Associate Professor Karen Hughes
Program Convenor (Tourism Suite)
School of Business
Associate Professor
School of Business
Affiliate of Centre for Marine Science
Centre for Marine Science
+61 7 334 60564
Room 454A, General Purpose North 3 (39A), St. Lucia Campus
Researcher biography
Associate Professor Karen Hughes lectures at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the areas of sustainable tourism and visitor management. Her research interests include interpretation and environmental education, wildlife tourism, heritage tourism, visitor behaviour and sustainable tourism. She is particularly interested in exploring how interpretation can be used across a range of contexts to attract, engage and inspire visitors.
Karen's PhD studies focused on designing and evaluating the impact of support materials on families' adoption of environmental behaviours following a visit to Mon Repos turtle rookery. She has also explored public responses to environmental campaigns, public perceptions of replica sites as conservation tools, and the potential use of technology in connecting with new visitor audiences. Her most recent work involves designing and evaluating the impact of values-based interpretation on visitors' long-term environmental behaviour. Karen has supervised four PhD students, three Masters students and two honours students to completion in the areas of interpretation, experience design and environmental behaviour change. Associate Professor Hughes has also been a lecturer and researcher at James Cook University, Charles Darwin University and Queensland University of Technology.
Publications
Books
Ballantyne, R., Hughes, K., Weiler, B. and Moscardo, G. (2008). Tourists' use of roadside signage: A case study of the Great Southern Touring Route. Gold Coast, Australia: Sustainable Tourism CRC.
Ballantyne, Roy, Hughes, Karen, Deery, Marg and Bond, Nigel (2007). Meeting visitor needs: a handbook for managers and staff of visitor information centres. Gold Coast, Qld Australia: Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre.
Moscardo, Gianna, Ballantyne, Roy and Hughes, Karen (2007). Designing interpretive signs: Principles in practice. Golden, Colorado, USA: Fulcrum Publishing.
Ballantyne, R., Hughes, K. and Mylonas, A. (2002). Implementing Peer Assessment in Large Classes: Procedures to Facilitate Student Learning. Centre for Professional Practice in Education and Training, Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology: Kelvin Grove, Qld.
Book Chapters
Ballantyne, Roy, Packer, Jan, Hughes, Karen and Broughton, Tobias (2023). Interpretation for children: turning horror and hurt into healing and hope. Children, young people and dark tourism. (pp. 101-113) edited by Mary Margaret Kerr, Philip R. Stone and Rebecca H. Price. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003032199-10
Moscardo, Gianna, Murphy, Laurie, Hughes, Karen and Benckendorff, Pierre (2019). Shopping on the edge: identifying factors contributing to tourist retail development in heritage villages. The future past of tourism: historical perspectives and future evolutions. (pp. 188-200) Bristol, United Kingdom: Channel View Publications.
Hughes, Karen, Mylonas, Aliisa and Ballantyne, Roy (2017). Enhancing tourism graduates' soft skills: the importance of teaching reflective practice. Handbook of teaching and learning in tourism. (pp. 95-106) edited by Pierre Benckendorff and Anita Zehrer. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781784714802.00014
Hughes, Karen (2016). Interpreting Australian landscapes for Chinese tourists. The world meets Asian tourists. (pp. 231-246) edited by Philip Pearce and Mao-Ying Wu. London, United Kingdom: Emerald Group Publishing. doi: 10.1108/S2042-144320160000007014
Hughes, Karen, Little, Barbara J. and Ballantyne, Roy (2013). Integrating education and entertainment in archaeological tourism: complementary concepts or opposite ends of the spectrum?. Tourism and archaeology: sustainable meeting grounds. (pp. 65-90) edited by Cameron Walker and Neil Carr. Walnut Creek, CA, United States: Left Coast Press. doi: 10.4324/9781315416618-9
Hughes, Karen and Ballantyne, Roy (2013). Winning hearts and minds through interpreting ecotoursim experiences: walking the talk. International handbook on ecotourism. (pp. 322-335) edited by Roy Ballantyne and Jan Packer. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar.
Hughes, Karen, Ballantyne, Roy, Packer, Jan and Zhu, Xuan (2011). Environmental interpretation and visitor education: a review of Australian and Chinese literature. Sino-Australia comparative study on tourism development. (pp. 111-142) edited by Jun Gao, Noel Scott, Roy Ballantyne and Peiyi Ding. Shanghai, China: China Travel & Tourism Press.
