Associate Professor Gabby Walters
Associate Professor/Deputy Associate Dean Research
School of Business
+61 7 334 60593
Researcher biography
Associate Professor Gabby Walters has a substantial background in tourism marketing with an emphasis on consumer psychology. Gabby has focused much of her research towards image and reputation management and in particular tourism market recovery following crises and disastrous events. She has conducted numerous consultancies and projects with tourism destinations from different parts of the world seeking to enhance or revitalise their reputations and regain trust among the tourism market as a result one or many critical events.
Her expertise also encompasses advanced methodological approaches to the study of tourist behaviour and in particular lab based research technologies. Gabby has a well-established publication record in tourism and hospitality and currently serves on several editorial boards. She currently serves as is the Editor in Chief for the Journal of Vacation Marketing, an ABDC A Ranked and Q1 Journal.
In 2017 Gabby was awarded the Centre of Australian Universities Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE) Fellows Award. An esteemed accolade that recognises significant contributions to the tourism and hospitality field.
Publications
Book
Walters, G., Hughs,, Pride, W. and Ferrell, O. (2008). Study guide to accompany Marketing : Core concepts & applications, 2nd Asia-Pacific edition. 2 ed. Australia: Wiley and Sons.
Book Chapters
Walters, Gabby and Mair, Judith (2019). Theoretical foundations for the study of image and reputational management in tourism and hospitality. Reputation and image recovery for the tourism industry. (pp. 9-32) edited by Gabby Walters and Judith Mair. Oxford, United Kingdom: Goodfellow. doi: 10.23912/9781911396673-4103
Walters, Gabby and Li, Shanshi (2017). The role and influence of emotions on tourist behavior. Routledge handbook of consumer behaviour in hospitality and tourism. (pp. 46-54) edited by Saurabh Kumar Dixit. Abingdon, Oxford, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781315659657-7
Li, Shanshi, Walters, Gabby and Scott, Noel (2017). Measurement of visitors' emotion. Visitor experience design. (pp. 125-135) edited by Noel Scott, Jun Gao and Jianyu Ma. Boston, MA, United States: CAB International.
Walters, Gabby and Beirman, David (2017). Marketing the Middle East in times of political instability: the case of Jordan. Tourism in the Arab world: an industry perspective. (pp. 175-187) edited by Hamed Almuhrzi, Hafidh Alriyami and Noel Scott. Bristol, United Kingdom: Channel View Publications.
Walters, Gabrielle and Li, Shanshi (2017). The role and influence of emotions on tourist behaviour. The Routledge handbook of consumer behaviour in hospitality and tourism. (pp. 46-54) edited by Saurabh Kumar Dixit. Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis. doi: 10.4324/9781315659657-7
Walters, Gabrielle and Mair, Judith (2014). Post-disaster recovery marketing for tourist destinations. The Routledge handbook of tourism marketing. (pp. 461-472) Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge.
