James Petrick

James Petrick is a Professor and Associate Department Head for Research at Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences. He holds a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a Ph.D. from Clemson University. His work focuses on applying marketing and psychological principles to tourism services, including tourist behavior, cruise industry analysis, and the physiological benefits of travel.

Education:

• B.S., Recreation and Parks Management, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
• M.S., Recreation Management, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
• Ph.D., Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Clemson University

Research Interests: Dr. Petrick’s research explores tourism marketing strategies, consumer behavior in travel contexts, cruise industry dynamics, and the psychological impacts of travel. His Tourism Marketing Lab supports 12 students and has secured over $3 million in grants for projects like National Park Service strategic plans and U.S. Travel Association studies on travel benefits. He co-edits the Journal of Travel Research and advises tourism entities internationally.

Awards:

• 2024 Kunze Award for student mentorship
• Top 1% global cited researcher (Clarivate, 2021-2023)
• Co-Editor, Journal of Travel Research (Impact Factor 10.98)
• Tall in Texas Award (2019) for tourism contributions
• Named ‘Awesome Scholar in Tourism’ (2018)
• Second most published tourism researcher globally (2004-2013)

Grants & Labs: His lab has secured over $3 million in grants, including projects on national visitor studies, cruise ship passenger analysis, and tourism website evaluations. He collaborates with entities like the USDA, U.S. Travel Association, and 22 states/cities.

Professional Roles: Served on boards for the Travel and Tourism Research Association, Texas Travel Industry Association, and Bryan/College Station Convention Bureau. Keynote speaker in 10+ countries and former cruise ship staff (Norwegian Cruise Line/Royal Viking Line).