Hughes, Karen and Ballantyne, Roy (2010). Interpretation rocks! Designing signs for geotourism sites. Geotourism: The tourism of geology and landscape. (pp. 184-199) edited by David Newsome and Ross Dowling. Oxford, England: Goodfellow Publishers. doi: 10.23912/978-1-906884-09-3-1065
Journal Articles
Xie-Carson, Li, Benckendorff, Pierre and Hughes, Karen (2024). Keep it #Unreal: Exploring Instagram users’ engagement with virtual influencers in tourism contexts user engagement with virtual influencers. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 48 (6), 1006-1019. doi: 10.1177/10963480231180940
Mkono, Mucha and Hughes, Karen (2024). A state-of-the-art-review of animals in tourism: key debates and future directions. Tourism Geographies, 1-13. doi: 10.1080/14616688.2024.2342462
Xie-Carson, Li, Magor, Thomas, Benckendorff, Pierre and Hughes, Karen (2023). All hype or the real deal? Investigating user engagement with virtual influencers in tourism. Tourism Management, 99 104779, 104779. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2023.104779
Xie-Carson, Li, Benckendorff, Pierre and Hughes, Karen (2023). Not so different after all? A netnographic exploration of user engagement with non-human influencers on social media. Journal of Business Research, 167 114149, 114149. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114149
Mkono, Mucha, Tham, Aaron, Hughes, Karen and Echentille, Stella (2023). Horse racing and the growth of hashtag activism. Leisure Studies, 43 (5), 1-16. doi: 10.1080/02614367.2023.2271182
Hughes, Karen and Moscardo, Gianna (2023). Once upon a time: the impact of storytelling on connecting people to natural landscapes. Environmental Education Research, 30 (2), 235-250. doi: 10.1080/13504622.2023.2246695
Ballantyne, Roy, Hughes, Karen, Packer, Jan and Lee, Julie (2023). Does values-based interpretation make a difference? Testing impacts on visitors’ environmental learning and reported adoption of environmentally responsible behaviors. Visitor Studies, 26 (2), 181-201. doi: 10.1080/10645578.2023.2218791
McKercher, Bob, Hughes, Karen and Mkono, Mucha (2023). Food preferences as a proxy for adventurousness. Tourism Management, 95 104682, 1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104682
Mkono, Mucha, Hughes, Karen and McKercher, Bob (2022). Does the environment matter in the ‘new normal’?. Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights, 3 (2) 100060, 1-3. doi: 10.1016/j.annale.2022.100060
McKercher, Bob, Hughes, Karen and Mkono, Mucha (2022). Unpacking the disinterested tourist. Tourism Management Perspectives, 44 101021, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.tmp.2022.101021
Mkono, Mucha and Hughes, Karen (2022). Sustainability paralysis in travel consumption: a reddit study. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 23 (4), 146735842211103-516. doi: 10.1177/14673584221110370
Miao, Li, Baker, Melissa, Hughes, Karen, Kim, Sangkyun, Lu, Lu, Singal, Manisha and Young, Cheri (2022). Launch of the JHTR Featured Section “Insight & Foresight”: Inspire “Homegrown” Theorizing in Hospitality and Tourism Research. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 46 (6), 109634802211044-1095. doi: 10.1177/10963480221104406
Packer, Jan, Ballantyne, Roy, Hughes, Karen, Sneddon, Joanne and Lee, Julie (2022). Differences between zoo/aquarium staff and visitors’ values, beliefs, and pro-environmental behaviors: consequences for environmental communication. Visitor Studies, 25 (1), 85-103. doi: 10.1080/10645578.2022.2032927
Ballantyne, Roy, Hughes, Karen, Lee, Julie, Packer, Jan and Sneddon, Joanne (2021). Facilitating zoo/aquarium visitors' adoption of environmentally sustainable behaviour: developing a values-based interpretation matrix. Tourism Management, 84 104243. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2020.104243
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
Sneddon, J. N., Hughes, K. and Ballantyne, R. (2021). Using values-based focus groups to evaluate visitors’ perceptions and interpretation of a wildlife exhibit. Visitor Studies, 24 (1), 1-42. doi: 10.1080/10645578.2020.1852809
Hughes, Karen, Mkono, Mucha, Myers, David and Echentille, Stella (2021). Are you for real?! Tourists' reactions to four replica cave sites in Europe. Tourism Management Perspectives, 37 100780, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100780
Chercoles, Rosario, Ruhanen, Lisa, Axelsen, Megan and Hughes, Karen (2020). Indigenous tourism in Panama: segmenting international visitors. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 16 (2), 1-13. doi: 10.1080/1743873X.2020.1782923
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
Mkono, Mucha and Hughes, Karen (2020). Eco-guilt and eco-shame in tourism consumption contexts: understanding the triggers and responses. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 28 (8), 1223-1244. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2020.1730388
