Dr. Maria Matthews, Assistant Professor, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Marketing

Headshot of smiling Maria Matthews outside with green trees in the background.

Maria is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Administration and Tourism and Hospitality Management at Mount Saint Vincent University. She is completing her PhD at the University of Brighton and holds a Master of Business Administration (Tourism and Hospitality Management) as well as a Bachelor of Tourism Management (Hons). Maria has 10 years experience working as a guest lecturer at Memorial University and has been teaching at the Mount in the Department of Business Administration and Tourism and Hospitality since 2015. She has 25+ years extensive business and tourism industry experience in the areas of tour operation, destination management, airline and hotel management and has served on numerous boards of directors in various roles over the years.

Maria’s research interest focuses on tourism disruption responses, tourism technology, tourism marketing, tourism funding models, destination development and private and public tourism partnership models.

Detailed Profile

Dr. Maria Matthews
Assistant Professor
Tourism and Hospitality Management

Office: McCain Centre 306E
Phone: 902 457 6688
Fax: 902 445 2582
Email: Maria.Matthews2@msvu.ca
Office Hours: Mon 9:00 – 10.30 am and Tuesdays 11.00 am – 12.30 pm.

Qualifications:
MBA (Tourism & Hospitality Management) – Australian Institute of Business, Ph.D. – University of Brighton, UK

Affiliations/Memberships:
TIAC/TIANS/HNL/TIANB/SKAL

Joined the Mount: 2015

Relevant Work Experience:
2000 – 2015 – Vision Atlantic Vacations, NL – CEO. (Receptive Tour Operator serving the International Travel Trade).
2007 – 2014 – Visit Humber Valley, NL – Director of Marketing (Luxury Chalet Accommodations)
2007 – 2013 – Western NL Destination Management Organization – Chairperson (Mandate: To increase rural economic development through tourism in Western NL)
1997 – 1999 – Experience Holidays, UK – Product Manager (Bespoke Tour Operator specializing in Canada, Australia, USA, South Africa, Australia & New Zealand)
1994 – 1997 – British Airways & British Airways Holidays, UK – Reservations Manager USA & Canada
(UK Flagship Airline)

Courses Taught:
THMT 2205 Geography Tourism
THMT 2221 Hotel Management
THMT 2244 Sustainable Tourism
THMT 2201 Alternative Tourism
THMT 3401 Management in the Service Environment
THMT 4444 Sustainable Tourism
THMT 4442 Special Topics in Tourism
THMT 1101 Introduction to Tourism & Hospitality
BUSI/THMT 2202 Communication
BUSI 1112 Introduction to Business Administration
BUSI 2215 Organizational Behaviour
BUSI 2011 Intro to Entrepreneurship
BUSI 3311 Small Business Management
BUSI 3333 Advertising Theory & Practice
BUSI 4446 New Venture Creation
BUSI 4416 Change Management
BUSI 4413 Strategic Compensation

Research Interests:
Tourism Disruption Responses, Tourism technology, Tourism marketing, Tourism funding models and private and public tourism partnership models.

Course Development:
Tour Operation Management
Adventure Tourism
Destination Marketing
Tourism Technology