Walters, Gabrielle and Golubvoskaya, Maria (2014). All-year-round tourism in alpine ski resorts: the Australian ski industry's response to climate change. Responding to climate change – tourism initiatives in Asia and the Pacific. (pp. 145-152) edited by Lisa Ruhanen. Madrid, Spain: United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Ritchie, Brent W., Mair, Judith and Walters, Gabrielle (2014). Tourism crises and disasters: moving the research agenda forward. Wiley-Blackwell companion to tourism. (pp. 611-622) Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781118474648.ch49
Journal Articles
Li, Shanshi, Xu, Jing (Bill), Jiang, Yawei, Walters, Gabby and Lehto, Xinran (2024). The Impact of Home Environment Insecurity on Tourists’ Self-Protective Behavior in the Event of a Terrorist Attack. Journal of Travel Research. doi: 10.1177/00472875241288852
Liu, Gus Guanrong, Benckendorff, Pierre and Walters, Gabby (2024). Human–Robot interaction research in hospitality and tourism: trends and future directions. Tourism Review. doi: 10.1108/tr-04-2024-0266
Yu, Jing (Jasper), Hu, Jingjing (Judy), Liu, Guanrong (Gus), Jiang, Wenyuan and Walters, Gabby (2024). Not just a game: understanding eco-gamification in sustainable destination development. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 60, 10-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2024.06.005
Cocolas, Nicole, Walters, Gabrielle, Ruhanen, Lisa and Higham, James (2024). Air travel and persuasive climate communications. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 32 (10), 2118-2140. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2023.2272060
Holder, Afiya, Ruhanen, Lisa, Walters, Gabrielle and Mkono, Mucha (2023). “I think … I feel …”: using projective techniques to explore socio-cultural aversions towards Indigenous tourism. Tourism Management, 98 104778, 104778. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2023.104778
Walters, Gabby, Jiang, Yawei and Li, Shanshi (2023). Physiological measurements in hospitality and tourism research: a systematic review and new theoretical directions. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research. doi: 10.1177/10963480231199990
Chui, Caleb and Walters, Gabby (2022). Exploring the case: Visitor information centres and millennial travellers: Remaining relevant in a digital era. Tourism Cases, 2022, 1-2. doi: 10.1079/tourismetc.2022.0043
Walters, Gabby, Magor, Thomas, Kelly, Sarah and Wallin, Ann (2022). Cruising through a pandemic: or not?. Annals of Tourism Research, 97 103499, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2022.103499
Holder, Afiya, Walters, Gabrielle, Ruhanen, Lisa and Mkono, Mucha (2022). Exploring tourist’s socio-cultural aversions, self-congruity bias, attitudes and willingness to participate in indigenous tourism. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 30 (2), 135676672211243-224. doi: 10.1177/13567667221124343
Walters, Gabby, Gill, Chelsea, Pham, Le Diem Quynh and Filep, Sebastian (2022). Virtual tourism experiences and mental restoration. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 48 (3), 1-6. doi: 10.1177/10963480221116047
Rosenbaum, Mark S., Walters, Gabby, Edwards, Karen L. and Gonzalez-Arcos, Claudia Fernanda (2022). Commentary: the unintended consequences of digital service technologies. Journal of Services Marketing, 36 (2), 97-109. doi: 10.1108/JSM-03-2021-0072
Walters, Gabby and Li, Shanshi (2022). Methodological innovation in tourism and hospitality research. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 46 (1), 3-5. doi: 10.1177/10963480211056518
Holder, Afiya, Ruhanen, Lisa, Mkono, Mucha and Walters, Gabrielle (2021). Tourist socio-cultural aversions: a holistic conceptual framework. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 49, 439-450. doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.09.025
Walters, Gabby and McKercher, Bob (2021). Special Issue on “Where to from here? COVID 19 and the future of tourism”. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 26 (11), 1171-1172. doi: 10.1080/10941665.2021.1979171
Walters, Gabby, Huck, Lukas, Robinson, Richard N.S. and Stettler, Jürg (2021). Commercial hospitality in tourism: a global comparison of what culturally matters. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 95 102939, 102939. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102939
Demeter, Csilla, Walters, Gabrielle and Mair, Judith (2021). Identifying appropriate service recovery strategies in the event of a natural disaster. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 46, 405-413. doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.01.015
Hofman, Karen, Hughes, Karen and Walters, Gabby (2021). The effectiveness of virtual vs real-life marine tourism experiences in encouraging conservation behaviour. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 30 (4), 1-25. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2021.1884690
