Meet our 2025 TMI Student Ambassadors!
We are delighted to introduce you to our 12 TMI Student Ambassadors.
They have been nominated by their University to champion TMI within their student community, having demonstrated their passion and enthusiasm for the tourism industry and destination management during their studies.
The aim of our Ambassador network is to stimulate debate and foster connections both with each other and with TMI. We meet twice each academic term. In 2024 several of our Ambassadors volunteered to undertake a sustainable tourism case study project which delivered benefits for our wider TMI membership as well as for their own professional development.
At TMI we value our student voice and are delighted that our Ambassador network strengthens our destination management community.
Falmouth University –
Kate Seymour Dierikx
BA (Hons) Sustainable Tourism Management
Special interests:
- How customer behaviour & motivations change depending on the market segment
- How destinations are managing over-tourism eg challenge for the National Trust to manage both the influx of tourists and the damage to headlands through footfall erosion all around the Cornish coastline.
- The changing popularity in destinations around the UK and the world. What shifts them to become popular destinations to travel to and why? How it changes over time.
Glasgow Caledonian University -
Nilufer Arcos Sari
Special interests:
- Digital innovation and how technology can enhance experiences and help in improving the management of a destination.
- Food tourism and how it can bring visitors to a destination and also keep the local community involved.
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Liverpool John Moores University -
Emma Thompson
Special interests:
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Heritage and how to preserve it in destinations.
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Sustainability of tourism mainly through environmental protection.
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How cities cope with overtourism and move tourism away from areas they no longer want to attract e.g. stag and hens.
Plymouth University -
Katie Badley
Special interests:
- Sustainability in destinations and accommodation: dissertation focus explores ways to enhance environmental sustainability in the hotel industry.
- Broader sustainability practices.
- Technology adoption in destinations: how can technology elevate customer satisfaction, foster interaction, and support sustainability goals within destinations.
Scotland's Rural University -
Alana Bowden
Special interests:
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How DMO’s work with hotels and restaurants to promote different areas in the country.
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How we can work sustainably when promoting different sectors.
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Cultural and religious tourism.
University College Birmingham -
Nafsika Kasapi
Special interests:
- The role of DMOs in the sustainable development of less developed/ rural areas.
- Cultural tourism, and the threat of cultural commodification and dilution.
- Regenerative tourism.
University of Chester -
Ellie Morris
Special interests:
- The rising of popularity and technological rate of sustainable tourism.
- How destination management can provide opportunities and value for the surrounding community, rather than solely focused on the tourist experience.
University of Derby -
Laila Shah
Special interests:
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Destination management & sustainability in tourism
University of Lincoln -
Rini (Febrini) Sandra
Special interests:
- Tourism in Indonesia (home country) especially some coastline areas that have not been developed yet such as West Sumatera, East Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi.
- The hospitality industry.
University of Northampton - Mia-Rose Smith
Special interests:
- Destination image, branding and promotion (marketing).
- Travel services/ Visitor services.
- Airline sector/ Airport operations.
Shannon Gregory - Cardiff Metropolitan University
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BA (Hons) International Tourism Management
Special interests:
- Social change and inequality
- Cultural sensitivity and ethical tourism
- Infrastructure and crisis management
University of Central Lancashire - Jasmine Rivoltak
BA (Hons) International Tourism Management
Special interests
- Dark Tourism: why do so many people throughout history travel to places that have such a heavy association with death and tragedy.
- Culture tourism: learning about a country’s history and their culture.