Claire is Professor of Destination Development and Associate Dean (Research) in the Cardiff School of Management (CSM).  She was previously Graduate Studies Co-ordinator in CSM (2016-2020) and Head of Department for Tourism, Hospitality & Events (2012-2016).  Growing up within a family business, as well as working within the hospitality industry and the National Audit Office, on projects involving the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, has provided Claire with knowledge of multiple themes across tourism, hospitality and events. 

Claire’s PhD, awarded in 2002, explored Attitudes in Wales towards Careers in the Tourism and Hospitality Industries and was the starting point for her research career, building on her previous academic studies in tourism and hospitality management, whilst also furthering her interests in career theory and attitudes towards employment.  This work focused on the issues of developing the human resource base in Wales, to ensure Wales developed the human resources and skills required to deliver the destination experience.

Claire’s research interests relate to aspects of destination development, in particular: Sense of Place, business and event tourism, event evaluation, local food & drink supply chains, rural tourism, tourism-SMEs, application of digital technology within tourism and hospitality, human resource issues and skills development.  She has undertaken a range of projects for Welsh Government, Cardiff Council, Football Association of Wales, Tourism Training Forum for Wales, Capital Region Tourism, People 1st, Visit Wales, Monmouthshire County Council and Adventa, including: event evaluations of UEFA Champions League and Volvo Ocean Race, Welsh food & drink supply chains, exploring best practice in business and event tourism, labour market assessments, tourism industry training provision, school student perceptions of tourism careers, and developing a Sense of Monmouthshire toolkit. 

Claire supervises a number of research degree students within CSM and has 26 research degree completions.  She has examined 35 research degrees and external examiner appointments include: University of Surrey, University of Central Lancashire, Auckland University of Technology, University of Waikato, Aberystwyth University, University of Plymouth, Swansea University, Leeds Beckett University, University of York St John, Bournemouth University, University of Westminster, Technological University Dublin (formerly Dublin Institute of Technology).

Claire teaches across a range of modules on the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and she has been an elected member of the Executive Committee of the Association for Tourism in Higher Education (ATHE) since 2011 and was co-Chair from 2018 to 2021.  ATHE is the subject association for tourism in higher education in the UK.  Its objectives include promoting the development and recognition of tourism as a subject of study in the UK at foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels, and encouraging high standards in learning, teaching and research.  Claire is a Fellow of the HEA and a member of the Tourism Society and the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD).