Research Areas
Internal Branding in Tourism
My internal branding research focuses on diverse organizational practices that facilitate service employees in transforming and elevating the service brand values into brand experiences for customers. We identify effective measures that predict service employees’ brand competency, motivation, and commitment in achieving the coveted branding outcomes. In the next step, I plan to examine the employee outcomes in this process (e.g., employee wellbeing, emotional exhaustion, sense-making) considering the contemporary labor market trends (e.g., the gig economy).
Sustainable Destination Development Marketing
In the destination marketing area, I focus on how destination residents become destination brand ambassadors through their interactions with tourists, especially in the context of resident emotional labor and communication barriers. Along with this focus, I study sustainable tourism development in rural mountain areas with fragile ecosystems and challenges in resident livelihood transformation.
Human-Wildlife Coexistence
Rapid urbanization and modernization have alienated people from nature and wildlife, resulting in increased human-wildlife conflicts. Using the value-attitude-behavior hierarchy and generational cohort theory, my team investigates the unknown wildlife values in China and the shifting patterns across generational cohorts. This funded study informs land conservation policies with respect to wildlife that balance ecological needs with human development.
Climate Change, Parks and Public Health
An interdisciplinary research agenda aims to assess the impact of climate change on key environmental determinants in parks and assess how these changes influence visitors’ recreational behaviors and related health outcomes. The research team is composed of experts in climate science, public health, nature-health interactions, and park recreation.
My Research Lab
Are you passionate about the intersection of people, nature, and business? My research lab explores a range of topics that bridge tourism, wildlife, conservation, branding, and public health. We are currently seeking motivated lab members and collaborators to support and grow our ongoing projects, as described in the research agenda.
Whether you’re a student interested in tourism and social science, or a scholar looking to collaborate across disciplines, I’d love to hear from you. Please reach out via lina.xiong@colostate.edu .
Visit the Lab Website