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. Her academic career includes prior roles at Middlesex University (Dubai and London), University of Bedfordshire, and University of East London.

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

Her research centers on cultural and gender studies within tourism, focusing on gender (re)presentation, social inequalities, maternity protection, and qualitative methodologies. She explores how women are portrayed in tourism media, academic discourse, and corporate environments, using tools like discourse analysis, netnography, and interviews to critique colonial and racial power dynamics.

Her recent publications reveal a strong trend in critical tourism studies, particularly on gender, postcolonialism, and representation. Themes include female anger in travel writing, LGBTQ+ tourism, and Muslim women in tourism labor. Her work bridges marketing, sociology, and cultural studies, often contributing to policy discussions.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow (2016–Present)
• Editorial Board Member, Tourism Planning and Development (2019–Present)
• Managing Editor, e-Review of Tourism Research
• Associate, Equality in Tourism (2018–Present)
• Dissertation Prize Coordinator, Royal Geographical Society (2017–Present)

Heather has secured competitive fellowships and contributes to academic service through editorial leadership and research coordination. While no specific grants are listed, her Marie Curie fellowship indicates external research funding. She has been a visiting scholar at Monash University Malaysia, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina), and Institut Supérieur de Tourisme Sousse (Tunisia), reflecting international collaboration.

She is actively involved in academic communities focused on gender and tourism, contributing to journals and networks that emphasize equity and inclusivity in global tourism practices.