Laura Lawton, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management
College of Hospitality, Sport and Retail Management

Education
Ph.D., Griffith University (Tourism Management), Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, 2002
M.A., University of Western Ontario (Geography), London, Ontario, Canada, 1986
B.A. (with Honors), University of Western Ontario (Geography – Urban Planning), London, Ontario, Canada, 1984

Research Interests
Cruise ship industry
Event management
Nature-based tourism/protected area management
Social impacts of tourism
Tourist Attractions
Tourism management

Biography
Dr. Laura Lawton has been employed at the University of South Carolina since 2005. Previously she held appointments at George Mason University in the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism Management in Virginia and at Bond University within the School of Business and Griffith University’s School of Tourism and Hotel Management, both located on the Gold Coast of Australia. Dr. Lawton holds a M.A. degree and B.A. (Hons. – Urban Planning) from the University of Western Ontario (Canada) in geography. Prior to moving to Australia, she was a Senior Research Officer/Policy Analyst for Saskatchewan Environment and Natural Resources in Canada.

Dr. Lawton has authored or co-authored numerous government reports, academic journal articles and book chapters in several areas, including protected areas, ecotourism, resident perceptions of tourism and cruise ship tourism. She is the co-author of the introductory tourism text ‘Tourism Management,’ published by John Wiley & Sons, and served as the Editor-and-Chief for ‘Tourism Review International (formerly Pacific Tourism Review)’, an international refereed journal for five years. She also sits on the board of three academic journals. Dr. Lawton teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in tourism management, event management, and the cruise ship industry.

Publications

Lawton, L., & Weaver, D. (in press). Travel agency threats and opportunities: The perspective of successful owners. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (in press). Perceptions of a nearby exurban protected area in South Carolina, USA. Environmental Management.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (in press). Not just surviving, but thriving: perceived strengths of successful US-based travel agencies. International Journal of Tourism Research.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2007). Twenty years on: The state of contemporary ecotourism research, Tourism Management, 28(5), 1168-1179.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2007). ‘Just because it’s gone doesn’t mean it isn’t there anymore’: Planning for attraction residuality, Tourism Management, 28(1), 108-117.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2006). Tourism management (3rd ed.). Brisbane, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. xiv + 490 pp. ISBN-13-9-78047080-9549.

Lawton, L. (2005). Resident perceptions of tourism attractions on the Gold Coast of Australia. Journal of Travel Research, 44(5), 188-200.

Weaver, D. & Lawton, L. (2005). Using cluster analysis to segment a sample of Australian ecotourists.  In Ritchie, B. W., Burns, P. & Palmer, C. (Eds.). Tourism research methods: Integrating theory with practice. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2004). Visitor attitudes toward tourism development and product integration in an Australian urban-rural fringe.  Journal of Travel Research, 42(3), 286-96.

Daniels, M., & Lawton, L. (2003). Adolescent sport participants: Segmentation by motivation patterns. World Leisure Journal (Special Issue – Children’s and Adolescent Leisure), 45(3): 35-42.

Lawton, L. (2003). Tourism management (2nd ed.) – PowerPoint presentation (Chapters 1-12). Brisbane Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. ISBN 0-470-800-771.

Weaver, D. & Lawton, L. (2003). Segmentation of educational tendencies among tourist markets: Ecologe patrons at Lamington National Park, Australia. In Ritchie, B. (Ed.), Managing educational tourism (pp.73-77). Clevedon, UK: Channel View.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2002). Tourism management (2nd ed.). Brisbane, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.  xiii + 472 pp. ISBN 0-470-800666.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2002). Attitudes and Behaviour of Visitors at Selected Sites in the Gold Coast Hinterland.  Gold Coast, Australia: CRC for Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd. iv + 60pp. ISBN 1876 685107.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2002). Overnight ecotourism market segmentation in the Gold Coast hinterland of Australia. Journal of Travel Research, 40(3): 270-280.

Lawton, L. (2001). Ecotourism – PowerPoint presentation and instructors manual. [Available online at http://www.johnwiley.com.au/database/supplements.cfm?ISBN=0471422290]. Brisbane, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.  ISBN 0-471-42230-4.

