Anya Chapman

Dr Anya Chapman serves as Principal Academic in Tourism Management at Bournemouth University's Faculty of Management, specializing in coastal tourism, heritage conservation, and seaside resort dynamics. With over two decades of combined industry and academic experience since joining BU in 2013, she bridges practical tourism management with scholarly research.

Her educational background includes a PhD in Organisational Behaviour from the University of Liverpool (2012), MA in Tourism & Leisure from Lancaster University (1998), and BA (Hons) in Human Geography & Sociology from LJMU (1996), complemented by a PGCE in Further and Higher Education (2003).

Chapman's research centers on coastal heritage sustainability, with particular focus on British seaside piers, amusement arcades, and resort regeneration. Her work examines the intersection of tourism development, cultural preservation, and community engagement through frameworks addressing climate resilience, inclusive tourism practices, and post-industrial adaptation. Current projects analyze visual accessibility in tourism and disaster preparedness in Global South geotourism contexts.

Her research output demonstrates consistent thematic evolution from historical analyses of seaside culture toward contemporary sustainability challenges, with recent publications emphasizing practical solutions for coastal heritage conservation, inclusive tourism design, and climate adaptation strategies across multiple international contexts.

• Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy
• Extensive media engagement including BBC, The Guardian, and The Telegraph
• Contributor to UN Sustainable Development Goals (Decent Work and Sustainable Cities)

Chapman supervises five PhD candidates investigating topics ranging from Saudi mega-events to Chinese hotel resilience, while managing significant research grants including the Pier Review Sustainability Toolkit (Coastal Revival Fund) and Climate Change and Seaside Piers project. She serves as external examiner for multiple universities and contributes to national policy through England's Coastal Tourism Leadership Forum.

As Director of Weymouth Museum and founding member of the Seaside Heritage Network, she actively translates research into heritage practice, notably through advisory roles with the National Piers Society and Blackpool Museum Project.