Stephen Espiner

Stephen Espiner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Tourism, Sport & Society at Lincoln University, New Zealand, where he currently serves as Head of Department. He leads the Sustainable Tourism Centre of Excellence and has previously chaired postgraduate studies in the Faculty of Environment, Society and Design. His work bridges academic research with practical applications in tourism, conservation, and community management.

His educational background includes a PhD and Master of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management from Lincoln University, and a BA from the University of Canterbury. This foundation supports his integrative approach to studying human-environment relationships.

Dr. Espiner's research focuses on the human dimensions of natural resource management, particularly examining how tourism-dependent communities near protected areas adapt to global changes including climate impacts and pandemics. His work spans both domestic contexts (Westland/Tai Poutini National Park, Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park) and international settings (Annapurna Conservation Area, Sagarmatha National Park). He investigates visitor behavior, risk communication, climate adaptation, and the sustainability-resilience nexus in tourism contexts.

His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on pandemic-related tourism shifts, Chinese tourist safety in natural hazard environments, and adaptation frameworks for glacier tourism regions. The research demonstrates increasing attention to cross-cultural communication, indigenous perspectives, and practical interventions for improving visitor safety and resilience.

Dr. Espiner actively supervises numerous PhD and Master's students, with current topics including electronic technologies in outdoor recreation experiences, Chinese tourists' risk perceptions, domestic tourist resilience to natural hazards, and planning for visitor access in glacier regions. His supervision portfolio reflects the breadth of his interests across tourism, recreation, and environmental management.

He maintains strong connections with national-level organizations in tourism, recreation, and conservation sectors, ensuring his research has practical industry relevance. His work frequently appears in high-impact journals including the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Tourism Geographies, and Frontiers in Human Dynamics, demonstrating his significant contribution to the field.