Dr Adele Doran PhD, MSc, PGCE PCET, BA (Hons)
Principal Lecturer
Summary
I am a researcher and consultant of outdoor recreation and adventure tourism. My research focuses on the experiences, motivations, and well-being of outdoor adventure participants; equality, diversity, and inclusivity in the outdoors; adventure media and marketing; and employment and entrepreneurship within the outdoor sector.
About
My academic background lies in tourism and recreation studies, and I have taught at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels on tourism, recreation, management, and research modules. My research focuses on the experiences of adventure tourists and outdoor recreationists, particularly in relation to gender. Projects include an investigation of women’s barriers to climbing and mountaineering and the benefits they gain from participation; women’s representation in adventure media and women’s user-generated content of their adventurous experiences; the impact of outdoor adventure activities on participants’ well-being; and women’s entrepreneurship in the outdoor sector. Additional projects include the supply and demand for charity challenge events and precarious employment in the outdoor sector. I employ a range of methodologies, including survey research, interviews, focus groups, ethnography, social media research, and systematic literature reviews.
I am a Research & Innovation Lead in the Sheffield Business School. I am also a committee member of the Adventure Tourism Research Association, an organisation which seeks to bring together academics, adventure professionals and commercial operators; the Outdoor Recreation Research Group, a group of Sheffield Hallam University research experts with expertise in diverse areas of the outdoor recreation sector; and I sit on the British Mountaineering Council’s Equity Steering Committee and co-lead the Gender Equity Sub-Group. I am also on the Editorial Board of the World Leisure Journal.
In addition to academic activities, I have a background in consultancy. Recent work includes a national survey to examine the relationship between camping and well-being for The Camping and Caravanning Club; an investigation into the experiences of para, LGBTQ+, and ethnic minority climbers for United we Climb; and developing adventure-based city breaks and The Outdoor City brand for Sheffield City Council/VisitBritain as part of the Discover England Fund.
Research interests
• Adventure tourism
• Outdoor recreation
• The role of gender in outdoor adventure
• Adventure media and marketing
• Employment and entrepreneurship within the outdoor adventure sector
• Sustainable adventure tourism
• Equality, diversity, and inclusivity in the outdoors
If you are an organisation, academic or student interested in these areas or other aspects of outdoor recreation and adventure tourism, please get in touch. I am happy to discuss any ideas you have.
Teaching expertise
- Modules include Adventure Tourism, Marketing and Tourism Consultancy
- 2018: University Inspirational Teaching Award
Industry links
- Outdoor Recreation Research Group: https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/specialisms/outdoor-recreation-research-group
- Adventure Tourism Research Association: https://atra.global/steering-group/
Department of Service Sector Management
College of Business, Technology and Engineering
Subject Area
Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Courses
- BSc (Hons) International Tourism Management
- BSc (Hons) International Tourism (Adventure Tourism)
- BSc (Hons) International Tourism and Hospitality Business Management
- BSc (Hons) Airline and Airport Management
- MSc International Tourism Management
- MSc International Hospitality and Tourism Management
- MSc International Tourism and Aviation Management
- PhD
- DBA
Modules
- Consumer Behaviour in Tourism
- International Adventure Tourism
- Tourism Consultancy Experience
- Research Project/Dissertation
- Research Methods
- Tourism and Aviation Operations
- Digital Tourism Marketing
Research
- An examination of the relationship between adventure sports participation and women's wellbeing.
- Conceptualising charity challenge tourism and developing a tourist typology.
- Investigating precarious employment within the outdoor recreation/adventure tourism sector.
- An assessment of sensory ethnography as a method of data collection and analysis.
- An examination of embodiment in women's adventure entrepreneurship.
Featured Projects
https://www.shu.ac.uk/news/all-articles/latest-news/outjoyment-camping-report
2019: A growth strategy for the Outdoor Recreation Research Group, Sheffield Hallam University Creating Knowledge Implementation Plan (CKIP) Strategic Investment Fund.
Relevant Projects
- 2015: Fellow - Higher Education Academy, Higher Education Academy (HEA), United Kingdom
- 2018: University Inspirational Teaching Award
- 2020-2021: Examining the charity challenge tourism sector, an educational research project funded by Sheffield Hallam University's Enhancement of Teaching, Learning and Student Experience and the Department of Service Sector Management's Fieldwork Funding.
Collaborators and Sponsors
- United we Climb
- The Camping and Caravanning Club
- Sheffield City Council
Publications
Key Publications
Doran, A., Schofield, P., & Low, T. (2020). Women's mountaineering: accessing participation benefits through constraint negotiation strategies. Leisure Studies. http://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2020.1763439
Doran, A., Pomfret, G., & Adu-Ampong, E. (2022). MIND THE GAP: a systematic review of the knowledge contribution claims in adventure tourism research. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 51, 238-251. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.03.015
Richards, K., Doran, A., Brett, C., Wingfield, H., & Schofield, P. (2022). The Outjoyment report: a research report on the well-being and mental health benefits of camping. The Camping and Caravanning Club. https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/-/media/Files/Outjoyment-Report/The-Outjoyment-Report.pdf?rev=29e21478cb224243919b6d0fc474008c
Doran, A. (2016). Empowerment and women in adventure tourism: a negotiated journey. Journal of Sport and Tourism, 20, 57-80.
