Prof Peter Varley

Professor Peter Varley is Professor of Tourism in the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Strategy department, Faculty of Business and Law. He is also Visiting Professor at the Institute of Place Management, Manchester Metropolitan University and Professor II in Rural Tourism and Consumer Behaviour at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. His sociologically informed research centres upon cultural responses, subjective meaning making and experiences in places: be it in the mountains; in a sea kayak; in 'non-places'; in a restaurant or even in a tent. A key focus of some of the research programmes in Northumbria University is that of care for post-industrial and rural spaces, whether via creation of ’neo-bohemias’, memorialisation projects, living and lived spaces or third places. Peter leads the Tourism and Events subject group whose key research interests also centre upon place, place management, and experiential dynamics through a variety of lenses such as performance and mobility. Peter's research interests in rock-climbing, mountaineering and sea kayaking are informed by studies into the social processes and impacts of tourist activities, and the attendant conceptual developments around the construction/exchange of subjective meanings. He has currently written  on gastro tourism, slow adventure, camping practices, solo journeying, 'fuzzy' places and on negotiating the idea of luxury in the 21st Century. Other topics likely to provoke passionate debate include the politics of amateur and professional boxing (as a former amateur boxing coach and one-time participant), motorcycles and watching motorcycle racing.  Peter is one of the founding members of the Adventure Tourism Research Association (ATRA) and heads up the popular International Adventure Conference held every 12-24 months.