Heather Jeffrey

Dr. Heather Jeffrey is a Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Birmingham Dubai, affiliated with the Birmingham Business School and the Department of Marketing. She holds a PhD from Middlesex University and a PgCert in Higher Education from Middlesex University Dubai. Her academic work bridges marketing, cultural studies, and gender research within tourism contexts.

Education:

• PhD, Middlesex University (2017)
• PgCert in Higher Education, Middlesex University Dubai (2021)

Her research centers on gender, (re)presentation, and social inequalities in tourism, employing qualitative methods such as discourse analysis, netnography, and interviews. She investigates how women are portrayed in tourism media, policy, and academic discourse, with a focus on colonial and racial dynamics. Her work spans cross-cultural promotional materials, travel guidebooks, and the emotional narratives of female travelers.

The recent publications reflect a strong trend in critical tourism studies, with emphasis on gender-based violence, maternity protection, LGBTQ+ tourism, and postcolonial feminism. These works span journals and edited volumes in tourism, gender, and cultural geography, indicating interdisciplinary reach and methodological rigor.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow (2016–Present)
• Dissertation Prize Coordinator, Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group, Royal Geographical Society (2017–Present)

Dr. Jeffrey actively contributes to academic service as Managing Editor of e-Review of Tourism Research and Editorial Board Member of Tourism Planning and Development. She has held teaching and research positions at Middlesex University (Dubai and London), the University of Bedfordshire, and the University of East London. She has also served as a visiting scholar at Monash University Malaysia, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina), and Institut Supérieur de Tourisme Sousse (Tunisia), reflecting her international academic engagement. While no specific grants are listed, her Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship indicates significant research funding support.

Dr. Jeffrey is an associate for the non-profit Equality in Tourism and contributes to policy-relevant research on gender balance in the MENA region, maternity protection, and family tourism. She has no listed advisees, but her editorial and coordination roles suggest mentorship and leadership in her field.