Davina Stanford

Since joining Leeds Beckett, Davina has worked on a number of consultancy and research projects. These include capacity building in Destination Management for the UNWTO and the development of a toolkit for VisitEngland (intended to provide guidance to destination organisations on how to promote their sustainability initiatives).

Prior to joining Leeds Beckett Davina worked in tourism consultancy and was involved in more than 30 consultancy projects over 5 years, primarily focussing on best practice in destination management. She has worked for a range of clients and stakeholders including destination management organisations, local authorities, regional, national and international agencies (e.g. the Northwest Development Agency, Natural England, UNEP and UNWTO) small businesses and local community groups.

Davina was a Commonwealth Scholar, and undertook her scholarship funded doctoral research at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Her PhD research looked broadly at issues of tourism behaviour and visitor stewardship in New Zealand and identified influences and constraints on responsible tourism in this context.

Davina's research interests include responsible tourist behaviour and destination management, most recently sustainable visitor transport in protected areas. Her work on identifying the most appropriate markets for a behaviour change towards more sustainable visitor transport in the Lake District National Park formed part of the evidence base for a successful Local Sustainable Transport Fund bid worth £4.89 million.