Lawton, L. (2001). A profile of older adult ecotourists in Australia. Journal of Hospitality & Leisure Marketing, 9(1/2): 113-132

Lawton, L. (2001). Ecotourism in public protected areas. In D. Weaver (Ed.), Encyclopedia of ecotourism (pp.287-302). Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing.

Lawton, L., & Weaver, D. (2001). Ecotourism in modified spaces. In D. Weaver (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Ecotourism (pp.315-326). Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2001). Attitudes and Behaviour of Ecolodge Patrons in Lamington National Park.  Gold Coast, QLD, Australia: CRC for Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd.  iv. + 65pp. ISBN 1876 685751.

Weaver. D., & Lawton, L. (2001). Resident perceptions of tourism in the urban-rural fringe: Tamborine Mountain, Australia. Annals of Tourism Research, 28(2): 439-458.

Lawton, L. (2000). Tourism management (1st ed.) – PowerPoint presentation (Chapters 1-12). Brisbane, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. ISBN 0-471-34146-0.

Lawton, L., & Weaver, D. (2000). Nature-based tourism and ecotourism.  In B. Faulkner, G. Moscardo, and E. Laws (Eds.), Tourism in the 21st century: Lessons from experience (pp. 34-48). London: Continuum.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (1999). Sustainable Tourism: A Critical Analysis. Gold Coast, QLD, Australia: CRC for Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd. iii + 48 p.  ISBN 0646376470 and Library of Congress Control Number: 00304805.

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (1999). Older adults as a distinct timeshare market in Australia. Australian Journal of Hospitality Management, 6(2): 1-11.

Lawton, L., et. al (1998). Customer satisfaction in the Australian timeshare industry.  Journal of Travel Research, 37(1):28-36.

Weaver, D., Faulkner, B., & Lawton, L. (1998). Nature-Based Tourism in Australia and Beyond: A Preliminary Investigation. Gold Coast, QLD, Australia: CRC for Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd. iii + 31 p.  ISBN 187668500X.

Lawton, L. (1995). Saskatchewan protected areas study initiatives. Global Biodiversity, 4(4): 13-15.

Lawton, L., Keith, J., & James, P. (1995). State/provincial reports: Saskatchewan.  Natural Areas Journal, 15(1): 77-78.

Lawton, L. & Butler, R. W. (1987).  The cruise ship industry: Patterns in the Caribbean 1880-1986, Journal of Tourism Management, 8(4): 329-343.

 Current Grants and Projects

Daniels, M., Lawton, L., Weaver, D. (2006-2007). Received $10,000 from the Dominion Foundation (Dominion Power Company), VA, USA. The funds are used to complete the “Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: Analysis of Resident Perception” research project. This collaborative research project involves two institutions: George Mason University, VA and University of South Carolina.

Weaver, D. B., & Lawton, L. (2005-2007). Received $50,000 from Marriott International, the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) Corporate Advisory Council, the ASTA Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Travel & Tourism Industry Center, USC. “Travel Agency Research and Education Project: Identifying the Characteristics and Challenges of Innovators and Developing Learning Programs for Aspiring Practitioners.”

Weaver, D. B., & Lawton, L. (2005-2006). College of HRSM-USC Research Grant. $7,950.  “Attitudes to and Utilization of a Local Protected Area: Congaree National Park and the Greater Columbia Community.”

Daniels, M., Lawton, L., & Weaver, D. (2005-2006). $10,000. “National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Harzy Center, Smithsonian Institution Resident Perception Survey.” The collaborative research project involves two institutions: George Mason University, VA and University of South Carolina.

Professional Affiliations

CAUTHE (Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education)

TTRA – Travel and Tourism Research Association

International CHRIE (Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education)

International Festival & Events Association (National)

South Carolina Festival & Event Association (Regional)

Consulting Experiences

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2006, September 10). Not just surviving, but thriving: Identifying the strengths of highly successful American travel agencies. THETRADE SHOW (Travel Retailing and Destination Expo), ASTA Business Summit, Orlando, Florida. (Invited)

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2006, August 19). Preliminary findings of the Travel Agency Study. SC Chapter Regional Meeting of NACTA (National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents) Chapters sponsored by Royal Caribbean International, Columbia, SC, USA. (Invited)

Lawton, L. (2004, 7 February).  Using interns to enhance events. Events 101 – 2nd Annual Event Management Industry Workshop/Conference. Fairfax, Virginia, USA. (Invited)