Mkono, Mucha, Hughes, Karen and Echentille, Stella (2020). Hero or villain? Responses to Greta Thunberg’s activism and the implications for travel and tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 28 (12), 1-18. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2020.1789157
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
Hughes, Karen and Moscardo, Gianna (2019). ICT and the future of tourist management. Journal of Tourism Futures, 5 (3) JTF-12-2018-0072, 228-240. doi: 10.1108/JTF-12-2018-0072
Hughes, Karen and Moscardo, Gianna (2019). For me or not for me? Exploring young adults’ museum representations. Leisure Sciences, 41 (6), 516-534. doi: 10.1080/01490400.2018.1550455
Almuhrzi, Hamed, Hughes, Karen and Ballantyne, Roy (2019). Exploring Arab and Western visitors’ interpretive experiences at an Omani heritage site: does one size fit all?. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 15 (2), 1-20. doi: 10.1080/1743873X.2019.1632319
Alonso-Vazquez, Marisol, Packer, Jan, Fairley, Sheranne and Hughes, Karen (2018). The role of place attachment and festival attachment in influencing attendees’ environmentally responsible behaviours at music festivals. Tourism Recreation Research, 44 (1), 1-12. doi: 10.1080/02508281.2018.1545393
Ballantyne, Roy, Hughes, Karen, Lee, Julie, Packer, Jan and Sneddon, Joanne (2018). Visitors' values and environmental learning outcomes at wildlife attractions: implications for interpretive practice. Tourism Management, 64, 190-201. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2017.07.015
Ballantyne, Roy, Packer, Jan, Hughes, Karen and Gill, Chelsea (2018). Post-visit reinforcement of zoo conservation messages: the design and testing of an action resource website. Visitor Studies, 21 (1), 98-120. doi: 10.1080/10645578.2018.1503871
Hofman, Karen and Hughes, Karen (2018). Protecting the Great Barrier Reef: analysing the impact of a conservation documentary and post-viewing strategies on long-term conservation behaviour. Environmental Education Research, 24 (4), 521-536. doi: 10.1080/13504622.2017.1303820
Moscardo, Gianna and Hughes, Karen (2018). All aboard! Strategies for engaging guests in corporate responsibility programmes. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 26 (7), 1257-1272. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2018.1428333
Hughes, Karen and Moscardo, Gianna (2017). Connecting with new audiences: exploring the impact of mobile communication devices on the experiences of young adults in museums. Visitor Studies, 20 (1), 33-55. doi: 10.1080/10645578.2017.1297128
Moscardo, Gianna and Hughes, Karen (2016). Museums unplugged: exploring the impact of removing access to mobile communication devices on Chinese students' museum experiences. Journal of Leisure Research, 48 (5), 395-412. doi: 10.18666/JLR-2016-V48-I5-7085
Ballantyne, Roy, Hughes, Karen and Bond, Nigel (2016). Using a Delphi approach to identify managers' preferences for visitor interpretation at Canterbury Cathedral World Heritage Site. Tourism Management, 54, 72-80. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2015.10.014
Hughes, Karen, Wang, Jie and Shu, Mengya (2015). Exploring the travel patterns, preferences and recommendations of Chinese university students living in Australia. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 23 31, 12-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2015.03.002
Packer, Jan, Ballantyne, Roy and Hughes, Karen (2014). Chinese and Australian tourists' attitudes to nature, animals and environmental issues: implications for the design of nature-based tourism experiences. Tourism Management, 44, 101-107. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2014.02.013
Hughes, Karen, Ballantyne, Roy and Packer, Jan (2014). Comparing Chinese and Western Visitors’ Responses to Interpretive Signs at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, China. Visitor Studies, 17 (2), 137-158. doi: 10.1080/10645578.2014.945344
Ballantyne, R., Hughes, K., Ding. P. and Liu, D. (2013). Chinese and international visitor perceptions of interpretation at Beijing built heritage sites. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 22 (5), 705-725. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2013.861469
Hughes, K., Bond, N. and Ballantyne, R. (2013). Designing and managing interpretive experiences at religious sites: visitors’ perceptions of Canterbury Cathedral. Tourism Management, 36, 210-220. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2012.11.022
Hughes, Karen (2013). Measuring the impact of viewing wildlife: do positive intentions equate to long-term changes in conservation behaviour?. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 21 (1), 42-59. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2012.681788
Hughes, Karen, Mylonas, Aliisa and Benckendorff, Pierre (2013). Students’ reflections on industry placement: comparing four undergraduate work integrated learning streams. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 14 (4), 265-279.