Cocolas, Nicole, Walters, Gabrielle, Ruhanen, Lisa and Higham, James (2021). Consumer attitudes towards flying amidst growing climate concern. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29 (6), 944-963. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2020.1849234
Fang, Yao, Chien, P. Monica and Walters, Gabrielle (2020). Understanding the emerging Chinese working holiday market. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 27 (1), 135676672094824-16. doi: 10.1177/1356766720948248
Lugosi, Peter, Robinson, Richard N.S., Walters, Gabby and Donaghy, Sarah (2020). Managing experience co-creation practices: Direct and indirect inducement in pop-up food tourism events. Tourism Management Perspectives, 35 100702, 100702. doi: 10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100702
Hofman, Karen, Hughes, Karen and Walters, Gabrielle (2020). Effective conservation behaviours for protecting marine environments: the views of the experts. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 28 (10), 1460-1478. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2020.1741597
Ye, Isabella Qing, Hughes, Karen, Walters, Gabby and Mkono, Mucha (2020). Up close and personal: using high engagement techniques to study Chinese visitors' landscape perceptions. Tourism Management Perspectives, 33 100629, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.tmp.2019.100629
Cocolas, Nicole, Walters, Gabrielle, Ruhanen, Lisa and Higham, James (2020). Air travel attitude functions. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 28 (2), 319-336. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2019.1671851
Li, Shanshi, Walters, Gabby, Packer, Jan and Scott, Noel (2019). Using Facial Electromyography to Test the Peak-End Rule in Tourism Advertising. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 46 (1), 109634801989004-77. doi: 10.1177/1096348019890047
Macionis, Niki, Walters, Gabby and Kwok, Edric (2018). International tertiary student experience in Australia: a Singaporean perspective. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 25 100174, 100174. doi: 10.1016/j.jhlste.2018.10.002
Pham, Le Diem Quynh, Driml, Sally and Walters, Gabrielle (2018). Managing seasonality in rural destinations: a case study of South Gippsland – Australia. Tourism Recreation Research, 43 (4), 1-11. doi: 10.1080/02508281.2018.1476204
Brodien Hapairai, Poerava M., Walters, Gabrielle and Li, Shanshi (2018). The effectiveness of ad-induced emotion in reducing tourist risk perceptions towards politically unstable destinations. Tourism Recreation Research, 43 (4), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/02508281.2018.1470737
Walters, Gabrielle, Wallin, Ann and Hartley, Nicole (2018). The Threat of Terrorism and Tourist Choice Behavior. Journal of Travel Research, 58 (3), 004728751875550-382. doi: 10.1177/0047287518755503
Walters, Gabby and Ruhanen, Lisa (2018). A market positioning approach to university–industry collaboration in tourism. Tourism Recreation Research, 44 (1), 103-115. doi: 10.1080/02508281.2018.1558510
Li, Shanshi, Walters, Gabby, Packer, Jan and Scott, Noel (2017). A comparative analysis of self-report and psychophysiological measures of emotion in the context of tourism advertising. Journal of Travel Research, 57 (8), 004728751773355-1092. doi: 10.1177/0047287517733555
Walters, Gabby, Shipway, Richard, Miles, Lee and Aldrigui, Mariana (2017). Fandom and risk perceptions of Olympic tourists. Annals of Tourism Research, 66, 210-212. doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2017.07.012
Walters, Gabrielle and Beirman, David (2016). Guest editorial for special issue of Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management: crisis response and recovery for the tourism industry. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 28, 1-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2016.07.004
Walters, Gabrielle, Mair, Judith and Lim, Joshua (2016). Sensationalist media reporting of disastrous events: implications for tourism. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 28, 3-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2016.04.008
Wu, Lingling and Walters, Gabrielle (2016). Chinese travel behavior in response to disastrous events: the case of the Japan earthquake. Journal of China Tourism Research, 12 (2), 216-231. doi: 10.1080/19388160.2016.1197870
Salvatierra, Javier and Walters, Gabrielle (2016). The impact of human-induced environmental destruction on destination image perception and travel behaviour: the case of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 23 (1), 73-84. doi: 10.1177/1356766715626966
