Key details
Dr Lauren A Siegel
Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Events
After working in tourism and events management in New York City for nearly a decade, Lauren then shifted her life to Asia to pursue her MSc at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where she graduated with Distinction. Lauren's career in research began while in Hong Kong, with a focus on how social media have transformed experiences into objects of collectible consumption among younger generations. Lauren obtained her PhD at the University of Surrey in the UK with a focus on the behavioural performances and visitor impacts to destinations considered 'Instagrammable'. Lauren's work has been featured in many press outlets including BBC, CNN, The Independent, Deutsche Welle Radio, Business Insider and Yahoo News. Additionally, Lauren is a member of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA), the International Federation for IT and Travel & Tourism (IFITT), the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Photographic Society. Lauren joined the University of Greenwich in September 2021.
Research / Scholarly interests
Research interests include social media, social networking, social influence, consumer behaviour, overtourism, responsible traveller behaviours, sustainable practices, tourist destination selection, socio-cultural impacts and generational travel habits (Generations Y and Z).
Media activity
Much Better Adventures: Is Social Media-Induced Tourism Ruining Travel? https://www.muchbetteradventures.com/magazine/is-social-media-ruining-travel/
| Is Social Media-Induced Tourism Ruining Travel? We speak to Dr. Lauren Siegel about how social media-induced tourism has transformed travel, for better or worse... |
BBC: Is this the summer of bad tourists? https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230821-is-this-the-summer-of-bad-tourists
| Is this the summer of bad tourists? From vandalising ancient sites to disrespecting local culture, we're increasingly aware of travellers misbehaving – and this could ultimately be a good thing. |
The Independent: 'Some people are so desperate they live in caves' - the brutal truth about a holiday hotspot https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/greece/santorini-greek-island-overtourism-locals-camp-beach-caves/
| ‘Some people are so desperate they live in caves’ – the brutal truth about a holiday hotspot The long-suffering Greek island of Santorini has just 15,000 residents but attracts two million visitors a year, to the dismay of locals |
CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/social-media-tourism-effect-scn-wellness/index.html
| Instagram is making you a worse tourist. Here’s how to travel respectfully | CNN When people see their friends behaving selfishly on holiday, they might assume they can do the same. edition.cnn.com |
Yahoo News: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/instagram-making-worse-tourist-heres-115459011.html
Instagram is making you a worse tourist – here's how to travel respectfully When people see their friends behaving selfishly on holiday, they might assume they can do the same. uk.news.yahoo.com |
Business Insider Mexico: https://businessinsider.mx/turistas-responsables-turismo-viajeros_lifestyle/
| Instagram crea peores turistas: así puedes viajar con respeto Los turistas cada vez se vuelven más irrespetuosos en los lugares o comunidades que visitan para conseguir una selfie perfecta. businessinsider.mx |
| Instagram fait de vous un très mauvais touriste : comment voyager plus respectueusement ? Certains touristes s’imaginent qu’ils peuvent faire n’importe quoi en vacances, surtout si cela conduit à une photo « instagrammable » |
Hotel Online: https://www.hotel-online.com/.../a-globetrotting-generation/
PATA: https://www.pata.org/the-hong-kong-polytechnic.../
Hsyndicate: https://www.hsyndicate.org/network/4097719.html
Hospitality Net: https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4097719.html
International Hotel & Restaurant Association: http://www.ih-ra.org/news-details.php?url=4097719
Hotel Technology Next Generation: http://htng.hsyndicate.com/news//4097719.html
HITEC Bytes: http://bytes.hitec.org/details/4097719.html
AMFORHT: https://amforht.groupment.com/.../a-globetrotting.../8185/
4Hoteliers: https://www.4hoteliers.com/news/story/20180
Food Hospitality India: http://foodhospitalityindia.com/for-the-internet-savvy.../
Deutsche Welle Radio
Living Planet: Overtourism – How much is too much?
https://www.dw.com/en/living-planet-overtourism-how-much-is-too-much/av-44927631
Recent publications
- Siegel, L. A., Tussyadiah, I., & Scarles, C. (2023). Exploring behaviors of social media-induced tourists and the use of behavioral interventions as salient destination response strategy. Journal of destination marketing & management, 27, 100765. DOI: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100765.
- Siegel, L. (2023). Semiotics of Travel: Assigning Meaning to Travel Posts on Social Media. Proceedings of the Surrey 2023 Conference 5-7 July in Guildford, United Kingdom.
- Siegel, L.A., Tussyadiah, I., & Scarles, C. (2022). Cyber-physical traveler performances and Instagram travel photography as ideal impression management. Current Issues in Tourism,DOI:10.1080/13683500.2022.2086451.
- Siegel, L.A., Tussyadiah, I.P. and Scarles, C. (2020) ‘Does Social Media Help or Hurt Destinations? A Qualitative Case Study’, e-Review of Tourism Research (eRTR), 17(4), pp. 571-580.
- Thomopoulos, N., Cohen, S., Hopkins, D., Siegel, L. and Kimber, S. (2020) ‘All Work and No Play? Autonomous Vehicles and Non-commuting Journeys’, Transport Reviews, 1-22.
- Siegel, L.A. and Wang, D. (2019) ‘Keeping Up with the Joneses: Emergence of Travel as a Form of Social Comparison among Millennials’, Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 36(2), pp. 159-175.
- Siegel, L. (2019). Social Networking Behaviours among Travelling Millennials: A Visual Hierarchy. Travel and Tourism Research Association Europe 2019, 8-10 April in Bournemouth, United Kingdom.
- Siegel, L. (2019). Travel Photography in the Age of Social Networking. Workshop Series: Photography in Tourism Research at University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, 10 Sept 2019.
- Siegel, L. (2019). Travel and Consumption in Photogenic Places. PhD Workshop, International Federation for IT and Travel & Tourism (IFITT) ENTER Conference 2019, 29 Jan at University of Nicosia, Cyprus.
- Siegel,L. and Wang, D. (2018). Keeping Up with the Joneses: Emergence of Travel as a New Form of Social Currency. The 23rd Annual Graduate Education & Graduate Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism, Fort Worth, Texas, 3-5 Jan 2018.