Aviv (2006).

Current Collaborative Research (last 5 years) 

Derbyshire County Council panel members for advisory body for tourism development (with Dr. Sarah Rawlinson), big data project. Completed January 2019

External Examining (last 5 years: Bachelor, Masters, and Doctoral Level)

Examined two doctoral theses – Anglia Ruskin University and Sheffield Hallam University  

Previously held four different external examiners roles to Masters Level. 

View staff directory