Li, Shanshi, Walters, Gabby, Packer, Jan and Scott, Noel (2016). Using skin conductance and facial electromyography to measure emotional responses to tourism advertising. Current Issues in Tourism, 21 (15), 1-23. doi: 10.1080/13683500.2016.1223023
Cocolas, Nicole, Walters, Gabrielle and Ruhanen, Lisa (2015). Behavioural adaptation to climate change among winter alpine tourists: an analysis of tourist motivations and leisure substitutability. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 24 (6), 846-865. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2015.1088860
Gration, David, Raciti, Maria and Walters, Gabby (2015). Back to nature: Festivalgoer environmental beliefs and camping experience at non-urban festivals. International Journal of Event and Festival Management, 6 (3), 282-302. doi: 10.1108/IJEFM-02-2015-0008
Walters, Gabby, Burns, Peter and Stettler, Jurg (2015). Fostering Collaboration between Academia and the Tourism Sector. Tourism Planning and Development, 12 (4), 489-494. doi: 10.1080/21568316.2015.1076596
Li, Shanshi, Scott, Noel and Walters, Gabby (2014). Current and potential methods for measuring emotion in tourism experiences: a review. Current Issues in Tourism, 18 (9), 805-827. doi: 10.1080/13683500.2014.975679
Mair, Judith, Ritchie, Brent W. and Walters, Gabby (2014). Towards a research agenda for post-disaster and post-crisis recovery strategies for tourist destinations: a narrative review. Current Issues in Tourism, 19 (1), 1-26. doi: 10.1080/13683500.2014.932758
Walters, Gabrielle, Mair, Judith and Ritchie, Brent (2014). Understanding the tourist's response to natural disasters: the case of the 2011 Queensland floods. Journal of Vacation Marketing, OnlineFirst (1), 101-113. doi: 10.1177/1356766714528933
Sharifpour, Mona, Walters, Gabrielle and Ritchie, Brent W. (2014). Risk perception, prior knowledge and willingness to travel: investigating the Australian tourist market’s risk perceptions towards the Middle East. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 20 (2), 111-123. doi: 10.1177/1356766713502486
Sharifpour, Mona and Walters, Gabrielle (2014). The interplay between prior knowledge, perceived risk and the tourism consumer decision process: a conceptual framework. The Marketing Review, 14 (3), 279-296. doi: 10.1362/146934714X14024779061956
Sharifpour, Mona, Walters, Gabrielle, Ritchie, Brent W. and Winter, Caroline (2013). Investigating the role of prior knowledge in tourist decision making: a structural equation model of risk perceptions and information search. Journal of Travel Research, 53 (3), 307-322. doi: 10.1177/0047287513500390
Clulow, Valerie and Walters, Gabrielle (2013). Issues in sustainable tourism. International Journal of Sustainability Policy and Practice, 8 (3), 11-19.
Walters, Gabrielle and Ruhanen, Lisa M. (2013). From white to green: identifying viable visitor segments for climate-affected alpine destinations. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 39 (4), 517-539. doi: 10.1177/1096348013491603
Sharifpour, Mona, Walters, Gabrielle and Ritchie, Brent W. (2013). The mediating role of sensation seeking on the relationship between risk perceptions and travel behavior. Tourism Analysis, 18 (5), 543-557. doi: 10.3727/108354213X13782245307795
Walters, Gabrielle, Sparks, Beverley and Herington, Carmel (2012). The impact of consumption vision and emotion on the tourism consumer's decision behaviour. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 36 (3), 366-389. doi: 10.1177/1096348010390815
Walters, Gabrielle (2012). 10 things regional businesses should know about the intrastate tourist. Tourism Excellence, 2012 (Winter), 16-17.
Walters, Gabrielle and Mair, Judith (2012). The effectiveness of post-disaster recovery marketing messages: The case of the 2009 Australian bushfires. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 29 (1), 87-103. doi: 10.1080/10548408.2012.638565
Walters, Gabrielle and Clulow, Valerie (2010). The tourism market's response to the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires: The case of Gippsland. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 27 (8), 844-857. doi: 10.1080/10548408.2010.527250
Walters, Gabrielle, Sparks, Beverley and Herington, Carmel (2007). The effectiveness of print advertising stimuli in evoking elaborate consumption visions for potential travellers. Journal of Travel Research, 46 (1), 24-34. doi: 10.1177/0047287507302376
Walters, Gabrielle and Raybould, Mike (2007). Burnout and perceived organisational support among frontline hospitality employees. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 14 (2), 144-156. doi: 10.1375/jhtm.14.2.144
Conference Papers
Ye, Isabella Qing, Hughes, Karen, Walters, Gabby and Mkono, Mucha (2021). Interpreting landscapes and landscape interpretation Insights from Chinese visitors’ encounters with Uluru. CAUTHE2021, Virtual, 9-12 Feb 2021. Australia: Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education.