Journal articles
Low, T., Maggie, M., Doran, A., & Hardwick, L. (2020). Women’s outdoor adventure experiences on Instagram: Exploring user-generated content. Annals of leisure research. http://doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2020.1815068
Doran, A., & Pomfret, G. (2019). Exploring efficacy in personal constraint negotiation: an ethnography of mountaineering tourists. Tourist studies. http://doi.org/10.1177/1468797619837965
Doran, A., Schofield, P., & Low, T. (2018). Women's mountaineering tourism: an empirical investigation of its theoretical constraint dimensions. Leisure Studies, 37 (4), 396-410. http://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2018.1452283
Doran, A. (2016). Empowerment and women in adventure tourism : a negotiated journey. Journal of Sport and Tourism, 20 (1), 57-80. http://doi.org/10.1080/14775085.2016.1176594
Book chapters
Doran, A., & Schofield, P. (2022). Tourism and the Seasons. In P. Goulding (Ed), Tourism: a Temporal Analysis. Goodfellow Publications
Doran, A., & Kim, S. (2022). Nature and Time. In In P. Goulding (Ed), Tourism: a Temporal Analysis. Goodfellow Publications
Schofield, P., Doran, A., & Nolan, R. (2017). Assessing the walkability of urban public space with GIS technology: The hidden dimensions of security and community heritage. In The Routledge international handbook of walking. (pp. 369-378). Abingdon, Oxford: Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-International-Handbook-of-Walking/Hall-Ram-Shoval/p/book/9781138195349
Pomfret, G., & Doran, A. (2015). Gender and mountaineering tourism. In Musa, G., Thompson-Carr, A., & Higham, J. (Eds.) Mountaineering Tourism. (pp. 138-155). Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315769202
Reports
Richards, K., Doran, A., Brett, C., Wingfield, H., & Schofield, P. (2022). The Outjoyment Report: a research report on the well-being and mental health benefits of camping. IMPACT REPORT. The Camping and Caravanning Club. https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/-/media/Files/Outjoyment-Report/The-Outjoyment-Report-Impact-Report-Web.pdf?rev=296c20b0a9794c39858b1feaa7e8ed61
Doran, A., & Hall, J. (2020). Researching Women in Mountaineering, UK. Unpublished.
Gregory, M., Pomfret, G., & Doran, A. (2020). The Outdoor City Adventure Breaks - Evaluation Report.
Theses / Dissertations
Doran, A. (2019). Women's mountaineering tourism experiences: The constraint negotiation process and benefits of participation. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Pomfret, G. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00203
Presentations
Doran, A., & Richards, K. (2022). The Outjoyment Report: A study into the well-being and mental health benefits of camping in the great outdoors. Presented at: Adventure Mind, Kingswood Outdoor Centre, Dearne Valley
Doran, A., & Richards, K. (2022). The Outjoyment Report: A study into the well-being and mental health benefits of camping in the great outdoors. Presented at: The Motorhome and Caravan Show, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham
Doran, A. (2022). BMC Equity Webinar Series: Women in the Outdoors. Presented at: BMC Equity Webinar Series, Online
Doran, A. (2022). Women in Adventure.
Doran, A. (2021). Women's outdoor adventure experiences on Instagram: Exploring user-generated content. Presented at: Tourism in the Digital Era, Online
Doran, A., Low, T., & Miller, M. (2019). #womeninadventure: Exploring women’s representation on Instagram. Presented at: International Adventure Conference, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Doran, A., & Low, T. (2019). Accessing benefits from mountaineering tourism: Female negotiation strategies. Presented at: International Adventure Conference, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Doran, A. (2018). Women's mountaineering tourism: An empirical investigation of its theoretical constraint dimensions. Presented at: International Adventure Conference - Climates of Change: Rethinking the Outdoor Experience, Segovia, La Granja and Valsain, Spain
Doran, A. (2017). Women's mountaineering tourism: An empirical investigation of its theoretical constraint dimensions. Presented at: Sustainable Tourism Development Conference - Issues, Challenges and Debates, Kathmandu, Nepal
Doran, A. (2017). Women's mountaineering tourism: an empirical investigation of its theoretical constraint dimensions.
Doran, A. (2016). Using phenomenology-based ethnography to examine mountaineering tourism experiences: A critical analysis. Presented at: Sheffield Business School Doctoral Conference, Sheffield Hallam University
Doran, A. (2014). Empowerment and women in adventure tourism: A negotiated journey. Presented at: International Adventure Conference - Adventures in empty lands: The difference and value of wild places, Sogndal, Norway
Pomfret, G., & Doran, A. (2014). The role of gender in mountaineering tourism. Presented at: Adventure Tourism Research Association Seminar, Sheffield Hallam University
Doran, A. (2012). A review of the current literature on female adventure tourists. Presented at: PhD Colloquium, Sheffield, UK
Doran, A. (2012). A review of the current literature on female adventure tourists. Presented at: Meanings, Markets and Magic. International Adventure Conference 2012 Fort William, Scotland, UK, University of the Highlands and Islands, Fort William, Scotland, UK
Other activities
- Editorial Board member of the World Leisure Journal
- Member of the British Mountaineering Council’s Equity Steering Committee and Gender Equity Sub-Group Lead
- Steering Committee Member of the Adventure Tourism Research Association
- External Examiner for the University of Wales Trinity Saint David BA (Hons) Outdoor Adventure Education and MA Outdoor Education programmes
- External Examiner for the London Metropolitan University BA (Hons) Tourism and Travel Management programme
Postgraduate supervision
Harriet Wingfield (PhD): An investigation of the relationship between cycling tourists and wellbeing
Emily Pitts (PhD): Social capital and career progression in mountain leadership
Athena Barbas-Marcroft (PhD): Consumer decision-making in air travel: critical factors and the influence of environmental sustainability
James Westgarth (DBA): Heuristics and biases: A predictive framework for business travel managers
Nafisa Suliman (DBA): Impact of value chain governance of a tourism cluster on its stakeholders: a case study from Oman
If you are interested in undertaking a doctorate in any aspect of outdoor recreation/adventure tourism, for example, participants, media and marketing, sustainability, employment, and adventure management and operations, please get in touch. I am happy to discuss any ideas you have.