Tourism Management Institute announces winners of the 2023 Student Awards

Oge Stella Obiudu - Bournemouth University

The Tourism Management Institute (TMI) – the professional organisation for people studying and working in tourism destination management - is delighted to announce the winners of the 2023 TMI Student Awards.

The Simon Curtis Postgraduate Prize winner for 2023 is: Oge Stella Obiudu - Bournemouth University.

Oge, as part of her MSc Tourism Marketing Management degree, successfully delivered a highly relevant research project focussing on “Travel Risk and Safety for Solo Female Travellers in France”. Her project highlights a range of important considerations including the motivations of solo female travellers, as well as the personal, emotive, behavioural and environmental dimensions that effect their experience of a destination. This was an insightful piece of research that shines a spotlight on a growing market segment.

The David Hughes Memorial Award for 2023 goes to: Céline Djemaï - Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen.

Céline Djemaï - Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

Céline, who is studying for her BA (Hons) International Tourism Management degree, based her application on her very successful project examining “Witch and Witchcraft Tourism in Scotland”. Working with a multiplicity of stakeholders, this project focused on an important niche aspect of Scotland’s tourism offer, identified potential areas for growth and development, and highlighted important considerations around authenticity, commodification, and dissonant heritage in the context of this type of tourism.

TMI’s Head of CPD Maeve Marmion comments:

‘I am delighted to congratulate Céline and Oge as very worthy winners of our 2023 TMI Awards.  It is fantastic to see that they have succeeded in delivering such high quality projects which have proved to be so valuable to the respective destinations. This work has given them valuable practical experience which will undoubtedly enhance their career prospects.  We at TMI wish them all the very best for the future.’

We would also like to congratulate our five runners up.  The quality of their submissions was very high, and they each stood out for their achievements. We are delighted to award them recognition in this way.

The Simon Curtis Postgraduate Prize 2023: Our runners up:

• Thatsanawalai Imong, University of Plymouth
• Mariam Leramoh, Glasgow Caledonian University

The David Hughes Memorial Award 2023: Our runners up:

• Yonca Goecer, Glasgow Caledonian University
• Lucy Rock, Falmouth University
• Carlotta Villa, University of Chester

We would like to thank all students studying TMI recognised degree programmes who put forward applications for this year’s awards.  It was a competitive round and it is great to see how engaged our future destination professionals are in their chosen specialist fields of tourism.

These annual awards are an important way for TMI to recognise the achievements of both undergraduate and postgraduate students on recognised TMI programmes who have undertaken a relevant work placement or research project as part of their degree. The awards demonstrate how they have successfully applied their academic knowledge by actively working with a destination management/tourism organisation here in the UK or overseas.

Both award winners will receive a one-to-one professional mentoring session with a senior member of TMI as well as a complimentary place at the TMI Annual Convention hosted this year by the University of Lincoln on 11/12 October. They also have the opportunity to write a blog to showcase their project and the professional skills and experience they have gained, as well as one year’s associate membership of TMI.

We would finally like to thank the relevant tourism organisations and professionals for their ongoing support of our students in offering meaningful placements and actively supporting research projects within their destinations.