Hughes, Karen, Packer, Jan and Ballantyne, Roy (2011). Using post-visit action resources to support family conservation learning following a wildlife tourism experience. Environmental Education Research, 17 (3), 307-328. doi: 10.1080/13504622.2010.540644
Hughes, Karen (2011). Designing post-visit action resources for families visiting wildlife tourism sites. Visitor Studies, 14 (1), 66-83. doi: 10.1080/10645578.2011.557630
Ballantyne, Roy, Hughes, Karen and Ritchie, Brent W. (2009). Meeting the needs of tourists: The role and function of Australian visitor information centers. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 26 (8), 778-794. doi: 10.1080/10548400903356178
Ballantyne, Roy, Packer, Jan and Hughes, Karen (2009). Tourists' support for conservation messages and sustainable management practices in wildlife tourism experiences. Tourism Management, 30 (5), 658-664. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2008.11.003
Ballantyne, R., Packer, J. and Hughes, K. (2008). Environmental awareness, interests and motives of botanic gardens visitors: Implications for interpretive practice. Tourism Management, 29 (3), 439-444. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2007.05.006
Ballantyne, R., Packer, J., Hughes, K and Dierking, L. (2007). Conservation learning in wildlife tourism settings: lessons from research in zoos and aquariums. Environmental Education Research, 13 (3), 367-383. doi: 10.1080/13504620701430604
Ballantyne, Roy and Hughes, Karen (2006). Using front-end and formative evaluation to design and test persuasive bird feeding warning signs. Tourism Management, 27 (2), 235-246. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2004.09.005
Hughes, Karen, Ballantyne, Roy and Packer, Jan (2006). Working with animals and children: The challenges of visitor research in wildlife tourism. Visitor Studies Today, 9 (3), 27-29.
Ballantyne, Roy, Carr, Neil and Hughes, Karen (2005). Between the flags: an assessment of domestic and international university students' knowledge of beach safety in Australia. Tourism Management, 26 (4), 617-622. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2004.02.016
Ballantyne, R. and Hughes, K. (2003). Measure twice, cut once: developing a research-based interpretive signs checklist. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 19, 15-25.
Ballantyne, Roy, Hughes, Karen and Mylonas, Aliisa (2002). Developing procedures for implementing peer assessment in large classes using an action research process. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 27 (5), 427-441. doi: 10.1080/0260293022000009302
Ballantyne, Roy and Hughes, Karen (2001). Interpretation in ecotourism settings: investigating tour guides' perceptions of their role, responsibilities and training needs. Journal of Tourism Studies, 12 (2), 2-9.
Ryan, Chris, Hughes, Karen and Chirgwin, Sharon (2000). The gaze, spectacle and ecotourism. The Annals of Tourism Research, 27 (1), 148-163. doi: 10.1016/S0160-7383(99)00061-4
Chirgwin, Sharon and Hughes, Karen (1997). Ecotourism: the participants' perceptions. The Journal of Tourism Studies, 8 (2), 2-7.
Fielding, K., Pearce, P. and Hughes, K. (1992). Climbing Ayers Rock: relating visitor motivation, time perception and enjoyment. Journal of Tourism Studies, 3 (2), 49-57.
Hughes, Karen (1991). Tourist satisfaction: a guided "cultural" tour in North Queensland. Australian Psychologist, 26 (3), 166-171. doi: 10.1080/00050069108257243
Conference Papers
Hughes, Karen, Macionis, Niki and Ye, Isabella (2021). Thinking outside the [escape] box Using game-based learning to test and reinforce students’ learning. CAUTHE2021, Virtual, 9-12 Feb 2021. Australia: Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education.
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.
Alonso-Vazquez, Marisol, Packer, Jan and Hughes, Karen (2014). Place attachment, festival attachment, and behavioural intentions as predictors of on-site environmentally responsible behaviours at music events. CAUTHE Conference 2014, Brisbane, Australia, 10-13 February 2014. Brisbane, Australia: School of Tourism, The University of Queensland.
Hughes, Karen, Wang, Jie and Shu, Lavender (2013). Thunder down under? Chinese students' preferences for Australia's tourism experiences. 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).
Moscardo, G., Ballantyne, R. and Hughes, K. (2003). Interpretive signs - talking to visitors through text. Current research - future strategies, bridging uncertainty : Asia Pacific Tourism Association 9th Annual Conference, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia, 6-9 July, 2003. Sydney: University of Technology Sydney.
Thesis
Hughes, Karen (2009). Using wildlife tourism and post-visit support to enhance families’ conservation learning at Mon Repos Conservation Park. PhD Thesis, School of Tourism, The University of Queensland.
Research Reports
Ballantyne, R. and Hughes, K. (2004). E-learning in Queensland visitor information centres: Barriers, facilitators and communities of practice. Canberra, Australia: Department of Education, Science and Training.