Fang, Yao, Walters, Gabby and Chien, Monica (2017). Analysis of motivation, expectation and satisfaction of Chinese working holiday makers. Third East-West Dialogue on Tourism and the Chinese Dream, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 23-25 November, 2017. Gold Coast, QLD, Australia: Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) and the Griffith Tourism Confucius Institute (TCI).
Li, Shanshi, Scott, Noel and Walters, Gabby (2014). Potential methods for measuring emotion in Chinese tourism advertising. G20 First East-West Dialogue on Tourism and Chinese Dream, Gold Coast, Australia, 13-15 November 2014. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Griffith University.
Walters, Gabrielle, Ritchie, Brent and Mair, Judith (2013). Australian traveller's perceptions of Christchurch after the 2011 earthquake. CAUTHE 2013: Council for Australasian University Tourism and Hospitality Education Annual Conference, Canterbury, NZ, 11-14 February, 2013. Christchurch, NZ: CAUTHE (Council for Australasian University Tourism and Hospitality Education).
Walters, Gabrielle and Airey, David (2013). An investigation into undergraduate student expectations of hospitality degree programs and their alignment with those of industry. CAUTHE 2013: Council for Australasian University Tourism and Hospitality Education Annual Conference, Canterbury, NZ, 11-14 February, 2013. Christchurch, NZ: CAUTHE (Council for Australasian University Tourism and Hospitality Education).
Sharifpour, Mona, Walters, Gabrielle and Ritchie, Brent (2012). Build it, but will they come? Investigating the Australian tourists’ risk perceptions and attitudes towards the UAE. 22nd Annual CAUTHE Conference 2012, Melbourme, Australia, 6-9 February 2012. Melbourne, Australia: CAUTHE.
Sharifpour, Mona and Walters, Gabrielle (2010). Risk perception and destination choice: The case of Australian travellers and the Middle East. Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education 2010 Annual Conference (CAUTHE 2010), Hobart , TAS, Australia, 8-10 February 2010. Hobart, Tas., Australia: University of Tasmania.
Walters, Gabrielle (2010). The Gippsland tourism market's response to the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires. 20th Annual CAUTHE 2010 conference, Hobart, Tas., Australia, 8-11 February 2010. Hobart, Tas., Australia: University of Tasmania.
Reimers, Vaughan and Walters, Gabrielle (2009). Public swimming pools: Who uses them and why. Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academics Conference AMZAC 2009, Melbourne, Australia, 30 November - 2 December 2009. Canning Bridge, WA, Australia: Australian & New Zealand Marketing Academy.
Walters, Gabrielle, Sparks, Beverley and Herington, Carmel (2008). The relationship between visionary and emotional responses to print advertising. Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference 2008 (ANZMAC), Sydney, Australia, 5-9 December 2008. Perth, Australia: ANZMAC.
Research Reports
Hiller, Michael, Jenkinson, Lisa, Kastelle, Tim, Barrett, Andrew, Bond, Shaun, Miller, Andy, Bongiovanni, Ivano, Wilson, Andrew, Brown, Dan, Hubbard, Ellie, McLennan, Kelly, Schleicher, Sabine, Clark, Samantha, Wang, Jie, Gabby Walters and Meath, Cristyn (2022). Building business resilience. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: KPMG/The University of Queensland.
Walters, G. and Driml, S. (2013). Prom Country Economic Impact and Visitor Profile 2012/13. Melbourne, Australia:
Newspaper Articles
Walters, Gabrielle, Mair, Judith and Chien, Monica (2020, 01 20). Celebrity concern about bushfires could do more harm than good. To help they need to put boots on the ground The Conversation
Walters, Gabrielle and Mair, Judith (2015, 03 19). How Vanuatu’s tourism industry can recover after Cyclone Pam The Conversation